Neighbours Kia Sorento first wash. 

"Svend" (svend) 05/13/2015 at 15:39 • Filed to: None

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Finally got my hands on the neighbours new Kia Sorento.

Its a really nice car that’s well specced for a company car.

The car was looking in a very sad state for herself yesterday. Mostly traffic film and a bug cemetery down the front of the bonnet. :(

Quick pressure wash of heavy dirt, wheel cleaner on the alloys, degreaser on the door shuts and then snow foamed (wanted to follow all the procedures to the letter so as not to swirl or marr any of the black slab sided panels), pressure rinsed then two bucket method washed with a non gloss enhancing shampoo, rinsed and then patted it dry. Went over the her with Migliore Cima Sealant (fantastic product for dark cars), dressed the exterior plastics (there’s a lot of it) and sealed the wheels. Then onto the interior, vacuumed, dressed the interior with Gtechniq C6 (swapped out the atomiser spray head for a foaming pump head, gets the product where you want and not where the overspray wants to go).

Cleaned and sealed the windows with Permanon Glass RTU and a waffle weave microfibre.

Paintwork is a bit ‘orange peely’ which is common these days on cars.

All in all it came out nicely and such a pleasant car to work with.

Tomorrow I’m going to be doing the BMW M3 again (was supposed to do her last week but weather wasn’t playing fair).

Then friday I’ve a decon job for a neighbour down the road. The dealership he bought the car from has cleaned his interior and its giving him headaches when the sun is out as the chemicals they used are leeching out (they obviously used too much and didn’t wet vac it out afterwards).

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend 05/13/2015 at 15:42

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Great shine: achieved. :P

thebigbossyboss > Svend 05/13/2015 at 15:42

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I tell you every time m8. You’ve got a cash cow on your hands. You could be an entrepreneur if you’d like to.

thebigbossyboss > Svend 05/13/2015 at 15:42

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SVEND!!!!!

Svend > thebigbossyboss 05/13/2015 at 15:44

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That’s my bald head and hairy arms. Lol.

thebigbossyboss > Svend 05/13/2015 at 15:45

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Also...having recently got a 2nd bucket...what is the two bucket wash method?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Svend 05/13/2015 at 15:45

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A tidbit about the Sorento - it’s possible to get a big-screen TV in box into the back seat without much difficulty, I’ve done it. Not really a cramped car.

Svend > thebigbossyboss 05/13/2015 at 15:51

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I’ve had offers to work for dealerships and a prestige car company but I’d rather do it for free as I enjoy it. I’ve a job that gets me money, this is my therapy session. Lol.

I spoke to a colleague last night about her car and she said she’d rather go to a hand wash place for £5, as although I do it for free ‘I take too long’ (her’s was five hours), which hurt slightly as it would of taken less time had I not had to polish all the scratches out.

There isn’t the money or interest where I am for anything too particular. Most just want a clean car regardless of swirls, marring, spiders legs, scratches, scuffs, etc...

Svend > thebigbossyboss 05/13/2015 at 15:58

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The two bucket wash method is one bucket (A) has shampoo and water in and the other bucket (B) has plain water in. Starting from the top of the car put your wash mitt/pad in bucket A, wipe over an area of the car, then rinse in bucket B (this will dislodge the dirt into the bucket) and loosely wring out, then placing the mitt/pad back in bucket A, recharge the mitt/pad with shampoo and then wash another area of the car and the repeat so on. The idea is to keep the dirt in the rinse bucket so your not disturbing the dirt back into the mitt and then the car when you next wipe the car over. You’ll notice quite a bit of dirt and sediment in the rinse bucket while the shampoo bucket is almost perfectly clean.

Svend > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 05/13/2015 at 16:01

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The boot area is quite large (though only two thirds as deep as our Superb) but the rear legroom is quite small (only a third of our Superb). But all in all she’s a nice looking car.

thebigbossyboss > Svend 05/13/2015 at 16:03

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“you take too long” Man. I’d love to have you tackle my car lol. I do okay, but I am no anywhere near as dedicated. (scratches: yes!!)

Hey as long as it keeps you from the drink and dro’ right?

I recently started going to a fast and furious style meet around here because even if it’s a bunch of bench racers, it’s a lot better than getting drunk by myself lol. Cheaper too.

thebigbossyboss > Svend 05/13/2015 at 16:04

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Thanks for this.

Svend > thebigbossyboss 05/13/2015 at 16:08

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I can do a car in two hours (one if I’ve done it in previously in the last two months) but I usually look at six to eight hours for a full clean.

I still like a few beers (well Guinness and whiskey (sometimes together, Lol)).

The cars are good company. I’m what I call ‘socially awkward’, I can’t start or maintain a conversation like most people unless I am actually needing to talk about something in particular.

Svend > thebigbossyboss 05/13/2015 at 16:15

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No worries. Get a good microfibre noodle wash mitt/pad (you can get them for £4 from asda, etc...) as a car sponge is neither the car’s or your friend, its a friend of captain swirly.

Or you may get a visit from the ‘Swirl Police’. Lol.

Rico > Svend 05/13/2015 at 16:16

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Amazing job!

I assume no clay was needed? I’m thinking about getting a Nanoskin wash mitt ever heard of it?

Rico > thebigbossyboss 05/13/2015 at 16:18

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Get yourself 2 grit guards off of amazon that’ll help keep the dirt at the bottom of the bucket.

Svend > Rico 05/13/2015 at 16:24

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I’ve never used a clay. I use a CarPro Polyshave Block. The Nanoskin wash mitt is very similar in many respects in that its a textured rubber coated material (you can get them in pads, mitts and towels). They are great products in that clay bars cost quite a bit a only go so far, also drop it and you have to throw it away. The average pad/mitt/towel will do about 20 cars and if you drop it, give it a good wash rinse and your good to go again.

Its best to brake them in a little by just using them on glass for the first couple of uses as straight out the wrapper they will marr the paint work.

You can buy clay lubes but a heavy shampoo to water mixture will do perfectly and don’t use any pressure, let the pad/mitt/towel do the work.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Svend 05/13/2015 at 16:36

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Permanon Glass RTU? I have never heard of this product... Is it from the land of the RHD?

Svend > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/13/2015 at 16:49

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Permanon is a German company. They do car and glass sealants. Glass RTU means ‘Glass Ready To Use’ as they do a concentrate which you can make up yourself. Its a glass cleaner and sealant in one. Permanon are gradually getting back into the U.K. market after a couple of years out due to the U.K. distributor not being able to handle the high work load as well as their marina work.

The market is (excuse the pun) awash with manufacturers and products and I do try as much as I can but I do have my favourites.

A 500ml bottle is about £20 in the U.K. The previous formula was £46 for 500ml but they’ve tweaked it and found they can make a better product with new cheaper materials.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Svend 05/13/2015 at 17:39

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Oh ok. Is it any good?

Svend > CaptDale - is secretly British 05/13/2015 at 18:02

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Its really good. I’ve used it for four years. When they stopped selling it in the U.K. I had to order it from Germany Like the Migliore Cima Sealant, not available in the U.K. so I have to order it from the states which doubles the cost). Its virtually non smearing and cleans well leaving a nice coating that repels water, reducing the ware on your wipers.

Rico > Svend 05/13/2015 at 21:05

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Thanks for the tip. I’ll end up keeping the clay for wheels and exhaust tips and use the mitt for the rest of the car. I still need to buy a DA though to polish after claying because the amount of marring claying causes and I’m dragging my ass to do it because it’s like $360 for everything I need.

Svend > Rico 05/14/2015 at 00:51

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You should only need to clay and polish two or three times a year. A good wax or sealant can be used as a sacrificial layer for heavy contamination while general contamination from the likes of tree sap, brake dust, etc... can be removed with a good degreaser, tar and glue remover or fallout remover. The idea of the least physical contact with the paint, certainly when washing which is where most swirls and marring are inflicted is the best practice.

Tar and glue remover

Fallout remover (brake dust and iron particles from rail yards and generally driving behind other car where brake dust is churned up from the road and embeds into the paint, which will eventually rust and so expand cracking the paint over time). The purple running is the iron particles dissolving (it will only dissolve burned iron and do no harm to your brake pads etc...).

As with any chemical even shampoo for that matter do not allow to dry on the vehicle. If its unavoidable that you can’t do it out of the sun, then only do small areas at a time and make sure all products are thoroughly washed off.

Echo51 > Svend 05/14/2015 at 03:48

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I saw a brand new black mercedes that was way worse then this. Really dissapointing to see for higher class cars too

Svend > Echo51 05/14/2015 at 04:07

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I was less than a metre away. From any further you wouldn’t of noticed a thing. But then I’ve also seen piano-polished Bentleys (six of) going through a drive through car wash (the ones with the big whirl y (swirly) brushes. The majority don’t see it or is even a thing for them, shame.

Slightly further away on the other side.

thebigbossyboss > Svend 05/14/2015 at 06:58

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They can come visit anytime!!

Echo51 > Svend 05/14/2015 at 08:18

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Upclose most factory things do look bad. I was at a BMW dealer picking up an old Volvo for my dad earliere this month, and despite only being 2 years old, most of the cars were so scratched from the automated washers that it was downright sad :(

Svend > Echo51 05/14/2015 at 10:14

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I hear ya’. This was my friend’s eight year old (at the time) BMW X3 in sapphire black.

Quick polish (three hours) brought a lot of it out and looked much better for it.

Rico > Svend 05/14/2015 at 11:31

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I’ve got a bottle of Iron X that I haven’t used yet so I’m happy to see its quite vital. Would you recommend using a tar remover before or after iron x or other fallout remover?

The thing is if I clay ill need to polish and polishing by hand is a chore and doesn’t give you nearly the results of using a machine. So I may just forget claying the car (I’ll just do windows and wheels) until I get a polisher and just use a fall out remover followed by a paint cleaner. I’ve got some free samples of Pinnacle Paint Cleansing Lotion which is a prewax cleaner that I can use.

Echo51 > Svend 05/14/2015 at 11:36

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Just looking at my own makes me feel bad for not bothering to buy a polisher already...

Svend > Rico 05/14/2015 at 11:51

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In order of use if you have a snow foam or citrus prewash, use this first, rinse and then wash with the two bucket method, allow it to dry while you do something else, spray tar and glue remover and allow to dwell and not dry, (wash if you wish where you’ve applied the tar and glue remover) apply iron remover and again allow to dwell and react, wipe over with a cloth and rinse thoroughly, now two bucket method rewash again and then dry.

Once you’ve used the tar and glue remover and then used the iron remover (judge whether you actually need to use these stages by gently running the back of your hand on the paint work, if rough look closer to see why its rough. Yellow/brown faint spots are iron and dark brown/black, invariably chunks are tar), It may still be necessary to clay mitt/pad/towel an area after but as a last resort and always follow it up with a wash to remove any residues.

A good hand polish is Gtechniq P1. Its a water based non diminishing polish which is pad dependent in that if you want to cut, use a form pad, want to refine, use a soft foam pad. Because its non diminishing and water based you can work it as long or as little as you want simply spritze with water to work it longer, wipe off with a microfibre to remove (no need for paint cleanser unless your particular).

Svend > Echo51 05/14/2015 at 12:01

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It doesn’t look too bad. As I was saying to someone else you can use polish by hand a good one is Gtechniq P1 I used by hand (but can be used by rotary or DA) on the black BMW above, which took three hours. It may take longer by hand but you can get some great results.

By Gtechniq (Narrated by Rob (Gtechniq boss guy) and worked by Vitaly

By a detailer/weekend warrior

Rico > Svend 05/14/2015 at 13:30

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I’ll look into the P1 for sure, should I spray the entire car with tar remover similar to Iron X or only in some places like the hood and near the fenders? Is it ok to apply either iron x or tar remover to glass? I’m sure while dwelling some will leak down. I once hand polished my mother’s CRV and vowed to never do it again because my arms, shoulders and back were completely fucked for a few days which is why I am thinking of getting the machine to polish.

What I really need is to hit the lottery.

Svend > Rico 05/14/2015 at 14:26

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With tar removers and iron removers do a section at a time. Because if you spray the whole vehicle the chances are much of it will try by the time you get all the way round and staining may occur, certainly on plastic trim if allowed to dry. Do a section you feel you can manage and then move on. You should only need the tar remover on the lowed edges of the car and behind the wheel arches. The focal area for iron is the bonnet, side of the vehicle and up the rear of the vehicle. Fallout/iron is usually only present on the roof if parked near railway lines. With windows not needing any at all really unless the windscreen hasn’t been done for some time.

As I say it took three hours to do a BMW X3 by hand with P1.

If I won the lottery I’d do all the cars myself, always.

P1

Rico > Svend 05/14/2015 at 14:57

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Thanks again for the info, holy crap P1 works really well on that car, I definitely would want an ergonomic pad such as that one. I assume the black side was the finishing side? If you had to do everything outside would it be possible to split claying and polishing into separate days? Or is it important to get everything done one step after another?

Svend > Rico 05/14/2015 at 15:11

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The Trifoam pad has a white firm side for more cutting action and the black soft side for finishing. Other brands such as Sonus do the same pads but in yellow, black and red called German pads which are exactly the same only different colours. You can wash and decon one day outside but if your going to do the polishing or sealing the next day your best giving it another quick wash the next day to remove any bird bombs, tree sap, dust, etc... so your not wiping or polishing any dirt into the paint (which is very bad).

As long as you follow the procedure, you’ll be grand (but don’t do steps if they are not needed as your only making more work for yourself. If polishing by hand, brake the polishing up into areas and take a brake from time to time by doing something else such as vacuuming the car, cleaning the interior, etc... also remember to take up plastics and trims with automotive masking tape such as 3M Blue Tape, this will stop you getting polish onto the trim and having to remove the white residue as its a royal pain in the arse to remove. You can find it on eBay, your local automotive store, etc... but make sure its low tack automotive tape as regular tape will leave a sticky residue and in the heat can bake onto the car and damage the paint.

Rico > Svend 05/14/2015 at 16:13

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Yeah I’ve done my research on automotive tape, I’d probably give it a quick wash down before starting the next process of polishing then sealing. Also in regards to the lottery thing I just want money to buy all the stuff I want to clean the car lol.

Svend > Rico 05/14/2015 at 16:21

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I’d want a living room like

garage like

Rico > Svend 05/14/2015 at 16:23

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OH MY that is quite the living space. Shit I wish, a man could dream though.

Svend > Rico 05/14/2015 at 16:24

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So true. One day, one day.

Echo51 > Svend 05/14/2015 at 17:57

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I have the entire Poorboys SSR line due to buying their big sample kit. Tempted to just glaze it and redo the sealant/wax layer...