Thanks guys, this is what I was hoping to hear. I like that a good product is sold locally.
I wouldn't limit yourself to locally sold products. If you live in an area like I do, good products are simply not available locally. Shops might carry a few items by a good brand like Griots, but nowhere near the full line.
I will be picking up that combo Angus posted a link to in the next month or so.
Next move will be understanding what products I should buy first. I have a 2017 black silverado, after reading on the geek I have learned that my washing method is not up to par. I have a few light swirl marks and water spots I need to get rid of.
My thoughts are wash with the 2bwm. ( just bought 2 new buckets this weekend)
Then dry. (I'll need a good drying towel which one?)
I'd look for a good, soft microfiber drying towell. There are many to choose from here at AG. I discovered once I quit using Absorbers and other synthetic chamois, I have far fewer swirls from drying.
Decontamination using a clay bar. Is any clay bar ok for this process?
I tend to go with the lower priced clay bars and have had no issues at all. I really like the Meguiars clay kit
After the clay bar, I am then confused on what to do for my next step? Is the complete compound a all in one? Or what should I use to get rid of swirls?
This is where the process branches and you can go a couple directions.
1) Compound/Polish to fully correct the paint and get it ready for a wax/sealant/coating. Just remember to use the least aggressive product first to see if it gets the results you want. No need to polish off more clear coat than needed.
2) Use an AIO. This will lightly polish your vehicle AND wax it all in one step. The down side is AIO's often aren't as aggressive as a polish, and they typically don't last as long as a dedicated sealant.
After that is done. Use a wax or Polish not sure which one?
This depends on what you did on the step above. If you compounded/polished, then you now apply the wax/sealant. If you used an AIO, then you could be done if you were happy with the results. Some people do actually top the AIO with another wax or sealant to improve durability.
Them to touch up after drives cause my work lot is a little dusty, do I get the detail spray or best of show spray or something different?
This is where you need to be VERY careful with a black vehicle. My answers might not be the popular one, but here is my opinion...remember, just my opinion.
On my black car, I don't do "touch ups" when it gets dusty. If it's dirty and I don't have time to do a proper wash, I just let it get dirty and wait until I can give it a bucket wash. I've found it's VERY easy to mar/swirl black paint when doing quick detailer touch-ups or waterless washes, so I just don't do it. I'll use a QD spray to get off bird droppings right away, but I only clean the immediate spot and nothing else.
Sorry for asking so many questions,just got alot to learn after reading on the geek here for a while. I got to really step up my detail game. Lol
Thanks for all your guys help .
You have to learn somewhere. The really important thing I found was to read, read, and read some more. If you have a hard time finding the answer using the site search, use Google on the topic and you'll see this site will almost always be in the top search results and go from there.
