A superb Car cleaning, polishing & detailing guide

Eddy · 25th April 2009, 20:48

turtle wax if you can find it.

Rudra Sen · 25th April 2009, 20:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddy

turtle wax if you can find it.

Or WAXPOL Carnauba. I find it really good.

NOTORIOUS · 25th April 2009, 21:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Or WAXPOL Carnauba. I find it really good.

is it better then turtle wax ?????

Raccoon · 26th April 2009, 00:53

Just tried the bottle of ArmourAll Wax and Polish I bought couple weeks ago. 500 ml bottle (liquid) for Rs. 400.

The thing does make the paint shine... but it makes scratches stand out even more!!! Not happy with it... :( Also its ONLY for painted surfaces - not ment for application on plastics/rubber/vinyl/etc.

However, I bought this Armour All bottle for the 1st time... so not terribly sure if its genuine; esp. since the bottle did not come with any seal.

Waste of 400 bucks... the Formula 1 paste (yellow tin with sponge aplicator) did a better job and actually made scratches far less visible. Its also much cheapr at about Rs. 160 or so. It however leaves a chalky reside on edges etc. - places where you cant wipe easily. Thats what prompted me to try another product... especially a liquid.

Protectol by Waxpol is also a nice product. Its not exactly a polish or wax, but its ment to protect all kinds of surfaces - paint, plastics, rubber, etc. Leaves a li'l oily... rather wet kinda looking surface. Lasts couple of weeks or so on my bikes. Got a 35 ml bottle for Rs. 20... to try out.

sudipta · 26th April 2009, 12:43

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you all know that I got a free home delivery from Waxpol at Hyderabad for the following products.

1. Ultra Glo Primum Car polish
2. Silky Touch
3. Car Shampoo cum polish
4. Tyre Shine
5. Dashboard Polish

I also got a hefty discount of around 25% and all this for just 575. The manager also said he can do the same for others for any waxpol product. Incase anyone interested, I can share his contact.

Cheers.

condor · 26th April 2009, 13:26

Art Leather / Letherite seat covers : Leather-specific products are not required. Pls use mild soap water / generic cleaning products (stuff from Eagle / Armour-All etc).

Original leather can use the conditioner, and Leather-specific products make sense only for leather.

@Sudipta, that's a good price. Do post your feedback after you try all of those.

Raccoon · 26th April 2009, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudipta

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you all know that I got a free home delivery from Waxpol at Hyderabad for the following products.

1. Ultra Glo Primum Car polish
2. Silky Touch
3. Car Shampoo cum polish
4. Tyre Shine
5. Dashboard Polish

I also got a hefty discount of around 25% and all this for just 575. The manager also said he can do the same for others for any waxpol product. Incase anyone interested, I can share his contact.

Cheers.

Only at Hyd? :( Any idea if they do it in other cities? Is there a min. order value for which they will consider free home delivery?

R2D2 · 26th April 2009, 17:00

Those enthusiastic enough could try the Meguiar's range of products. I've been using the NXT Gen wax and car wash for 2+ years now and they are fantastic but really expensive. Take a look at Meguiar's India

Cheers!

sudipta · 27th April 2009, 09:32

@ Raccoon: This is out of sheer goodwill of the Manager for AP/HYD, therefore no condition was attached. I will try to find the same out for Pune with the reference fo the Hyd Manager.

sudipta · 27th April 2009, 13:02

Hi Raccoon,

I called up the manager for AP and he has given me the contact for Maharastra. (actually he came from Mumbai recently thru a company transfer.) The website is WELCOME TO WAXPOL and you can look up the products that you would like to order. He mentioned that if you can get it directly from the company folks then you would get a good discount like mine (percentage might vary). Regarding the home delivery, you will have to talk to him and make that happen as there is no home delivery policy as such from the company. Let me know if you need any further help.

Please PM me for the contact once you decide on the products.

Feedback on the products:-

I have used the Ultra Glo Primum Car polish and by the look of it, it is pretty good and application was simple. But the Tyre shine was a little cumbursome (need a paint brush to spread evenly after spray) to apply but it is worth all the effort. It is shining like a mirror.

Raccoon · 27th April 2009, 15:28

^^^Hey, thanks a heap dude!

Actually I just bought an expensive bottle of Armour All. Not very happy with it, but gotta live with it for now. So not exactly looking for a bigger purchase right now... but I still need couple of things like their graphite lubricant and Protectol. I doubt they will do home delivery for such small purchases. If I know where their entire product range is available, I can get it myself provided its not somewhere too far for me.

Thanks again...

sudipta · 27th April 2009, 16:48

Raccoon,

Give them a call and ask for it. The way it happened for me is that I called the manager and told him I need these products. He mentioned a dealer which is 25 kms away from my home/office. So asked for a closer dealer which they didn't have and offered the delivery at home. So I would say, go ahead and call the guy and if you have any problem let me know. The AP manager told me he will ensure all works out smoothly for you.

BTW, did you use the silicone polish and graphite lubricant? If yes, I would like to know the applicability and performance of the same.

Thanks,
Sudipta

geeash · 27th April 2009, 17:40

Just a dumb question. How often do you people wash your car?. Today i washed my brand new linea for the first time with soap and water and wiped it dry. But my mother says if i use soap and water often then the gloss and shine of the car will go off. So i wanted to have a few tips.Already read this post in car maintanence in team-bhp. Do any of you people do wax polish at home?. Are there any joints in chennai where i can have my car wax polished alone?. How often car needs wax polishing?.

sudipta · 27th April 2009, 18:59

@geeash: It depends on your location and availability of space and water. I usually clean the car exterior with damp cloth every day, wash with car shampoo, rinse and dry it with cloth every week. Please do not use any soap to wash your car as your mother is right.

Regarding the polish, it depends how long the effect of wax stays. Good quality wax will sustain their coating more then a month, even if you wash the car with car shampoo. Usually the car shampoo cleans your car leaving the wax coating intact as much as possible.

Depending on the interior condition, vaccum and clean with interior polish around every month.

I do all my car cleaning myself including the polishing too.

Raccoon · 28th April 2009, 00:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by sudipta

Raccoon,

Give them a call and ask for it. The way it happened for me is that I called the manager and told him I need these products. He mentioned a dealer which is 25 kms away from my home/office. So asked for a closer dealer which they didn't have and offered the delivery at home. So I would say, go ahead and call the guy and if you have any problem let me know. The AP manager told me he will ensure all works out smoothly for you.

BTW, did you use the silicone polish and graphite lubricant? If yes, I would like to know the applicability and performance of the same.

Thanks,
Sudipta

Thats a great idea! Will definitely try and use it.

I haven't used the graphite dry lubricant yet as I have not been able to find it in any shop. For more details about it please see the Waxpol site. I wanna try using it on my Esteem's recalcitrant window amongst other things. I have tried Protectol. Its fairly good. Leaves an oily/wet kinda shine. What I like is you can use it on rubber, plastics, etc., also. But the 35 ml bottle I got is not competitively priced... can get something like Formula 1 liquid polish for around that much. If a bigger Protectol bottle is cheaper, its worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by geeash

Just a dumb question. How often do you people wash your car?. Today i washed my brand new linea for the first time with soap and water and wiped it dry. But my mother says if i use soap and water often then the gloss and shine of the car will go off. So i wanted to have a few tips.Already read this post in car maintanence in team-bhp. Do any of you people do wax polish at home?. Are there any joints in chennai where i can have my car wax polished alone?. How often car needs wax polishing?.

Best and safest (for the paint) way to get dust off the car is to spray water with a hose. Its also the fastest. Any other way risks getting micro scratches. If your car has been well waxed with a good product, it will bead water well, and it will make the job even easier.

25th April 2009, 20:48	#511
Eddy Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 9,493 Thanked: 14,090 Times	turtle wax if you can find it.
	() Thanks

26th April 2009, 00:53	#514
Raccoon Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Poona Posts: 1,851 Thanked: 116 Times	Just tried the bottle of ArmourAll Wax and Polish I bought couple weeks ago. 500 ml bottle (liquid) for Rs. 400. The thing does make the paint shine... but it makes scratches stand out even more!!! Not happy with it... :( Also its ONLY for painted surfaces - not ment for application on plastics/rubber/vinyl/etc. However, I bought this Armour All bottle for the 1st time... so not terribly sure if its genuine; esp. since the bottle did not come with any seal. Waste of 400 bucks... the Formula 1 paste (yellow tin with sponge aplicator) did a better job and actually made scratches far less visible. Its also much cheapr at about Rs. 160 or so. It however leaves a chalky reside on edges etc. - places where you cant wipe easily. Thats what prompted me to try another product... especially a liquid. Protectol by Waxpol is also a nice product. Its not exactly a polish or wax, but its ment to protect all kinds of surfaces - paint, plastics, rubber, etc. Leaves a li'l oily... rather wet kinda looking surface. Lasts couple of weeks or so on my bikes. Got a 35 ml bottle for Rs. 20... to try out.
	() Thanks

26th April 2009, 12:43	#515
sudipta BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 307 Thanked: 97 Times View My Garage	Hi All, Just wanted to let you all know that I got a free home delivery from Waxpol at Hyderabad for the following products. 1. Ultra Glo Primum Car polish 2. Silky Touch 3. Car Shampoo cum polish 4. Tyre Shine 5. Dashboard Polish I also got a hefty discount of around 25% and all this for just 575. The manager also said he can do the same for others for any waxpol product. Incase anyone interested, I can share his contact. Cheers.
	() Thanks

26th April 2009, 13:26	#516
condor Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Speed-brkr City Posts: 16,156 Thanked: 16,589 Times View My Garage	Art Leather / Letherite seat covers : Leather-specific products are not required. Pls use mild soap water / generic cleaning products (stuff from Eagle / Armour-All etc). Original leather can use the conditioner, and Leather-specific products make sense only for leather. @Sudipta, that's a good price. Do post your feedback after you try all of those.
	() Thanks

26th April 2009, 17:00	#518
R2D2 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pune Posts: 3,243 Thanked: 5,810 Times	Meguiar's Wax and Car wash Those enthusiastic enough could try the Meguiar's range of products. I've been using the NXT Gen wax and car wash for 2+ years now and they are fantastic but really expensive. Take a look at Meguiar's India Cheers!
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 09:32	#519
sudipta BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 307 Thanked: 97 Times View My Garage	@ Raccoon: This is out of sheer goodwill of the Manager for AP/HYD, therefore no condition was attached. I will try to find the same out for Pune with the reference fo the Hyd Manager.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 13:02	#520
sudipta BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 307 Thanked: 97 Times View My Garage	Hi Raccoon, I called up the manager for AP and he has given me the contact for Maharastra. (actually he came from Mumbai recently thru a company transfer.) The website is WELCOME TO WAXPOL and you can look up the products that you would like to order. He mentioned that if you can get it directly from the company folks then you would get a good discount like mine (percentage might vary). Regarding the home delivery, you will have to talk to him and make that happen as there is no home delivery policy as such from the company. Let me know if you need any further help. Please PM me for the contact once you decide on the products. Feedback on the products:- I have used the Ultra Glo Primum Car polish and by the look of it, it is pretty good and application was simple. But the Tyre shine was a little cumbursome (need a paint brush to spread evenly after spray) to apply but it is worth all the effort. It is shining like a mirror. Last edited by sudipta : 27th April 2009 at 13:04.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 15:28	#521
Raccoon Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Poona Posts: 1,851 Thanked: 116 Times	^^^Hey, thanks a heap dude! Actually I just bought an expensive bottle of Armour All. Not very happy with it, but gotta live with it for now. So not exactly looking for a bigger purchase right now... but I still need couple of things like their graphite lubricant and Protectol. I doubt they will do home delivery for such small purchases. If I know where their entire product range is available, I can get it myself provided its not somewhere too far for me. Thanks again... Last edited by Raccoon : 27th April 2009 at 15:30.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 16:48	#522
sudipta BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 307 Thanked: 97 Times View My Garage	Raccoon, Give them a call and ask for it. The way it happened for me is that I called the manager and told him I need these products. He mentioned a dealer which is 25 kms away from my home/office. So asked for a closer dealer which they didn't have and offered the delivery at home. So I would say, go ahead and call the guy and if you have any problem let me know. The AP manager told me he will ensure all works out smoothly for you. BTW, did you use the silicone polish and graphite lubricant? If yes, I would like to know the applicability and performance of the same. Thanks, Sudipta
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 17:40	#523
geeash Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,513 Thanked: 146 Times	Just a dumb question. How often do you people wash your car?. Today i washed my brand new linea for the first time with soap and water and wiped it dry. But my mother says if i use soap and water often then the gloss and shine of the car will go off. So i wanted to have a few tips.Already read this post in car maintanence in team-bhp. Do any of you people do wax polish at home?. Are there any joints in chennai where i can have my car wax polished alone?. How often car needs wax polishing?.
	() Thanks

27th April 2009, 18:59	#524
sudipta BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 307 Thanked: 97 Times View My Garage	@geeash: It depends on your location and availability of space and water. I usually clean the car exterior with damp cloth every day, wash with car shampoo, rinse and dry it with cloth every week. Please do not use any soap to wash your car as your mother is right. Regarding the polish, it depends how long the effect of wax stays. Good quality wax will sustain their coating more then a month, even if you wash the car with car shampoo. Usually the car shampoo cleans your car leaving the wax coating intact as much as possible. Depending on the interior condition, vaccum and clean with interior polish around every month. I do all my car cleaning myself including the polishing too. Last edited by sudipta : 27th April 2009 at 19:00.
	() Thanks