First Detail Clean

[james132]

Had the focus a week now and thaught id give a go at doing my first 'detail' clean. My two previous cars have been 10+ years old so have never really bothered that much, just the normal bucket and sponge jobby.

Read a few bits and pieces on here regarding detailing and thaught id give the focus a little more attention.

I went out and bought these:

Today was my first full day off since owning the car that its not been raining to jumped at the chance. I also fitted the new carbon- chrome badges (have one on the steering wheel aswell but forgot about taking a picture)

I sprayed the car down well first then shampoo'd it well. Then for the first time clay bared the car, found out this is a very long process, especially when its 5degrees C outside! After the claybar I shampoo'd the car again. I then waxed the car which made a hell of a difference. Took a good 4/5 hours to do that.

This was the result:

Just waiting for the cree reverse bulb to arive (was posted today due to the postoffice damaging the last one and returning it back to the company without me knowing) so should be here monday I expect. Other than that the only other thing on the list right now is to work out how the tow bar works so I can take the bikes out!

Any comments/advice welcome.

[TDCiST]

Looking good mate... Did you go the whole hog with a clay bar and everything??

I'm planning on doing mine tomorrow morning, ill do some before, during and after shots if i get up early enough...

[Lenny]

Top Class mate, looks excellent fair play to you B)

your back must be hurting after all of that but its well worth all the effort,

dont forget to spray some WD40 in the key hole of the bonnet latch, these are prone to siezing

also a ST rear spoiler would look brilliant on your motor, they are a straight swap ive fitted one to mine uses the existing 5 bolts just bolt off and bolt on simples Click Here B)

[artscot79]

Yeah just dont forget to put some silicone round all the mounting points or youll have water leaking in

[james132]

Looking good mate... Did you go the whole hog with a clay bar and everything??I'm planning on doing mine tomorrow morning, ill do some before, during and after shots if i get up early enough...

I was going to do some before, during and after shots, but it was just too cold to even bother with the camera haha.

Top Class mate, looks excellent fair play to you B) your back must be hurting after all of that but its well worth all the effort, dont forget to spray some WD40 in the key hole of the bonnet latch, these are prone to siezing also a ST rear spoiler would look brilliant on your motor, they are a straight swap ive fitted one to mine uses the existing 5 bolts just bolt off and bolt on simples Click Here B)

Yeah I was knackered! I noticed the bonnet latch had already been replaced on this car with the history. Will keep on top of that one.

I like the look of the st spoiler.. Iv got a few things planned but not got the money to do it all yet.

On the list is:

Colour code bump strips front and rear (above front fogs)

Colour code current rear spoiler or change for st

New set of alloys thinking of st alloys, after that perhaps the Eibach pro springs depending on ride height.

Yeah just dont forget to put some silicone round all the mounting points or youll have water leaking in

Water leaking through where?

[mitch84]

Hi James

That looks clean!!!

Can i ask what that bottle of Redex at the back is for?

cheers

[Lenny]

Water leaking through where?

on the rear spoiler there are 5 bolts that go through theboot panel and in to the rear spoiler,

when fitting ford just put foam rings around the bolts to preventwater from getting in to the car,

but over time these tend to deteriorate and allow water to get in to the car,

so it is advised to fill around the bolts with some silicone sealant to prevent

this from happening in the future,

I have done mine yesterday but if you plan to fit an ST rear spoiler I would

recommend waiting to fit it before applying the silicone,

see the image below for the bolt locations in the boot panel.

[TDCiST]

I was going to do some before, during and after shots, but it was just too cold to even bother with the camera haha.

I did clean mine this morning... first time ive used a sponge to clear ice of the car lol!!

Still looks ok, first time ive ever used this diamondbrite stuff, not that impressed...may e it was the cold weather, but its just smearing rather than rubbing off...

Had to get the machine polisher out this morning to get it off..

[james132]

Hi James

That looks clean!!!

Can i ask what that bottle of Redex at the back is for?

cheers

I clean the windows with it :D

I just picked it up the same time as the wash so it was there

[james132]

Lenny- Thanks for the info, Will definatly bare that in mind if, or should I say WHEN I get an st spoiler :P

Took the car up to one of the local body shops today to get a quote on colour coding the bottom bumper trims, bump strips, lower grille in satin black, and a small scuff on the rear corner of the bumper.. £420 +VAT, dose this seem reasonable? Seemed alright to me, will try some other places aswell but there the best known place locally.

[james132]

New reverse light fitted, not tested it in the dark yet, will pop up tesco later to see how it is in the carpark once its dark, Seems bright though :D

[Lenny]

New reverse light fitted, not tested it in the dark yet, will pop up tesco later to see how it is in the carpark once its dark, Seems bright though :D

Looks good mate,

if you plan to upgrade the reg plate bulbs to match the reverse thes ones are ideal Click Here i have them fitted in mine too,

and they cover the whole plate nicely in matching 6000k white B)

[james132]

Looks good mate,

if you plan to upgrade the reg plate bulbs to match the reverse thes ones are ideal Click Here i have them fitted in mine too,

and they cover the whole plate nicely in matching 6000k white B)

Oooooh Lenny, you have gone and done it now

You keep emptying my bank account for me!

They might well be next on the list along with led side lights

[Lenny]

Oooooh Lenny, you have gone and done it now

You keep emptying my bank account for me!

They might well be next on the list along with led side lights

lol sorry mate,

its a disease i have myself

[jeebowhite]

A very good job you have done there james, apologies for kind of hijacking your thread (please feel free to tell me where the door is!) but as you have just done a good clean!!

What product did you use on your windscreen? I need to clean mine, as they seem to be a bit greasy, leaving marks after the wipe has finished. I have used raw washing up liquid. and various cleaners combined with a bit of screenwash, but they still seem greasy on the outside... so what did you use, and does it leave streak free wipes of the blade?

ta :)

[Barry_]

Being lazy i use Showroom shine (Proshine its now called)Proshine absolutely brilliant stuff. (ok first wash using it needs alot of effort and product to remove the crap built up - but then using every 2 weeks or so after this its a breeze)

Works brilliantly on glass too - they do say not to use it on windscreen as possible glare (protecting themselves) but I always use it on the windscreen and never had any issues!!!

[james132]

A very good job you have done there james, apologies for kind of hijacking your thread (please feel free to tell me where the door is!) but as you have just done a good clean!!

What product did you use on your windscreen? I need to clean mine, as they seem to be a bit greasy, leaving marks after the wipe has finished. I have used raw washing up liquid. and various cleaners combined with a bit of screenwash, but they still seem greasy on the outside... so what did you use, and does it leave streak free wipes of the blade?

ta :)

No problem.

I used the same on the windscreen as the rest of the car 'Meguiars nxt generation carwash' However I have noticed a slight smeering after the wipers stop, this only stays there untill the windscreen is completley dry. So in future I wont be using that.

Like you I am also now looking for ideas on what to use on the screen, I expect that decent quality glass cleaner would do the job, but I might be wrong.

Thanks for the kind words too. Appreciate it.

[jeebowhite]

Well apparently (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_219650_langId_-1_categoryId_255225#dtab) is worth a shot, also (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_172001_langId_-1_categoryId_165651#dtab) or (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_556697_langId_-1_categoryId_165651#dtab)

I am personally going to get the first link above, I am buying an "anti-mist" treatment for the windscreen, along with a snow / ice brush for the car (I know how much of a sod it will probably be this year!) so when I collect (either tonight or tomorrow) I will apply it, and then apply my new Wiper Blades, and see what improvement is there :) will let you know for your reference as well :)

[Barry_]

Be interested in your opinions on the anti mist product you get mate. Even with the quick clear front windscreen i noticed the inside of the windscreen is still fogged/misted up - takes ages to clear!!

[artscot79]

Be interested in your opinions on the anti mist product you get mate. Even with the quick clear front windscreen i noticed the inside of the windscreen is still fogged/misted up - takes ages to clear!!

with heated screen on and the fan set to max warm and window it should clear in 30 secs unles really fogged up even then it doesnt take mine that long 45 secs or so generally it clears in 20-30 secs

[james132]

Should be booking the car in for this just after christmas:

Not the best at photoshop but you get the idea ;)

What do you think?

[artscot79]

Should be booking the car in for this just after christmas:

Not the best at photoshop but you get the idea ;)

What do you think?

you can do the bumper mod using exterior vinyl thats what ive odered and will be doing soon weather permitting as for the fog strips you can do those youreself the bottom of the bumper i would leave black reason being no matter how its painted it will chip like mad its the highest wearing area on the car ive done it in the past and it was a weekly thing repairing all the missing bits of paint from the road also tip dont show youre reg number mate ;)

[james132]

Vinyl is never going to be the same colour as the paintwork though is it? Are you on about going the lower grille with vinyl?

What may someone do with my reg number?

[Barry_]

with heated screen on and the fan set to max warm and window it should clear in 30 secs unles really fogged up even then it doesnt take mine that long 45 secs or so generally it clears in 20-30 secs

It was bad this morning - set fan to max and window (turned aircon off) and turned on heated front screen. Ice all melted on the front of the windscreen quick like it does but the stuff inside was still there even after the 3min timer on the front screen switched off

Should i leave the aircon on even on max heat??

[TDCiST]

No problem.

I used the same on the windscreen as the rest of the car 'Meguiars nxt generation carwash' However I have noticed a slight smeering after the wipers stop, this only stays there untill the windscreen is completley dry. So in future I wont be using that.

Like you I am also now looking for ideas on what to use on the screen, I expect that decent quality glass cleaner would do the job, but I might be wrong.

Thanks for the kind words too. Appreciate it.

I use AutoGlym car glass polish on the outside... and Autoglym Fast Glass on the inside... I'm a bit of a AutoGlym fanatic lol!!