Noob Questions for New Purchase

[MikhailCompo]

I just received this, and so far I am delighted with it.


Sadly, it must sit outside my terraced house on a street, so it will take some TLC to keep it looking as good. I have absolutely no equipment or experience with keeping a car shiny, so what should I buy?

What should I use to clean it?
I know the pipes should be regularly wiped to remove soot, what product should I use for that? I have never polished a car, what should I use for that - Power tool or take to a detailer?
How much does detailing cost typically?

Thanks!

 

[Kakatk]

Considering your circumstances I would consider getting it professionally ceramic coated the just maintenance washes after that. The detailer will be able to recommend compatible products.
good luck nice looking car.

 

[MikhailCompo]

Turns out these guys are just down the road, lets hope they do regular cars and not just Ferraris and R8s....

https://diamondfinish.co.uk/

 

[123Quattro]

I detail professionally for a living, and a lot of my clients are in similar situations with no access to a hose pipe, and no maintenance equipment, which can be tough when you love your car. I would agree that a professional ceramic coating (which will first see your car polished and then sealed with the coating) would really be beneficial in your situation, as the car will stay cleaner, and rinse off much easier when really dirty and generally require less miantenance. For the rest of the time you could look into a waterless wash such as CarPro ECH20 or Optimum No Rinse (though I'm not a fan of the later). These will allow you to spray and wipe off dust, and for light soiling you can use a bucket with a few gallons of water and some product to wipe the car down and buff dry. These products have surfactants and emulsifiers that help lift dirt, and using (many) multiple microfibre cloths you can gently remove light dirt. This keeps the car looking clean and presentable, and you can do wheel sand exhaust tips with it as well as windows, so its a good one product solution. When it's really dirty you will need to pressure wash the car off at your local coin wash (avoiding the soaps and brushes!) and finish the car with your waterless wash at home.

Of course it's not ideal, but it will keep your car presentable. Just be very careful when wiping dirt, use lots of clean microfibre cloths, and always maintain and wash them separately from other laundry, and bin any that pick up solid debris.

 

[MikhailCompo]

I detail professionally for a living....

Lots of really useful information here, thanks.

How long does a ceramic coating last (or the benefits of)? I am thinking initially take it to the pro's and get that done, then maintain myself. I have a hose and karcher but I am on a terraced road with quite a bit of traffic, so far from ideal.

Replacing the tiny, useless garage at the rear is on the horizon, or maybe just a carport...

 

[123Quattro]

Professional grade, UV lamp cured ceramic coating (not the retail versions) can last up to 5 years if properly maintained (given a decontamination wash a couple of time a year with fallout and tar remover), and usually also get a topper (ceramic based spray sealant) to bring back the hydrophobic qualities that do diminish a bit with time. These pro-grade coatings can be expensive, and usually only certified detailers can get their hands on them, so ask what your detailer uses. Regular retail grade coatings are really great products too, but will last 1 to 1.5 years if maintained well and will be a cheaper option that would also work well in your situation to keep the car cleaner and lower maintenance. As you have a hose and washer if you need it once I a while for heavier dirt the only thing I;d also recommend it a PH neutral soap like CarPro reset as many soaps are quite alkaline and can.will degrade a coating over time. If you bucket wash once in a while, and maintain the car with a rinse less wash like mentioned above it should be pretty simple to kept presentable. Hope that helps

 

[Kakatk]

Don’t forget to let us know what you choose to do & your thoughts on your solution