Help - Atom advice

Take good care of her
User avatar
tut
Barefoot Ninja
Posts: 22975
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 5:53 pm
Location: Tut End, Glen of Newmill

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by tut » Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:53 pm

Thanks Scott, just ordering a kit.

tut

User avatar
Dominic
Posts: 14411
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:14 am
Location: Milton Of Campsie
Contact:

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by Dominic » Tue Aug 28, 2012 2:59 pm

tut wrote:Thanks Scott, just ordering a kit.

tut
:damnfunny
http://www.dsaccountancy.com

1999 Lotus Elise Sport 135'99

User avatar
campbell
Posts: 17191
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:42 pm
Location: West Lothian
Contact:

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by campbell » Tue Aug 28, 2012 4:21 pm

Does an Atom have anything to protect? I thought it was just scaffolding :-)
http://www.rathmhor.com | Coaching, training, consultancy

User avatar
s29ttc
Posts: 1712
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 8:03 am

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by s29ttc » Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:28 pm

Seriously guys if you want a hand doing a proper clean, happy to help, have the machine polisher and that there. I am a complete novice but I think you need to be a complete moron to cause damage. I tested it on the van which was in bad shape and heavily leaned on the polisher for a good period of time and kept it on the one spot and didnt cause any damage. The one I have the dual action one I think you call it which oscillates and its harder to cause damage. Let me assure you that I am not a competent machine polisher and in no ways a detailer. I use some light cutting compounds and have not went to the effort of doing too much cutting, but the results are good. I think the main aim is to totally break down the product you are utilising and make sure you don't cause some damage. I just make sure I keep the machine moving and work on a small part of the car at a time.

I start by giving car a good wash, then claybar the whole car. I then use a first stage with one product and pad, and then second stage with a lighter polish and different pad and then finish with a wax. Left all the cars feeling like glass, nice and shinny and best of all makes them so easy to clean. Really just keep up with waxxing them after that. I dare say you could repeat this every year or so as I cant be cutting a great deal of the paint but results where good.

Seriously if you want a hand, I do enjoy spending time getting cars cleaned right up, and enjoy the results.
Image

1999 S1 Elise 111S - Fun Spec

2004 Mercedes Benz CLK 200 - Daily Driver Spec

2004 Mitsubishi Shogun- Dog Transport Spec

User avatar
Dominic
Posts: 14411
Joined: Sat Mar 19, 2005 10:14 am
Location: Milton Of Campsie
Contact:

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by Dominic » Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:38 pm

I may very well take you up on that offer Scott, besides, it would be good to catch up!...




...although,... do you not have a house you should be renovating?
http://www.dsaccountancy.com

1999 Lotus Elise Sport 135'99

User avatar
s29ttc
Posts: 1712
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 8:03 am

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by s29ttc » Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:00 pm

Yep all in hand, need a break from it now and again! Next job is the aerial install which is on Sunday! I have spend most of my free time down there for the last year so its good to have a wee break now and again. Besides its at the point where I need others like the plasters etc to do their bit. Just wee stupid jobs like painting fences, painting inside the garage, sorting drain covers etc which are all wee things that can be done when they are done i.e. dont prevent us moving in!
Image

1999 S1 Elise 111S - Fun Spec

2004 Mercedes Benz CLK 200 - Daily Driver Spec

2004 Mitsubishi Shogun- Dog Transport Spec

User avatar
mwmackenzie
Posts: 4308
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:22 pm
Location: Edinburgh

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by mwmackenzie » Tue Aug 28, 2012 6:58 pm

and here was me thinking the question was going to be how do you keep it facing the right way, hahahahaha :wink:
Mark MacKenzie

BMW Z4 3.0si, [R14 MMK] To be Ring ready soon

Fancy Ass Merc thingy S [R4 MMK] 85% MacKenzie'd Family Spec

User avatar
Scotty C
Meat
Posts: 8352
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:11 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by Scotty C » Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:54 pm

Shug wrote:You've changed...
youve all changed WTF
"Here for a good time not a long time"

pete
Vexatious Litigant
Posts: 4704
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:23 pm
Location: Kilmarnock

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by pete » Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:45 pm

StiflerMR2 wrote:
But I don't wash it that often. Normally wax it up every 3 months.
Those sentences don't seem to match up. I normally wax cars when I first get them. Well polish them, I'm not sure if it's a wax.

I then do it again before I sell them - or if it gets hard to see out of the windows. Keep my cars until they break.

(I think I may be on the wrong forum)...
'99 - '03 Titanium S1 111S.
'03 - '10 Starlight Black S2 111S
'11 - '17 S2 135R
'17 - '19 S2 Exige S+
'23 - ?? Evora

pete
Vexatious Litigant
Posts: 4704
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2005 3:23 pm
Location: Kilmarnock

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by pete » Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:47 pm

s29ttc wrote:Yep all in hand, need a break from it now and again! Next job is the aerial install which is on Sunday! I have spend most of my free time down there for the last year so its good to have a wee break now and again. Besides its at the point where I need others like the plasters etc to do their bit. Just wee stupid jobs like painting fences, painting inside the garage, sorting drain covers etc which are all wee things that can be done when they are done i.e. dont prevent us moving in!

Will maybe take you up on that if I ever get mine re-sprayed. At the moment the priority when cleaning it is to try and not knock too much of the bodywork off. The fibreglass comes away in chunks.
'99 - '03 Titanium S1 111S.
'03 - '10 Starlight Black S2 111S
'11 - '17 S2 135R
'17 - '19 S2 Exige S+
'23 - ?? Evora

User avatar
StiflerMR2
Posts: 1791
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:53 pm
Location: Newcastle

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by StiflerMR2 » Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:51 pm

pete wrote:
StiflerMR2 wrote:
But I don't wash it that often. Normally wax it up every 3 months.
Those sentences don't seem to match up. I normally wax cars when I first get them. Well polish them, I'm not sure if it's a wax.

I then do it again before I sell them - or if it gets hard to see out of the windows. Keep my cars until they break.

(I think I may be on the wrong forum)...
More knowledgeable people will be able to correct me, Polish is a once a year job, wax is a 3-6 month job (depending on the type)

So i'll maybe wash the car once or twice a month and then re-apply the wax ever 3 months or so (or once I notice the beading has stopped on the body work).

User avatar
tuscan_thunder
Posts: 1189
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:33 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by tuscan_thunder » Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:28 am

pete wrote:
s29ttc wrote:Seems to keep it nice and clean and takes 10-15mins.
How long should it take to clean a car even without the wax? I mean I always aim for getting three done in under an hour. (And that includes putting away the pressure washer etc)
To properly wash and do the wheels, I'd set aside at least an hour to 90minutes per car (assuming regular sized car - my M Class takes over 2 hours to wash and dry properly). Any less and you'll be missing key steps: eg not enough of a rinse so the surface is still dirty as you wash (which will lead to marring/swirl mark infliction).

Andy, I'm happy to advise a relatively quick form of protection for the Atom which will allow you to go longer between cleans and also making cleaning easier.

I'll have a wee think about what's best and fire something up later. What colour are the polycarb-type panels and the wing on your car?
Mair throttle, less brake

User avatar
Andy G
Posts: 11374
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:27 am
Location: Dirleton/Gullane
Contact:

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by Andy G » Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:35 am

tuscan_thunder wrote:
Andy, I'm happy to advise a relatively quick form of protection for the Atom which will allow you to go longer between cleans and also making cleaning easier.

I'll have a wee think about what's best and fire something up later. What colour are the polycarb-type panels and the wing on your car?
thanks for the replies guys.

The panels are yellow, so quite bright.

Really just trying to make the car as well protected as possible for the weather heads wintery! :thumbsup
AMG GT-R
Atom 4
Lotus Esprit S4S
G30 M5 Comp

User avatar
alicrozier
Posts: 4368
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:58 pm
Location: Aberdeen

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by alicrozier » Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:55 am

Proper early protection of the wheels is key and saved loads of time on the 211.
(Nano products from Polished Bliss)

That Kleers stuff might be good for the bodywork. Hot, sticky tyre rubber marks are a nightmare to get off.
Also yellowing from the exhaust shows really badly on the white body...any recommendations Mark?
All characters appearing in this post are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Any references to laptimes, speed or driving on the public highway are purely for dramatic effect.

User avatar
s29ttc
Posts: 1712
Joined: Wed May 14, 2008 8:03 am

Re: Help - Atom advice

Post by s29ttc » Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:50 pm

tuscan_thunder wrote:
pete wrote:
s29ttc wrote:Seems to keep it nice and clean and takes 10-15mins.
How long should it take to clean a car even without the wax? I mean I always aim for getting three done in under an hour. (And that includes putting away the pressure washer etc)
To properly wash and do the wheels, I'd set aside at least an hour to 90minutes per car (assuming regular sized car - my M Class takes over 2 hours to wash and dry properly). Any less and you'll be missing key steps: eg not enough of a rinse so the surface is still dirty as you wash (which will lead to marring/swirl mark infliction).

Andy, I'm happy to advise a relatively quick form of protection for the Atom which will allow you to go longer between cleans and also making cleaning easier.

I'll have a wee think about what's best and fire something up later. What colour are the polycarb-type panels and the wing on your car?
Really? I'm talking about taking the car out the garage clean, driving it for an hour and a quick rinse to put it back in clean. I couldn't do a 90 minute wash every time I took it a drive as it would put me right off! :lol: appreciate though if the car does get really dirty you do need to spend more time but all I really notice is the brake dust on the wheels, the rest of the car comes back really quite clean so can't justify a 90 minute wash. I have seen myself spending many hours if one of the cars gets really dirty!
Image

1999 S1 Elise 111S - Fun Spec

2004 Mercedes Benz CLK 200 - Daily Driver Spec

2004 Mitsubishi Shogun- Dog Transport Spec

Post Reply