Car Cleaning Gone Crazy

[fiesta_lad]

Just found this video on youtube take a look

[GRAHAM46]

Just found this video on youtube take a look

I like to keep my car clean but £8000 for wax is a bit much.

[DanGull]

It's out of date - the wax in question is Zymol Royale - now retailing for around £8000 a tub (free refills for life it should be noted...)

However - the ultimate car wax is some £40000 a tub, same manufacturer - meet Zymol Solaris...

Solaris

I have to say - that video isn't exactly cutting edge cleaning. Thousands of people use clay, machine polishers and pre wax cleansers. He's using Zymol HD Cleanse, big deal. Oh, and only one bucket? My car gets better than that...

[aph1101]

I knew you'd have something to say about that video, Dan :D

[182_blue]

An old video from the old days, detailing has taken off quite a bit since those days

[catch]

Look what I cannot figure is this, if "this" wax is so good at protecting the car. Why would you need him to come out and remove some bird poo. Yes I how about the acid in bird poo, sooner it's off the car the better. But it's all a bit anal this far end of a !Removed! car cleaning if you ask me.

[DanGull]

High end waxes are more about appearance that protection level - they're no moe bullet proof than a medium price wax and a synthetic sealant probably provides better protection gram for gram anyway. The idea is that the wax will sacrifice itself before the paintwork - the wax isn't indestructible, far from it in fact. The bird poo eats through the wax - so it's important to get it off asap before it gets to the paint.

[Heff]

It's out of date - the wax in question is Zymol Royale - now retailing for around £8000 a tub (free refills for life it should be noted...)

However - the ultimate car wax is some £40000 a tub, same manufacturer - meet Zymol Solaris...

Solaris

I have to say - that video isn't exactly cutting edge cleaning. Thousands of people use clay, machine polishers and pre wax cleansers. He's using Zymol HD Cleanse, big deal. Oh, and only one bucket? My car gets better than that...

That video might not have been but at the end it said he has two people signed up to his 61 stage cleaning process. 61? How the hell can their be 61 stages to cleaning a car haha!!!

[Al J]

That video might not have been but at the end it said he has two people signed up to his 61 stage cleaning process. 61? How the hell can their be 61 stages to cleaning a car haha!!!

And then it rains!

If the dirt and water didn't jump off the car I'd want my money back.

Here's another I saw recently on TV.

month-long 'supercar' wash

[DanGull]

I'll have a go...

1) Wheels removed

2) Arches deagreased (rinse)

3) Arches dressed

4) Tyres degreased

5) Wheels cleaned (rinse)

6) Wheels sealed (2-5 coats)

7) Wheels put back on

8) Citrus pre-wash (rinse)

9) Car snowfoamed (rinse)

10) Details worked with APC - door shuts, sills, struts, boot shut etc (rinse)

12) Tar remover used (rinse)

13) Fallout remover or iron cut (rinse)

14) clay (rinse)

15) Snowfoam again (rinse)

16) 2 bucket wash (rinse)

17) 2 bucket wash (rinse)

18) Car sheeted

19) Quick detailer applied as a drying aid

20) Car dried

21) Tape up trim

23) Paint inspection (sun gun, microscope etc)

24) Machine polish 1

25) Machine polish 2

26) Machine polish 3

27) Paint inspection 2

28) IPA wipedown

29) Pre wax cleanser

30) Sealant

31) Wax layer 1

32) Wax layer 2

33) Wax layer 3

34) Wax layer 4

35) Wax layer 5

36) Spray wax/sealant

37) Interior leather clean

38) Leather sealed

39) mats cleaned

40) Interior APC wipedown

41) Car vacuumed

42) Carpets striped

43) Interior plastics dressed

44) Air freshener

45) Exterior plastics dressed

46) Exterior metal work polished

47) Exterior metal work dressed

48) Glass cleaned

49) Glass sealed

50) Tyres dressed (2-3 coats)

If you include the rinses that's 61...

Didn't even have to think about - most things have more than coat and a pro detailer will have many more steps involved in paint correction.

:D

[Heff]

Ok smarty pants maybe it isn't that hard but to me its alot haha, My car cleaning has four steps in, drive in, pay the man, get the car cleaned, drive out :D haha

Heff

[DanGull]

You see - that to me is a just a 3 monthly detail, any less than that and I would feel I'd cheated the car.

:o

[Heff]

Wow haha I am gonna look after my car proper good mini valet once a week and a full detail valet once a month :D Maybe I can get you in to do your 60 step cleaning haha, I don't even know what half of what the stuff means. How long would it take roughly to do all that?

Heff

[DanGull]

That's around 12 hours work on one day - but ideally you want your wax layers to cure for 24 hours or so between coats, so it could be much more spread out. A full correction detail on something like a Ferrari or Lambo can easily take 40 hours plus.

[Heff]

Do you do this for a living or something?

Heff

[Gazjs]

Its a great hobby to take up to keep you out the way of everyone else and leave you in your own space. Unfortunately, the wallet also has plenty of space left in it

[bigdaz86]

You see - that to me is a just a 3 monthly detail, any less than that and I would feel I'd cheated the car.

:o

lol that seems quite sad its a car a bet you dont clean yoursel in as much detail lol

[DanGull]

Sad? No - my Fiesta is a £13,000 investment. Despite the fact that it is far above the national yearly average mileage - and has covered 19,000 miles in 12 months, the paint is in better condition now than when it left the showroom. A well maintained car can be worth £1000 more after 3 years than a similar mileage hack - so worth it in my book.

And funnily enough, shaving and detailing have a hell of a lot in common - which is why they're two things I enjoy greatly ;)