Scirocco Central

simmytt wrote:Admin i think we need a car cleaning and detailing section.Some of the things reguarding cleaning of you beloved rocs are making me cringe, washing up liquid sponges . here is a little shopping list that every rocco owner should have at the very least.
2xbuckets c/w gritguards
2xlambswool washing mits
1x good quality body work shampoo
2xwaffle weave drying towlels
1xgood quality polish
2xpolish applicators
2xmiro fibre polishing cloths
This is just a very basic cleaning kit, 20k+ on a car a few xtra pounds to keep it looking good should not break the bank.
Happy cleaning.

Basically what simmytt above said is spot on. The only place where i differ from the above is that i wont be using a polish for at least twelve months on the Roc. My understanding is that most Polish products contain an abrasive, some harsh and others not but generally they take off microscopic layers of paint each time you use them as this is how they renew the look of the paint. Whilst my paintwork is still fresh and tar free i am simply washing the car and adding a layer of good quality wax. There are lots of very good polish / wax products on the market, i have gone with a new one from Autoglym (HD Wax). If you are not happy with the dealer prep or find you are picking up lots of tar spots then obviously wax isn't the solution. One of the specialist Tar products is probably best, then polish the car first then apply a layer of wax. Depending upon the wax top up as required. Generally i find Meguiars / Autoglym products towards the top end in terms of performance but not too hard on the wallet. Money no object i would probably go for Zymol or poorboys etc.. Washing you car properly doesn't take long using the right technique and products. It would be good to have some detailed info in the Roccopedia on cleaning, specific to the Roc. I would be happy to contribute along with other members if we think it's a worthwhile addition. We don't want lots of tired looking Rocs on the road!

Adding to the above and about not polishing new/soft paint.......Autoglym Extra loss Protection is ideal here as its completely non arasive and doesnt contain any cleansers, its applied with no pressure to prevent swirls/scratching of the topcoat.

Mine will be getting treated to it as soon as it arrives!! Will just have to keep polishing somehing else untill then!

sir_rocco wrote:You lot clearly are not detailers, the thought of a sponge makes me cringe, those horrible swirly marks caused by gtit particles getting trapped between the sponge and the paintwork.

Anyway, for those with neither the time or inclination there was an article on 5th gear a couple of weeks ago where they got three identical VX astras and got a professional to polish them until the paint was perfect and then subjected them one each to, an auto car wash, the east european hand wash gang and finally one of those jetwash/ foaming brush combos. The results were horrendous, I was gobsmacked that the auto car wash did the least damage, followed by foaming brush followed worst of all by the hand wash gang with their jelly blades.

So based on the above, the auto car wash wins although I would be inclined to just jet wash the worst off and then if you really must, use a sponge.

Anyone who wants to get into serious car care could do worse than look at http://www.detailingworld.co.uk but be careful, it becomes obsessive....lol

Paul from Shine On Detailing did the work involved on that test, good friend of mine

I can admit to being a detailing addict. Have all the gear anyone could ever need! Keeps the cars looking great though and definately worth the money imo.

Detailing World is full of information, definately becomes obsessive!

I think we should have a detailing section on here, most other forums do now.

jonallen628 wrote:

simmytt wrote:Admin i think we need a car cleaning and detailing section.Some of the things reguarding cleaning of you beloved rocs are making me cringe, washing up liquid sponges . here is a little shopping list that every rocco owner should have at the very least.
2xbuckets c/w gritguards
2xlambswool washing mits
1x good quality body work shampoo
2xwaffle weave drying towlels
1xgood quality polish
2xpolish applicators
2xmiro fibre polishing cloths
This is just a very basic cleaning kit, 20k+ on a car a few xtra pounds to keep it looking good should not break the bank.
Happy cleaning.

Basically what simmytt above said is spot on. The only place where i differ from the above is that i wont be using a polish for at least twelve months on the Roc. My understanding is that most Polish products contain an abrasive, some harsh and others not but generally they take off microscopic layers of paint each time you use them as this is how they renew the look of the paint. Whilst my paintwork is still fresh and tar free i am simply washing the car and adding a layer of good quality wax. There are lots of very good polish / wax products on the market, i have gone with a new one from Autoglym (HD Wax). If you are not happy with the dealer prep or find you are picking up lots of tar spots then obviously wax isn't the solution. One of the specialist Tar products is probably best, then polish the car first then apply a layer of wax. Depending upon the wax top up as required. Generally i find Meguiars / Autoglym products towards the top end in terms of performance but not too hard on the wallet. Money no object i would probably go for Zymol or poorboys etc.. Washing you car properly doesn't take long using the right technique and products. It would be good to have some detailed info in the Roccopedia on cleaning, specific to the Roc. I would be happy to contribute along with other members if we think it's a worthwhile addition. We don't want lots of tired looking Rocs on the road!

be good to know what sort of timescale you put on these things e.g.

once every few days basic wash with water.
once a week a shampoo
once every two week a polish and wax

be a good sticky topic or for the rocopedia..

How often do i clean my car ?
I enjoy spending time cleaning my roc,as a rule i clean him once a week without fail,thats a full wash, dry and vac and a quick detail to the tyres and plastic wheel arch liners,takes about a hour and a half.Then about once a month he gets a coat of wax,collinite is my preferred winter wax.Then once every 6 months he will get a full detail,snow foam,wash,clay,machine polish to remove all swirll marks then a layer of polish then a layer of sealant and top it all off with a layer or two of wax.Over the years i have used many cleaning products but i find the following very good and easy to use without breaking the bank,i know cleaning products are a personal thing so i dont expect all to agree on my actual prefered range.
Shampoo, chemical guys citrus wash and gloss(1 gallon £25ish)
Polish,sonus sfx 1(£9ish)
Sealant,poorboys exp (£12ish)
Wax,collinite 476s(£16ish)
Tyers,chemical guys new look trim gel(£11ish)
Alloys,poorboys wheel sealant(£13ish)Note i never use alloy cleaner i prefer to use just bodywork shampoo
Under carrage,chemical guys, bare bones(£9ish)
interior,damp cloth(free)or poorboys natural look dressing(£9ish)
now can we please have a cleaning and detailing section

sara_brea wrote:

jonallen628 wrote:

simmytt wrote:Admin i think we need a car cleaning and detailing section.Some of the things reguarding cleaning of you beloved rocs are making me cringe, washing up liquid sponges . here is a little shopping list that every rocco owner should have at the very least.
2xbuckets c/w gritguards
2xlambswool washing mits
1x good quality body work shampoo
2xwaffle weave drying towlels
1xgood quality polish
2xpolish applicators
2xmiro fibre polishing cloths
This is just a very basic cleaning kit, 20k+ on a car a few xtra pounds to keep it looking good should not break the bank.
Happy cleaning.

Basically what simmytt above said is spot on. The only place where i differ from the above is that i wont be using a polish for at least twelve months on the Roc. My understanding is that most Polish products contain an abrasive, some harsh and others not but generally they take off microscopic layers of paint each time you use them as this is how they renew the look of the paint. Whilst my paintwork is still fresh and tar free i am simply washing the car and adding a layer of good quality wax. There are lots of very good polish / wax products on the market, i have gone with a new one from Autoglym (HD Wax). If you are not happy with the dealer prep or find you are picking up lots of tar spots then obviously wax isn't the solution. One of the specialist Tar products is probably best, then polish the car first then apply a layer of wax. Depending upon the wax top up as required. Generally i find Meguiars / Autoglym products towards the top end in terms of performance but not too hard on the wallet. Money no object i would probably go for Zymol or poorboys etc.. Washing you car properly doesn't take long using the right technique and products. It would be good to have some detailed info in the Roccopedia on cleaning, specific to the Roc. I would be happy to contribute along with other members if we think it's a worthwhile addition. We don't want lots of tired looking Rocs on the road!

be good to know what sort of timescale you put on these things e.g.

once every few days basic wash with water.
once a week a shampoo
once every two week a polish and wax

be a good sticky topic or for the rocopedia..

Cleaning is something I'd say should be done weekly, stay on top of it especially in summer as the sun will bake dirt into the paintwork! polishing once a month, also I reccomend using a claybar, if you have never done it before get someone who has to show you!

ok im going to go to halfords (internet order would take to long) this morning and get some items which ive outlined in quotes. at the minute theres a load of brake dust and dirt sprayed up the side from my drive to leeds and back so i want to get it off as quick as possible

My plan is to rinse with water the wheels then using the 2 bucket method and some "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner" clean the alloys using a "microfibre towel"

The body work i will use "intensive tar remover from Autoglym" to remove some of the remnance in the sills of ediface. then i will use the "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner" and a "sheepswool mitt" to clean in horizontal lines then rinse then dy using a microfibre drying towel...

is there anything ive missed? do i need to polish or wax afterwards? (im guessing as it was done at teh dealership it will only require a light clean and not a polish or wax)

help appreciated im panicing about this brake dust being left on

sara_brea wrote:ok im going to go to halfords (internet order would take to long) this morning and get some items which ive outlined in quotes. at the minute theres a load of brake dust and dirt sprayed up the side from my drive to leeds and back so i want to get it off as quick as possible

My plan is to rinse with water the wheels then using the 2 bucket method and some "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner" clean the alloys using a "microfibre towel"

The body work i will use "intensive tar remover from Autoglym" to remove some of the remnance in the sills of ediface. then i will use the "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner" and a "sheepswool mitt" to clean in horizontal lines then rinse then dy using a microfibre drying towel...

is there anything ive missed? do i need to polish or wax afterwards? (im guessing as it was done at teh dealership it will only require a light clean and not a polish or wax)

help appreciated im panicing about this brake dust being left on

Be prepared to shell out alot of money for all that! A good wax afterwards wouldnt hurt.

sara_brea wrote:ok im going to go to halfords (internet order would take to long) this morning and get some items which ive outlined in quotes. at the minute theres a load of brake dust and dirt sprayed up the side from my drive to leeds and back so i want to get it off as quick as possible

My plan is to rinse with water the wheels then using the 2 bucket method and some "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner" clean the alloys using a "microfibre towel"

The body work i will use "intensive tar remover from Autoglym" to remove some of the remnance in the sills of ediface. then i will use the "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner" and a "sheepswool mitt" to clean in horizontal lines then rinse then dy using a microfibre drying towel...

is there anything ive missed? do i need to polish or wax afterwards? (im guessing as it was done at teh dealership it will only require a light clean and not a polish or wax)

help appreciated im panicing about this brake dust being left on

Sounds fine, just take it easy with the tar remover as this may strip some of your wax off,try buying autoglym srp(super resin polish)this will remove tar spots and give you some protection at the same time.Just going out to clen mine now

ok cleaning is done.

i used just the "Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner". i rinsed afterwards however after leaving the car for a while ive just noticed that theres raindrop sized markings all over the car including the windows (which i didnt clean).. kind of like where the water beeds where left.. there quite clear and dont seem to rub off easy..

it looks like this (shot taken of the window due to poor iphone camera doesnt give enough contrast on the body work...also ignore the crack its in the cameras lense):



any ideas what ive done wrong?

There water marks because you didnt leather off/dry the car. Water is a solvent and as such it contains all sorts of impurities which are left behind and leave these marks when the water evaporates. Next time make sure you dry the car asap after washing with a leather or good quality terry towels.

This will probably conjure up another debate about how to dry the car without causing fine swirls and scratches...........

Wash again tomorrow but this time dry the car, I use a squeegee to remove most of the water, the silicon material is soft and flexible and doesn’t scratch, I then use two types of cloth to dry up the car with, anything left over is caught by the micro fibre glove I use afterwards - coincidently I did all this today, car was like new then I went into town to return something and turned so many heads - not done that for a while.

rehmondo wrote:Wash again tomorrow but this time dry the car, I use a squeegee to remove most of the water, the silicon material is soft and flexible and doesn’t scratch, I then use two types of cloth to dry up the car with, anything left over is caught by the micro fibre glove I use afterwards - coincidently I did all this today, car was like new then I went into town to return something and turned so many heads - not done that for a while.

The tool of the devil I bet it does scratch, your colour just won't show it up so easily.

chr15 wrote:

rehmondo wrote:Wash again tomorrow but this time dry the car, I use a squeegee to remove most of the water, the silicon material is soft and flexible and doesn’t scratch, I then use two types of cloth to dry up the car with, anything left over is caught by the micro fibre glove I use afterwards - coincidently I did all this today, car was like new then I went into town to return something and turned so many heads - not done that for a while.

The tool of the devil I bet it does scratch, your colour just won't show it up so easily.

Tool of the devil indeed ! as said might get away with it on white but never on black.

Andy500 wrote:There water marks because you didnt leather off/dry the car. Water is a solvent and as such it contains all sorts of impurities which are left behind and leave these marks when the water evaporates. Next time make sure you dry the car asap after washing with a leather or good quality terry towels.

This will probably conjure up another debate about how to dry the car without causing fine swirls and scratches...........

a terry towel is a normal house towel?

chr15 wrote:The tool of the devil I bet it does scratch, your colour just won't show it up so easily

I guess it would only scratch if you didn't know how to use it and rubbed the plastic corners against the car instead of the rubber like silicon.

I sparsely use it on the roof and the bonnet, the shampoo I use has the wax in it, therefore once its rinsed off the sides of the car only have a little drops of water here and there.

I have a foam lance attached to my power hose after applying the shampoo solution I hardly need to use a sponge and if I do I have 2 buckets ready one to rinse out the dirty soap and the other to apply more clean water to the sponge - this method works really well.

With the remaining clean water at the end I then use a completely different sponge for the alloys.

In direct sunlight you can notice any swirls and scratches on any colour including White easily but on a dull day I do admit it’s really difficult - I missed a chip on the bonnet like this.

The only thing I don't do at the moment is shine the black trim on the sides and the tyres - I can't be arsed buying any products, maybe when the weather improves.

sara_brea wrote:

Andy500 wrote:There water marks because you didnt leather off/dry the car. Water is a solvent and as such it contains all sorts of impurities which are left behind and leave these marks when the water evaporates. Next time make sure you dry the car asap after washing with a leather or good quality terry towels.

This will probably conjure up another debate about how to dry the car without causing fine swirls and scratches...........

a terry towel is a normal house towel?

Yes but you can get 100% cotton ones which are super absorbent and made for use in the automotive industry. Meguiars make some good ones such as...http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 04fe92ec29

just bought this

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165682

is this ok to clean the wheels with? it says its for laquared alloys which i believe the roccos are?

rehmondo wrote: I guess it would only scratch if you didn't know how to use it and rubbed the plastic corners against the car instead of the rubber like silicon.

Wrong, if you have absolutely any any grit/dirt on the car (even just once piece) when you are wiping it and the blade will nicely drag it along the paint ad scratch.

Andy-GTI wrote:Wrong, if you have absolutely any any grit/dirt on the car (even just once piece) when you are wiping it and the blade will nicely drag it along the paint ad scratch.

Fortunately that hasn't been the case for me, as after a good rinse with the power wash nothing is left other than water and any grit/dirt is noticeable on White.

Your theory will also apply to anyone using any sort of cloth then? The smallest dirt/grit particles will be trapped by the cloth/micro fiber and as you happily go around drying the car you will in fact be dragging the dirt along with you?