Adding this as a reminder to myself that I need to upgrade my current car-care kit.
Photography by Tim Suddard
We encountered some really crappy weather while retrieving our 997 Porsche 911. Plus, driving down the coast meant plenty of salty air. In short, we had one filthy 997 when we got home.
Tim McNair, detailer to the stars, normally recommends skipping the bucket, and, instead, cleaning the car with a quick detailer. This time, though, we broke out the bucket and Griot’s car wash.
[How to easily, quickly detail your paint | Project Porsche 911]
Once we had removed the film of filth, we then scrubbed the mud off the wheel wells as well as the wheels. Spending time cleaning your car is a great way to take stock of what you really have. We kept looking for knicks and imperfection, but other than a little road rash on one wheel, we found no issues.
It quickly dawned on us that we had found what is arguably, and often, called the last great Porsche 911 in concours condition.
We then skipped the drying stage and went for a brisk ride to air dry the car. This left some water spots, but we easily wiped them away with some Griot’s quick detailer.
Then we moved inside. First, we removed the myriad of stickers that the previous owner had added to the glass. We’ll be replacing yacht club stickers with ones for tours and track events.
[Easy Interior Detailing | Project Porsche 911 Carrera]
We vacuumed the interior and blew some dust out of cracks and crevices. Then we coated the seats with some Gliptone leather conditioner. While the seats looked great, they seemed a bit dry.
Now that the car is clean, we can deal with those older tires.
Adding this as a reminder to myself that I need to upgrade my current car-care kit.
While I respect the work and experience Tim McNair has, I think it's a little misguided to spread the idea of using quick detailers as a substitute for washing. The concourse world is very different to what most enthusiasts are running into with their weekend cars and daily drivers.
Obviously, there are times, places, and vehicles were washing is not practical or prudent, but in the vast majority of cases water is accessible and it provides a much better margin of safety when cleaning a car. The idea is you want to lubricate the surface to prevent the dust, dirt or grime from damaging the paint. Tim even mentions that most of the time he is polishing a vehicle so minor scratches will be removed. That's not really great practice for vehicles that are dirty every other week or so.
If you are really water restricted I would highly recommend using a rinse-less wash procedure with a bucket or pump sprayer if you're on the go. I know Griots has a product, and Optimum No-rinse is a standard for most detailers. I still wouldn't recommend a rinse-less wash if you have road conditions like the Midwest. It's not uncommon that I find sand stuck to the sides of vehicles with a nice layer of salt brine. If you have that level of dirt the only safe way to remove it is with a hose and preferably a pressure washer.
That's my little soap box rant. Hopefully it helps someone.
I'm getting mine ready for Radwood.
I first quick detailed the paint. Then synthetic clay bar and Griot's 3-in-1 wax. That doesn't take too long.
Interior is vacuumed but I still need to wipe down everything.
Also left to do: tires, wheels, rubber, exterior plastic.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
Looks good! It's a challenge keeping things clean at this time of year in Chicagoland. Just finished the third wash over the last week on my daily driver GTI.
In reply to MTechnically (Forum Supporter) :
The VW looks terrific. For me, the biggie is dust–probably credit an old concrete slab and all of the pollen and stuff in the air.
Made more progress last night. 
In reply to David S. Wallens :
You must be a stickler for period correct mods with those A008's! Here's a few photos of the most GRM vehicles that I've worked on over the winter. I just need to get better at photography.
Very cool cars and, yes, working to make/keep it period correct. Afterall, it's going to Radwood this weekend.
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