Hope4sun

Thanks hope4sun , will have to look at getting a clay bar then.... never heard of em before is it something fairly new?

Its been around for a while really, mainly been a detialiers secret in the USA a few years back, but i've been using them since 2000 at least, now most compaines selling them, meguiars clay bar and quick detailer is one of the best priced for under £15.

Clean your car and then use it, your be shocked at the amount of dirt left on it, i'd recomend breaking just a small section off the bar (thumb sized), rather than using the whole thing, that way you can reduce the contamination to the bar and start with a nice new peace for every other panel, etc

Andy

Whats a "clay bar" do??

Removes bonded contamanents from the paintwork

By applying a lubricant and then pushing a clay across the surface it pulls the particles out of the paint and clear coat, leaves the paint feeling smoother than glass, especially if done a couple of time and followed by a cleanse. Then allows the wax to bond better and leaves a deeper shine because you've removed all the particles that dull the paint.

By the way, I've approached someone online to see if they want to provide us with a discount for cleaning products.....

 

Will let you know once I get a response etc?

 

 

Mark

Hey Mark

I'm looking to get a bulk shipment of some products in soon, so happy to list on here if it helps

Andy

Just on the subject of cleaning and OCD, i thought i publish my cleaning routine, though this is the quicker of the two, as it dose not cover my show and once a year clean. With things like cleaing the wheel arches with peanut butter, applying shoe polish and white mix's and removing bumpers and wheels, etc to get right to the dirt.

Rinse the Car with hose with nossel, under wheel arches, and sills, etc.

Warm Water in Bucket and Toothbrush, cotton wall buds and soft cloth, run toothbrush along all seems with rubber, door handles, badges, lettering, etc, etc. Cotton bud and cloth for really hard to reach spots.

Rinse Car (no nossle, all rinsing by flooding with slow running water now)

Starting with the top of the car wash with soapy sponge, rinse. Towel or shamey straight away. Rinse the sponge regularly, this help prevent swirls caused by dirt, etc (Bug sponge for front of car, something like AutoGlym bug/tar remover or lemon juice for real sticky spots)

Clay bar panels.

Then wash each panel in turn across the car, leaving any panels in direct sunlight until last. I use a different sponge and shamey for the bottom of the panels and wheel arches to the rest of the car, avoid spreading grit.

Go around the car and make sure all the water is removed from joins with lights, bumpers, etc

I recommend cleansing the paintwork every now and again, I swear by Zymol's HD Cleanser. This stuff removes marks and allows the wax to bond better.

Apply wax working from the top down, 2ft x 2ft areas, follow the body work when applying, not in circles. Follow the wax instructions, some waxes are a pain to remove from the plastics, so avoid where possible, but Zymols pretty good.

Polish the wax to a shine, re-apply to the front bumper, bonnet, wings, mirrors and A frame to help with removal of fly's in future

Apply glass cleaner

Apply rubber treat, back to black, etc to rubbers and plastic, avoid silicon getting onto waxed areas, causes smears. I use thin card and push into joins when applying spray based products. Or spray onto cloth and apply.

Using a separate bucket and sponge/brush etc to the rest of the car, rinse the wheels, apply cleaner (low or no acid based products are best, Meguirs cleaner is good)

Clean and rinse wheels, brush out nut recesses/air inlet , dry and apply wheel protector or wax

Apply tyre dressing if preferred, though a good scrub with a brush and rinse brings them up, shoe polish is good too.

Finally apply chrome/metal polish to exhaust(s)

Then for the inside , only kidding, but a good clean and wax like this should allow just a rinse a shamey for a few months. I try and avoid real leather shameys, if I do use them then a cod oiled shamey's is good. Some shameys remove the wax's you so painstakingly applied.

Andy (aka Mr Sheen )

I'd go with bernmc in saying it sounds like the spring, though if its not a year old, ask about replacment anyway

I'm right there with you mate!!, i'd push for them to pay for the tyres!! Took me months to sort out my local Nissan Stealer when the cracked my Nismo kit on the 34 and i went :

Especially as i was standing behind the mechanic and told him not to lift the car unless it was on a drive on ramp!!! Give them hell and write to there Head office, no excuse for being incopmitent!!

Andy

Well so far as an all round favorite, it has to be the Z and i have not even had her a month yet. I;ve had plenty of drop tops, MX5, 2 x MR2 Roadsters, Porsche 986 S and the Z really has it all, though could do with sheding a few pounds

As for overall fav though, it would have had to be my UK spec R34 GTR V-Spec, just awsome from looks to shiney things (Hence my sig made up of some smaps of her). I can't wait until the new one arrives!!, though the more i drive the Z the more i think, mmm don't get one and just pop some tubbies in the Z instead.

Dark and mean the day i collected her from Middlehurst and just fitted the Nismo White side and front indcators.

Some pictures after a week of cleaning her for the JAE.

And the Engine halfway through its second transformation and before all the final bling.

I'm off to cry now

Hopefully this should help, not all of it is relevant

http://www.350z-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=293

Thanks mate, that was the link i was looking for and could'nt find again to follow tomorro, wether permitting, failing that, i'm helping put a Supra engine in over the weekend, so will have all the tools for a bumper off, but hope to avoid that one

Andy

Hi guys i can supply genuine nissan ones uk spec for £29.99 delivered to your door

 

cheers john

 

tel 01782 204268

email john.colley@holdcroft.com

 

Some one always sells something, just after i've had it shipped in, and always for less lol, i'll be posting a full fitting thread with pics shortly.

Andy

Welcome to the gang Ben

Andy

With the front badge being in a recess, it was extremely easy to fit, no worries of not getting it straight. However not got this on the back, so slightly worried of fking it up and ending up with the badge not in the centre/not straight.

Just stick a little bit of masking tape at along the straight bits of the nissan burger, then when you align the new one, it just needs to sit between the tape

Andy

Its good stuff!!, it was right up there in my top 3or 4 products, having tried most now, i've settled on Zymol, but Swissol, Zaino, Meguiars, ewtc all have there pro's and cons, and some products better/cheaper than others.

Nice shine there!! I may get around to posting my very sad cleaning regime, then your see why on other car boards i've been on, i end up being called Mr Sheen

Andy

Its one of the items on my growing carbon fetish list, would be nice to know if there for real and good quality etc, but don't go on just my account

Andy

Welcome Paul, i've dealt with Envy in the past, always helpful and good to deal with

Andy

Welcome my friend and see you around Norwich , it was AgentOrange that ya spoke to Ktrain

Andy

mmmm V Nice, got have the shades on for her , there's something about yellow cars i really like, i think a nice black a yellow leather retrim would really suit IMHO...

Andy

can only recommend Meguiars NXT wax and microfibre cloths and some elbow grease. It's my version of the gym

EHave to agree, just elbow grease for me too, just think Karate Kid "Wax on, Wax off!"

Nothing like working up a sweat while soaping that curvey body up, then slowly running some soft leather against her smooth skin, then rubbing her down with some lube and clay before finshing off with a good buffing with lots of wax!

Andy (aka Mr. Sheen)

Hi ya Rob welcome aboard

Andy

Now that would explain why i can hear a slight hiss when the stereo is off and incoming text messages interference from the speakers

Andy

Ya just had to post that did'nt ya, now i'll have to bid

Andy

I'd highly recommend a bug sponge (basically a sponge covered in a mesh, Halfrods use to sell them, but somewhere like Lanes car products, etc you can still order then:

Then take a lemon and squeeze it, add a little hot water, just a couple of cups to the lemon juice and apply with the sponge, then rinse. then clay bar I try to avoid any chemicals going anywhere near my paintwork unless i have too, i love Zymol products there all natural (though very expensive )

I'd follow with a clenser and clensing sponge then a 3 coats of wax at least on the front of the car, this will stop the buggers sticking next time, trust me it works anyone thats ever seen my cars knows just how long it take me to clean them.

I'm thinking of doing some detialing in this area, if anyones interested

Andy

Really nice pics mate, she looks a beauty, though i swore i'd never have another black car after the Porker and the R34, they do look so damn good and evil

Andy

Cheers guys, i'' read the threads and may PM them indeed

Andy

Just wondering if anyone has fitted this springs and sway bar kit in the UK yet and if anyone has got spacers on there wheels as the more I look at the car the more wheels look sunken into the arches, I'm also shocked at how thin the back tyres look, I guess I can get bigger ones on when they wear out.

I ask about the Hotchkis as it seems to get good reviews in the US, but I understand our suspension is for the UK so may vary?

Andy

www.courtesyparts.com or Funkystyling for the badges, or just a quick Google will yeild some more suppilers , the carbon inserts, Richard Chen on here i think or CTD Germany ctd-germany.com

Andy

Not when you are slowly pushing them out to the middle of the road / against a wall

Evil thoughts, I like them!! then you can drag them unconscious to a quiet industrial unit and bind them with gaffa tape, cut off there eye lids, paper cut there eye balls with a nice new envelope and then poor salt and vinegar in.

mmmm I think I've been thinking about this for too long, sorry for the D1 one on this thread