CLK W208 silver - after 3 hours cleaning!

[rossyl]

Morning,

On Saturday I spent 3+ hours cleaning the car...I had a 700+ mile trip last weekend so it was in need of a clean.

Here's what I did
- powerwashed
- washed with washing up liquid (2 bucked method)
- rinsed
- washed with Autoglym Shampoo
- dried
- Clayed using Bilthamber Soft Auto Clay (used Megs Last Touch as lube (I know I only needed water)
- Dried
- Waxed with Zymol cleaner wax

As far as i know the car had not been clayed before and I must say i was shocked with the results. The clay was removing a hwll of a lot of dirt. On the bonnet and other areas the water running off was dirty. The clay removed a lot of bonded dirt that neither a powerjet, washing up liquid or AG shampoo could remove.

Zymol smells lovely, not sure if it added that much shine post the claying. Though water did bead beautifully.

Anyway...the results!




[URL="http://img685.imageshack.us/i/snc00142x.jpg/"]
Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[mykulmerc]

Looks and sounds like a great job. Hope you are pleased with the results. Just a couple of questions..

I always thought washing up liquid was a big no-no. You only did it knowing you going to repeat with a quality shampoo. Would it have been better to use a "cheap" shampoo for the first wash, or even wash twice with AG?

Also, given that you are doing clay and finally waxing, would it be worth while using a non-was shampoo in the first place.

I'm generally a bit lazy - just use autoglym shampoo - and then extra wax occassionaly, but I intend to get into better habits when I get a newer car. Particularly interesting is how much dirt came off when claying.

 

[rossyl]

Washing up liquid is generally a no-no. As it strips the cars of wax/any other protection it has on it. But that was precisesly what i wanted to do.

The AG shampoo wash may not have been neccessary, but most seem to recommend doing it, to be honest barely any dirt came off.

Claying the car then went beyond the washing up liquid, in terms of stripping everything off the paint. But I wanted to remove as much as possible before the claying process.

Post claying you have to wax the car, most polish the car before waxing. But i was already quite happy with the finish and my arm was pretty knackered, so a wax was enough for me!

 

[mykulmerc]

Thanks for the explaination. Presumably the clay treatment is now preferred to a good old fashioned t-cut?

 

[Chrishazle]

Thanks for the explaination. Presumably the clay treatment is now preferred to a good old fashioned t-cut?

2 different animals. Clay removes small particles of muck that are embedded into the paint surface - which is why the paintwork feels rough before and silky smooth after. T-cut is a paint renovator that strips off traffic film and some of the paint.

The OP has done a super job, as you can see from the photos. I'm particularly intrigued at his use of washing up liquid in the first wash to remove wax - must remember that trick for next time I want to clay one of my cars! However, for a full paint correction detail there are a couple of steps between the clay and the wax - called paint correction (swirl etc removal) and polish.

I don't want to start a discussion about what's the best paint correction material / polish / wax - as I put in another post, from A for Autoglym to Z for Zymol you'll find someone who thinks a product is the best!!

However, I will say that the difference this kind of cleaning can make to a car is amazing, and also appears to be colour dependant. My Guards Red 968 changed colour when I did her last year - and I thought I'd been looking after the bodywork quite well! In fact, the "red" had discoloured to a slightly purple and darker red - but clay, paint correction, polish and wax (and the largest pot of elbow grease in captivity, I do not have a DA polisher!) corrected that. However, I recently clayed the C270, which is 744 Brilliant Silver. I did not paint correct, just polish and wax. I could feel the benefit of clay as the paintwork was noticably smoother, but there was very little discernible colour improvement!

 

[jaymanek]

id be careful with washing up liquid... its full of salts that can linger and cause chrome and other metal parts to corrode...

 

[Will]

I agree with Jay - the washing up liquid isn't a no-no because it strips the wax, it's because it's not designed for washing cars in that the stuff it's made of isn't good for your car

Car looks great but I'd maybe just wash twice with regular shampoo instead of the initial washing up liquid one next time

In fact, after waxing one of my cars last year, even washing my hands with washing up liquid 1/2 dozen times didn't get all of the wax off my skin.

Will

 

[mykulmerc]

id be careful with washing up liquid... its full of salts that can linger and cause chrome and other metal parts to corrode...

I suspected there might be some argument like this..

 

[rossyl]

see these for debates:
First detail on 2nd hand car - Fairy liquid? - Detailing World

fairy - Detailing World

 

[johnpidge]

Looks good to me - you can come down and clean my car anytime you like

 

[nigel cross]

Pressure washers do not really clean a car. They are good at getting rid of excess dirt but are only really good at blasting pavements.
Unless you fit a foam lance, that's when they really add to he washing process.
Never use washing up liquid, and you should never wash it twice, it you haven't done it right the first time what makes you sure you can do it better the second time.
Hope you used grit guards in the buckets and also used a wookies fist.
After you clayed it , you should have washed it and rinsed it again before drying and waxing it.
But at least you are trying, well done.

 

[bigjim]

Great job.

Fairy liquid is great for cutting through all the rubbish as long as you reseal afterwards.


If you are free next weekend could you come to Bristol please.....

 

[johnpidge]

Great job.

Fairy liquid is great for cutting through all the rubbish as long as you reseal afterwards.


If you are free next weekend could you come to Bristol please.....

Carefull now I think I booked him in Isleworth first thank you!!!!

 

[bigjim]

My apologies - he can do me on his way home - as long as he changes the water.

 

[rossyl]

Cheers guys!

However, driving it back from Yeovil yesterday I killed about 1,000 bugs...it now needs another clean!!