# calling white car owners



## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

don't worry its not another 'whats the best wax for (insert colour car)' :lol::lol:

right so i'm going to be picking up a new to me car in the next week or so.... hopefully anyway :driver:

now I've never had a white care before only had black and blue cars since I got into detailing, my fear is with the car been white it will show up everything like little bits and pieces such as tar etc. I usually do a full decon twice a year

is this going to be the same once I've given it a proper fettling and some good protection? am I going to find myself needing to clay bar/remove tar more regularly like every other month?

I do have a white merc of my cousins that I maintain but I just give it a wash and shes back on her way with a clay bar, polish and coat of wax once now and again when shes got a couple of hours spare, now with it been my own car I'm going to be critical and want it pretty much mint all the time.... yep I hear you asking why buy a white car then :lol::lol::lol:

well it's something different and many people claim you cant get a white car 'glossy' or to 'give deep reflections' but I know with some loving I can achieve this 

TIA for any advice or tips you can give :thumb:


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## neilmcl (Mar 26, 2010)

How often you need to decon really depends on how much you use your car and how often you need to add protection. My last 3 cars have been white and I've not felt the need to treat them any different than any other car I've owned. It gets a full detail, including decon and wax twice a year.

You can easily achieve a glossy finish with a white car but the lack of colour means you're not going to get the depth that can be achieved on darker coloured cars. I tend not to go overboard when it comes to polishes and waxes with mine, I just use BH cleanser polish (I used to use AG SRP) followed by a couple of coats of Collinite 854. The rest of the year I make do with maintenance washes followed by a spray of BSD/Adams QD.


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

cheers for that Neil :thumb: 

I was hoping just go for usual wash and decon process I currently use and maybe just find my way with polishes, pre wax cleansers, glazes & waxes etc until I find a combo I'm happy with although I do hear sealants give a better finish on white?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

You can always spot treat tar - get yourself a packet of cotton makeup pads, they're like a quid for 100 or so. Then you can just soak that in your preferred tar remover after a wash, use a little magnet (ebay) to hold it on the panel (I know that won't work on bumpers, sorry!) Come back after 5 minutes, tar should just wipe off. Then reapply LSP on the area treated.


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

LewisChadwick7 said:


> cheers for that Neil :thumb:
> 
> I was hoping just go for usual wash and decon process I currently use and maybe just find my way with polishes, pre wax cleansers, glazes & waxes etc until I find a combo I'm happy with although I do hear sealants give a better finish on white?


From the ever-useful Polished Bliss "Car Care Advice" pages:



> Many people find it difficult to achieve an excellent finish on solid white and light metallic/pearlescent colours, no matter how well they prepare their paint. This is because the lightness of tone precludes a high degree of reflectivity and thus makes it hard to achieve a finish with any real clarity and depth. Furthermore, this lack of reflectivity can also limit how wet the paint looks, as fewer highlights are shown up in the finish. However, these problems can largely be overcome by choosing a synthetic polymer sealant instead of a natural carnauba wax as the last step product. This is because sealants tend to lay down an exceptionally smooth, highly dense surface coating that reflects light far more efficiently than a microscopically rougher, less dense natural carnauba wax coating, and this can add a significant amount of wetness to the appearance of the paint, as more highlights are shown up in the finish. Moreover, the same smoothing properties also minimise any scattering of light caused by micro-structures in the surface of the paint, meaning that reflections are afforded greater clarity and depth, and that metallic and pearlescent flakes receive more transmitted light and thus appear to stand out more from the base colour (a phenomenon commonly referred to as flake pop).


The new Britemax Extreme Elements v2.0 sounds like it'd be worth a try.


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

steelghost said:


> You can always spot treat tar - get yourself a packet of cotton makeup pads, they're like a quid for 100 or so. Then you can just soak that in your preferred tar remover after a wash, use a little magnet (ebay) to hold it on the panel (I know that won't work on bumpers, sorry!) Come back after 5 minutes, tar should just wipe off. Then reapply LSP on the area treated.


cracking idea SG! I've already got a drawer full for applying my glass sealant so that's another excuse to use them up quicker :thumb:


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## Hereisphilly (Nov 17, 2014)

As a fellow white car owner I can say that its the best decision I've made re. colours and I'm definitely not going back to any other colour

When they are clean they look amazing and it really shows

Top tips from me are stock up on fallout and tar remover because you're going to need it


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

Hereisphilly said:


> As a fellow white car owner I can say that its the best decision I've made re. colours and I'm definitely not going back to any other colour
> 
> When they are clean they look amazing and it really shows
> 
> Top tips from me are stock up on fallout and tar remover because you're going to need it


well that's my idea behind it Phil! swirl little marks wont be as obvious as on the black and light swirls that may appears wont be obvious too although when I get chance if any come along they'll be long gone!

oh aye I can imagine! I've got about 2l left each of KKD FeRRUM & AD just the tonic so I should be ok for the first winter detail

one of my fears is struggling to see where I've been when waxing, am I right or is it just a trick of catching the right light angles?


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

LewisChadwick7 said:


> one of my fears is struggling to see where I've been when waxing, am I right or is it just a trick of catching the right light angles?


Polarised (not tinted) sunglasses can help a lot with this.


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

steelghost said:


> Polarised (not tinted) sunglasses can help a lot with this.


didn't know that, but I guess if I just give everything an extra wipe over to be sure when i'm struggling 

I still have some polarised glasses somewhere from my fishing days


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## neilmcl (Mar 26, 2010)

steelghost said:


> Polarised (not tinted) sunglasses can help a lot with this.


Definitely agree, especially (and I'd try and avoid it) in direct sun. I've gone almost "snow blind" a couple of times this summer cleaning my car in the sun.


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## Deathstar (Jan 13, 2013)

Re TAR, for me yes the spot treatment works best. But I have found the best Tara remover to be AG EGP, tar removal and protection all in one.
I do top up on my lsp though afterwards. 

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## Rayaan (Jun 1, 2014)

TBH I find it much the same as any other colour however, white does tend to look cleaner for longer and hides swirls well. 

Tar spots do show up though so make sure you have plenty of tar remover. Same with iron particles


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## dado5 (Sep 19, 2012)

My Alfa is my first white car and I've tried a lot within reasonable price and by hand, to keep it looking crystal. 
Its my daily drive and the only way is to wash it three times a week! It may not show up swirls but it sure shows up the dust n grime and I hate seeing it there...does my head in! 

It looks a beaut when finished but I'm not sure I'd have a white one again. But I haven't tried a DA on it yet .....and many on here say that is the best thing to use on a white car.


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## Zebra (Dec 2, 2010)

I have VW paint to look after.

A really good glaze like CG White Light helps white shine as does AG SRP or AS Platinum especially after AS Mirror Image

I like the look of Gtechniq C2 V3 and CG Jetseal on white but also the look of a montan wax like Wax Planet White Noise.

I do a decon twice a year with tar remover and clay once a year.


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## HEADPHONES (Jan 1, 2008)

We have a Pepper White Mini (kind of creamy ivory white) and a pure white Kia.
Both are a joy to detail and can give a lovely glossy finish.
It's just harder to capture in photos is all.
As both were purchased from new in '06 and '11 respectively I've been fortunate that nobody else has abused the paint and it is fairly swirl free.
The only difference with white is after about 6 months, ingrained dirt is more visible as a greyish smear in the paint.
Even after tar remover, fallout remover and clay it's still visible.
However, it's easily removed with a paint cleanser like SRP or Carlack NSC.
In fact I find it quite therapeutic watching the cream cleansers melt away the grey haze and watching it lift off into the applicator pad and buffing cloth.
So in that respect I think it gives more enjoyment to the detailing process as with my metallic orange zed I don't see the paint transformation so much, just the dirt lifting onto the pads and buffing cloths
Happy detailing :wave:


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## Pittsy (Jun 14, 2014)

I am finding it can be rewarding but I think harder to get your shine on than a black car.

Photography is also a different kettle of fish, getting there though...


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

LewisChadwick7 said:


> don't worry its not another 'whats the best wax for (insert colour car)' :lol::lol:
> 
> right so i'm going to be picking up a new to me car in the next week or so.... hopefully anyway :driver:
> 
> ...


Enjoy your new motor 

I had a white A5 and loved it, took some work to get it to what I wanted, but was def worth while, cleaned same as I have done on previous cars - just in winter times, looked dirtier quicker.

Does show tar up easier, but then you can see it easier, so easy to clean off - I used Autoglym Tar remover and worked a treat - especially when local council decided to redress the raids round here and used the wrong tar, so it didn't stick and came up over everything...

I kept it very well sealed / waxed, it was much easier to keep clean (as on any car), but you could actually see the muck being rinsed off.

With regards to waxing etc, difficult to do compared to a dark coloured, but just look at an angle to the panel and catch the light and you can see where you've done - but be warned, in sunlight, it's murder


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

Cheers headphones that fills me with a bit more confidence! 

Pittsy don't worry I'll get my best camera poses ready can't wait for the comments off the neighbours :lol:

Again Andy cheers some cracking tips there it'll be nice for 50/50 shots in winter and it for testing pre washes and snow foams


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

well here it is.....

generally the paint isn't bad going at all and better than I expected under the light in terms of swirls or general defects, just found a couple of little niggles that'll come off no problem and a patch of heavier swirling on the bonnet which looks like someone has tried to scrub something off like bird crap or similar off the paint but over all its very tidy


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Very nice 

Enjoy it


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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

Andyblue said:


> Very nice
> 
> Enjoy it


cheers Andy :thumb: hopefully I do, the drive back home was nice although it's not moved since as i'm still driving the other Leon until i've used the diesel in it before it goes


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## Negaultra7 (Mar 8, 2016)

Here are some pictures of my White Skoda Octavia VRS 2.0TDi
Ive had it 5 weeks and dont regret getting it in white, looks mint when its been washed but show up the dirt but no more than any other car this time of year


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## Makalu (May 7, 2013)

Pittsy said:


> I am finding it can be rewarding but I think harder to get your shine on than a black car.
> 
> Photography is also a different kettle of fish, getting there though...


Tip on the photography thing: - when shooting a white car, over expose the image by a stop or two (assumes you have a camera that does that kind of thing). If not, use the beach / snow setting.


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## iPlod999 (Jun 23, 2012)

I find less light makes white shine.


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

I had a solid ibis white Audi A4 for 5 1/2 years I can honestly say it was the easiest colour to keep
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=272166

After playing round with various products, the easiest & best product, in my experience, was straight Sonax BSD


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

one thing is they dont show swirls as bad as dark cars.


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## voon (Apr 28, 2010)

I found white very difficult to produce any big changes in glossyness with a whole range of dodo juices, R222, whatever that I put on it. In the end I just put a ceramic coating on it and be done with the waxing for a while :=


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## bradleymarky (Nov 29, 2013)

As already said, tar remover and fallout remover in bulk.

I just stick with gtechnic C2V3 and BSD for the best shine. I`m actually looking at the same car to buy. Probably the 150/184 BHP diesel one in white or red.


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## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

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## Soapybubbles (Feb 10, 2014)

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## LewisChadwick7 (Aug 22, 2014)

bradleymarky said:


> As already said, tar remover and fallout remover in bulk.
> 
> I just stick with gtechnic C2V3 and BSD for the best shine. I`m actually looking at the same car to buy. Probably the 150/184 BHP diesel one in white or red.


I wanted an FR again as that's what I cam from.... a mk2 FR pushing over 200bhp so its a reality check coming down to 105 :lol: the idea behind it though was so the mrs can get insured at a reasonable price ( over 8 grand difference in the 2 of them :doublesho ) hopefully in a couple of years when she has some NCB we can get something back up around 200ish bhp as I miss the big pull when I stick the fun pedal down, absolute cracking cars though dude and defo have tech pack and ideally convenience pack for auto lights/wipers etc


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## Hereisphilly (Nov 17, 2014)

I can vouch for WP Refraction on white, killer gloss









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