Hmm already applied 303 on everything with a applicator pad and then wiped off with a microfiber, but the next time I use it on my car or any car I'll do that instead^ thanks for the info

 

Thanks! I'll definitely try that. Probably going to buy some blackfire this week.

 

What would you suggest to do with a brand new car off the lot (liquid platinum, graphite) to protect it and keep it looking new in and out? Assume it will need a preliminary wash prior to any treatment.

 

Can you recommend the best products to clean fabric seats? My kids trample dirt and mud with their shoes and put their feet on the seats which messes it all up. I am guessing some sort of cleaner and then brush it out? Looking for something that will not change the color of the fabric.

Thanks

 

Sounds good, keep me posted on what you think of the different technique.

Anytime, if you need a hand with anything else, please do not hesitate to ask.

Yep, I'd recommend a good wash and dry. Make sure you follow the proper washing and drying process for optimal results since improper washing and drying is how you can easily dull your finish by adding swirls and imperfections.

Then what you'll want to do is assess the paint to see if you could benefit from using a clay bar or not. A simple way to do this is glide your hand over the paint and feel for bumps after washing it. This means there's still contamination on the surface that wasn't removed with the wash and the clay would pick it up. To amplify your assessment, you can put your fingers in a plastic bag since you can't always visually see stubborn contamination still on the surface. If it's smooth then you're ready to go.

What I like to use on a new car is a chemical non-abrasive polish or pre-wax / pre-sealant product. Something like Chemical Guys EZ Creme Glaze or Poorboy's World Black Hole would be two nice options for you.

After that protect it with your choice of sealant or wax. I personally would go the sealant route due to how much more durability you'll get out of it. Blackfire Wet Diamond would be my choice of sealant.

I'd recommend protecting as much of your interior as well as your wheels for easier maintenance. Some key products are 303 Aerospace Protectant, 303 High Tech Fabric Guard and Poorboy's World Wheel Sealant.

Let me know if there's anything else I can help with. Enjoy the new car!

I'd go with some Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner Plus and a good scrub carpet brush that you can find locally. Work it at a 6:1 ratio or so and you can increase the power as needed.

I'd follow this routine:
Brush
Vacuum
Spray the APC and let dwell for a couple minutes
Scrub to agitate stains
Wipe / Vacuum
Repeat as needed

Something else you can do is keep a pot / bucket / spray bottle of very hot water close by as this can help aid in breaking up stubborn stains.

Most of interior cleaning is elbow grease, a good APC like the Meg's should be all you need.

Keep us posted how it turns out.

 

What's the best (and cost-effective) filler to use for hiding swirls/light scratches?

I don't have the time/money to do paint correction at the moment, but I'd like the car looking the best it can until the spring.

 

Are foam applicator pads safe to use on cars? Like as opposed to using a microfiber to apply wax or sealant?

They make it ALOT easier to apply and I end up using less.

 

George,

I am confused on what the best polishing products are for my OB G35. I have a fair amount of swirls/holograms from washing/cleaning and and also have a few surface scratches that I need to remove as well.

I read through most of this thread and after reading some of the early posts, I was ready to order the PC along with the Menzerna line of polishes, specifically SIP with PO106FF, as these seemed to be excellent products. After reading further with more recent threads, you seem to recommend the Mequiars products (M105/M205 combo). Now I am confused.

Is the M105/M205 combo really better than the Menzerna products or are they just easier to use (for beginners)? Is there one reason to lean toward one product line vs the other? Does the more powerful PC contribute to your shift in recommendations? I am really looking for your recommendation on the best product, regardless of easy of use or cost as I want to get the best looking, defect free finish I can get.

Thanks!

 

Here is a couple of shots of a 2010 Toyota Sequoia Black on Black. The truck only had 3600 miles but from poor washing and drying the finish was toast in no time flat. I used a PC 7424 with Orange LC pads and the Menzerna 106ff and got very good results with just one pass. I have never used the Megs 105/205 for Polish so I cant say to much on that. Menzerna has always been Polish of choice. I topped the Truck with BFWD and Nattys Red after that. Turned out not to shabby. One shot is a 50/50 of passenger door and the other shot is same door complete. I really like the reflection of my ride sitting out in the background! That last shot was before the Blackfire! Have fun with the black cars! Mike

 

nice job! how long did it take from start to finish?

 

Thank you. That one was around 12 or 13 hours. I'ts always fun doing Black cars cause they look sooo good when everything's finished.

 

Okay, so I ordered the 105/205 combo from Detailed Image. Received it last week, but the weather was bad so I didn't get a chance to use it. Today was my first chance to buff out some nasty scuffs and rid my black G of those nasty swirls. So after a complete wash (as instructed by DI), I got out my Porter Cable, put on an orange pad, and started buffing out some of the scuffs with 105. I worked wonderfully... scuffs all gone YEA! Then I put on a black pad with the 205 and went over the same spot to eliminate minor swirls. Looked great... until I moved the car in the sun. YIKES! In the sunlight I saw millions of small swirls from where I had buffed out the scuffs. I thought maybe I didn't buff long enough with the 205, so I went over it again. And I went over a place where there were only old cleaning swirls... Same thing! Millions of hairline swirls.

What did I screw up and how do I fix it? Is it fixable?

 

sorry if this is OT.. but anyone know how long do you have to wait before you can clear bra a car with new paint job?

thanks

 

There aren't a ton of good filling products that really work. If you pull the car in direct sunlight or florescent lighting, you'll be able to still see swirls and imperfections. The better filling glazes are the heavy oil based ones, but the problem is sealants won't bond well to them so you have to top it with a carnauba wax, giving you only a month or so of protection.

I typically recommend going with a polymer based glaze, something like Chemical Guys EZ Creme Glaze and topping it with a good sealant like Blackfire Wet Diamond. Will it hide a lot? No, but the gloss and depth will be outstanding until you have time to correct the paint properly.

They are safe, but the key is using them on a clean surface. If you use any product over a dirty surface than you can add swirls and scratches. Clearly if you drop it, trash it.

For PC users, the Meguiar's polishes are very easy to use to get good results. The PC doesn't have nearly the same amount of power compared to a Flex buffer or a rotary buffer, which Menzerna polishes are made for. Menzerna polishes are diminishing abrasive polishes, which need to be worked in properly to be fully broken down to reveal an imperfection free surface. This can be done pretty easily with a Flex or rotary, but can be difficult with a PC (not impossible though). Meguiar's M105/M205 polishes are non-diminishing abrasives so as you apply more speed and pressure, you cut and correct more, then as you let off the pressure you are finishing. It's easier for first time PC users to get good results this way which explains the shift in recommendations.

Looks good, keep up the great work!

From what you described, it sounds like the black pad isn't aggressive enough to remove the marring the M105 / orange pad left behind. I'd suggest using a white polishing pad with the M205 and see if that cleans things up. If that still doesn't do the trick, then you may want to use the M105 again with less pressure to help lighten the swirls, then go over it with the M205 on white pads. It's just a matter of finding the right pad / pressure / speed combo to get the desired results. To save yourself this aggravation in the future, you want to make sure when you polish, you have a light source on the panel your polishing that reveals these imperfections. If you had that, you could have adjusted your technique / pads on the first panel before doing the entire car and being disappointed. A good investment would be either of the Brinkmann hand held lights.

Hope that helps... keep us posted on if you are able to correct the swirls.

You should wait for the paint to fully cure which can be between 30 days - 120 days depending on the paint used and the drying techniques. Call the shop that did the work for a more accurate time frame since they will know best.

 

Alright awesome! Thanks for the info!