TOGWT

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1.Road dirt / Tar should be removed with a solvent type cleaner (and #0000 synthetic steel wool if necessary) and any bonded contaminants or over spray removed with Detailer's Clay, then clean surface with a chemical cleaner / polish (Klasse All-In-One) wash and dry wheel surface thoroughly. 2.Once the brake dust has been removed with a 100% acid-free wheel cleaner (P21S Wheel Cleaner) apply a citrus based cleaner (P21S Total Auto Wash) to the surface, agitate with a boar’s hair wheel brush and rinse off, dry thoroughly and then apply a polymer sealant for protection, this will also make future cleaning easier. A polymer is recommended (Klasse All-In-One or Zoopseal) as it has a higher melting temperature (350oF) compared to Carnauba wax (180oF) a wheel surface will reach a temperature in excess of 120oF due to rotor friction and in excess of 195oF when parked in the sun. 3.Stubborn brake dust- Power Wheel Cleaner, even though it does not contain harsh acids, it dissolves the adhesive that is mixed with the brake dust. (This is why brake dust is so difficult to remove.) Just spray on wheels and tires, agitate with brush if needed, and hose-off. Don't worry if you accidentally spray your vehicle's body, it will not harm the paint. http://www.topoftheline.com/ 4.Periodically remove the wheels (one at a time) to enable the back of the wheel, callipers and give better access to the wheel wells. Should the wheel surface have small scratches they can he removed with a mildly abrasive polish. Caution- avoid metal polishing products that contain anhydrous ammonia, solvents or acids, zinc, which is often present in aluminium in large quantities, can be dissolved very easily by ammonia, the related anhydrous chemicals and acids. JonM JonM

The cause, and the the cure- Fill the hole im the driveway with asphalt The cure- Use Protectall’s quick easy wash (QEW) is as effective as a regular wash, whenever there is a water shortage, cold weather washing, as it takes less time, or if a water hose is not available (condominiums, car shows, etc) www.protectall.com JonM

Removing Oxidation or scratches from Vehicle headlights, Brake lights (polycarbonate) Most vehicles now have a protective, transparent, plastic lens covering the headlights to protect expensive lamps (headlight assemblies range from 500-$700+) from flying stones and road debris. They discolour over time, becoming opaque and cloudy; these lenses can severely restrict the amount of light reaching the road. The lens has a silicone-based coating applied to its outer surface, some manufacturers apply two different types of coatings to the outer surface of the lens, these coatings are mainly for UVR protection, but are also for impact and abrasion resistance, once the coating (s) fail the lens surface will occlude (clouding or yellowing) While most of the cloudiness is on the surface, severely discoloured lens cannot be brought back to optical clarity. If you live in a southern state, this discoloration can become noticeable in as little as two-years. You could also use a metal polish (Reckitt and Coleman’s Brasso®) Protecting Headlights against Stone Chips: Protect your headlights from stone chips, scratches and yellowing by fitting X-PelTM clear headlight protection. The pressed polished thermoplastic vinyl is optically clear (headlamp protection material blocks less that one tenth of one percent (0.1%) and will not significantly reduce lighting effectiveness. The 40 Mil vinyl is flexible enough to adhere to contours and will withstand kicked-up road gravel travelling in excess of I20-mph. Fill a 16 oz spray bottle with distilled water and 3-4 ¼-inch sized drops of liquid detergent as a lubricant, plus it prevents the water from evaporating too quickly. Spray both the film and the headlight and place in position. The 3M™ adhesive backing ensures that they are easily fitted, plus their UVR inhibitors will resist yellowing and fading (autosportcatalog.com) JonM

Seat Belts: •Clean seat belts with a Woolite® distilled water solution. •For spot stains use a fabric cleaner (303 Cleaner & Spot RemoverTM) •Pull the belts from the retractor and gently close the door on the belt, clean and allow to air dry before opening the door and retracting the belt. •Do not use bleach or strong detergents, or dye on the seat belts as this may severely weaken them and render them ineffective in a crash. •Once fabric is dry apply a fabric protection (303TM High Tech Fabric Guard) JonM

A polish contains an abrasive for removing surface scratches, but I don’t understand the requirement to wait for four hours between coats, polish does not have a set-up time like wax nor a curing period requirement like a polymer sealant, and there is no need to use ‘coats’ of polish as the second coats abrasives would remove the first coat, and etc. 1.Wash 2. Use detailers Clay 3.Polish (if there are surface scratches that need to be removed) 4.Wax to provide surface protection (once applied wait for approx 10-20 minutes and wipe a finger across the waxed surface if your finger does not cause the wax to smear buff the reside to a shine. If you want to apply further coats of wax repeat the above after 1-2 hours JonM

Bug Carcasses: They produce what acts like a super-adhesive on impact you almost need a crowbar to separate any of these substances from the paint, windshield or front end of your car. If left for any amount of time the acid will etch the glass or paint surface Take your time and be careful with its removal, they contain acids and should be removed and/or neutralized as quickly as possible. Using an IPA (isopropyl alcohol) a non-ammonia based (ammonia acts as an acid accelerant) glass cleaner, or a gel alcohol hand cleaner (Purell®) place a small amount onto the immediate area, let dwell for about for 2-3 minutes or so and then either remove with a Pinnacle Bug Sponge (autogeek.net) or use detailers clay to encapsulate it, and flush with water to rinse away and wipe dry. Avoid using a QD spray to flush residue, as they contain carnauba wax, which will seal the acid and not allow it to dissipate. Using an alkaline rinse of baking soda and water (to neutralize the acid) as soon as is practical is highly recommended, if the paint or glass surface has been etched the surface can be levelled with a suitable polish and then apply a paint protection. JonM

I'm sure someone here can give you an idea on the cost of repairing stone chips, it really is an easy DIY project that there are a few posts on as to the methodology. One point I'd like to mention- sealing rust is never a good idea, when a paint surface is hot the 'plastic' paint and the polumer sealant expand exposing the paints surface micro fissures, water becomes a catalyst and a carrier system for the reactivated acid, which will spread until the water evaporates. This cycle repeats itself. JohM

Cleaning – Conditioning - Ultra Violet Radiation protection 1. Cleaning- use a soft horse hair brush (Groit's Leather & Interior Brush) and/or a vacuum to remove any dust, apply a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 6:1 ratio or stronger) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time (i.e. a seat back). To remove stubborn dirt or grime gently agitate the surface with a boar's hair cleaning brush (this will not harm the leather) then use a clean, damp Microfiber towel to rinse. Maintenance cleaning- use a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 10:1 ratio) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time Stubborn stains- dependent upon the leathers condition or how dirty it is consider using a leather-cleaning product. (Leatherique's Prestine Clean, Groit's Leather Cleaner or Autoglym Leather Cleaner) 2. Conditioning- recommend a preventative maintenance routine three to four times a year, once prior to the winter season to prevent cold temperatures cracking the leather, and once before the heat of the summer to prevent deterioration and shrinkage by heat, which result in continued cracking of leather. In addition to regular cleaning, leather requires replacement of natural oils; Collagen-based products restore the lost moisture and maintain its natural flexibility. The smell of leather comes from oils evaporating out of the hide. Do not use a vinyl product as a conditioner on leather and above all try to avoid raw silicone oil based products, as the silicone oil will dissolve the leather's natural oils and tend to make the leather sticky, silicone oils also have a very high electrostatic (static) attraction to dust and dirt particle. Schedule: Once every 30-60 days, Arizona, Florida and Texas, especially in summer, for northern climates between 90-120 days, use a leather conditioner to restore these natural oils and keep the leather soft and supple. (Criot's Leather Care, Autoglym Leather Care Cream, Zanio Z10 Leather in a Bottle or Zymol Treat leather cleaners are all good maintenance products) 3. Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) Protection - you should consider additional sunscreen protection (especially if you own a convertible) leather conditioners typically do not offer any UV screening. *[The best solution is to alternate between a leather conditioner and a, ultra violet radiation (UVR) protection (303™ Aerospace Protectant)] One month use a conditioner to keep the leather healthy and supple. On alternate months mist and wipe the leather with a UV protectant. After application allow 60 minutes for product to cure, then using a 100% cotton cloth lightly buff surface. 4. Leather Upholstery Renovation (Using Leatherique Products): Keeping leather clean is important, but conditioning is the key to preserving the life-flexibility – appearance- and longevity of leather upholstery. JonM * [ Edited 08.17.05 01:25 PM to add 303 Aerospace Protectant]

Hello! You can try those covers that goes inside between the rotor and rim, I think I saw them on e-bay. You can also try ceramic pads which I installed on my sister's Montero and I haven't spend much time cleaning the rims as I used to after switching to ceramics. I will install them on my RX when the right time comes. Cheers! ← I would second the ceramic brake pads-Ceramic brake pads incorporate a formula that includes ceramic materials and utilizes less metal (approximately 15% metal content by weight). Ceramic brake pads combine exceptional braking power with very quiet and low-dust braking Just a thought on the mettallic Kleen Wheel Dust Sheilds, they tend to make the brakes run 'hotter' due to restricted airflow, this may or may not be a concern for you, just something to be aware of JonM

A RO buffer is not absolutley necessary but it makes the application of a polish easier and more efficient, applying a sealant with a ROB ensures a thin even coat , which is difficult to obatin by hand (difficult but not impossible) Buy as many MF towels as immediate funds allow (you can buy more in time) Same goes for the foam pad 'starter kit'- Foam Pad Starter Kit: •1-Light Cutting Pad (Orange) •1- Polish /light cutting (Green) •2-Polish / Waxing Pad (Blue) •2-Finishing Bonnets •1-5-inch DAS FlexPlate Urethane Backing Plate •Use speed # 4.5-5.0 for machine polishing Autopia uses the above colours for their Autopia DAS Sonus Foam Pads JonM

For spot cleaning I would recommend 303 Cleaner & Spot Remover, using a damp micro fibre cloth spray it onto the cloth (not the headliner) and blot area (do not saturate headliner as they can delaminate very easily and are difficult to reinstall) until spot is removed, this may take 2-3 passes to avoid saturating the headliner blot dry between each pass. JonM PS: Greetings from Marsh Landing, PVB

This is the vehicle detailing section. . . When this happened on my Lexus I opened the gas cap and then closed it again problem resolved. . .

You might want to consider a 'Starter Package' most of the well known vendors have their own version, this is what I would recommkend for a begineer- Constant Pressure (LC) 6-inch Foam Pad Starter Kit: A constant pressure foam pad, this is essentially a flat 6-inch pad which uses a patented technology layer of engineered, instant rebound foam between the pad and the backing plate to absorb off-axis movements while keeping the pressure of the pad on the surface constant. These European pads are made from engineered, thermally reticulated (exploded open cell) foams with a 99% open cell structure, specifically designed for compounding, polishing and finishing. Blue "Constant Pressure" foam backing absorbs any unwanted ‘off-axis’ polishing motions (ideal for the inexperienced user) Constant Pressure Foam Pad Starter Kit: •1-Polish / Cutting Pad (*Yellow) •2-Polish / Light Cutting Pad (*Orange) •2-Polish / Waxing Pad (*White) •2-Finishing Pad (*Black) •1-5-inch Flexible Urethane Backing Plate *The foam pad colour identifications and specifications are by Lake County Manufacturing (LC) www.lakecountrymfg.com other manufactures of foam pads use a different colour to identify the abrasiveness or cutting ability of their foam pads, they can be purchased at www.properautocare.com. JonM

A US power tool company, Porter-Cable established in 1914, began manufacturing an electrically operated Variable-Speed Random-Orbit Polisher for the wood working industry in the 1990s. It is now one of the most popular tools used by professional and enthusiast automotive detailers. Often known by the companies initials PC (Porter-Cable) but also called a ROB (random orbital buffer) or DA (duel action) polisher There are two model numbers 7336SP and 7424 both machines are identical, but they come equipped slightly differently. The 7336SP, sander polisher comes with a 6-inch counterweight; Porter-Cable outfits the 7424 Polisher with a 5-inch counterweight and a 6-inch foam-polishing pad, PN 54745. To polish the paint film surface with a random orbital polisher requires a backing plate, a Velcro-backed foam pad, and a machine polish. The variables are; orbital speed, pressure applied, foam pad composition, whether foam is used wet or dry, and the abrasiveness (cutting ability) of the applied machine polish, and no single machine polish can do it all; it usually takes at least two or more to obtain the results required. The only constant is; Always use the least aggressive product first, evaluate the surface, then only if necessary, `step-up' to a more abrasive products. JonM

As SW03ES has eluded to the best product to make a vehicle paint shine is called surface preparation, once you've 'applied' this any wax/sealant you apply will be the best shine. (if it came in a bottle I would not be able to charge $300+ for a vehicle detail The aesthetics of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you... It really does all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application method and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder. JonM

Least abrasive product first- 1. This glass cleaner (Glass Scrub™) removes insect smear, road oils, mineral deposits, lime scale, tree sap and more. A heavy-duty, cream cleanser that deep cleans auto glass safely and effectively without strong acids, alkalis, phosphates or solvents. It is specifically formulated to clean glass without scratching. The best time to use Glass Scrub is after you've washed the car but before you dry it. The glass must still be wet. I apply a small amount of product on a folded Glass Cleaning Cloth rubbing the glass in circular motions making sure to apply to all areas thoroughly. Flip the cloth to a clean dry surface and rub again. http://properautocare.com 2. Glass Polishing Kit for Deep Scratches: Most glass polishers contain Cerium Oxide an optical polishing compound (belonging to the group of elements known as rare earth) all necessary precautions should be used with regard to the dust produced. Removes deep scratches from automotive glass and save the replacement costs, this abrasive system literally grinds away imperfections until scratches disappear, works best with a HS Rotary set at 1500-2000 RPM. Warning- this system removes glass, maintain a wet surface and keep pad moving to avoid heat build-up an avoid causing optical distortion Eastwoods kit includes: self-adhering hook and loop pad, coarse, medium and fine abrasives. (Pro Glass Polishing Kit (40011) and instructions from Eastwood.com) JonM

Try 303 Cleaner & Spot Remover, apply product and let it dwell for 5-10 mins before remoal, it may take 2-3 applications to remove these stains (especially the red dye) JonM

Quick detailing was developed for those times when your vehicle needs fast complete touch-up between regular waxing, or the removal of fingerprints and for light road dust / debris. It is not meant as a replacement for vehicle washing if there is significant oil, road grease or grime. From daily commute driver to concourse show car, QD is quick and easy to use. Bear in mind that they comprise approx 80% water so they will not provide long term protection to a paint surface. *I* would compleatly wash a car before the application of a wax or sealant. PS: Removing water spots, especially if they are etched into the clear coat is another issue, which QD offers little to no protection from JonM

A well maintained and cared for automobile not only looks good but also worth much more when the time comes to sell it. Every week-end you’ll find people washing and cleaning their vehicles, some doing the bare minimum and some who find it therapeutic; washing away the stress of daily life (some have even called it their ‘golf’) JonM

Conditioning and Protecting: Don't miss this very important step. Once your interior is clean, you should use a conditioning/protection product (303TM High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition. JonM

Recommended products- •Urethane Coated Leather- use Groit's Leather Care or Zanio Z-10 Leather in a bottle •Vinyl or MB-Tex Covered leather- use Groit's Leather Rejuvenator or Leatherique Prestine Clean Note: Lexus LS430 and SC430 have uncoated leather. All Lexus made before the 2001-2004 revamp have coated leather. Mercedes-Benz have a Premium Leather Package (top grain hide, use Leatherique or Connolly Hide Care) coated leather and MB-Tex (Vinyl) Note: Connolly Leather Hide Care, this product may not be compatible with covered leather and could damage the urethane. JonM

The suction cups are made from vinyl and the suns heat causes (out-gassing) this is the plasticizer evaporating. A 1:1 solution (or stronger) of Isopropyl alcohol and distilled water will remove this residue. JonM

I would agree it sounds like excess product. Apply a cleaning solution (Water /Woolite® or Dreft® 6:1 ratio or stronger) on to an applicator pad and apply to one area at a time (i.e. a seat back). To remove stubborn dirt or grime gently agitate the surface with a boar's hair cleaning brush (this will not harm the leather) then use a clean, damp Microfiber towel to rinse. JonM

Repairing Cuts and Tears: A cut through the leather must be repaired with a patch on the underside. Methodology •Clean and prepare the leather surfaces as in 10a above •Slice through with a one-sided razor blade to gain access to the underside. The leather patch must be larger than the cut, work the patch into the hole so it can be glued to the underside of the seat leather, suede sides together. •Use suitable leather adhesive that can be sanded (Rightlook leather adhesive, Rightlook.com) do not use contact cement because it adheres instantly when the two surfaces touch, which would prevent an inside patch from being worked into position. •Apply the glue through the hole so that both the seat leather and patch are coated •Work the patch into place, then press the two pieces together and hold them there until the glue sets up. After the glue has cured fill the repaired cut with flexible filler JonM