Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[FTE217]

Won d-Lux ful baby !

[T3rminator]

Sorry if this has already been covered. Any tips on how to keep window seals / tracks clean? I drive with the window down most of the time, and find that I have to keep cleaning the side tracks, almost every month, or else the electric motor struggles to wind the window up.

Have tried spraying the side seals with WD40, Silicone spray, PTFE....works great for a few weeks but they don't last very long.

[tbro4123]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Sorry if this has already been covered. Any tips on how to keep window seals / tracks clean? I drive with the window down most of the time, and find that I have to keep cleaning the side tracks, almost every month, or else the electric motor struggles to wind the window up.

Have tried spraying the side seals with WD40, Silicone spray, PTFE....works great for a few weeks but they don't last very long.

Honda have a "special lube" for window rubbers that works a treat, can't remember what its called but if you can find a dealer with older spare parts people they should be able to help. The product was a big seller when the S2000 and MX5 were newish as both had issues with sticky window burning out motors and switches.
.
Silicon tends to "build up " and eventually causes more issues, lanolin would be better if you can't get the Honda stuff.

Terry aka Tbro

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by tbro4123

Honda have a "special lube" for window rubbers that works a treat, can't remember what its called but if you can find a dealer with older spare parts people they should be able to help. The product was a big seller when the S2000 and MX5 were newish as both had issues with sticky window burning out motors and switches.
.
Silicon tends to "build up " and eventually causes more issues, lanolin would be better if you can't get the Honda stuff.

Terry aka Tbro

Had a quick look this morning and could only find "shin etzu silicone grease" being associated with Honda. Sounds odd a grease would be effective and not clog up, but willing to give anything a try! Thanks for the tip.

[Top_Ghia]

Ford also had a window lube around BA days. It came in a tin and I think it was expensive as the foreman would guard it with his life.

[tweeked]

Interesting that Final Inspection just detailed a "brand New" XR6Sprint

https://www.facebook.com/FinalInspec...58375353450547

I think this one is going to bed for the next 20 years or so.

[Top_Ghia]

Originally Posted by tweeked

Interesting that Final Inspection just detailed a "brand New" XR6Sprint



https://www.facebook.com/FinalInspec...58375353450547



I think this one is going to bed for the next 20 years or so.

Yeah nice.
Does anyone know where to buy those lights?

[fiestaz]

https://youtu.be/yAk46bq-k5Q

Interesting review series coming up on several brands of sealants and a ceramic coating

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

https://youtu.be/yAk46bq-k5Q

Interesting review series coming up on several brands of sealants and a ceramic coating

Interesting, any bets on which will last the longest?

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by tweeked

Interesting that Final Inspection just detailed a "brand New" XR6Sprint

https://www.facebook.com/FinalInspec...58375353450547

I think this one is going to bed for the next 20 years or so.

Mighty Sillouette - the biggest challenge to love and hold.
Looks like a great job !

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Interesting, any bets on which will last the longest?

Definitely the ceramic coating, but that’s probably obvious.
My guess is bead machine and nova jet will be up there together.

I don’t think turtle, mothers, meguiars will be up there

[Top_Ghia]

Originally Posted by tweeked

Interesting that Final Inspection just detailed a "brand New" XR6Sprint



https://www.facebook.com/FinalInspec...58375353450547



I think this one is going to bed for the next 20 years or so.

It wasn’t actually brand new. It was sold in 2016. But it looks like it was sold unregistered so it may have been undriven.

[slowsnake]

Kitten, number 1 or 2 cut, cheap and good , as long as you use it as designed, it's to polish ya car, it's not a burnishing cream?


Cheers a Billy.

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by slowsnake

Kitten, number 1 or 2 cut, cheap and good , as long as you use it as designed, it's to polish ya car, it's not a burnishing cream?


Cheers a Billy.

I feel sorry for your car

[slowsnake]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

I feel sorry for your car

Exactly, thank you,and the sun and the rain and the pollution hate my car, as hard as they try they cannot penetrate Kittens wonderful cheepness, it's to protect the paintwork from the elements, guess what!...it works


Chilly Beers

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by slowsnake

Exactly, thank you,and the sun and the rain and the pollution hate my car, as hard as they try they cannot penetrate Kittens wonderful cheepness, it's to protect the paintwork from the elements, guess what!...it works


Chilly Beers

Something I’ve learnt over the last couple of years is that the act of polishing a car only cleans the paint work. It doesn’t add much if any protection.

[slowsnake]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

Something I’ve learnt over the last couple of years is that the act of polishing a car only cleans the paint work. It doesn’t add much if any protection.

I know, it's a meditation of sorts, women dress up their faces and bodies, men dress up their cars!


Chilly Beers

[T3rminator]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

Something I’ve learnt over the last couple of years is that the act of polishing a car only cleans the paint work. It doesn’t add much if any protection.

Doesn't polishing actually take layers off the clear coat? So every time you polish, you are removing what protects the paint?

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Doesn't polishing actually take layers off the clear coat? So every time you polish, you are removing what protects the paint?

With cut and polish yes.

Normal polish not really

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Doesn't polishing actually take layers off the clear coat? So every time you polish, you are removing what protects the paint?

In a technical sense, polishing does remove clear coat, but in varying degrees.

A Cutting Compound is generally the most aggressive form of polish. It's job is to remove heavy paint defects. "It acts like sandpaper to gradually remove surface layers and eliminate scratches". This would be an example of a Cutting Compound -
https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...a-cut-compound

A Finishing Compound is a finer grade of polish that is used for light paint defects. Finishing Compounds are also used to clean up any hazing left by a Cutting Compound. "Polish acts like finer grit sandpaper than compound. Polishing a vehicle can reduce the appearance of scratches and get rid of remaining contaminants, oxidation, and other minor imperfections that compounding did not remove". An example of a Finishing Polish -
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...-reflect-250ml

There are also All-In-One type polishes that polish and leave a protectant behind. These remove very little in the way of defects, but rather use the protectant that is left behind to "fill" and mask defects. These two for example -
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...polish-sealant
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...r-resin-polish

In terms of degrading the clear coat, keep in mind we are talking in microns here. A polish once every 1 - 2 years for example is not going to burn through your clear coat.

This video here shows how abusive you have to be to actually burn through a clear coat -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyz6P9XeYrw

[Bossxr8]

I let my dad borrow my s20 black to polish out swirl marks on his BF. Still didn’t get rid of it. Obviously needs a heavier cut. Thinking of getting him some s3 gold to try. Waxit mentions it’s better for harder euro paints, and not softer jap paint. Is it still suitable for our local cars? Are they considered hard or soft paint?

[slowsnake]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

Something I’ve learnt over the last couple of years is that the act of polishing a car only cleans the paint work. It doesn’t add much if any protection.

Well try this then, wash your car as normal and run masking tape down the middle front to back!...then polish half of your car!

You will be surprised just what sulphur dioxide ( air pollution ) does to your paintwork, then wash it with plain water and a chamois a week later! the water will run off the polished half even after washing, you will notice the difference, anything is better than nothing, do you see all the older cars drive around with white patches of clear coat hanging off?...

Well it stops that, even Kitten number 1, I spent before Christmas fixing my old neighbours car, Hyundai Accent, Cherry Red, I did it in my driveway, with Supercheap $12.99 Acrylic colour and $12.99 Acrylic Clear Coat, these are spray cans, took 4 colour and 6 clear cans, I put 3 clear coats on it, and used her expensive headlight restorer ( rip off ) on one head light, and I sanded and power cut the other and 2 clearcoats of acrylic!

The professional $39.00 kit from U S of A lasted 5 months, my Supercheap Acrylic Laquer headlight is still as new!
The old way was lasting too long, and when you want to buy cheap guess where the saving comes from?..yes the quality of its materials, they get a undercoat, base coat (colour) and one coat of acrylic!

If I read the ingredients on my tin of KITTEN ULTRA number 1 wax, it is the same as the expensive ones, main ingredient is "Carnuba Wax" that's it folks same as all the others!


Chilly Beers

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by slowsnake

Well try this then, wash your car as normal and run masking tape down the middle front to back!...then polish half of your car!

You will be surprised just what sulphur dioxide ( air pollution ) does to your paintwork, then wash it with plain water and a chamois a week later! the water will run off the polished half even after washing, you will notice the difference, anything is better than nothing, do you see all the older cars drive around with white patches of clear coat hanging off?...

Well it stops that, even Kitten number 1, I spent before Christmas fixing my old neighbours car, Hyundai Accent, Cherry Red, I did it in my driveway, with Supercheap $12.99 Acrylic colour and $12.99 Acrylic Clear Coat, these are spray cans, took 4 colour and 6 clear cans, I put 3 clear coats on it, and used her expensive headlight restorer ( rip off ) on one head light, and I sanded and power cut the other and 2 clearcoats of acrylic!

The professional $39.00 kit from U S of A lasted 5 months, my Supercheap Acrylic Laquer headlight is still as new!
The old way was lasting too long, and when you want to buy cheap guess where the saving comes from?..yes the quality of its materials, they get a undercoat, base coat (colour) and one coat of acrylic!

If I read the ingredients on my tin of KITTEN ULTRA number 1 wax, it is the same as the expensive ones, main ingredient is "Carnuba Wax" that's it folks same as all the others!


Chilly Beers

I know the polishing benefits.

If you look back in this thread you will see the products applied to my car and the protection it has. Significantly better than polish alone and has reduced the need for back breaking polishing on a semi-regular basis.

[slowsnake]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I let my dad borrow my s20 black to polish out swirl marks on his BF. Still didn’t get rid of it. Obviously needs a heavier cut. Thinking of getting him some s3 gold to try. Waxit mentions it’s better for harder euro paints, and not softer jap paint. Is it still suitable for our local cars? Are they considered hard or soft paint?

Try some burnishing cream, not cheap but worth the money, its like polishing 2B ( grey ) stainless steel and taking it to a 4B ( mirror ) finish, just go through the grades, I always finish with Norton 2400 superfine sand paper and sunlight soap!...old school but it works, then again this is acrylic paint, use same process but with your graded polishing creams instead of sandpaper, same bone, different dog!


Chilly Beers

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I let my dad borrow my s20 black to polish out swirl marks on his BF. Still didn’t get rid of it. Obviously needs a heavier cut. Thinking of getting him some s3 gold to try. Waxit mentions it’s better for harder euro paints, and not softer jap paint. Is it still suitable for our local cars? Are they considered hard or soft paint?

I think local paints are considered medium.

You could step up the cut of s20 Black with a more aggressive pad, perhaps microfibre, otherwise step up S3 Gold.

S20 is considered an "intermediate" compound by Waxit.

[Top_Ghia]

I found S20 didn’t really cut swirl marks out very well. I used S3 which worked well and then finished with S30.
I used these on my SZII Territory and brand new Mustang.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by slowsnake

Try some burnishing cream, not cheap but worth the money, its like polishing 2B ( grey ) stainless steel and taking it to a 4B ( mirror ) finish, just go through the grades, I always finish with Norton 2400 superfine sand paper and sunlight soap!...old school but it works, then again this is acrylic paint, use same process but with your graded polishing creams instead of sandpaper, same bone, different dog!


Chilly Beers

Sorry mate but i’m not taking detailing tips from someone who uses turtle wax, sandpaper and obscure techniques.

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I think local paints are considered medium.

You could step up the cut of s20 Black with a more aggressive pad, perhaps microfibre, otherwise step up S3 Gold.

S20 is considered an "intermediate" compound by Waxit.

Cheers. I think the s3 is the way to go. I don’t think a pad change will be enough.

Probably a bit heavy to use it often, but once off to try to get rid of the deeper swirls on the bonnet and bootlid should be fine.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I found S20 didn’t really cut swirl marks out very well. I used S3 which worked well and then finished with S30.
I used these on my SZII Territory and brand new Mustang.

Cheers. Sounds like it should do the job.

[slowsnake]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Sorry mate but i’m not taking detailing tips from someone who uses turtle wax, sandpaper and obscure techniques.




Cheers. I think the s3 is the way to go. I don’t think a pad change will be enough.

Probably a bit heavy to use it often, but once off to try to get rid of the deeper swirls on the bonnet and bootlid should be fine.

It wasn't a tip?...I charge for them

Chilly Beers

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

I know the polishing benefits.

If you look back in this thread you will see the products applied to my car and the protection it has. Significantly better than polish alone and has reduced the need for back breaking polishing on a semi-regular basis.

THIS.

This is an extremely underated comment. I polished / waxed my car in August 2020 and since then ive just been periodically using a combination of Bowdens Own Fully Slick and Happy Ending.

Polishing is Hard Work!! Especially as i have compressed nerves in my spine so afterwards i cant feel my second and last fingers for a dew days afterwards.

With these products, i havent even though about polishing my car yet, and the water just beads off still.