Detailing Guide

[m4v3r1ck]

Following Charlie's post, I think it's a good idea to start a new topic on detailing. Nice to compare and I would love to hear about how you all clean your lovely Mirages.

I'm currently using all kind of detailing stuffs. I never thought that I will be getting into detailing.
I wash my car if possible once a week. The stuff I use are as follow (in following order as well):

1. wet the tires and apply rims cleaner spray, use Meguiars yellow and a smaller rims brushes and clean it almost directly with high pressure water. Repeat for all 4 tires.

2. Using 2 bucket methode (watch here) wash the car with Meguiars Gold class Car Wash or Mother's Car shampoo or for quick wash, Meguiars Wash and Wax.

3. Dry the whole car from windows, top to bottom using only dry and clean microfiber cloth

4. Using Meguiars Ultimate Quik Detailer spray, I apply Meguiar's Clay bar on the car's body.

5. After claying (amazing stuff! MUST USE!!) This clay bar will remove all tar, dirt in micro size under the paint's pores. Use this and amaze yourself how smooth your car be.

6. Wax the car's body using Ultimate Quick wax or using Meguiars NXT paste wax. No need to overly apply the Quick Wax spray as Charlie said.

7. spray Meguiars tire shine on the tires to make it shine, dry them first.

8. Interior is cleaned and blackened using meguiars Interior Detailer, you can use this stuff on the black parts of the car, or use the tire shine spray.

9. I'm using Rain-X on my windows. This stuff repels water like it's on oil. Great stuff. First you clean your windows, apply this rain-X until the windows became foggy. I left it like that for a night then wipe them clean the next morning using clean microfiber cloth.

10. Clean your engine from oil and other stuffs using disc brake cleaner spray.

In total am using 15 microfiber cloth for every wash.

I'm curious as how you all think, any ideas? Every ideas are welcomed.

I'm not an ambassador from Meguiars, I just find them has the best car detailing stuffs.

[ToXiQ]

when can I invite you to do my car ;-)

good explanation

[Messy Mitsu]

Firstly always claybar if you haven't washed in a week or so, this will prevent dirt and tar from scratching your clearcoat.

use a car soap, this stuff is designed to lubricate while not removing layers of wax. When you use a wash mitt you want to glide over the water with a scooping motion, scrubbing hard will only grind dirt into your paint, you want the water and soap to do 99% of the work with minimal assist of the mitt.

Wash from top to bottom so you do not drag dirt up the car, and use a seperate mit for lower bodypanels, rims (unless you have a spoke brush) and wheelwells. I normally use a Solvant or a special wheel chemical on the rims after I sprayed most of the gunk off, then I clean it up with the mitt after I finish the rest of the soaping process and rinse and repeat if needed.

If you miss a spot do not dry over the dirt this will only cause scratches, splash water on it and soap that part again. Or if you have a quick detail spray you can touch up that spot with a microfiber cloth and discard it after you soiled it.

BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU DRY I see so many people scratch their cars by using shammies improperly (those leather strips that hold water get hard as a rock when they dry). They make hydrophobic quick drying products or even spotless rinse at the coin wash, or if you must use many many many microfiber cloths. Fold it into squares and inspect it with each swipe, if that side becomes contaminated with even the tiniest particle than flip to a clean side, when it gets too wet or too dirty then use a new one.

Wax in straight lines, lets say a bug or a rock or anything gets into your wax pad now you are making circle scratches all over flat surfaces which are 10x harder to remove. If you have a black colored car take your time, don't miss spots. Certian waxes are better to allow drying time, others are better to spread out when wet. Wax about half an inch away from each edge of a panel, windows, lights, or trim, this saves you headaches or wax buildup in cracks.

Most waxes will not protect your paint from UV rays, use a good quality sealant once every month or so and wax in between.

Condition your black trim to prevent it from fading, Nothing looks sader than a brilliant finish on a paintjob with dull trim plastics, there are lots of choices out there for this.

Rainex and Aquapel are like wax for your windows (you can use wax on windows but it doesn't last long on windshields).

USE QUALITY PRODUCTS in the detailing business sadly, you get what you pay for. Some times you can get a gem at a lower price but do your research, I always go to professional auto detailing surplus stores to buy my products.

Oh and another tip for the washing process if you can find a cheap multipurpose cleaner for exterior and interior than pick it up, I like to spray any buildups of mud or salt before I rinse, it takes it off better than straight water and works wonders to soften up bug guts too (use a bug sponge and wax your front end lots to make for easy bug removal).


----

I feel like this post is getting rather long, I will post interior tips next if you'd like

[Charlie]

@ Maverick - !! You do all THAT once a week??!

Anyways, I saw your post on my 'Back 2 Black' thread. It's kind of funny because the day you posted that was the first time I ever used a clay bar. You are right, clay just brings things up to another level! I didn't think there would be that much for the clay to pick up since I wash my car regularly and I've been the only owner..boy was I wrong! The paint was SO smooth after I was done. After, I applied Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax and the end result was literally a red mirror.

Main reason for me exploring the joys of clay are to see if the slickness that a wax job provides is extended if you apply to a paint job that has been clayed. Slickness has always only lasted for about 2 weeks with Ultimate Liquid Wax. We will see how long it lasts this time. You think that once slickness feeling is gone, all the wax protection is gone as well??

-Charlie-

[m4v3r1ck]

when can I invite you to do my car ;-)

good explanation

Thank you ... I can visit u for a cup of coffee and supervise YOU detailing your car ;-)

[m4v3r1ck]

Most waxes will not protect your paint from UV rays, use a good quality sealant once every month or so and wax in between.

Very good addition, thank you very much!

What do you mean with sealant? Can you provide brand and type?

[m4v3r1ck]

@ Maverick - !! You do all THAT once a week??!

Anyways, I saw your post on my 'Back 2 Black' thread. It's kind of funny because the day you posted that was the first time I ever used a clay bar. You are right, clay just brings things up to another level! I didn't think there would be that much for the clay to pick up since I wash my car regularly and I've been the only owner..boy was I wrong! The paint was SO smooth after I was done. After, I applied Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax and the end result was literally a red mirror.

Main reason for me exploring the joys of clay are to see if the slickness that a wax job provides is extended if you apply to a paint job that has been clayed. Slickness has always only lasted for about 2 weeks with Ultimate Liquid Wax. We will see how long it lasts this time. You think that once slickness feeling is gone, all the wax protection is gone as well??

-Charlie-

@Charlie sometimes once every 2 weeks. I do point 9 (rain-x) every 2 or 3 months. My first acquaintance with the clay bar was just like u, SOOOOO amazed with the smoothness and how much crap actually sticks on my paint. And I wash my car regularly!

I'm not too sure about when the wax protection is gone. I'm ordering a new product, will post an update once I tried it. It suppose to even further deepens the shine and blow off water beads even better than wax. And supposed to stay on your paint for more than 1 month. They claim it's the same product they are using on trains to protect from graffitti.

[Messy Mitsu]

Very good addition, thank you very much!

What do you mean with sealant? Can you provide brand and type?

The stuff I use is only available through toyota touch (dealership's personal detailing surplus) called Diamond Kote paint sealant, it's over 100$ for a bottle smaller than 16oz but it goes a long way and it lasts for months, maybe longer. But it can be layered which is the most important thing. Paint sealants have a dull finish but they protect from elements and last much much longer than high gloss show waxes.

I have heard good things about this product too and it's the same idea but I personally have never used it, however this is much more affordable.

http://www.autogeek.net/four-star-ul...rotection.html

[m4v3r1ck]

The stuff I use is only available through toyota touch (dealership's personal detailing surplus) called Diamond Kote paint sealant, it's over 100$ for a bottle smaller than 16oz but it goes a long way and it lasts for months, maybe longer. But it can be layered which is the most important thing. Paint sealants have a dull finish but they protect from elements and last much much longer than high gloss show waxes.

I have heard good things about this product too and it's the same idea but I personally have never used it, however this is much more affordable.

http://www.autogeek.net/four-star-ul...rotection.html

I see ... I will try other product, hope this one works as well

[m4v3r1ck]

@alexandr
I'm a beginner/average detailer, I wrote up how I'm cleaning my car and hope anyone can fill in anything I miss.
You told me that I'm missing the pre-wax polishing stage. I'm totally not aware of it. I thought the clay bar is the prep stage before wax?

With windex, do you mean the Rain-X? Why is ammonia bad? NXT window cleaner won't bead water falling on the window right? I'm using Meguiars clear vision to clean the window in between car wash. When washing the car, I'm using the shampoo to clean the window.

I have spent more than 500 euro of equipment trying different brands and type of detailing products so expensive they are