Been out of the game awhile and need suggestions for black Toyota Rav4

[Iowajeep]

I have a 2017 black Toyota Rav4 that I want to begin detailing myself. I’m the original owner and it only has 8000 miles on it. (Doesn't get driven much because I'm usually driving my Wrangler.) It’s always been garaged and never went through automatic car washes or anything so the paint is still in really good condition. I’ve been having a local detailer look after it but since I’m recently retired, I now have the time to do it myself so want to get back into it. I’ve had black cars in the past, Nissan Pathfinder and a different Jeep Wrangler so I'm familiar with the headaches. :laughing:

Current plan is to get a G9 DA polisher and would like some comments/suggestions on products to use for minor correction, enhance gloss and protection. I’ve used a lot of Meguiar’s products in the past because they were very available but am very open to trying other things. I've been reading about Griot's Boss system and that sounds interesting. I would like to start out with less-agressive and then change things if needed. Thanks for any help!

 

[BlackCarBlues]

For what you want, try Griots BOSS Perfecting Cream. Go with the pad they recommend on the bottle (you will need about 4-5 pads to do the whole car, otherwise you will need to wash the pad and let it completely dry before using it again). If you need more correction you can switch to a more aggressive pad.

After you polish you’ll need to protect, so keeping in line with Griot’s products, you could use their Ceramic 3-in-1 for a very hydrophobic and glossy finish. 3-in-1 is one of the best (if not the best) spray on ceramic waxes/sealants.

Maintain that protection with Griot’s Ceramic Speed Shine by using it as a drying aid. Might as well use Griot’s Brilliant Finish Wash or Wash & Coat! Pick up a good quality Wash mitt or pad (I use The Rag Company’s Ultra wash pad). Also grab a good drying towel (I like The Gauntlet 20x30” also from TRC).


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[dlc95]

3D AAT502 with yellow Buff and Shine Uro-Tec is the least aggressive polish I use. If I wanted to go even finer I use the white Uro-Tec pads. I clean my pads a lot as I go around the car and often only need two per size for the entire job, especially when polishing.

I'm my situation it's a fail safe finishing polish that can correct minor defects and finish out beautifully, even on sensitive, dark finishes. It doesn't dust, it wipes off easy, and isn't going to stain trim pieces.

For sealing afterward 3D Bead It Up is super simple and easy to use, and super slick spray on wipe off polymer sealant. I also use a lot of Optimum Car Wax (spray and wipe carnauba/polymer blend), and Opti-Seal (pure polymer sealant, similar to 3D Bead It Up).

My maintenance products are Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine for washing, Opti-Clean when I need a spray on car wash, and Optimum Instant Detailer and Gloss Enhancer.

CarPro is another line I use, Ech2o functions as a waterless (spray on) rinseless wash, or quick detailer. It also leaves a very slick glossy surface. Very economical and smells so good!

 

[Bosko]

I personally would start with Griots BOSS correcting cream and orange pads.....it finishes down Great...
I'm not sure their perfecting cream is aggressive enough....no reason to do it twice...

I used to own a 2000 black RAV

 

[crg001]

The products suggested already are great! However, I have another suggestion. If you want something incredibly user friendly and that provides great gloss, 3D Speed is an All-in-One cleaner wax/polish that produces lovely results with ease. It lays down a layer of wax/sealant as you are polishing, and after dialing in your process you can leave it on the paint to dry as you work your way around the vehicle. Then wipe-off is an absolute breeze, and your paint is protected.

I like to follow up with 3D Bead It Up to get that extra layer of slickness and water beading protection, as the wax element in Speed admittedly isn't the longest lasting.

This polish pairs well with virtually any pad, but any "polishing" pad works great. Basic Lake Country or Buff and Shine white/green/orange flat pads are good for this and come in affordable 6-packs on the AG store.

 

[Desertnate]

For what you want, try Griots BOSS Perfecting Cream. Go with the pad they recommend on the bottle (you will need about 4-5 pads to do the whole car, otherwise you will need to wash the pad and let it completely dry before using it again). If you need more correction you can switch to a more aggressive pad.

I'll second the nomination for Perfecting Cream. With the right pad combination it provides a surprising amount of cut. Also, Toyota paint is amazingly soft and easy to correct, so most finishing polishes with a medium cut pad will finish down perfectly.

I've used Optimum Hyper Polish, SONAX 04/06, and Blackfire Finishing Polish successfully for years now on our Highlander with great results. Any of them, to include the Griots should serve you well.

 

[dlc95]

The products suggested already are great! However, I have another suggestion. If you want something incredibly user friendly and that provides great gloss, 3D Speed is an All-in-One cleaner wax/polish that produces lovely results with ease. It lays down a layer of wax/sealant as you are polishing, and after dialing in your process you can leave it on the paint to dry as you work your way around the vehicle. Then wipe-off is an absolute breeze, and your paint is protected.

I like to follow up with 3D Bead It Up to get that extra layer of slickness and water beading protection, as the wax element in Speed admittedly isn't the longest lasting.

This polish pairs well with virtually any pad, but any "polishing" pad works great. Basic Lake Country or Buff and Shine white/green/orange flat pads are good for this and come in affordable 6-packs on the AG store.

That's a great suggestion too. Speed is such a nice polishing wax.

I agree with letting it sit on the car until the last section polished has had about fifteen or so minutes to set up. I'm getting really tight little beads when doing it that way. Seems to hold up better too.

One of my clients purchased an "Option 1" from my menu, which a Wash + Polishing Wax. Naturally. I used 3D Speed. But for his maintenance washes, I used Optimun Opti Seal for a drying aide and the two seemed to play really nicely together.

 

[opie2]

One of my clients purchased an "Option 1" from my menu, which a Wash + Polishing Wax. Naturally. I used 3D Speed. But for his maintenance washes, I used Optimun Opti Seal for a drying aide and the two seemed to play really nicely together.

Do you have a good bit of clients that come for maintance washes? And how often do they come in for one? Im quite curious lol

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[Coatingsarecrack]

I have a 2017 black Toyota Rav4 that I want to begin detailing myself. I’m the original owner and it only has 8000 miles on it. (Doesn't get driven much because I'm usually driving my Wrangler.) It’s always been garaged and never went through automatic car washes or anything so the paint is still in really good condition. I’ve been having a local detailer look after it but since I’m recently retired, I now have the time to do it myself so want to get back into it. I’ve had black cars in the past, Nissan Pathfinder and a different Jeep Wrangler so I'm familiar with the headaches. :laughing:

Current plan is to get a G9 DA polisher and would like some comments/suggestions on products to use for minor correction, enhance gloss and protection. I’ve used a lot of Meguiar’s products in the past because they were very available but am very open to trying other things. I've been reading about Griot's Boss system and that sounds interesting. I would like to start out with less-agressive and then change things if needed. Thanks for any help!

Without getting crazy i would recommend getting BOSS orange and yellow pads, at least 6 of each. Boss correction and perfecting creams.

If you wanna keep it simple and inexpensive Griots 3-1 ceramic wax, if not look into polish angel. Would recommend Carnauba arts black wolfenite or Rapidwaxx.

If you do decide to use a drying aid i like meguairs Hybrid Ceramic detailer better than Ceramic Speed shine. Both good but better hydrophobics than the CSS.


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[dlc95]

Do you have a good bit of clients that come for maintance washes? And how often do they come in for one? Im quite curious lol

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Just this guy. He owns a restaurant down the street from me and I'll go there when heading to my gf's place from mine during the good weather months. My others wash on their own, or run it through the car wash. I would do his car once a week for $50.00 and dinner for my gf and I.

 

[Iowajeep]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. It's really amazing to see the number of new products and how technology of those products has changed over the last 10 years or so. I remember when I was doing my own cars before, I was using the Meguiar's Deep Crystal 3 Step products. That had a separate cleaner, polish and wax so you were going over the whole car 3 times. I got a "kit" from Meguiar's that included a Black and Decker Handy Buffer and it had terry cloth bonnets that fit over the foam pad. It's come a long way.

 

[dlc95]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. It's really amazing to see the number of new products and how technology of those products has changed over the last 10 years or so. I remember when I was doing my own cars before, I was using the Meguiar's Deep Crystal 3 Step products. That had a separate cleaner, polish and wax so you were going over the whole car 3 times. I got a "kit" from Meguiar's that included a Black and Decker Handy Buffer and it had terry cloth bonnets that fit over the foam pad. It's come a long way.

The Deep Crystal line is exactly what I started with 26 years ago this month if I remember correctly.

I remember that buffer from the Brilliant Solutions catalog.

Great memories. I got them to polish my cymbals.

Yeah, we've come a long way for sure!

 

[Iowajeep]

The Deep Crystal line is exactly what I started with 26 years ago this month if I remember correctly.

I remember that buffer from the Brilliant Solutions catalog.

Great memories. I got them to polish my cymbals.

Yeah, we've come a long way for sure!

Brilliant Solutions Catalog!! That's the one, I'd forgotten the name!

 

[Craig Encinitas]

-LC orange pad with LVR polishing glaze
-Topped with Ethos ceramic pro wax.

Really, on new’ish cars, most anything will do (IMHO and rookie experience).
I do prefer protection infused polish-glazes in this situation, given the price point and customer expectations.

 

[BlackCarBlues]

-LC orange pad with LVR polishing glaze
-Topped with Ethos ceramic pro wax.

Really, on new’ish cars, most anything will do (IMHO and rookie experience).
I do prefer protection infused polish-glazes in this situation, given the price point and customer expectations.

When you say “glaze” that makes me think of something that leaves fillers behind, but the bottle makes it sound like nothing is felt behind. Is my definition of glaze not correct?


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[chilly]

When you say “glaze” that makes me think of something that leaves fillers behind, but the bottle makes it sound like nothing is felt behind. Is my definition of glaze not correct?


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Like you I see "glaze" and I think fillers and body shops and paint that has all kinds of swirls and sanding marks showing after the fillers eventually wash out

My perceptions may be outdated but it is something I avoid

 

[chilly]

For sealing afterward 3D Bead It Up is super simple and easy to use, and super slick spray on wipe off polymer sealant.

I joined the 3D forum because I needed to message Mike Phillips and while I was looking around I saw a good writeup on using Bead It Up

The member wet a microfiber and rang it out, folded it, and sprayed 1 shot of Bead it Up on the towel and applied it to 1 panel and followed up with a dry towel to buff

That is similar to the way I apply Megs HCW

He swore by the method

It seems like it would save product and the recommended method takes 2 towels anyway so why not

I am going to give it a try if my Bead it Up ever shows up

So far in the last 2 weeks A(mazon) has lost my Feynlab Rinseless and my Griot's 3 in 1

I did get my 5 pound bag of coffee though...

I have my priorities

 

[dlc95]

I joined the 3D forum because I needed to message Mike Phillips and while I was looking around I saw a good writeup on using Bead It Up

The member wet a microfiber and rang it out, folded it, and sprayed 1 shot of Bead it Up on the towel and applied it to 1 panel and followed up with a dry towel to buff

That is similar to the way I apply Megs HCW

He swore by the method

It seems like it would save product and the recommended method takes 2 towels anyway so why not

I am going to give it a try if my Bead it Up ever shows up

So far in the last 2 weeks A(mazon) has lost my Feynlab Rinseless and my Griot's 3 in 1

I did get my 5 pound bag of coffee though...

I have my priorities

Ha! Priorities are important!

Hmmmm another trick to try. Thank you!

Hopefully it shows up sooner than later.

 

[dlc95]

-LC orange pad with LVR polishing glaze
-Topped with Ethos ceramic pro wax.

Really, on new’ish cars, most anything will do (IMHO and rookie experience).
I do prefer protection infused polish-glazes in this situation, given the price point and customer expectations.

The exotics come in really beaten up from the factory. I was surprised to see pigtails, and buffer trails on brand new, off the delivery truck $300,000.00 + vehicles. Especially considering how difficult some of those contours are to get into.

Bit for the most part the more domestic type vehicles look really good. The Toyota Siemna we did earlier in the week was flawless.

 

[Desertnate]

When you say “glaze” that makes me think of something that leaves fillers behind, but the bottle makes it sound like nothing is felt behind. Is my definition of glaze not correct?


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Like you I see "glaze" and I think fillers and body shops and paint that has all kinds of swirls and sanding marks showing after the fillers eventually wash out

My perceptions may be outdated but it is something I avoid

It may be just a matter of labeling on the bottle and what they wanted to call it.

Glazes typically do have fillers. Examples are Poorboys Blackhole and White Diamond, or Prima's Amigo. However, I do know of at least one finishing polish which is called a "glaze", yet has no fillers: Wolfgang's Finishing Glaze sold by our very own hosts here at PBMG.