A novice's master plan to caring for the IS300H...

[newtolexus2017]

Hello everyone,

 

This forum has been an absolute god-send so far so thanks for all the advice everyone's been putting in. I'm picking up my IS300h F-sport in F-sport white this weekend and want to start thinking about all the kit I will need to care for it properly. I've read around a bit but I'm really a complete novice when it comes to maintaining a car, so want to get your thoughts around my "master plan" for trying to keep the car in mint condition...

 

Exterior :

1. Body: Get 2 buckets and wash with soapy water using a sponge, then wipe clean with micro-fibre cloth. Every 6 months, apply generic car wax (ebay/amazon?) and buff off using micro fibre cloth. Do I even need things like Meguiar (never used anything like that before).

2. Wheels: Again, use bucket/soapy water/sponge to clean the break dust / other dirt off the rims. Is that sufficient? 

3. Windows: We live in a car water area so it's a bit annoying but I'm assuming nothing more than soapy water and sponge.

Interior:

1. F-sport seats: hoover and micro fibre

2. Carpets: hoover

3. Plastics/leather: micro fibre, and leather wipes?

 

Please now rip it apart...

[Farqui]

For cleaning info have a look at the guides here; http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/index.php?_a=viewDoc&docId=5

and here; http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=17

[NemesisUK]

1. Wash with a lambs wool mitt rather than a sponge. Rinse well and dry with one or two large drying towels. If you use a good quality wax such as Collinite 915 you should be able to go a good 3months between waxing. Just check how the water beads to see when it needs doing again.

2. Use Wheel Woolies to get into the barrel of the wheels and keep the insides clean. Again a good quality wax will help make cleaning easier.

3. I usually finish the windows with a proprietary glass cleaner, get rid of those annoying smears and water spots.

Inside

1. Vacuum seats carefully then wipe down with a damp microfibre cloth, dry with another clean cloth. Every 2-3 months a good clean with a cloth dampened with 5% wool detergent in water. Wipe over with clean cloth dampened with clean water. Dry.

2. Vacuum carpets after removing the over mats. Give the mats a good beating!

3. wipe trim with an interior quick detailer spray applied with a microfibre cloth.

[newtolexus2017]

13 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

1. Wash with a lambs wool mitt rather than a sponge. Rinse well and dry with one or two large drying towels. If you use a good quality wax such as Collinite 915 you should be able to go a good 3months between waxing. Just check how the water beads to see when it needs doing again.

2. Use Wheel Woolies to get into the barrel of the wheels and keep the insides clean. Again a good quality wax will help make cleaning easier.

3. I usually finish the windows with a proprietary glass cleaner, get rid of those annoying smears and water spots.

Inside

1. Vacuum seats carefully then wipe down with a damp microfibre cloth, dry with another clean cloth. Every 2-3 months a good clean with a cloth dampened with 5% wool detergent in water. Wipe over with clean cloth dampened with clean water. Dry.

2. Vacuum carpets after removing the over mats. Give the mats a good beating!

3. wipe trim with an interior quick detailer spray applied with a microfibre cloth.

Thanks! It sounds like all I will need is to check out some lambs wool mitt, collinite 915 wax, some wheel woollies and glass cleaner.

[J Henderson]

To add to NemesisUK's very good advice. I'd recommend getting into the habit of doing a "pre-wash" instead of going straight to the bucket & mitt. That way you can remove or loosen most of the dirt without even touching the bodywork directly, which'll minimize the risk of scratches and swirls.

I used to enjoy using snow foam for this purpose, and I might start doing so again when the better weather arrives...but lately, I've been soaking the car with PowerMaxed TFR diluted to around 1:10 ratio with a cheap ASDA Pump Sprayer. Whilst it dwells on the bodywork for around 10mins, I then work the product into the badges, wheels, nooks & crannies etc with some cheap soft detailing brushes and then thoroughly rinse off with a pressure washer.

 

[newtolexus2017]

1 hour ago, J Henderson said:

To add to NemesisUK's very good advice. I'd recommend getting into the habit of doing a "pre-wash" instead of going straight to the bucket & mitt. That way you can remove or loosen most of the dirt without even touching the bodywork directly, which'll minimize the risk of scratches and swirls.

I used to enjoy using snow foam for this purpose, and I might start doing so again when the better weather arrives...but lately, I've been soaking the car with PowerMaxed TFR diluted to around 1:10 ratio with a cheap ASDA Pump Sprayer. Whilst it dwells on the bodywork for around 10mins, I then work the product into the badges, wheels, nooks & crannies etc with some cheap soft detailing brushes and then thoroughly rinse off with a pressure washer.

 

Thanks very much!

 

But after using this Asda product (thanks for this as I live just 15 mins drive to a massive one), and then using a pressure washer, is there any need to use a bucket / wool mitts at all...?

[J Henderson]

There is if you want your car spotlessly clean, but I sometimes just perform the above "touchless wash" and leave as is if I'm pushed for time.

[rayaans]

On 3/15/2017 at 2:01 PM, newtolexus2017 said:

Hello everyone,

 

This forum has been an absolute god-send so far so thanks for all the advice everyone's been putting in. I'm picking up my IS300h F-sport in F-sport white this weekend and want to start thinking about all the kit I will need to care for it properly. I've read around a bit but I'm really a complete novice when it comes to maintaining a car, so want to get your thoughts around my "master plan" for trying to keep the car in mint condition...

 

Exterior :

1. Body: Get 2 buckets and wash with soapy water using a sponge, then wipe clean with micro-fibre cloth. Every 6 months, apply generic car wax (ebay/amazon?) and buff off using micro fibre cloth. Do I even need things like Meguiar (never used anything like that before).

2. Wheels: Again, use bucket/soapy water/sponge to clean the break dust / other dirt off the rims. Is that sufficient? 

3. Windows: We live in a car water area so it's a bit annoying but I'm assuming nothing more than soapy water and sponge.

Interior:

1. F-sport seats: hoover and micro fibre

2. Carpets: hoover

3. Plastics/leather: micro fibre, and leather wipes?

 

Please now rip it apart...

You may find the following thread useful. 

I have a complete detailing guide available to download in there. 

Additionally, I wouldn't advise using TFR unless doing a full detail. It degrades any protection on the car, especially the PowerMaxed TFR (ask me how I know)

[Farqui]

Thanks, I did wonder if the TFR was aggressive to any protection. No doubt it gets the car clean tho!

[rayaans]

52 minutes ago, Farqui said:

Thanks, I did wonder if the TFR was aggressive to any protection. No doubt it gets the car clean tho!

Its actually pretty potent stuff. 

From my experience, it can stain the plastics and paint. Quite a few of my friends (who dont know better and use hand/automatic car washes) have had issues with it. 

Its a hit with the car wash guys though, gets the car clean without having to do much!

Top tip right here - when buying a relatively young second hand car, check the sills under the doors. If they're bubbling/rusted 90% of the time its had TFR around the bottom.

[newtolexus2017]

On ‎16‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 9:02 PM, rayaans said:

Its actually pretty potent stuff. 

From my experience, it can stain the plastics and paint. Quite a few of my friends (who dont know better and use hand/automatic car washes) have had issues with it. 

Its a hit with the car wash guys though, gets the car clean without having to do much!

Top tip right here - when buying a relatively young second hand car, check the sills under the doors. If they're bubbling/rusted 90% of the time its had TFR around the bottom.

I don't know how I missed this before but just opened up your PDF guide on how to detail the lexus.

So far I've washed the car using a mild soapy solution and will check out your guide on how to wax etc this weekend... will let you know how it goes.

[Caspa]

Someone wanna do mine? 

[TechyD]

Cleanyourcar is a great website - super customer service and the loyalty cash back really adds up :-)

I recommend the carlacl car shampoo as it's wax friendly and helps re-grease the surface.

I've previously been a fan of Collinite 576s for a black Civic that I had between 2007-2010, superb beading and longevity, better than the 915 I used on subsequent Red Golf GTD. But then I found Bilt Hamber - and their products are really excellent, the beading doesn't quite top the 576s but it's much easier to use and lasts 5-6 months before I need to redo it. Their clay bars are excellent as well!

 

[baxlin]

OK, if TFR is a no-no, and I don't have a snowfoam lance, what should I use for, and how do I apply it, as a pre wash?  Usually I give the car a good hose down with a spray attachment, I don't like the thought of a power washer.  

The car has Poorboys Black Hole, AG SRP, followed by AG UGP.   I used to use BH Autobalm, but found it harder to work with, so reverted to AG.

I use Megs Last Touch as a drying aid, (and watermark remover if necessary as I live in a very hard water area) after each wash.

[J Henderson]

Well you could still use a PH-neutral snowfoam, but through a pump sprayer instead of a pressure washer and lance.

 

FWIW, I've not had any issues using the TFR mentioned earlier. The manufacturer claims its "LSP safe" when diluted to approx 1:10 ratio and that's how I've been using it.

It will no doubt erode any protection on the car faster than the aforementioned snowfoam but that's of no concern to me personally as I enjoy detailing my car and will apply umpteen coats of wax/sealant over the course of a year.

 

I would definitely think twice about using a TFR if I had shelled out big bucks for a professionally-applied ceramic coating though! ☺

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

 

[Casa1862]

It's the interior cleaning that concerns me, I got just the smallest drop of Auto Glym Plastic and rubber cleaner on the sat nav screen and it left a mark when I tried to remove it, luckily at the bottom of the screen so not that visible. The screens are so delicate that anything marks it. I think I'll going to make a little cut out template to cover the screen when I'm cleaning it. 

The Autoglym certainly hide some of marks I had above the glove box near the passenger airbag.

[newtolexus2017]

Hello,

I've just finished my first ever "detailing" of the car. So:

1. Washed - used Autglym Shampoo Conditioner. This felt almost like water because it's not very concentrated after mixing in accordance with instructions, however it does remove all the dirt and the water that comes back is pretty much black...

2. Polished - used Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I was so wary of using this after reading the comments about how it's removing a layer of paint, so I was pretty gentle and initially I was quite dubious as to whether it was doing anything at all. But after buffing it off, I could see that there were no swirls anymore which really made quite a massive difference to how the car looked.

3. Glazed - used Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. This was wonderful - it was a liquid so had to be pretty careful not to get it everywhere, took 30 minutes to dry before buffing off but then the car just felt so much more protected, very reflective and clean.

The proof will be in the pudding however so will see how it feels like to wash with shampoo next week and how long the protective gloss protection actually lasts!

 

[rayaans]

9 hours ago, baxlin said:

OK, if TFR is a no-no, and I don't have a snowfoam lance, what should I use for, and how do I apply it, as a pre wash?  Usually I give the car a good hose down with a spray attachment, I don't like the thought of a power washer.  

The car has Poorboys Black Hole, AG SRP, followed by AG UGP.   I used to use BH Autobalm, but found it harder to work with, so reverted to AG.

I use Megs Last Touch as a drying aid, (and watermark remover if necessary as I live in a very hard water area) after each wash.

Snowfoam in one of those cheap pressurized sprayers works fairly well. 

Ive never needed to use TFR to be honest - (and I managed to get concrete on my car once) 

[J Henderson]

1 hour ago, newtolexus2017 said:

Hello,

I've just finished my first ever "detailing" of the car. So:

1. Washed - used Autglym Shampoo Conditioner. This felt almost like water because it's not very concentrated after mixing in accordance with instructions, however it does remove all the dirt and the water that comes back is pretty much black...

Yes, I've been using this for a few years and even if you put in double or triple the recommended dosage, it will never be mega soapy with loads of suds. Half-way through a car and I will sometimes have to double-check which is the wash bucket and which is the rinse. It is good stuff though and just a basic wash with it and nothing else will leave a car nice and shiny since it has some gloss-enhancers and leaves a wax-like finish. Their new Ultra High Definition shampoo is the one to go for if you want rich and long-lasting soapy suds.

[rayaans]

7 hours ago, newtolexus2017 said:

Hello,

I've just finished my first ever "detailing" of the car. So:

1. Washed - used Autglym Shampoo Conditioner. This felt almost like water because it's not very concentrated after mixing in accordance with instructions, however it does remove all the dirt and the water that comes back is pretty much black...

2. Polished - used Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I was so wary of using this after reading the comments about how it's removing a layer of paint, so I was pretty gentle and initially I was quite dubious as to whether it was doing anything at all. But after buffing it off, I could see that there were no swirls anymore which really made quite a massive difference to how the car looked.

3. Glazed - used Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. This was wonderful - it was a liquid so had to be pretty careful not to get it everywhere, took 30 minutes to dry before buffing off but then the car just felt so much more protected, very reflective and clean.

The proof will be in the pudding however so will see how it feels like to wash with shampoo next week and how long the protective gloss protection actually lasts!

 

Dont worry about bubbles

Lubricity makes the difference - suds just look pretty

The only problem with the AG Shampoo Conditioner is that it has lots of "extra" bits in it. PITA if you have a sealant/wax other than AG on the car as it interferes with the beading of the original product by layering itself on top of it. 

I personally prefer Carchem 1900:1. Hands down best shampoo ive used.  I think I bought it in 5l of Leather Oak scent - gives a nice woody smell

[TechyD]

On 11/04/2017 at 4:03 PM, newtolexus2017 said:

Hello,

I've just finished my first ever "detailing" of the car. So:

1. Washed - used Autglym Shampoo Conditioner. This felt almost like water because it's not very concentrated after mixing in accordance with instructions, however it does remove all the dirt and the water that comes back is pretty much black...

2. Polished - used Autoglym Super Resin Polish. I was so wary of using this after reading the comments about how it's removing a layer of paint, so I was pretty gentle and initially I was quite dubious as to whether it was doing anything at all. But after buffing it off, I could see that there were no swirls anymore which really made quite a massive difference to how the car looked.

3. Glazed - used Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection. This was wonderful - it was a liquid so had to be pretty careful not to get it everywhere, took 30 minutes to dry before buffing off but then the car just felt so much more protected, very reflective and clean.

The proof will be in the pudding however so will see how it feels like to wash with shampoo next week and how long the protective gloss protection actually lasts!

 

This is exactly what Did on a Civc I had in Nighthawk black! It looked ace and you'll find a quick wash once a week is all you need now! If it were me id also top the EGP with some collinite 576s

rhe tricky thing now is the water marks and drying - I've just washed my IS (it's in Velvet black and 2.5 weeks old!) and I already have swirl marks which is so annoying on black cars they really stick out!

Need to get myself a decent silicon blade and plan in some SPR to fill those swirls myself!

 

[tayaste]

I never dry my cars..  I always rinse with a twin DI vessel setup I have and never have water spots .. Worth a go 

[rayaans]

3 hours ago, TechyD said:

This is exactly what Did on a Civc I had in Nighthawk black! It looked ace and you'll find a quick wash once a week is all you need now! If it were me id also top the EGP with some collinite 576s

rhe tricky thing now is the water marks and drying - I've just washed my IS (it's in Velvet black and 2.5 weeks old!) and I already have swirl marks which is so annoying on black cars they really stick out!

Need to get myself a decent silicon blade and plan in some SPR to fill those swirls myself!

 

Why would you put 476s on it?

Its a pure wax with nothing else in it so actually won't change the appearance - only the beading and longevity.

[NemesisUK]

4 hours ago, TechyD said:

rhe tricky thing now is the water marks and drying - I've just washed my IS (it's in Velvet black and 2.5 weeks old!) and I already have swirl marks which is so annoying on black cars they really stick out!

Need to get myself a decent silicon blade and plan in some SPR to fill those swirls myself!

 

DI water rinse is the way forward. No water marks and no need to dry...

http://www.theultimatefinish.co.uk/aqua-gleam/0ppm-de-ionising-water-filter-12.aspx

[TechyD]

1 hour ago, rayaans said:

Why would you put 476s on it?

Its a pure wax with nothing else in it so actually won't change the appearance - only the beading and longevity.

Ummm...exactly those reasons! Plus it's detergent proof, or at least pretty good at it as long as you don't use the wash and wax all in products or very strong shampoos.

I found adding it as a top layer really finished it off - super smooth paint work, easy to clean and long lasting, 6 months in my experience :-)