How-To: Detailing 101

[Gent 1]

Detailing 101

- Car washes with brushes can scratch and permanently damage your finish

- Touchless car washes often use harsh chemicals to get your car clean

- Coin operated self-serve car washes use reclaimed water that can leave a film on your car and leave it looking dull and hazy

To keep your car looking it's best, use only a liquid car wash solution specifically made for cars. We've all noticed cars with the clearcoat peeling off after someone used laundry or dishwasher detergent to clean their car!

Hose the car down with a steady stream of water to remove as much surface dirt as possible. Don't let it dry - start washing immediately. Start with the roof and work your way down to the hood and rear before moving to the sides.

Use lamb's wool mitts that trap dirt within the fibres and keep it away from the paint. Use 2 buckets and 2 mitts: one for the grungiest parts like the wheels and lower rocker panels, and one for the upper part of the car,

Don't wash your car in direct sunlight. Water drops that dry and the surface etch the paint. Ideal car washing time is cool and cloudy NOT hot and sunny.

Rinse the car again.

Dry the car with either a synthetic chamois or a waffle-weave chamois. Don't forget to dry the door jambs, wheels and seams at the gas door, trunk, etc.

Want to REALLY go to town on cleaning the car?

After washing, remove surface imperfections and contaminants from the paint with a clay bar and lubricating spray. Fold the bar frequently to expose fresh surface. Discard the bar if you drop it on the ground. Use a LIGHT touch and lots of lubricating spray. Go back over any area that shows left over clay residue.

Polish the paint with a non-wax polish. I like 3M's clear coat safe polish. Work in a cool, dry environment away from direct sunlight. Use a terry cloth applicator and remove it with a quality microfibre towel (Cannon / Fieldcrest). Use back and forth motions NOT circular motions. Use a light touch!

After polishing, apply either a conventional wax (Meguiars/ Griots garage)or polymer (Meguiars NXT) applied with a terry cloth applicator. If you skip this step, you are leaving your car looking great for only a short while. It will oxidize and etch from airborn contaminants.

Polymers last longer, protect better against UV, trap less dirt, and suffer less from heat degration. Use back and forth motions for horizontal surfaces, and up and down for vertical surfaces.

If you use a polymer sealant, make sure you car is free of wax or silcone by using a silicone removing spray to prepare the surface, or rewash the car with a mild dishwashing detergent (I know I said to never do this, but once is okay as long as you are sealing it immediately after). If you ever need to remove a polymer, use a mild alcohol solution.

Use a detailing spray to keep it looking fresh afterwards. Use the spray to remove bird droppings, bug splatters etc by wiping with a microfibre towel.

Treat your wheels like the rest of your car. I advise polymer sealing them as well.

Windows

Be very picky about what you put on your glass windows. Don't put any coating containing oils, wax or silcone on your auto glass. Don't use windex - it leaves residue and will destroy aftermarket tint. Don't use Rain-X on the outside - it will make your wipers chatter.

Use Zaino polish on the outside of auto glass. When fully removed, it makes your glass sparkle and helps shed dirt and water.

Use a razor blade applied at a 45 degree angle to scrape your windshield down. This minimizes pitting from minor stone chips and impacts. This can make a surprising difference to old windshields.

For the inside, use newspaper clean the glass first, along with water if needed. A simple pass of a microfibre towel should be all you need.

For the plastic windows, use Novus or Zaino plastic cleaners for heavy cleaning and small scratches, and Plexus for regular cleaning.

Interior

Unpainted plastic trim: use 303 Aerospace protectant or Autoglym Vinyl and rubber care

Vacuum as much as possible. Only use a shampoo (autoglym or 303) after trying the vacuum and your fingers first. Vacuum again after shampooing.

NEVER attempt to detail your pedals.

For fabric, do a thorough cleaning use an interior cleaner product like the one from Griots. They also have interior wipes to nail spots before they can set.

Weather seals: BMW Gummi-Pflege

[Xandria 4]

This is fantastic. Thankfully, Dean had a copy of this for me which helped me interrogate some auto detailing and washing places this morning on the telephone to find out whether or not they could handle a smart car. As I was reading it I was thinking that it was a shame that we didn't have this information at Club Smart Car for all the people who like to wash their own cars. And look what happens... wishes do come true.

And we get you as a bonus! :-)

Thank you so much for your wisdom.

[Peep 0]

Good idea. i'll get the wife on it right away!

[Xandria 4]

Your wife must be an absolute saint, peep.

By the way, I've been meaning to ask, what do you use the "plastic bag" in your car for?

[DangerDan 9]

By the way, I've been meaning to ask, what do you use the "plastic bag" in your car for?

Hairballs?

[Xandria 4]

By the way, I've been meaning to ask, what do you use the "plastic bag" in your car for?

Hairballs?

*dies* I should have known. What Peep's wife puts up with!

[RichHelms 1]

I bought the smart convertible top kit. $56 for the brush, cleaner and spray. My impression is the spray won't last long. Anyone have leads on other companies that make conditioners for fabric tops. I can't believe the maintenance on this top is different than other fabric tops.Thanks

[Gent 1]

Hope the answer's not too late, but:

http://downtownautospa.com/products.htm

These guys carry Raggtopp Cleaner for canvas and vinyl roofs. Wet the top with a garden hose, spray with the cleaner, use a soft nylon brush to work it in. Then apply the appropriate Raggtopp protectant (there are different ones for canvas and vinyl). Wipe off any protectant that gets on other car parts with a microfibre towel and detailing spray. Park the car in the sun to let the protectant dry; however, make sure you have cleaned up any water on your car's paint with the chamois cloth first.

[MikeT 744]

Other than the $18 Mercedes-smart cloths, where does one get microfibre towels anyway?

[Eddie Eddie Eddie 1]

I usually grab mine from a national "tire" franchise that seems to sell a lot more then just... "Tires"...

Also Partsource has them as well...

I prefer the Meguiar's brand of microfibre towels...

Other microfibre towels are fine, but be careful as some leave VERY fine traces of lint behind...

Eddie

[RichHelms 1]

The best detailing stores seem to be in the Vancouver area. I am looking for the RaggTopp products in the Toronto area with no success.

[Eddie Eddie Eddie 1]

Rich,

I did a search and Autotopia.org linked me to www.eshine.ca

It mentions on the site that you can pick up your products in the GTA and they carry RaggTopp...

Hope this helps...

Eddie

[Gent 1]

Other than the $18 Mercedes-smart cloths, where does one get microfibre towels anyway?

Crappy tire has some cheap green ones that have worked well for me. They come in a bundle of three.

[IMSMRT 0]

Crappy tire or walmart has a bundle of 3 different microfibre cloths....If I recal the walmart ones are cheaper.

S

[spinner 0]

I remember Mattdaddy saying once that he found some microfibre cloths at a dollar store. So I guess they're not a precious commodity.

[Illusive 4-2 0]

Another product for windows that I stand by is Invisible Glass made by Stoner. Works for all window surfaces on the smart and leaves them spotless

Oh, and for Quick Detailing Spray, I recommend Mothers California Gold Detailing Spray...you can get it from Wally's World for $8 and it comes with 25% more

[Eldor 0]

Gent, (again) I thank you for the great tips regarding detailing a car. Even before I got my Smart I read what you wrote and put notes into my palmtop so that I could buy the right stuff in preparation for "Pinot" (my Ruby Red Passion Coupe).

Anyway, I hope you don't mind a few more questions about it...

I just finished the washing, drying and clay bar steps (before rain hit and I moved the car into the garage). Tomorrow (my day off) I hope the rain holds off enough so that I can finish the job outside. It's real tight in my one-car garage, as I've got my ride'em tractor lawn mower/snow blower, my Lexus SUV and my new Smart. So there isn't enough room to walk around the car to finish the job.

Anyway, until I read your text I'd never even heard of a clay bar and detailing spray, but now I've a 100% believer! It's great stuff! So good in fact, that I want to use it everywhere. And that's what my question is about...

Is it safe to use on the roof of the Smart? As in glass/plastic roof? And on the sunroof? And how about on the aluminum wheels? (One wheel seems to show something that looks/feels like overspray and I'm thinking the bar might be good on that but I'm afraid that it might remove whatever protection layer those wheels have.) How about on those rear quarter-panel windows on the coupe? Those aren't glass but some sort of plastic. I'm sure it's alright to use it on the frame edges, but do I have to be careful not to go over the clear part?

Tomorrow I'll apply the 3M clear coat safe polish and then the Meguiars NXT tech wax. Can/should I also put the 3M polish on the wheels? I do believe you did say to use the NXT stuff on them but I wasn't clear about the 3M stuff.

And for regular cleaning/polishing what do you suggest? Surely the clay bar, 3M polish steps don't have to be done too often? Just a wash and then more of the Meguiars NXT?

This is going to be the best-looking Smart on the entire island! (I live on a small island suburb of Montreal called Ile Bizard.)

Thanks again for sharing your great tips!

Eldor

[Gent 1]

Gent, (again) I thank you for the great tips regarding detailing a car. Even before I got my Smart I read what you wrote and put notes into my palmtop so that I could buy the right stuff in preparation for "Pinot" (my Ruby Red Passion Coupe).

My pleasure!

Anyway, I hope you don't mind a few more questions about it...

Anytime!

I just finished the washing, drying and clay bar steps (before rain hit and I moved the car into the garage). Tomorrow (my day off) I hope the rain holds off enough so that I can finish the job outside. It's real tight in my one-car garage, as I've got my ride'em tractor lawn mower/snow blower, my Lexus SUV and my new Smart. So there isn't enough room to walk around the car to finish the job.

Anyway, until I read your text I'd never even heard of a clay bar and detailing spray, but now I've a 100% believer! It's great stuff! So good in fact, that I want to use it everywhere. And that's what my question is about...

Is it safe to use on the roof of the Smart? As in glass/plastic roof? And on the sunroof?

Safe? Yes. Just make sure you keep folding it over to prevent contaminants from scratching the plastic; however, there would be very little benefit to using it on those surfaces. I'd stick to the other bits I recommended.

And how about on the aluminum wheels? (One wheel seems to show something that looks/feels like overspray and I'm thinking the bar might be good on that but I'm afraid that it might remove whatever protection layer those wheels have.)

It will work on the wheels, but a good wheel polish will be better. Save your clay bar for the auto body. After applying the wheel polish, apply the Mequiars wax to the wheels, especially the front ones. It will make it very easy to remove brake dust later.

How about on those rear quarter-panel windows on the coupe? Those aren't glass but some sort of plastic. I'm sure it's alright to use it on the frame edges, but do I have to be careful not to go over the clear part?

Only because it can be a drag to get bits of clay out of the gaps around the window.

Tomorrow I'll apply the 3M clear coat safe polish and then the Meguiars NXT tech wax. Can/should I also put the 3M polish on the wheels? I do believe you did say to use the NXT stuff on them but I wasn't clear about the 3M stuff.

The 3M polish would be better kept for the body - Grab some wheel polish and use that instead.

And for regular cleaning/polishing what do you suggest? Surely the clay bar, 3M polish steps don't have to be done too often? Just a wash and then more of the Meguiars NXT?

Once you have done it all once, keep an eye on it. Wash it every weekend or as needed. Wax it once a month. Keep an eye on it for any swirls or fine scratches. If those show up, do the clay bar and polish steps as well (probably every 6 to 8 months).

This is going to be the best-looking Smart on the entire island! (I live on a small island suburb of Montreal called Ile Bizard.)

Thanks again for sharing your great tips!

Eldor

Take pictures!

[slimdaddy 0]

Detailing 101

Windows

Use a razor blade applied at a 45 degree angle to scrape your windshield down. This minimizes pitting from minor stone chips and impacts. This can make a surprising difference to old windshields.

For the inside, use newspaper clean the glass first, along with water if needed. A simple pass of a microfibre towel should be all you need.

For the plastic windows, use Novus or Zaino plastic cleaners for heavy cleaning and small scratches, and Plexus for regular cleaning.

Interior

Just bought some Plexus from CT for my rear Cab window. Great product, and works great!!

Thanks Gent

[Gent 1]

Glad to hear you like it!

[smart142 605]

Thanks again for this great guide! When you drive a smart you know so many people are looking at it that you have to try to keep it looking good.I used the Zaino on the glass and love the results! I've also found that the zaino polish is easier to use than the 3M and have got some compliments. But the zaino plastic cleaner on the interior plastic have left me neutral. Is it just the material that smart uses on the interior or is the 303 Aerospace or Autoglym a better product. Any comments,suggestions?

[JakeMorgan 0]

I'm sorry if you discussed this, but what is the best product for cleaning things like the seats, door panels and dash(fabric)? I would like to keep the bungee red looking new.

[JakeMorgan 0]

I just bought Meguiers Tech-Wax.($30, but I'm sure it's worth it) I will keep everyone posted when I apply it.

[Gent 1]

Thanks again for this great guide! When you drive a smart you know so many people are looking at it that you have to try to keep it looking good.I used the Zaino on the glass and love the results! I've also found that the zaino polish is easier to use than the 3M and have got some compliments. But the zaino plastic cleaner on the interior plastic have left me neutral. Is it just the material that smart uses on the interior or is the 303 Aerospace or Autoglym a better product. Any comments,suggestions?

The texture of our interiors can make cleaning a drag. I love the 303 - I've seen it work miracles, but on our interior plastic it takes some elbow grease. What I have found is that an old toothbrush makes a real difference.

[Gent 1]

I'm sorry if you discussed this, but what is the best product for cleaning things like the seats, door panels and dash(fabric)? I would like to keep the bungee red looking new.

I have used a bunch - they all work well, and I haven't encountered any problems. That's an area where I haven't really found a preference. Just make sure you test it in a hidden area first just in case you get a weird one that leaves residue or does damage to the color - common warning, good sense.That tech wax is good - I've used it. Make sure you don't get it on any unpainted plastic trim or rubber though - it's a pain to get the residue off.