MK5 Golf GTI

General => Detailing => Topic started by: lukemk5gti on August 21, 2014, 01:57:06 pm

Title: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on August 21, 2014, 01:57:06 pm
Decided I'd spoil myself with a few new products and give the car a good detail this weekend.

Swirl marks really are not that bad but the next purchase will be a DAS6 polisher and range of compounds.

To keep me ticking over I did the following yesterday.

Exterior:
Strip old wax off
Snowfoam
Iron X
Clay
Polish Windscreen
Glossworks Glaze x 2 coats
Jetseal 109 x 3 coats
Autoglym Super HD Wax x 2 coats
Windscreen G1 Application x 3 coats on front & 1 coat on all other
Alloys also sealed and waxed.
Exhaust tips polished

Interior:
Leather cleaned and conditioned
Screen polished with displex
Steering wheel plastic covers colour coded to car
Grease on door joints removed, cleaned and re-greased
Engine bay jet washed and painted.

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2FIMG_1618_zps753a0f98.jpg&hash=ba4ee25de6a7fb77ceb8ca7d2691fa83c88458ec)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2F46894C44-E585-4E3C-9840-900886564F30_zps0ef6d3hg.jpg&hash=baab5f70f8c32f0d7b96a42a425bfeef8480adff)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2F05AAC5B0-7021-486E-9109-6645D631C4B1_zpsl0yjo9r7.jpg&hash=fbf5d17d70657099ec1af3c5572e799764a98787)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2FIMG_2313_zps461fc151.jpg&hash=38d0c5c0e9b529d519574a69fc529a02b0620d5d)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2F3F25E1CD-4C6B-450C-B0EF-7E2C1E4B1D68_zpsnhg3aoeb.jpg&hash=473dfcdbcdf858b0650108ca73fa7a381aff0505)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2F64B4EE6B-38FD-4975-A142-9733500E6F9F_zpsusislaxz.jpg&hash=652a5ff3bac748b02239fe78248ead33e3df3d80)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2FB536303D-DA2B-4008-813A-9BE44896A57C_zpscmjyglum.jpg&hash=8d2e4c0808069723584bfbd8b9a61ea84ebb7e6a)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2FDD5F2FA6-56C6-49FD-A978-56C24F50223C_zpsozbabm3p.jpg&hash=11e37f78f4240ff8e1cc918c068fc31b3f827af2)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2FF238F577-85E9-449E-AE03-DE127B70528E_zpssvfdar0d.jpg&hash=5f077ab92dc48f5a241307a169d0392d2272c686)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fn211%2Flukeoconnor2014%2F2D8BD0D3-0A0A-4B67-92F8-621120DF47DB_zpsivgvgp50.jpg&hash=8a242c7e634d96c6baa9e808aacd8cc94bac0cab)
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: Frenzy on August 24, 2014, 06:23:24 pm
Good work fella and very good to see you could be bothered to do a very complete job - so easy to neglect things like the door jams. For example, I cleaned the fuel cap and housing the other day after a couple of years neglect  :ashamed: looks great now  :smiley:
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on August 24, 2014, 06:46:17 pm
Good work fella and very good to see you could be bothered to do a very complete job - so easy to neglect things like the door jams. For example, I cleaned the fuel cap and housing the other day after a couple of years neglect  :ashamed: looks great now  :smiley:

The fuel cap is another good one, had to powerhouse mine clean when I bought it because the drain plug on the bottom was stuffed full of crud!

A final big difference is to remove the wheel arch lining of the front wheels and take out the sand and grit that builds up just where the side skirts and mud guards meet.
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: NickU on November 17, 2014, 11:55:21 am
That is awesome, look at the reflection on that beauty!  :party:
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: Raptor on November 18, 2014, 06:25:15 am
Really nice mirror image on your car
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: NickU on November 18, 2014, 07:57:39 am
How clean are the insides of your doors! LOL Wish mine looked like that, you take bookings for car cleaning?  :evilgrin:
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: bennyx_o on November 18, 2014, 08:50:19 am
Great job, Steel Grey really does look well when it's clean
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: nickopolodis on November 21, 2014, 10:45:01 am
Nice to see such a clean Steel Grey car! I must clean mine!!
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: jamie on December 18, 2014, 11:49:12 pm
Looks great!  :happy2:

Very smart.
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: Hevoshullu on December 19, 2014, 10:20:11 am
Nice work! I agree the Steel Grey looks fantastic when cleaned properly! I wouldn't however bother putting on so many coats of sealants/waxes. One properly applied coat should do (make sure the surface is properly degreased and prepared) and especially after 2 coats you will start getting diminishing returns for your effort and material spent.

You can finish off your exhausts with #0000 grade wirewool and Autosol paste. I used the combo on mine and they came out like this: (https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fs193%2Flateman_2007%2FWP_20130728_004_zps8a0c741b.jpg&hash=716d0481f330b4d1d01d2fa8738f40120bca14ad)
Those have around 60k miles on them so they are far from brand new. : )
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on December 20, 2014, 11:05:57 am
That's something I always suspected, I figured only a few coatings might stick but I was following the manufacturers instructions. It would be good to see a side by side study of one with a few coats and another with all the coats I've given it but since driving conditions vary dramatically it's tough to do.

Considering the prep is already there I'm going to continue doing the full amount of coats as its only an extra hour or so.

Your exhausts I have to say look much better, I'll give them another go come the summer detail!
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: Tracey on January 20, 2015, 03:14:17 pm
Looking good fella  :happy2: must attack mine soon when it gets a bit warmer outside  :smiley:
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on January 20, 2015, 03:19:02 pm
Looking good fella  :happy2: must attack mine soon when it gets a bit warmer outside  :smiley:

I did mine again last Friday and froze my finger tips to bits!! One trip to Galway on Monday morning and it's destroyed already. So heart-breaking that I only got the weekend out of it.. It doesn't matter how much protection I have on the car, as soon as I pass out a 40foot truck in the rain I get destroyed with road grit.
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: Tracey on January 22, 2015, 03:47:09 pm
ain last Friday and froze my finger tips to bits!! One trip to Galway on Monday morning and it's destroyed already. So heart-breaking that I only got the weekend out of it.. It doesn't matter how much protection I have on the car, as soon as I pass out a 40foot truck in the rain I get destroyed with road grit.
Tell me about it ! its heartbreking this time of year. I just give mine a wash to get the main sh*te of it ! Will do till spring
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: smash85 on March 21, 2015, 02:11:37 pm
Lovely colour on a golf
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: AliGTI on March 21, 2015, 10:50:39 pm
Nice work! I agree the Steel Grey looks fantastic when cleaned properly! I wouldn't however bother putting on so many coats of sealants/waxes. One properly applied coat should do (make sure the surface is properly degreased and prepared) and especially after 2 coats you will start getting diminishing returns for your effort and material spent.

You can finish off your exhausts with #0000 grade wirewool and Autosol paste. I used the combo on mine and they came out like this: (https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fs193%2Flateman_2007%2FWP_20130728_004_zps8a0c741b.jpg&hash=716d0481f330b4d1d01d2fa8738f40120bca14ad)
Those have around 60k miles on them so they are far from brand new. : )


Hiya. Pardon me saying but those are nice tips!

On a serious note do you tend to keep on top of the polishing of them? I've got a mk5 with 83k. The tips are black and lumpy. Seeing yours makes me think I can maybe bring them back from the dead.
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on March 22, 2015, 06:39:52 pm
They can be brought back from the dead but it'll take a couple of hours of elbow grease! Guarantee you can get them sorted.

Every time I wash the car I give the exhausts a quick wash with a separate sponge to keep the majority of the sut at bay and then twice a year I'll polish them fully.
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: Hevoshullu on April 08, 2015, 01:09:45 pm
Hiya. Pardon me saying but those are nice tips!

On a serious note do you tend to keep on top of the polishing of them? I've got a mk5 with 83k. The tips are black and lumpy. Seeing yours makes me think I can maybe bring them back from the dead.

Sorry for the slow reply. Anyways, thank you for your compliment! : )

Yeah basically if you want to keep your tips looking good they will need some extra attention after each wash, but it's only a minute's job each time anyway. Like lukemk5gti said above, you want to have a separate sponge or brush for the really dirty work and some powerful degreaser to go with it.

If yours are in really bad shape to start with, you definitely need the wire wool and metal polishing paste for bringing the back alive again. But make sure to buy the really fine grade of wire wool that is either the #000 or #0000 as coarse ones might leave permanent damage to the chrome coating. As a matter of fact, regular use of any wire wool is something you want to avoid on exhaust tips as it will eventually wear down the shiny coating on them.

I don't how bad yours are but I wouldn't say the process of salvaging the tips should take longer than 15 minutes with proper gear. Good luck! : )
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: xjay1337 on April 08, 2015, 02:59:31 pm
Stock GTI's are mild steel. They will have all corroded by now. If they are black and lumpy you'll find yourself resorting to sandpaper.

Put scene tape around the valance when you're working.


(https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2905/14061168437_2fb9f3484f_b_d.jpg)

(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5570/14247746025_06910ccfa5_b_d.jpg)
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on June 29, 2015, 01:02:36 pm
It's that time of year again for my bi-annual full detail!

A few days booked off work so I can travel home and give it the works.... Might not apply so many coatings this time around and see how long the protection lasts!
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: xjay1337 on June 30, 2015, 10:43:20 pm
Use cquk and not have to worry for 18 months! ;)
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: dansmith180 on June 30, 2015, 10:48:27 pm
I just read the insane amount of layers you put on this  :scared:, your shoulder must have been on fire. Assuming you stick to traditional waxes/ sealants I would just use a glaze such as Chem guys glossworkz glaze or Poorboys white diamond and then 2 coats of Collinite 845 and that will easily last 6 months and give a real good shine. Otherwise as Jay says get some ceramic coatings on that bitch.
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: lukemk5gti on July 01, 2015, 09:16:37 am
I actually did have the same discussion on another thread and believe I did go overkill... This time I'll do less layers and see about the efficacy versus the thousand layers!

Thought about CQUK but @xjay1337 (http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=7542) I don't have an indoor area to apply, it wouldn't turn out great if applied in outdoor conditions would it?
Title: Re: Steel Grey Detail
Post by: xjay1337 on July 03, 2015, 05:05:32 pm
You can do it outside as long as it's not too dusty. CQUK cures pretty quickly and you can always do a few panels at a time.
Long as there's no rain you'd be fine

C1 takes longer to cure I believe