Ask a Professional Detailer...
#526
01-23-2008, 07:10 AM
Originally Posted by SuperShick
George, got a couple of questions:
1.) When you wash, do you want to apply a lot of pressure with your wash mitt? Is the idea to let the soap lift the dirt off and use the mitt to just "wipe" it off? Usually, I use a lot of force with my mitt to wash and i just get SUPER tired. my arms feel like they're gonna fall off. that's why i'm so discourage to wash my car every week cuz it's just a hassle. am i doing something wrong?
You do not want to use much pressure at all. With a good coat of sealant and / or wax on your paint, the contamination should pretty much fall right off. Your method is a common way to induce swirl marks and other imperfections. Let the shampoo do it's job and just gently glide the sudsy mitt over the paint with little pressure.
2.) Also, i've been using zaino for awhile now. i am using z2 and z5 for my car. let's say i want to start all over. i've been using dawn to get rid of the top layer. is that the right way to do it?
Dawn is ok to use once in a while, but I do not recommend it over long periods of time. It has the potential to dry out trim and other Other things you can do would be to spray the vehicle down using Isopropyl Alcohol and water mixture, polish the paint either with a chemical polish or an abrasive polish, or claying your vehicle usually removes most layers of protection.
3.) what's the difference between your clay bars on your website? the descriptions are exactly the same =)
The two fine grade bars are nearly identical (1 from Clay Magic and 1 from Clear Kote) but the medium grade bar is denser and is designed to remove things like paint overspray, sap, tar, etc. much quicker. Keep in mind if you use a medium grade clay bar, it is almost sure to leave behind some micro-marring, which will need to be polished with an abrasive polish to fully remove. Using proper technique with a fine grade bar will minimize your chances of adding imperfections, but it can still happen.
4.) how do you exactly want to wash your wheels? i think you mentioned to use some wheel cleaners like p21s but is regular car soap good enough? would buying that gel or cleaner really help? any brushes that are good or should i just buy another mitt or what?
I personally like to keep things simple with wheels. I'll apply 2 - 3 thin coats of Poorboy's Wheel Sealant to my wheels and treat them the same as my paint. Automotive shampoo and a dedicated wash mitt is all I need to get my wheels looking like new. I'll reapply the PB WS when the brake dust is becoming harder to remove, roughly every 2 - 3 months.
5.) i'm so inundated with all these polishes for my car. i just don't know which one to use. you speak of so many but i don't want to spend all this money and buy the wrong ones. i have a diamond graphite coupe with swirls cuz i can see it in the sun. but i want to get rid of those swirls and make the paint really "pop". i guess PC7424 would be the best tool to get it out but i'm a n00b and never polished before. I know i should probably just try a small patch first. I've been watching the videos here: http://paintcare-n-detailing.com/video.html and they really help.
You're already on the right track if you are watching some of P-n-D's videos. Polishing is where you typically experience the most dramatic transformation with your vehicle. Ideally, invest in the best finishing polish you can. I recommend that if you are going to splurge on one item, this is it. Go with Menzerna PO106FF for your finishing polish, you will not be disappointed one bit. If you are on a budget, go for the Menzerna Final Polish II, still a great finishing polish, but won't leave the paint as deep and glossy looking as the PO106FF will, especially if this is your first time polishing. Both finishing polishes I just mentioned are easy to work with and you will see great results with either one. Both polishes would utilize a while polishing pad if you are planning on going with the PC.
If you need a stronger polish for deeper imperfections, I'd recommend sticking with Menzerna, which is either their Super Intensive Polish or Intensive Polish. If you are going to follow up with the PO106FF, save yourself some money here and go with the regular Intensive Polish. If you were looking for a 1 step polish and didn't want to follow up with a finishing polish, then Super Intensive Polish would be your answer, but you would sacrifice a little bit of the final finish compared to the PO106FF.
6.) Also, with all this rainy season coming in california, does it really help to wash your car that much?
Rain often brings on lots of contamination to your vehicle. It's still important to remove the contamination from your surface on a regular basis. I usually recommend following a routine where you wash at least every 2 weeks for optimal results.
7.) Also, i'm assuming a car cover would really help since i park outside right? i'm planning on getting an OEM one so i'm assuming it won't scratch or scuff the paint.
I personally am not a fan of car covers, unless you are putting it away for storage indoors for a long period of time and you JUST detailed your car before you did. Leaving a car cover on outside is an easy way to add swirls and scratches. If contamination gets trapped between your car cover and your vehicle and the wind blows, it's very easy to add swirls and other imperfections. Also, some people think since your car is covered it's ok to brush up against it, place things on it, etc.
I guess keeping my car clean and looking nice is a GREAT thing but after all the things i need to buy from your site, it freakin adds up to like 100+ dollars, not including the PC. I just want to do it right, find a technique and methodology that works and stick with it for the lowest cost.
Thanks for listening and reading George =)
1.) When you wash, do you want to apply a lot of pressure with your wash mitt? Is the idea to let the soap lift the dirt off and use the mitt to just "wipe" it off? Usually, I use a lot of force with my mitt to wash and i just get SUPER tired. my arms feel like they're gonna fall off. that's why i'm so discourage to wash my car every week cuz it's just a hassle. am i doing something wrong?
You do not want to use much pressure at all. With a good coat of sealant and / or wax on your paint, the contamination should pretty much fall right off. Your method is a common way to induce swirl marks and other imperfections. Let the shampoo do it's job and just gently glide the sudsy mitt over the paint with little pressure.
2.) Also, i've been using zaino for awhile now. i am using z2 and z5 for my car. let's say i want to start all over. i've been using dawn to get rid of the top layer. is that the right way to do it?
Dawn is ok to use once in a while, but I do not recommend it over long periods of time. It has the potential to dry out trim and other Other things you can do would be to spray the vehicle down using Isopropyl Alcohol and water mixture, polish the paint either with a chemical polish or an abrasive polish, or claying your vehicle usually removes most layers of protection.
3.) what's the difference between your clay bars on your website? the descriptions are exactly the same =)
The two fine grade bars are nearly identical (1 from Clay Magic and 1 from Clear Kote) but the medium grade bar is denser and is designed to remove things like paint overspray, sap, tar, etc. much quicker. Keep in mind if you use a medium grade clay bar, it is almost sure to leave behind some micro-marring, which will need to be polished with an abrasive polish to fully remove. Using proper technique with a fine grade bar will minimize your chances of adding imperfections, but it can still happen.
4.) how do you exactly want to wash your wheels? i think you mentioned to use some wheel cleaners like p21s but is regular car soap good enough? would buying that gel or cleaner really help? any brushes that are good or should i just buy another mitt or what?
I personally like to keep things simple with wheels. I'll apply 2 - 3 thin coats of Poorboy's Wheel Sealant to my wheels and treat them the same as my paint. Automotive shampoo and a dedicated wash mitt is all I need to get my wheels looking like new. I'll reapply the PB WS when the brake dust is becoming harder to remove, roughly every 2 - 3 months.
5.) i'm so inundated with all these polishes for my car. i just don't know which one to use. you speak of so many but i don't want to spend all this money and buy the wrong ones. i have a diamond graphite coupe with swirls cuz i can see it in the sun. but i want to get rid of those swirls and make the paint really "pop". i guess PC7424 would be the best tool to get it out but i'm a n00b and never polished before. I know i should probably just try a small patch first. I've been watching the videos here: http://paintcare-n-detailing.com/video.html and they really help.
You're already on the right track if you are watching some of P-n-D's videos. Polishing is where you typically experience the most dramatic transformation with your vehicle. Ideally, invest in the best finishing polish you can. I recommend that if you are going to splurge on one item, this is it. Go with Menzerna PO106FF for your finishing polish, you will not be disappointed one bit. If you are on a budget, go for the Menzerna Final Polish II, still a great finishing polish, but won't leave the paint as deep and glossy looking as the PO106FF will, especially if this is your first time polishing. Both finishing polishes I just mentioned are easy to work with and you will see great results with either one. Both polishes would utilize a while polishing pad if you are planning on going with the PC.
If you need a stronger polish for deeper imperfections, I'd recommend sticking with Menzerna, which is either their Super Intensive Polish or Intensive Polish. If you are going to follow up with the PO106FF, save yourself some money here and go with the regular Intensive Polish. If you were looking for a 1 step polish and didn't want to follow up with a finishing polish, then Super Intensive Polish would be your answer, but you would sacrifice a little bit of the final finish compared to the PO106FF.
6.) Also, with all this rainy season coming in california, does it really help to wash your car that much?
Rain often brings on lots of contamination to your vehicle. It's still important to remove the contamination from your surface on a regular basis. I usually recommend following a routine where you wash at least every 2 weeks for optimal results.
7.) Also, i'm assuming a car cover would really help since i park outside right? i'm planning on getting an OEM one so i'm assuming it won't scratch or scuff the paint.
I personally am not a fan of car covers, unless you are putting it away for storage indoors for a long period of time and you JUST detailed your car before you did. Leaving a car cover on outside is an easy way to add swirls and scratches. If contamination gets trapped between your car cover and your vehicle and the wind blows, it's very easy to add swirls and other imperfections. Also, some people think since your car is covered it's ok to brush up against it, place things on it, etc.
I guess keeping my car clean and looking nice is a GREAT thing but after all the things i need to buy from your site, it freakin adds up to like 100+ dollars, not including the PC. I just want to do it right, find a technique and methodology that works and stick with it for the lowest cost.
Thanks for listening and reading George =)
If you have any other questions on anything, please do not hesitate to ask.
George
#527
01-26-2008, 11:20 AM
Hey George,
Well i just tried out the new PC and PO106ff on my moms Acura TL. I went over the car with an orange pad and when i was done it looked like i had already gone over the car with Zaino. The paint felt amazing!!
I have a question on lighting. I have a little hand held halogen light and its very easy to see swirls on black cars, but i cant see anything on my car or any light colored metalics. What can i use to see the paint defects on the light colored cars?
Well i just tried out the new PC and PO106ff on my moms Acura TL. I went over the car with an orange pad and when i was done it looked like i had already gone over the car with Zaino. The paint felt amazing!!
I have a question on lighting. I have a little hand held halogen light and its very easy to see swirls on black cars, but i cant see anything on my car or any light colored metalics. What can i use to see the paint defects on the light colored cars?
#528
01-26-2008, 03:34 PM
Do you know the wattage of your hand held halogen? I use dual 500W lights when paint correcting. The key to lighting is to make sure there is no other outside lighting, like sunlight, etc. that can take away from your defects. We're soon looking into some hand held lights that are meant for showing paint defects. Florescent lights seem to work well on light colored vehicles too.
Glad to see you liked the PO106FF!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
George
Glad to see you liked the PO106FF!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
George
#529
01-26-2008, 07:14 PM
#530
02-12-2008, 10:24 PM
Hi George! Hey, I'm the guy who won the Porter Cable from you this month, thanks, nice addition to my car tools! Anyway, I have a question on how to apply the polish to the pad, what is the best way to approach that, as I'm rather new to machine polishing. I appreciate any suggestions!
Tom
Tom
#531
02-13-2008, 10:26 AM
Originally Posted by ABQ_G35
Hi George! Hey, I'm the guy who won the Porter Cable from you this month, thanks, nice addition to my car tools! Anyway, I have a question on how to apply the polish to the pad, what is the best way to approach that, as I'm rather new to machine polishing. I appreciate any suggestions!
Tom
Tom
I find that if I'm polishing say an 18" x 18" area, I'll use roughly 3 pea sized drops spaced out around the pad. Most detailers over apply polish and wonder why they are not getting the results they are looking for. When you over apply a polish, that means it takes that much longer for it to properly break down, and if you saturate the area with product, the product could dry up before you finish breaking it down.
If you are using either or yellow or orange pads, they are concave to give an additional bite to the outer areas of the pad which can make the polishing process go faster. Make sure you apply product to these pads only along the edges, as the middle area doesn't really touch the paint much.
For the white, black or blue pads, space out the 3 pea sized dots evenly.
Read over our guide to polishing and look at some videos online and you'll feel very comfortable using the PC in no time.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks for participating in our contest and congrats on the win!
George
#532
02-13-2008, 01:58 PM
Originally Posted by Detailed Image
Tom, congrats on winning the free Porter Cable 7424 buffer!
I find that if I'm polishing say an 18" x 18" area, I'll use roughly 3 pea sized drops spaced out around the pad. Most detailers over apply polish and wonder why they are not getting the results they are looking for. When you over apply a polish, that means it takes that much longer for it to properly break down, and if you saturate the area with product, the product could dry up before you finish breaking it down.
If you are using either or yellow or orange pads, they are concave to give an additional bite to the outer areas of the pad which can make the polishing process go faster. Make sure you apply product to these pads only along the edges, as the middle area doesn't really touch the paint much.
For the white, black or blue pads, space out the 3 pea sized dots evenly.
Read over our guide to polishing and look at some videos online and you'll feel very comfortable using the PC in no time.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks for participating in our contest and congrats on the win!
George
I find that if I'm polishing say an 18" x 18" area, I'll use roughly 3 pea sized drops spaced out around the pad. Most detailers over apply polish and wonder why they are not getting the results they are looking for. When you over apply a polish, that means it takes that much longer for it to properly break down, and if you saturate the area with product, the product could dry up before you finish breaking it down.
If you are using either or yellow or orange pads, they are concave to give an additional bite to the outer areas of the pad which can make the polishing process go faster. Make sure you apply product to these pads only along the edges, as the middle area doesn't really touch the paint much.
For the white, black or blue pads, space out the 3 pea sized dots evenly.
Read over our guide to polishing and look at some videos online and you'll feel very comfortable using the PC in no time.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to ask.
Thanks for participating in our contest and congrats on the win!
George
#533
02-15-2008, 03:54 AM
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#535
02-15-2008, 08:53 PM
Dear George,
I have been an avid detailing enthusiast for a little over a year. However, during recent times I became distracted, and even allowed my car to get handwashed at a local carwash. (gasp, the horror!!!!
) As you could probably guess, there are a plethora of swirls on my car now. Before, my arsenal consisted of Menzerna intensive and final polishes, which I would top off w/ menzerna FMJ. The results were very good, but doing the polishing process twice was just too much for me. ( I use a pc7424 w/ orange and white pads previously) Now I would like a one step polish, that would get rid of some moderate swirling and imperfections. Maybe something stronger than intensive. I will be using a pc once again.I would like to use a wax or something like FMJ right after the polish. What would you recommend? Also, I used some product on my seats before, and now there is white liquid trapped in the pores of the leather. I tried using a brush to get rid of it, and only some of it came out. What could I use to remove all that mess? Thanks very much
Warm regards,
Jason
I have been an avid detailing enthusiast for a little over a year. However, during recent times I became distracted, and even allowed my car to get handwashed at a local carwash. (gasp, the horror!!!!
) As you could probably guess, there are a plethora of swirls on my car now. Before, my arsenal consisted of Menzerna intensive and final polishes, which I would top off w/ menzerna FMJ. The results were very good, but doing the polishing process twice was just too much for me. ( I use a pc7424 w/ orange and white pads previously) Now I would like a one step polish, that would get rid of some moderate swirling and imperfections. Maybe something stronger than intensive. I will be using a pc once again.I would like to use a wax or something like FMJ right after the polish. What would you recommend? Also, I used some product on my seats before, and now there is white liquid trapped in the pores of the leather. I tried using a brush to get rid of it, and only some of it came out. What could I use to remove all that mess? Thanks very muchWarm regards,
Jason
#536
02-16-2008, 11:21 AM
Originally Posted by sncskyline
there seems to be some kind of oil on one of my windows... i tried cleaning it off with meguiar's gold class car wash and invisible glass - but it's still streaking. any suggestions on products or techniques?
Hope this helps.
Originally Posted by jalilig35
anyway to remove scratches on the side window?
Originally Posted by threatcon07
Dear George,
I have been an avid detailing enthusiast for a little over a year. However, during recent times I became distracted, and even allowed my car to get handwashed at a local carwash. (gasp, the horror!!!! ) As you could probably guess, there are a plethora of swirls on my car now. Before, my arsenal consisted of Menzerna intensive and final polishes, which I would top off w/ menzerna FMJ. The results were very good, but doing the polishing process twice was just too much for me. ( I use a pc7424 w/ orange and white pads previously) Now I would like a one step polish, that would get rid of some moderate swirling and imperfections. Maybe something stronger than intensive. I will be using a pc once again.I would like to use a wax or something like FMJ right after the polish. What would you recommend? Also, I used some product on my seats before, and now there is white liquid trapped in the pores of the leather. I tried using a brush to get rid of it, and only some of it came out. What could I use to remove all that mess? Thanks very much
Warm regards,
Jason
I have been an avid detailing enthusiast for a little over a year. However, during recent times I became distracted, and even allowed my car to get handwashed at a local carwash. (gasp, the horror!!!!
) As you could probably guess, there are a plethora of swirls on my car now. Before, my arsenal consisted of Menzerna intensive and final polishes, which I would top off w/ menzerna FMJ. The results were very good, but doing the polishing process twice was just too much for me. ( I use a pc7424 w/ orange and white pads previously) Now I would like a one step polish, that would get rid of some moderate swirling and imperfections. Maybe something stronger than intensive. I will be using a pc once again.I would like to use a wax or something like FMJ right after the polish. What would you recommend? Also, I used some product on my seats before, and now there is white liquid trapped in the pores of the leather. I tried using a brush to get rid of it, and only some of it came out. What could I use to remove all that mess? Thanks very muchWarm regards,
Jason
Unfortunately you won't be able to get a 1 step product more aggressive than Intensive Polish that will still finish down without requiring follow up with a finishing polish. Your best option is probably Menzerna Super Intensive Polish which is basically the same cut as Intensive, but finishes down without the need of a finishing polish, like Final Polish II. Anything more aggressive would be sure to leave behind some marring and would require a second polish to remove them. If you had to go with 1 polish to remove light to medium swirls, this is the one I'd turn to.
After the polish, you'll have to decide if you want to go the sealant or wax route. Did you like the way Menzerna FMJ performed? It's a good, easy to use sealant, but the downside is it is a little pricey. Something like Poorboy's EX-P sealant is a great bang for the buck sealant. Perhaps if you'd like to try a sealant with some carnauba content already in there for added depth and gloss, consider Poorboy's EX Sealant.
You could top any sealant with your choice of carnauba wax for added depth and gloss to the paint. What color vehicle do you have? This can help me narrow down a selection for you.
For your leather, there's not an easy solution for cleaning out the perforated holes. I'd suggest an all purpose cleaner that is safe on leather along with a mild brush, or if you're really picky, a tooth pick. After cleaning, follow up with your choice of leather cleaner and conditioner.
Look forward to hearing back from you.
George
#538
02-16-2008, 02:50 PM
#540
02-16-2008, 05:29 PM
Originally Posted by mabaty
George I order the 7424 and I am wondering, do you reccommend using the buffer to apply sealents or would it make a diffrence?
Hope this helps.
George