When my pearlescent ruby red V70 was six months old, I polished it with Autoglym Super Resin Polish, as I have done every car of mine for yonks now. Twelve months later, with the car washed once a week in 'summer' months and twice a week when the weather gets grotty, I haven't repolished it, but the paint still has a silky finish, and water beads perfectly and runs off. No need at all for Extra Gloss Protection.
I have found a key factor in this to be that Autoglym Super Resin Polish and Halfords Advanced Car Wash work together perfectly. Halfords Advanced works well with other polishes, too, but with SRP works especially well.
The same principle has been used with SWMBO's ten year old dark green metallic 306, but in this case, it is two years since the car was last polished. It still gleams beautifully, and water beads and runs straight off.
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Thanks for the help everyone. Sounds like its pretty good stuff to last so many months. Will keep my eye on the "beads" and when it stops performing I will re-apply.
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I noticed only recently (in their handbook) that AutoGlym recommend leaving the EGP on the paintwork for a couple of hours before polishing it: "By waiting two hours or more, the resins will continue to cure and work even better". (On the bottle they say 30--60 minutes.) I get my car cleaner to apply it after he has used all his own stuff; he noticed its continuing effectiveness when cleaning the car a month after its first application. It's certainly something that HJ recommends.
AutoGlym also sell a video on car cleaning, should anyone be that keen.
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I bought it at a car show and the guy on the stand said the longer you leave it before polishing it off the better - even leave it several days. However, he did recommened if you intend to do this keep the car undercover. Would have loved to have done this but dont have anywhere undercover to leave the car, did leave it a couple of hours though and so far I am happy with the result.
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Why don't they put that on the pack, for the majority who don't talk to them on stands?!!
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I polish and gloss twice a year (spring and autumn). I never use anything other than running cold water and a sponge (and chamois) in between.
Except of course the occassional dab of T Cut when someone has managed to mis-steer their shopping trolley, or put their handbag on my bodywork!
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i had Diamond Brite applied and it works wonders -stops the car fading and means you dont have to polish it for 6 years.
i have a friend in the trade and he applies it for £20 though i think the actaul cost is around £200.
worth it if you have a new motor
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I too find the Autoglym Shampoo gives excellent results and once every six months is enough to apply the EGP.
On the general subject of car washing,do forum members start "top down" or "down up"? I`ve heard it said that professional car cleaners start from the bottom up to avoid leaving the inevitable unwashed bit.It would be interesting to read members`car washing routine.
<< All he way up to six if I have to,and maybe faster than you>>
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I've got it bad. Read on, and you will understand why I think using a car wash should be worthy of imprisonment! ;-)
Same technique for years, top down, and a change of sponges, to minimise scratching. Never any problems.
Ignoring interior cleaning, and with anorak mode 'on':
01) A thorough hose down of everything, including de-gritting the wheels, and gently under the bonnet with minimal splashing
02) Leave to soak whilst I get ready to proceed
03) Wash roof, bonnet, and glass (Sponge #1)
04) Wash doors and tailgate down to the rubbing strips (Sponge #2)
05) Lift the bonnet, and wash all paintwork with Sponge #2 or Sponge #3 depending on where and how dirty
06) Wash lower door sections, front valance, wheels, chrome tailpipe, then sills (Sponge #3)
07) Another thorough hosing
08) Sponge #2 in the door jambs
09) Rinse door jambs
10) Tutlewax water blade (effectively a squeegee) roof, bonnet, and B pillars. Brilliant piece of kit. No scratching, effective, and fast.
11) Rubber squeegee all windows
12) Autoglym synthetic chamois (a superb water magnet!) all remaining paintwork, including door jambs, top to bottom
13) Use old chamois for under bonnet, wheels, and chrome tailpipe
14) Dry up any remaining dribbles with a soft, clean, old T-shirt
15) Attend to any stone chips or marks noticed whilst washing (a good reason alone to wash by hand)
16) Polish anything that needs it (Yup, including engine hoses ;-)
17) Clean the cleaning kit ready for next time
18) Admire gleaming handiwork with Staropramen in hand
19) Start again from step 1 with the V70! Yup, SWMBO's 306 gets done first!
20) Swear when the inevitable starling drops its load on at least one of the two cars.
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SjB,
No!, No!, No!
Totally wrong method.
Stage 18 should be "Admire gleaming handiwork with BUDVAR in hand
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Actually, I really believe that stage 1 should be "Go and look at car with Budvar in hand,
Stage 2, Decide car doesn't need cleaning.
Stage 3, Go and get another Budvar."
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Ha ha, PhilW! :-) Good laugh!
Your second option is my brother's approach to car cleaning.
We're very similar in many regards, but totally opposite on this one!
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Same technique for years top down and a change of sponges to minimise scratching.
Sponges? Surely you mean lambswool wash mitts? ;-)
And you do use the two-bucket method, with a grit-guard, don't you?
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