Detailing The Rav4

[CharlieFarlie]

detailing the Rav4 A start on detailing the newly acquired Rav4 today.. it was to Hot to stick at it for long and only did one side and the boot ...

[RedRoss]

Bucket, sponge, hose, chamois - done

[CharlieFarlie]

YYYEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ........................OK ........................

[Monitorlizard]

Hot & sunny are not really the right conditions for such a important task,especially if waxing & polishing.

[CharlieFarlie]

Hot & sunny are not really the right conditions for such a important task,especially if waxing & polishing.

It was sunny but not hot as it was early in the day . I packed in as soon as it warmed up. If You spritz the pad with a mix of water and detailing spray it helps in these conditions.

[Manxrav]

WHOOOOOOO Red!!!!!!! Chamois leather, one bucket!!! That was in the old days when one simply washed a car. Nowadays it,s lambswool wash-mit,microfibre drying-cloth and TWO buckets and the obligetary grit guard.20000 grand + for a car these days you cherish them!!!!

Regards Clare

[Big Kev]

WHOOOOOOO Red!!!!!!! Chamois leather, one bucket!!! That was in the old days when one simply washed a car. Nowadays it,s lambswool wash-mit,microfibre drying-cloth and TWO buckets and the obligetary grit guard.20000 grand + for a car these days you cherish them!!!!

Regards Clare

....and then use the Black and Decker leaf blower to REALLY chase the watter out of every crook and nanny...!!!!!

Is that special shop open this weekend, y'know, the one where you can get a life....?????

Big Kev

[CharlieFarlie]

I take it that detailing aint Your bag then Kev ....................

[Whiteclaw]

I got this back to black stuff for my black 95 Rav. I must say, I only got it as it was on offer but it really did bring it all up nice. So what is this detailer then, what does it do exactly? I had some included in the pack and followed the instructions but not sure what it was supposed to actually do.

Still, my car is looking fantastic and the stuff appears to have nice long lasting effects.

[Manxrav]

Whiteclaw, go to the Car care section of the Toyota owners club forums, here you will find a post on "The perfect car wash guide" that is very informative. It is the first step on the ladder to car detailing as opposed to just washing a car.

Enjoy!!!!!

Regards Clare

[benxt5]

I swear by Poor Boys stuff. Black or White Hole glaze (dependant on car colour and then Nattys Blue wax (smells like bubble gum).

Its not the best of the best but it's damn easy to use and doesn't matter if the sun is out. Goes on and off real quick - and thats what I'm most interested in when cleaning a car. I can't be doing with spending all !Removed! day on the thing.

With the White Hole...

The other half's car with the Black Hole...

[CharlieFarlie]

The post is about removing swirls and scratches by machine polishing...... Wiping wax on and off is a different thing ................

[webleymk3]

I haves three tricks....

1. Tesco car wash

2. Fairy liquid and rain

3. Fairy liquid and and decent river for driving through at speed!

Am I a bad rav owner??

Seriously... Charlie, if you ever want to detail my car you'd be welcome.. I see you're not too far away..

[RedRoss]

Yeah, feel free to do mine. Im only an hr away (if that). Theres beer in it for u. ;-)

[Big Kev]

I take it that Detailing aint Your bag then Kev ....................

Thou readest me wrong thus far Charlie....total novice under the guidance of Bluevortex to date, but still very much in awe of the foax what know what they talk about. I even stand accused of using an electric toothbrush to remove powder residue, and the chemist is starting to question my regular purchase of Cotton Buds.....

Chris Rea....The Road To Hell

Edit....ah was serious aboot Leaf Blower...works pure dead brilliant !!!!

[anchorman]

The post is about removing swirls and scratches by machine polishing...... Wiping wax on and off is a different thing ................

What process did you use CF?

I've got mine nearly as good but yours seems completely free of swirls;

[CharlieFarlie]

I use a PTG (Paint Thickness Gauge) to measure the combined thickness of the base coat and lacquer. I then use various grades or cut types of polish to remove the swirls and scratches. Using the PTG lets Me decide whether or not I can keep cutting without risk of striking through the lacquer which would be a disaster !! The paint on the Rav is relatively thin at 6 microns as an average so care has to be taken.

This is what detailing is about. Just cleaning washing and waxing is more about Valeting. detailing is about well attention to the absolute detail I suppose ... Paint correction takes a while to get into but I have all the time in the world now and I actually enjoy doing it !!

Its amazing how many times I hear You need to get a life, Or just drive the sodding thing, Or whats the point in doing that ?? Then the same question asker will say any chance of doing My one ?? Yeh Right ....

[webleymk3]

Ha! I've got to be honest I love to have the time to really look after my car like this. There is nothing quite like stepping back after grafting at it and admiring ones handy work!!!

You enjoy it mate.

[benxt5]

The post is about removing swirls and scratches by machine polishing...... Wiping wax on and off is a different thing ................

...and where is this mentioned anywhere above? You simply used the word detailed, which to 99.9% of the population is just a posh way of saying "give it a good clean".

The polish I use does remove/mask swirl marks (albeit only the lightest of ones).

[bluevortex]

I'm with you CF. I get asked all the time "how long do you spend polishing your car?" I normally respond that I have only ever polished this Rav one time since purchase! It's all about the maintenance thereafter.

I was out yesterday trying to detect them swirls after 12 months use and abuse and the paint was still in surprising good nick. I stripped old wax off, cracked open the Tardis to remove some tar I seem to have picked up over the winter and cleaned up the paint with some swisswax cleaner fluid before applying a coat of Best of Show. good as new!! I'm thinking about a second coat today and some Z8 to finish it off.

Nice to have a fellow detailer on board fella. Congrats on the new Rav, cracking looking car and they detail really

well :)

Now I'm off to clean my EGR valve out...

Blue

[CharlieFarlie]

I take it that Detailing aint Your bag then Kev ....................

Thou readest me wrong thus far Charlie....total novice under the guidance of Bluevortex to date, but still very much in awe of the foax what know what they talk about. I even stand accused of using an electric toothbrush to remove powder residue, and the chemist is starting to question my regular purchase of Cotton Buds.....

Chris Rea....The Road To Hell

Edit....ah was serious aboot Leaf Blower...works pure dead brilliant !!!!

I have an air compressor just inside the garage door for blowing the water from under trims and mirror bodies ect. But its just as easy to towel the car of then drive round the nearest roundabout and back the towel the drops off.

Guys I realise that to some that this level of care is just daft !! Sad even. But I find it sad when I see some such an incredibly beautiful persont walking home ubiked as a newt from the pub ( I do like a dram mind ) Or some daft ubik%r taking extrema care over a garden..... Each to their own eh ??

[RedRoss]

I use a PTG (Paint Thickness Gauge) to measure the combined thickness of the base coat and lacquer. I then use various grades or cut types of polish to remove the swirls and scratches. Using the PTG lets Me decide whether or not I can keep cutting without risk of striking through the lacquer which would be a disaster !! The paint on the Rav is relatively thin at 6 microns as an average so care has to be taken.

This is what Detailing is about. Just cleaning washing and waxing is more about Valeting. Detailing is about well attention to the absolute detail I suppose ... Paint correction takes a while to get into but I have all the time in the world now and I actually enjoy doing it !!

Its amazing how many times I hear You need to get a life, Or just drive the sodding thing, Or whats the point in doing that ?? Then the same question asker will say any chance of doing My one ?? Yeh Right ....

Dont get me wrong, i like to spend a bit of time cleaning and polishing my car. I simply dont have the patience, or more importantly the time, to dedicate to much more than that. The fact that the weather in Scotland sucks, and that my garage is full doesnt help.

Working shifts (nights included) means that mentally i just dont have the energy to spend a whole day on my car. And of course the heir to the throne takes up most spare time at the moment. :D

I usually wash, chamois and then use some kind of meguirs detailing spray stuff on our cars. They get a polish every couple of months.

[Big Kev]

I use a PTG (Paint Thickness Gauge) to measure the combined thickness of the base coat and lacquer. I then use various grades or cut types of polish to remove the swirls and scratches. Using the PTG lets Me decide whether or not I can keep cutting without risk of striking through the lacquer which would be a disaster !! The paint on the Rav is relatively thin at 6 microns as an average so care has to be taken.

This is what Detailing is about. Just cleaning washing and waxing is more about Valeting. Detailing is about well attention to the absolute detail I suppose ... Paint correction takes a while to get into but I have all the time in the world now and I actually enjoy doing it !!

Its amazing how many times I hear You need to get a life, Or just drive the sodding thing, Or whats the point in doing that ?? Then the same question asker will say any chance of doing My one ?? Yeh Right ....

Me also too forbye, Charlie....all ah get is "that motor's gauny shrink Big Man if ye waash it any more..." then they get a big blob of tar, or a stain from a burdy turdy..."haw Big Man, you're ma best pal, again, for a wee while....see that Tardis Stuff that you bought...does it work....?"

This shall soon be met by my suggestion that they practice self copulation......

Big Kev, who loves Burntisland and will visit, but them cafes are SO expensive........

Edit...never noticed ma Headmaster Bluevortex has also posted....he sleeps a lot y'see....

[anchorman]

I take it that Detailing aint Your bag then Kev ....................

Thou readest me wrong thus far Charlie....total novice under the guidance of Bluevortex to date, but still very much in awe of the foax what know what they talk about. I even stand accused of using an electric toothbrush to remove powder residue, and the chemist is starting to question my regular purchase of Cotton Buds.....

Chris Rea....The Road To Hell

Edit....ah was serious aboot Leaf Blower...works pure dead brilliant !!!!

I have an air compressor just inside the garage door for blowing the water from under trims and mirror bodies ect. But its just as easy to towel the car of then drive round the nearest roundabout and back the towel the drops off.

Guys I realise that to some that this level of care is just daft !! Sad even. But I find it sad when I see some such an incredibly beautiful persont walking home ubiked as a newt from the pub ( I do like a dram mind ) Or some daft ubik%r taking extrema care over a garden..... Each to their own eh ??

CF - I could probably be accused of having OCD with my cars but as well as deriving some pleasure from seeing it very clean I also get some relaxation (some see it as a chore but I see walking up a moorside or lake District mountain as pergatory!) and feel like I am preserving it to my standard better. Since I got this Kia in March it has been completely waxoyled (including behind the front and rear bumper) and I have systematically gone around each panel with Meguire's scratch and swirl, Meguire's Tech Wax, and Autoglym extra gloss. After each wash (at least twice a week) it gets leathered including inside all the boot, bonnet and doors shuts and then finished with Meguire's quick detailer. It gets vacuumed inside every time and every week I shampoo the mats with Autoglym interior cleaner.

The glass gets done with the best cleaner I have ever known which came from my mate up in Stepps. Hurry Bros glass cleaner!

Tell me more about this paint thickness guage please.

[Manxrav]

Fabulous post Anch,s- a man after my own heart!!!! It,s not just about having 4 wheels stood on a driveway. I spend many an hour when not teaching my little brats,on Deatailing World, now that is an awesome website.

I get the same comments from my Family and neighbours about the time I spend on my cars, it,s called TLC.

Regards Clare

By the way Anchs do you know they are facelifting the Kia Rio later this year