DIY Detailing: featuring Amarok
Driving an all-terrain vehicle like the Amarok may mean you can go almost anywhere but, as you probably already know, driving off-road guarantees one thing - dirt. That’s why we tracked down Harry Holt, owner of Platinum Detailing in Torbay, Devon, and one of the country’s leading car cleaning experts, to share his top tips on how to transform your Volkswagen – however filthy it may be!
As Harry described to us: “We’re automotive detailers. But to you and me, we just clean cars to a high level." We wanted to put his skills to the test and learn a few things along the way, which is where Tyler comes in.
Tyler Rogers-Parkes uses his Amarok for both his job as a refrigeration engineer and his hobby, green laning, which sees him take his Amarok off-road on weekends. “I need a vehicle that’s tough and strong,” he told us, “and the Amarok is just that.” The main problem for Tyler is that between his job and his hobby, his Amarok gets dirty. So, we promised him that, with a little help from Harry, we’d get his vehicle looking showroom fresh.
The first job was bodywork. Harry took us through steps that will give any vehicle a lift. First, he uses a high-pressure washer to blast the exterior dirt and grime from the vehicle without damaging the paintwork, then he adds snow foam which he told us “loosens the hard-to-remove film of dirt prior to contact washing.”
Then comes contact washing, which is where you get hands-on. Harry advises to always wash the vehicle from top to bottom and wipe in straight lines for the best results. After drying the vehicle Harry then uses a detailer to add an extra layer of gloss that makes the vehicle truly sparkle.
We’re automotive detailers. But to you and me, we just clean cars to a high levelHarry HoltPlatinum Detailing - Torbay
Once the bodywork was done Harry moved onto the wheels, where dirt really tends to build. This included power-washing the faces of the wheels which Harry described as your vehicle’s “jewellery” and the tyres which need a degreaser and a bit of elbow grease to get them back to looking their best. After cleaning the wheels and blasting off the dirt from their arches, he popped the hood and gave the engine a clean.
Then it was the interior’s turn. Harry started by hoovering the carpets before washing the leather. He explained to us that while the products needed vary depending on whether you’re cleaning leather or material “you should always use a soft interior brush and wear gloves”. He then cleaned out the nooks and crannies before washing the windows with a dedicated product, his top tip for the best results is to “use one cloth to put it on, and another to wipe it off”.
