detailing the xc70

[Au_xc70_03]

I am an avid detailer, I like the clean look of my volvo's and other family cars. I notice not alot of post on what everybody uses to wax and keep there xc70 clean. I used Griot's Best of show wax on my xc.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/HPIM2856-1.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/HPIM2853.jpg


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/HPIM2855.jpg


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/HPIM2854.jpg

[kamiar]

Great job,

I have a black XC70 and i have many tiny white spots on the hood (stone chips), is there any product or fix to these or needs to be repainted?

[justthefacts]

You might try this:
http://drcolorchip.com/
I ordered a kit a while ago (not for the XC, though) but haven't used it yet. It appears to be rather tedious if you have a lot of chips.

[PaperToast]

Great job,

I have a black XC70 and i have many tiny white spots on the hood (stone chips), is there any product or fix to these or needs to be repainted?
in most cases you'll have to get it repainted :(
however if you were to get it repainted, you could put a clear bra on it and that would help against the rock chips.


Au_xc70_03, you wheels look really good. i myself am a auto detailer by trade now, (finally got out of the pizza delivery business of 4 years), and so far haven't got any favorites yet. the supplies i get is through a supplier in Denver, and its all really good stuff. the regular stuff i put on customers cars is a polymer based wax. the better stuff that i use is a premium carnuba wax. some other stuff i tried on my xc is called cherry wax. i don't know what is in that stuff but it is thick and smells like cherries. goes on fairly thick but leaves a nice finish. using a clay bar before the wax makes it really smooth. the big thing is using that clay bar to get rid of surface imperfections and oxidation to make it really shine and smooth.


when all else fails, meguiars makes really good products including some very good waxes. this stuff here is really good http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.asp?T1=MEG+G12718


if yall know of any good tricks and tips, dont hold back and ill tell some of my secrets too.

[Au_xc70_03]

I am the second owner of this car. The product i used on the wheels are grease lightning orange blast along with one coat of wheel wax. one secret i learned is to use blue painter's tape on the trim and mirrors while u apply the wax. I also use two wash mitts one for the top portion of the car. The second mitt is for the lower doors and trim to scrape off the dead bugs and tar off.
here is my favorite pic. i love shiny emblems!!!!
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/HPIM2850.jpg

[chris_tx]

I am the second owner of this car. The product i used on the wheels are grease lightning orange blast along with one coat of wheel wax. one secret i learned is to use blue painter's tape on the trim and mirrors while u apply the wax. I also use two wash mitts one for the top portion of the car. The second mitt is for the lower doors and trim to scrape off the dead bugs and tar off.
here is my favorite pic. i love shiny emblems!!!!


I thought I was the only one who used two different mitts when washing the car! Actually I use a mitt for the metal, and a soft brush for the plastic body cladding and wheels. It's a good idea to keep them separate as the lower body gets all the grime. I wash the lower part with the brush, then empty the pail and fill with fresh water and soap. It helps to keep the dirt from the lower from being transferred as scratches to the upper.

I use Meguiar's gold class for the wash, then Clay Magic clay bar, Meguiar's NXT polish and then TechWax. Twice a year at most, but more like every 8-10 months these days.

[Lincoln]

One mitt, two buckets. Work high to low.

[ifnt420]

I am an avid detailer, I like the clean look of my volvo's and other family cars

This must hurt your eyes then... :D

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/94/246165139_1f8b539148_b.jpg

[Au_xc70_03]

:DFirst let me stop laughing to answer ur question. I am not sure to be mad at the art or be embrassed that u can't see out the windows:rolleyes: One item i would use on a car that is all painted up is high pressure washer then repeat till i can see the paint. Then i would wash and wax and keep the gang of preschoolers with the finger paint away from the car,:p

[kamiar]

Anyone used the http://drcolorchip.com/ on a black volvo?

[xc7010]

I am an avid detailer, I like the clean look of my volvo's and other family cars. I notice not alot of post on what everybody uses to wax and keep there xc70 clean. I used Griot's Best of show wax on my xc

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/HPIM2854.jpg

those rims are so CLEAN! what do you use to get all the break scum off?[thumbup]

thx

[MelbV70XC]

All this talk of washing cars... We've had water restrictions for years that disallow private washing of cars unless you have your own independant water supplies. I used to love washing my car, and getting a really good finish, but it's so hard to do now. There are a lot of waterless products available, but I've found them to be very challenging to get a good result with.

I was a fan of Meguiar's products, and I did used to cheat a little with the Turtle Wax colour magic products for more noticeable surface imperfections.

It's actually raining here now, and we've had about 20mm this week - 8 inches in the old scale, and that's equal most in a week for many years! Let's hope it keeps up...

[Au_xc70_03]

On my rims i first used grease lighting orange then used wheel wax to keep them clean. They have done a good job on easy cleaning once u put a coat of wheel wax on the rims.

[Au_xc70_03]

infnt420 what was the paint on the paint covered xc70? i am curious

[Mitch]

[QUOTE=Au_xc70_03;94781]one secret i learned is to use blue painter's tape on the trim and mirrors while u apply the wax. [QUOTE]

I too used to tape off the trim. Now I have found that if you use a high quality wax with no additives, it doesn't turn white on the trim. So no more issues!

I typically use the following procedure, twice per year:


wash (2 bucket method)
remove tar
Either polish with Pinnacle swirl remover and my Ultimate Detail Machine or claybar (depends on how bad the paint finish is)
Klasse All In One Cleaner
Klasse SG
P21 Pure Carnuba Wax

[Joe Mc]

I've used this product for years

http://www.liquidglass.com/lgpolish.htm

Read the info on this. And it's an easy on easy off product that really lasts.

I purchased a 16 oz can about 3 or 4 years ago and I still have more than 1/2 a can left. I apply twice a year usually in early fall and again in late/mid spring.

Oh, another method for washing is the two tub bucket. Your soap goes on one tub (labeled "Dirty") and the other tub has clear water (marked "Clean"). The theory is with a fresh mitt or cloth you load soap wash an area, rinse before soap dries, then before re-soaping the mitt/cloth submerse it in the "Clean" tub and wring it out, then re-soap. You'll be surprised how dirty the "Clean" tub is by the time you're done.

Works for me.

[ccmilesd]

I'm enjoying your detailing posts.... I waxed our 2004 XC70 for the first time a few days ago (bought about 8 mo ago) and loved the restored shine, I'm addicted!

Two questions though -

1. I didn't use blue tape, and I did get the white wax spots on the trim (sloppy, I know...) SO, how do I get it off?

2. Our black plastic trim is fading in spots, whats the best way to "shine up" this plastic material?

3. I think I was searching for this a while back and didn't find to much.... what should I use as the first step in removing some light (clear coat?) scratches from a neighbor's dog on the side of the car? Also I noticed a new door dig yesterday, pretty nice 1 inch line.... any "novice" suggestions?

[matt4960]

Au xc70 03, That ash gold is gorgeous! Mine's the same color. I use 2 different yacht waxes by Collinite's, out of Utica NY, available at marine supply stores. For a mild cleaner, I use their Fleetwax, and for coating I use Insulator Wax. They last a long time and come off easily even in direct sun! For the black, I use Mothers back to black.

[Au_xc70_03]

thanxz for the comments, 2 weeks i did the full detail on my xc70 wash clay polish wax. I had success using the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on getting wax off the body trim/cladding
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0866.jpg


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0865.jpg


the tape was on there cause when i was using my pc it broke the plastic clips to keep it in place.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0856.jpg


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0863.jpg



http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0865.jpg


http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0864.jpg



http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h174/agentxc_02/after/IMG_0858.jpg


now it is your turn to show me pics of ur detailed babies, lol

[Au_xc70_03]

i have tried two products on my body cladding with mixed results. I recently purchased http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/wheels+%26+tires/wheel+tire+cleaners/tire+cleaning+kit.do. I going to try it out on my mom's mini cooper s this weekend.
These two products don't last very long( drove my car in the rain) it left streaks once it dried.
1. Turtle wax F21 protectant
2. Armor all protectant
On ur scratches i would use meguiars scratch x( it is safe for all colors) or nu finish scratch remover. those are some pretty good otc products. If u want really make ur car shine, ccmilesd i invest in pc buffer. then go to places like www.autogeek.net or www.detailcity.com for some additional info on removing minor scratches.

[Art]

Like Mitch, I also use Klasse All-In-One and Klasse Sealant (aka the Klasse Twins). No need to worry about leaving white residue behind with this stuff. If the paint needs cleaning, I'll usually clay the car using a kit such as the one from Meguiars.

I've also been using Stoner's Trim Shine on the exterior cladding and find it to be quite good at restoring and maintaining the plastic surfaces.

When it comes to cleaning brake dust from the inside of the wheels, I use the EZ Detail Brush (http://www.autogeek.net/ezbrush.html). It has soft bristles and a long vinyl coated stem that won't damage the wheels. The stem is also bendable and will fit through even the tightest of spaces. I always wash and clean the wheels first before moving on to the rest of the car using a clean bucket of soapy water. This way water spots won't form on the car paint.

Another decent site to go to for detailing tips and advice is Autopia (http://www.autopia.org/publish/categories/Auto-Detailing-and-Car-Care/Guide-To-Detailing/).

[Au_xc70_03]

another great website for advice is www.detailcity.org/forums which i am on alot getting tips on detailing. Thanxz Art for my decal for my baby. I just love it!!!

[skibo]

The only thing I was ever happy about when I used to go to the dealer was that they always managed to get the wheels completelly clean when they washed it. The counter guy didn't know what they used - 'some industrial stuff' was all I could get out of him.

[skibo]

I just picked up some 'MeGuiar's Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner', and in spite of the silly name, it was quite effective. Sprayed it on - worked on it a bit with a little brush and it got most of the filth off with very little effort.

[billr99]

another great website for advice is www.detailcity.org/forums which i am on alot getting tips on detailing. Thanxz Art for my decal for my baby. I just love it!!!

I took a look at this site and have noticed a lot of references to Meguiars' 105 and 205 paint cleaners. I have never used a paint cleaner on my XC. Does anyone know how well the XC's clearcoat handles cleaners like these? They seem to be fairly aggressive but, if the pictures are to be believed, fairly effective.

Thanks,

Bill

[Au_xc70_03]

http://www.detailcity.org/forums/paint-cleaners-polishes-compounds-swirl-removers/26336-megs-105-205-a.html Bill try reading this thread about ur info on 105/205 paint cleaner
There was one memeber who did a xc70 detail besides me.http://www.detailcity.org/forums/detailers-showcase/17918-volvo-xc70-awd-detail.html?highlight=xc70+detail On my ash gold i used griot polish which i want to say is very similar to meguiars 105/205. It did a great job after the claying of my xc to remove some minor scratches in the clearcoat.

[skibo]

This may be the wrong thread in which to admit this, but after 4.5 years and 83,000 miles I've never waxed my XC. Now the tar on the lower half is so bad that when I dry it with a terry cloth towell after a wash it leaves lint on the roughness.

But, I think i can get the tar off the paint. What stumps me is how to get it off the plastic cladding/trim. I hate to go at it with kerosene or gasoline, and it seems like the various cleaners available would leave white residue on the porous plastic.

Any thoughts on this? I clean the cladding with a medium-stiffness brush and soapy water, but that isn't doing me any good with the tar.

[Au_xc70_03]

skibo this what some memebers from detail city said about getting the tar off the trim http://www.detailcity.org/forums/trim-molding-care/26675-tar-trim-couple-years.html I hope this helps u out any

[Giles]

I use eucalyptus oil on a clean cloth to remove tar from paintwork. Don't know if you can get or not in the U.S. Try your chemist/drug store or do a google search. Look for the brand "Bosisto's" it's very pure and I can highly recommend it. It also does a million other things like get gum off and biro marks of trim. Go to fgb.com.au for more info. Not my product just recommending it.

Regards,

Giles

[skibo]

AU_XC70_03 -
Thanks for taking my issue to that other forum - lots of good suggestions there.

Giles -
Eucalyptus oil, huh? Does it smell like cough drops? Sounds like turpentine - plant based solvent from pine trees.

[Au_xc70_03]

glad to be a help to u. I just ask that u post pics when u get done with waxing ur xc.

[Giles]

skibo wrote

[/QUOTE]Eucalyptus oil, huh? Does it smell like cough drops? Sounds like turpentine - plant based solvent from pine trees.[QUOTE]

The eucalyptus oil comes from the leaf of certain Australian eucalyptus trees. There are over two hundred varieties of eucalypts in Australia but only a handful are capable of producing a pharmacutical grade of 80% pure. This oil is used in cough drops like Vicks and is used in sports rubs chest rubs and lower grade oils are used in industrial products like disinfectants and deodorisers. It has solvent capabilties and will breakdown grease and oil but when used sparingly on a clean cloth will do no harm to paintwork as long as it is remove immediately.

The oil has an octane rating, don't know what is is, but when bush fires occur in Australia the oil adds to the combustion. As there are eucalypts grown in California I would think that this may add the intensity of the fires they have.
Regards,

Giles

[Au_xc70_03]

looking to detail mine very soon. As i put on about 2300 miles these last few weeks.