Thanks for the comments all
andre3000 wrote:A couple of questions Steve (well done on the detail btw)
- What are your thoughts on Meg's slide-lock?, you seem to favour the brushes.
- What did you use on the tailpipes?, they came out great.
- What does the other IronX product you used do?
Cheers bud
This could be a long post
I must admint when I first started detailing I went out and bought all the gear and had no idea, spend a fortune and realised some of it didnt do much better job than something you cold have bought down the pound shop, they stick a brand label on it and people think they must have one because its made by xyz. If it does the job it doesnt matter what label it has on it, but there is a lot of brand snobbery in the detailing world.
The megs brush does the job, but think there are alternatives that people might want to explore.
I have never been impressed these brushes and have now found something that works better for me, but its horses for courses and other peoples mileage will vary. When it comes to detailing products there are no short cuts most of the time, welcome to spending lots of money on things that you dont like after used it once and onto the next. Eventually you will stumble upon something that works for you. So many times I have bought something because others have hyped up a wonder product, whether its branded or say unbranded of ebay or from pound shop and then only to find I am disappointed, either by ditching the £5 for 25 litre snow foam back to the £25 for 5 litre product because sometimes its a false economy, a product that does the job costs sometimes, so not knocking the Megs brushes if they did job and if they did cost 10 times more then so be it.
All my products I use are carefully selected for a place in any routine, continually looking to improve on products and processes 'Kaizen' and swap out if they dont do the job and deliver the results, they get ditched irrespective of what label or brand it has on it.
For me its all down to results and productivity. When you can prove it, you get your tipping point. Why did we migrate away from the Typewriter to the PC ? to save money, no.... because it was must have hype, no ....it was that the new developments and abilty of the solution that let workers do more and better....be more productive and deliver better results. Cost was almost irrelevant once I figured that out.
So in a nutshell, and being a pragmatist, I would say give the megs brush a go and see how you get on, a lot of it is personal preference, and if you like it then your sorted, if you dont then you can try something else till you find what works for you.
As said, it does the job, but think there are alternatives that people might want to explore.
Tailpipes - I used a combo of my foam and APC that I am testing as the general wash and de-grease stage, followed up by IronX to decontaminate and then Britemax metal polish and sealant, using some wirewool, different grades of wet and dry and a MF pad. There are a few alternatives such as Autosol is very good.
IronX - in a nutshell think of it like a chemical clay bar, and if follow with a product to remove tar then you will have reduced the need for a Clay Bar stage; not eliminated. So depends how much time you want to put in, you could spend 30 mins with IronX and a Tar remover and remove 90% of contaminants, then another 3 hours with clay with only a fraction of appreciable difference. I have found that Clay is virtually clean when used now in my routines. So I see it as a complimentary product and another step on the contamination stage and again in a nutshell its has reduced the time I need to put into claying a car and give better results than had I just clayed, it comes down to the productivity and results point illustrated above.
here is the Blurb quoted from the manufacturers web site....
http://bit.ly/eNPYjt
Highly effective, acid-free and pH balanced (6~7pH) car paint, wheels & glass cleaner (safe for all wheels including aluminum and alloys). This formulation is also effective and safe for use on all car surfaces and will not deteriorate clear coats. This preventative measure puts a stop to corrosion , IronX contains unique chemical ingredients that effectively dissolves the sintered iron by forming a water soluble iron complex. No other method cleans paint and wheels as deeply as IronX. The IronX Paint and wheels Decontamination System was developed as a method of removing paint contamination beyond what can be removed by washing or claying !!. If you are familiar with detail clay, you know it is capable of removing above surface contaminants that have bonded to the paint. The IronX is designed to remove what lies below the paint surface.
Airborne chemical compounds and ferrous particles - particles containing iron - actually penetrate the paint and create corrosive compounds that eat deep into the paint's sub-layers or paint’s pin-holes. This is a gradual process that often is not evident until it's too late. Claying or polishing only removes the particle, not its effects, which are continuing to spread beneath the surface.
During the use of your vehicle, brake dust and road grime become sintered to the surface of the car paint , rims and wheels due to the high temperature conditions they are normally exposed. Brake dust contains high levels of iron and once sintered to the rim, becomes extremely difficult to dissolve or remove without the use of harsh chemicals. IronX opens up the paint's pores to release ferrous particles and to neutralize caustic compounds that have developed in the paint's subsurface. Ongoing damage is immediately stopped and future damage is prevented by removing the ferrous particles.
IronX sprays on as a thick, transparent, as the cleansing liquid begins to work into the dirt and grime, the formula begins to turn purple/ red. The purple/red coloration is the IronX Cleaner forming a bond to the sintered iron on the car paint and wheel and changing its state to a water soluble complex for easy removal. Stubborn, baked on grime may take a small amount of agitation. Rinse car paint and wheels thoroughly with a power washer and wipe dry.
The IronX is used by body shops for pre-cleaning prior to detailing and by dealerships for new and used car prep. It is proven to deliver a clean, glassy smooth vehicle that is protected from the harmful effects of paint contamination. No other is as fast and effective at removing multi-layer paint and wheels contamination.
daytonamc wrote:Great job Steve, Really impressed with the snow foam. How much is the Nilfisk unit?
Thanks. I got mine from Amazon when it was on an offer, cost me £48. Take a look here...
http://bit.ly/f525T7
chunky79 wrote:Come on, what snow foam you using? Almost out of hyperwash now and need something better
dunc
Top Secret 'Miles Better Foam'
...all will be revealed soon after some more testing. Like the advert said, I liked it that much I put my name on it
Been in touch with loads of companies and lots of samples for putting through their paces, so testing out for some other 'Miles Better' Lines also
Watch this space
