Questions about my first detailing job

[bunnywafer]

Hello all,

Been a bit of a lurker here for awhile, and doing alot of reading and research.

I did my first detailing job over the last 2 days, and I have a couple of questions.

First, the basics.

My subject: 2012 Honda Fit (Blue Raspberry). This is my daily driver with about 21,000 miles on it (but I just got it a few months ago).

My armamentarium:

-Wolfgang Auto Bathe
-Wolfgang Clay Lubricant
-Wolfgang Clay
-Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
-WG Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
-WG Instant Detail Spritz
-WG Tire and Wheel Cleaner
-WG Black Diamond Tire Gel
-Collinite 845
-Stoner Invisible Glass

In the mail:
-Ultima Waterless Wash Plus+ Concentrate
-Special MF for waterless washing (Shine & Buff, 800 g/m2)
-303 Aerospace Protectant

My plan:

The paint is in pretty good shape, so my main goal with this detail was protection. I live in a cold weather climate but we had temps go into the high 60s/low 70s the last 2 days so this was probably my last opportunity to get a layer of protection on before winter really sets in.

Washing was pretty straight forward. Did the tires first. I'll admit I was a little disappointed in the WG Tire Gel... it didn't really seem to provide much shine. I've used Armor All Tire Shine before and that almost made too much shine IMO, at least for my old car. I'd probably like shine in between what WG provided and what Armor All gives. So that leads me to question #1.

1.) Can anyone recommend a tire gel that will achieve the above level of shine? I do realize that I can apply multiple coats of WG to get more gloss, but if I could get desired results with just one application that would be preferable.

For the body I used a sea sponge and 2 buckets. The lubricity of the wash was very noticeable to a novice like me who has only used basic lower-end washes before.

Claying....well, I was a dope and didn't read much about how to clay. I just knew it had to be very well lubricated. This lead to me probably being way heavy handed with the clay lube... I think I used almost the whole 16 oz bottle, and this is a small car. I did clay the whole body though because I was under the impression that this was a good way to remove any residual wax. I didn't read about breaking off a piece of clay, so I just used the whole bar. Oops.

I found the WG clay a little hard to work with. I think I would have had a hard time "breaking" a piece off even if I'd wanted to. I suppose I could take a knife to it. And forget about working it into a ball or anything. This leads me to question #2:

2.) What brands of clay are easiest to work with / most pliable? Or are they all essentially the same?

and related...

3.) Is there a distinct benefit to using a dedicated clay lubricant, vs. just using a little bit of car wash mixed with water (which I read some people do). Seeing as how I have a feeling that being heavy handed with product is something I will probably do until I get used to all this, if I could save a little money on lube that would be good....

4.) There is a black linear scuff mark on the side of the car under the driver's side door. I'm not sure what caused it. I thought for sure claying would remove it, but it didn't touch it. The area feels smooth, like as if the paint isn't really disrupted but this mark is just on it. It may be hard without a picture, but any idea of what product I need to use to get that out? It may need to wait for warm weather, but I want to know what I need to buy.

I did not wash again after claying, as I was running out of daylight. Applied WG Paintwork Polish Enhancer which was straightforward.

I had to skip using the WG Deep Gloss Sealant because I wasn't going to have 12 hours of cure time before the rain came.

The next day I cleaned the windows and did the wax job. Used Collinite 845 and followed the forum "definitive how-to" post, except I put it on by hand because I don't have a DA.

So I have a few questions about this wax...

5.) Am I supposed to be able to see it well when it first goes on? I was applying it "thin, thin, thin" at first but I could barely even see it on the paint, so I started to apply it a little bit thicker. Should I have just been patient and let it start to haze over?

6.) Again, I think I got a little heavy handed with the wax. I used probably about 1/4 of the bottle on my subcompact car. Of course I did do all the windows, lights, and wheels too. Towards the end of the process my foam applicator was almost a little soapy...I'm guessing this is a sign I was using too much?

7.) Here is probably my most important question / concern - does Collinite 845 need to cure? It started raining probably 20 minutes after I buffed it off. And in fact, I hadn't buffed off one of the wheels before the rain (I was doing this at work so I kept getting interrupted) so that last wheel I buffed off after it had gotten wet. Would there be value in applying a second coat? It's supposed to be almost 60 F again tomorrow, so I probably could.

8.) I feel like the windshied looks a little "smeary" now when I use my wipers. The rain beads nicely, but I was hoping for a crystal clear view, but instead I get smears when the blades pass. They do fade quickly. Any idea what I did wrong? Should I try to remove the Collinite from the windshield? Or will this just get better after a few rains?

Lastly, I have a question about future detailing...

I'm hoping to have an opportunity to use the 303 on the exterior plastic / rubber / weatherstripping before the weather gets too cold...

9.) Will 303 remove spotting on the B pillars? I'm not sure what they got spotted with...it looks like overspray of some sort. I got the car from Car Max and I don't remember the spots being there before I bought it, so I think maybe they got there when they did the final clean. In hindsight I should have complained to them about it, but that ship has probably sailed by now. But so far washing has not changed the appearance of the spots. If you don't think 303 will do it, can you recommend a product that will?

And one general question (let's make it an even 10)

10.) Is methanol *really* bad for paint/rubber? I've read conflicting things. And would it even matter if those surfaces are protected with Collinite/303?? I need to get an anti-freeze wiper fluid and I am really hoping to go for Splash 4-in-1 (the purple stuff), but it does have 34% methanol in it.

Sorry this is so long! Thanks for reading if you made it this far and thanks for all the info I've gotten just from lurking on this site!

Im the MANIm the MANIm the MAN

 

[allenk4]

Clay- many on the Forum including myself, favor the new clay substitutes like the Speedy Prep Towel. Much faster. Can be rinsed off if you drop it.

You can use the Ultima Waterless Wash as an effective clay lube

Smeary windows- you may not have completely buffed off the wax residue. Re-buff with a microfiber towel. Also wipe your blades clean

If you used 1/4 of a bottle of 845, you used way too much. If you think there is no wax left on the applicator, press it against the glass and you will know for sure

The 845 is fine, once it has hazed and you wipe it off you are good to go. Sometimes people experience "ghosting" if there is rain or very high humidity and decreasing air temperatures, but this is easily buffed off with a MG towel

Post a picture of the scuff on the door, so we can see what you are dealing with

A second coat of wax will help make sure you didn't miss any spots. There are threads on the Forum that go on for days arguing the value of multiple coats of wax. Meguiar's says stop at two

I suspect that if the spots on your B pillar look darker than the trim...they may be tire dressing overspray from the dealers make ready/detail guy. Cleaning with all-purpose cleaner and a.MF towel should remove them

There are better exterior trim dressings than 303 in my opinion. My favorite is CarPro DLUX. Looks great and lasts 6-12 months on pebble grained exterior plastics

Hopefully, the Cold Weather Detailers will chime in on your windshield washer fluid question. It doesn't ever freeze here and has only rained 3 times in the last 6 months

 

[mwoolfso]

1.) Can anyone recommend a tire gel that will achieve the above level of shine? I do realize that I can apply multiple coats of WG to get more gloss, but if I could get desired results with just one application that would be preferable. Aside from Armor All I have not found a product that would add significant gloss with just one coat; nor do I want to. I use CarPro PERL and use either 1-3 layers depending on the amount of time I have. With PERL, my second and third layer are faster to apply than the previous layer so there is one thing going for PERL.

Claying....well, I was a dope and didn't read much about how to clay. I just knew it had to be very well lubricated. This lead to me probably being way heavy handed with the clay lube... I think I used almost the whole 16 oz bottle, and this is a small car. I did clay the whole body though because I was under the impression that this was a good way to remove any residual wax. I didn't read about breaking off a piece of clay, so I just used the whole bar. Oops.

I found the WG clay a little hard to work with. I think I would have had a hard time "breaking" a piece off even if I'd wanted to. I suppose I could take a knife to it. And forget about working it into a ball or anything. This leads me to question #2:

You probably used too much Clay Lube but that's just a learning experience for you. Over time I am sure you will use less as you refine your technique. WG clay is tough to work with initially and in the cold weather you get a really good workout on your hand and finger strength. After 2 or 3 more sessions with the WG clay your fingers will be much stronger so stay the course. If you want a more pliable clay then Pinnacle or Mothers will definitely do the trick. Riccardo Clay falls in between them. One technique I use with WG clay in cold weather is to rotate 2 clay bars and keep one in a small pot of warm/hot water. The clay softens up pretty good.

2.) What brands of clay are easiest to work with / most pliable? Or are they all essentially the same?

and related...

3.) Is there a distinct benefit to using a dedicated clay lubricant, vs. just using a little bit of car wash mixed with water (which I read some people do). Seeing as how I have a feeling that being heavy handed with product is something I will probably do until I get used to all this, if I could save a little money on lube that would be good.... I don't see a clear benefit. I use ONR at 2:1 and this seems to be the lowest cost point for me. Purchase a gallon and you are set for years.

4.) There is a black linear scuff mark on the side of the car under the driver's side door. I'm not sure what caused it. I thought for sure claying would remove it, but it didn't touch it. The area feels smooth, like as if the paint isn't really disrupted but this mark is just on it. It may be hard without a picture, but any idea of what product I need to use to get that out? It may need to wait for warm weather, but I want to know what I need to buy. Assuming it is probably a scuff mark you probably need to polish it. Try Megs Ultimate Compound with a MF or Terry towel and with some elbow grease see what happens. If that doesn't work just bring it to a local auto-body shop and for $10-$20 they buff it out it in 5 min.

I did not wash again after claying, as I was running out of daylight. Applied WG Paintwork Polish Enhancer which was straightforward. This is fine.

I had to skip using the WG Deep Gloss Sealant because I wasn't going to have 12 hours of cure time before the rain came. Good idea.

The next day I cleaned the windows and did the wax job. Used Collinite 845 and followed the forum "definitive how-to" post, except I put it on by hand because I don't have a DA. Collinite by hand or machine is fine. I have use both approaches with equal success.

So I have a few questions about this wax...

5.) Am I supposed to be able to see it well when it first goes on? I was applying it "thin, thin, thin" at first but I could barely even see it on the paint, so I started to apply it a little bit thicker. Should I have just been patient and let it start to haze over? Yes, you should have been more patient. You are supposed to "slightly see it go on". As long as the applicator is moist you should be relatively sure that when you apply it on the pain and do not see it.... it's probably there.

6.) Again, I think I got a little heavy handed with the wax. I used probably about 1/4 of the bottle on my subcompact car. Of course I did do all the windows, lights, and wheels too. Towards the end of the process my foam applicator was almost a little soapy...I'm guessing this is a sign I was using too much? Yes

7.) Here is probably my most important question / concern - does Collinite 845 need to cure? It started raining probably 20 minutes after I buffed it off. And in fact, I hadn't buffed off one of the wheels before the rain (I was doing this at work so I kept getting interrupted) so that last wheel I buffed off after it had gotten wet. Would there be value in applying a second coat? It's supposed to be almost 60 F again tomorrow, so I probably could. 20 min. may not have been much of an issue considering you used so much product. Considering #8 below I would not venture into another layer.

8.) I feel like the windshied looks a little "smeary" now when I use my wipers. The rain beads nicely, but I was hoping for a crystal clear view, but instead I get smears when the blades pass. They do fade quickly. Any idea what I did wrong? Should I try to remove the Collinite from the windshield? Or will this just get better after a few rains? This is a clear indicator that you used too much product. Clean the glass and wiper blades with QD or a window cleaner to remove some product - use medium pressure.

Lastly, I have a question about future detailing...

I'm hoping to have an opportunity to use the 303 on the exterior plastic / rubber / weatherstripping before the weather gets too cold...

9.) Will 303 remove spotting on the B pillars? I'm not sure what they got spotted with...it looks like overspray of some sort. I got the car from Car Max and I don't remember the spots being there before I bought it, so I think maybe they got there when they did the final clean. In hindsight I should have complained to them about it, but that ship has probably sailed by now. But so far washing has not changed the appearance of the spots. If you don't think 303 will do it, can you recommend a product that will? These are probably water spots and you would need to buff them out. Search Mike's article list and do some research.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...722-car-detailing-articles-mike-phillips.html

And one general question (let's make it an even 10)

10.) Is methanol *really* bad for paint/rubber? I've read conflicting things. And would it even matter if those surfaces are protected with Collinite/303?? I need to get an anti-freeze wiper fluid and I am really hoping to go for Splash 4-in-1 (the purple stuff), but it does have 34% methanol in it. In high concentrations any *nol or *hol product will dry out the rubber. So adding a protective layer like 303 Aerospace Protectant makes sense to help offset the negative impacts of another product you need to use the vehicle in extreme weather. You may want to consider a safer product such as Einszett Anti-frost Washer Fluid, Einszett windshield washer fluid, antifreeze washerfluid, glass cleaner

...

 

[bunnywafer]

Thanks for the replies.

I think maybe I'll skip the second coat for now. I've got some other things I need to get done today. Maybe if I do anything I'll just go over the hood and front bumper again, since this is the area that takes the most abuse. I'm kind of curious to see how long just one layer of the 845 lasts anyway....

I'll try to get pictures today of the scuff mark and the B-pillars.

 

[JamesBCo6]

I know I may get scolded and am rather new to the forums but if it looks like the black scuff is paint from another object take a little bit of lacquer thinner or mineral spirits to it and try to wipe it off. Obviously don't over do it or leave the rag on the finish. Wipe it on..work it a little and then clean it off. The little bit of time you work with it wont ruin your cars clear...I have done this personally and all seems to be fine. Can anyone else chime in? Im sure you'll get some folks on here that don't like it but it works....

 

[sweatthedetails]

One other bit, i noticed you did not mention any type of machine polish. I would not suggest claying with out following it with a polish. The clay is abrasive, this is normal for the decontamination step. On some cars and colors you will see marring. If you wax it may fill a lot of that in but be aware of it when the wax wear thin.

 

[bunnywafer]

One other bit, i noticed you did not mention any type of machine polish. I would not suggest claying with out following it with a polish. The clay is abrasive, this is normal for the decontamination step. On some cars and colors you will see marring. If you wax it may fill a lot of that in but be aware of it when the wax wear thin.

I did use WG Paintwork Polish Enhancer, but applied it by hand.

How does that product differ from other polishes? Is it not a true polish?