For detailing obsessives
- Thread starter ralphmusic
- Start date
I find this brush is very good for cleaning the inner rims of the wheel https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/ez-detail-brush-mini and the angled Wheel Woolie https://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product/luxury-spoke-back-wheel-woolie-brush-18-inch-large/ to clean behind the spokes. I do use the large Woolie to clean the inner wheel arches. For the front of the alloys and brake caliper I use a detail brush such as https://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product/valet-pro-ultra-soft-chemical-resistant-detailing-brush-small/ I have read these are also good as well https://www.elitecarcare.co.uk/product/gyeon-q2m-wheel-brush-medium/ I might buy one in the future!BazDen said:
I've had my car fully coated with Xpel Paint Protection Film and double layer ceramic coating. In the last 2 years I've done 20k miles and 15 track days, it lives on the drive and is never garaged. The only deterioration is one additional stone chip on the bonnet and a tiny snare in the PPF on one wing, which I can't see unless I look for it in the right light. There are no swirls or holograms.
I usually wash it once a week, using the two bucket method, with a lambswool mitt and meguairs car wash and dodo juice wheel cleaner, a high pressure washer supplied with softened water. After drying with a huge microfible towel which is glanced over the body work, I apply a ceramic coat top up and lightly buff. The whole process takes 1.5 hrs max, of which at least 20 mins is spent getting stuff in and out of my shed and setting up, so its about 15 mins for the wheels 30 mins for the wash, 10 mins for the ceramic top up.
Outlay for the Xpel and coating was about £5k, but that is justified, as I will never need to repaint for stone chips and have no worries about following cars at track days, or neighbouring car doors opening in car parks.
Overall, I spend very little time maintaining the car, basically just washing it regularly and it looks like new, certainly much better than when I collected from the OPC a couple of years ago, as it required paint correction prior to fitting the PPF!
I usually wash it once a week, using the two bucket method, with a lambswool mitt and meguairs car wash and dodo juice wheel cleaner, a high pressure washer supplied with softened water. After drying with a huge microfible towel which is glanced over the body work, I apply a ceramic coat top up and lightly buff. The whole process takes 1.5 hrs max, of which at least 20 mins is spent getting stuff in and out of my shed and setting up, so its about 15 mins for the wheels 30 mins for the wash, 10 mins for the ceramic top up.
Outlay for the Xpel and coating was about £5k, but that is justified, as I will never need to repaint for stone chips and have no worries about following cars at track days, or neighbouring car doors opening in car parks.
Overall, I spend very little time maintaining the car, basically just washing it regularly and it looks like new, certainly much better than when I collected from the OPC a couple of years ago, as it required paint correction prior to fitting the PPF!
mphillips
PCGB Member
How many sets of discs and pads have you got through in 15 track days Jez? 
That's a cracking story though, and shows the value of PPF and a bit of a regular elbow grease. My 2017 Carrera 2S, which I bought from new, was treated to PPF from Topaz Detailing without the dealer ever having washed it (I collected it filthy, the salesman despaired of me
). It had a second visit to Topaz a year later for a ceramic coating, and I've done 33k miles through all weathers, and countless track days (don't think I'm up to 15 yet, but it must be close). It still looks like new after a couple of hours washing and a light detailing spray to finish up.
Having now been down the route of full, quality, PPF route I don't think I'd ever have a new car without covering it again.
That's a cracking story though, and shows the value of PPF and a bit of a regular elbow grease. My 2017 Carrera 2S, which I bought from new, was treated to PPF from Topaz Detailing without the dealer ever having washed it (I collected it filthy, the salesman despaired of me
). It had a second visit to Topaz a year later for a ceramic coating, and I've done 33k miles through all weathers, and countless track days (don't think I'm up to 15 yet, but it must be close). It still looks like new after a couple of hours washing and a light detailing spray to finish up. Having now been down the route of full, quality, PPF route I don't think I'd ever have a new car without covering it again.
Your experience matches mine!
In answer to your question I use about 20% of the life of discs and pads every track day on average. RPM technik look after my car (I did not like OPC service) and have recommended I go for Girodisc rotors next time and PAGID RS 29 Pads as a better road and track solution. The rotors are 10mm bigger and they think I will get better bite on track and less sponginess afterwards and more longevity. It will cost double, so time will tell if this lives up to expectation and good value, but I'll give it a go!
In my view brakes are the only useful possible upgrade on our cars, unless you are a well trained racing driver, which I'm not.
Frankly I'm still learning the car and building confidence, which is big part of the joy of it. I doubt I will ever get to the stage when I need any other performance upgrades and maybe as my skill improves, I will be lighter on the brakes too, or even heavier, who knows!
In answer to your question I use about 20% of the life of discs and pads every track day on average. RPM technik look after my car (I did not like OPC service) and have recommended I go for Girodisc rotors next time and PAGID RS 29 Pads as a better road and track solution. The rotors are 10mm bigger and they think I will get better bite on track and less sponginess afterwards and more longevity. It will cost double, so time will tell if this lives up to expectation and good value, but I'll give it a go!
In my view brakes are the only useful possible upgrade on our cars, unless you are a well trained racing driver, which I'm not.
Frankly I'm still learning the car and building confidence, which is big part of the joy of it. I doubt I will ever get to the stage when I need any other performance upgrades and maybe as my skill improves, I will be lighter on the brakes too, or even heavier, who knows!
As per Jeremy unfortunately the 911 is not garaged (its too narrow to drive in and open the door) so the having a all body PPF treatment was a must, also benefits with added protection from bird poo and acid rain etc. fallout.
My 911 4S is booked in to a detailer for the most of next week, for is once every two year deep clean and reseal ceramic coating. I am having the PPF steam cleaned to being back its original finish this will also heal the PPF from any swirls created over the two years etc. After which the PPF file will be coated with Gtechniq Halo, having the alloys and calipers coated plus the plastic trim, inner wheel arches, glass and leather coated with Gtechniq products. I had planned this to be done earlier April ready for my planned drive to Switzerland to do the various passes and visit to see the Matterhorn, how things have changed in 6 months!!!!
My 911 4S is booked in to a detailer for the most of next week, for is once every two year deep clean and reseal ceramic coating. I am having the PPF steam cleaned to being back its original finish this will also heal the PPF from any swirls created over the two years etc. After which the PPF file will be coated with Gtechniq Halo, having the alloys and calipers coated plus the plastic trim, inner wheel arches, glass and leather coated with Gtechniq products. I had planned this to be done earlier April ready for my planned drive to Switzerland to do the various passes and visit to see the Matterhorn, how things have changed in 6 months!!!!
mphillips
PCGB Member
Ha! I was about to say our experience seems to mirror one another Jez 
At the risk of hijacking a thread about detailing … I've got RS29s on the stock rotors now and they're amazing, even on the road. I love the bite feel. First track day coming up with the club in August, at Donington. That will be the real test. It will also be a chance to see what a difference the Litchfield suspension mod makes, as that's getting done in two weeks' time.
Interesting comment about the recommendation for rotor swap. I too have abandoned my OPC and now have RPM in Knaresborough look after the car (they're utterly brilliant) … might talk to them about disc swaps once I've shredded these.
At the risk of hijacking a thread about detailing … I've got RS29s on the stock rotors now and they're amazing, even on the road. I love the bite feel. First track day coming up with the club in August, at Donington. That will be the real test. It will also be a chance to see what a difference the Litchfield suspension mod makes, as that's getting done in two weeks' time.Interesting comment about the recommendation for rotor swap. I too have abandoned my OPC and now have RPM in Knaresborough look after the car (they're utterly brilliant) … might talk to them about disc swaps once I've shredded these.
Hi mphillips, I am trying a different detailer than I have used in the past, previously used CleanDetail up in Doncaster, however somewhat disappointed with the previous visit, I think my car was detailed by an apprentice. That's the problem with companies who have a team, I like to know who is doing the work, so trying out Deep-Shine Detail at Lincoln.
Hi Dylan, Yes the original plan was for me to go solo this year. I was really looking forward to the intended 991 European tour but as you recall this was cancelled, so decided to re-do the passes as per 2018 to get my fix! As a substitute now to keep my spirits up, I have resorted to re-editing my dash cam footage from the 991 Dolomite's tour into smaller bite size videosDylan1 said:
mphillips
PCGB Member
Telling myself off for once again derailing the threadJeremy Kaye said:
… I treated the 911 to some wonderful Swiss Alps last year: https://youtu.be/tWh7ec_1HFI
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