a62.7t4ceo

There are no products listed (except for abrasiveness levels in the polishes) because the "best shine" is subjective to the paint color, condition of the paint, type of car, etc.

Just remember for the best shine possible it's 90% prep and 10% product.

A nicely prepped paint (free of oxidization, swirls, scratches, etc.) will look 100% better with no wax then a car with no prep and the best wax.

Please feel free to add anything to this thread that you see fit.

Washing and drying:

Here is how you can avoid adding swirls and scratches to your paint when washing and drying:

Things needed for Washing

-2 five-gallon buckets one for the soapy water - one for rinsing.
-At least 2 wash mitts (sheepskin, chenille, or microfiber) one to use just for the paint and the other for the wheels, running boards, etc.
-Scrub brush.
-Good quality car wash shampoo. A good quality car shampoo will have good cleaning agents and lubricates to help wash away the dirt without leaving scratches
-Degreaser for things like wheel wells
-Bug and tar remover
-A Wheel cleaner to presoak your wheels to help remove brake dust and road grime.

Drying

-100% USA made Cotton towels (USA made is the only way you are guaranteed they are 100% cotton) or microfiber Waffle Weave towels. Chamois work well also I just think there are better items out there
-Water blade, Ive had good luck with these just make sure the surface and blade are clean!
-Compressed air, shopvac or a leaf blower to blow out the crevices so you dont have water dripping everywhere after you are finished.

Method:

1) Use good quality car soap and wash mitt (sheepskin, microfiber or chenille)

2) use the 2 bucket method of washing - one bucket has the soapy water the other is plain water for rinsing. This is good for a couple of reasons, first it keeps dirt and debris out of your soapy water to prevent you from picking it back up and scratching your car. It also makes the soap last longer.

3) Clean your wheels first, if you do the car first the water can dry and cause water spots. Don't use the same water to wash your car, rinse it out and start with new.

4) Wash from the top down, (wash off as much loose dirt as possible) if you have any stubborn problems use a bug and tar remover, don't scrub the spot just let the product do the work. Rinse your car and wash mitt after each section. Do bumpers, running boards and wheel wells last.

5) For drying - start by removing the nozzle from your hose and let the water flow over the car, this causes the water to sheet off taking about 70-80% of the water with it. Also remember for drying, to use only quality 100% USA made Cotton towels, Waffle weave or chamois.

Claybar:

All clay bars do exactly the same thing, remove contaminates on your paint. Some are more aggressive and are used for removing heavy overspray and they are labeled as such.

I usually clay after I wash and before I dry, it saves time plus the water aids with the lubrication.

Wash and do a thorough rinse before claying, no need to dry. Put some car wash shampoo and water in a spray bottle (or use a QD) and spray a small area of your car and rub the bar back and forth with light pressure.
You should feel (and hear) it getting smoother and smoother after each pass with the clay bar. Keep rubbing until the clay glides without any friction. Kneed the bar periodically to keep the surface of the clay clean. Also check the bar periodically to make sure you didn't pick up any large debris. Be careful not to drop the bar, if you do throw it out and start with a new piece, you don't want to risk scratching your paint with something it might have picked up. After doing your whole car, rinse off and rewash.

I usually cut off a piece of the clay so I don't use the whole clay for one use, plus if you drop it you're not wasting a whole bar. Do your paint first, concentrating more on the horizontal, front and rear surfaces (90% of surface contaminates are on these 3 areas) then the vertical. Finish with your windows, chrome and wheels.

Remember, claying will only remove surface contaminates, it won't do anything for swirls and scratches. Use once maybe twice a year for garage parked cars more for outside parked cars.


Polishing removing imperfections, swirls and scratches:

Polishing with a compound or polish is the only way to truly remove imperfections, swirls and scratches from your paint. This is done by removing, or leveling a small minute layer of paint with the use of abrasives. Any product that states it can remove swirls, scratches, etc. without abrasives are not removing them, they are just hiding them with fillers and oils and will reappear after a few washes.

Polishing is usually a 2 •3 step process: First an aggressive polish to remove imperfections, swirls, etc. followed by a milder polish to remove hazing and bring back the gloss to the finish.

FYI when using an abrasive polish it a good thing to tape off any plastic parts before you start to prevent discoloration for the polish.

Polishing by hand- cotton and/or microfiber towels, foam pads for applying and removal.

Work in a 2x2 section at a time. If you are using a towel fold it so it fits comfortably in your hand and you can apply even pressure. Apply a nickel size amount on the towel or pad, using a circular motion to spread the product out then use a back and forth motion, left to right, up an down, diagonal to work the product in until the polish is dry or breaks down. Wipe off residue. Repeat using different pressure or speed, if necessary, to achieve the desired results.

Porter Cable random orbital • either the 7424 or 7336 models, they are both the same except for the counterweight the 7424 has a 5oz & 7336 has a 6oz. You will get more vibration using the wrong counterweight with the wrong size pad. Click on the links below for more info on pads, usage, etc

Must read for anyone who wants to know about using a Porter cable
http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/detailing/forum.php?postid=1430487&page=1

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=47

Products, pads, info about the Porter cable:
http://www.properautocare.com/porcabpolac.html

Rotary • I dont use one so I cant comment on them. IMO I don't think it's a tool for the enthusiast though, because they can do more damage then good in the wrong hands.

Remember with polishing to be patient, take your time, learn how the product works/breaks down and always start with the least aggressive pad/polish to get the job done.

Here are Meguiar's How to Remove Paint Defects videos

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=31

Here is a comparison & abrasiveness levels of compounds, polishes and glazes that I've used by hand or PC :

Heavy polish to remove any heavy swirls, scratches or imperfections - These are very aggressive - use cautiously
- Poorboy's SSR3 (a bit stronger of the 2)
- 3M perfect it fine cut

Medium/light polish for normal washing, drying and wear and tear
- Poorboy's SSR2.5 (most aggressive of the four)
- Meguiars dual action cleaner polish
- Poorboy‼sup>TM</sup>s SSR2
- Menzerna intense polish

Good for light swirls and scratches and can be used as a finishing polish if desired with great results
- Meguiars Swirl free polish
- 3M SMR
- Poorboys SSR1


Finishing polish to remove any hazing left by the more aggressive polish and to leave a nice gloss and slickness to the paint.
- Menzerna - Final polish (no fillers or oils)
- P21S GECP/S100 SEP (fillers or oils)
- Clearkote Vanilla Moose (fillers or oils & some protection)
- 3M Imperial Hand Glaze (no abrasives)
- Meguiars Hand Polish

Paint Cleaners, cleans by using cleaning solvents not abrasives.
-Klasse all in one
-Poorboys Pro polish and Polish with Carnauba
-Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion


Wax/sealant

Carnauba wax

Pros - easy to use wipe on wipe off - produces a deep, wet, dark, rich shine and can hide minor swirls

Cons - lack durability will only last under good conditions about 2-3 months

Sealants-

Pros • Durability can last up to 6 months+ under good conditions again easy to use, not wipe on wipe off, it must cure before removing. Removal, after curing, is just as easy as Carnauba. Can be topped with a Carnauba with good results.


Cons - sealants tend to be more reflective then carnauba and lack depth and richness. Dark cars can look a little sterile or plastic in the direct sunlight. Also the highly reflective sealants can highlight swirls and paint flaws and make them stand out more.

Blends There are also waxes that are a blend of polymers and carnauba. They work really well in giving both the added protection of a sealant and the warmth of a Carnauba. They are in between the 2 above on durability (about 4 months) and will lose the carnauba glow after a couple of months. If that happens, the good thing is you can add a layer of carnauba to bring it back.

Appling wax/sealant
Some waxes allow you to do the whole vehicle before removing others say do a section at a time. Read the instructions to see curing time and how long you should let it stay on before removing.
Apply with a foam or microfiber pad in a back and forth motion • front to back on horizontal surfaces and top to bottom on vertical surfaces. Lightly buff to remove with a 100% cotton or microfiber towel, try not to apply any pressure when removing the residue so you dont introduce new scratches or swirls.

You can also use a PC to apply wax or sealant, just use a finishing pad, set it to no higher then 2.5 - 3 and use no pressure to apply a nice thin layer. Removal is the same as above.

Layering• Carnauba wax can be layered after it has cured ~ 24- 48 hours. Some sealants can be layered right after each others, while others need ~24 hours between coats.

I like to finish with a quick detailer to give the paint that little extra pop and to also make sure I removed all the wax residue or streaks from the paint. Some people think Qding after wax removes some of the wax/sealant and weakens the durability, if you feel that way then you can wait ~ 24 hrs before quick detailing to let the wax fully cure. I personally have had no problems with the durability of wax when I QD after waxing.

More info on detailing:
http://www.bettercarcare.com/

http://www.properautocare.com/detailingtips.html

http://www.autopia.org/

http://detailcity.com/


Online stores:
http://www.premiumautocare.com/

http://autopia-carcare.com/

http://topoftheline.com/

http://autogeek.net


If you use the methods (especially the washing and drying technics) above you can keep the swirls to a minimum and maintain a high gloss near flawless finish year round.

phred

You put this together because ???

a62.7t4ceo

There are posts in this forum where it appears that some folks are new to detailing. I don't blame the enthusiast eager to try things out for the first time. That's where we've all started. I hoped that this post would be a good reference point for those detailing for the first time or for those looking for some simple pointers. I've been detailing and have been around the detailing business since the late 80's.

It's a detailing forum and I thought I'd share. If no one thought it helped, I'll simply delete it.

HighPSI

i think its great, always nice to add this for the search archives

rovision

While I started recently to wash my car, I followed the instructions provided here by other knowledgeable people like TroyH, LI-S4, SBloom, etc.
If this forum would allow to "stick" some messages would be so much easier for other "noobs like me", to find and read from the begining these type of instructions. Maybe it's possible to put them in the Tech area of the forum and link back here or insert the links into the sigs of people who write them for a quick refference.

Jiggsy

great write-up. print worthy!

derek2079

i detailed my car the other week did clay bar, megeriars polish then
wax, with one coat of polish and two coats of zymol wax, i found that
with the megeairs polish the swirl marks quickly came back after a few
days and knew that i would have to do somthing else about it, thats
why i am writing you. i have a bottle of 3m finish restorer, bottle
says it removes swirl marks and light oxidation, is this what i would
want to use? or is there another 3m product that you were talking
about in the write up, i ask because i think 3m makes a few products
that are similair and i want to use the correct one. (I included a pic
of the bottle)

<img src="http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/derek20799/DCAO0001.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">


when i goto polish again to get rid of the swirl marks and such do i
re clay the car again? what do i do to prep the surface for the
polish? if just wash should i use a dish soap to help strip the wax a
little bit more or will the polish itself do that alone?

also while reading this write up http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=17
it said to use a pre paint cleaner before polish which confuses me about using two kinds of polish like using 3m finish restorer then meguairs, am i missing somthing? the reason i would use a 3m is to get rid of heavy swirl marks then use a meguairs polish to give it a gloss, i feel a little lost

LateraLex

After much searching this is the first post that explained the steps simply enough to understand. Now I am try it out and start reading some of the other stuff.

Hopefully other first time washers find this post to learn to wash their car with plenty of tips and tricks.

-careful choice of words to help searcing

blkyukon

I was referred to this thread from a member on this board and just want to let everyone know that this info is from the link below and has been since been updated.

Enjoy!<ul><li><a href="http://melncal.com/detailing">Paint care and Detailing</a></li></ul>