1st Time Detailing in 17 Years

Dear Friends

On Friday and Saturday I detailed our new 2012 Honda Odyssey, which is white with a gray leather interior. This is the first time I've detailed a vehicle since 1994. And by "detail" I mean that I simply washed the van, checked it all around to make sure it was clean, used Ultima's Elastrofoam to get rid of bonded contaminants, and then applied Ultima's Paint Guard Plus.

It was tuscarora dave who recommend Ultima's system, and I appreciate his advice.

I'm not sure I applied any of it correctly, though. After applying the Elastrofoam to a couple of panels, I began to doubt the necessity of using on on every molecule of paint on the van. The van has only 760 miles on it and most of its exterior surfaces feel as smooth as glass to me. I did feel a few very tiny hangers-on the front lip of the hood and on the rounded corners of the front bumper (facia). I spent some time going over those spots and the Elastrofoam worked.

But after spending over an hour to apply rub the front door panels, fenders, hood, and bumper, I decided I'd be less thorough on the remaining parts of the van, especially those that felt smooth. On Saturday I used Elastrofoam on the rest of the van, which took me about another hour. I'm sure my application wasn't perfect, but the van looks good now, so I don't have any complaints.

What was a real challenge for me was applying the Paint Guard Plus. I couldn't see where I'd applied product. I tried both in my garage and outside out of direct sunlight. Rarely ever could I see what I was doing. When I finally saw exactly what I was doing, I was at least three-quarters finished. And when I was finished I wasn't overly impressed, probably because I'd applied too much product. The bottle advised against spraying product directly onto the surface, but that's what I did a few times because I felt as though I wasn't applying any product. When I finally saw what I was doing, I could see that Paint Guard Plus being applied even though I couldn't see it at all from a different angle.

The van's white color may have contributed to my problem, so maybe some of you know how to light your work area to be able to see what you're doing on a white surface.

Another thing that left me unimpressed is that the van's paint didn't feel any different to the tips of my fingers than I did before I started.

But all that changed by the time I went to bed last night. The Paint Guard Plus had dried and at least partially cured and our new van had a deeper shine. And this morning when I touched it, it felt extra-smooth like I remember from sixteen years ago.

I haven't detailed my wife's 2003 Lexus ES300 yet. We've always used our local express car washes and they've done a good job. I'm going to let them wash it again, but this time I'm going to check for bonded contaminants and see if I can improve my ability to use the Elastrofoam. What I don't know is how I can light my work area to be able to see what I'm doing with the Paint Guard Plus.

Dear Doug, Mark, & mjlinane

Thanks for responding.

Doug, after my experience this weekend, I agree that serious concentration would have helped.

Mark, I was in a foul mood and saying not-so-nice things while I was working and couldn't see what I was doing. In the right light, it should be possible to see the difference in areas that've received product and those that haven't. Maybe mjlinane's suggestion about looking in oblique angles and using high-contrast light sources will help me finish the four-ounce bottle of Paint Guard Plus. (I bet I could cover the whole van a dozen times with four ounces, though.)

mjlinane, the directions on the bottle caution against buffing, but they also advise against spraying the product directly onto the paint, which I did anyway. Have you ever sprayed two pumps of mist onto a microfiber applicator? It looks like nothing. Apparently, the Ultima folks know what they're talking about, though, because when I could see what I was doing, "nothing" was going a long way.

My wife and I put some WeatherTech DigitalFit floorliners in the van late this afternoon. That took us about forty-five minutes. The second row of three seats had to come out to install the rear liner, and learning how to take the seats out and put them back in was a sweaty learning experience. Those liners look and feel great. The rubber is supple, which isn't what I expected.

I've spent so much time during the past decade-and-a-half doing what I know how to do. It's a bit unnerving to dig into a completely unfamiliar toolbox and develop brand-new skills. That's why I appreciate your suggestions and feedback so much.

Dear mwtaco

mwtaco said:

applying so little volume was also counterintuitive for me and requires trusting the product. overall not that satisfying a process.

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So very true. Given that this was my first time detailing in seventeen years, it left me feeling like I was foolish for trying—until hours later when the shine settled in and the finish had that smooth, protected feel.

mwtaco said:

are you enjoying all the real estate you have to cover on the roof

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That roof wasn't much of a pain, though it is large (in fact, the whole van is large; there's nothing mini about it). The Werner work platform gave me enough height to get the job done. I bet I Elastrofoamed and waxed the roof in twenty minutes. If I were to go downstairs and try it again, I bet I'd finish it in less than ten minutes.

I mentally sectioned the roof into four parts, two on each side. The entire roof felt smooth to me, so I did a quick and gentle application of Elastrofoam, and by the time I waxed the roof I had learned to have faith that I was in fact applying product even if I couldn't see it. We don't have a roof rack on ours, so the only things I had to work around were the sunroof and shark-fin antenna.

Dear Corey

Thanks a bunch for sharing those tips here. The one about touching a clean glass with the applicator is a home run for me!

Dear tw33k2514

tw33k2514 said:

It is a sad fact that light colored cars and certain LSP's are a pain to see. What I do is focus on 1 panel at a time and meticulously work from top to bottom overlapping about 50% as I move down. It just takes patience.

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I wish I had known this going into this little project.

Ultima's Paint Guard Plus goes on very fast, so I believe it takes at least ten times more concentration than patience.

Dear Mike, Ben, & Friends

Thanks for the encouragement.

I applied what I believe is another coat of Ultima Paint Guard Plus to the van tonight after washing it waterlessly with Detailer's Pro waterless wash.

I still couldn't see what I was doing, but when I used Corey's tip about touching clean glass, I saw that my microfiber applicator was applying product about as precisely as an ink pen.

I waxed all exterior painted surfaces except the roof in about five minutes. It was dim in our garage and the single 500-watt halogen light wasn't helping much. I won't get to see what I've done until tomorrow in the daylight.

I bet I could apply Paint Guard Plus to the whole van in six or seven minutes if I put my mind to it.

I'm looking forward to getting the waterless washing down pat. I remember that I could wash the exterior my Volkswagen GTI in about five minutes--and do a good job, too, though I didn't dry it. I just used the sheeting technique. But that was in 1986 when I was in much better physical condition.

Thanks again for the support.