Windscreens O brien , car glass or a similar company should be able to get rid of it with their wiz bang equipment that cuts a layer of glass out

That's probably the only solution
Make sure you seal the glass with something, even a wax
it really does make a difference.

Another question about glass .... esecially after washing ... I try not to use the windows for a few hours afterwards ... do to water streaks ... is there another way of drying the rubber guides along the top of the door/window cavity?????

Or just don't open/close windows at all until completely dry.

The best thing to do after washing and drying the car (dry windows first) is to put the glass down by an inch and wipe the top edge of them and then put back up and wipe the glass again (you will get some water when it goes back up)
You could also put the windows all the way down, dry the guides with a clean towel (microfibre preferred as it absorbs it far better), then lift up half way, wipe the top edge of glass then put all way up and do a final wipe

If you do not drop the glass by an inch, the water that doesn't get dried, cause a watermark or a streak that can be hard to remove plus the guides may leave some residue if they are over lubricated with either a rubber cleaner protectant or silicone spray

Matt

Cleansing paint

Are you over polishing your paint?
Improper washing techniques cause swirl marks and marring and other marks are from dust, environmental contaminants and poor quality cloths

The common thing to do for years has been to get the wet look polish out and remove it. As much as this is good, cleansing the paint and using very fine swirl mark removers and final finishing polishes is even better again

When you polish the paint you enhance the shine as well as remove marring and this makes the paint more reflective. However you are removing clearcoat and that is what gives the finish it's depth and wetness

I do not recommend the use of cutting compounds more than four times in a vehicle's lifetime.
If a finish is oxidised and faded/discoloured then it may need this but once it is restored and enhanced with a polish and glaze, do your best to remove any swirls, scratches or marring with a paint cleanser and keep it garaged overnight and with a car cover at work.
There are heaps of cleansers on the market but the best come from the USA and Europe

A cleanser does not remove any paint and will remove bug stains, paint contamination, very minor swirl marks, some scratches and marring

If this does not give you the desired result, then move up the scale to the finest wet look polish or glaze you can find
Vanilla moose is great for this as it removes paint defects permanently , does not remove paint and enhances wetness and the depth of it

The ultimate german applicator is the perfect pad for this also. I can't stand using those tiny, thin round foam applicator pads

If you must use a polish, apply 2-3 drops onto the foam pad or surface and buff using very light pressure
Instead of increasing the pressure to remove a stubborn mark, increase your hand speed.

Even the finest products and applicators can scratch if you put lots of force (especially finger tips) onto the paint.

My car is far from perfect. It has great wetness and depth and reflections but has some very minor swirls on the rear bumper and the front grille and a few on the roof but I am using four star ultimate paint cleanser to remove them and then finish off with Clearkote vanilla, red machine glaze and yellow moose to remove them and enhance the paint

I know there is one spot that will need a very light polishing and I will do it by hand from now on.
The whole car has been refinished with a rotary buffer with about six steps but I prefer to care for the paint by hand afterwards. You are far less likely to remove the amount of clearcoat that you would with a rotary.

The only product I will ever use by machine on the car will be vanilla or red moose glaze using an edge 2000 white finishing pad

Marring is a part of being a car owner but learning the proper techniques to care for it will keep the swirls and scratches to a bare minimum and I have learnt to live with a few swirls and marks here and there.
I'll be busy from now on getting it ready for extreme horsepower show.

You can have a totally swirl and scratch free paint job but the only way to keep it 100% free for life is to keep it garaged and covered, use a trailer to get it interstate, wash only when absolutely necessary and be really obsessed with the way you do it and use the best products you can find.

Happy motoring

Matthew.
Proprietor of Dream Machines
happy to help you at any time.

Hey dude some very good tips thier, i usually just wash my car with the Meguires car wash and paint conditioner, seems to get most of the dirt and s*** off but after rinsing you can see heaps of swirl marks etc. Might give that Vanilla moose a go or something.

Also sounds like you need to update your wash technique and equipment

I'd go with four star UPC cleanser and use clearkote afterwards and then seal the paint.

Interior vinyl/plastic cleaning and protection

Car vinyl & plastics I have found suffer badly when exposed to body oil emulsion (sweat) and not cleaned within a short time
They also dislike water and I am against the use of alkaline cleaning chemicals on them
I saw an adelaide detail shop blast a car's door trims with high pressure water and a local cleaning chemical company's product called Alkasteam

High pressure alone is not good either
To clean them is fairly easy and you don't need expensive boutique car care products in some cases either.

To clean, use full strength or diluted (if you wish) Delimolene citrus based cleaner aka Citra Force
Almost any citrus based cleaner will do it
Simply spray on and wipe with a clean cloth (doesn't have to be microfibre)

Another good product is Omikron OC-120 with a lovely spearmint fragrance and high foaming action. It is safe on paint and can also be used on leather

If you prefer to use cleaners made only for automotive use, there are heaps that are really good
Lexol, Four Star, Blue magic, 303, Optimum, Autoglym, Pinnacle, Detailers Pride & Wolfgang and they and others will do a superb job of cleaning

Then to protect the dash, door trims etc, a dedicated vinyl protectant can be applied by spraying onto a cloth and wiping in with a microfibre towel
There are a good range of C**k sprays (non aerosol) that will provide convenient month long protection with little time spent

Don't use silicone based tyre, trim or plastic dressings or any vinyl or plastic dressing like 5-200 litre sized products that are made for the car dealer or detail shop industries.
These dressings are either silicone, solvent , oil emulsion or water based products and they will either make the surfaces slippery or give them an un natural ultra high gloss finish or possibly both

A cutting edge tyre gel such as Wolfgang black diamond, sonus, four star, detailers pride or pinnacle however can be used with no fear of drying, cracking, fading or slipperyness
They are made from german super polymers and I have used wolfgang on my AU for a year now
The result is high gloss but I liked that because I didn't like the charcoal color. Now it's gloss black and will stay that way

If your after matte, the boutique brands (USA & Europe) seen and mentioned at autopia.org will do a brilliant job

More to come.

Yeah i might give you a buzz in a couple of weeks dude! Time for me to order some detailing/cleaning gear. Mainly after a good cleaner/cleanser/swirl remover and also a sealer etc. And some of them applicator pads.

Will email you after i have gone through the catalouge or give ya a call or something.

OK not a problem

never heard of 'clay' with regards to car cleaning products.. whats it do hows it work?

ok this is a bit of an adhoc plan for a car with pretty new paint(dark blue late 90s)

give me a quick order in which to do things for the first time and about every year or 6 months or so(or before a show).. and also what to do very regularly..

im talking glass/paint only.

is this about right? wash-dry-claywindows-claypanels-paintcleanser-glass sealant-wax-.. (how many coats of each aswell)

then every few weeks wash-detailspray-dry?

Wash - dry, clay ever 6 months or whenever the paint or glass feels rough, Paint cleanser or mild polish (depends on condition of paint) wetness enhancing glaze, sealer for paint & glass

After that wash when necessary(every weekend for daily drivers), dry and use QD that protects the paint after each wash
From then on, use paint cleanser by hand to remove any new marring or scratches and reapply sealant every four to eight months depending on how many coats you apply

Before a show I go crazy and do everything over again
A paste wax before a show will improve the paint even more and hide any new marks you couldn't get out

There is a world wide belief, mostly of new car buyers who do not know all about car care that brand new cars are perfect and that the best you can ever have your car's finish is like new
Sadly this is not the case

New cars have vinyl and rubber trim that is dry and grey or brown, the glass has a slight rough feel to it and the paint, although being mark free, can be enhanced much further with paint cleansers, final polishers and glazes
Clearcoat also is not some magical top coat (even though some people are told that) that prevents oxidisation and fading and that eliminates the need for protection
All it is is paint without pigment and that is what gives new cars their depth and clarity
However clearcoat can be easily removed, damaged, scratches easier than traditional acrylic or urethane finishes and can only withstand so much
It is at risk of bombardment every time it's out of the garage from sulfuric acid rain, industrial fallout (metal filings from foundries), tree sap, dust particles, road grime, brake dust from cars alongside it and so much more

The only way to keep it sparkling and better than new is to coat every surface with a protectant and multiple layers are best
From wheel sealant to paint and glass acrylic and polymer sealer thick liquids and sprays to dedicated vinyl and rubber interior wipe on protectants and sprays

Whenever you get a new car or know someone who is getting one, please enhance and protect it ASAP and do regular maintenance
Washing & top up sealers - weekly
Interior - monthly or once every two montly
Exterior vinyl and plastic trim - as required
Wheels - clean weekly, polish when necessary and seal - every 3 months
Glass - clay & polish exterior & polish interior when new and whenever it feels gritty re clay
Engine bay - rejuvinate with clearkote vanilla moose, autoglym bumper care or vinyl & rubber care spray or similar product and protect plastics with an engine sealant such as Meguiars engine kote, autoglym, sonus trim and motor kote and re apply every few months
Paint seal - every three to eight months
Best results are with 3 x sealant and then topped with a couple layers of a pure carnuaba wax - either brazilian white or ivory wax

Some waxes such as meguiars need to be left on for 20 mins before removal with a cloth, new ones available can be removed 30 to 90 seconds are applying and have the same protection durability

It's amazing what people will do to their car's
They think that a microfibre cloth, towel or mitt will never scratch your paint or cause swirl marks no matter how they use it and wash it etc

Well I have news for them
In the hands of the careless or those who do not know but think they do, even the plushest ultra microfibre can cause some swirls and marring, especially during washing

Here's a pic which shows how not to hold and use a microfibre towel
My advice for using them

a 40 by 40 cm cloth - fold in half twice
A wash mitt that can also be used dry as a QD mitt - wear it like a glove, don't put your hand on top of it and wipe
A 60 x 90 cm drying towel - fold in half two to three times and hold one corner of it and go from left to right, top to bottom to dry the car
If you go in one direction, you reduce the swirl marks you could cause, it's easier to handle and it cannot slip out of your hand

Don't forget, I am happy to help people with anything car care no matter what brand and it's totally free (except a phone call of course) and I will not try and get you to switch to any brands I sell, use or like

The main thing is that your caring for your car
Happy motoring

Matthew

 

 

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So, for drying, you would recommend a towel over a Chamoi (spelling)???

Also, what would you recommend for doing the mags? Like the stubborn corners? Sometimes I get the wire brush out, but I really would rather not.

Cheers

Sorry to stray off (kinda) But on one of our cars which recently (bout 3 or so months ago) just had a paint job redone on a door. Noticed some weird clear crap that looks like it dried. What would you use to get rid of that???

Yes, they work unbelievably on slick paint, great on smooth but ok on rough paint but then again a chamois can be sticky on all and leaves wiping lines

A waffle weave drying towel can dry an entire car without any wringing or drips when you hang it up once done
It also will outlast a chamois as it can be washed and re used hundreds of times
One brand I am getting in next year, has a drying towel that gets more absorbent as it gets damp and damper

As for wheels, meguiars have some killer new gold class brushes out
They should be in australia if not now, extremely soon
I got a meguiars accessories DVD from the owner of one of the brands that I sell and although I don't use meguiars liquid products, I am very impressed with their brushes so far
To polish mags you have lots of choices but I recommend P21s polishing soap as it does it without a harsh smell and in the time it takes to wash them and can be used on heaps of automotive and household surfaces as well

To dry them, I use my detailers paradise wheel waffle towel but any drying towel will do, just don't use the same one you dried the body with