Thanks,I purchased sealent, pads, and 3000 sand papers from Detailed Image again (third time)!!. I am gonna detail my car this friday and will live feed backs with pics!! Can you send me a random company's banner if possible????!!

BTW I ordered more stuff again..(4th times) I guess I am wasting shipping fee lol....anyway...thanks


+++After final polishing, I will do sealent, but is it okay to use black find pad?? After sealent, I am thinking about doing wax with blue find pad to make for gloss..what do u think?...

Also is glaze required before sealent or can I just use sealent and use wax instead glaze??

Thanks

 

Thanks for the continued support. I don't have any banners but I may have some window decals ready by the next time you place an order, remind me to include one.

Sealants can be applied with either the black or blue pads, doesn't make much of a difference. Sealants can also be applied by hand if you find that easier, it's just a matter of preference.

Depending on the wax you're using, if it's a paste wax, you cannot apply it effectively with a buffer, you'll have to apply it by hand. If it's a liquid wax, it's back to preference.

You don't need a glaze under the sealant, but it can help increase the depth and gloss if you do. IMO, if you spend more time polishing to finish better, that is more effective than using a glaze.

Looking forward to hearing about your results.

George

 

Hi George

I recently purchased a used 04 Sedan that has a clear bra - the only problem is that it isn't very clear. I have tried waxing and clay barring but no help. I have a feeling the product was not very good to begin with but do you have any suggestions? Also, there are two small areas where the bra is coming off so there is dirt accumulating in those spots.

 

During my last wash, I ended up getting some wax onto the plastic bits that attaches the side mirror to the car.



What can I use to take that off or make it black again?

Also, how do I remove the wax that gets caught in crevices like the "Nissan DOT approved" portion on tail lights and other places like the rear splash guards?

 

Restoring a neglected clear bra isn't an easy task. Some people will use a plastic polish like Meguiar's PlastX which has some mild abrasives in it designed to smooth out some minor imperfections and remove oxidation. It requires some elbow grease, so you have to work it into the clear bra. For the dirty areas, I usually treat the edges with a citrus based all purpose cleaner, like P21S Total Auto Wash. Use a soft bristled brush to clean out the edges where the dirt is building up.

For both areas you're describing, what I try to do is use a degreaser that's safe, like P21S Total Auto Wash, allow that to dwell for 30 seconds or so and agitate the area with a soft / medium bristled brush. This should remove any of the wax residue. Follow up with your choice of protectant or trim restorer to ensure UV protection and a uniform finish. Some popular trim restorers are Black WOW or Poorboy's Trim Restorer and for UV protection, Optimum Protectant Plus or 303 Aerospace Protectant.

Keep us posted on what you end up going with and how things turn out.

 

Would a diluted mix of Chemical Guy's Grime Reaper work fine in place of the Total Auto Wash?

 

Hey George, are you planning on picking up M105/M205 anytime soon?

 

Hey George, I received some of items that I ordered. Very good package method!! Very impressive!

Anyway, can you check my plan?

Car Wash
1. Pre rinse and use foam gun (Gilmour) (shampoo will be DP Xtream foam shampoo)
2. Rinse again and foam the car again since my car is super dirty.
3. Use foam gun with Meguiar Gold class shampoo
4. Use wash mitt to clean and rinse
5. Dry with microfiber towel

Tire and Wheel
1. Use soap water and sponge
2. Use Armor Tire foam cleaner with Applicator
3. Use microfiber to dry

Clay
1. Use Mother's Clay
2. Rinse the car with only water to remove clay residue
3. Dry with microfiber towel

Polishing
1. Poorboy's SSR 2.5 (Speed at 3 first to spread and at 6) by LC Orange Pad. (Is it okay to use even though scratches are light but many? My car is about 5 year old and first time polishing..)
2. Wipe out residue with 5/5 Alcohol and water mixture
3. Poorboy's SSR 1 (Process same as 1) by LC white pad (Have three pads)
4. Wipe out reside with ""
5. Poorboy's EX-P Sealent by LC Black finish pad (only 1)
6. Meguiar Cleaner Wax by LC Blue fine finish pad (Only 1)

Interior
1. Meguiar Quick Detailer for trim and plastic
2. Use Soap water for carpet
3. Vaccum the seat
4. Armor leather cleaner

Final
1. Chemical Guy Window Cleaner

Question
Can I use P3000 grit sandpaper on headlights and tailights? After, polish with SSR 2.5, SSR1, and Sealent to remove haze??

I will post pics ASAP after I receive other items ordered from Detailed Image!! and work

Since my car is white, it is hard to see swirls..so I hope SSR1 would work..

Thanks!

 

Yep, should do the trick, just make sure you're diluting it at least 6:1 to start since it is such a strong product. Agitate the surface, then follow up with a protectant / trim restorer. Let me know how it turns out.

Already up on our site!





Let me know if there's any other Meguiar's products you'd like to see.

Process looks very solid, here's a few suggestions / changes I'd make.

Start with your wheels and tires after you soak your car. After you rinse / wash / dry your car, you don't want dirty brake dust splatter or tire splatter to get on your clean paint. It's always best to start w/ wheel, tires and wheel wells.

Don't use a cleaner wax after the sealant, the cleaning agents will simply remove the coat of sealant rendering your application of the sealant useless. I'd skip the wax step altogether or you'll have to pick up a pure carnauba wax to layer over the sealant. Also, keep in mind you want to let the sealant cure for 24 hours before topping it with a second coat or a coat of wax.

You can do a light wet sand of your lights. If they aren't pitted, usually just polishing them will remove any oxidation or discoloring. I usually only turn to wet sanding to remove scratches or pitting.

If there's anything else I can help with, please do not hesitate to ask. Looking forward to seeing and hearing about your results.

Thanks again for your support.

George

 

The previous owner of my car had a key scratch that he tried to fix with Fix It Scratch Remover, well it is now more noticable. I was wondering if there is a way to remove this mess from my car and make it look great again.

 

A little more information with regards to the previous post, the product used on this scratch was
It's pretty easy to see that too much was applied, and gravity pulled it down. The top has a little bit of exposed primer which can be touched-up, but the lower 80% bulges outward. The Simoniz has formed a protective barrier over the black primer beneath it, so you can't cover it with touch-up and do other follow-up to conceal the defect here.

 

Pics from my latest detail.

This included:
Wash with:
Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II

Dry with:
DI Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towel

Polish with:
1st: Menzerna Power Gloss and Lake Country Yellow Cutting Pad in problem areas only.

2nd: Menzerna Intensive Polish (IP) and Lake Country Orange Light Cutting Pad

3rd: PO106FF and Lake Country White Polishing Pad

4th: Menzerna PO85RD Polish and Lake Country Black Finishing Pad

Seal with:
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket (FMJ) and Lake Country Blue Fine Finishing Pad

Polish and sealant removal with DI Microfiber All Purpose Towel and DI Microfiber reTHICKulous Towel

24 Hours later it was time for wax:
Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax
Three coats total with at least 8 hours between coats.

Metal polished with:
Optimum (OPT) Metal Polish


Pics:

It was the middle of the day so not a good time for pics. I took these in the garage and will get more one of these mornings.

Remember this is my daily driver (only car) and the paint is now almost 6 years old!

 

George,

Given that our leather seats are coated and not raw, would you suggest using a leather conditioner? I don't think it will penetrate the coating, but might be absorbed through the holes in the seats. I use Lexol cleaner (seats are very clean), Zaino Leather in a Bottle (love the smell), and top with Aerospace 303 for protection. I'm just not sure the Zaino does much except make the car smell great.

I have read through the interior detailing guide and read through a lot of posts in this thread and still haven't found a definitive answer.

Thanks for your help, I think my favorite product I have purchased from you is the ONR. It is simply amazing for what it does.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Tim,

WOW, the clarity and the depth of the reflections in those shots is simply amazing! Would you go as far as saying that this is the best your paint has looked? What are your thoughts of Supernatural after applying 3 coats? Can't wait to see some outside shots. Cheers on a job well done!

Most newer leather is coated from the factory, but I believe there still is some benefit to an occasional conditioning. As time goes on the coating wears more in certain areas, specifically the areas that you see cracks and creases in the leather. Conditioning the leather will help minimize additional wear in those areas and IMO makes for a softer and supple feel of the leather. I usually treat my leather with some Leatherique once or twice a year despite them being coated. I follow up w/ a regular maintenance of wipe downs and topping with 303 Aerospace Protectant like you do for the UV protection.

Depending on where / who you read, people will have different opinions on this subject. Here's my take on it, if conditioning doesn't work on coated leather, why are my results with the Leatherique process always so effective? I'll continue to do so until I find reason not to.

Cheers,

George

 

This IS the best my paint has looked.
The Supernatural is easy to apply, easy to remove and leaves an amazing gloss and depth to my car.

I think next I want to try some of the dark color specific Dodo and compare.