Spring medium detail (other car)

Well, it's spring or at least the weather was nice for a few days. To be honest this is by far the dirtiest my M4 has ever been. I called on Lance to come out and do a basic wash and seal, wheel barrels, clean some dirt off the Silverstone leather and vacuum.

Some people have asked about how I keep my cars clean so I thought I'd make a note.

I normally clean my car every couple weeks from spring through fall with usually 3 details from Lance. He also does my Ferrari 2x or more a year. The BMW is a daily so it gets dirty where the 355 usually only gets rained on a couple times a year.

To me you have some levels of detailing/cleaning:

1. Dry Wash - dry wash, wipe interior, glass, and vacuum
2. Wet Wash - double foam wash, wipe interior, glass, and vacuum
3. Wash/preserve - #2 plus sealant (like a wax), clean and treat leather, includes wheel barrels
4. Concourse - on a lift, wheels off, engine, trunk wheel wells, maybe seats out, carpet cleaned as required. Note this isn't Pebble beach level but a white glove can be used to look for dirt and the glove should be clean (assuming not getting under the car etc.)

Additional items

1. Polish - #3 plus a light polish
2. Correction - polish and clearbra/paint correction

Schedule

• So I do a #1 on the BMW about 3 times a year even when super dirty (to me). Usually this is in sub 40 degree weather. I have done a #1 on the Ferrari but to be fair I dust the car off with a duster, then air dust it, usually their isn't much of any dirt but rather a spot here or there.
• A #2 happens ever couple weeks for the M4 depending on weather from April to October but never on the Ferrari as I keep it clean usually.
• For #3 this happens at least 3x a year on the BMW and 2x on the Ferrari.
• For #4 this is once a year for each car with the BMW happening around April 1st and the Ferrari about July 7th.

Both cars have gone through a paint correction. This is done under 3,000-5,000 lumens of light where when completed there are no scratches after the polish (before wax/sealant) even using a dynascope. The BMW had a color sand done at 43 miles (takes out the orange peel) then fully corrected. The Ferrari was pertty swirly when I got it and it was corrected as well. After the correction the BMW got 100% Xpel (all painted surfices including the bumpers, roof etc. Not just a clear bra or "front clip". The Ferrari got STEK for the front clip, upper door, upper and lower quarter. They don'w make a big enough sheet for the roof. The bare painted surfaces have Cermaic pro (one coat) that should last 3-4 years based on the wash schedule.

Washing technique and product (#1 and #2)

• I use Adams wheel cleaner and a couple wheel brushes to poke throught the spokes and clean the barrel and calipers, a big brush for the face and tires, then a boards hair brush for the tight spost like bolt holes. I rinse twice and then go on to the body.
• I use a foam cannon and Adams car soap. I cannon the car one time (in the shade and cool paint) and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes max. Then foam it again.
• Then I take a completely clean microfiber hand mit that I pressure wash before use and put it in rinse bucket and then the soap bucket (2x soap and 1/2 water suggested to make it slimy).
• I wash the roof then rinse bucket, soap bucket, then the hood, etc. Doing only one panel at a time for each of the 15 panels. (all glass is 1 panel, trunk is two, rockers are two, doors are two, quarters are two, front/rear bumpers two, roof, hood, and two front fenders.) It doesn't take as long as it sounds.
• I rinse of the soap 2-3 times during the wash so no soap dries or streaks etc.
• I re-rinse the car and try to sheet off all the water as much as possible.
• I then use an air blower to dry the car (you can use an air hose, leaf blower*, or electric blower. *note some leaf blowers blow the exhaust out the nozzile and this is not preferred.
• Apply Car Pro Pearl (matte) tire dressing (unless I am going to the track which is super rare)

After 4 years on the BMW and 2 years on the Ferrari, few if any scratches show in 5k lumens or with a dynascope. Those that do are in the naked paint areas as Ceramic pro does a good job but it isn't a clear bra/paint protection film. Most people can't see them even in pure direct sunlight. Once it's washed and sealed, you can't see them.

I usually only do 1 and 2 and let Lance do the rest. I also like that he is mobile and comes to me.


So there are all my secrets, not that they were secret. The point here is.... paint correct the car and then try to never touch the paint even with a towel to dry it. I rarely use towels to dry and in the rare change I have to, I use very high quality Korean microfiber towels and then I blot the paint, not wipe. I do use Costco yellow microfibers for cleaning my exhaust and parts of the engine detail. Otherwsie, never on gloss paint.




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