Metal Gone Glossy

Versa Angle Wide Body Brush

2006-07-17T22:27:00.000+08:00

Versa Angle Wide Body Brush, Supreme Shine Microfibers & Tyre dressing applicator pads. Thought of trying out this brush to use when washing larger vehicles (SUV/MPV).

The brush comes packaged with the brush head and a long handle. The handles are interchangable with the longer telescopic handle or the short handle (MG Versa Angle series). Upon closer inspection, the end of the brush bristles are split into finer threads which provides a rather plush and soft feel. I have always been doubtful about using brushes on paint finishes as these tend to instill scratches and swirls. I'll most likely be using this brush for the lower door panels and bumpers only. Washing of upper body portions-wash mitt. We'll see how it performs once its been put to use.

The handle fits securely onto the brush head, to prevent the brush from detaching easily while washing. Hence removing the handle requires abit of effort. One nice touch is that the handle can be fitted both ways, giving you two angles.

Tyre dressing applicator pads-Makes spreading of dressings easier and absorbs any excess product.

Washing & Drying

2006-06-10T23:00:00.000+08:00

To minimize swirls when washing our cars, the use of a proper wash mitt is recommended. I have so far tried 3 of Meguiar's wash mitts available, from left: Deep Pile Chenile Wash Mitt, Ultimate Microfibre Wash Mitt, Ultra Plush Wash Mitt.

The Deep Pile Chenile Wash Mitt(white) feels the most plush among the three, and the 'nap' is thicker on both the Ultra Plush & Deep Pile. However the DP being very plush also has its downside as it tends to shred quite abit during the first few initial washes. After about 5-6 washes, it no longer shreds that much. In terms of size, both the DP & UP are larger than the Ultimate Wash Mitt (which has been discontinued), so it can be rather difficult to keep the mitts from sliding out if your palms are small. Both the DP & UP seem to clean & pick up dirt better than the Ultimate Wash Mitt, attributed to the higher density of fibres.

Note the greyish Ultimate Wash Mitt after 8 months of use.

Wash mitt, shampoo & drying cloth.

2 bucket method. One holds the shampoo solution and the other is to rinse the mitt after every panel.

Vios Detailing

2006-04-09T22:54:00.000+08:00

Found some time to detail the Vios yesterday. As usual, I proceeded by taping up the edges, then as I went around the car evaluating the paintwork condition, there were some defects found. Scuff marks on the lower frame, etching on the right door & left C pillar of what appears to be like dried super glue, and minor swirls.

The usual stuff, M83, M80 & M21 were used. The dried residue required the use of wool pad & M85 Diamond Cut.

After 1 pass of M83. Bits of dust left over if you look carefully.

After M21.

My luck must have bad this weekend as just as I was applying a layer of M21, I heard the mosquito fogging truck nearby... and then I discovered this today..

Scuff Marks

2006-03-18T12:20:00.000+08:00

Here's a Nissan X-Trail with some scuff marks on the rear bumper, left portion.
Used M85 Diamond Cut with wool pad, followed by M83 DACP w/ W8006. Here was the outcome, not bad I would say. Some of the deeper scratches still remain.

Ooooh, Hologram!

2006-03-18T12:12:00.000+08:00

Saw this BMW E39 5-Series on the road sometime ago... one with the nastiest holograms I've ever seen on a car!

Mitts & Microfibers

2006-03-18T12:06:00.000+08:00

Just gotten my hands on more wash mitts, Supreme Shine MF & Water Magnet Drying Towel. :)

New Toy

2005-12-29T01:21:00.000+08:00

Finally took the plunge and got myself a Makita 9227C rotary buffer. Woohoo! I've been practising with it the older Corolla.

Etches - Bird Dropping

2005-12-11T03:12:00.000+08:00

This is what happens when a bird dropping is left to bake on the surface under the hot sun. It attacks right away, etching right through the clearcoat; usually the severity of it depends on what the bird ate. The next time you get any droppings on your car, remove it as soon as possible.

Liquid

2005-12-10T11:53:00.000+08:00

Some shots after application of #21.

Paint Overspray

2005-12-07T23:15:00.000+08:00

This is not exactly a paint defect, its more of a surface contaminant. Paint overspray are fine droplets of paint dried onto the surface. These droplets of paint may be carried by the wind for quite a distance, from any painting work being done. Worst scenario would be to park your car closeby, where painting is being done. Clay will pick up and remove paint overspray.

Paint overspray on the boot lid of a red Proton Iswara.

Swirls

2005-11-13T16:40:00.000+08:00

Swirls are the most common paint defect you can find on most cars. Swirls are circular cobweb-like scratches, usually can be seen under a bright light source. What causes swirls? Improper washing methods, working from bottom to top, dirty foam pads and buffing cloths right to incorrect use of the rotary buffer machine. Even then when we do do our maintanance regime of washing with the most utmost care, we can't run from instilling swirls onto the paint finish. But by using the right tools and methods, swirls are minimized, therefore prolonging the timespan inbetween polishing.

Click on the images for a high-res version.

Swirls can be removed by using a mild abrasive polish such as Meguiar's #80 Speed Glaze or Meguiar's #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish with a W8006 foam pad on a random orbital. To remove swirls by hand, Meguiar's ScratchX applied with the yellow foam applicator pad can be used, though this would require lots of elbow grease just to complete a panel.

Holograms

2005-11-12T23:40:00.000+08:00

For the upcoming posts within these weeks, I shall be posting up pictures of some of the common paint defects. Today... introducing holograms. Holograms or buffer swirls are caused by improper use of a rotary buffer machine and using the wrong combination of pads & product. Holograms can usually be removed using an orbital machine with a product such as #80 Speed Glaze. Usually holograms are the most visible on black cars.

Satisfaction

2005-11-11T00:06:00.000+08:00

Took a picture of my roof which has 2 coats of #21 Synthetic Sealant applied 2 weeks ago.

And the new Meguiar's sticker

Not-So-Even Coat Applicator

2005-10-17T22:22:00.000+08:00

This is the Meguiar's Even Coat Applicator. I finally decided to use it to apply #21 Synthetic Sealant. Its actually a piece of sponge with a microfibre sleeve. The microfibre is soft, and feels more "gentle" on the surface compared with the Hi-Tech foam applicator. Applying waxes is easier on the hands as you can grip the pad properly, like a block. However, after several uses, this happened:

Several people from the MOL forums have also experienced this problem..

#16 Professional Paste Wax

2005-10-17T16:59:00.000+08:00

#16 Professional Wax is an old-skool wax as you can see from how its packaged. You need to use a coin or a screwdriver to pry off the lid. Applied a 2nd coat of #16 and had quite a hard time buffing it off on some sections as this is really a hard wax and needs to be applied very thinly.

Secret to Smooth Paint Surface - Claying

2005-10-15T20:55:00.000+08:00

One of the steps to maintain a smooth paint surface is by claying. It is also one of the important steps in surface prep, where the surface has to be clean before proceeding with polishing and waxing. Normal washing alone will not remove all the dirt. Bonded contaminants such as tree sap, paint overspray, industrial fallout, and other dirt will attach to the paint surface over time. The next time after you've washed your car, just run your palm over the paint surface-particularly the horizontal panels (bonnet & roof), if it feels rough and bumpy; that is a sign that you need to clay. Clay is almost like plasticin.

To clay your car, you would need a claybar and lubricant. Few types of clays are available in the market:

Meguiar's Quik Clay System (includes a bottle of Quik Detailer)
Meguiar's Professional Clay - Mild
Meguiar's Professional Clay - Aggressive
Magic Clay

This lubricant can either be a detailing spray such as Quik Detailer, or Final Inspection; but a more economical way is to prepare a mixture of car shampoo and water. Fill up a spray bottle with this mixture.

Roll up the clay into a ball and flaten it.

Spray the lubricant generously on the paint surface.. too little and the clay will have difficulty gliding over the surface.

Glide the clay over the surface. No pressure is needed.. as you glide the clay along, you should be able to feel the clay picking up the contaminants. After a few passes, the gliding action will smoothen.

Be sure to inspect the clay often, flip over to the other side once it gets dirty. Once both sides are dirty, roll the clay into a ball and flatten it to get a new clean clay surface.

Look at how much dirt there was! Normal washing couldnt remove these.

After this, your paint will be baby bottom smooth!

Should you ever drop your clay on the ground, do NOT use it again! Throw it out or you will put scratches on to the finish.