New to detailing

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ravenjred

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Hi Mike,
I am going to detail my wife's 2005 red Toyota Sienna. This is my first attempt at detailing for myself. I have read a lot on the forums and I feel a bit confused now as I continue to read. This is my plan. Please tell me if I should do anything differently or should I purchase something else that I don't have already. I just received from Autogeek the following: Wolfgang's Total Swirl Remover 3.0, Wolfgang's Concours Kit with Autobathe, Polish Enhancer, Deep Gloss Paint Sealant, and Colinite 845 wax. I was going to clay the van first, then use the swirl remover, polish enhancer, paint sealant, and wax in that order. I have Lake Country CC Pads of orange, course green, white, gray, blue, and red. I should say that this van has never been detailed before, just polished and waxed. It has some swirl marks and visible water spots on the paint. Am I taking the right steps to restore it to it's original finish? Should I be using Eraser after the polishing step? Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Ed
 
Good morning Ed!

With all the information and the number of products available it's little wonder that most become confused and even a bit discouraged in the beginning.

Detailing is an art, not a science and amazingly it takes very few products to yield a gorgeous shine on your Toyota.

Everyone starts off as a beginner but with some reading, questions, and trial, error, and practice you'll be amazed how much you'll be able to do. After reading and understanding some of the basics, the more hands on your are the quicker you'll build your knowledge and gain experience.

Basic steps in order are:

  • Wash
  • Clay
  • Paint Correction & Polish
  • Seal
  • Wax
Make detailing enjoyable and practice. Take your time and do not become overwhelmed. Just because there are a thousand product doesn't mean you have to use them all.

Pick one product from each category from the steps above. You already have some great waxes so you're that far ahead of the game..

If I would recommend a slight change I would opt for the 5" backing plate and 5 1/2" Lake Country flat pads over the 6 1/2" CCS pads.

Plate - lake country 5 inch backing plate, 5 inch backin plate, 5 inch hook and loop backing plate

Pads - Lake Country 5 1/2 x 7/8 inch Beveled Edge Pads 6 Pack, foam pad kit, build a kit, buffing pads, curved edge pads

Wolfgang offers some nice products for paint correction and I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results.


  1. Wolfgang's Total Swirl Remover 3.0
  2. Wolfgang Finishing Glaze 3.0

Wolfgang's Polish Enhancer is a cleanser or cleaner and wouldn't necessarily be used after the Total Swirl Remover..

I like applying a quality sealant to the freshly polished finish prior to waxing. These are just a few of what's offered here and all work very well.


Collinite 845 is one of my all time favorite waxes. When applied with your dual action polisher it goes on SUPER THIN and once it hazes buffs off cleanly to a brilliant wet shine!
 
Bobby, thanks so much for your advice. I really appreciate it. One more question please: After I use the total swirl remover, should I go right to the paint sealant and not use the polish enhancer? Or, should I get the finishing glaze and use that in between the swirl remover and the sealant?
Thanks, Ed
 
Hey Ed,

You could do a test spot and see if you get a bump in gloss, it won't hurt anything and will only serve to test the theory.

Wolfgang Finishing Glaze is designed to use as the second polishing step to remove those minor imperfections making the finish really glossy.

Once you've completed the polishing stage wash and dry the panel to remove any left over polishing oils, dry thoroughly, then apply your sealant.

Sealants should be allowed to cure for 12 hours in a dry environment before over-coating with an additional coat of sealant or a coating of wax. One thing to keep in the back of your mind is a sealant can be applied over a sealant and bond properly but a sealant cannot be applied over a wax...
 
Bobby,
I forgot to ask, the bumper plate on the rear bumper that use to be blak is all grayed out. Anything that I can use to restore that to black again?
 
Welcome to the site ED. Nice post Bobby. You are one of the best assets that this community has, consistently helping out the newcomer. I am inspired by your willingness to do this.

Ed, be aware that for some reason, (not sure why) Toyota paint seems more so than other paint systems that I see, to get deep hard water etchings. Sometimes so deep that it just isn't safe to fully remove them as they go deep into the clear coat. It is possible to remove almost all the clear paint in trying to remove some of these deeper etchings. Just a FYI. Not trying to discourage you or say that this is the case with your Sienna, just that it could be.

If several passes with your swirl remover doesn't improve the visible water spots, chances are that they are deep etchings. This thread can shed some light on what I mean and a possible solution if your Sienna has them.

Water spot etching - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum
 
ravenjred said:
Bobby,
I forgot to ask, the bumper plate on the rear bumper that use to be blak is all grayed out. Anything that I can use to restore that to black again?
Click to expand...

On our '05 Sienna I cleaned the bumper's plate thoroughly then applied Meg's Ultimate Protectant to 1/2 and Mother's Back-to-Black on the other half as a test. After 2 weeks I can't see any difference. You can get either one at Walmart or other stores, inexpensive. It's important to work the product in thoroughly so that it's absorbed into the vinyl.
 
Thank you all for your assistance. Now that I know what I am going to do with the Sienna I have another vehicle that is brand new, a 2011 Ford Explorer. When you look at it in the sun you can see all kinds of light scratches and swirl marks. What is the best way to get rid of these so the paint looks smooth and stays that way? I have Wolfgang's total swirl remover, polish enhancer, deep gloss sealant, clay, and colinite 845 wax. A brand new car and it looks horrible in the light, at least to my eyes. Thanks, Ed
 
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