Pre wash foam: Autobrite Magi foam
Wash: Dodo juice sour pour pH neutral shampoo
Wheels: Ripco wheel cleaner
Clay: Autogylm Clay kit
Polish: Menzerna pads and polishing compound (2500 and 5000)
Pre wax: Dodo juice lime prme
Wax: Dodo juice rain forest rub
tyres: meguiars hot shine
Windscreen: Autoglym fast glass
Quick clean: Autoglym rapid detailer

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http://www.flickr.com/by_dan
Current: 1970 Mini K 2014 Focus ST
Past: 93 Rover, 64 850, 97 Rover, 66 Deluxe, 66 Moke
81 Austin Estate, 2006 R53MCS, 66 Deluxe, 1978 Clubbie
2014 Land Rover Defender 90

now that I am back home I took a couple of pics. As you can see after 3 months off work and nothing done it looks like this....



After removing some of the built up dust the paint isn't in too bad shape, worst part is a few cracks in various areas as seen in the second photo






As for how long I am prepared to put into polishing, well time isn't a concern at present so I am more than happy to do it the old fashioned way by hand and plenty of elbow grease.

Cheers,

CJ

You can't fix the cracks without re painting the areas. So you have a decision to make there.

A light polish with an orbital buff will be fine for the rest, if you start buffing acrylic without experience you will hit the side of the buff on something and burn through the paint. Really easy to do on acrylic, if it was 2k I'd say go for it, but acrylic is a pain.

Have fun, shouldn't be too hard to get looking nice, you don't need 500 different products, just a decent polish, decent wax and a good car was. That's all.

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Potato

Yeah I know the cracks are not repairable without repainting, however there are too many to do a patch up and not enough to warrant a full respray (not to mention I can't afford the time or cost at present )

Hopefully I can make it look as good as possible with elbow grease as long as people only see it from a distance........

Just a note, Everything I have said has just been my impression on products I've personally used recently. I might seem biased to a few brands but that's only because I buy my detailing stuff in gift/valet packs post fathers day and Christmas at discount prices.

As for your car womble99, There''s no way you'll get those swirl marks out by hand. I would use Meguairs ultimate compound (which is similar to their colorX but without the silicone) Then follow it up with your choice of wax.
Or use mothers cleaner wax for a one step polish and wax which will come up quite respectably in an hour or two.

The main difference between a good wax and an easy to apply spray wax is a good wax will repel the water and lasts months but a spray wax will merely bead it off.

Damn I really didn't want to use a buffer (never used one) maybe it might be worth paying for someone to do that for me instead? At least if the first time is done right it should be easier to maintain?

I'd have a go at it yourself , just watch a few youtube vids.

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