Hours Of Elbow Grease Later...

[Jas16]

Hello

After a brief bit of snow in South Yorkshire, I thought I'd look at and then post a few pictures of my weekends work, and it literally took me the whole weekend to do.

The previous weekend I'd washed the car, so this time I thought I might as well polish and wax it, with the view that in future, I would just wash it and keep adding layers of wax (I prefer hard wax rather than the liquid variety), once a month.

The problem, in terms of car cleaning, I have is that the sun sets in the front of the house which isn't ideal but make do instead, it's not the worst problem.

Ideally, I would have liked to have used a rotary polisher as the car is scratched up pretty bad, mostly my fault where I've previously used a silicon blade which I did keep washing, but I guess I wasn't good enough.

Soooo, had a go with the clay bar first, then black polish finished with the hard wax, but I do believe the results are worth it. First time I've cleaned the car this intensely since I've had it, but I'm happy with the results, even though I found a few 'supermarket dings' and stone chips (damn you gritters!) that I hadn't seen before.

Now I have the inside still to do, with a carpet cleaner, but will wait till another weekend, but it shouldn't take so long. I've used the car to throw garden waste away during the past couple of months, so it smells a bit of 'plant' inside and the roof lining, hence the next step.

ps Yes I know my photography skills aren't the best with a camera phone, but I have no other camera, and next to no skills on how to use one, so please by-pass that :)

[jedi134]

That must be the best looking Taxi on the Avensis forum

[Kryten]

WOW. That is the most amazing shine I have ever seen, well done, what wax are you using and how do you use the clay bar?

[Jas16]

Thanks guys for your kind words, thought I'd give my 'taxi' a treat, I wouldn't go as far as best looking though I'm sure there are others on here that have done better.

I have previously used the T-Cut liquid wax, but I hate it. Doesn't work that well in beading the water for a long time, plus the end result isn't as good as now. So I brought Simoniz Carnauba Hard Wax, which is what I have used here. Was a pain to get off initially as I'd left it on too long before buffing off

clay bar is a meguiar's product. use it before polishing or waxing, and it literally removes all the stuck on crap on the paintwork and because of that, it does leave the paintwork looking dull, but that's because it removes everything. With this one though you use a lubricant which comes in the package. Before you use the bar, like playdo, you have to mould and work the bar so that it is softer and more malleable to use. Spray the lubricant on first on the area you want to do, then rub the clay bar over the paint work. After cleaning a small section you will have to 'create' a new surface with the bar which involves moulding it in your hands.once you've done an area just wipe off the excess liquid, but never use the clay bar without spraying some on first. It does take time so be patient and its at times like this that the size of the car suddenly increases and feels neverending but keep cracking on.

Afterwards, I did use Turtles black polish, hoping that it would 'fill in' some light micro-scratches' which it did to a certain extent. then finally the wax.

:)

[acetip]

The car looks great,did it rain soon after you finished your hard work onit.

[Jas16]

The car looks great,did it rain soon after you finished your hard work onit.

Thanks, yeah two days later, but I'm not worried, a quick wipe over and thats it, hence going through the pain of waxing