Exterior Detailing

[pooyab]

For the last couple months I've been meaning to getting around to cleaning up the outside of the car. I know I'll need clay bars, polish, sealant, wax, and variable speed polisher. I've never done it before but that's what the Internet is for.
My questions are what brands of each would you recommend? Would these get rid of the swirls in the paint or is that a pro job? And would it just be cheaper to get it done at some Bay Area shop?

[B8bydesign]

You may get more answers in the Wash, Wax, Detail, Cosmetic Maintenance & Repairs subforum, I'd guess the mods will move this thread there and you'll get plenty of suggestions!

http://www.m3post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=189

[Harry Da Hamster]

It's a lot of work and products, but if you're up to it...

Chemical Guys Honey Dew car wash soap
CarPro Merino Wool wash mitt
Any fine clay bar
CarPro IronX ferrous metal dissolver
Dozen quality plush microfiber towels
Two loop pile microfiber towels for polish removal
Griots Garage 6" Polisher (Cheap) or Flex 3401 (Much better) polisher
Menzerna FG400 compound
Menzerna SF4500 polish (If you have a light colored car, you can probably skip this)
Kleen Strip PrepAll wax remover
CarPro Cquartz UK paint coating
CarPro Dlux trim coating
Optimum Optibond tire dressing

[7500rich]

I read the thread below last winter, and basically went the zaino route. Worked out great for me, it's also easy to order everything from one website

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=36297

[Quicksilv3r]

Hit up www.detailersdomain.com for everything detail-oriented. Great online store where you can find most everything listed above and they ship super fast. I've been using them for years. As stated before, it's a lot of work, but the results are worth it.

[Amirsm3]

For the process alone, I like to do as follows:
Wash car with two bucket method
Dry car with my leaf blower (or I use a giant waffle towel to dry it depending on outside weather and how lazy I am, lol)
Clay car
Wash car again
I then go over the car with some decent polish and a DA polisher
Go over car with spray detailer to remove polish residue
wax car twice
Enjoy.

There are obviously more or less things you can do, but that's pretty my methodology.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by Amirsm3

For the process alone, I like to do as follows:
Wash car with two bucket method
Dry car with my leaf blower (or I use a giant waffle towel to dry it depending on outside weather and how lazy I am, lol)
Clay car
Wash car again
I then go over the car with some decent polish and a DA polisher
Go over car with spray detailer to remove polish residue
wax car twice
Enjoy.

There are obviously more or less things you can do, but that's pretty my methodology.

Oh man, I'd like to do the full round once...how much time do you need to complete mate?

[Amirsm3]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Oh man, I'd like to do the full round once...how much time do you need to complete mate?

Now that I've done it for several years I can get it done in a day (roughly 8 hours depending on how badly swirled some panels are). This is just for the exterior, though. I usually wait until the next day for the interior or do the interior prior.

With one person, it's really time consuming, but totally worth the effort. For what it's worth, I do this every 6 months.

[V8FunNaturally]

I was in your position a few years ago. I could pass you some knowledge that would have benefited me then.
-First of all it's a lot of work. Take the energy of a washing without detailing and multiply that by 6 or 8 each time you detail depending how anal your are. It can easily take 2 days if you go all manual.
- If you have ZCP wheels then expect that to be laborious and taking 50% of your detailing time and unlike the body there are no automated way for it, it's all elbow grease. I have 5 custom brushes dedicated to the wheels only + all the 4 wheel woolies brushes in addition to that.

-I never needed to use polish sofar, as my car came to me from the factory, it has no swirls whatsoever. Claying and waxing brings the surface to a mirror finish with very focused hard edged light reflections (no smear due to micro pitting and scratches on poorly detailed cars)

- Even for a used cosmetic body i question the use of polishing every time. It should be at most 3 times a year if you're doing it right. If you need polishing everytime then you probably are more enamored with your Flex polishing tool than with your car finish.

- Making sure the car is absolutely clean before detailing is critical. So is Claying. If you leave any debris in interstices and crevasses where it tends to accumulate you will smear it and swirl you finish when you buff the wax off ( i learned that on my honda in much earlier days)


Recommended products:

First wash "no touch":

- Bugs and grime citrus based remover by auto finesse
- tree sap remover by BMW
- Chemical guys Super Suds II for soaping the car and loosening dirt particles
- The "bone" big blue sponge for soaking the soapy water over your car (no touch) or one of those foaming guns with your water hose.

Second wash 2 buckets manual :

- a 100% natural whool mitt
- a second whool mitt for the side railings and lower "dirtier" parts of the car
- Optimum no rinse blue
- -2 dedicated 32 inches drying towels (no need to get those honeycomb, waste of $$)


Wheels :

- Chemical guys Diablo ( I started with harsh chemical stuff like Sonax and stopped that after a couple of times, it's obnoxious smell, enjoying your detailing time is important)
- 5 inch boars hair wheel brush (for wheel facia)
- 2 daytona speed brush (for wheel barrels)
- 2 boars hair finishing brush (for lug nuts cavity), the other for the interior
- wheel woolies 4 brushes (for wheel spokes)
- long handle, long vinyl hairs for tires
- Wolfgang Tire "water based" dressing
- Rectangular brick like more resilient green sponge used for dressing the tire (much better than griots blue round ones, too soft)
- synthetic wax for the wheels. I found Meguiar Ultimate Liquid Wax is excellent for painted wheels like ZCP and stays put a long time.

Engine bay :

- Chemical Guys All clean All purpose citrus based Cleaner (used dilluted for engine bay, smells amazing)

Interior :
- California dusting brush
- 1Z gummi pflege to keep all the rubber join look like new and conditionned (highly recommended !)
- some portable vacuum with changable tips is necessary. I use my Shark modular vacuum cleaner.

Claying :
-4 dedicated soft high quality claying towels
- Pinnacle Ultra Poly green Clay bars
- Use ONR for claying spray

Pre-Wax paint prep:

P2S Gloss enhancing paint cleanser

Waxing:

- 100% Carnauba wax by P2S.
-4 dedicated super high quality, high pile and super soft MF towels for buffing wax off
- DA machine of your choice with waxing 4'' or 6 '' pad

Accessories:
- 10 Low purpose smaller MF towels
- 4 medium sized average quality MF towels
- 3 5 gal buckets with lids from home depot (no need to buy that grid stuff) $4 each
- 6 spray bottles with good spray adjustment. Dollar stores sells them for $1
- disposable gloves $2 a pair Wall mart

hint: wait for autogeek discounts days to buy.

[Amirsm3]

+1 on auto geek sales. Detailing isn't exactly a priority like maintenance is so I usually wait for those sales once or twice a year and just load up in bulk.

[pooyab]

I have the micro fiber towels and wash mitt. That's about it. Lots of shopping to do I guess. I feel like all the necessary tools would add up to about the same as a pro doing it but know how to do it will be beneficial later.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by pooyab

I have the micro fiber towels and wash mitt. That's about it. Lots of shopping to do I guess. I feel like all the necessary tools would add up to about the same as a pro doing it but know how to do it will be beneficial later.

Don't forget this....It protects up to 6 months against swirls and even against roadsalt !
It's prepared for me on next detail in spring..
Here is more => http://www.autogeek.net/sonax-polymer-net-shield.html

[V8FunNaturally]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Don't forget this....It protects up to 6 months against swirls and even against roadsalt !
It's prepared for me on next detail in spring..

3M has a coating spray too. Based on reviews and pictures, this will never be used on my car. If you want polymer coating better use Opticoat pro and even that is a compromise so you don't have to wax your car for a year. Plastic surface look and feel too. No thanks.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by V8FunNaturally

3M has a coating spray too. Based on reviews and pictures, this will never be used on my car. If you want polymer coating better use Opticoat pro and even that is a compromise so you don't have to wax your car for a year. Plastic surface look and feel too. No thanks.

I made a choise and it's about protection over feel..
Tested the Sonax on the red Mini from my wife and is DD over here in winter in freezing temps , snow ,roadsalt and rain .
After 3 weeks the little car still looks realy good ,actualy amazing even the wheels !
So my choise go's for protection and the ///M will be next ,and if I don't like it I'll go back to my Meguiars...
As for claybar and polisch still use Meguiars, but last step will be the Sonax .

[Yoddha]

Originally Posted by pooyab

For the last couple months I've been meaning to getting around to cleaning up the outside of the car. I know I'll need clay bars, polish, sealant, wax, and variable speed polisher. I've never done it before but that's what the Internet is for.
My questions are what brands of each would you recommend? Would these get rid of the swirls in the paint or is that a pro job? And would it just be cheaper to get it done at some Bay Area shop?

I actually am in the Bay Area and have all the detailing tools and can detail your car. Let me know if you're interested

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by M__3__R__A__G__E

I actually am in the Bay Area and have all the detailing tools and can detail your car. Let me know if you're interested

What do you think about the Sonax ?

[Yoddha]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

What do you think about the Sonax ?

It's a great brand, but imho, the best products are called AMMO. They are phenomenal and the owner and creator, Larry Kosilla is arguably the best detailer known to man. Check out his website. It has tutorial videos and all of his product line

[pooyab]

Originally Posted by M__3__R__A__G__E

It's a great brand, but imho, the best products are called AMMO. They are phenomenal and the owner and creator, Larry Kosilla is arguably the best detailer known to man. Check out his website. It has tutorial videos and all of his product line

I like ammo products as well but they're pretty expensive.

[Rat3d ///M]

While we are on the subject of detailing, I had a few questions. I am pretty anal about cleaning my car. I usually wash it one a week (or twice a month, depending on weather, how lazy I am, etc). When I wash my car, it takes me a good 3-4 hours. Here is my basic "wash" routine:

1. Bring the car into the DIY bay, and spray the car off with soap and hot water. If needed, I will use Bug and Tar remover, and scrub any areas with caked on dirt. Rinse car with hot water.
2. Spray wheels with wheel cleaner, and let them soak while waiting in line for the automatic wash (I know, I know, don't judge, just keep reading).
3. Go into the automatic bay, and let the machine wash/dry the car for me.
4. Pull out, and immediately dry the car with a microfiber towel. This is a long process, as I will dry the car, go and do something else, and go back to drying the car several times until I am satisfied the car has been dried completely.
5. Now I usually start on the interior by pulling out the floor mats and vacuuming.
6. Meguier's Leather Cleaner and Conditioner on the seats, steering wheel and door panel cards comes next (depending on how bad the seats are, or how recently this has been done, I may skip this step, but I try and do it at least once a month).
7. Dashboard/center console/door panels/other vinyl and plastic panels is next.
8. Engine bay drying/cleaning. I will usually wipe down the plastics under the hood with a varying product (haven't found one I really like yet).
9. Spray carpets with new car scent.
10. Clean wheels with a microfiber towel.
11. Use a tire shine gel with a foam applicator.

As said, this is my routine at least once every two weeks, and it takes me 3-4 hours each time, so I am no stranger to being anal with car care and I am aware a good detail can take 8+ hours just for the exterior. That said, I know my routine isn't perfect and has a few flaws. I am trying to get away from using the automatic washes, but it is hard here in Germany with laws regarding washing your car in your driveway, though I am going to start in the Spring despite what the laws say.

My biggest concern is my car has paint swirls and lots of caked on bugs etched into the clear coat on the front bumper, hood and mirrors from the previous owner. I got most of the bugs off, but some still remains. Besides this, there are a few rock chips here and there, but I can't really do anything about those.

So my questions are: I try to do a polish and wax in addition to my weekly routine once in the Spring (right after Winter) and once in the Fall (right before Winter), but I have never used a clay bar and wanted to give it a shot this Spring to get rid of the imperfections in the paint and start fresh with a new wash routine that doesn't involve an automatic wash.

1. Will a clay bar take off the etched on bugs and clear coat swirls?

2. What would the basic process be for a clay bar job? Any special techniques people like to use that you can share?

3. Someone mentioned they wash their car a second time after they clay bar. Is this necessary, or just personal preference?

[pooyab]

I'd like to know which part fixes the swirls as well. Mine has a decent number of them from the previous owner.

[fastmike]

Originally Posted by pooyab

I'd like to know which part fixes the swirls as well. Mine has a decent number of them from the previous owner.

The compound (fg400 above) is the part that fixes the swirls. Swirls are just micro scratches in your clear coat. You need to polish the clear coat to get everything to the same level.

[pooyab]

Originally Posted by fastmike

The compound (fg400 above) is the part that fixes the swirls. Swirls are just micro scratches in your clear coat. You need to polish the clear coat to get everything to the same level.

So clay bar will get all the debris off and leave a clean clear coat then the polish is to fix the clear coat swirls and scratches to an extent and the wax is just to look pretty.