About Us - How we work ...

About Us - Useful information about Super Detailer & How we work ...





We are a team of passionate car care enthusiasts who have established a respectable business out of what was once just a weekend hobby. Although we now pride ourselves on the professionalism we bring to the car care and detailing scene, we haven't forgotten our roots. We invite you to share in our enthusiasm for the joy of detailing and the quest for the feeling of satisfaction and joy best described as Super Detailer. With the right products and advice it's not that difficult to achieve that dream.


Why Us?
Previously we used to own a car wash & detailing centre which washes and cleans more than 1500 cars per MONTH... We also have detailed more than 50 cars and still counting... from the small Perodua Kancil to the big Land Rover... Yes,we know what is the best car care for your cars.

After

The difference between Valeting and Detailing service :

Traditional valeting services are usually based on low cost, low quality wash and wax services aimed at the masses. However, there are now an ever increasing number of detailing services being offered to more discerning customers, with a shift in emphasis towards specialist techniques such as paint correction and the use of premium products for paint protection. Such services are much more time consuming and require a much greater degree of skill, meaning that they are usually more expensive. However, because the value of used vehicles is greatly affected by the condition of the bodywork, wheels and interior, such work usually pays for itself, particularly on prestige and performance vehicles.

Here is the some example of Valeting Vs Detailing Services:

Valeting Car Wash Vs Detailing Car Wash 

Valeting Car Wash 

Job Description : 

Pour out or Rinse off with high pressure water jet on the car body surface even its still hot (some may wash under the sun). The same process is done to the rims and disc brakes. Using a normal or acidic shampoo is applied so that dirt, oil and stains can be removed easily and quickly. Usually a normal cloth or sponge or even some may use re-use dirty microfible cloths to clean.

Time Consumed : 

It can be very fast at an average of 5 to 10mins

Result :

1. Paint protections like sealants and waxes will be wiped off or wear off.

2. Swirl marks and RIDS will appear.

3. Watermarks on the car body paint.

4. Will result in paint failure and disc brake lifespan to drop. 

Price : 

RM5 to RM10

Detailing Car Wash 

Job Description : 

Ensure that the car is cooled down before rinsing off with water. Use a high-end shampoo (some may contain wax substance) and cleaner to wash it to make sure the paint protection will not be washed off. Use a soft microfiber cloth to wash it. Washing the car with soft hand pressure.

Time Consumed : 

It may can take around 8 to 30mins.

Result : 

1. Car paint will look shiny and smooth.

2. No or very light Swirl marks may appear. No RIDS.

3. The car will not be easy to be dirty because some high-end shampoo contains substance to repell dirt over a period of time.

Price : 

RM20 onwards. 

Engine Degreaser Cleaning Vs Engine Detailing 

Engine Degreaser Cleaning 

Job Description : 

Rinse the engine parts with water or high pressure jet even if it's still hot and some times, white smoke may come out. Some may not even cover the electrical components. Using heavy acid or engine degreaser is sprayed on the engine surface. Waiting about 1 to 2 minutes. Continue spraying the car shampoo on it and use a cloth to clean it. 

Time Consume : 

8 to 10minutes

Result : 

1. Clean but the layer of wax on the engine may wear off.

2 . Electric components may be damaged. 

3. Small fractions of the engine may not be cleaned.

Price : RM10 to RM15 

Engine Detailing

Job Description : 

 No high pressure jet on the engine parts. Normally by using a wet microfiber cloth to wet the dirty engine parts surface. Using a high range cleaner with soft brushes to clean part by part. Wipe it again with a wet cloth then dry it. A layer of protection will be applied on.

Time Consume : 

20 to 30minutes

Result : 

1. Most of the small parts are reachable can be cleaned.

2. Look shiny and cleaner.

3. Safe and engine protected.

Price : 

RM 80 to RM100

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Car Care Advice

Car Care Advise - Everything you need to know to properly care for your car and make it look amazing!!!


Car care is a considered complicated to some people, however due to technological advancement in products and the construction of modern cars, car care is simply getting easier. One should not have a mindset that to achieve a superb car care result is not hard. With reputable and appropriate product accompanied with techniques on how to care for your car, car care is simply just easy.

Safe Washing & Drying

Washing is the process of removing grime from the exterior surfaces of your car and should normally be done on a weekly or fortnightly basis. In this guide, learn about the benefit of using a wash mitt over a traditional yellow sponge, how to use the two bucket method, when to use a microfibre wash cloth, how to wash and rinse exterior surfaces efficiently, how to dry exterior surfaces safely, and the benefits a microfibre drying towel offers over a traditional chamois leather.

Claying & Decontaminating Paint

Over some time, car paint finishes may tend to become rough to the touch due to the accumulation of various contaminants that are too firmly bonded to be removed by normal washing alone. In this guide, find out how to check if your paint has acquired bonded surface contaminants, how to remove stubborn road tar spots and baked on bug splatters, what a clay bar is used for, and how to use a clay bar and lubricants to remove bonded inorganic contaminants.


What Does Polish Do?

Polishing is a range of processes designed to either remove or mask paint defects and greatly enhance surface gloss in preparation for sealants or wax protection. In this guide, find out about what polishing does and why it is the secret to achieve an extraordinary finish, how to assess the condition of car paint, differences between compounds and polishs, how to polish properly by hand, and how to polish safely by machine.


When Should compounding?

"Compounding" is the usage of abrasive compounds to grind the surface layers of heavily damaged or dull paint. Compounding is going the extra mile than polishing, because this process requires a more aggressive product to revive or improve dull and worn out paint. This process is only done if extreme situations permits. This process will quickly and effectively level down the paint by smoothing the surface and removes dead oxidized paint.

Car Paint Coating

Factory paint on new cars is thin but how thin? Generally , the top clear (not including the color coat or primer coat), the layer that you can polish and wax, is averaging about 50 microns thick, approximately the thickness of a piece of paper. So when polishing a car, to remain the most amount of paint left on the car, we use the least aggressive products to get the job done to ensure the paint is still there. 

Choosing For Paint Protection

After cleaning and polishing, all painted surfaces should be protected with a good quality sealant or wax if the quality of the finishing is to be preserved. In this guide, find out about the differences between sealants and waxes, how to tell how well protected your paint is, and how your choice of last step product can affect the appearance of your paint.


Caring For Wheel & Tyres

Rims and tyres are the easiest to be contaminated by brake dust and road grime on a continual basis and are probably the hardest part to be maintained. In this guide, learn how to wash and clean alloy rims and wheel covers, how to remove stubborn accumulations of brake dust properly, how to clean and protect tyres, and how to apply sealant protection to alloy rims and wheel covers and prevent corrosion from setting in and causing permanent damage.

Modern Engine Caring & Cleaning

Engine bay detailing . This may be because it seems like a lot of hard work when very few people will see it, or because the task appears to be too challenging. However, a clean engine bay can add to the value of your car when it comes to selling it and undoubtedly makes servicing easier. In this guide read about how to clean your engine using degreasers, how to rinse off your engine safely using a hose, and how to clean and protect plastic trims and rubber hoses, all in under an hour ...

Caring For Interior Surface

The interior are often intact to as much abuse as the exterior surfaces. Maintaining a clean and the color of the interior surface is also sometimes considered a headache because improper care by users causes the surface to be dull and dirty. In this guide, learn how to clean and protect the interior surfaces, including leather and fabric seats and trims, carpets and mats, plastic and vinyl surfaces, and the glass as well.

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Safest Way To Remove Windscreen Watermarks Effectively

Waterspot or watermark is a very common problem. Most cars are constantly being subjected to the Daily harshness of acid rain, Contaminants in the air, Hard water, etc and Left off drying in the blazing sun.

The severity of water spot and mark usually depends on how well the surface of the paint or glass is being protected. A severe water spot and mark usually stems from Residue or Chemicals in the water droplets or streaks reacting with the surface (paint, glass, plastic, rubber) and Leaving a very unsightly mark.

This article that I am posting here has nothing to do with paint correction but treating the effects on glass instead. My daily driver, my K-car, has been under constant abuse day in and out and left in the open 24/7. With little or no protection except a weekly car wash for the past 9-years, one can expect all sort of problems. This is also my guinea pig on my journey venturing into the wonderful world of detailing. Watermarks is present on all windows. Some windows more severe, some less. 

The thing that Bugs me the most is when driving in the morning or heavy rain. The water spots or marks Causes poor visibility. Even the effectiveness of the wipe blade is reduced. The window on the driver and passenger side is Blurred and thus causing problems when trying to view the side mirrors.

Ok, less talk and more action. I am going to depict the watermark problem, corrective action and subsequent protection to the glass surface in the following pictures with description for one of my car windows. The sequence of correction to remove the watermark starts from the least aggressive method first as the severity of the watermark is unknown.

First of all, let's take a look at the test subject. A window that has been left unwashed for a day.

Figure 1: Unwashed window

Not too bad or dirty. However, there are still minute particles and dirt which I will clean up quickly with my regular combo:
1. Optimum no-rinse wash aka ONR
2. Cheap wooly MF for ONRing the glass
3. Osren white chamois for drying off the glass
4. Osren premium microfiber towel to buff dry and residual water and pick up any lint left behind


Figure 2: ONR kit
Here is a picture after cleaning the glass with ONR. You can clearly see watermarks or spots all over the glass. ONR stands no chance in removing the watermarks.


Figure 3: After ONR wash, watermarks still visible
Next, I use the following:
1. Optimum no-rinse clay lube ratio
2. Soft-99 detailing clay

 Figure 4: Clay and clay lube to see if it does any good to the watermarks

After claying, the glass did feel smoother with the clay picking up some embedded surface contaminants. However watermarks are still visible.


Figure 5: After ONR wash, watermarks still visible
Next up in my arsenal, OPC 1:3 diluted ratio

Figure 6: OPC 1:3 diluted
After using OPC 1:3, there are some visible contaminants picked up by observing the MF cloth. It is not a solution to the water streaks. But lets inspect for watermark or spot on a dry surface.


Figure 7: After washing off OPC 1:3, water streaks clearly visible. This bothers me the most.
After drying... watermarks or spots still there. Already done several OPC 1:3 cleaning and wipe downs but to no avail. Guess the water marks is already etched in.


Figure 8: Water marks still visible after OPC 1:3 cleaning
Now, from reading forums and asking people around, there is usually two solutions which people would recommend:

1. Acid based cleaner - Good in removing watermark or spot but Never use it on a scratched glass or wiper area - the acid May seep in through the crevices and cause more problems. Might cause Hazing to the glass. Might eat or damage paintwork, plastic, rubber, etc if not handled with care. Dangerous to skin. Need to keep running water at bay to wash off ASAP after use. Handle with great care!!!!!

2. Glass polishing - Polishing is by means of using abrasives to Remove a thin layer off the surface in order to remove imperfection. Problem here glass is a very hard material. The front car Windscreen is usually laminated glass and made up of softer glass. All the rest is usually tempered glass which is way harder. Based on my experience, the regular paint compounds with the harshest rotary pads seems like using very fine polish on glass - not much correction. You would need rocks or diamonds to really give glass any cut. There are special glass polish or compounds which contains Cerium Oxide but is a little hard for me to obtain at the moment. There are also other tools and abrasives out there that designed for polishing glass.

Knowing the options available to me from above, I chose #2. The acid based cleaners are simply too dangerous to my linking and the outcome is a bit unpredictable. So I went to Osren to find out more on what they have in store to help me solve my watermark problems. The safest prescribed remedy:

1. Osren abrasive powder based watermark remover
2. 3M microfine sanding pads


Figure 9: Osren abrasive powder based watermark remover and 3M microfine sanding pads to the rescue
Osren abrasive watermark remover is pretty simple and safe to use. All you needed to do is mist the glass surface work area, spread some abrasive powder on a damp sanding pad and work on the area. Not too wet and not too dry. If the pad do get dry after working on the surface for a period of time, spray some water not on the glass but on the back of the pad to get going. This prevents the sanding slurry from running all over the place. One tip is to cling wrap the metal panels underneath the glass to prevent marring the paintwork and the messy clean up process. Work on horizontal lines, then vertical lines to ensure even and edge-to-edge coverage. Wash down properly once you think you are done!


Figure 10: Sanding slurry
After using the abrasives, be sure to do a proper clean down on the glass and all other panels underneath the window. You really don't want the harsh abrasives to mar the paint work!

 Figure 11: Check out the zero water beading on the glass surface after sanding down with the abrasives! Notice the water tension surrounding my finger!

Figure 12: After removing my finger...

Figure 13: After a quick wipedown with ONR, Tadaaaaa! Water beads return!

Figure 14: Water spots or marks gone!
After the sanding process, there is almost no watermark or spots to be found! Glass appears clearer and very very smooth - better than after claying. What is left behind is the scratches and pits on the glass. I've done on a test spot, no matter what pressure or amount of abrasives used, it is almost impossible to level out scratches and pits on the glass. For that, you would need some real glass cutting compound.

I did notice that the scratches or pits is visible with a strong white LED back light. If possible shine along the edge of the glass.


Figure 15: Notice the pits on the glass highlighted by the LED backlight?
And lastly, the final protection with Opti-seal and the short nap side of Osren's premium MF towel.


Figure 16: Opti-seal for protection
Thanks for viewing.

Disclaimer:
- I've tested only on tempered glass on my car. Don't know if the abrasives would cause scratches on laminated glass.
- This is a DIY project. Always do a test spot first.
- Don't blame me if something bad happens! Share what you know.
- No I'm not selling any of the products or providing any services! Don't ask me for price!


Figure 17: Tested on temperlite glass. Oh, yeah it is Jan 01, 2013. Buckle up on the rear!!!

Night shot with street lighting - reflective and transmissive light source.

Figure 19: Reflected light source. No sanding marks or marring visible.

Figure 20: Transmissive light source. Just pits/scratches and defects within glass. No watermarks.

Here are some pictures of a condition that you should Avoid using acid based watermark cleaners (besides it being dangerous to handle) as consulted from Henry @ Osren. Take note that I have already removed the watermarks on the rear windscreen. Whatever that is left behind are scratches and pits which is not possible to remove with my techniques above. 

Acid can get into the crevices of the scratches of the wiper blade area and cause hazing and poor visibility. Also indicates why you should always try to keep your car clean. Don't forget to clean your wiper blades properly and regularly. Even if glass is harder than paint, clear coat, it can still be scratched! The more the scratches and the deeper it is, the more streaks and poor visibility during a rainy day. Same goes to those who use opti coat on their paintwork, it is not a bullet proof or permanent coating. It acts as another layer of protection that's all!


Figure 21: Rear wind screen, tempered glass with wiper blade scratch marks


Figure 22: Zoom in of scratch marks

All feedback appreciated!

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What is Car Polish?

Car polish is a product that removes dirt, grease, scratches and scrapes from automobile paint. It is a car detailing product that comes in several different forms such as liquids, sprays and creams.

Car Detailing refers to the cleaning and shining work done on vehicles. Many car polishes contain solvents such as turpentine that clean the auto paint and remove impurities from it to allow the shine to show through.

After Polish                                                        Before Polish

Although car polish brings out the shine in a vehicle's paint finish, it's important to understand that Polishes are not the same as Waxes. This is confusing to many people since some waxes are sold as polishes and vice versa, but the Two products are actually very different.

Car wax applied to automobile paint acts as a Protective Layer. It's non-abrasive and fills in little dents in the paint finish. Car polish on the other hand, is slightly abrasive and it removes surface grime.

While car polish can be used before waxing, car Wax should never be used before Polishing. Wax will seal in any dirt and impurities rather than remove them like polish does. Years of dirt build-up and exposure to sunlight can give auto paint a dull look that can usually be brightened and improved with car polish. The polish often removes scratches or scrapes as well.

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