Mobile-Detailing in the GTA
 

Hey guys - as some of you know I do mobile detailing in the Greater Toronto Area. I thought I'd post this to help out with some detailing and maintenance.

Updated Feb 20th, 07. Remember guys, over time products change. I am going to be updating this thread with some new products/techniques soon.

Detailing and Caring for your ride.
 

I've taken the liberty of transferring these writeups to DIY/FAQ for everyone to access.
TNX to Picus (Kevin) for his time and expertise.https://g35driver.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif

Colin.

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OK, here it is, the "how does Kevin maintain his own car" post, I will try to keep it relatively short and easy to understand. I will also link autopia a lot (since they have great how to's).

First, this post assumes you have a PC; but not that you know how to use it.

The first thing you want to do is evaluate your paints condition. The best way to do this is to put it in full direct sun and take a look at it. If you see swirls and scratches you need to *compound*. Compounding is the process of removing paint to level off scratches and leave the paint smooth. If the paint is already smooth (no swirls or scratches), then you don't need to compound, however a light polish may still help. This guide will assume you need a moderate level compounding. Swirls like this:

http://gtaindetail.com/pics/575M062006/photo2.jpg

http://gtaindetail.com/pics/04g35c042506/photo2.jpg

...are what I am talking about. Most people would look at those cars and either say "it's clean" or "those are just light swirls", they aren't - there about 5-6/10 on the picus "swirl scale", meaning you will need at least two polishing steps via a PC to get rid of them. So, where to start?

First, wash and clay the car. Now I am going to skip these for now; I will cover wash and clay in my "how do I maintain my car" section.

OK, so the car has been washed and clayed, time to polish.

First, always start with a less aggressive combination of pad and polish than you think you'll need. I am going to continue this by refering to Menzerna polishing, however for reference Menzerna polishes are generally interchangale with poorboys or optimum in the following ways:

Menzerna PG = Poorboys SSR3 = Optiumum OHC
Menzerna IP = SSR2.5 = Optimum Compound
Menzerna FPII = SSR1/2 = Optimum Polish

Also, I use lake county pads, so I will refer to them as yellow, orange, white, and grey. They stack up like this:

Yellow = heavy vut
Orange = light cut
White = polishing (or very light cut)
grey = finishing

So let's start with a fairly mild combo, say, FPII (or SSR1 or 2) on a white pad. Put a couple dabs of the product on the pad (which is on the PC), then dab the pad on to the paint in a small area with the PC off; so put the PC on the paint and make sure it's set to speed 2-3, turn it on. It will be spinning slowly, apply no pressure at this point and move it over the area you intend to cover. A 2x2 foot area is normally ideal. At this point you're just spreading the product, not polishing. When the product is spead (only takes 10-15 seconds), turn the PC to speed 5 or 6 and apply pressure. How much? Just enough so that the PC does not bog at all (so the pad still spins freely), but if you apply any more it will bog. I hope that make sense. Now, most important; MOVE THE PC *SLOWLY* over the intended area. I can not stress how important SLOWLY is, I mean 1/2 inch per second *max*, it is a slow process. MOve in overlapping passes like you're cutting your lawn.

How do you know when to stop? All polishing "flash", that's the term for when all the abrasives in them have broken down. Most polishes do one of two things when flashed; they either turn clear or start to dust. Turning clear is obvious, so is dust (dust literally forms and starts to come out of the pad), when you see the polish go clear or dust, you're done. Turn the PC off and wipe away the reside then evaluate.

Now, this first pass is kind of a test to see what combo you'll need. If you have achieved no results, or very little, you need to move up in abrasion (or you're doing something wrong). On most cases you will need a stronger combo to remove even moderate swirls, so lets try something stronger.

Try IP (ssr2.5) on an orange pad, same process. Now, this should remove up to moderate swirls (5/10) with ease. If you're still seeing no results you're moving too fast or not applying enough pressure. You will notice as you use a more abrasive pad you will be able to apply more pressure before the PC bogs due to the density of the pad.

Repeat the combo that works over the entire car. Do small areas, work slowly, take breaks, wipe away residue thoroughly. Other tips:

Switch pads as they get gummed up/saturated. Why? They become less effective and residue begins to become harder to remove. This is why I recommend two or even threeof each pad. If you run out, wash one (soap and water), dry it by putting it on the PC, putting the PC in a bucket/recycle bin etc, and spin it up to speed 6; the water will flyout into the bucket.

Some more important notes: As you start to use more aggressive combos you may notice *hazing*. Hazing is basically millions of smaller less deep scratches caused by the abrasives in more aggressive compounds. By removing more paint they leave the surface rugged; this is why we follow up with a finishing polish on a less aggressive pad. That's why you'll often see me list my process like this:

Meznerna IP, orange pad
Menzerna FPII, white pad.

IP on an orange (or ssr2.5/OHC) can leave hazing, so it is important to follow up with a less aggressive combo. If you notice the hazing is persisting even after the less aggressive combo, try polishing a little differently; often times I will use a grey pad instead of a white (even less aggressive), and will only polish at speed 4 with little to no pressure.

Here is a good "how to" on autopia:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-pc7424.html

It's less detailed and assumes the reader is a total novice; that's fine. I know you guys aren't dumb so I may not explain everything in detail. If you have questions let me know.

OK, so I am done polishing, what now? First, wipedown the car with isa:water. What's that? It's rubbing alcohol (store bought, 70%) mixed with water in a spray bottle 50:50, spray one squirt on a panel and wipe off. This helps remove any leftover polish residue. You *do not* want polish residue left on the car because if you seal or wax over it you'll be left with a gross oily stain that is hard to remove. It also effects the durabilty of your LSP (for future reference, LSP = last step product, so a sealant or wax).

When you're done this it's time to seal/wax. Which you pick is up to you. *Generally* sealants last longer than waxes, some people prefer the look of waxes. I think there is a right product for each car, no best. It's a personal decision. Remember, prep is 95%; the sealant/wax is for protection and some added aesthetic, but proper clay and polish is what makes a car look good. So spend time prepping rather than worrying overly about the best wax.

Here is my car after an isa wipedown, no LSP.

http://rockpaperpixels.com/pics/car1.jpg

See what I mean? It's all about prep, not wax/sealant. Those are for protection.

So pick your sealant and wax and apply as directed. Now, I normally apply liquids with the PC on a grey pad. Why? I find it applies them more uniformly and much faster. You will use more product this way. I just do it on speed 1. Paste waxes I apply by hand. Each sealant/wax requires you to buff it off differently, some require you let them haze, some require you wipe them off wet; use as directed.

OK, so maintenance. Now this is even more important that polishing. Why? Proper maintenance means less polishing is required over the life of the car. You want to wash and seal/wax in ways that DO NOT scratch the car, thus eliminating the need for polishing. So, the most important part of car care: how do I wash?

I wash in two ways, either the regular bucket + hose way, or with a rinseless wash. I will go over both.

First, bucket and hose. OK, products I use:

One or two buckets, both with grit guards. You can get them at CT (red, $15.99)
At *least* 2 sheepskin wash mitts. Why 2 or more? you'll see.
A good automotive soap. What's good? Most are; Meguiars deep crystal is cheap, locally available, and good. JUST DONT USE TOO MUCH OR IT WILL STRIP WAX. Use the quantity directed, don't just pour a bunch in the bucket. Remember, as nice as suds are, too many = too much detergent.
2-3 good microfiber drying towels.
5+ good microfiber clothes.
A good all purpose cleaner and/or bug remover. I like poorboys apc 2:1 with water or bug squash 3:1 with water.
A wheel cleaner and sealant

So, so let's start:

First, the wheels. I only use a wheel cleaner if there is a significant amount of brake dust. What wheel cleaners do I like? The best, imo, locally available are Eagle One All Wheel & Tire Cleaner (caustic), or for less acidic/caustic, their aluminum wheel cleaner. A lot of you have P21S cleaner; use it when needed, it's great stuff.

Put the car in the shade. This is important. If you're using two buckets, fill one with soap and water and the other with just water.

If the wheels are dirty go to step 1, if not, step 3:
1) Hose wheels off (make sure they are not hot). Spray wheel cleaner on wheels and let dwell. Agitate with a brush (a wheel brush, not a tooth brush or a carpet bursh) or an old wash mitt, or an old mf cloth. Something soft basically.

2) Hose off, if there is still dust repeat. Go to step 4

3) Wash with soap and water (the automotive soap) and an old mitt.

4) If you washed with your bucket water, dump it out and re-pour it. Wheel dust in the water = don't put it on the paint, EVER.

5) Soak one mitt in first bucket with soap. Not all of them.

6) Rinse the car. If it's very dirty/buggy, apply liberal amounts of diluted APC/bug remover to effected areas and let sit.

7) Get the mit and start washing. Use almost nopressure, start at the top and move down. So roof, front and rear window, side windows, upper side panels and fenders, hood, rear deck lid, trunk, lower side panels and fenders, and finally rockers. Why? The lower part of the car is almost always dirtier, you don't want to use the mitt on them then move it to the cleaner areas. Now, don't do this all at once. Do it like this:

8) Wash roof and front and rear window. Put the mitt in the clean water bucket and thoroughly rinse it out. Put it back in the soapy bucket and wash the side windows and upper side panels (doors, fenders), then back into the water only bucket, rinse... see the pattern? Dirt gets rinsed out. As the mitt gets more and more dirty put it aside and USE A NEW ONE. I use 3 per wash almost always. One for roof, windows, upper side panels, one for hood, read decklid and trunk, and one for lower side panels and rockers.

9) if its hot, rinse the car often; keep it wet at all times.

9.5) Put the hose over the roof and let the water flow freely over the car. This will "sheet" water off and make for about 80% less water on the car to dry.

10) Now dry. How to dry? Take one towel and spread it on the roof then slowly move it the same way you washed (top to bottom), DO NOT worry about getting the car dry at this point, you want to remove most of the water but leave it damp.

11) get towel two and finish any areas you missed, then re-dry the entire car to clean up the dampness left behind by towe one. You will be amazed how much easier this makes drying.

12) Now, if your waxing or sealing, do it.

13) Dress trim while wax/sealant is hazing, also dress wheel wells, tires, dry wheels, polish chrome, and clean door jambs.

14) If you're using a spray wax/sealant for maintenance (highly recommended) then go from step 11 to this step and spray seal/wax, then do #13.

My wife just called and I have to pick her up, more in a bit.

Nope. I just like mf better personally because I've always used it and it's always worked. Chamois freak me out the way they get dry and hard, but if it works for you then keep using it.

Absolutely. The isa:water mix is only to help remove polish residue and remove any possible fillers from some oily polishes. If you're having no trouble getting all the reside off then it is not needed. I just like to do it because I tend to haphazardly wipe away residue, so I isa:water before glaze/sealant/wax just to make sure I have it all off.

Deane and everyone else; look for more info later tonight. Today turned kind of hellish, actually this whole week has been. No biggy, just lots of little things that need doing. I'll do a "how to clay" as well as "sealant, wax, glazes, wtf?" section tonight.

Ok here it is. Sorry for the delay; this week from hell seemed to come to a head today.

OK, so claying. Why clay, and how do I do it?

Why - you clay to remove bonded contaminants from the surface of your paint. Now you might be thicking, eh? Washing does that right? Well, no; they're bonded, meaning stuck, meaning in the paint. You can see some of them and can't see others, you can sure feel them though. Want to feel them? Get a plastic bag and put your hand in it then run the tips of your fingers over the paint lightly. Feel the sandpaper-y texture? That's crap. That's rail dust, fallout, brake dust, etc; it's bad for your paint and it feels bad, makes the paint rough and gross. You can't get it out by washing, it's stuck; which is why we clay.

Clay removed these contaminants, you can tell it works with the bag trick; aftr clay the paint shoot feel smooth (it will, trust me). How do I clay?

It's easy, and I mean easy. Get a bar of clay and some lubricant (I like a quick detailer cut 2:1 with water), cut the clay bar in half or in thirds, you don't need it all unless the car is really in rough shape. Also if you drop it, toss it, so if you use the whole bar and drop it... you lose.

Lubricate an area of paint *well* (lots of lube), then rub the clay over the paint lightly, almost no pressure. Just move it back and forth in overlapping motions, lubricate more as you go. Top to bottom, never in circles, always the way the wind flows over the car (which is almost always back and forth from the front to the back). After each panel re-mold the clay in your hand to get the crud off it's surface. Again, if you drop it (you will the first time), throw it away. THROW IT AWAY. If you put it back on your paint you will scratch the paint, period.

CLay is also awesome at removing overspray, product sling, tar, bug guts, etc.. it's really great stuff.

You should clay once per year. White cars or cars in heavily railed areas, twice. (why? white cars you can SEE the rail dust (little orange dots), it looks bad, so do it 2x if needed).

Clay will also remove your wax and sealant (obviously), so you can use it to strip waxes/sealants, and you need to re-wax or seal afterwards.

You can clay your wheels too! Next time you have them off clay them, you'll go "WOW" when you see what it does.

Next, waxes, sealants, lions, tigers, and tire dressing.

So what's all this sealant and waxing business, wtf?

Sealants and waxes are two very different products which are intended to serve the same purpose; the protection of your paint. They protect from UV damage, bird bomb etchings, acid rain damage, water spots, and make the car easier to clean in general. As a side benefit they also enhance gloss, slickness, wetness, depth, etc...

So which is the best? I hate this question; I will only say this once: THERE IS NO BEST. This is like saying "So I'm golfing tomorrow and only want to bring one club, which is the best?" or "which is the best wine?". It doesn't work that way. I can tell you what the differences are and some attributes of popular ones.

Let's start with waxes. Waxes have been around forever; it's wax. Todays waxes are actually only 1-10% wax (most of them), the rest is oils, silicone, etc... Generally waxes will last on a car 2-6 weeks, so you need to re-wax pretty often. Waxes TEND to give a more subtle "carnauba glow" type look; wet, deep, darken color... They can also mute metallic flake and tend to make the paint look soft, like water. Waxes come in liquids and pastes, neither is better, just different. They are mostly applied in the shade by hand, you let most of them haze then wipe off.

Sealants are synthetic polymers which do the same thing as a wax, but longer (generally). Sealants are always liquids, and last normally between 3-6 months. In general sealants give a more reflective "harsher" look, they make your clear coat look thicker, they are intense and very glossy. Some people like this, others describe it as "wrapping the car in saran wrap". I took some wax off Peter "G-Force's" car today and put on a sealant, we both commented how the car looked incredibly slick and glossy, the metallic flake was absolutely popping, but the blue color was a little lighter looking, almost lost in the intense reflections.

Which is better? Neither. It's which is better *for you*. If you don't want to wax or seal often, then sealants tend to be a good choice. If you like the way sealants look, then again, good choice. If you don't mind waxing every 4-6 weeks and like the look of a wax, go with a wax. Make sense, right? If you want an easy to maintain protection sealants are generally easier because you apply them less AND there are many spray sealant boosters that are incredibly easy to apply.

Now, you can combine them, you can put a wax over a sealant and get the best of both worlds; however your wax will still fade after 4-6 weeks. You will still have the protection of the sealant but will need to re-apply wax for the "wax look", also, you can not apply a sealant over a wax, so when it comes time to re-apply it all you will need to start from scratch (no big deal).

What do *I* think about them on different colors? Well here is a little rundown. Remember, this is MY OPINION ONLY.

Non-metallic dark colors (black, blue, green). On black I like waxes, period. I find sealants take away too much of the black color; they make it looks grey-ish from a distance because they are so reflective. Which waxes? Nattys Blue is a great $20 wax, easy to apply, easy to buff off, looks very wet, glossy, and deep. Another is Clearkote Carnauba; less wet, more depth and deep dark black color. Another is Souveran, it's expensive, and lasts only 2-4 weeks, but it looks incredible. Another option here is to add a glaze to the mix (next section).

If I went with a sealant on black it would be Z5 pro or Poorboys EX. Z5 pro sealant looks the most like a carnauba and gives 6 months of protection and fills minor marring. It can also be "boosted" easily with the spray sealant, Z8. EX actually has carnauba in it so it looks very much like a wax, and can be applied in full sun.

Non-metallic red: Again, I like waxes. Nattys Blue looks absolutely awesome on red. Especially over a glaze (next section). So does Souveran (it's made for red), but it's pricey.

For sealants on red I would go with Z5pro if you have some marring, or FMJ + HGAS if you don't. FMJ + HGAS are incredibly wet, reflective, and glossy, plus it's easy to maintain and it looks very wet on red.

Metallics, all of them but silver/white: I like sealants here. Why? You don't loose as much color as dark colors, so the added reflectively and metallic "pop" is nice. Waxes tend to mute flake. Which one? Z2pro with Z8, Jeffs Werkstatt Acrylic Jett (which AJ trigger) or FMJ with HGAS, all these are liquid sealants with their respective spray booster. All last 4-6 months, all look incredible and are easy to maintain.

If I went with a wax on metallics it'd be P21S, since I find it's the "clearest" wax.

Silver/White (metallic or non). Either 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett, period. Why? I don't know; both of these just look awesome on silver and white, so wet, so glossy - something about them just works on these two colors, IMO.

OK, up next, a quicky on glazes.

Alright, so what the heck is a glaze? Glaze is an often mis-used term because it tends to apply to a lot of products. Generally a glaze is a product that provides no protection AND no corrective abilty, but is purely aesthetic. These are often filled with oils and deepen and darken paint, their primary function is often filling marring (filling, NOT removing). They work best in conjunction with waxes, not sealants. Sealants do not like bonding over glazes (though some will).

When do you use a glaze? Before waxing, after your isa rubdown (the alcohol will strip it, so polish, isa, glaze, wax). I don't use glazes a ton, but do sometimes. Here is when I do:

1) I am going to use a wax ont he car for sure.
2) The owner doesn't care about durabilty, glaze + wax usually means 4 weeks or less.
3) The car spends a lot of time in a garage *OR* lastly:
4) The car is a black or dark daily driver and has marring that is un-fixable.

Now some guys use glazes a lot to fill marring. I like fixing marring, so I don't use them to fill often, but in some cases it's just unreasonable to expect to remove all marring, so they have their place. Which glaze you use depends on what you're trying to accompolish, for example:

My favorite glaze is Clearkote Red Moose (or machine) glaze. It's sister product, Vanilla Moose, is a light polish and glaze that is also wonderful. Neither of them fill a lot of marring, but both do some filling. What they do best is make paint much deeper and darker. The first time you apply RMG to black you *will* notice a difference, it makes it look like black, liquid, oil. It's great. RMG is also laughably easy to use (as is VM), apply and remove wet or dry, super easy to buff off.

On the other hand if I need more filling, I often use Menzerna Final Touch Glaze. This has more fillers but less deepening/darkening, it's also very pily and much tougher to remove. The same goes for Megs #7 show car glaze, it's great, but hard to use.

Should you use a glaze? Well, if you intended on re-glazing and waxing every 4 weeks, then sure. It will make a difference, but it's a comminitment (basically). I glaze my car because I wax it every couple of weeks (and re-glaze every month), also because I like it to look crazy good, and also because it's a black daily driver that was abused for 2 years and it does have some marring which will never be fixed... I use RMG and top it with Souveran or Nattys Blue. This combo is disgustingly good looking, but it's at the expense of durabilty.

What else? Oh, dressings, tires, trim, etc.. I'll do that next quickly.

OK, so trim. Trim is funny; I have a lot of it on my car so I've gone through a lot of dressings/products to restore and maintain it. Surprisingly there are very few I actually like. A couple things before we restore/dress trim.

First, clean it well with alcohol and water. (same as the stuff you used before), if it's dirty any dressing will not penetrate it, so make sure it's clean.

Now, if it's stained or dry/greyish you need to restore first before dressing. A couple product I like are:

Poorboys Trim Restorer
Einszett Tiefenpfleger (yes, that's what it's called).
Leatherique Trim Dye

Now the first two are basically oily restorers that re-hydrate dried trim, they are oily and can be a pain to use, they are hard to clean off paint so be careful. Just apply them with a mf cloth, let them sit, then wipe any residue off after 10 minutes. Now you may notice the trim looks the same after 10 minutes, that's because it's dry and is sucking the stuff up. When I got my car I used almost half a bottle of TR on my front trim peice before it stayed black.

Leatherique Trim Dye is an actual dye, I like it, but be very careful as it literally dyes trim.

Use these products only when needed, not to maintain.

Now dressings. Use these to maintain after every couple washes (or every wash). I like:

Poorboys Natural Look (silicone based)
Meguiars #40 (silicone)
Mothers Back to Black (water)
Aerospace 303 (water).

Now the silicone dressings last longer by virtue of their silicone content, they are also messier and harder to apply. They steak more too, so apply them then wipe away right away with a clean mf to prevent streaking. The water based ones are easy to use, but will only last 1-2 washes. All of them will protect from UV.

Before I sign off; where do I get my stuff? Well, I get what I can at Canadian Tire, stuff you can get there off the top of my head that is good:

Buckets
Aerospace 303
Some Megairs products (#26 yellow wax, #40 trim dressing, #7 show car glaze)
Mothers Back to Black
Nevr Dull Metal Polish
Megs Deep Crystal soap
Foam Applicators
Quick Detailers
Clay

I think that's it. Don't buy their mf's or mitts, they are suck.

I also use eshine.ca (Chris is a great guy, ships fast), and carcaresmart.com. Chris carries almost all the poorboys stuff, good mf cloths, but crummy mitts (imo), carcaresmart has AWESOME sheepskin mitts. They also have some Menzerna products. Zaino I get from the Barbers Chair (they dont have Z5pro yet), I got that from the states, but it'll be in the barbers chair soon.

Lastly, I get a lot of my stuff from George at detailedimage.com. He's in NY state, however he will ship USPS to avoid customs and is a great guy, AND ships quick AND has good prices. If you ever need a product reco, let me know.

Questions? I'm all ears.

Alright, so I'm pretty much only doing winter preps right now, so here is what I basically do, and recommend everyone do prior to winter (right around the time they put their winters on).

1) First, if you're changing your tires, let's do that first. Get the summers off and put the winters on, before you put the winters on make sure to clean them well and if you have it, use some Wheel Sealant, Wheel Wax, or a paint sealant on the mags/wheels/alloys. Put the summers aside for now, more on those later.
2) Wash the car really well. We all know how to wash, there are FAQs on this forum how to do it. I suggest really getting down and dirty, use a fine brush to clean out body panels, door jambs, polish your exhaust and use a sealant on it, open the hood and trunk and clean the water gutter areas.
2) Strip whatever sealant/wax you have on the car, you can do this a few ways so here come the options.
- If you have some marring you want removed, skip to #3
- If you do not have marring but will be using a chemical cleaner, skip to #4
- If you do not have marring and will not be using a chemical cleaner, skip to #5.
3) Polish the car. Hopefully you don't have much marring, so lets assume you're using a light polish, there are FAQs on polishing, so if you're doing that read this. Now if you're using a chemical cleaner next go to step #4, if not, go to step #5.
4) Wipe the car down with alcohol and water. Assuming you polished and/or are using a chemical cleaner I will assume you know how to do this. 50/50 alcohol/water, regular 70% off the counter isa alcohol. Apply your chemical cleaner (Klasse AIO, Werkstatt Prime, etc.), I very highly recommend these before winter for a few reasons. One, they will remove most waterspots you have from the summer/fall, they will really help "deep clean" the paint, and best of all they add a sealant base for your sealant, which will only help it last even longer. Buff off when ready (most are apply to a panel, remove). Go to step #6.
5) If you're not using a chemical cleaner you're going to want to use alcohol/water liberally to strip your old sealant/wax, clean your trim and windows, and remove any polish residue (if you polished). 50/50 rubbing alcohol/water, regular 70% off the counter isa alcohol.
6) Apply your sealant. What do I recommend? Well, we want to use something long lasting, there are quite a few you can choose from. A sampling of the ones I like: Zaino Z2pro/Z5pro, Werkstatt Acrylic Jett, Poorboys EX-P, Klasse HGSG. How you apply and remove the sealant depends on which you use. Almost all of them are apply, let haze, remove *except* HGSG, which you want to wipe on/wipe off. Apply over entire car, including windows.
#7) As the sealant is hazing, do little peripheral jobs, polish exhaust, clean and dress trim, Clean/wax door jambs and hood/trunk jambs, clean and dress wheel wells.
#8) Buff off the sealant however you choose (some dry buff, some buff w/quick detailer, some buff w/spray sealant).
#9) Dress tires if you like that!
#10) If you're not too tired go clean your summer wheels. I like trying to use soap/water first, but if that doesn't do it move to a highly diluted APC or non-acid wheel cleaner. If that doesn't do it you can try acid, but make sure you know how to use it. DO NOT use acid or apc on aluminum lips. Use a metal polish or soap and water. Seal them, cover, and put away.

Any one of the sealants above will last 4-6 months, longer with a sealant base and even longer if you maintain with a spray sealant.

Now for maintaining through winter you have a couple options, I get questions on "how to winter wash" all the time. Here is how I answer.

If you're lucky enough to have a garage that is heated and you can spray a hose, wash normally. Now most of us don't have that, so if you insist on washing in the winter I highly recommend rinseless washes, like QEW or ONR (more info on them in the FAQs), do this in a garage only. If you do not have a garage and insist on washing you can find a decent local coin-op and bring your bucket/mitts/soap/towels. Try not to use auto washes, ok? I know it's hard, but it *so* isn't worth the marring you'll have come spring.

Me? I wash occasionally with rinseless washes, but mostly I do this - when I am back from a long ride and I have a lot of salt, I will go to a local coin op, put in $2 and spray the snot out of my wheels, wheel wells, and undercarriage, I will also spray the paint and windows *lightly*, to remove any loose salt/junk. That's it, no actual touching. Remember, washing = marring, and also remember its winter, so washing is largely pointless if you use your car. ALSO remember salt will ONLY react with paint when it's over 0c/32f, so if you park in a garage or its warm, so just make sure to get it off when you can. If you NEED the car clean, use rinseless, or use your own stuff in a coin op. If someone puts a gun to your head you can go to a touchless, but don't blame me when I am polishing your car come spring. :)

Why do all this? Well, the obvious reasons (keep it looking good), UV protection, bird poop, acid rain, also sealing windows WILL improve visibility, make it easier to wipe them on the highway, and make it much easier to remove snow from the car (I promise), it'll also help mitigate salt damage.

Cheers.

thanks that was a lot of great info. :D

FYI guys, this thread is going to remain open, so please contribute/ask questions, etc. :)

What speeds do you operate your PC at usually? I use a 7336 PC with edge2k pads, and when I crank it up to 6 it begins to vibrate insanely, like my hands start to tingle and I can't do more than 1-2 panels at this speed before having to rest. Is this a counterweight issue or is it just the way it is. I can handle speed 5 just fine, but 6 is just too hard to deal with, but I need the extra power occasionally when trying to fully break down the new optimum OHC on some heavily swirled cars.

I always use 6, well, 99% of the time. It sounds like your counterweight is the wrong size for the backing plate and pads you're using. You have the 6" CW with the 7336, so it's weird that it isn't working with the edge pads... you may want to try re-installing the edge adapter before you buy a 5" CW.

Picus, You dont have a section on wetsanding correct? i didnt see one and if everyone would like ill post on how to do it with in here ( ive done a lot of cars for one of my body shops)

I wouldn't recommend a DIY for wetsanding, leave that ones to the pros which have more experience, the PC is pretty idiotproof, but wetsanding is a whole nother issue

Well im offering it for any one who wants to try it to me its very hard to burn the clear if you pay attention... ive never done it but i do know some who have if some want it ill put it up

I put up a wetsanding DIY a long time ago, I will re-post it if you guys think it's a good idea. For the most part it was well received but some guys thought it was a bad idea for the same reason redlude97 mentioned.

this is really excellent info.

What is a PC? Where can i get a good PC? how much should i spent?

Sooiseng

Here is where you can get one from:

http://www.detailedimage.com/store/i...hp?cPath=37_38

Info on Porter Cable:

http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detai...-polisher.html

Just brought it with Tool Plus for $106.5 including shipping, thanks man!

Sooiseng

if you take your car to get detailed
will they polish and remove the swirl marks as well as apply a sealent or wax?
i need to do alot of work on the paint inlcuding a few touch up spots in the near future
I do not own a CP so I wont be able to do much
but i could clay the car and apply a sealent....which is why i wanted to know what 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett are?
thanks

Yes a detailer can compound the car to remove the swirls but you will pay extra for this optional service. You will want to make sure they know what they're doing and you're dealing with someone you can trust.

Picus, great thread but I'm a still a newb so could you please clarify a few things for me....

I've also got all Menzerna products (PG, FPII, IP, FMJ, Glaze)...when I applied my polish I mostly thought it was dusting, but if I really applied it it would eventually clear up, am I applying it too much, spending too much time??? Basically, should it dust or flash?



So you first mention starting w/ FPII on White then moving up to IP on Orange to remove more of the swirls but this can leave hazing so then use something less agressive....so should I be going FPII, IP, FPII again? :confused2:


Will FMJ bond over Final Touch Glaze? BTW I never really realized glazes are filling in imperfections, perhaps thats why my car looked so good after glazing it last time, but I also applied FMJ over it.

Also, another important fact I learned from your post was not too use too much shampoo, i've always used a ton (more expensive, but I figured more suds was better)...this is starting to explain why my wax was gone after a week (since I wash the car weekly).

Sorry for the long post and so many questions but after realizing there are literally NO good detaileres in within a 3 hour drive of where I live, I've really got to step up my own detailing and want to make sure I thoroughly understand everything because I've always believed its the details that truly make the differce.

Thanks!

Great info! Could you please put together a section on engine detailing and some of the product you use? I would also like to hear about what the products you use to clean the interior of cars.

Again, thanks for the write-up(s) and I will be using your advice!

"Silver/White (metallic or non). Either 4* UPP or Acrylic Jett, period. Why? I don't know; both of these just look awesome on silver and white, so wet, so glossy - something about them just works on these two colors, IMO."

I found Acrylic Jett on google, but what is 4* UPP, i can't find it anywhere? Which of the two would be 1st choice on my car (bs in avatar) if it was yours?

awesome info. I can't wait to detail my car w/ all the stuff i've accumulated recently, except it just keeps going back to the body shop for more re-painting lol.

Four Star Ultimate Paint Protector. I use it on my LP. Recently tried some Jet Seal 109. Final gloss looks better than plain 4*UPP (imo), but twice as expensive. Using DWG, 4*UPP, and Aquawax as LSP is my current favorite. :)

ok...so I am going to practice on some hoods that I will get off the junk yard...here is what I am going to do.

Start with a white pad using PO106ff. If that doesn't work, then bump up using an orange pad. If that doesn't work, then orange pad using SIP P083. I'm assuming after that combo, the marks will be gone. So, do I finish with a finsihing polish (PO106ff)? Is there something that I am missing or that anybody recommends? This will be using a PC!

That's a good process, remember paint varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, so what works on one may work differently on another. When you do use an orange pad you will want to follow up with a white pad pretty much regardless, since the orange pad will leave some pad marring behind.

TREMENDOUSLY GREAT INFO!!!!!!! Thanks a ton! You definitely make me excited to get on my grind in upkeeping the whip.

One question though: I have an all black (inside and out) daily driver that's outside 24/7. Do you have any extra steps that might help me out better? Any alternate products to use or extra steps? Do I need any extra protection?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks again!

I have never really been in the detailing section here on G35driver and let me tell you this thread is really good Picus thanks again!
so i basically need to get my paint back in shape since its an 03.5 and basically have only clayed and waxed in the past. from the write up I see that polishing or compounding is mainlly for paints with swirl marks well mine really doesnt have any swirl marks but rather some discoloration I guess called oxidation when seen at night under flourecent lighting such as at a gas station etc. My question is should I go with a good wash, clay bar, then polish and finally wax or seal? also, i dont have a PC but an old fashioned orbital will that do? thanks guys john

^Bump^

well b4 i read this thread, i had polished my car w/ PC. w/ little experience i left swirl marks on it. Some are just hard to removed. they are NOT scratched but seems like the paint has been 'burnt"...the body of the car does get hot after i polish...or "attempted" to polish. Could it be that i'm pressing too hard. I plan on getting more pads, currently i am using only one pad. the car looks nice and shinny but when the sun hits it at different angles you can see the swirl patterns. thanks for the help. :D

Thanks for all of your great info and time invested in putting all of this together. Quick question for you what would you recommend I use to get rid of acid rain/water spots on my side mirrors?

I'd referred back to this thread soo many times it's ridiculous. Been so useful and really glad and grateful that you took the time to write this up. Probably spent around $600 or so in detailing supplies as of right now based off of this hah.

Picus- I have a caribbean blue G coupe..Im thinking i want to use a sealant..what would you say is the best sealant for the paint to just POP and stand out super glossy!?

Also, what is the best bang for buck Car polisher?

Griots! Better than the pc 7424xp and cheaper.. You can pick one up for 100 or so new.

Amazing Info!!! I was planning on polishing my car this weekend and now I have something to go by:)

simply put: p21s wheel cleaner ate the clearcoat off my stoptechs and ruined them. they are now a dull matte red. i was really dissapointed after hearing so many good things. from what i can tell so far, it didnt destroy my volks which was nice....

help with interior !!
 

i just got my g35 like a week ago now its at the shop getting some final repairs since its a salvaged. BUT since i bought it online i didnt get a clean look at the interior apparently the last guy turned it to hell now its full of dirt grime some oil stains etc. pretty filthy..also the electronics have a **** load of grime
what would you guys recommend for cleaning the leather seats with?i read online that the most efficient way is with a damp cloth and some hand soap ...create lather ....dry down than finish off with some olive oil to preserve the leather?
what you guys recomend? ill post some pics up when i can
:D
i was gonna get a z32 than i upgraded to the g35:p

I'd personally recommend Leatherique:
Here's a how-to guide:

Detailing in the Washington DC area comes to your house!
 

Hey guys I found a guy that does waterless detailing and thought I'd share. He provides detailing service at your house, he did my car last week in the frigid cold since I can't wash my car in the winter...ecodetailmobile.com

Dang this post is super informative. Wouldn't be surprised if I could detail like a pro after a few practice runs

picus, i would like to get your thoughts on Zymol products. their auto bathe, hd pre wax cleaner and the carbon wax (for darker vehicles).

also, anything you could say about interior, ie the dash and console area.

very informative thread, i appriciate this a lot. thank you.

Each one of you has given a complete details on this.......

It's probably a safe assumption that you came here because you care about your vehicles appearance - that's the first step. The second step is learning how to achieve that head turning shine, the deep reflectivity and gloss you see when you look at show cars. You want your vehicle to look better than new, and here is how GTA In Detail makes that happen.

Before we move on please note that this walk-through of some of our services contains advanced detailing processes - it is quite lengthy; if you have a quick question please contact us, or visit our services section, which contains concise information and prices of all the services we offer. Also, this walk-through is intended as both a showcase of the processes and products GTA In Detail will use to revitalize your paint, however it is also intended to act as a "how-to" for owners who are interested in "doing it yourself". Just remember to be careful and use patience before attempting any paint repair.

This section will focus on dissecting a full detail for you from start to finish so you can see exactly what goes into making a vehicle's paint look better than it did when it came off the line. Let's get started.

The first thing we do is evaluate the condition of the paint by washing off the dirt, and removing contaminents. In most cases consumers have mild to moderate swirling and marring that they think is normal. Swirls, scratches, water spots, and oxidation are not normal; this is a myth borne partly out of ignorance, and partly because the car dealers and wash bays who inflict this damage on your cars paint want you to think it's normal. Consumers tend to look right past damaged paint and judge a cars appearance by how "clean" the paint is. The problem with that is that under the dirt the paint is often in poor condition, and in all likelihood, it's only going to get worse.

Picus I had a quick question, I saw what you suggested for silver/white and I saw what you suggested for the dark colors(black, blue, etc) but I have Diamond Graphite which I'm sure you are aware is the dark gray metallic color on some coupes. Any suggestions what is best for that color? Wax, glaze, sealants? Thank so much for your time on the guide btw, your very passionate about your detialing and I bet your cars show that. Hopefully mine will show it as well :)

Man I wish i could do the whole detailing thing. I may try one day. I have to build up some nerve tho lol

engine bay
 

I just wanted to know how should i go about cleaning my engine bay ? Its full of dust annd stuff from the body shop and road crap.