Keep it red not pink

[t4 chump]

Hi all just wondered if anyone knows a good way to keep a red car red. Ive got a red v40t4 on a 51plate genrally polush it every 2-3weeks and every time i end up t cutting the roof. I usually use ag srp and ag hd wax on top is they another good product to help with bleaching

[wegal]

The best thing to do is to stop the sun from leaching or oxidising the paint. Polishing removes oxide's as well as surface contimination but offers noprotection at all to the paint work.

You need to seal the paint. There are two ways to do this either with a sealent or a wax. Sealents are generally harderwearing than a wax but give a very hard shine to the car, they are best used on silver and white cars. Wax on the other hand gives a much better "wet" look finish. The paint generally has a deeper look to the colour. Red is a very nice colour to put wax on.

Polish your car until its the shade of red that you want it to be. Then apply a layer of wax, buff off and then reapply, buff off then reapply. I would do this between 4 and 8 times, which will give you between 6 - 12 months of protection. There are lots of good waxs and sealents about. look at www.cleanyourcar.co.uk they are a very good supplier. Steer away from the meguires stuff i personally dont like it. Victoria wax is nice but you need to leave it at least 24 hours between layers, so its time consuming. petes 53 is the dogs ££££££s.

Once you have applied your wax or sealent ( which ever you choose..id use the wax on red) DO NOT POLISH the car as you will simply strip off the protection. You will need to use good quality soaps when you wash the car afterwards as some car soaps strip the wax / sealent off. Dont use hand washes that will spray your car with TFR which will also strip the wax. and of course automatic car washes are totally out.

Once the wax is applied all you will only need to wash the car and dry it to bring back the original shine. I would recommend getting some QD ( quick detail) as well, so that you can apply it after washing the car, it really brings the wax back up.

Hope that helps.

Im sure one of our more OCD members wil be along shortly ( yes that means you Mr wobbly) to give you even more indepth advice.

[t4 chump]

Thats where im going wrong using tfr wen i wash it thanks for that

[Wobbly Dave]

Thanks Mr Wegal.

TFR is a bit harsh. You can make things easier by using a pre-wash either via a foam lance for a jet wash or there are ones that clip onto hoselock (gilmour foammaster II).

Get yourself a gallon of snowfoam & mix 3 & 1 in the lance filler bottle with megs hyperwash or similar good quality soap. Top that up with water. Coat the car - leave for five mins as you go fill your 2 buckets.

I use a washsmitt - but using any good quality wash mitt will do. Rinsing off the prewash will soften the dirt and avoid 90% of effort & reduce risk of further swirls via bad wash technique.

Hope this helps.

Post 26 in this thread - http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthre...light=snowfoam

shows an example of snowfoamage in action. Which reminds me - I must order some more.

Further that that - what Wegal said is all true.

Polish - Glaze (optional) - seal - wax will ensure a good life span for red paint.

[t4 chump]

Will autoglym hd wax do job of protecting it? I never used to use tfr then started washing my car at a friends garage thought it was doing some good dint realise it was stripping wax off the car! How does the 2 bucket method work? Is it to stop the muck going back on the car?

[volvokid]

Will autoglym hd wax do job of protecting it? I never used to use tfr then started washing my car at a friends garage thought it was doing some good dint realise it was stripping wax off the car! How does the 2 bucket method work? Is it to stop the muck going back on the car?

HD is supposed to be a pretty good wax, I read a thing on detailing world about layering wax and 2 to 3 coats was the best result anything more and you are just wasting the product, once you have done that all you will have to do is wash your car regularly and then if you can give the car a wipe over with a good quality QD and that will top up your HD after every wash. Every wax has a different life span 12 months is certainly pushing the boat out for any wax thats used on a daily drivers car, Zymol concourse will only last you up to 6 months do a google search and you will just see how expensive that one is. I would say 2 maybe 3 months then the HD will need toped up.
Yeah the 2 bucket method is simply an extra precaution to help stop you cleaning your paint with dirty water.

[t4 chump]

Thanks for that guys i'll try and get it done this week if the english summer actually hits yorkshire and stays dry!! I'll try and get some pics up after see what u think of the red baron debating a more darker wheel colour as well gotta keep it looking good

[wegal]

have to differ with you on the lifespan volvo kid, mine got 8 layers of petes 53 12 months ago, its still doesnt need redoing yet. It a daily drive and isnt garaged. The more layers you apply the deeper the shine. There is a limit to the numbers im sure. Different waxs work differently, the victoria wax really is at its best at about 3 layers and its gone in 3 - 4 months. Petes 53 is just a fantastic product, its a lot harder than the victoria wax... wax on wax off :-)

[Wobbly Dave]

12 layers!! - WTF!! I need to work harder. Look what I started! I have created a monster.

Just kiddin.

I think we should bring together our collective experience and do another car - Not an estate!

[t4 chump]

Some wud need to do the roof im only a short arse

[Vikingxl]

12 layers!! - WTF!! I need to work harder. Look what I started! I have created a monster.

Just kiddin.

I think we should bring together our collective experience and do another car - Not an estate!

An XC90??

[t4 chump]

Spent a good four hours today with the cleaning looks quite good just needs another couple of wax coats over the next few days then will look mint

[danny-R]

Interesting thread this, keep it up... especially as my 03 honda's paint is fading already
where as my 15 year old volvo paint was gleaming other than a few little marks. How i miss that car, boo hoo



cheers
danny

[t4 chump]

Ive got a red work van as well which will prob get done which is going pink 11yrs old thou not done bad

[Wobbly Dave]

An XC90??

Sure thing

[volvokid]

have to differ with you on the lifespan volvo kid, mine got 8 layers of petes 53 12 months ago, its still doesnt need redoing yet. It a daily drive and isnt garaged. The more layers you apply the deeper the shine. There is a limit to the numbers im sure. Different waxs work differently, the victoria wax really is at its best at about 3 layers and its gone in 3 - 4 months. Petes 53 is just a fantastic product, its a lot harder than the victoria wax... wax on wax off :-)

Have a read of this chum, wax Its not the thread I was looking for but kinda gives you an idea about some peoples opinions on layering

[volvokid]

I'll take my C70 down lol. saves me doing it again

[wegal]

Interesting read Volvo kid, two things thought.. please dont call me chum, i find it a deroggatory term, although im sure you meant no offense.

2nd is that I have read a whole load of "scientific " stuff as part of my job, some of it is correct some of it is just not, i have learned to trust what i see with my own eyes and trust the results of my own experiments a lot more than those of someone I dont know. If layering really doesnt work and I only have 1 layer of wax after all that work why does my car still bead water and have a deep reflections in the paint after 12 months ?

I know that the Victoria wax is gone after 3 - 4 months cos the paint lost its depth and the water stopped beading, the Petes still has depth and still beads. the paint also still feels "soft" as apposed to the dry feeling of untreated paint.

pays ya money takes ya choice. Ive seen the effects of layering, its been an accepted practise for a long time and i enjoy the process of getting may hands covered in sweet smelling slippery wax :-)

[Wobbly Dave]

I keep fiddling with the top coat so beading comes and goes. I think that layering must work because I notice how the feel changes if I have only had 1 layer on then a week later washed it. Seems to destroy to a point that hydrophobic effect.