# How do you do it!?



## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

My car hasn't seen shampoo for well over a month and was beginning to look a bit messy:








So I thought it was high time for a clean, and as I've had it for a couple of years, I thought I should do a "proper" clean, as all you folk seem to talk about. So on Friday night after work I started washing the wheels (still attached, I couldn't care-less if the insides were black), and then I ran out of light.

So today, I pressure washed (loosest possible sense of the word as I have next to know mains pressure here); shampooed and rinsed. Dried with an old fashioned chamois and had lunch.

Then I ventured into new ground and clayed for the first time in my life. This took a while but I did notice a lot of crap on the clay bar, not that it got everything out. So I then moved onto the polish, by now the neighbours were starting to make comments about the length of time I had spent on the car.

Polish on, brief spitting of rain, buff off. Another tea break, feeling very tired. Wax on, feet up for 30 minutes, realise it's starting to rain again, buff off - whilst at the same time wiping out the spray from a seagull which was under attack above the car.

Dressed tyres, wax on wheels, polish off. Polish exhaust. Give up. I still have to do my windows, but I really can't be bothered, it's been an entire day!! How do you guys do it!?

Resulting car, admittedly far better condition:


----------



## bobski (Oct 21, 2007)

And very nice job done too Dash. :wink: Looks much better 

Surprised you had the strength to type this after all that... 

Out of interest. What wax did you use.?


----------



## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

Actually, I don't think it is a wax, I'm not sure. Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. It seems to be mentioned quite a bit as a good all-rounder. I used Super Resin Polish before and had some AG shampoo left over, so all-in-all a very AG day. Although the clay was Megs. All because this is what is available at Halfords.


----------



## bobski (Oct 21, 2007)

Its a sealant...! but i must say it does look good. Know dont start looking at waxes to add an extra bit of depth to the paint. And get the neighbours really talking. :lol:


----------



## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

Maybe next year 

I don't plan to put that level of effort into cleaning again this side of winter. Spray on, wipe down at the most now.

There is probably a limited amount of shine available from a silver car (especially one with so many scratches).


----------



## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

As I was packing away all the bottles of stuff I realised I have more "product" for my car than I do for myself. Something is very wrong here.


----------



## foster2108 (Oct 22, 2004)

Try sticking a full day or two machine polishing in there! Nice job, your car looks great.


----------



## smarties24 (May 22, 2009)

What do you think of the extra gloss protection? I've used it a few times but i don't think it lasts long enough, comes off after just a couple of rain showers :? I've since changed to the Meguiars Carnauba Wax after using the Super Resin Polish, comes out with a better shine and lasts longer. I also use the Meguiars extreme detailer inbetween washes


----------

