Inpatient Enthusiast

[fredroe]

About 5 years ago I bought a PC 7424 with the intent of faster, better and more frequent applications of an AIO wax on my personal fleet of 3 daily drivers as well 3 or 4 other vehicles of my extended family. Then I started reading this forum and discovered other things I could not live without. So what started as a simple wash and wax now requires a 2-bucket wash, clay bar, Meg 105 / 205 topped with Menzerna PL using CCS pads, lots of microfiber and about 8 hours depending on the vehicle. Love the appearance and silky smooth feel when done but to do this 2-3 times per year for my 3 cars takes more time and patients than I have available. When I’m in a hurry, or doing my brother-in-law’s truck, I go for XMT 360 AIO. Love how fast I can do it and looks good but not quite the same as with the 3-step process. So now I’m trying to strike a balance between the two methods and have a few questions.

1. Is Meg 105/205 / Menz PL still preferred products or have better products come out in the past 4 years. I find 105 dries too quickly for me during warm weather but was perfectly fine last weekend at 65-70F.

2. Are there paint concerns with using a swirl remover like Meg 105 two or three times per year? Any problems skipping the 105 and going straight for the polish and sealer every other time I detail? Would using an AIO be a better option?

Thanks to all of you for extending my detailing education and doing your part to keep the car world a shinier place.

 

[Don M]

You could always do 'the big detail' on the cars once a year taking care of paint imperfections then, then the rest of the time use an all-in-one or cleaner/wax topped by an LSP wax or sealant and leave it at that.

 

[cfiiman]

Man preach it brother, same thing happened to me. I long for the days where I unwittingly probably put "love marks" in my car and "thought" it was perfect LOL. Even with my PC7424XP it takes me like 12 hours to do a 2 step correction and wax, it is ridiculous. I'm thinking about moving up to the Flex or something, wonder how much faster that would be?

 

[Desertnate]

You could always do 'the big detail' on the cars once a year taking care of paint imperfections then, then the rest of the time use an all-in-one or cleaner/wax topped by an LSP wax or sealant and leave it at that.

This is what I do. I do two major detail sessions.

I make Spring my big correction detail and put the most time into making the car look good. My winter prep in the fall is all about protection since the winter conditions will hammer the car and quickly undo any correction I may perform. In the fall, I put down a glaze and two layers of a durable LSP and call it good. The car will soon be covered in salt and grime and it won't matter how good I had it looking.

 

[10secdream]

I aim to do 1 major detail a year on my personal vehicles. That involves a light polish to remove light defects followed by a durable long lasting paint coating.

 

[custmsprty]

This is what I do. I do two major detail sessions.

I make Spring my big correction detail and put the most time into making the car look good. My winter prep in the fall is all about protection since the winter conditions will hammer the car and quickly undo any correction I may perform. In the fall, I put down a glaze and two layers of a durable LSP and call it good. The car will soon be covered in salt and grime and it won't matter how good I had it looking.

And down here in Florida it's the opposite for me, the rainy season and hot sun of the summer beats our cars from May to early October. It's easy going in thw inter as it rarely rains and the suns lower in intensity.

 

[custmsprty]

and Fredroe, get some FG400 it's awesome stuff, that and top it with your powerlock and you're good to go.

 

[RevitalizeAutoSpa]

I aim to do 1 major detail a year on my personal vehicles. That involves a light polish to remove light defects followed by a durable long lasting paint coating.

Same here. After an initial two stage correction, I do a lighter polish every six months to a year followed by a coating.

 

[swanicyouth]

I'm not sure if you guys are primarily talking about your own cars (you can control how paint is maintained) or other peoples' cars (you can't control how paint is maintained). But, if your dealing with your own cars, you should be washing them in such a way they will only need to be compounded once (if ever) - and that is when you first purchase the car.

If your getting noticeable defects that are taking away from the vehicle's appearance that require compounds like M105 or FG400 to remove, IME / IMHO the car is not being washed correctly.

Multiple step polishing sessions on your own car should be unnecessary after the initial big correction when your first obtain the vehicle. A light polishing once a year with a polish is all you should need. If you find that is not the case, you may want to look into how you are touching the paint. Using compounds over and over on the same thin factory paint may not be wise for the longevity of the paint job.

 

[Don M]

I'm not sure if you guys are primarily talking about your own cars (you can control how paint is maintained) or other peoples' cars (you can't control how paint is maintained). But, if your dealing with your own cars, you should be washing them in such a way they will only need to be compounded once (if ever) - and that is when you first purchase the car.

It sounds like the OP is referring to his personal/family's "fleet" of vehicles, so most of the responses have been referencing how "we" take care of our own. :xyxthumbs:

 

[Desertnate]

I'm not sure if you guys are primarily talking about your own cars (you can control how paint is maintained) or other peoples' cars (you can't control how paint is maintained). But, if your dealing with your own cars, you should be washing them in such a way they will only need to be compounded once (if ever) - and that is when you first purchase the car.

In my example, I am most definitely NOT compounding more than once during my ownership. I probably should have put in more detail.

My Spring "spruce up" sessions are done only using a light polish like Meg's UP or BlackFire SRC Finishing Polish. The goal is to simply correct any light defects created by driving daily though a Mid-West US winter.

 

[fredroe]

Thanks for the feedback. I can’t say I’ve confirmed that my cars need the additional compounding. Just have it in my mind that I need to clean, polish and protect and compounding is part of the cleaning process. I’m actually almost out of Meg 105 so this weekend’s fall detailing of my metallic black Chevy pickup will go straight from clay to polish.

A number of folks have mentioned applying a second coat of sealer after the first has dried at least 12 hours. I’ve never done this but interested if what benefits this provides.

 

[Desertnate]

Thanks for the feedback. I can’t say I’ve confirmed that my cars need the additional compounding. Just have it in my mind that I need to clean, polish and protect and compounding is part of the cleaning process. I’m actually almost out of Meg 105 so this weekend’s fall detailing of my metallic black Chevy pickup will go straight from clay to polish.

A number of folks have mentioned applying a second coat of sealer after the first has dried at least 12 hours. I’ve never done this but interested if what benefits this provides.

What swanicyouth was trying to say, and warn you, is compounding is NOT part of the routine cleaning process. You don't want to do it more than a couple times during your ownership of the car. If you need to use that harsh of a product all the time, you're doing something wrong in the time in between waxings. Use the mildest product you can to get the job done.

Doubling up the sealant ensures you have good, even coverage across the entire vehicle. Some will debate whether you really add that much more product to the surface. In my experience, a double coated car lasts longer than one with a single coated car using the same product. However, I never go beyond two coats.