8damien8

Hey guys,

Want to get some suggestions on how to keep my C63 507 looking all sweet and shiny.

How often do you guys suggest washing by hand? Regular hose or power wash?

Also, what do you guys suggest for:

1) What's the best soap for washing? And what's the best way to apply it?
2) What can I use to take dust off and clean all the black plastic inside?
3) What about the carbon fibre and black piano trim?
4) What's the best way to clean and maintain the leather seats?
5) Best way to clean up the black rims and the dust filled brake discs/rotors?

Want to give the car a full clean up, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you

ENV²

Wash weekly by hand using the 2 bucket method. Grit guards for each bucket. Powerwashers work better than hoses IMO. You can also buy foam lances for powerwashers and foam the car beforehand to loosen dirt and grime.

1) What's the best soap for washing? And what's the best way to apply it?
I like Chemical guys honeydew soap or Adams car shampoo

2) What can I use to take dust off and clean all the black plastic inside?
I would recommend Sonax Dashboard Cleaner for matte finishes

3) What about the carbon fibre and black piano trim?
I would use Adams interior detailer

4) What's the best way to clean and maintain the leather seats?
Full leather masters kit (stong cleaner, leather vital, and protection cream) 2x a year. My seats in my Audi S4 are full silk Nappa and look brand new 4.5 years later and its my DD. This is what I have done.

5) Best way to clean up the black rims and the dust filled brake discs/rotors?
Sonax Full effect wheel cleaner


Also, when you dry the car if you dont have a metrovac to blow it dry with heated air use something like the absorber and try not to rub a lot. Then use a wax/sealant once every 2-3 months depending on beading. I used to use a lot of Einszett glanz as my sealant wax because you can layer it but currently my favorite is Sonax Net Polymer Shield. Then pass over the car with Chemical guys V07 detail spray.

Follow these ways and your car will look brilliant for years.

chrisridebike8

1) I use a foam cannon and Chemical Guys Honey Dew Snow Foam. I apply the foam, let it sit for a min, and then use the lowest pressure nozzle to rinse it off. That softens the dirt and gets the bigg stuff off. Then I use the same soap and a microfiber mitt to wash with the 2 bucket method. Following that, I use the remaining soap in the foam cannon to coat the car one more time and then rinse the car with the hose with no nozzle to basically sheet the water off. Dry with a leaf blower.
2)microfiber towel and some vinylex.
3)microfiber towel and some quick detail spray. Treat these surfaces like painted surfaces.
4)I use mother's foaming leather cleaner and a soft horse hair brush and a microfiber towel to clean the leather. And then I coated mine with CQuartz Leather treatment which is supposed to protect the leather for a couple years. I've had it on there for about 2 months and still looks like I just put it on. It softened the leather a little too. I love this stuff.
5)I just use blue dawn, a mitt, and some wheel woolies to clean the barrels. Meguiar's D101 and a stiff bristle brush is great to get rid of any brownness from the tires.

chrisridebike8

Here's my detail thread if you are interested.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...detail-me.html

INS1GNIA

Paint - Adams detail spray is great for small touch ups/waterspots/dust, it helps make the car super smooth.

Washing - Always use 2 bucket method, I even spray off the meguiars microfiber wash mit after each panel.

Drying - Invest in Air Force Master Blaster...best thing ever!

Leather - Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil / Leatherique Prestine Clean.

akmatic63

Something not mentioned- if your exhaust tips are really dirty you can use #0000 steel wool and a good degreaser to clean it off. On my s65 it seemed as if the tips had never been properly cleaned. Make sure there is enough lubrication on the steel wool so it won't scratch the tips. I did it and it worked good, and followed it up with some metal polish (P21s polish soap).

What does everyone else do for exhaust tips?

INS1GNIA

+1 for P21s polishing soap . Any extra residue I just use stoners invisible glass.

avery.whss

I haven't washed my car in 3 years, Yeah i take it to the spray and pay..and honestly $3-5 and 5 minutes does a better job then these "$300+" details I've paid for...Anyone can make a car look good from 50 feet away, I've yet to meet 1 human who can hand wash a car and not swirl the living **** out of it..Yeah you may think you aren't but take it under the sun and look at it at a certian angle and you'll puke from how swirly the paint is, anyone can make a car look amazing under certain lighting conditions when really it could be a horrible job.

INS1GNIA

Talk about a debbie downer .

Testudo

I basically do the same thing. Sonax works so good on the rims. Barely have to do any hand scrubbing on my P43s after applying Sonax and spraying it off.

johnny--2k

Sometimes I miss doing a full detail on my car, but with my schedule being on the road from Sunday to Friday, I don't have the time anymore and that's why I LOVE my wrap, it's super low maintenance. I have been tempted to take it off though, something about that Capri Blue underneath keeps calling my name ever so subtly.

INS1GNIA

Just "accidentally" pull a piece of it off. You will think, "well now I have to remove the rest!". You get the gorgeous blue underneath and piece of mind.

johnny--2k

hahaha! I don't know if I can bring myself to do that quite yet. I'm so torn!

C SEXY 3

I really like watching Larry's videos.

8damien8

Finally got a chance to wash her today...

Wasn't sure how to dry properly, so I just ended up using a California blade. Hope I didn't mess up the paint with that

One other thing... I used some rim cleaner (spray on and scrub) and when I wash it off, there is a sort of mist on the black rims. Looks like when you breath warm air onto something an it fogs.

How does I get them nice and clean?

Thanks guys. Love learning about this stuff

INS1GNIA

Invest in a masterblaster or some type of blower http://www.autogeek.net/mema.html. It dries about 95% of the car, the rest I just get when I do my final wipe down with Adams detail spray. Or you can just use microfiber towels in the meantime.

Do you have matte wheels or gloss? If matte, make sure the product is safe to use on them otherwise you can kill the finish. I use Chemical Guys Meticulous matte wash and their matte detail spray (for whatever the wash doesn't pick up). Then I use Dr.Beasley matte wheel seal (amazing stuff).

chrisridebike8

California water blade?! Throw that away! Or put it in your shower or something. You may have damaged the finish on the wheels. Hard to tell without seeing pics or knowing what you used. Gentler is better. If you need something stronger, Iron X or Sonax Full Effect is good. Otherwise I would use blue dawn dishwashing liquid and your wheel woolies and a mitt.

8damien8

Hey guys,

I gave my car a little detailing this week.

Bought a power washer and foam canon as well as a Master Blaster.

Got the foam on, gave it a little mitt action, and then dried it fully. Then did a clay bar and some spray wax. Looking really nice!

Only items still left are the wheels and leather. I have tons of break dust on my matte black 507 rims. I've tried Sonar, and it does clean up a bit, bust still looking dirty. Any suggestions on how to get them back to looking clean?

Also, want to give my leather a nice treatment to have it looking supple and new again. What do you guts suggest?

Thanks again

604 C63

These guys have you on the right track. I just wanted to say its great to see a guy post on here and then actually go out, spend the money and take the time to take and use the advice he was given. Members spend a lot of time responding in detail to questions like this and far too often the response is "I just decided I would be ok to use the machine at my gas station. It works for the hog trucks I see in there, and they seem fine". I use detailing as an example but its true with a myriad of topics. So good on ya

Personally, after having a Tenorite Grey and a Black, I am really enjoying how clean white looks

AMG3.2

Try some CarPro Iron X and maybe claying the wheels as well. You're saying that even after Sonax, you still have dirt on the wheels? Mind posting some pics?

Also, once you get them all cleaned up, I'd seal them with something like Klasse Sealant Glaze. (My personal favorite, even over Cquarts)

For leather, I'd go with Leatherique. I have the full Leather Masters kit, another detailing favorite, but am not too impressed by it. I think it's just a bit glorified to be honest. Full transparency, I've never used Leatherique Rejuvinator Oil, but have Prestine Clean and really like it,

+1 on the bolded statement.

507OverBiturbo

I've had trouble getting my forged black wheels to shine again as well. This is why I come here, guys posting stuff needed that people respond to with good tips. Thanks for posting the thread.

An aside, I trust you don't have a matte finish - never use wax on a matte finish.

Thrilla

The black 507 wheels are matte black. DO NOT use regular wheel cleaners on them. It will ruin the finish. I use Dr. Beasley's Matte wheel cleaner every wash for maintenance. Dr. Beasley's Matte wheel seal every 3 months to make cleaning brake dust a breeze.

Phil Chow

Holy poop, that Master Blaster is hella expensive.

Damn, also needs a wall plug to get it to operate. Don't have that available in my parking garage.

pbaylog

Same here, although i use the matte sealer a little more frequently. Having the Magno Platinum paint, I have been very pleased with their matte wash and matte sealer. For touch ups, i use the matte finisher.

Dr Beasley products are top notch.

AMG3.2

It's just a glorified leaf blower lol Get a gas powered one