How to seal a brand new car?

carenthusiast

carenthusiast

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I have a black car and noticed a lot of fine scratches and swirl marks which , I assume, were left during the delivery process when car was washed and wiped in dealer's shop.

This thread is not "dealer bashing" thread, rather I want to ask experts what is the best way to remove fine scratches and give the longest protection to a car I can.

I will be doing all work by myself. I am not a pro, but I did decent work in past (without inflicting damage) to an exterior of my cars.

After reading this forum I found out how little I knew and decided to ask real experts how to go about the project.

In past I would get a good bucket wash (I would use dish-washer detergent in order to remove all protecting coating/waxes from the clear coat, with soft, clean washing pad). I would then wash off the soap with the unpressurized stream of water and get to dry it with the microfiber detailing towels.

Next , I would either just apply the wax (if paint condition was good enough), or start with the least aggressive product (polish with polishing buffer, using my Makita rotary).

In some case I had to use swirl remover or fine scratch remover, and then follow with polish and wax.

I did use rubbing compound (with wool pad and Makita buffer) on someone else car and results usually stunned those who saw the transformation of dull, oxidized paint (not talking about clear coat here) to a brand new shine and smooth feel of a fine silk.

But, reading this forum, I came to conclusion that:

A. My methods were way amateurish and even crude.

B. There are better products to achieve great results than what I was using before.


Now, let me summarize what I have and what I need.

1. I have a new car with black clear coat (has fine scratches and swirls, but no holograms or some obvious to untrained eye defects).

2. I have a Makita rotary buffer and ordinary orbital one (if need be I can use either).

3. I don't want to spend a fortune on products, but I am not going to go cheap if that means less protection and poor quality. If spending $25 on a wax, polish or sealant will save me $10K in preserving a car value I would think it stupid to not do so.
On the other hand, if I have to spent $100-$200 on each product and two days to do the job I may as well find a $400-$500 local elite-car detailer and have someone else do the job.
But I want to work on my own and looking for the most optimal solutions and products to use.

I would prefer durable and good quality Sealant and need your advise WHAT should I do before sealing my paint? Will I have to polish or would I need to remove swirls with dedicated swirls remover first?

What pads and technique would you recommend? I have green pad for Makita and cotton for my orbital. Do I even have to use mechanic method of removing fine scratches and swirls marks?

And what are the best, optimal products to use (based on what is described above) and which you would recommend your good friends to use?


Any advise and suggestion would be HIGHLY APPRECIATED Feed back please



Thank you,

Carenthusiast
 
Being its new and only has light swirls I'd wash it, two bucket method then clay it.
You'll get all sort of advice here but IMO you can't go wrong using Meguiar's 205 Ultra Fine polish.
It can and will remove light defects using a DA and a white pad.
Always start with the least aggressive pad you have, you can always move up to an orange pad after you do your test area if need be.

I love my rotary but never use it on a brand new car, that's just me.
When you say orbital do you mean a duel action type or one of those cheaper wax spreaders?

I've done a few cars by hand with great results, just takes longer.

Griot's makes a good paint sealant for a fair price.
Just make sure you get the car as perfect as you can before you seal, you'll be much happier in the end:)
 
HateSwirls said:
Being its new and only has light swirls I'd wash it, two bucket method then clay it.
You'll get all sort of advice here but IMO you can't go wrong using Meguiar's 205 Ultra Fine polish.
It can and will remove light defects using a DA and a white pad.
Always start with the least aggressive pad you have, you can always move up to an orange pad after you do your test area if need be.

I love my rotary but never use it on a brand new car, that's just me.
When you say orbital do you mean a duel action type or one of those cheaper wax spreaders?

I've done a few cars by hand with great results, just takes longer.
Click to expand...

HateSwirls, thanks for a reply.

Two bucket method sounds right (cleaning the cloth off debris before soaking it in a soap bucket and continuing the wash), so I will definitely do that.

I have nothing against Megs 205 Ultra Fine polish, their professional grade products worked good for me so far. If that's the recommended product and what experts advise, I would use it.

Do I have to clay it before polishing? I did the "sandwich bag" test and didn't notice any imperfections on the paint when car was clean.

I don't have DA. I have pretty decent Makita rotary, but the orbital one is not Dual Action, it's just orbital (a "cheap one"). What I like about it is that it does the same work that I could do by hand, but saves effort by evenly spreading the wax over the clear coat. Plus, it is nearly impossible to do any damage to a paint with orbital buffer ( I used it long before I risked to touch the car with rotary).
I know DA's are great, but I don't want to spend another $200-$300 on it. I just want to use tools I have, buy the products needed and get the optimal results given the described car condition.

Any feedback is appreciated! Thank you!
 
I wouldn't go near a brand new car with a rotary personally..... Unless I had a DA Polisher too...

My advice is to leave it on the shelf and forget it's even there....
 
jankerson said:
I wouldn't go near a brand new car with a rotary personally..... Unless I had a DA Polisher too...

My advice is to leave it on the shelf and forget it's even there....
Click to expand...

I agree. I don't want to use, just posted it so that it would be know what tools I have (in case if needed , I have rotary and orbital, but I don't have DA).

Just looking for an advise what method/products would be the best.
 
carenthusiast said:
I agree. I don't want to use, just posted it so that it would be know what tools I have (in case if needed , I have rotary and orbital, but I don't have DA).

Just looking for an advise what method/products would be the best.
Click to expand...

They have them on sale right now here at AG...

And you can get a 6" Groits Garage DA for a little over $100 and it's a good machine.

Griot's Garage 6 inch Random Orbital Polisher, Dual action buffer, DA polisher

And with these pads you would be set.

Lake Country Hydro-Tech 6.5 Inch Foam Pads, water-based polish pads, foam buffing pads, hydro tech pads
 
if you want an inexpensive DA pick up a HF DA which is around $50 (look for coupons in car magazines), you'll also need a 5" DA backing plate as well as some 5.5" pads (get flat)...
 
+1 on not using a Rotary on a new car!!!!!

To keep costs down you could always pick up the Harbor Freight DA Polisher for about $50, a quality 5" backing plate for about $15 and a 5 or 6 pack of quality flat foam pads for about $30.

Megs Ultimate Polish is the consumer version of M205 and is under $10 at Walmart. There are many other quality polishes also available.

Duragloss 105 (Don't let the name fool you, it's really a sealant) is excellent at about $12 per bottle and will give you 4-6 months of protection. As a matter of fact all of the DG products are excellent and very reasonably priced.
 
VISITOR said:
if you want an inexpensive DA pick up a HF DA which is around $50 (look for coupons in car magazines), you'll also need a 5" DA backing plate as well as some 5.5" pads (get flat)...
Click to expand...

Sounds like a great advise, but as I stated earlier, I want to accomplish my goal with tools I already have. I need advise on what products and what methods would deliver the optimal results (I am willing to purchase products as needed. I will not purchase another mechanical instrument at this time).

I really want to apply the sealant to the paint before winter sets in (for durable, long protection and gloss). But I realize that I would need to fix the paint of fine defects first.

Need expert advise and appreciate any feedback.
 
ski2 said:
+1 on not using a Rotary on a new car!!!!!

To keep costs down you could always pick up the Harbor Freight DA Polisher for about $50, a quality 5" backing plate for about $15 and a 5 or 6 pack of quality flat foam pads for about $30.

Megs Ultimate Polish is the consumer version of M205 and is under $10 at Walmart. There are many other quality polishes also available.

Duragloss 105 (Don't let the name fool you, it's really a sealant) is excellent at about $12 per bottle and will give you 4-6 months of protection. As a matter of fact all of the DG products are excellent and very reasonably priced.
Click to expand...

I guess I confused Megs Ultimate Polish with M205, because I was referring to creme-colored container that is professional grade polish, I used it in past and never had any problems (4 passes, two with slight pressure and two without any pressure using rotary and then microfiber to wipe it off).

Ok, so I am getting my rotary far away from the sight and just keeping my bare hands and the orbital.

I will consider DG105, but I can't just seal the car until I get the paint to optimal condition. If I seal it as is I will be sealing defects too. So, I am trying to first remove those fine scratches and swirls, but not sure what the best method is (provided I don't have DA and won't be buying it).
 
carenthusiast said:
Sounds like a great advise, but as I stated earlier, I want to accomplish my goal with tools I already have. I need advise on what products and what methods would deliver the optimal results (I am willing to purchase products as needed. I will not purchase another mechanical instrument at this time).

I really want to apply the sealant to the paint before winter sets in (for durable, long protection and gloss). But I realize that I would need to fix the paint of fine defects first.

Need expert advise and appreciate any feedback.
Click to expand...

You will have to do it all by hand then, because an orbital wouldn't do you much good... Other than spreading wax.

M205 by hand with a foam applicator then whatever sealant you choose.
 
Check out Menzerna FG400 with an orange cutting pad and Menzerna SI1500 or Meguiars M205 on a white pad. As far as sealants, there are so many to choose from. My favorite right now is Sonax Polymer Net Shield. The beading and sheeting from that stuff is rediculous!
 
jankerson said:
You will have to do it all by hand then, because an orbital wouldn't do you much good... Other than spreading wax.

M205 by hand with a foam applicator then whatever sealant you choose.
Click to expand...

Will M205 (applied by hand) remove fine scratches and swirl marks?
Is it better for the task than #9 or other products you would suggest to use?

How would you apply M205 by hand? Light pressure, medium pressure? One pass or 4 passes (2 w/pressure and 2 without) and then micro-fiber to immediately wipe it off?

Clear coats of paint are very tricky (especially on black paint). You don't want to do it more damage than it already has (and just about anything can easily put more scratches on it, even a clean cotton terry cloth). At the same time, I don't want to leave those scratches on. If I apply Duragloss 105 over it , whatever is sealed by it will stay there for long time to come, therefore I better do the best I can to fix the clear coat first.
 
carenthusiast said:
Will M205 (applied by hand) remove fine scratches and swirl marks?
Is it better for the task than #9 or other products you would suggest to use?

How would you apply M205 by hand? Light pressure, medium pressure? One pass or 4 passes (2 w/pressure and 2 without) and then micro-fiber to immediately wipe it off?

Clear coats of paint are very tricky (especially on black paint). You don't want to do it more damage than it already has (and just about anything can easily put more scratches on it, even a clean cotton terry cloth). At the same time, I don't want to leave those scratches on. If I apply Duragloss 105 over it , whatever is sealed by it will stay there for long time to come, therefore I better do the best I can to fix the clear coat first.
Click to expand...


I know about black paint... But really it's the clear coat that matters and how soft or hard it is.... That can and will vary...

Yes M205 can remove defects by hand and the reason why I recommended it is because it's more of a fine finishing polish with SMAT technology. So using a quality soft foam applicator by hand I seriously doubt you could do any damage to the finish. I would be more worried about the towels you might be using causing damage....

Pressure and passes would vary depending on what you needed done and how that paint reacted. You won't know that until you start.

Don't let M205 dry, it has to be removed wet.
 
jankerson said:
I know about black paint... But really it's the clear coat that matters and how soft or hard it is.... That can and will vary...

Yes M205 can remove defects by hand and the reason why I recommended it is because it's more of a fine finishing polish with SMAT technology. So using a quality soft foam applicator by hand I seriously doubt you could do any damage to the finish. I would be more worried about the towels you might be using causing damage....

Pressure and passes would vary depending on what you needed done and how that paint reacted. You won't know that until you start.

Don't let M205 dry, it has to be removed wet.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the valuable input!

1. Yes, it's clear coat that matters. It's just anything on black paint is more noticeable than, let's say, on silver or white. If you had a silver car with clear coat that had the same amount of fine scratches and swirls that I have now you would need to try harder to notice it. Whereas, on black paint you can see it relatively easily, especially under a bright sunshine.

2. Glad to hear that soft foam pad and M205 will do it. Sounds like a good plan. I know what you mean about towels causing a damage. In my early days I did succeed in damaging a clear coat on the hood of my car by wiping it with CLEAN terry cotton cloth. I don't even use those anymore for anything other than glasses. I have a stack of fine microfiber towels that I use for the purpose.

3. Learned hard way about letting M205 dry.... I know....


Thanks for advise, it was really helpful ! :props:
 
You have a brand new car with "shiny" leather seats and you are concerned about spending $50 on a DA?

You have already spent $7.99 on Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner-Conditioner Wipes & $5.99 on Lexol Wipes.


Your recent post sounds like someone who has been detailing for years:

"Re: Can clay barring cause scratches on a new car?
This is an old thread and OP probably had his answer already, but my first thought was "why clay a brand new truck"?

Usually you clay your car if the contaminants have penetrated your paint/clear coat and you have that rough feelings when you touch the surface of it after a good bucket wash. That bonding of contamination with the paint takes time. And you should always use the least aggressive treatment unless it's necessary to do something more (so, if it's a brand new car you would just want to wash it and wax it, not even polish it).

Anyway, if the damage done by clay can not be felt by fingernails (and it shouldn't be, unless there was something on clay to cut through clear coat/paint) then it's relatively easy to fix. As others suggested, just polish the car and then, for durable protection, apply the coat of wax or sealant and you should be fine.

P.S. Still puzzled why did the OP clay the brand new vehicle"
 
allenk4 said:
You have a brand new car with "shiny" leather seats and you are concerned about spending $50 on a DA?

You have already spent $7.99 on Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner-Conditioner Wipes & $5.99 on Lexol Wipes.


Your recent post sounds like someone who has been detailing for years:

"Re: Can clay barring cause scratches on a new car?
This is an old thread and OP probably had his answer already, but my first thought was "why clay a brand new truck"?

Usually you clay your car if the contaminants have penetrated your paint/clear coat and you have that rough feelings when you touch the surface of it after a good bucket wash. That bonding of contamination with the paint takes time. And you should always use the least aggressive treatment unless it's necessary to do something more (so, if it's a brand new car you would just want to wash it and wax it, not even polish it).

Anyway, if the damage done by clay can not be felt by fingernails (and it shouldn't be, unless there was something on clay to cut through clear coat/paint) then it's relatively easy to fix. As others suggested, just polish the car and then, for durable protection, apply the coat of wax or sealant and you should be fine.

P.S. Still puzzled why did the OP clay the brand new vehicle"
Click to expand...

1. I explained that I neither want to spend too much for this project .If I have to put down $300-$500 and work two days, I would rather retain professional detailer: it would cost me less (in time, effort , money) to pay $300-$500 to someone else than do it on my own. Nor am I going to go for cheapest products just so I can save a buck. Doing a $10K damage to a car to save $15-$20 on a product is plain foolish.

You can read back to my post where I clearly stated what I have in mind to spend on this project and what I need to accomplish.
Buying DA is not one of my objectives (I have spent at various times greater than thousands of dollars on care care kits and products and ended up understanding how silly I was. Balance is the key to me. And buying DA is not in my plans now, regardless of how wonderful DA is for many users. A good DA will cost $250-$350 or more. I don't trust in longevity and quality of $50 DA and I am not wealthy enough to throw my money around).

2. You are completely right about years of my detailing experience. In fact, I posted at various times that I have two decades of experience detailing my cars :iagree: . That's one of the reasons I took it seriously when someone suggested that I had no clue how to wipe the seats with factory pre-soaked wipes).

This being said, myself detailing my cars for 20 years does not make an expert of me who knows how to handle a brand new clear coat that needs very minor but important correction before applying a seal.
Again, if you have taken time to read my posts you would see that I asked for expert advise since after reading this forum I realized how little I know about car detailing when comparing my knowledge to that of the guys who turn 4 to 5 figure or more profits each months doing car detailing (someone like Mike Phillips instantly comes to my mind).
Even a good old professional detailer (not a National Mega-star featured on car shows etc) who buffed hundreds of cars on a professional duty will know infinitely more about car detailing than I could in 100 years of detailing my own.
Isn't it then reasonable to ask for assistance and advise on this board? Feed back please

Was it your aim to show inconsistency in my posts? If so I do not think there is any.

But , just as a side note, I would really appreciate if you offered some help and advise on topic posted, rather than use it as an excuse to discuss me as a person or to question the consistency of my earlier posts :nomore:

Thank you in advance for your understanding.



Best regards,

Carenthusiast

P.S. I didn't spend a penny on Lexol wipes. It's sold as a liquid, in plastic bottle, it's a cleaner. I applied it on foam pad and microfiber cloth, and wiped seats with it to get rid of Megs cleaner-conditioner residue.
It is Megs whose wipes I used earlier. Just a detail, to clear any confusion.
 
It sounds like you need to find a detailer near you and have the car corrected and opti coat applied.

You're going to be in at least $300 for the proper supplies. With opti coat you just need to gently wash it so you don't marr the coating. You can wax it if you'd like but it won't last too long because it won't bond properly to the coating.
 
Asking for assistance is great, BUT, you have to be willing to be open minded and not be so defensive.

"I have spent at various times greater than thousands of dollars on care care kits and products". Why not $50 on a DA now?

Just seal it now for the Winter.
Save up.
Buy a DA.
1st polish will remove whatever sealant you will be putting on it for <$20.
 
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