We just purchased a new G35 coupe, it is Bright Silver, with the 19's. We are looking for the best way to start caring for the paint on it, normally on our vehicles, thet are detailed every other friday, but I think we want to do this one our self, we have an indoor facility that the car will be done in, and dont mind spending a little extra to do it right from the start. Any help would be appreciated.
Brent

 

#1 - Read some over at autopia.org. It is one of the best sites for proper car finish care you will find. Detailcity.com is another good one/

My suggestion based on what I did with my new 06...
1) Wash using a high quality automotive shampoo like Poorboy's Super Suds, Zaino's Car Wash, Meguiar's Gold Class, etc. Be sure to use a multiple bucket method with grit guards. Sheepskin mits seem to give me the best results without marring. For drying, waffle weave microfibers have given me the best results. Things like the Absorber do not have any thickness and can trap particles and cause scratches.

2) Clay bar to remove any glue residue or other contaminants. New cars have been sitting around a while and definitely come with paint contamination. If the glue residue is extra tough on your car, I would try a lighter bug and tar remover like Poorboy's Bug Squash diluted. It will dissolve the glue and prevent you from having to scrub at it. With the clay, any clay lube or quick detailer will be fine as a lubricant. Some even use water with some car wash shampoo.

3) Wash again to remove anything left from the clay process

4) Chemical polish - Seeing as the car is new and does not really need any paint correction, I would go with a chemical polish like Klasse AIO or Jeff's Werkstatt's Prime. This will bring out the finish without marring. I find it easiest to apply these with a light polishing pad and a dual action polisher.

4) Seal - If it is a daily driver, I would use a synthetic sealant. Personally, I like Poorboy's EX-P. Klasse SG is another good selection but be sure to read autopia for application tips. Zaino is another poopular choice. Some apply the sealant by hand and others by machine. I find that with the EX-P I get a more uniform coverage by machine at low speed. As with all processes, be sure to apply the products with quality pads or applicators that are NEW or CLEAN. For removal, top quality microfibers are the way to go in my book.

5) Seal Again - Based on what you use and their directions, you may want a few layers of your sealant.

6) Top (Optional) - Sealants typically leave a somewhat sterile or plastic look. If you are not happy with this, most sealants (check with the one you are using first) can be topped with a Carnuba to warm up the look. This layer will not last that long, but may give a more pleasing look. Poorboy's Natty's Blue and Pinnacle Souveran are two of my favorites. There are a zillion out there though.

7) Wheels - The 19" wheels are loads of fun to clean. To make this easier, I wanted to get some sealant on them. I started by washing them. After that, I wanted to clean up anything else so I polished them with the chemical polish (AIO). After that, I put on 3 layers of wheel sealant. I use Poorboy's Wheel Sealant (can you see a trend here, yet?) but I know that several people make quality products. The wheel sealant is a super high temp wax that will withstand the temperatures a wheel experiences better than a conventional product. This makes washing brake dust off a snap. I use cheaper microfibers for wheel duty and have them marked so that they are NEVER used elsewhere.

8) Glass - Stoner's Invisible Glass is a popular favorite. I hear that the Meguiar's NXT glass cleaner is also good.

9) Interior - I am not a fan of dressings on interiors. I use Meguiar's Quick interior Detailer which has light cleaning abilities and leaves some protection.

10) Engine - I clean with an all purpose cleaner and then dress it with Poorboy's Natural Look. Most water-based dressings do well here with only minimal dust attraction.

If you use your head and take your time, I am sure you can keep it looking perfect!

Best of luck!
-GT

 

Step 1- Wash. Clay not required for brand new car.
Step 2- Klasse AIO to clean and slightly protect paint.
Step 3- 2 coats of Klasse SG for protection.
Step 4- Wax with P21S to beutify.

 

I have to disagree there.
A new car has been painted months prior to delivery. It has sat in holding areas in industrial climates, transported, and had plastic covering most surfaces. All of this creates contaminates which get stuck in your paint. If you do not properly prepare the surface to the best of your ability, your end results will suffer. You will be surprised how much smoother your new paint feels even after claying.

Not claying a new car is a common misconception. If you search it on one of the detailling boards, you will see.

Here is one for instance.
http://autopia.org/forum/showthread....light=clay+car

 

In my opinion, the AIO should be a sufficient cleaning agent for a brand new car. This does depend on how long the protective sticker was removed and the vehicle was sitting in the lot. The individual should evaluate the paint and decide if claying is necessary.

Silver is the easliest color to care.

 

i would still clay it at first. . theres bound to be some crap on there. plus, you can still reuse the clay. btw, if you drop clay, you throw it away.

 

oh another few things. ide say go with klasse AIO, sealant glaze, and then use the p21s carnauba wax.

get the porter cable buffer, it makes life easier.

for your tires, get a gel, sprays suck really bad.

 

P21s

 

Ok, your car has been on a ship for weeks almost
covered with that factory stuff. Most of the guys
that work at the agency where you purchased your
car don't know $hit and will do more damage than
good. "Never" let them wash your car when in for
service!
Here's my system for new/used car. Using Zymol
products only..............

1. wash and dry
2. clay and use lube supplied
3. apply pre-wax cleaner (HD Cleanse) with applicators and wipe down with micro-fiber towels.
4. apply Zymol wax either with an applicator or by
hand. How much you can apply on one area depends
on the temp. Cold weather you can do almost 1/4
the car but in the summer 1/3 of the hood is max.
Again wipe off using a micro-fiber towel. In an hour
you wipe it down once more. Your ready for the new
world with your ride!

 

Go Griots, the best out there for everything maintenance wise IMO. www.griots.com. I have not been disappointed with any product I've used from them. They carry the clay, porter cable, the best waxes and polishes I've ever used. Boars hair brush is excellent for keeping it maintained between waxes and it keeps the swirl marks to a minimum.

 

Go to http://autopia.org and sign up there. Download the free eBook "The Autopia Guide to Detailing". It will teach you just about everything you need to know about taking care of your new car.

 

Griots Garage has some cool stuff to read. I like the fact you can use some
things by hand and also for buffers. Speed Shine works well for Dark colors/no
hazing/streaks and their Best Of Show Wax has some longevity to it.

IMO..It's a must to clay new cars.Then you start from 0 and work your
way up to a 10..