Thread: Need some advice...

I used mcguires claw bar but be prepared to know and hate the paint job. Also use stuff called "liquid glass" after washing. Its super easy to put on and remove and it is fast and leaves a beautiful shine. It goes on and rubs off almost immediately in a fine powder. BE CAREFUL do not get this stuff on your plastic headlights of youll end up sanding it off like i did.

Hop on autogeek.net and read up on the how to's.

Start off with good products. There is no replacement for good quality products.
Two wash buckets
If needing to claying, then strip the wax (if any) with dish detergent
After clay, I think it's a water/isopropyl mix to remove all clay residue
Then since it's new.. (watch more vids) buff with probably a light cutting compound/pad Can't hurt a thing with a PC XP 7424, it's the choice of champions
http://www.autogeek.net/po.html
Then a final polish with the PC
A sealant
And a wax

What Bill described is the proper way to do it but i've had FANTASTIC results in doing it with liquid glass. Ive also done the like 5-6 step buff n crap and was less satisfied. That being said its up to you but from experience wash, clay bar (even if brand new), wash clay bar residue off, dry, apply liquid glass and remove. No buffing required the stuff comes off super easy with a lint free cloth. You wont even need any elbow grease except the clay bar part.

I dont have the knowledge as someone like bill so maybe my way is wrong but it hasn't failed me. Maybe some other members can give advice.

Results speak for themselves, I've had friends like Mechanic Dan accuse me of having cars repainted. All from a bit of time behind an orbital random buffer.


How it arrived


I did a quick job on this.. and here's how it transformed




It only got better from there.

Do it right maaaan.

I detailed for a couple years on the side.

Clay bar is damn near a need, not a want. Especially on a new car that has all the residue from the factory.

Brand new cars sometimes are straight awful.

Well, the non-descriptive post title didn't really draw me in so I'm late. But I've done lots of paint / body / detail work. Tips I give will be more general, less specific. Geared towards retaining resale value. Meguiar's is my favorite paint care product manufacturer by a long shot. I use a cheap rotary polisher like body shops have, for my buffing work.

WORK with the wash mitt / pad / cloth. Be thorough, use multiple passes everywhere. Bend down if needed, lol. Amazing how folks just won't do that. Keep it clean and concentrate on doing honest cleaning. Don't just leave a stubborn spot and think its a reason for more fancy chemistry if scrubbing a few more passes takes it off.

Don't be hesitant to do a small amount of disassembly to clean some areas periodically. Actually lift the wipers and scrub the cowl and wipers, etc.

Dedicate a mitt to wheelwells and engine compartment.

Always mitt the jambs. Always mitt and wipedown under the hood.

Remove alloy wheels and clean the backside once or twice a year, esp fronts.

CAREFUL with clay. WATCH what you're doing, knead often and chunk when dirty. Use a lubricant with clay, as recommended. Use the least agressive clay that does the job.

Remember to use a proper solvent such as wax and grease remover for grease / tar / undercoat. WD40 gently if you run through road construction tar.

New cars are yes- usually badly contaminated since they are around rail yards and hot steel dust plus fallout and nature. Do a diligent but gentle clay job on the new car, and repeat yearly at a minimum on top surfaces.

My approach once the paint is clean, is to use cheap wax first then expensive on top. I'm not much into waxing but don't really have fine paint on anything. I still prefer a good old cotton t shirt for final wiping of things.

Stay on the chips with touch up paint religiously and get good at doing nice dabs that don't stand out. Do it AFTER wax to avoid the white edges. If it comes off you can always re-touch it.

Tire shine? Eagle has been the only brand that stands out in my experience. Their brush-on (foam applicator) product (Extreme?) impressed me as far as how long it lasts as opposed to spray-on products.

I always recommend this kit for those starting out on their own. It comes with everything you need. It's an online kit only.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Meguiar-s-...undle/29670206

The first question is are you going to do this by machine or by hand? The reason I ask is because if the car has deep defects, you will not be able to remove them by hand. You will make it look better but a dual action polisher is the way to go. Plus it saves you time and your arms.

New cars can have just as many surface contaminants as any car. Who knows how long it's been sitting on the dealer lot exposed to the elements. You also have rail dust from it being delivered. So I always recommend to clay. It will allow the wax or sealant to bond to the paint and last longer.

Also did you let the dealer wash and detail the car prior to you getting it? There have been lots of horror stories of the so called DISO (Dealer Installed Swirl Option). Go outside in the sun and look at the car. If you have swirls then you are in for some work.

For example this is what the body shop did to my brothers car. They hammered the finish and it took some work to remove them by machine.





Here's the typical 5 step detail process. I will use the products in the link I provided.

1. Wash - Use the provided soap in the kit Ultimate Wash & Wax to wash the car. The dilution ration is 1 oz per 1 gallon of water.

2. Clay - I recommend you pick up the Meguiar's Clay kit. It's available locally. A quick tip on how to tell if you need to clay or not is to use the baggie test. Google baggie test and you will see how to do it.

If the car looks good to you and you are happy with the way it looks then proceed to sealing the car with Meguiar's Ultimate Wax. This is a synthetic wax also known as a sealant. They are intended to last longer than a carnauba wax. Don't let the term wax fool you. It was placed there for pure marketing by Meguiar's as an average joe doesn't know what a sealant is.

My first tip is to do a test spot with the least aggressive combination. In this instance Ultimate Polish. If you are happy with the finish

3. Compound - Depending on the test spot you may need to go to an aggressive product. You would use ultimate compound on each individual panel. Don't let it dry. Work it in with a little pressure. Not too much or you will get cheetah spots if you are doing this by hand. Ultimate Compound can finish very well that you can seal the paint right after.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...my-paint!-quot

4. Polish - Depending on your test spot you can either proceed if you are satisfied with finish or you follow up after using ultimate compound. This may be an optional step if ultimate compound finished very well. A polish will give you the gloss.

5. Protection - Use the ultimate wax within the kit and seal the paint. Good video to watch if you go with this kit.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ion-Experience

6. Maintain - I would pick up some ultimate quik wax and use it every other wash. It is a spray wax that is intended to boost ultimate wax. It will extend the life of it and give you that shine until your next waxing session. You also want to practice good washing techniques.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...Series-Washing

If you are going to be using a dual action polisher then I will provide you with some good pads to get.

For tires I like to use either Meguiar's D163 Tire & Trim Gel. It's a water based gel dressing. It is from their detailer line and is only available online. The other Meguiar's product that works very well is Meguiar's Ultimate black tire coating. If you want gloss then this product is not for you. It's an aerosol based product so you will get overspray like any aerosol product on the wheels. Be sure to have a microfiber in hand and remove the residue before it dries. It will leave the tire black with a hint of sheen. If you are looking for something that lasts longer then I would recommend the turtle wax jet black black endura shine tire coating.

If there is any plastic trim, be sure to protect it right away. The kit comes with ultimate black which is decent for an over the counter product. I recommend you prep the surface by cleaning it really good. You can either invest in some Meguiar's D101 All Purpose Cleaner or purchase the Mothers Heavy Duty Trim Cleaner Kit. Use it to prep the surface and follow up with the time protectant. By cleaning and prepping the trim it will allow the trim protectant to bond to the plastic and last longer.

That should keep your exterior looking good. The only other thing I would recommend is to pick up some more microfibers and some more drying towels.

i know jays cheap like me lol this is low budget turtle wax liquid compound and then turtle wax, wax. all done with a pc d/a orital buffer.

this was my first time ever using one too.

before.



after.



after a bath before the buffer. the paint was rather dead, i had no idea it could come back to life with a little work and 20 bucks in product that has lasted 5 years so far lol



after




i kinda refuse to pay for top of the line products when the good old fashioned cheap crap works just fine. i wax it 2 times a year, compound when it looks like it needs it, aka lots of swirl marks. the turtle will last a year too. even after this winter it still shinned and beaded water like it was just waxed when it got a bath.

^ I can't notice the difference





But it must be cause it's a Regal and they always look bad




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Originally Posted by Sven The Baldman

So, my 200s is dirty...like super dirty. I told it not to be, but I guess it just has a filthy mind. Anyway, I need to give it a bath and a really good detail. I'm looking for recommendations on products to use, how to use them, and approximate prices to make it all shiny and purdy again (everything from car wash to wax to clay bar to tire protector etc). Any help?

I have used every product i have on the shelf at my work and the Meguiars Ultimate line is by far the closest to top tier stuff i have ever used. The compound polish and i prefer the paste wax is stunning and applies so easy.

Originally Posted by REDCOMPG

^ I can't notice the difference





But it must be cause it's a Regal and they always look bad




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your also blind.......