A Question About Car Care to Those in the Know

[JeffyD]

So, before dorkfest, I took my coupe over to a detailing place called Lavagio, or something. Insanely rusty place, and my detailing bill was $500. Which I would've been more than happy to pay had the quality of work had been better than what I received - it basically looked like it had been rinsed off, and they used some agent on the passenger airbag that took days of me gently washing off. It look Armoral bad.

Anyway, I'm never going there again, but, since I don't know where I'd find an expert detailer in my area, I've decided to clean her myself. Especially since, beyond bug guts removal, I haven't washed her since dorkfest.

So I have a few questions that I'd be grateful if you, the coupe gang could answer here instead of my joining and asking guys with no experience with Estoril. I can get the basic steps from an online guide. Like /Drive Clean.

1) I have a drill mounted DA Meg branded attachment. Should I just invest in a rotary, or does it not matter?

2) I'm planning on taking the days worth of effort to spot paint some minor road chips. Is this a horrible idea considering, guides and all, I have no experience working on this kind of job?

3) this is the specific question I alluded to- is it possible for Estoril to have that "luster" effect? I mean, sure I can see reflections in the paint when it's clean, but does the paint coat itself lend well to that magical reflection of pants-tighteningly proportions? I just want her to look her best. Because she's worth it.

I have a budget of $6-700 for supplies, just in case anyone has some honest recommendations. Please no jokes that'll wind up destroying my baby, thanks.

Thanks for your time,
-Jeff

[brm]

Jeff:

Go to the Autogeek website. Budget a week or so of time for research. Make a purchase once your head stops spinning. You and your car will never leave your garage again.

Brian

[BenFenner]

I know a very good detailer (Connor Harrison) that I trust. He writes How-Tos, and some of them get published on www.motoiq.com. Here's a good primer: http://www.motoiq.com/MagazineArticl...sh-Basics.aspx
And here is his web site: http://www.chdetailing.com/

He's a member of a great detailing forum and when asked, has given me good recommendations for folks in my part of the country who also do great work. You could e-mail him with questions and let him know I sent you.

[JeffyD]

Okay, so auto geek is reputable? I've spent the past couple of days researching there, but, since they sell stuff, I was worried that I might get steered in the wrong direction for a sale. Thank you for the heads up. Also my question still stands on whether Estoril can achieve that "luster of God" look when worked on properly.

Also thanks for the great links.

[BMWBergy]

Also my question still stands on whether Estoril can achieve that "luster of God" look when worked on properly.

Jeff, I think all of BMWs modern clearcoated paints can support that effect, except for lighter colors like Alpine and Arctic/Titanium silver. It just requires a few passes with increasingly-fine polishes, followed by a few coats of wax/sealant.

[cfmistry]

Autogeek is very reputable, but many who are really into detailing will use www.DetailersDomain.com. They stock only the higher end products. And yes, buy an orbital.

[ADAz3M]

if you don't want to go crazy, here's a decent starter kit at a very good price

EDIT: i'm not sure if i'm allowed to link things like that So just search through Amazon's lightning deals of the day and you'll see a griots garage kit on sale

[JeffyD]

Thank you so much, guys. You're all amazing and helpful.

[Vintage42]

... since I don't know where I'd find an expert detailer in my area, I've decided to clean her myself... I have a drill mounted DA Meg branded attachment. Should I just invest in a rotary, or does it not matter?... I'm planning on taking the days worth of effort to spot paint some minor road chips. Is this a horrible idea considering...

Mequiar Dual Action sounds OK, but being mounted in a drill sounds rotary, which can wear the clear coat off. I have an inexpensive Sears orbital polisher that would be safer. It's a motor surrounded by a round ring grip, and the motion of the pad is irregular orbital, not circular like a drill might make.
You can make a mess of spotting paint chips with a touch up brush. The new paint will stand up and be obvious. Better to use a kit that skims and flattens the paint into the pits -- http://www.drcolorchip.com.
But if you have a budget of $6-700, I would think a detail shop could do all and anything for that amount.

[cfmistry]

For what it's worth, my detailer (Scottwax) who is nationally praised and recognized told me today that Harbor Freight has a great one that can be had for ~$50 with coupons.

[JeffyD]

Mequiar Dual Action sounds OK, but being mounted in a drill sounds rotary, which can wear the clear coat off. I have an inexpensive Sears orbital polisher that would be safer. It's a motor surrounded by a round ring grip, and the motion of the pad is irregular orbital, not circular like a drill might make. You can make a mess of spotting paint chips with a touch up brush. The new paint will stand up and be obvious. Better to use a kit that skims and flattens the paint into the pits -- http://www.drcolorchip.com. But if you have a budget of $6-700, I would think I detail shop could do all and anything for that amount.

Yeah, I know I could take it somewhere, but I kind of want to do it myself. I don't know. It might sound lame but I'd really like to learn to do it correctly, and hopefully have a quality job done that shows some effort being put into keeping it clean. Rather than just pay some dude. Unless you were referencing the paintchips, in which case, that's be a swell idea, and I'll take it to one don the street. I just don't want to get up sold to a full respray. Might just wait for more chips to happen if that's the only route for a quality job.

[jajou318]

I have a good deal on a polishing kit...

Same as http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...=griots+garage

$180 shipped and you can clean the car yourself

[JeffyD]

I'm going to give it a shot, but who here wants to bet I eff up the paint job while attempting to do this? I'd probably be better off practicing on the jalopy ti that's been taking up space for awhile, but I'm lazy far more than I am wise.

[Z3X2]

Most people should start with a DA and the only DA that could do paint correction was the Flex DA when i did my
research a few years ago. Autogeek has it on sale alone and as a package deal all the time. I am no pro at detailing
but when I spent many hours doing research like you are that is what I came up with back then.

[bigbird]

I'm going to give it a shot, but who here wants to bet I eff up the paint job while attempting to do this? I'd probably be better off practicing on the jalopy ti that's been taking up space for awhile, but I'm lazy far more than I am wise.

You can do this! I bought one of the orbitals along with the polish kit and pads from Autogeek and it works great. Very rewarding and the end result if you follow the directions is great!:

[4DIMNZN]

Traveled this road a few years ago. Research and education is key to this. Process and technique are the cornerstone of getting this right. People focus on the shiny products and debate them endlessly (it is important) but unless you have the right gear and know how to use it your wasting your money. I cringe when I read things like - today I "clay barred" and waxed my car. First you clay the car you don't "bar" it. More frightening is that they skipped a bunch of steps including compounding (if needed), polishing, sealing and the waxing......

I would started with forums dedicated to detailing. Their moderators usually hold master detailer certifications. They have beginners faq's to get you started and they, like us, have the forum police to remind you to use the search function...

http://www.detailingbliss.com/page/index.html

http://www.autodetailingnetworkforums.com/

[JeffyD]

Okay. Thanks for all of the input. When you google this kind of thing, you wind up with so many junk sites. So, thanks for all of the links and advice. I value this sub forums recommendations.

[BlackjackM]

I purchase all of my detailing provisions from detailedimage.com. A guy named Greg runs the site and is always super helpful and patient with questions. Highly recommended.

[paul4223]

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Griot's Garage in any way except as a satisfied customer.

The amount of car detailing information available online, as you doubtless know by now, can be overwhelming. The basics are not complicated, and should be relatively economical, no matter what the guys who are into "esoteric" and expensive products might say. I've tried a few big bucks "exotic" polishes, waxes, and sealants. Many of these products are good or excellent but none of them have performed any better for me (and sometimes worse) than what Griot's sells at more moderate prices. You won't be spending anywhere near 6-7 hundred bux to set yourself up properly.

I've had excellent results using Griot's random orbital buffer, orange foam polishing pads, and their machine polishes which are graded 1-4, in descending order of aggressiveness, with 4 being the most gentle. Generally, 3 works great unless the paint is oxidized or has significant surface scratches. I've never had to use their #1. For obvious reasons, there's no point using a more aggressive polishing compound than necessary . If I have to use #2, I follow that up with #3.

I believe the buffer is made by Porter Cable. The latest version of that machine is their best ever, is moderately priced, and will not burn or damage your paint. They've designed a simple and foolproof system for polishing, waxing/sealing. They have terrific customer service and are more than happy to answer all your questions and offer lots of tips. I also use their micro fiber towels which are color-coded to match their products. The steps are simple: Wash, dry, (I use one of their squeegees to remove most of the water before toweling dry), then use a clay bar with lubricant such as quick detailer or a few drops of detergent in a bucket of water, polish using the buffer and the proper foam pad, wax or seal (you can use the buffer during this stage as well if you care to).

Done.

Hope this helps. If you ask 10 people about detailing a car, you'll likely get 15 "definitive" answers! Oh, one last thing, Dr. Color Chip works reasonably well on small rock chips when viewed from a distance of 4 or more feet. If you're obsessive, it probably won't be satisfactory. I wound up painting the areas on my car to get rid of the road rash, but that's a whole other subject.

[BMWBergy]

but I'm lazy far more than I am wise.

Jeff, you're almost more quotable than you are lazy!

- - - Updated - - -

I wound up painting the areas on my car to get rid of the road rash, but that's a whole other subject.

...a subject on which you posted a very nice, comprehensive write-up...

[jeffreyC]

Richard Lin at Showcardetailing.com.

Contact him via Facebook or pick up the phone and call. Ask him some questions. You won't find a nicer or more qualified guy.

[Eurospec]

As others have mentioned, take some time and familiarize yourself with all things detailing especially if you've never attempted paint correction before, the last thing you need to worry about is burning the clearcoat on your oh so precious shoe. One way to prevent this altogether is to get the right equipment including a random orbital buffer. Porter cable makes a commonly used model among detailers. The Griots buffer which Jajou is selling is another fine example. In fact I'd snag it in a heat beat if I didn't already have one. The advantage to getting the Griots buffer is the instructional dvd that it's accompanied with-- basically an in depth how to on using the buffer. It would also help if you practiced on another car as you mentioned. How's the paint on the ti?

Do a quick search in the car detailing subforum on here for the types of products others have had success with on estoril. When I think of estoril and luster, the forum member who goes by the handle of 'CMT' immediately comes to mind. Years ago he used to own an estoril m3 that got pampered like no other. I remember he was constantly experimenting with various product lines and his results were absolutely stunning. It's a shame his pictures from various threads are no longer up. However I did come across some info that you might find useful found, HERE.

Keep in mind that if you plan on doing the work yourself the whole process from start to finish will take a few good hours. The results will be real rewarding after all is said and done and should cost a whole lot less than what you've budgeted. Now, if what you've read in this thread sounds intimidating which it surely can, then you can always have someone with experience spare you of the elbow grease. Greg, SRT Handz does phenomenal work and is semi local to you. I've used his services on my e30 and I was super impressed with his expertise and attention to detail. Good luck, and don't forget to take before and afters!

[cleanerPA]

Most of this was covered already, but I would suggest getting a real DA polisher. The drill mounted stuff doesn't have enough surface area and you don't have good control over the speed. A porter cable or dealt DA is a good investment.
As for luster in the paint, you probably want to do a good overall polish of the car. Start with the least aggressive method. I'd try a glaze and wax first. If that doesn't yield good results, then go with a fine polish, then glaze and wax. Unless the paint is in really bad shape, you should get good results without removing too much paint.
If all else fails, take the car to a good detailer and have them do a thorough paint correction. The detailer should have done that for $500 already.

[JeffyD]

Thanks for all of the advice and words of caution. I'm as confident as I'll ever be with my baby, which probably isn't very much so, but I have already done the basic process with the DA and the basics of technique. The only entirely new part of this is going to be the clay. It's all a learning process, I guess, but since I just went the basic wash, liquid wax, and whatever stuff I got at Walmart, the results weren't up to even my lowered expectations.

But it'll be different this time. I think. Ha.

I already ordered the Porter Cable orbiter via a friend who for some reason was able to get it very cheaply through his company's deal thing.

I've pretty much figure that I'm going to budget a full 6-7 hour day into the job one weekend just so I don't rush and try to get it done without learning a proper process.

And my budget will probably run over because I'm really anal about keeping towels separated by purpose, and, of course, cleanliness. But I'm also dysfunctional with keeping track of what is what... So most of my towels get tossed into a bin as expensive whatever use towels. I had a color system, too, and I still wound up double guessing it. Ha. Stuff like this only occurs on the coupe for some reason. Always terrified I'm going to hurt it until I'm actually in the car enjoying the drive.

I'm too weird to enjoy nice things. Ha.

Anyway , thanks for all the great links, guys. I think I have all of the resources I need now, and hopefully will do well enough that a before and after picture will be noticeable in a good way.

[JeffyD]

Update, currently in the process of starting prep work on my mother's '12 fiesta in order to practice as a thank you gift for putting up with my personality all of my life. Win/win.

What she doesn't know is that I'm going to write Ford Siesta on the side as a thank you gift for causing my personality issues.

I was there when she bought the car because she can't deal with car salesmen, and I know it won't wind up showing well because it never came in a good finish to begin with. But it'll be a decent technique primer... Hopefully.