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Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)
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Check it out here: http://www.properautocare.com/fb-1k.html
BTW, depending on the look you want to acheive, you may still want to coat it with a water based dressing like you have been doing.
LW
Use a glaze or their Shine Enhancing Cleanser before it and your car will look great.
Joe
Wipe on .... wipe off. It really is that easy. Put it on as thinly as possible (a little really does go a long way) and DO NOT let it dry or haze. Wipe it off immediately and you will be amazed.
Seems it would:
-enhance cleaning
-remove water spots
-not remove sealants, e.g. Klasse, Blackfire, UPP, etc ...
Lw
If you want the added slickness to ease product application, just give your applicator a light squirt of QD instead. It will have the same effect.
Just my opinion. If you like to QD, no probs. It's not hurting anything, as Joe says.
"Spots" created by acid rain are even tougher to fix and are almost impossible to remove by hand.
So I guess it all depends on what kind of water spots you have. LMK if there's something I can help with.
I'm still working my way through the "learning curve".
Ordered Quik Shine by ClearKote last night. Will give a review when I get it.
1) Clay Bar
2) Meguiars #9 Swirl Remover
3) Meguiars Show Car #7
4) Meguairs #26 Wax
A few questions:
1) Is the Clay Bar necessary? Doesn't #9 also acts as a surface prep.
2) I'm afraid the #9 may not remove the swirl marks from my finish. Would additional coats of #9 be effective, or do I need to switch to something stronger at that point? If so, what?
3) Do I need to tape off any rubber trim before using the DA Polisher?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
2. #9 is a light duty SMR and it's a good place to start. Work a small section and evaluate results. If its been many years since the car's been detailed it will likely need something more aggressive. I like the new 3M Perfect It III Machine Glaze. Use either/both products will a cutting pad. It's up to you whether you want to try several applications of #9 but I think you'll get better results using the correct products instead of trying to make the wrong one work.
3. Yeah, its smart to tape off trim. Use 3M "blue" masking tape as it does not leave a residue.
Let us know how things go for you.
But you were definitely right about the swirl marks...2 applications of Meguiars #9 didn't seem to help at all.
Next time I'll definitely try some 3M products. Hopefully the swirls aren't so bad that I'll it buffed with a rotary buffer.
23 Telluride SX-P X-Line, 23 Camry XSE
They tested 46 different waxes independently and cover all the bases from cheapo stuff to really expensive.
The report also provides lots of great detailing tips and tricks to make your Pilot really shine. It's well worth the $$.
23 Telluride SX-P X-Line, 23 Camry XSE
Having said that black can look terrific as long as you have a regular maintenance program. I guess it really depends on how you want your truck to look and how much time & effort you are willing to keep it looking super sharp.
Like any color the key to a killer finish is all in the prep. If paint is prepped correctly most any wax or sealant will make it look great. Cut corners on the prep and even the most expensive products will be wasted.
The basic exterior detailing step I recommend are:
(1) Wash vehicle. Use a shampoo designed for autos, not a household detergent.
(2) Clay the paint. Detailing clay is becoming very popular as it quickly and safely removes surface contaminents. You can buy it at most any auto parts store. A couple great clay bars are made by Mothers and Clay Magic.
(3) Polish the paint. I've never seen a new car that did not need some polishing. This is the key part of the prep I mentioned. Do this right and the rest is easy. Two polishes I like are swirl mark removers from either 3M or Meguiar's and a fine finishing polish from P21S called Gloss Enhancing Paint Cleanser.
(4) Wax for protection. If you want to use a carnauba wax (they look best on black) P21S's wax is fantastic. I also like Pinnacle Souveran and Collinite. Carnaubas will last 60-90 days depending on your care and weather conditions. These top quality products are super easy to use; literally wipe on and wipe off.
All these products are available from numerous online suppliers. My favorite is http://www.properautocare.com . Great products and the best customer service. I buy 80% of my detailing stuff from them.
If all this work seems a little overwhelming I suggest obtaining a copy of this great detailing guide: Find it at http://www.autopia-carcare.com . The first 8 chapters are free but its certainly worth the $10 as it addresses caring for the entire vehicle, not just the paint.
Hope all this helps. LMK if you have any questions.
Since I have never used a clay product I was wondering if anyone had a preference for a first time user.
I priced a Clay Magic kit at Autozone for 9.99..., which is the cheapest I have seen compared to the online stores.
Thanks,
Chuck
Claying is super easy. Just make sure you use enough lubricant on the panel you are claying. A mixture of soapy water in a spray bottle makes for an excellent lubricant. I think the $10 Clay Magic kit comes with lubricant as does Mothers. Either way it will work fine.
About the only clay I don't like is Meguiar's. It's almost universally disliked.
Bret recommended 3M Perfect-it III Machine Glaze, which I'm thinking of trying, but it doesn't seem readily available. I don't seem to be able to find it in any local auto-parts store...and even online I only find it sold by the case.
What kind of dressing are you talking about? Something like Armour All?
And avoid stepping on the brakes if you are carrying anything in back. BRAKE, BRAKE, BRAKE, SLIDE, SMASH.
I read some of the posts on here concerning paint chips and looked at the carcaronline.com tutorial on paint chips, but that just seemed far too involved for me.
Mothers advertising a paint chip repair product that seems much simpler...has anyone tried it? Or does anyone have any other recommendations on repairing paint chips?
1. Can I use my pressure sprayer on the car? Will it hurt the finish? Or will it just strip off any wax that's on the car?
2. I was planning on using Zymol car wash & car wax. Will that be OK?
3. I usually use 100% cotton rags from Walmart for both washing and waxing. Is that OK?
Any advice will be appreciated. I plan on washing and waxing the car this weekend.
The Zymol stuff is OK if you're referring to the products you can buy in a store. The retail Zymol products are actually made by Turtle Wax under a licensing agreement. The high end Zymol products can be seen at Zymol.com. If you want better quality products have a look at http://www.properautocare.com
Cotton towels are OK to wash and wax but there are better and safer products available. Black paint shows swirls very readily and poor washing techniques are usually the culprit. I highly recommend using two (2) 100% lambswool mitts or 100% cotton chenille mitts for washing. These are the softest wash mitts on the market. Use one mitt for the top 1/2 and the other for the bottom 1/2 so you do not drag grit and dirt all over the car. I'd also suggest using the 2 bucket method to wash your car - one bucket is filled with soap and water, the other with water only. As you wash, rinse out the dirty mitt in the water bucket and dunk in the soapy bucket. This method keeps most of the dirt in one bucket and away from the soap.
I stopped using cotton terry towels to dry and wax my car when I discovered microfiber. That ProperAutoCare.com link has tons of info on microfiber if you're interested. I use a big microfiber towel to dry my car, microfiber applicators to apply wax, and small microfiber towels to remove wax residue. I guarantee you that once you start using microfiber you'll never use cotton terry again.
Hope all this helps. Let us know if you have more questions.
What do you think the best OTC wax is?
http://www.properautocare.com/whichwaxisbest.html
If you're looking for a "one step" cleaner wax product, some of my faves are:
Eagle One Wet
Meguiar's #20 Polymer Sealant
Meguiar's Medallion
Meguiar's Gold Class
Mothers Reflections
Some of these are more durable, others leave a better shine but don't last too long. It all depends on how much work you want to put into the job and what you're willing to spend to keep your car looking its best.
P.S. white is usually the best because it is easier to see dirt and such on it.
The system provides a way to remove the touch up paint blob without hurting your surrounding paint. Most of the time you cannot locate the old chip afterwards.
Also, the interior? Scotch guard the carpets and head liner. Lexol on the leather seats, 303 on the dash and other rubber?
This will be a kid mobile, but all my rides get washed twice a week sometimes more. Thanks for any help you may lend. I also use a Porter Cable 7424 polisher.
Classic Motoring sells most all of the good stuff out there. Lots of excellent detailing tips too along with product recommendations.