BryanH
New member
- Jan 9, 2013
- 152
- 0
Hi everyone,
I'm soon to dive head first into detailing geek-dom, and after several days of doing research until my eyes blur I'm starting to understand some of the products and processes. Keyword: starting.
I still have many more pages to read but I wanted to get a little feedback on a few things in the meantime.
First of all, I've been taking some notes and the following is a process for paint that I've outlined:
1. Dish soap wash
2. Iron X
3. Clay bar
4. Compound
5. Polish
6. Alcohol wipe down
7. DrColorChip
(wait a week for it to cure)
8. Wash
9. Very lightly polish areas that were repaired by DrColorChip
10. Alcohol wipe down again [or CarPro Eraser?]
11. Sealant
12. Wax
Note: the steps in red I believe are only for severely neglected finishes, such as the Cherry Red Pearl clear coat on my new daily driver (more on that later). Cars with ordinary levels of imperfection (swirls etc) can skip those steps, I imagine.
Anything above look like it needs revision?
> Are any or all sealants layerable? Does protection last longer with a second layer of sealant?
> I like the idea of using a lubricating spray wax/sealant during the drying process of a wash. Are they all "compatible" with sealants or waxes that might be on the car already? In other words I don't want the two to react in a way that clouds or streaks the finish, but I really like the idea of adding a little bit of protection with every wash. I imagine products within the same line are okay, but what if I like a certain sealant or wax, and a competitor's product for a spray wax as-you-dry.
> I'm having a devil of a time choosing a paint correction/protection system. I don't know how to tell which is right for me. Here are just three examples under consideration:
New Tech: Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0, Finishing Glaze 3.0, Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Old School: Klasse All In One, Klasse Sealant Glaze
Traditional?: Meguiars #105, #205, #21
Mixing and matching different brands has probably been done before, too. I'm all ears on this one! I think a sealant is right for me, instead of simply wax, as most cars in the family sit outside more than they're in a garage. Something that's easy to apply in cool or hot weather and lasts a long time sounds ideal. Here in the California central valley sun damage is our biggest enemy to paint, trim, and interior. This kind of damage is very common on 15+ year old cars that run still great and don't have a spot of rust on them.
I have a couple questions about wheel care as well:
First, I can't decide which wheel wax or sealant is right for me. I haven't yet found any good comparisons or stated advantages to one or the other. Something that holds up to high heat is a necessity, as I often drive sports cars which can generate considerable brake temperature (which radiates through the wheel and into the tire) when driven in a sporting manner. Many of these cars will have aggressive brake pad compounds as well.
Second, are there any wheel cleaners which will not strip or weaken a wheel sealant? Or should I just use car soap for that? (I already have a dedicated wheel bucket/brushes to avoid cross contamination!)
In other words if there is a wheel sealant/cleaner combo that works particularly well together for removing brake dust *and* maintaining the sealant's properties long term, I'd love to hear about it!
-
Now about that car with the neglected paint. The horizontal surfaces appear discolored, cloudy, and faded. Here are a couple photos:
The sides don't look too bad in favorable light: IMG_3060.jpg photo - bryanh photos at pbase.com
I know it might be hard to tell from just photos, but is damage like this confined to the clear coat or might it have gone through to the base coat? I've only seen fading like this on single stage paints before. Is this fixable with detailing techniques? I plan to purchase a DA polisher (debating between the economical Griot's and the pricey but more powerful Flex) but probably won't go straight to a rotary buffer on my first try. I am just starting to learn about all the different pads so go easy on me.
I'll probably think of more questions, but it's 3am and you've heard enough from me for a while anyway!
Thanks for the great forum, it's a fantastic learning resource. I hope to post a radical transformation thread in the not too distant future.
rops:
I'm soon to dive head first into detailing geek-dom, and after several days of doing research until my eyes blur I'm starting to understand some of the products and processes. Keyword: starting.
I still have many more pages to read but I wanted to get a little feedback on a few things in the meantime.First of all, I've been taking some notes and the following is a process for paint that I've outlined:
1. Dish soap wash
2. Iron X
3. Clay bar
4. Compound
5. Polish
6. Alcohol wipe down
7. DrColorChip
(wait a week for it to cure)
8. Wash
9. Very lightly polish areas that were repaired by DrColorChip
10. Alcohol wipe down again [or CarPro Eraser?]
11. Sealant
12. Wax
Note: the steps in red I believe are only for severely neglected finishes, such as the Cherry Red Pearl clear coat on my new daily driver (more on that later). Cars with ordinary levels of imperfection (swirls etc) can skip those steps, I imagine.
Anything above look like it needs revision?
> Are any or all sealants layerable? Does protection last longer with a second layer of sealant?
> I like the idea of using a lubricating spray wax/sealant during the drying process of a wash. Are they all "compatible" with sealants or waxes that might be on the car already? In other words I don't want the two to react in a way that clouds or streaks the finish, but I really like the idea of adding a little bit of protection with every wash. I imagine products within the same line are okay, but what if I like a certain sealant or wax, and a competitor's product for a spray wax as-you-dry.
> I'm having a devil of a time choosing a paint correction/protection system. I don't know how to tell which is right for me. Here are just three examples under consideration:
New Tech: Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0, Finishing Glaze 3.0, Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Old School: Klasse All In One, Klasse Sealant Glaze
Traditional?: Meguiars #105, #205, #21
Mixing and matching different brands has probably been done before, too. I'm all ears on this one! I think a sealant is right for me, instead of simply wax, as most cars in the family sit outside more than they're in a garage. Something that's easy to apply in cool or hot weather and lasts a long time sounds ideal. Here in the California central valley sun damage is our biggest enemy to paint, trim, and interior. This kind of damage is very common on 15+ year old cars that run still great and don't have a spot of rust on them.
I have a couple questions about wheel care as well:
First, I can't decide which wheel wax or sealant is right for me. I haven't yet found any good comparisons or stated advantages to one or the other. Something that holds up to high heat is a necessity, as I often drive sports cars which can generate considerable brake temperature (which radiates through the wheel and into the tire) when driven in a sporting manner. Many of these cars will have aggressive brake pad compounds as well.
Second, are there any wheel cleaners which will not strip or weaken a wheel sealant? Or should I just use car soap for that? (I already have a dedicated wheel bucket/brushes to avoid cross contamination!)
In other words if there is a wheel sealant/cleaner combo that works particularly well together for removing brake dust *and* maintaining the sealant's properties long term, I'd love to hear about it!
-
Now about that car with the neglected paint. The horizontal surfaces appear discolored, cloudy, and faded. Here are a couple photos:
The sides don't look too bad in favorable light: IMG_3060.jpg photo - bryanh photos at pbase.com
I know it might be hard to tell from just photos, but is damage like this confined to the clear coat or might it have gone through to the base coat? I've only seen fading like this on single stage paints before. Is this fixable with detailing techniques? I plan to purchase a DA polisher (debating between the economical Griot's and the pricey but more powerful Flex) but probably won't go straight to a rotary buffer on my first try. I am just starting to learn about all the different pads so go easy on me.
I'll probably think of more questions, but it's 3am and you've heard enough from me for a while anyway!
Thanks for the great forum, it's a fantastic learning resource. I hope to post a radical transformation thread in the not too distant future.
rops:
), I seem to have forgotten all my interior dressing/protectant research. Something that modestly richens the finish (no super slimey shine for me) and does a good job protecting from the sun and heat would be fantastic, keeping in mind I like a good value. I suppose an all in one product would be easier, but if I'll get better results from a two step system I'm open to it.