Detailing in Texas Heat

T

texas328ci

New member
Hi all. I'm brand new to detailing and this is my first post...though I've read quite a bit of helpful info here. Every single car product and guide says to do your detailing on a cool surface and in the shade. I was wondering if anyone else from the south has any tips for detailing in the heat.



Also, I've had my CPO BMW for about 6 weeks now and have probably spent upwards of 40 hours detailing it. Anyone have any helpful time saving tips? Last week I washed, clayed (sonus clay), cleansed (sonus paint cleanser), AIO, and then sealed it with NXT wax. All in all, I spent over 8 hours on the project (all by hand of course) with minimal breaks. I guess I'm probably just trying too hard b/c I want the car to look great, but any tips would be helpful.





It's great to be here! Thanks for all the helpful info and a great forum!





:xyxthumbs Texas328ci
 
Welcome to Autopia Texas328ci! I take it that you have taken time to read the great articles located in the "Learn" icon on the upper right hand corner of your screen. If you have not read them, do so.



I usually will start working on my SUV early in the a.m. to beat the heat. Plus I use my garage for this endeavor. Initially it does take longer to do a good job on surface prep but you will find that after you get the paint in good order it will take less time.



Additionally, as you become more experienced, it will take you less time from start to finish. Hang in there and good luck.
 
Scottwax should be able to give you some good tips. He's from Texas and has been detailing for awhle. :)
 
LOL - I'm a newbie here as well, and the owner of a new car also! AND I live in the Heat Of The Desert in Phoenix...



This morning, I washed my car - in the sun. Now, the sun was just coming up when I started, and the weather HAS broken - it was only 80ºF when I started... Unfortunately, the front of my house and the garage and driveway all point directly east - so no morning shade, unless I go down to the DIY carwash. But the carwash defeats the "sheeting" action of the carwash shampoo - and my soft water is better than the crap they add to their "final rinse" spray. So, in the sun it was!



The way I did it was to first wash the tires and wheels, rinsing each one after I finished with it, then moving on to the next one.



Then I started on the hood, which was shaded, due to the low angle of the rising sun. I rinsed the hood, and moved to the top. Washed the top, then rinsed it - and wet down the hood again, which still had beaded up water all over it.



Then to the trunk, rinse, and wet down the top and hood. Then to the sides, doing the top half of each side in 4 sections (front fender, rinse, front door, rinse, rear door, rinse, rear fender, rinse. Each "rinse" is followed by wetting down all previously washed sections.



By the time I finished, I was dripping with sweat - my shirt and shorts soaked - and the entire car was wet.



Drying is a bit of a challenge! So, I cheat with a water blade, which quickly removes most of the water from the hood, top and trunk. Then moving quickly, I started drying the car. My new microfiber drying towel was a dream! I was able to dry the entire car before the 25% humidity could make it evaporate, since there was no wringing involved. (Did it all on a single towel!!!!)



Then I started in with some of the detail areas, like the grille and the nooks and crannies of the front end. Then opened all the doors and the trunk and hood, and switched towels, using a microfiber terry towel for this stuff. Got rid of all the drips, and moved to the wheels.



Danged 20" wheels with like a dozen spokes take forever to do! And by the time I reached the last wheel, it was starting to spot slightly. But by then the towel was damp enough to take the spots off with no problems. (That, and the softwater and the sheeting action of the shampoo together made for minimal spotting, which was just starting anyway.)





So that's how I did it. After about 90 minutes, I was able to come in and cool off a tad, then go back out after 10 minutes and grab any risidual drips, and start on getting the tires shined up...



All in all, about 2 1/2 hrs of fairly intense work - but the car looks absolutely flawless! :D
 
Thanks guys. I definitely will hang in there. This is my first BMW, and it's a 2000 328ci Bright Red. After about 2 washes I started to uncover some pretty interesting cosmetic defects including one that looks like the original owner let a nice big bird bomb sit on the hood until it wore through to the primer...ugh. That's a project for a bit down the road. I'm just getting started, but this is so far one of the most enjoyable hobbies I've ever had due to the "instant gratification" factor.



By the way, anyone have any suggestions for a nice medium abrasiveness polish for my red beauty? I've heard that BMW paint can be a bit different than other manufacturers, and was wondering if there's a better polish to use on a 5 year old beemer.



Thanks!



PS. Can you see my drywall??? ;) LOL
 

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What Texas heat? This has been the coldest summer I can remember. Only 1 100 degree day in Dallas. Just horrible. It had better not mean a cold winter. The last few days have been the first above normal temps in a long time.



I work outside all day then I go skate about 10-15 miles in the early evening so I am very aclimated to the so-called heat here. Working in the shade is very comfortable to me. :)



Your best bet is to find a shady area that is not enclosed so the wind can help cool you off. If you work inside a garage, a fan really helps keep the air moving.



If you want a more aggressive polish that works well by hand, try Meguiars #80 Speed Glaze.
 
Checkout PepBoys for an EZ-Up Canapy (10' X 10'). May not give you full coverage but will provide a little relief.
 
Heluva idea there, dternst! :up :up :up



But being really really CHEAP (and really really broke - read new car payment poor! :eek: ) I think I'm gonna try an' figger out an alternative that's less expensive...



Hmmm... Tent poles (already have), tarp (already have) and some sorta framework to attach to the tent poles... :D :D :D
 
All of the above are good ideas. dont forget that you can/should use a QD before the wax and after. This will help remove any waterspots you might have.

Dana
 
All of the above are good ideas. dont forget that you can/should use a QD before the wax and after. This will help remove any waterspots you might have.
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Thanks Dana. However, I'm hesitant to QD too often due to some postings here that state that frequent QDing can accelerate the breakdown of waxes and sealants. As mentioned, my current finishing products are KAIO and NXT. I thought the results were nice, and I chose those particular products due to ease of use and longevity.



If anyone has any suggestions for finishing products that are highly resilient to frequent QD, I'd love to hear about them.
 
I don't think I'm into those "waterless" wash systems... Don't those scratch paint?? :nixweiss



I mean, it's basically quick detailer type stuff, right? I wouldn't dream of using QD on a dirty car! :nono
 
Oh! Well, thanks for the heads up. I didn't know what "QEW" was, but it was in the acronymn list. A quick Google of Protect All Quick & Easy Wash took me to http://www.protectall.com/qelg.htm.



When I saw this:
hose.jpg




and this: NO Hose! NO Suds! NO Mess!



and this:

Quick & Easy Wash is a non-abrasive, anti-static, water repellent wash that leaves a super clean, sparkling shine with no streaks, spots or soapy film. Quick & Easy Wash is specially formulated to allow washing without rinsing. For all vehicles.
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I figured it was one of those waterless wash systems!
 
Thanks for the tips on staying cool Scottwax and Dternst! However, my question was really targeted at concerns for the car finish, not me ;) I gather from what I've read the biggest concern is water spotting from drying too quickly. Is the other major concern the fact that wax loses its rigidity on a hot surface? Would this come into play for QD, or just for polishing?



Aditionally, what about sweat that dampens polishing and buffing towels?:nixweiss I've been running under the assumption that since sweat is salty, sweat on MF detailing towels could potentially be a micromarring hazard. As such, I've been using lots of towels when I'm out in the garage for extended periods of time.
 
That right Scott -- this summer has not been that bad - very nice. The only problems I had is when a boat company had me detail two boats in the sun and of course it was a little warm those days. I now carry a little fan to move the air in the boat cabins.



Using a fan in the garage to cirulate the air works real good. I like starting the vehicle in the morning to get all the hard work done: washing cleaning the outside. Then move it into the garage so the body can cool down. While it is cooling down I detail the interior and then work on the exterior. It works good for me.
 
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