New car detailing

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AndrewOl

Active Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
820
Location
Romsey
Car
E350 A207
Hi all,

New company car arrives this week. 9 months late due to VW production issues (serves them right I suppose). Was thinking of a home detail clay/polish/wax. Wasn’t considering ceramic as it’s expensive and after all it’s not my car. Happy to redo the above process every six months. Worth it or not?
 
Good Morning,

A home detail is a good idea if it needs it that is but it will make cleaning much easier in the future if you're planning on doing it yourself.
Is the car brand new?
Does it need a clay and polish or just a good clean, wax and seal?

A ceramic coating is quite expensive when done professionally because the car needs a full decontamination which can be quite labour intensive but if the car is new and doesn't need that much doing to it might be worth considering doing it yourself if you're a bit of a home detailer.

I've been watching quite a few YouTube vids lately and to be fair it doesn't seem that hard apart from all the prep work. The only catch I can see would be applying the coating inside but if you have or have access to a garage (which I don't) maybe look into it.

I have seen a couple of members mention they've applied it themselves a couple of years back but I'd have to do some digging to find the threads.

I've been seriously considering applying a ceramic coating myself when I complete my winter prep this year either in late August early September to make cleaning through the winter easier. I know it seals in the imperfections but to be honest any imperfections after a decontamination and MOP would be there whether it has the ceramic coating or not.
 
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I've been watching quite a few YouTube vids lately and to be fair it doesn't seem that hard apart from all the prep work. The only catch I can see would be applying the coating inside but if you have or have access to a garage (which I don't) maybe look into it.
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You could could always do it in an underground/multi level car park. That’s what I’ve done in the past, get a few funny looks but hey ho.
 
my friend just had his car detailed with some kind of ceramic wipes for £2xx and apparently it last for 12 months, not sure if that's helpful to you
 
Thanks for the replies. Car park! Would never have thought of that, great idea. It is a new car so in theory should be in good nick. Might try and talk myself into home applied ceramic. Any suggestions on easy to apply ceramic products? Generally just use autoglym or meguires for polish etc. Nothing too exotic.
 
I did my R107 yesterday with C-Quartz. Easy process and good pack price at £43.00. More than 50% left for another car. Unfortunately Photo files too large to load. Let me know email address if you want to view them.
 
Thanks for the replies. Car park! Would never have thought of that, great idea. It is a new car so in theory should be in good nick. Might try and talk myself into home applied ceramic. Any suggestions on easy to apply ceramic products? Generally just use autoglym or meguires for polish etc. Nothing too exotic.

The good thing with car parks also is the lighting can enhance the reflection. This is why Paintless Dent Repairers use lights.
 
As it's not your car but you will obviously take pride in its appearance and don't want to commit too much cash to gain an easy maintenance life, I would definitely steer you to one of the DIY ceramic coating kits. Your outlay will be less than £100 but, as always, meticulous preparation of the clearcoat is the key to achieving outstanding results. Have a look at this 30-minute review video for a better understanding:

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As it is a company car I wouldn't want to spend any more time or money than is necessary to keep it looking good and with some form of protection to help make washing that much more efficient.

As most paint defects - swirls/marring etc are inflicted at the washing and drying parts of the process I'd focus on this to make sure your routine is as safe as possible using products which aren't going to conflict each other.

On that basis I'd suggest the 2-bucket method of washing with a free rinsing shampoo, quality wash mitt and drying towel.
Si02 based spray and rinse protection products would be what I'd suggest for quick and effective protection - Gyeon WetCoat and CarPro Hydro2Lite both superb.

Some links to products -

https://www.exceldetailingsupplies.co.uk/product-page/dooka-wash

https://www.exceldetailingsupplies.co.uk/product-page/klin-korea-wash-mitt

https://www.exceldetailingsupplies.co.uk/product-page/med-duo

Gyeon Q²M WetCoat

Hydro2 LITE : Ready to use advanced coating (1000ml)

Cheers,

Chris
 
Thanks for the replies. Car park! Would never have thought of that, great idea. It is a new car so in theory should be in good nick. Might try and talk myself into home applied ceramic. Any suggestions on easy to apply ceramic products? Generally just use autoglym or meguires for polish etc. Nothing too exotic.
Done mine under Tescos 24 hrs car park , must be a warm day used crystal serum off ebay. Its says use panel wipe before hand. I used waterless wax always, & before hand . I applied serum 2 years ago, still great reulsts. Wtaerless wax is the key with carbuna in it from ebay 5 litres or Wiliams. Decent micro fiber clothes , keep em cleaned. Top up with autoglym for windows , tyres & rubber. Clay bar is when the car has swirls & scratches tbh. I will retreat mine with crystal serum laquer only after waxing. :)
 
Thanks for the replies. Car park! Would never have thought of that, great idea. It is a new car so in theory should be in good nick. Might try and talk myself into home applied ceramic. Any suggestions on easy to apply ceramic products? Generally just use autoglym or meguires for polish etc. Nothing too exotic.
Have you tried Shine Armor? Too early to say how long it lasts but easy to apply and looks good to me
 
Definitely worth doing OP, like you say a full detail and ceramic coating may be a bit overkill. Doesn't mean you can't enjoy it yourself and get the car protected and looking good.

If you have a garage and indoor space to apply a ceramic coating then there are some offerings out there which could be applied yourself. Personally, I don't have anywhere indoors I could apply so I stick to a sealant and wax which generally speaking will last 6 months or more with top up products.
 
Gyeon CanCoat is a great product that will see upto 12mnths. with 2 coats 1 hour between coats. very easy to apply and buff off..... and can be used on all exterior surfaces.

Si Ramik SC Mist is a good product that will last circa 6mnths, very durable, slick and very hydrophobic

If you want a good wax that will see 6mnths, check out BH double speed wax.
Spray sealants are ok, but the coverage is not consistent over the entire panel unless you use a damp applicator to spread the product out before rinsing off, even then they wont be as durable as a good wax or entry level ceramic, IMO they work better as a maintenance/ topper product.


The list of varoius products are endless and the only real way to find your perfect product is by trial and error.
 

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