I'm planning on giving my Cayman S the works this weekend and would like advise from fellow UK Caymanites regarding recomended cleaning products.
I have done searches but nearly all threads I see are from our freinds across the pond using products that I don't think are easily sourced here? I also see lots of info on waxing, claying, polishing and am a bit bamboozled!!

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I like Meguiars products

Meguiars

Gold Class shampoo
Step 1 Cleaner
Step 2 Polish
Gold Class Clear Coat Liquid Wax

Job done

Check this forum out

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/index.php

I clean my car every weekend (2-3hours job)with Zymol carwash and turtlewax paintcoat sealant. I never use any wheel cleaner cause the lacquer on those alloy wheels is very thin!

I use Mel on my leather seats every month! (It's a cleaner as well as conditioner in one!)

2-3 layers of Zymol glasur every 3months(4-5 hours job) The shine is unbelievable!

PS. Make sure you clean the alloys every week even if you are too busy to do the bodywork. Once the brakedust eats into the lacquer, it's almost impossible to remove it!

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Andy

I have recently started using the Zymol products, and they work really well.

Depending on how dirty you let the car get, it's normally a few stages.

• Zymol Clean Auto Bathe - good clean without removing the wax. Clean one panel at a time and rinse thoroughly.
• HD Cleanse - a very light paste to remove the grime and road dirt. This can be quite hard work, so make time for it! Once again, small sections at a time and buff as you go. Don't put too much on, or you will really struggle to clean it off. Get some microfibre cloths for this . This step can be skipped if the car was recently cleansed.
• Zymol Wax - They make one for specifically for Porsche - mentioned by Andy above - Glasur. Whether there is anything special to it or it's a marketing excercise, who knows. I have used their 'cheap' option Carbon Wax (or Creme for light paintwork). This is quite an easy process - also done a smallish area at a time. This step can also be skipped if you use a painwork sealer or a finish glaze.

An alternative to these is the Cleaner Wax - I have never tried it though - prefer the tried and tested approach All these products are easily available in the UK. Not cheap, but I think worth it. The wax will last ages, and you don't need the HD Cleanse very often - that is really the preparation for the wax. If you clean the car relatively often, the wax will keep the paint protected and you can put as many layers on as your arms will allow

Good advice from Andy also on the wheels - if you spend a small amount of time each week to keep them clean, it will save you pain in the long run!!

TBH, most products are pretty good, such as the Meguiars listed above - I went for the Zymol because of the reputation their waxes have.

May your Cayman come out shinier than new

hth,
Graeme

Andylee, if you ever are having problems removing the brake dust from the wheels try using detailers clay. Works great in removing the brake dust washing leaves behind.

OK, so whilst we are on this subject, I have to ask:

I have had my Basalt Black Cayman S since November 05.......

I wash it with Autoglym once every blue moon (like, once every 2 months) and it has never been waxed, polished or touched with anything other than a regular 99p sponge and bucket of soapy water..........

It needs some attention, so what do you all recommend? Should I have a go myself, or does OCD-Andy fancy a go?

Or am I better at this very belated stage, getting a professional detailer to nuke it back to rude health?

I'm going to the March 31st Bedford day, and even though I would love to turn up with a glissening car, it's not going to happen, and I'll get it sorted just after, ready for the summer.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

Jack

P.S. Am I the wierd odd-one-out, or is it you guys??????

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Cayman S - Since December '05

I think I got OCD judging by the no. of dirty Porsches I see everyday!! It might be inherited??? My dad is just as bad!!

Your car is black----you have to make sure if u want someone to do it for you, make sure they are professional! Otherwise you will end up with loads of swirl marks or 'spiderweb' esp on your bonnet!

Preparation
1. Hose pipe only-Jet wash+loose sand can abrase the top lacquer!!!!
2. Clean bucket and sponge. USE WARM FILTERED water not HOT!
3. Avoid direct sunlight-A perfect day will be a cloudy day (Not raining )
with no wind.
4. Loads of wax applicator and microfibre cloth
5. Ideally someone to help you---Your other half?
6. Some good music and someone to make you a good cup of tea!

Lazy method(3 hours)
1. Rinse car with hosepipe to wash off loose dirt before applying Zymol
Autowash->One sponge for bonnet roof etc.. and one sponge for bumpers
and skirt. Another sponge for the wheels and exhaust trim.
2. Dried with chamois--->Vertical motion
3. As you never wash your car properly-->the car wash can only manage to
wash out the superficial grit, you will need something like Zymol Lehm
-tube 2+ Lehm Klay to pick up embedded contamination on your paintwork.
4. Apply Zymol cleaner wax (12% yellow carnauba)with a wax applicator
--->vertical motion
5. Buffet each panel with soaked microfibre cloth first then a dried one to
minimise the formation of 'spiderweb'-->Karate kid motion
6. Stand back and admire the shine or apply another layer.

For those with OCD(5 hours)
1. Same
2. Same
3. Same
4. Apply HD-cleanse with a wax applicator one panel at a time and buffet
with wet cloth first then a dry one. THIS IS HARD WORK!!
5. Apply Glasur Glaze 56% yellow carnauba with your bare hands. Buffet each panel with wet
cloth then dry cloth
6. Apply 2nd or 3rd layer

Hope this helps!!

PS. I bought my cleaning stuff from www.vertar.com

__________________
Andy

Another thumbs ups for Meguiars from me although I use their NXT range - wash, Tech Wax and quick wax now and again. I find their wheel cleaner removes the brake dust without issue and seems pretty wheel friendly. My car's a daily driver hence I'm not so into the layering process of the higher end stuff or the other stuff in the Meguiars range but I don't think the car looks much worse for it.

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Cheers,
Richard.

Cayman S, Delivered July 06.

I feel there's always a danger of getting a little too obsessive about this cleaning malarky, but FWIW I clean the car with warm water and a dash of Meguiars 'Shampoo and Conditioner' (no idea what the 'conditioner' bit does). This appears to be gentle and keeps the shine - I use a mitt for soaping.

If I can be a*sed, I jet wash the wheel arches first (avoid the tyres), then turn the pressure right down and rinse the car.

After washing and rinsing, I wipe the excess water off using a waffle cloth, and do the door and boot/bonnet shuts. I use Zymol stuff (HD-Cleanse and Titanium polish) if I want to spend another hour or so outside, although I try and do this every 2 or 3 months anyway.

Than I take it off to some quiet roads nearbye and rag the wheels off it!

SS7

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Carrara white pauper's 2.7
Snickers wrapper in the door bin
Flies on the number plate
Church's scuffs on the kickplate
'Goodwood' umbrella in the back

Thanks for the very helpful responses guys. I have ordered 80 bin lids worth of Meguiars products that will be shown some action at the weekend. Think I will also invest in some of the Zymol Glasur as well in the near future.

Well, Andy, you would be sort-of proud of me......

As per your instructions I took advantage of the perfect cleaning weather to clean the car this weekend.

Washed it with usual Autoglym Shampoo and then started to have a go with some Zymol that I borrowed from a friend. Wow, what a nightmare!! No matter what I did, I couldnt get a shine. Just smeary dull finish. So I picked up the Autoglym Super Resin Polish I had in the shed (about 8 years old, that was the last time I tried to wax a car!!) and worked with that....

Car looks great, sort of. The poor little nose is peppered with pock marks, but the good news is that the latest Autogly Paint Restorer I bought took out EVERY scratch I had, even ones I had previously tried to rid with the Turtle-Wax scratch remover. Very very impressed with the results of that, and really easy to use as well.

So, ready for next weekend, I have my older rear tyres fitted, ready to shred at Bedford (Im going to be practicing my drifting a bit, I think) and it look all nice and sparkly for any Cayman group shots. Lets just hope it doesnt rain between now and then.

Jack

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Cayman S - Since December '05

Well done Jack!!
I am glad you are please with the end result!
Is it worth it? A shiny gator with no scales!!!
With a slippery body, you might gain another 0.5mph down the straight this weekend!
We all know Zymol is very difficult to use and quite time consuming to apply! You have to sort out one panel at a time to get good result!
Have fun this weekend!
We all know wild croc do love to play in the mud!!!

__________________
Andy

Well done Jack!!
I am glad you are please with the end result!
Is it worth it? A shiny gator with no scales!!!
With a slippery body, you might gain another 0.5mph down the straight this weekend!
We all know Zymol is very difficult to use and quite time consuming to apply! You have to sort out one panel at a time to get good result!
Have fun this weekend!
We all know wild croc do love to play in the mud!!!

__________________
Andy