Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Thought I'd C&P this one across as there's been a few clean car threads recently 
This is a mates car, he picked it up in September / October last year from Manchester. Another mate cleaned it up for him, stuck a coat of Collinite etc on it, and since then it's just been used, not touched at all 
TBH it wasn't horrendous. Worst bit was the amount of tar on it - used about 1l of Tardis on it! Few poor resprayed areas too which I didn't know about - as this is the first time I've actually seen the car in daylight since he bought it
He wanted it cleaned up to get it looking more presentable again and for it to be a bit easier for him to maintain it in the future, so I decided to put it through a protection detail and interior valet.
No interior pics as the interior was actually pretty tidy, and my before pics of it were awful due to the sun :bang
First up, thorough pre rinse with AS Hazsafe to lower halves and rinsed off.
Next tyres and arches with G101 and a Vikan brush, wheels with VP Blue Gel (fronts needed AS Treble X in places as they were very stained) and various brushes. They've had a poor refurb in the past though unfortunately, so the inners didn't come up all that well. They were also visited later with Tardis to remove numerous tar spots. All rinsed off.
Bodywork washed via TBM, wash mitt and AS Autowash, misted with diluted AS Tango and dried off with RD Miracle Driers.
I then set about the laborious task of de tarring, which as I mentioned above was a bit of a task! Approx 1l of Tardis later it was looking a whole lot better.
Clay surprisingly wasn't necessary - the Collinite seemed to have done it's job and there was still signs of a small amount of beading during the wash stages - the paint still felt very smooth and a test panel removed very little.
Next up, full hand polish with AS Platinum, and topped with AS Wax. Wheels sealed with CG Jetseal, exhausts polished with fine wire wool and Britemax twins. Door shuts cleaned with AS Tango, windows with Nielsens Blue Window, Tyres dressed with VP Pro tyre dressing. I also gave the paintwork a final wipe down with AS Reglaze at the end.
With the exterior finished I tackled the interior;
Full hoover, mats shampooed with AS Brisk foam, leather cleaned with AS leather cleaner, conditioned with Gliptone. Plastics wiped down with AS Multifresh.
Some 4 hours later:
I know some of the pics aren't quite the same in before & afters, sorry, not bothered taking many pics for a while so a bit out of practise
Thanks for looking. Comments, questions, constructive criticism welcome as per usual 
Cheers
Rich
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Aleex
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Registered: 21st Jul 09
Location: Plymouth
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like that a4 (:
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JONTYGSI
Banned
Registered: 14th Mar 10
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nothing special tbh
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Leighton
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Registered: 21st Feb 01
Location: Liverpool
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wana come do my A3 
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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I thought it had dark grey wheels on it
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Jamescorsa97
Member
Registered: 19th Aug 04
Location: Middlesbrough Drives: Cliosport 182
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
I thought it had dark grey wheels on it
haha same ehere mate.
Unreal how mucky they are!
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Fad
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Registered: 1st Feb 01
Location: Dartford Kent Drives: 330cd
User status: Offline
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Very nice Rich 
[Edited on 15-03-2010 by Fad]
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
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no just a few thousand miles of dirt on them - it got used a fair amount back when there was snow so it was quite built up with grime - hence the use of acid on them to get them remotely clean!
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ed
Member
Registered: 10th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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Is that Tardis stiff better than Auto Glym Tar Remover? I noticed a hell of a lot of tar on my car when I cleaned it at the weekend. The Auto Glym seemed to do the job, but needed to be worked it a bit. I was a bit worried about swirling up the paint...
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Nic Barnes
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Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
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i envy the level of detail in your work.
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connollygt30
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Registered: 16th Nov 08
Location: West Lothian
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quote:
Originally posted by JONTYGSI
nothing special tbh
Another newbie arsehole eh? 
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Ed - Million and one times better mate - I've tried most of them now and this by far the best one. Literally spray on a panel at a time, leave to work for 30 secs or so and it's dissolves the tar - you then just wipe it off with an old MF or blue roll.
Nic -  Thanks mate, I remember the days of being "hamman" and being the bain of your life
[Edited on 15-03-2010 by Rich H]
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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I've run out of wax and polish too, so I think I'll make an order from you in a few weeks time
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by ed
I've run out of wax and polish too, so I think I'll make an order from you in a few weeks time
Okie dokie mate, I am not bothering to stock Dodo waxes any more as they have become a very slow seller for me due to the amount of people who are now resellers, but still have Collinite wax and will be getting the Autosmart wax (as used on this) in very soon
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sand-eel
Member
Registered: 15th Mar 07
Location: carluke/braidwood--IRNBRULAND
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I've got tardis, it is bloody good.
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AndyKent
Member
Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Problem with my dodo wax is that it lasts so bloody long. I honestly don't think I'll use all of it for about 5 years
Audi looks awesome though 
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Scotty_B
Member
Registered: 11th Jun 03
Location: East Kilbride
User status: Offline
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Rich is that the tyre paint you've used?
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Daveskater
Premium Member
Registered: 29th Apr 08
Location: Oxford, UK Drives: Jap wagon
User status: Offline
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Looking good and then some Rich
I think Andy's right about the Dodo, it lasts forever which is probably one contributor to sales dropping I gave my C a coat with a panel pot and it didn't even use that much of it.
Numberwang!
Originally posted by AlunJ
I like you Dave, you are a man of men
Originally Whatapp'd by Neo
Dave's maybe capable of a drive-by cuddle
Look at my pictures
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deano87
Member
Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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excellent work as usual.
Tar spots on my car are horrendous. I'm waiting for the summer before I go proper mental on it.
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SVM 286
Member
Registered: 13th Feb 05
Location: pain
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
Ed - Million and one times better mate - I've tried most of them now and this by far the best one. Literally spray on a panel at a time, leave to work for 30 secs or so and it's dissolves the tar - you then just wipe it off with an old MF or blue roll.
Nic - Thanks mate, I remember the days of being "hamman" and being the bain of your life
[Edited on 15-03-2010 by Rich H]
Tardis is good stuff isn't Rich. I've been using it for years.
Not very good for humans though. 
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RS6
Member
Registered: 5th Nov 03
Location: with MJ
User status: Offline
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rich that looks mint
can't wait to get you to de-swirl mine
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Rich H
Member
Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
User status: Offline
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Cheers for all the comments guys I'll try not to post these too often as I know they can get boring for y'all, but thought this one had quite a good before and after to it
I can get in the 5L of Tardis for people, or supply 500ml bottles if anybody wants to give it a go - I'm going to be changing the sort of products I sell to the ones that are harder to get hold of etc
Scotty_B - It's a slightly different one that I've used, but gives the same finish
Dave - Maybe, but I also have a lot of people on here who ask me to suggest them a Dodo wax, then I never hear back as they then go and buy it from another online reseller. I don't have room of spare money to stock products that don't shift - I'm not changing my view on the Dodo products, I still love them, but having to get my business head on a bit more
James - Cheers mate - you know where I am when you want to get yours booked in
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connollygt30
Member
Registered: 16th Nov 08
Location: West Lothian
User status: Offline
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Rich do you fancy a jont upto scotland? lol
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