Too much cleaning?

[Homer]

Originally Posted by XR_Strider_GuY

Another one for being a detail fanatic. My XR8 is not a daily driver and I do like a very clean car. As well as the usual exterior paint wash, detail and wax, I am fussy about the under skirts of the car always make sure they are clean. Blacken the plastics around the wheel wells. Thorough clean of the alloy wheels, engine bay interior and boot trim.

I do not reccomend this for a daily driver though. Even when I bought with relatively low 18k on the clock its amazing how work it is to bring it to concourse condition.

Apologies, I had to include a pic. Ok I must be sad...

I remember when you posted a picture of the engine bay of your EF wagon.
It was one of the cleanest engine bays I had ever seen!

[Mental]

I honestly don't have the time to spend on the effort required to do a decent job!

Currently building not one, but TWO race cars from scratch, working 6-days a week + overtime doing audits on IT equipment from 5am ... the list goes on. And the XD still needs me to rebuild her =(

I understand the enjoyment from getting your ride looking snappin good but to do a good job can take a whole day if you have left your pride and joy marinate for a while. I simply don't have the time for that.

Perhaps it would be good for some of you to list the products you use on what parts, and why. Also add some good cleaning tips for those of us with limited time to do a good job!

[da_ilks]

Originally Posted by prydey

i wonder if those people who don't bother cleaning their cars because 'they'll only get dirty again', bother to clean themselves seeing as how they'll only get dirty again.

If washing my car only took 15mins I'd be more then happy to do it every weekend. However, wash + polish + wax + vacuum is not a 15min job, more like half a day job... If it took me half a day to wash myself there's a fairly good chance I'd only do that every few weeks as well :

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by Peuty

I take my plate protectors off so I can polish the numberplates.......

Ha ha...I like that one

When i'm stopped at a red light I often get a microfibre cloth out of the centre console to get rid of dust on the dash.

[Peter B - CV8]

A couple of times each year I mix up a batch of kero, truck wash & warm water. I use it to wash the underbody of the car & all suspension components. I also pull the wheels off & wash all the wheel arches & clean the inside of the rims etc.

[GreenMachine]

Originally Posted by XR_Strider_GuY

Another one for being a detail fanatic. My XR8 is not a daily driver and I do like a very clean car. As well as the usual exterior paint wash, detail and wax, I am fussy about the under skirts of the car always make sure they are clean. Blacken the plastics around the wheel wells. Thorough clean of the alloy wheels, engine bay interior and boot trim.

I do not reccomend this for a daily driver though. Even when I bought with relatively low 18k on the clock its amazing how work it is to bring it to concourse condition.

Apologies, I had to include a pic. Ok I must be sad...

Man, to this day your red AU is the cleanest damn car I've ever seen actually being driven... (You probably don't even remember that cruise - probably 4+ years ago, cruise to Terrigal, I was in a green ZH!)

[RepSpec]

i cant stand washing the van. it gets a polish every 6mthsish lol or when my mates tell me its starting to look fadded again.

the interior doesnt get looked after as much, but thats cause my dog comes to work everyday with me and likes sitting in the front looking at cars go by lol.

but i must admit it does look like sex when its all shiny and polished.

cheers
brendan

[XR_Strider_GuY]

Originally Posted by Homer

I remember when you posted a picture of the engine bay of your EF wagon.
It was one of the cleanest engine bays I had ever seen!

Haha thanks mate, gee thats going back abit in my uni days. I still do have that pic floating around in my computer, must dig it up.

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Man, to this day your red AU is the cleanest damn car I've ever seen actually being driven... (You probably don't even remember that cruise - probably 4+ years ago, cruise to Terrigal, I was in a green ZH!)

Yeap sure do mate. I was damn impressed with your effort driving from Qld and that ZH of yours was very cool, definitely don't make Fairlanes of late like that. From memory I think we went to the entrance as well. Those were good times doing the small group of Ford cruising and not wrong in saying we really had petrol to burn.
I do miss the Venom red and that was my choice when looking for my XR8, and as with these things I ended up with a colour I never even thought of owning.

[chubbz80]

thats y ya all need a misses she dose it for ya hehehe

[Poorboy_racer]

Just got my mini back from a full respray. Now, if I could only keep it this clean I would be a happy man. At least it takes half the time to clean than the fairlane

[Poorboy_racer]

In terms of products:
Wash with that Ice carwash stuff,
wipe dry, wheels first as the water marks are a bugger to get off,
poilsh with coloured polish by hand, go over with a quick machine buff to get rid of any missed bits, if theres time re-polish with Miguires yellow high Canuba wax polish by hand then machine buff. Wheels depending on how dirty, Autosolve (if needed) then Miguires metal polish. Armoral all the black bits inc door and boot seals and under bonnet, and some inside trim. Armoral tyre gel the tyres. And use any spray on window cleaner I happen to have on the windows both inside and out and mirrors. Apart from the ocassional hoovering the carpets and polish of metal parts under the bonnet thats about it and most of my Sunday gone Oh sometimes Mr shen the lights and some plastic bits.

[Nikked]

nah there is no such thing as too much cleaning, every time i look at these photos it makes all those hours worth it...i hate dirty cars, make me think the owner doesn't give a damn about their car.

[Mark^^]

I’m not a fanatical cleaner, well not much. My previous car was a Ford Ute and I lived in a small town south of Goulbourn, and with not many water problems then I was able to wash and wax my car frequently. I used to get quite an audience, mostly old cockies in beat up Ute who kept driving around the block laughing and watching me wax the tray, and then I would turn the Ute around so they could watch me waxing the engine bay paint and fully detail it.

Due to water issues and living off a dirt road my Territory is never as clean as I would like it to be. But occasionally I do clean every part I can, including polishing paintwork under the bonnet, inside the doors, even inside the petrol flap. As I have a fair bit of chrome inside and out I go through a fair bit of Mothers Chrome Polish.

A week or so ago after I did a major was and wax session I had a dead battery. I had to get the NRMA battery van out and when he removed the old one, there was some water in the area the battery sits on, he looked at me and said my guess this is water and not coolant, given the way this engine bay shines.

There will be more chrome soon with a polished manifold.

[orsm8]

Mmm i think i have the same issues guys. When i owned a very nice XR fairmont with a sweet 289 . It was maroon with maroon interior . I thouroughly clean it from top to bottom. I remember cleaning and polishing the underside of the car especially around the floor pan as they use to paint the car the same underneath in those day. Gee i miss those times. My kids were not allowed to eat in the car or put there fingers on the windows. Maybe i need to see a counsellor! lol

[prydey]

Originally Posted by da_ilks

If washing my car only took 15mins I'd be more then happy to do it every weekend. However, wash + polish + wax + vacuum is not a 15min job, more like half a day job... If it took me half a day to wash myself there's a fairly good chance I'd only do that every few weeks as well :

its not necessary to polish and/or wax every time you wash the car. in fact it can do more harm than good.

i find its much easier to keep a car clean through regular washing than let it get so dirty it needs a cut 'n polish just to bring it back close to the colour it should be.

[da_ilks]

Originally Posted by prydey

its not necessary to polish and/or wax every time you wash the car. in fact it can do more harm than good.

i find its much easier to keep a car clean through regular washing than let it get so dirty it needs a cut 'n polish just to bring it back close to the colour it should be.

I realise that, but even a wash + shammy dry is not a 15min job. Plus out my way is a new estate so as soon as it rains the car turns brown from all the mud and dirt on the roads.

Let's not forget you aren't even allowed to wash your car in Victoria at home due to water restrictions I normally just pay somebody to wash it for me when I'm getting the shopping, $15 every couple of weeks is fine by me. My time is worth $15.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by da_ilks

I realise that, but even a wash + shammy dry is not a 15min job. Plus out my way is a new estate so as soon as it rains the car turns brown from all the mud and dirt on the roads.

My problem is I travel along a highway every day with B-Doubles going past at 110km/h, after going through the major road works, in the rain. It just ain't worth it at the moment.

[Racecraft]

I only polish one car, the EL. It has been resprayed and blocked back so it polishes up a treat. Doing the XR or the GT and standing back looking at all the orange peel just craps me off, so they get a tinkle with the hose and a chamois, I refuse to waste time or money on product when the paint looks like the surface of a golf ball.

[Swordsman88]

Well guys i don't know if there is such a thing as 'too much cleaning' but i certainly like a clean car. Just doesn't seem as enjoyable driving the car when its dirty....particularly if it is noticeably dirty.

My EF had good paint condition when i got it, so i try to keep it up. Still, only do a full day wax job once every 6-9 months, but quick detail weekly usually, wash once a fortnight. It stays garaged pretty much all week....take the train to work LOL! Being good ol' dynamic white you can't really get much out of it....but i keep trying.

I gave it a pretty thorough job on sunday....tried out some new stuff. Just have to do all the little bits inside the door openings etc. now....if i can get off my lazy you know what

Obligatory photo to prove detailing sickness.....