2 Days Detailing the R

[Chumpchops]

Coming up for 5 years old, I’ve only done 20k miles, but paint was getting a bit marred and black wheels had lost their gloss. Am off all week so a deep clean, followed by a 3 stage machine polish, wheels off and the same, then a new ceramic coating followed by two top coats of Polish Angel Cosmic Sprtiz. Very satisfying. Might do interior tomorrow. Or go fishing.



Be a shame to get it dirty, but the winter beckons, and it’s well sealed.

 

[Nopiano]

It looks great, and you had nice weather. Worth looking after, I’m sure, as bit of a classic now. (I’m guessing the picture isn’t Bristol though?)

 

[Carrington]

Lovely job! Tornado Red always looks great when polished. My Golf was supposed to be treated to a similar routine (minus the machine polish) last week but life got in the way. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

 

[Chumpchops]

It looks great, and you had nice weather. Worth looking after, I’m sure, as bit of a classic now. (I’m guessing the picture isn’t Bristol though?)

Thanks. it’s in Brixham Devon. where I was raised. Weather was good…..for now.

 

[Chumpchops]

Lovely job! Tornado Red always looks great when polished. My Golf was supposed to be treated to a similar routine (minus the machine polish) last week but life got in the way. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

Yes, TR is a great colour to own and work on. After years of ineviable Teutonic metallic greys etc , I fancied a change. My second (but first proper car) was a Mars Red mk1 Gti in back 1982, so this is its spiritual successor. It’s a nice drive, especially after its remap.

The mk8 R doesn’t really do it for me, so this one may be a keeper in the autumn of the internal combustion engine.

 

[Nopiano]

Not the same, but I had a red TT roadster for six years, about the longest I owned any car. I was teased about it being my ‘mid life crisis’ purchase, and I must admit it was helped as my wife had an estate car at the time. Then she decided to get a Z3…

This was in Brixton, near Plymouth. Often confused with your Brixham by those not familiar with Devon!

 

[Chumpchops]

Not the same, but I had a red TT roadster for six years, about the longest I owned any car. I was teased about it being my ‘mid life crisis’ purchase, and I must admit it was helped as my wife had an estate car at the time. Then she decided to get a Z3…

This was in Brixton, near Plymouth. Often confused with your Brixham by those not familiar with Devon!

Near Ivybridge. I know it. I had a TT mk1, the best and most original of the genre imho. Great design features abound, especially the interior. I went to the original launch at the Royal College of Arts, all very Bauhaus. However I Never really got on with the original 225 1.8T engine, which let yhe car down a bit imho. The V6 was a nice engine Tho.

nice gaff btw. Barn conversion?

 

[nak]

Looks superb 👍🏻
I've bought a machine polisher and watched all the videos on YouTube but I've yet to have a go 😬

 

[Chumpchops]

Looks superb 👍🏻
I've bought a machine polisher and watched all the videos on YouTube but I've yet to have a go 😬

I can thoroughly recommend the Meguirs DAMF kit for starters with. DA machine. I would a.so recommend Sonax Perfect Finisih as a great compound to work with. Cuts well, but not too much, and finishes very glossy.

as with all polishing, working clean and taking your time are the keys to success.

 

[nak]

I can thoroughly recommend the Meguirs DAMF kit for starters with. DA machine. I would a.so recommend Sonax Perfect Finisih as a great compound to work with. Cuts well, but not too much, and finishes very glossy.

as with all polishing, working clean and taking your time are the keys to success.

I bought some Scholl concepts to try when I get round to it. I'll have a look at the Sonax and Meguirs too 👍🏻

 

[rabski]

The Meguirs stuff is superb IME. Their polishes beat pretty much all the others I've used for ease of application and depth of shine. I really need to machine polish mine, but it's black and it's a hateful job, especially now it's getting cold and damp. The old thing is likely to just have to survive the winter with a good polish until it gets warm again.

 

[Chumpchops]

The Meguirs stuff is superb IME. Their polishes beat pretty much all the others I've used for ease of application and depth of shine. I really need to machine polish mine, but it's black and it's a hateful job, especially now it's getting cold and damp. The old thing is likely to just have to survive the winter with a good polish until it gets warm again.

Tis a springtime job for sure, unless you have a large heated and well lit garage in which to while away the hours.

Seal it for the winter, then deep clean and polish come the better weather.


…..what you can do is just DA a couple of panels per session so you don’t run out of time, light and patience.

Bonnet and front wings session one. Clean, clay, 3-4 passes with cuttin, then 4-5 passes with finishing (or just change pads if you are using and AIO like Sonax PF. wax or seal, then off for a pint.

…then do roof n tail gate in your next session etc.

a sort of rolling detail.

 

[myles]

Tis a springtime job for sure, unless you have a large heated and well lit garage in which to while away the hours.

Seal it for the winter, then deep clean and polish come the better weather.


…..what you can do is just DA a couple of panels per session so you don’t run out of time, light and patience.

Bonnet and front wings session one. Clean, clay, 3-4 passes with cuttin, then 4-5 passes with finishing (or just change pads if you are using and AIO like Sonax PF. wax or seal, then off for a pint.

…then do roof n tail gate in your next session etc.

a sort of rolling detail.

....or get a tiny car with minimal paintwork to work on.....but still don't do it!

 

[rabski]

Tis a springtime job for sure, unless you have a large heated and well lit garage in which to while away the hours.

Seal it for the winter, then deep clean and polish come the better weather.


…..what you can do is just DA a couple of panels per session so you don’t run out of time, light and patience.

Bonnet and front wings session one. Clean, clay, 3-4 passes with cuttin, then 4-5 passes with finishing (or just change pads if you are using and AIO like Sonax PF. wax or seal, then off for a pint.

…then do roof n tail gate in your next session etc.

a sort of rolling detail.

Exactly what I've done in the past. Probably best not to machine polish the roof on mine though. It's a cabrio

 

[Chumpchops]

....or get a tiny car with minimal paintwork to work on.....but still don't do it!

Funnily IME small cars often take just as long what with all the masking up and smaller fiddle panel angles that require smaller pads.

A large bonnet can be 2 stage polished and then sealed in less than one hour. But if a Forth Road Bridge approach tho…

ive got a Yaris out side that is rally stage filthy, but am just going to wash it, then quick seal for winter muck in next few weeks. Then give it new lease of life in the Spring.

But, onto hi fi, I am going to be DAing the perspex plinth cover on my RP2 TT, since some little fingers traced lines in the dust, then decided to make good by rubbing it with a scratchly T towel, leaving lots of small swirls and dust scratches.

Kids eh?

 

[rabski]

Funnily IME small cars often take just as long what with all the masking up and smaller fiddle panel angles that require smaller pads.

Spot on.

 

[rabski]

Of course, for many of us the problem is the universal one. I checked with all my suppliers, but none of them have any stocks of 'two days to spare'

 

[nak]

Funnily IME small cars often take just as long what with all the masking up and smaller fiddle panel angles that require smaller pads.

A large bonnet can be 2 stage polished and then sealed in less than one hour. But if a Forth Road Bridge approach tho…

ive got a Yaris out side that is rally stage filthy, but am just going to wash it, then quick seal for winter muck in next few weeks. Then give it new lease of life in the Spring.

But, onto hi fi, I am going to be DAing the perspex plinth cover on my RP2 TT, since some little fingers traced lines in the dust, then decided to make good by rubbing it with a scratchly T towel, leaving lots of small swirls and dust scratches.

Kids eh?

Out of curiosity what do you use for a "quick seal for winter"?

 

[Carrington]

Out of curiosity what do you use for a "quick seal for winter"?

I use Finish Kare, FK1000p and their Pink Wax. Easy to apply and buff off, lasts really well, good size container at an excellent price. Beads well too.

 

[Chumpchops]

Out of curiosity what do you use for a "quick seal for winter"?

I can do whole car and have it buffed off in 20 mins with either Gteqniq C2V3 or Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer. Or a mixture of the two.

I have bought loads others over the years on whims - Gyeon Cure, Gyeon Ceramic detailer, Nanolex, Kamikaz, Wet Coat, Turtle Wax Graphene etc etc


…..but I always end up coming back to C2 and BSD. Quick easy effective, forgiving. And good for a few months, longer if you top them with Wet Coat once a month.