Cleaning tips

[Hoppy_70]

Ok, I'm REALLY anal with cleaning my car. I've had four or five attempts at a valet so far but keep finding things that take hours to sort out. The biggest problem has been tar, with hundreds of spots all over the body. I've been using autoglym tar remover but its frankly shite, and hard work.

Has anyone tried to restore the aluminium trim on the side steps? Mines a bit discoloured in places and I don't know what to use or what would bring it up the best.

Also, the engine bay is filled with road salt, has anyone got any tips for cleaning, or any areas to avoid with the jet wash (3.0d)

Any tips would help as I'm having a pop tomorrow morning

[Don Coffey]

I use petrol on a cloth to remove tar. Still requires elbow grease but works effectively.  And cheaper than so called Tar Removel products.

Don

[Horizon]

One good tip is see a councillor !!!!!!
I get mine washed when I can't remember what colour it is. My boss asked me if we still had a hosepipe ban on in Manchester, because I never wash my van. When I had a Toyota firms car it got washed every 10k when it was serviced.

[Hoppy_70]

Scruff ^  )

I suspect the autoglym crap may even BE petrol....

[Don Coffey]

[quote="Hoppy_70"]
Scruff ^  )

I suspect the autoglym crap may even BE petrol....
[/quote]

Can't be, petrol works and won't give you arms like Popeyes!

Don

[dennys]

use a product called tardis works brilliant to remove tar you can get it at any detailers or ebay

[Raj]

Firstly wash the whole motor then spray it with tardis which will remove a lot of the fallout that sticks to your paintwork. Then clay it and you'll end up with a base like glass. Once at this stage you can polish then seal/wax it. This will take you a while but at the end you'll be left with a decent result you can just wash regularly and won't take too long each wash cycle.

Ally side steps can be bought up a treat using wonder wheels and a bit of elbow grease.

As for the engine bay, don't jet wash as the pressured water is easy to force its way into the connections etc. should use running water from the hose after spraying the engine with APC and a bit of agitation with a brush. Of course you can always just wipe the majority down with some cloths and APC spray.

[Don Coffey]

[quote="Raj"]
Firstly wash the whole motor then spray it with tardis which will remove a lot of the fallout that sticks to your paintwork. Then clay it and you'll end up with a base like glass. Once at this stage you can polish then seal/wax it. This will take you a while but at the end you'll be left with a decent result you can just wash regularly and won't take too long each wash cycle.

Ally side steps can be bought up a treat using wonder wheels and a bit of elbow grease.

As for the engine bay, don't jet wash as the pressured water is easy to force its way into the connections etc. should use running water from the hose after spraying the engine with APC and a bit of agitation with a brush. Of course you can always just wipe the majority down with some cloths and APC spray.
[/quote]

Raj, you make it sound sooooo easy.  I may just try you methods, products once the worse of the winter weather is over.

Don

[X Box]

On my e91 I used autosol on the tailpipe to try and keep it shiny. The X5 has chrome finish tips. Is it still ok for these?

[leosayer]

As Raj said, use a clay bar.

If you haven't used one before you'll be amazed at the visible and invisible crud that comes off your paintwork onto the clay. Tar spots, bird crap, tree sap etc.

You also won't believe how smooth the paintwork feels afterwards.

[PeterL]

If you want some good products check out DoDo Juice.  I find their products really easy to use and you can phone them for advice. 

[Hoppy_70]

Thanks all. Tar is off now, petrol did the trick in the end. I'll try some wonder wheels on the alloy part of the step and see of it cleans them up a bit. 

[V12 EGO]

I have the Auto Glym stuuf and while it smells very nice, white spirit is cheaper and more effective. Just remember, all of these solutions including petrol will take any wax off the car.

[Reusch]

Right I'm going to have a go I had mine professionally cleaned and after he had gone I found little things he had missed etc ok I paid £65 so it wasn't the full monty clay etc.Is there a cleaning kit I can buy and a DVD I no how to wash a car ) it's the other stuff clay etc.