r/DetailingUK

I have just picked up a new car and don't fancy taking it to the scratch and shine hand car washes so have decided to start detailing my car at home.

I have done some research and come up with a list of things I have in my basket which I will put down below. I would greatly appreciate you guys looking over what I have to make sure I am well equipped to start doing this and if I'm not, give suggestions on what else I can pick up if it's absolutely necessary.

Can someone also let me know if I need to purchase any conversion kits to make my Karcher hose quick connect.

Equipment:

- Karcher K4 Pressure Washer

- In2Detailing Deluxe v2 Swivel Stubby Gun

- MJJC Foam Lance Pro v2

Exterior:

- Bilt Hamber Touchless

- Garage Therapy Car Shampoo

- 2 Buckets with Grit Guards

- 2 Microfibre Wash Mitts

- Rag Company Gauntlet Drying Towel (Paying a premium for this due to stock issues so any other cheaper alternatives that perform the same would be appreciated)

Wheels:

- Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel

- Garage Therapy Tyre Serum

- In2Detailing Tyre Brush

- 2 Microfiber Wheel Wash Mitts

- 1 Bucket With Grit Guard

- Rag Company Gauntlet Wheel Drying Towel

Interior/Glass:

- NEED SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERIOR CLEANER (I own a BMW M340i so anything that can clean the majority of that)

- Maguiars Glass Cleaner (Already had at home)

- In2Detailing Hybrid Waffle Glass Towel

I believe that's everything I have added to my basket so far and I believe it's all I need but would like someone with experience to just double check it all and give any further suggestions.

Hi everyone,

I’m trying to understand how UK insurers treat dealer-fitted paint protection like Supagard.

My current insurer has asked me to declare it and provide the invoice, which I have done (£399 dealer-fitted Supagard from Steven Eagell Toyota).

However, other insurances also mentioned it may be treated as a “modification” in their system and could affect my premium.

My concern is that other insurers seem to classify it differently (some say it’s just cosmetic protection and not a modification), so I’m getting mixed information.

I’m worried about my future renewal because it feels like insurers don’t fully agree on what Supagard actually is.

Has anyone had experience with this?
Does this usually affect premiums or cause issues at renewal.

What exactly do you usually say to insurers (if you have Supagard or similar brand sealing) so they correctly understand it is a polishing / paint protection sealant, not a ceramic coating or PPF?

I’m mainly trying to avoid confusion and make sure I’m describing it correctly when getting quotes or speaking to insurers.

Hi everyone, would like to ask what kind of pressure washer I should get. I’m currently looking at the Karcher K4 Power Control or the Hawksmoor 160 bar pressure washer, but I’m a bit confused between the two.

I’ll probably only use it a couple of times per year for things like patio, driveway, and car cleaning. Looking for something reliable and good value for money.

Any recommendations or experiences with either of these or any other ones in the same budget ?

Recently bought a BMW X5, 2019 which is mechanically in excellent condition however previous keeper did NOT look after the interior. It’s the ivory (very light beige) interior and the seatbelts (bizarrely) are filthy.

I took the car to a Detailor in Birmingham who spent over 2 hours on it, steaming, scrubbing, using white vinegar but he wasn’t able to shift the stains or restore to original condition.

We’re at a loss as to what the stains are and if they can even be removed.

The best they could come up with was the car was damaged in the past, and repaired. I have had the car independently checked by two companies who have both said the car is straight, and it’s never been involved in an accident. They say the car just hasn’t been well looked after and previous owner probably lived in the countryside.

Any advice on removing the stains from the seatbelts and the fabric of the leather seats?

Thanks.

The smelly ones that turn purple…are they all the same? Autoglym, Bilt Hamber, stjarnagloss etc.

I will be purchasing a Karcher K4 as I found a good deal on a new one for around £140.

I have heard that there are some things on this pressure washer that could be upgraded for a smoother experience so I was wondering if someone could link me (ideally Amazon) to the following:

- Replacement for the big gun. I would like a smaller one.

- Replacement hose - ideally something reasonably priced and not crazy expensive as I know these things can be pricey.

- A kit to change all the connections to quick connections.

- A good snow foam cannon

Evening all

Has anyone experience of both Auto Finesse Ceramic Foam and Autoglym Polar Seal?

Which gives the strongest and most long lasting protection when used as a drying aid?

FWIW the car is washed with Autoglym Ceramic Wash or GTechniq Ceramic GWash.

Many thanks

I am picking up a new car this week which I want to start washing myself as I'm sick of these scratch and shine handwash places adding scratches everytime I was my car.

I would love it if someone broke down exactly everything I would need to get started. I am looking at a Karcher K4 and would definitely like to replace the lance for a shorter one if someone could recommend one of those also.

I don't want to spend crazy money if possible but at the same time I want to make sure I have everything I need.

my bmw 320i has a lot of swirl marks everywhere, i like the idea of fixing that myself and considering getting a das6 pro, but im wondering what the learning curve is like?

i can watch some youtube vids and go from there, but also wondering, from anyone that started off new to this, is there any value to buying something like a rear door or boot lid from a scrap yard and experimenting on that first, and then when im more comfortable moving to the bmw, or is it not actually that difficult a proces and that wouldnt be neccessary?

thanks!