First time detailing. My apologies, but I have to ask the questions

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

I know people ask the same questions, and I apologize. It’s like that on every forum ranging from people DIY building computers, getting into tools or just any new hobby they want to tackle. I’ve been lurking on the forum for a little bit, reading the vast amount of knowledge. Trying to learn the terminology of what a LSP is or ONR (which I still have to look up) but I’ve come to you great people in search of guidance. My wife has purchased a used 2016 black Mustang and has so kindly appointed me the ‘keep her looking pretty’ guy. So for Father’s Day she told me to order a polisher. Sooooo I got us a Griots G9 polisher. Cool! What do I do with this? All I’ve done in my whole career of washing was the old school dawn in an old mop bucket and a wash rag. After some research, I’ve stumbled upon the general consensus that (1) this is terribly incorrect and (2) I’ve never actually known how to correctly clean a car.

Shared album - Brrr - Google Photos

^link to car pictures and what I’ve ordered.

Here’s where you guys come in. I don’t know what to buy. I’ve purchased about $350 of stuff from the AGO store and I’m not sure what else I need or if I even bought the correct stuff and what order to use it. From what I’m gathering, I should rinse car off, foam cannon the piss out of it, wash it, clay bar it, use the polisher (but what freaking pads!? That’s a rabbit hole in itself. Each company uses different color pads for the same cut?? What thickness do i get? LC HDO pads? Griots pad?? No idea what pads to get!!) then after the two step polish, use a protectant (I have the 845 coming I think) so is that it or am I wrong?

sorry to be such an inconvenience about this stuff, but hopefully I can get on track. I’ve tried reading some articles, but the more I read, the more lost I got.

 

[98CayenneTA]

If you're doing a 2 step correction, to keep it simple for ya..... this is what I would recommend.....

- Carpro Ultracut compound
- Carpro Essence polish
- 12 Rupes yellow polishing pads and use them for both compounding and polishing.

Then seal it with anything of your choosing

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

If you're doing a 2 step correction, to keep it simple for ya..... this is what I would recommend.....

- Carpro Ultracut compound
- Carpro Essence polish
- 12 Rupes yellow polishing pads and use them for both compounding and polishing.

Then seal it with anything of your choosing

Well, I ordered the Meguiars swirl correcting kit that came with M105 and M205… so would the Rupes pads still be suitable for that?

 

[98CayenneTA]

Yes

 

[Sharply Dressed]

I know people ask the same questions, and I apologize. It’s like that on every forum ranging from people DIY building computers, getting into tools or just any new hobby they want to tackle. I’ve been lurking on the forum for a little bit, reading the vast amount of knowledge. Trying to learn the terminology of what a LSP is or ONR (which I still have to look up) but I’ve come to you great people in search of guidance. My wife has purchased a used 2016 black Mustang and has so kindly appointed me the ‘keep her looking pretty’ guy. So for Father’s Day she told me to order a polisher. Sooooo I got us a Griots G9 polisher. Cool! What do I do with this? All I’ve done in my whole career of washing was the old school dawn in an old mop bucket and a wash rag. After some research, I’ve stumbled upon the general consensus that (1) this is terribly incorrect and (2) I’ve never actually known how to correctly clean a car.

Shared album - Brrr - Google Photos

^link to car pictures and what I’ve ordered.

Here’s where you guys come in. I don’t know what to buy. I’ve purchased about $350 of stuff from the AGO store and I’m not sure what else I need or if I even bought the correct stuff and what order to use it. From what I’m gathering, I should rinse car off, foam cannon the piss out of it, wash it, clay bar it, use the polisher (but what freaking pads!? That’s a rabbit hole in itself. Each company uses different color pads for the same cut?? What thickness do i get? LC HDO pads? Griots pad?? No idea what pads to get!!) then after the two step polish, use a protectant (I have the 845 coming I think) so is that it or am I wrong?

sorry to be such an inconvenience about this stuff, but hopefully I can get on track. I’ve tried reading some articles, but the more I read, the more lost I got.

Reading and research are important but only to a degree. You have the general idea and received good advice on the products and pads. I’d have to suggest HD One, HD Speed and HD Poxy which are excellent on black paint, easy to use and works well with a variety of pads. Once you start trying to work with the equipment and products, you’ll accelerate your learning experience quickly. Jump in and enjoy it.

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

Reading and research are important but only to a degree. You have the general idea and received good advice on the products and pads. I’d have to suggest HD One, HD Speed and HD Poxy which are excellent on black paint, easy to use and works well with a variety of pads. Once you start trying to work with the equipment and products, you’ll accelerate your learning experience quickly. Jump in and enjoy it.

Okay, thanks for the sound advice. With the kits I ordered, one comes with CCS pads and the other comes with LC low profile pads. The CCS pads are 6.5’s and the Low Profile pads are 5.5 (I think? Maybe it’s the other way around.. I ordered a 5” backing plate anyway) but from what I’m reading the G9 likes a little thicker pad… I’ll give it the LP pads a test run on our GMC Acadia to see how it looks. I have 3 black vehicles and I think I may regret that color choice. Haha.

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

Here’s a list of everything I have purchased for exterior car detailing. Is there anything else I’m needing??

Auto Detailing list

Tires:
Sonax Plus
Amazing Roll off
Wolfgang Black diamond tore gel
Poor boys wheel sealant
Tire/Wheel brushes

Washing stuff:

Poor boys bug squash
Bug and tar sponge
PF22 foam cannon
Carpro reset
Meguiars mf wash mit
Koala wash mitt
Colllinite 845

Buffing stuff:
Griots G9
5” vented backing plate
Meguiars 105 and 205
IPA 91% mixed at 8:1 for panel prep
ONR for clay lube
Pad cleaner and pad conditioner
Masking tape
LC Hybrid Force pads (didn’t mean to order those, they are for long throw polishers right?)

Misc:
Blackfire APC
Famous detailing brush
5 piece detailing brush kit
Microfiber towels
Waffle weave drying towel

 

[opie2]

LC Hybrid Force pads (didn’t mean to order those, they are for long throw polishers right?)

Those were made for forced rotation machines...namely the flex machines

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

Those were made for forced rotation machines...namely the flex machines

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Ahh.. I bought them and forgot what the reason was. I was suggested to get Rupes yellow foam pads. Any other recommendations for the G9?

 

[mattmann]

I used p&s dream maker on a black car the other day and looks amazing. Give it a try after you polish everything.


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[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

I used p&s dream maker on a black car the other day and looks amazing. Give it a try after you polish everything.


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I saw your post on it. It does look amazing, and I’ll add that to my next order to try. So it would like this: m105 for cut, m205 to polish, then dream maker on top to complete? I also thought about trying Souveran.

Your garage looks amazing, btw.

 

[opie2]

Ahh.. I bought them and forgot what the reason was. I was suggested to get Rupes yellow foam pads. Any other recommendations for the G9?

Im sorry i dont, id rather not recommend any pads for the g9 as i have no experience behind that machine.

And as for your last comment about dreamaker after compound and polish...i thought you mentioned you bought collinite 845 to use?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Coatingsarecrack]

Ahh.. I bought them and forgot what the reason was. I was suggested to get Rupes yellow foam pads. Any other recommendations for the G9?

Griots BOSS pads. I like the orange for correction and the yellows for polishing.


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[mailman]

No one has mentioned this, but it wouldn't hurt to watch a few videos on how to use those products. Often the mfg's website will have them. Beware of YouTubers as some of those guys just like to see themselves drone on and on in front of a camera. They're not hard to spot. Good luck on your journey, especially since you really jumped in with both feet! As in a 6 year old black vehicle. If you can get that baby sparkling, your next one will be a piece of cake.........

 

[The Guz]

Based on that list Reset will degrade waxes and polymer sealants.

There are also better compounds than M105.

 

[Rsurfer]

Youtube is your best bet on machine polishing. Ammo and Apex are well respected and lots of videos on polishing.

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

Im sorry i dont, id rather not recommend any pads for the g9 as i have no experience behind that machine.

And as for your last comment about dreamaker after compound and polish...i thought you mentioned you bought collinite 845 to use?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Yea, I have 845 to use as well. I figured I could apply different waxes/sealants to each car to see how they hold up.

Griots BOSS pads. I like the orange for correction and the yellows for polishing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’ve been looking at the Boss pads, LC flat, css, and thin pro pads. Not sure what I’ll get yet.

No one has mentioned this, but it wouldn't hurt to watch a few videos on how to use those products. Often the mfg's website will have them. Beware of YouTubers as some of those guys just like to see themselves drone on and on in front of a camera. They're not hard to spot. Good luck on your journey, especially since you really jumped in with both feet! As in a 6 year old black vehicle. If you can get that baby sparkling, your next one will be a piece of cake.........

I don’t watch YouTube. I usually just go by the directions on the bottles.

Based on that list Reset will degrade waxes and polymer sealants.

There are also better compounds than M105.

I have Megs gold class for regular washes. When that runs out I’ll be buying the hyper wash in the 128 oz jug! What other compounds would you recommend? I thought about Sonax Cutmax, but haven’t looked into other compounds to much.

Youtube is your best bet on machine polishing. Ammo and Apex are well respected and lots of videos on polishing.

I don’t YouTube much. Maybe look at one video every few weeks. My smart phone won’t load up YouTube and when I’m home, I’m always doing a million other things.

 

[glen e]

So you have enough time to come on here and ask a million questions yet you don’t have time to watch Video?

Start with the videos that are at the top of this page called “detailing how to’s” … It’ll answer every question you have and shorten this thread tremendously.

Auto Detailing Facts, auto detailing Tips, How to detailing Guides, how to polish, how to wax, DIY detailing, do it yourself guides

 

[BrrrBrrr is verified member.]

So you have enough time to come on here and ask a million questions yet you don’t have time to watch Video?

Start with the videos that are at the top of this page called “detailing how to’s” … It’ll answer every question you have and shorten this thread tremendously.

Auto Detailing Facts, auto detailing Tips, How to detailing Guides, how to polish, how to wax, DIY detailing, do it yourself guides

YouTube doesn’t work on my phone.. I can only get YouTube when I’m at home, which is only a few days a month. But thanks for the link Glen.






If you can find a way for me to get on YouTube, I’m all ears.

 

[Eldorado2k]

Based on that list Reset will degrade waxes and polymer sealants.

There are also better compounds than M105.

I use nothing but sealants and never found Reset to degrade them at a faster rate, I’ve actually found the opposite to be true and consider it the best car wash soap if lsp preservation is at the top of the list.

Maybe some people pour too much in their wash bucket. I always made sure to follow the specific recommended dilution ratio, 1.25oz. per bucket wash or some oddball number the directions state.

YouTube doesn’t work on my phone.. I can only get YouTube when I’m at home, which is only a few days a month. But thanks for the link Glen.






If you can find a way for me to get on YouTube, I’m all ears.

Don’t use your phones web brouser. Download the YouTube APP.