[AWSAWS]

Hi Guys,
not really technical parse. I used to clean my car all the time. If anything too often but then it got swiped by someone in a car park leaving some big scratches on the driver's door. So I let it get dirty because it hid the scrathes.

I need to eventually get it touched up but I noticed when washing it the last few times that the surface all over the car is really rough now. The kind of invisible dirty you can't see.

I generally use car wash liquid, a bucket and a sponge. I do have a pressure washer but it wouldn't help here.

Now I gather that the way to get this tough dirt off is with a clay bar. Is that correct?

I don't want to use anything too abrasive. I once used a pad that scratched the car in the area I tested it so I stopped.

I usually use warm/hot water and this last time I did 2 washes with a good hosing off in between but this dirt is still on the car. Feels like the car is covered in little stones. You can feel it coming off if you lightly use your nails.

[Thermobaric]

If you want to do a proper job.

Snowfoam>Shampoo>Fallout remover, tar remover>Shampoo>Clay bar

You could use paint cleaner after clay bar.

Check your sponge. That could be causing swirls unless it's a car safe one.

You want to leave clay bar to the end so most of the crap has been taken off and it's just picking up the remnants that won't come out of the paint with washing.

[Andy198712]

I would spend £2 on a second cheap bucket from Halfords, or £1.50 I think? And a micro fibre wash mit off internet for a couple quid.

Fill one bucket with car wash of your choice (some are better then others, I use the bright yellow meguirs one)
Fill the second bucket with clean water.

Dip mit in the soapy water and wash a panel, then rinse in the water bucket to get crap off and leave dirt in that bucket. Ring out

Now repeat the process, this keeps your soap bucket cleaner.

Once washed, give it a clay, use plenty of your soap solution from the wash bucket to lube the clay (have dripping wash mit sat by your clay area soaking it)

After that run your hand along the panel and you'll feel a difference between the clean and dirty one.

After clawing you should really give it a quick wash off but that'll be quick

Other methods (like above) work fine too. This is just the easiest, cheapest method to get a good enough result without going mad money wise....

[den656]

Pretty much agree with the guys above, but may I suggest you have a look at getting a clay mitt ? Halfords sell them , lot easier to use than the old school bar,and results are as good,and a lot more easier to re use ,and just swill it after every few passes , have been using one for a few years now, won't go back lol .

[AWSAWS]

Great. Thanks chaps I'll try your suggestions.

[AlwynMike]

Some love for the Clay Mitt over on the 4 series section...

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...t=G3+clay+mitt

[abeardo83]

Also to add to this, once you've claybarred, it makes applying polishes / waxes so much easier going forward!

[mjn77]

Try using AS Tardis to remove stubborn spots before the clay bar.

And when using your clay bar, remember to turn it frequently, so that you don't mar the paint with the dirt.

[Benskett]

Try detailing world. Very helpful!

Don't use fairy liquid to wash the car! It strips wax.

[mrbubba]

Just pop down to your local disused petrol station and there'll be a few guys there willing to wash it

[Chappers 71]

There's a E E car wash at my local tescos, I saw one of the guys using a sponge on one of the wheels of a nice new range & when he'd finished that wheel he then started on the bodywork with the same sponge

[mjn77]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

There's a E E car wash at my local tescos, I saw one of the guys using a sponge on one of the wheels of a nice new range & when he'd finished that wheel he then started on the bodywork with the same sponge

Nice. Keeping costs down. Probably used the same water all day......

[beambeam1]

Originally Posted by AlwynMike

Some love for the Clay Mitt over on the 4 series section...

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...t=G3+clay+mitt

I bought one of these clay mitts plus a clay bar on the back of this post and associated clips, looking forward to trying the mitt out as I'm always clumsy and drop the small lump of clay I'm working with!

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

There's a E E car wash at my local tescos, I saw one of the guys using a sponge on one of the wheels of a nice new range & when he'd finished that wheel he then started on the bodywork with the same sponge

It just makes you squeemish doesn't it. Same when they drop the sponge on the ground or dip it in a real dirty gravely bucket of water.

[Chappers 71]

Lol it certainly does.
There are just so many of these car wash places around now, I guess people are just to busy nowadays, that & a lot of cars are on lease & people just don't care.

I enjoy giving the car a wash once a week & a good polish every month

How did the clay baring turn out?

[mjn77]

Just don't be like this guy when you wash your cloths!!



And this is why i let nobody else wash my car!

[Chappers 71]

Yikes! That looks more like a plasma lance

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by Chappers 71

Lol it certainly does.
There are just so many of these car wash places around now, I guess people are just to busy nowadays, that & a lot of cars are on lease & people just don't care.

I enjoy giving the car a wash once a week & a good polish every month

How did the clay baring turn out?

I've not had the time to do it yet.

I was concerned my gearbox might be low on fluid as the pan is covered in what looks like oil. Had a few goes at getting the car raised but the jack was too short. Borrowed one off a friend and did the work on the weekend. Luckily the level wasn't low at all but it was alot of faffing about. Actually completed it on Sat and then found out the engine has to be running when checking the level so had to do it again on sunday.

I'll hopefully get to it this weekend.

BTW you should have a watch of Paul Hollywoods continental road trip. The German episode (2nd episode in the series) is really good. It's ilegal in Germany to wash your car at home. Green party legislation.

Germans apparently clean their cars 2 or 3 times as often as Brits and it's a massive industry. He takes his car to a car wash that is obviously for the high fliers but its pretty impressive.

It's on iplayer.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by mjn77

Just don't be like this guy when you wash your cloths!!



And this is why i let nobody else wash my car!

Just making sure the gravel etc is thoroughly forced into the fibers.

[Andy198712]

Car washes like that just use super glossy detail sprays at the end to give a good result for a few days... fools most I guess!

Well that's my theory!

[Len_Beach]

I'm a big fan of a clay mit.

I'd not washed my car in over a year so had a bash last night. The process was;

Jet wash
Snow foam
Jet wash
Tar remover
Iron remover on the wheels
Snow foam
Wash with a lambs wool mit
Jet wash
Tar remover on the wheels
Snow foam
Clay mit

All in that took me about 3 hours which includes all shuts, inside the wheels, arches, engine bay.

The clay mit took around 10 minutes to do the entire car once it was cleaned and it looks spot on to say there's no products on the car.