YOU could win one of two copies of this top class book; please see below for details of our Wheels-Alive competition…
So what is the book all about?
We review the book, but first the publishers of ‘Hand Wash Only’ tell us…
Car enthusiasts all over the world know that washing their vehicle by hand is the best way to keep it looking its best.
In recent times ‘detailing’ has become the buzz word in the world of car washing – a term that describes car care best practice. Now a new book seeks to demystify the processes offering an essential guide for any car lover.
‘Hand Wash Only’ is a comprehensive 144-page hardback book offering expert insight into detailing and car care – it is an ideal companion for the enthusiast, beginner or experienced detailer.
Published by PD Publishing, written by Bert Youell and edited by Ian Sealey of PRO Detailer Magazine, ‘Hand Wash Only’ provides an answer to the question of how the term ‘detailing’ first entered the automotive vernacular in the mid-2000s and offers an easy-to-understand explanation into the equipment and products used, and every stage of the various processes involved.
With essential kit in hand, readers are guided through each important stage of detailing, from the wash process as a whole to the finer points of decontamination, paint polishing, paint protection, interior cleaning, and anything else designed to make a car look great.
Illustrated with hundreds of images and explained in clear language, ‘Hand Wash Only’ attempts to turn any car enthusiast into an expert detailer dedicated to keeping their vehicle looking its absolute best.
Via expert step-by-step guides and top tips readers will be armed with the knowledge they need to master the dark art of detailing, and once they have done so this book will continue to serve as vital reference material for the future.
‘Hand Wash Only’ is available to purchase now for £12.95 from
Bert Youell, PRO Detailer Magazine:
“Having run PVD – the UK trade association for detailers – since 2012 and edited PRO Detailer Magazine since 2015, I wanted to put together a book that brought professional detailing techniques to the home enthusiast, allowing normal people to look after their own cars using the techniques of the professionals.
“With so much unaudited information available online, we were keen to put something together that is both authoritative and unbiased, while retaining the accessibility and fun-factor of what has come before. It’s been three years in the making and much more involved than I first thought, but finally we have everything you need to know about detailing in a handy pocket guide stuffed with photos and tips that anyone can use.”
Facts in brief:
- Comprehensive guide to detailing ideal for beginners and experts alike
- Complied by Bert Youell and Ian Sealey of PRO Detailer Magazine
- Essential equipment explained from entry-level to professional grade kit
- Each important stage of detailing demystified using clear language and hundreds of illustrative images
- Step-by-step guides and expert tips
- Details of resources for professional and amateur detailers
- Hardback, 144 pages, £12.95
- ISBN 978-1-8384112-5-1
- Order from www.prodetailermagazine.com
Kim’s Wheels-Alive Review of ‘Hand Wash Only’
It is a commonly-held thought that cosmetic maintenance of/attention to car bodywork involves a quick wash and perhaps a ‘shine-up’ to make the vehicle look its best… However, there’s far more to it than that, and the ‘Hand Wash Only’ book explains step-by-step, and in detail, how to make a much more comprehensive job of ‘detailing’.
There are many definitions of detailing (which in fact is big business these days), but in essence the term relates not just to what you are doing to the vehicle, to really make it stand out as a pristine example, but also to how you are doing it.
I have spent an enjoyable few hours reading the book, which I found easy to study, and was pleased to find that it has been written with humour as well as covering the subject matter in-depth. An example is that on the front cover the authors, Bert Youell and Ian Sealey, refer to themselves as ‘The idiots behind PRO Detailer magazine’. However, far from idiocy, their knowledge and experience has resulted in a brilliant publication that can help anyone – whether new to detailing or an old hand – to improve their vehicle and make it a class apart from others.
Within the book’s 144 pages they cover the vast array of products available for obtaining a top-class finish to a vehicle, inside and out, and importantly they explain the methodology required to get the best from the materials chosen.
Separate sections cover equipment essentials, the washing and ‘decontamination’ processes, paint polishing and protection, interior work, etc. In each case the various aspects – some of which could be quite complex to grasp for someone new to the game – are carefully and logically explained.
VERDICT
Excellent; truly a helpful well-written book – and there is a chance to win one of two copies kindly supplied by the publishers, for our readers…
Our Wheels-Alive competition:
There are two copies of ‘Hand Wash Only’ available to win. To have the chance to get your hands on one, all you have to do is tell us the name of the section within our Wheels-Alive website that is all about having fun with cars.
Simply e-mail the answer via the website and from those responses giving the correct answer, the first two names of participants drawn from ‘the hat’ at 9am on Friday 12th August will win a copy of the book. Good luck!