Beginner- BLACK Honda CRV Exterior detailing, in need of guidance

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Hi guys,

So... I posted some time ago regarding tips on detailing the interior of my CRV, so thought it was time to look into options on the exterior paint. Unfortunately, it is Honda black.. not my first choice of colours, but it turned out that way :/ .. anyways, I understand this paint is soft.. I even experienced it 1st hand.. back of my nail, lightly across the paint, left a mark / scratch.. felt like the paint hadn't even cured yet.. :/

So.. I was hoping to get some feedback on the best possible way to approach this as a beginner on a budget. Obviously, at this stage, I have no exterior detailing products (except some Autoglym car shampoo.. seems ok).. I believe I'll need the following,

1- DA Polisher: I was originally considering the DAS6, seems to be recommended quite often ... however, I was actually wondering, as the paint is quite soft and being on a budget, I know it's not the best option, what I was considering maybe one of those ROCKWELL DA's from Supercheap... I came across a post here of some of the members who bought one, and did a review and it apparently wasn't too bad.. certainly no Rupes or other but still did the job.. how do you think the Rockwell or equivalent would go ? (at least until I can save a bit more for something better.. then use the rockwell with a carpet brush)


2- Backing plate(s) and cutting/polishing pads: This is something Im not familiar with. If anyone has experience with this car/paint, what do you recommend ?


3: Cut/Polish/Seal/Wax: I looked on carcareproducts , ZAS , chemguys .. there's a tonne of products ranging from cheap(ish) to super pricey. I'm not familiar with any of them. I have heard of Megs, Autoglym & HD something .. What would you guys recommend that is easy to work with, decent results, wont send me broke and works well on Black cars ?


4: Black plastic bumpers: I saw a video where the guy (i tihnk it was from autogeeks) used a DA with carpet brush attachment, really cleaned the plastic guards, then applied some sort of chemical to restore the black. I think the only one I've heard of is Black WOW, but is there another brand that has more of a chemical reaction / soaks into the plastic rather than cleaving an oily residue ?


5: CLAY!.. almost forgot about this.. I've used Bowdens own in the past.. but I didnt really like it.. it felt too fine, and there were spots (yellow) on the car that it had issues removing.. had to do multiple passes. for a car in this condition, is there a more course clay to use? ... or.. what about those clay towels / mitts ? .. how well do they work? they seem similar in price, if not cheaper and you can reuse them I think ??


6 - Headlights: I was considering wetsanding it back, but not too sure what to use at UV protection.. whether to clear coat them then polish, or sand/polish then apply some sort of sealer over the top ??


7: Wheel- They're dirty, I'm planning on taking them off the car to clean, but is there a wheel cleaner you guys might recommend? Or will car shampoo and scrub brush do the job ?



here's some pics of the car.. I know it's in bad chape, and certainly not expecting it to look like new, but if I can repair the majority of it and make the bad stuff look better, I'd be happy.

Also.. any tips on how to polish under the door hands ? Maybe get a drill attachment with a foam cone bit ?? or easy by hand ?

Terribly sorry for the long read, but really appreciate any and all feedback.

Thanks

 

[conman1395]

For a DA, get either a Harbor Freight DA or GG6 or Porter Cable. They're cheap and will do anything. You don't need a Rupes and you shouldn't get something cheaper than the Harbor Freight DA.

For pads get 4 orange (LC thin or Buff and Shine) and 4 white/greem (LC/B&S respectively) 5.5 inch pads and get a pack of orange and whute/green 4 inch pads.

The but Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish over the counter.

For clay, go buy Meguiar's, Magic Clay, or Mother's OTC.

For sealant go with Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid or Paste.


All these are inexpensive and perfectly capable of doing anything the more expensive options are.

You do need 4 5.5 inch pads and a pack of 4 inch pads. I don't care if you get your oad meticulously clean in between each pass, you will be buying new pads sooner if you buy 2 of each versus 4 of each. I can make 4 pads last 2/3 years if they're just going to be used on my cars. 2 pads... Maybe a year or longerbif it isn't the first time compounding and polishing that cars paint. You'll have a lot to remove.

Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid or Paste can last 7 months very easily. Durability wise, it's up there almost on the same level as Duragloss 105 and Collinite 845.



Oh, and for your door handles, just use a microfiber towel or microfiber applicator with Ultimate Compound. Don't use a drill, that can cause quite a bit of damage to the handle and heat will build up quick on the edge and burn through paint. Using your hands with microfiber and compound keeps the heat low but the amount of cut high.

 

[Widget]

Thanks conman

Unfortunately we don't have a HF here in Australia .. though looking at that DA, looks similar to this one,

Rockwell ShopSeries Car Polisher - Multi-Function, 180mm, 600 Watt - Supercheap Auto Australia

regarding clay.. for a car that doesn't appear to have been detailed before, what grade clay should I use? In the past, I did use 'Fine' claybar.. but it didn't feel like it was doing the job all too well...

 

[Desertnate]

I was in a similar place a few years ago trying to tackle a long abused Subaru wagon.

Great advice on the DA already. You can get started without much money. Start simple and then move up in equipment as you get more skilled.

Typically pads and backing plates go together. I know nothing of the Australian market, so I'll just use what is found here as an example. I'd recommend the Lake Country 5inch backing plate and then the Lake Country 5.5inch flat pads. I find them to be durable and work very well.

Mothers California Gold Clay Bar - Mothers California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System, detailing clay bar, 2 clay bars

Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit, meguiars detailing clay,

Just starting out, the Meguiars Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish are great for beginners and nearly fool proof. Being inexpensive helps too. HD may be a great option as well, though I've never had the pleasure of using them. They are next on my list after my Meguiars stock runs out.

Meguiars Ultimate Polish, meguiars car polish, meguiars polishes, mcguire's

Meguiars Ultimate Compound, polishing compound, rubbing compound, meguiars rubbing compound, meguires, meguiars polish, auto compound polish

You don't have to go fancy with the clay. A Mothers or Meguiars clay kit will serve you well. The Meguiars clay has never let me down.

Looking at the rest of the vehicle, the wheels may need more than shampoo if they have not been cared for in the past. Again, going inexpensive and simple, I'd recommend Mothers Foaming Tire and Wheel Cleaner. You may need something stronger, but this would be a good start.

Mothers Mothers Foaming Wheel & Tire Cleaner

There are lots of trim treatment options here ranging from coatings to protectants that will serve you well.

 

[TTQ B4U]

So... I posted some time ago regarding tips on detailing the interior of my CRV, so thought it was time to look into options on the exterior paint. Unfortunately, it is Honda black.. not my first choice of colours, but it turned out that way :/ .. anyways, I understand this paint is soft.. I even experienced it 1st hand.. back of my nail, lightly across the paint, left a mark / scratch.. felt like the paint hadn't even cured yet.. :/

So.. I was hoping to get some feedback on the best possible way to approach this as a beginner on a budget. Obviously, at this stage, I have no exterior detailing products (except some Autoglym car shampoo.. seems ok).. I believe I'll need the following,

Welcome and my initial advice is to be optimistic and to understand that doing the car in sections or stages is okay and probably a good option. The minivan we have was in as bad of condition as yours and took two sessions to get it to where it is now.

1- DA Polisher: I was originally considering the DAS6, seems to be recommended quite often ... however, I was actually wondering, as the paint is quite soft and being on a budget, I know it's not the best option, what I was considering maybe one of those ROCKWELL DA's from Supercheap... I came across a post here of some of the members who bought one, and did a review and it apparently wasn't too bad.. certainly no Rupes or other but still did the job.. how do you think the Rockwell or equivalent would go ? (at least until I can save a bit more for something better.. then use the rockwell with a carpet brush)

^^ Can't comment on the above but understand and respect the financial position. I have two average units that serve me very well. There are better ones but they are more than what I need. I have Shurhold DA from Autozone that has plenty of power and is nearly 4yrs old. $150 or so. I also have a Porter Cable 7424 that I picked up for like $120. One is my 6" set up the other my 4" set up.

2- Backing plate(s) and cutting/polishing pads: This is something Im not familiar with. If anyone has experience with this car/paint, what do you recommend ?

See above. I just personally like having one larger and one smaller and chose to use two units as I don't have to flip back and forth.

3: Cut/Polish/Seal/Wax: I looked on carcareproducts , ZAS , chemguys .. there's a tonne of products ranging from cheap(ish) to super pricey. I'm not familiar with any of them. I have heard of Megs, Autoglym & HD something .. What would you guys recommend that is easy to work with, decent results, wont send me broke and works well on Black cars ?

For your car I like and have used Meguiar’s over the counter stuff. It’s very good product and priced well.

Ultimate Compound, Ultimate Polish and while I’ve not used their Ultimate Sealants I hear they are very good. The other two will serve you well.

4: Black plastic bumpers: I saw a video where the guy (i tihnk it was from autogeeks) used a DA with carpet brush attachment, really cleaned the plastic guards, then applied some sort of chemical to restore the black. I think the only one I've heard of is Black WOW, but is there another brand that has more of a chemical reaction / soaks into the plastic rather than cleaving an oily residue ?

Am going to let others chime in hear as I’ve never really used much in the way of major products on ours as such trim has been minimal. Ones I’ve done have been in relatively good shape. The ones that weren’t I used a heat gun to bring back and did so with very good results.

5: CLAY!.. almost forgot about this.. I've used Bowdens own in the past.. but I didnt really like it.. it felt too fine, and there were spots (yellow) on the car that it had issues removing.. had to do multiple passes. for a car in this condition, is there a more course clay to use? ... or.. what about those clay towels / mitts ? .. how well do they work? they seem similar in price, if not cheaper and you can reuse them I think ??

I’m not a snob in this department. Mothers yellow clay bar has been a go-to for me with great results.

6 - Headlights: I was considering wetsanding it back, but not too sure what to use at UV protection.. whether to clear coat them then polish, or sand/polish then apply some sort of sealer over the top ??

Yep, 1500, 2500 and 3000 grit are standards in my bag along with HD’s all in one Headlight Polish on a small 4” orange pad then I hit it with a white one just to really shine them up. I seal it up with a good UV protectant and all has been great. Should take you more than 20-30 minutes per side.

Here’s a quick sample of what my friends turned out like. His were bad.




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7: Wheel- They're dirty, I'm planning on taking them off the car to clean, but is there a wheel cleaner you guys might recommend? Or will car shampoo and scrub brush do the job ?

I’ll let others chime in. Sonax makes some really good stuff.

here's some pics of the car.. I know it's in bad chape, and certainly not expecting it to look like new, but if I can repair the majority of it and make the bad stuff look better, I'd be happy

.

^^ again, keep your optimism up high. I had really good success with a 9yr old vehicle with 100k miles on it and it’s like new today.






I then hit it again recently just to fix up any missing areas as there were a few spots that needed it. Turned out great. So again, take it in stages. You might even just focus on 1-3 panels per session.



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[conman1395]

Thanks conman

Unfortunately we don't have a HF here in Australia .. though looking at that DA, looks similar to this one,

Rockwell ShopSeries Car Polisher - Multi-Function, 180mm, 600 Watt - Supercheap Auto Australia

regarding clay.. for a car that doesn't appear to have been detailed before, what grade clay should I use? In the past, I did use 'Fine' claybar.. but it didn't feel like it was doing the job all too well...

In that case, I would go woth the DAS. I think it's similar to the GG6, but if anyone else can suggest the Rockwell go ahead and get it. I just have no experience with it.


In regards to clay, you can get Meguiar's more aggressive clays over the counter here in the US and I think Meguiar's has a good presence in Australia. Honestly though, I find on badly contaminated cars I always use tar remover and IronX or similar before claying even if I don't see little black spots from tar or rust blossoms from iron. After those two initial steps, fine clay should work fine.


So sorry for my crappy English, I'm on my phone.

 

[timsatx]

4: Black plastic bumpers: I saw a video where the guy (i tihnk it was from autogeeks) used a DA with carpet brush attachment, really cleaned the plastic guards, then applied some sort of chemical to restore the black. I think the only one I've heard of is Black WOW, but is there another brand that has more of a chemical reaction / soaks into the plastic rather than cleaving an oily residue ?

Here is the link to the article that Mike Phillips did where he used brushes:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/59327-how-restore-exterior-black-plastic-trim.html

The other item is Solution Finish:

Solution Finish Black Plastic & Vinyl Restorer, trim restorer, black plastic restorer