How To: Create the Perfect Paintwork Show Car Shine (UK Style)

[Flash]

thanks Flash i think i may just do that...

on another note i hace a very minute dent on one of the doors, im in the London area...who best is able to do this job? i have heard of dent wizard etc...but if anyone can recommend anyone else i'd appreciate it...thanks!

Dent Wizard/Master have franchises in various areas and the quality of the work will once again depend on the Operator (simlar to Chips Away scenario) for the quality of the finish. As long as access can diretcly be obtained to the dent/damged area of the door from behind (i.e. removal of door card/trim) then the dent can be taken out. However, if the paint has been cracked/split then the Operator will refuse to do the job.

Look on the internet for Dent Wizard/Master and they will have a contact number and will give you details of a franchisee/operator within your area.

 

[Goldfish11]

Stone Chips

To be quite honest I find I can do small chips as well as the professionals. Use a tooth pick and if you need to sand use a hole punch on the paper and then stick the disk on the end of a rubber on a pencil.

Autopia do an e-book and there are loads of great tips in it for this sort of stuff.

See this thread:

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=7294

I have used paint chip specialist when my wife badly scuffed a bumper they did a good job. But for small stuff try to do it yourself.

Oh the cost, about £100 for a badly scuffed bumper that needed filling and various chips

 

[glojo]

I would leave that 24 hours between coats. .

Hi Goldfish,
You were indeed one of the experts I referred to. In my post I asked about leaving polish on a car for an extended period before removing it. 48 hours has been mentioned and you mention 24.

I am terrified of very small particles of grit settling on the bodywork and being picked up by the soft polishing cloth? Would this lead to more swirl marks?

Any vehicle driving pass a parked vehicle can easily stir fine granules off of te road surface and make them airborne. Am I being alarmist?

John the cautious

 

[Goldfish11]

Hi Goldfish,
You were indeed one of the experts I referred to. In my post I asked about leaving polish on a car for an extended period before removing it. 48 hours has been mentioned and you mention 24.

I am terrified of very small particles of grit settling on the bodywork and being picked up by the soft polishing cloth? Would this lead to more swirl marks?

Any vehicle driving pass a parked vehicle can easily stir fine granules off of te road surface and make them airborne. Am I being alarmist?

John the cautious

Only slightly alarmist, you do need to take precautions.

I dont leave the Klasse or AG on for 24hours, I generally leave it on for a few hours (2or3) but then I put a new coat on after 24hours. Remember we are dealing with molecule coatings of stuff.

If you use the right amount of product you dont need to rub hard. Remember Autoglym Extra Gloss or Klasse SG need to be applied "whisper thin".

If you leave the car once you have done this you can see if any dust has landed, but I also use a californian car duster that I got from Autopia (very fine cotton mop thing impregnated with parafin I think). This clears all the dust. I then give it a careful wipe with a nice soft microfibre cloth and all dust is removed. You probably can do more damage washing the car again, if you can dust or use detailing spray this is much kinder.

Also to avoid swirl try polishing the car in a long wipes rather than using a circular motion, do this length ways. Swirl is swirl becuase of the circular motion of the fine marks, long length ways marks are harder to see.

I have not yet had a problem (but do have a rather nasty circular mark on my rear bumper where the lorry hit my car, but my porter cable will never get that out)

Once you have put on your first coat of Klasse all in one, followed by Klasse SG the finish is so slick dust just falls off. I have even used my vacuumn cleaner on blow to shift the stuff but my neighbours thought I was mad.

I wish this site had a speling chiker

 

[glojo]

but I also use a californian car duster that I got from Autopia (very fine cotton mop thing impregnated with parafin I think). This clears all the dust.

You mean a Ken Dodd tickling stick!!! dusting the vehicle off makes very good sense.

As you know we are great fans of the Porter Cable even our light coloured vehicle shines like a new pin.

Regards
John

 

[Mambo]

Speakin of Porter Cable, does any one know where to get replacements pads in the UK?

 

[C43AMG]

Hi Goldfish would you advise to buy the Porter Cable from Autopia or The Polishing Co, cost wise?

 

[C43AMG]

Speakin of Porter Cable, does any one know where to get replacements pads in the UK?

Mambo, http://www.thepolishingcompany.com/

 

[Goldfish11]

Hi Goldfish would you advise to buy the Porter Cable from Autopia or The Polishing Co, cost wise?

It is up to you, I was the person who encouraged Mike at the polishing company to start importing the stuff! He is a sound chap and if you mention the MBClub he does a deal. I still get some stuff off him.

I do like using Autopia, often it works out a little cheaper and if I and other use the link http://store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/clink?autopia+MBWu4u+index.html+ when purchasing I get "Brownie Points" which I save up for free pads! (I guess I should declare this on the MBClub register of interests ) Seriously, I do use Autopia because these chaps helped me so much when I started out, most of the knowledge I have shared on this forum has come about from there encouragement and advice so I do feel I owe them something back.

So in summary it is up to you, we should also support Mike at the Polishing Company as he has also taken a risk in getting most of the Perfect Shine stuff in stock (at my suggestion ) but I do have a soft spot for Autopia as well. (But Mike gets his stuff from Autopia anyway so I guess they win as well )

Cost wise, I have not checked it out recently, check out the exchange rate, I generally use paypal now for Autopia but you can just use a credit card direct. Remember the Autopia site also calculates postage for the UK automatically so you could do a little experiment.

 

[Goldfish11]

You mean a Ken Dodd tickling stick!!! dusting the vehicle off makes very good sense.

As you know we are great fans of the Porter Cable even our light coloured vehicle shines like a new pin.

Regards
John

Its not quite Ken Dodd but I guess if you had a nice soft one of these it would do the job

This is what I have

http://store.yahoo.com/autopia/oxo-1050580.html


Problem is wifey is getting into all my tools, I got a couple of Meguiars Wheel Brushes with reversible handles http://store.yahoo.com/autopia/meg-x-1020.html . Really great for cleaning alloys. She spots them and has stollen one. She now uses it as a Cob Web brush says it is the best one she has ever had

She has even taken to using my Autoglym Leather Cleaner and Autoglym Leather Conditioner for doing the sofa, so that now is disappearing fast

 

[Markzzz]

Very usefull.... Thankyou.

 

[Wezzel]

If you get a car duster get the genuine one, a California Car Duster.

I can vouch for them - Brilliant bit of kit :bannana:

http://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=89

 

[jaymanek]

yep i use a similar one for the cars in my showroom... works really well and never seems to need washing out!

 

[neilz]

Bump - anyone know if The Polishing Company would still supply the MBClub kit http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/111692-post67.html ?