TK's top 10 detailing tips for Tim.

[BenzBoy]

OK folks - Tim has his new car - and it's a very good one too.
With the Concours fast approaching the challenge is on to help Tim present his car in the best possible way. Post your top tips here and let's see what we can do to help Tim across the line!!!
Are you up for it?
E200K - you should have some bright ideas!
Michel - what about you?
Motec? Tony? All of you!!!!
Come on chappies - time to pool our collective wisdom here.
Regards,
Brian

 

[260ebenz]

Thanks very much Brian the tips would be great!

I have a bit of the dreaded black brake dust that I can not remove from the front right and back right hand alloy wheels I did try plenty of elbow grease but to no avail!

Pre-Concours detailing tips guys you have my full attention.

Cheers.

 

[motec 6.9]

Hi Tim i was told by a Freind years ago to wash windows with hot water a cap of meth spirits and to use 1 cloth to apply and another to dry. It leaves no chemicals behind and windows are spot free.A soft tooth brush for around switches and air vents. To see real clean look at these pictures http://www.flickriver.com/photos/mercedesmotoring/popular-interesting/ And this is how to detail a car for a concourse watch this SL detail and Learn Grass hopper http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=82092

 

[260ebenz]

Hi Tim i was told by a Freind years ago to wash windows with hot water a cap of meth spirits and to use 1 cloth to apply and another to dry. It leaves no chemicals behind and windows are spot free.A soft tooth brush for around switches and air vents. To see real clean look at these pictures http://www.flickriver.com/photos/mercedesmotoring/popular-interesting/ And this is how to detail a car for a concourse watch this SL detail and Learn Grass hopper http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=82092

This is terrific Motec great advice thanks very much.

I just can not remove the brake dust on the front and back r/hand alloy wheels the brake dust is caked on what's the best way to remove the brake dust?

Alloys could do with a good polish there is a bit of oxidization on the alloys what's the best to remove the oxidization?

Cheers.

 

[BenzBoy]

Hot tip - polish your glass with a glass polish such as Autoglym. Wind down the window by about 20 cm so you can also polish the top edge of the glass where it goes into the top channel.

Brake dust? Let's see some photos of the wheels Tim so we can advise you.
My favourite tool when brake dust is in a corner is a sharpened pice of bamboo used as a scraper in conjunction with wheel cleaner.

Regards,
Brian

 

[Michel]

I think SEL_69L would have some of the best tips.

 

[BenzBoy]

I think SEL_69L would have some of the best tips.

He will but I expect you to contribute too Michel. The honour of TK is on the line!
Regards,
Brian

 

[260ebenz]

Hot tip - polish your glass with a glass polish such as Autoglym. Wind down the window by about 20 cm so you can also polish the top edge of the glass where it goes into the top channel.

Brake dust? Let's see some photos of the wheels Tim so we can advise you.
My favourite tool when brake dust is in a corner is a sharpened pice of bamboo used as a scraper in conjunction with wheel cleaner.

Regards,
Brian

Morning Brian,

Yes I have used AutoGlym glass polish before and it is an excellent product.

I will have to take some photos of the two wheels that have the brake dust caked on which could be easily removed with wheel cleaner.

Brian your suggestion of sharpened piece of bamboo to clean wheels never have heard of that before.

Cheers.

 

[BenzBoy]

Morning Brian,

Yes I have used AutoGlym glass polish before and it is an excellent product.

I will have to take some photos of the two wheels that have the brake dust caked on which could be easily removed with wheel cleaner.

Brian your suggestion of sharpened piece of bamboo to clean wheels never have heard of that before.

Cheers.

Bamboo is soft and does not scratch the wheels but will break open the crust of brake dust. Of course, you may not have heard of it before as it is my own invention. Many of my compounds etc are my own developed over the years It works.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Tony66_au]

errrr I have little to contribute to Concours cleaning as im more a mechanical perfection guy but my observations of Concours cars is that cleaning is probably only 1/3rd of the equation with originality and condition being the other parts.

And when it comes to cleaning its not just what you can see standing next to the car but whats underneath as well.

My 300SEL used to get a professional Concours clean every 6 months which I would then try to maintain, as the car would do 300 ish km per day it didnt take long to deteriorate but at $600 per clean (Mates rates) I wasnt going to do it more than twice a year.

And NEVER EVER EVER use commercial car washes.

 

[260ebenz]

errrr I have little to contribute to Concours cleaning as im more a mechanical perfection guy but my observations of Concours cars is that cleaning is probably only 1/3rd of the equation with originality and condition being the other parts.

And when it comes to cleaning its not just what you can see standing next to the car but whats underneath as well.

My 300SEL used to get a professional Concours clean every 6 months which I would then try to maintain, as the car would do 300 ish km per day it didnt take long to deteriorate but at $600 per clean (Mates rates) I wasnt going to do it more than twice a year.

And NEVER EVER EVER use commercial car washes.

Do not worry Tony I will NOT be using a commercial car wash machine!

Anymore tips & advice with pre-Concours preparation would be greatly appreciated.

I hope you guys are still speaking to me??

 

[BenzBoy]

And don't forget you will need to clay your paintwork before you polish - I've always found Meguiars clay to be next to useless so maybe investigate some other brands Tim.
You can also clay your glass to get off any bitument spots and burnt-on bugs.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Oversize]

Tim do a search on TK re wheel cleaning, because I believe that subject has been covered before. Eucalyptus oil might do the trick once you've cleaned them with non-acid wheel cleaner.

If you wanna win concours you might look at swapping the tyres to an original brand, respray the rocker cover and from the pics it looked like one of the tail lights was faded (I could be wrong). Wash the door jambs thoroughly, under the bonnet and around the boot seal. It's all about attention to detail, right down to sickers, labels and markings.

Once everything's spotless look at surface treatments such as silicon on the tyres and leather conditioners....

 

[Helmet]

This is what you have to do Tim

http://youtu.be/png5BFnwg1I

 

[BenzBoy]

This is what you have to do Tim

http://youtu.be/png5BFnwg1I

No Tim - No: Helmet is joking!!! Don't gernie the inside of the car - please!! You can only do that to Mini Mokes.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Tony66_au]

No Tim - No: Helmet is joking!!! Don't gernie the inside of the car - please!! You can only do that to Mini Mokes.
Regards,
Brian

I dunno Brian, I've seen pro steam cleaners do that

 

[BenzBoy]

I dunno Brian, I've seen pro steam cleaners do that

On leather? If they do that then they are not professional.
I had a professional detailer want to detail my Spirit and he advised me he would clean the leather with a scrubbing brush. Needless to say he did not get the job.
I do it myself and gently massage the leather with Leatherique. Scrubbing and water-blasting is plain silly.
Regards,
Brian

 

[Helmet]

No Tim - No: Helmet is joking!!! Don't gernie the inside of the car - please!! You can only do that to Mini Mokes.
Regards,
Brian

Brian is correct, I posted this in jest , I wouldn't recommend going past the door jams with a high pressure cleaner. I'm sure the CLS in the video would be close to a write off after that soaking .

 

[Styria]

This is what you have to do Tim

http://youtu.be/png5BFnwg1I

Helmet, that's the Yugoslav way of detailing a car - well, Skopje is in what is called Slovenie these days, but it's all close enough. Regards Styria

 

[Oversize]

Remind me to never buy a car from there!!!