Keeping her nice looking

[ianu]

Originally Posted by bluesnappa

I got mine superguarded which may be dammed by some but I feel better for it and that is all that counts! I hose the car then wash it with a good shampoo and fleece mit, rinse then dry with a thick pile cloth. Comes up looking as good as new. The superguard pack has shampoo and wheel cleaner/protector in it and I am still using the wheel stuff from the last car three years ago! The only suggestion that I would have is use plenty of water and move the wash mit up and down in straight lines and not swirl it across and round so dirt from lower down does not get picked up and scratch the higher areas (particularly important on a black car otherwise you will see swirl lines in the glossy coat). I use a different wash mit for the lower edges and bumpers/sills/wheels. It just helps keep the abrasive stuff away from the shiny bit!

Good advice bluesnappa - even if you're not into the real detailing deal - one other real good tip to stop those swirl marks appearing is what they call the two bucket method:
One large bucket of clean water with a grit guard in the bottom & 1 large bucket of whatever soapy stuff you are happy with also with a grit guard in the bottom (grit guard looks a bit like a sieve that sits in the bottom of the bucket and traps the silt in the bottom of the bucket).
Good idea to use two mits - one for the top and one for the bottom half.
Go through the usual rinse down and soaking before you start. I normally start with the roof - but whatever ...
First mit in the bucket of soapy stuff - fuly loaded with water and soap - clean the chosen panel methodically trying not to rub hard or keep going over the same area - but gently ease the dirt off. Half way through - turn the mit over to finsh the panel (if it's a big panel - roof or bonnet) split it in half anyway. It's important not to go back over the panel with the dirty mit.
Now wash the mit thouroughly in the clean water bucket - before reloading in the soapy bucket and moving onto the next area. The objective is to keep your soapy bucket clean and the dirt off the mit in the other bucket - change it as often as you want.
When you've finished - you should still be able to see the bottom of the soapy bucket - and any liitle bits of grit should be in the bottom.
The other bucket will be filthy before you know it. Don't be tempted to put the mit back in the soapy bucket before you've rinsed it each time you come back to do another section.
Whatever else you use on the car polish wise or clay techniques (be careful with clay) - this basic bucket discipline will stop those fine swirls undoing all your hard work or wasting you money on a professional detail - and keep that scratch free shine a lot longer.
If you do nothing else - do this - you'll be amazed at how much dirt you stop from rubbing back over your paintwork..
Cheers
Ian.

[ianu]

..oh by the way - rinse each area as you finish it before moving to the next..

[bluesnappa]

TWO buckets!...snob

[ianu]

Originally Posted by bluesnappa

TWO buckets!...snob

..don't get me started on my micro fibre cloth collection...

That's a gorgeous red XC60 you've got there. I had a red V70 XT a while back - used to look fantastic after a polish....

[XC60nick]

I have today been to Kelmarsh Country Fair, first time 'Off-roading' (across the carparking field) in the XC60! I took some photos which I'll try and upload later on, poor girl, she got all muddy!
Anyway, she's now been cleaned up and is happy again but I have noticed some tar-like deposits on my lower sills and on the silver r-design side skirts, what is the best way of removing them? I know in the past I've made these kind of marks worse by smudging them ....

[ITServe]

I found the best thing for tar spots is Autoglym Bumper Care! It a petroleum based gel which dissolves the tar without damaging the paintwork. Before that I tried methylated spirit but that didn't work.

Of course you could buy a branded tar spot remover, but if you already have bumper care it does the job just fine.

Good luck!

[mu71rd]

wow. you can waste some serious time reading about 'detailing' in the web!

www.detailingworld.co.uk

might actually get myself some bits from www.cleanyourcar.co.uk as have a Golf V GTI to sell when the XC60 arrives - and i reckon a £150 - £200 outlay on 'stuff' (polisher, polish, clay, wax) is probably money i'll get straight back on resale. Given it's only ever been waxed once, i might have to put some time into that!