Tips for washing your car to keep from messing it upHere's a few things to consider w

[Real Horses]

Wow thanks for the awesome tips. Where do you get the chemical guys maxi suds II at? I have been thinking about the leaf blower for awhile now, I used to have a friend with a harley that used it to dry the bike. I'm very careful with the wash mitt and always wash it between using it on the car.

 

[DKS]

Jeremy, from Meguiar's, did my car last September. I did it myself this time though. He even told me that I would probably need Swirl X, not scratch X, on some areas with spider webs that the Ultimate Compound didnt fix, and he was right, lol..but other than that, the UC w/ a DA, then hand apply Polishing compound, then Crystal Carnube Wax with the DA, it looks unbelievable.

Just curious, why would you hand apply polishing compound when you have a DA? Polishing compound requires friction and heat to work properly and it's way easier to generate enough of that to work with a DA then it is by hand. Unless it's like a walmart DA or something.

If I were you I'd go with the UC then go to M205 to make it a finished finish then hit it with some wax or sealant. If you're using a professional DA there is nothing that the UC shouldn't bring out that the scratch or swirl x will. Very little difference in the amount of cut between those 3 products according to Maguires. If you need something more you need to go to M105, but from the look of your pix you don't need anything that aggressive.

I dare say that with just the M205 you could get out anything you have if you're doing the polishing long enough in each area and applying the correct amount of pressure and using the right pad. I never need the other stuff on my car to get out swirls. Even after the "pro" f'd it up so bad, I still got it back to perfect with just the M205

 

[DKS]

Wow thanks for the awesome tips. Where do you get the chemical guys maxi suds II at? I have been thinking about the leaf blower for awhile now, I used to have a friend with a harley that used it to dry the bike. I'm very careful with the wash mitt and always wash it between using it on the car.

I just shop around, but right now the cheapest place is actually from the CG web site. It's on sale for like $10 but the shipping sucks so buy a couple. It's such a great product though.

 

[DKS]

Steedman- Basically, and I'm sure you know this since your friend works for Maguire's, but
The M105 is the most aggressive cut you can get
The Scratch-X and the Ultimate Compound are about the same cut and less aggressive than the M105
Next, the M205 which is a fine cut and is usually all you need if you're using a good DA
Then the Swirl-X is the least aggressive (and a waste of time IMOH)

The M205 is great, I can't stress how F-ing great it is. It cuts enough with a DA and a semi aggressive pad to get out swirls and scratches but it will finish down slick so it's ready to throw on some wax and be done.

With the UC you probably will need to use a fine polish after (even though it's a diminishing polish) and with the M105 you have to use a fine polish after. . .

 

[DKS]

If I was doing a car with very badly neglected paint I would use a Cyan Hydro Tech pad from LC on a good DA and use either the Ultimate Compound or the M105 to polish out all the Imperfections.
Then put on a Tangerine Hydro Tech LC pad and use M205 to get it back to a smooth mirror finish.
Then use a black or blue finishing (very soft) pad to apply wax and/or sealant.
I'd just keep all the plastic and rubber masked off throughout the entire process to save time.
I honestly only use about 2 pads per phase of polishing ie. 2 Cyan, 2 Tangerine, and 1 or 2 finishing pads. Usually just 1 unless I switch products I've never seen the need to use 2 since with waxing and sealing you're not spending hardly any time in one spot like with polishing so it's not going to have time to dry out or get nasty just using one for waxing/sealing

 

[DKS]

Steedman- What do you mean when you say "polishing compound" just curious?
Dude throw up a couple pix of your car on this thread so people can see what the finish looks like after the full monty, lol

 

[DKS]

Want to clean scuff marks off your interior panels? Try a Magic Eraser, works wonders

Also, make sure if you are buffing your car you take very special care to not let your pads get dirty. When you clean them in pad cleaning solution and lay them out to dry put them up on something so the buffing surface is facing down but something that will still let air get to it. This way no dust settles on the pad. The last thing you want is to go all over your car with a DA that has a dirty or dusty pad on it. Talk about swirls, lol

 

[bolivianpimp]

What type of solution do you use to clean pads? I have a Porter cable random buffer that i use to wax my car. I used black box last time , but i noticed it did not remove the multiple swirls all over the car. I think i will use the m205 before the wax but after the polisher? I am a newbie when it comes to detailing , thanks for the help.

 

[Steedman07]

Here is the polishing compound I used by hand after applying Ultimate compound and before waxing..
http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+G18110

Daniel, I will let you know how the Swirl X works, or doesnt work, lol. And I agree, M205 is really good, if the swirl X doesnt work to my standards, I will get some M205 for sure. ALot of guys rave about it..Here are a few pics that I had posted from my other thread, are these the pics you wanted me to post??

Hood shot after Ultimate Compound(Used the DA) and a coat of polishing compound(by hand)..

This was the pic in the sun, after Jeremy from Meguiars, did my car last september..I didnt quite get it this good when I did it myself a couple weeks ago, lol...

 

[DKS]

What type of solution do you use to clean pads? I have a Porter cable random buffer that i use to wax my car. I used black box last time , but i noticed it did not remove the multiple swirls all over the car. I think i will use the m205 before the wax but after the polisher? I am a newbie when it comes to detailing , thanks for the help.

I use Lake County Snappy Clean Pad Cleaner. You put a pack of it in 3-4 gallons of water and just throw the pads in when you are done. The sooner the better so they can soak. It eats the polish or wax right off of them and then you just massage them a little, squeeze them out and let them dry.

I don't understand what you mean by "use the M205 before the wax but after the polisher" Yes, you use it before the wax, but it is a polish. If you mean after a stronger cutting polish like the M105 or the Ultimate Compound then "yes"

 

[DKS]

Here is the polishing compound I used by hand after applying Ultimate compound and before waxing..
http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+G18110

Daniel, I will let you know how the Swirl X works, or doesnt work, lol. And I agree, M205 is really good, if the swirl X doesnt work to my standards, I will get some M205 for sure. ALot of guys rave about it..Here are a few pics that I had posted from my other thread, are these the pics you wanted me to post??

Hood shot after Ultimate Compound(Used the DA) and a coat of polishing compound(by hand)..

This was the pic in the sun, after Jeremy from Meguiars, did my car last september..I didnt quite get it this good when I did it myself a couple weeks ago, lol...

Yeah, I love those Pix, dude. I so need to get some good ones of my car like that since I'm such a detail nut.

I see what you mean now that I see what polishing compound you use, since that is "by hand only" I just believe (as I said before) that if you have DA there is no need to do anything by hand ever again.
Looks like that stuff works pretty well, though. I just try to stick to the Pro line of products that are for use with a DA.
You can use the M205 by hand and it's great for spot treatment, especially for taking off a pesky water spot that may have gotten there somehow or something to that effect. It's not so aggressive that it makes the finish look different in that spot like the UC or the other stuff may do if it's heavy cut compounds. Just be sure to re wax or seal the area again with the same stuff to protect it and make it match. Cause when you polish you remove any protection (wax or sealant) in that spot.

For anyone who doesn't know- Polish has cutting properties, Wax and sealant does not (unless it's a 2 in 1 or something odd)

 

[DKS]

I enjoy helping people out with their car care. I see so many people doing things that just make me cringe at car shows. This past show I saw a guy wiping the dust off his custom paint job with a dry wash cloth.
One guy was using a california dash duster (the small one) to dust his car and was smashing it against the paint instead of just bairley letting it touch the car to get the dust off. Scratch city!!
And the ultimate, an old woman was using the hood of of her car as a surface to write something down on a single piece of paper. I about died when I saw that one. Course their car looked like half the wax they put on it had been left on it for about 3 weeks in the hot sun.

 

[Kankakee]

So could I drive my car out to you and have you detail it for me?

 

[DKS]

So could I drive my car out to you and have you detail it for me?

Sure, but I'd look like crap by the time you drove all the way home, lol

I just do this stuff as a hobby, I'm actually a nursing supervisor by profession. But I do stuff for people from time to time. I did our medical directors very neglected Z3 recently.

The "pro Detailers" around here can't hold a candle to me. They charge like $140 to wash and wax and people are happy to pay it. They have Walmart Buffers and don't even use polish, just wax Takes them a couple of hours tops. When I do a car it takes ALL day. So there's really not a market out here in the country for that kind of work. At least not enough to make a living at. The local Ford dealer is actually going to start using me instead of the "pro" they used on my car after they saw what it looked like when he did it and how it looked when I brought it back by after I did it, lol But that's just on the higher end jobs they get in.

 

[DKS]

This is a couple of pix of the Z3. It was stored outside for 13 years and was never polished until I did it. This guy is horrible on cars. I sold him me E class and it went from a pimp ride to a POS in about 3 months. The pix were taken on an overcast day, but you get the point. . .

 

[DKS]

Here's my 330i that I destroyed with a water blade, lol I think these were either taken before the damage, or you just can't see it at this angle.

 

[DKS]

Another Tip. . .

Plexus, which is a motorcycle plastic polish, works great on polished wheels to give them a quick shine. You don't want to use it if the wheels are dirty because you could end up scratching your wheels by rubbing the dirt into the metal. But if they are "clean" but just need a quick shine, or have water spots you want to get off. Spray a little on a microfiber and wipe the wheel then keep rubbing it until it's dry and shiny.

 

[Steedman07]

Up until a couple weeks ago, Ive had Jeremy do my car before the big show at my dealership every October. He would start at 9:00, and leave about 6:00-7:00 at night..No bullshit..There are very few people with as much attention to detail as him, or as good as him. Thats why Meguiar's loves him, and the he has the whole Northeast region.

 

[DKS]

Up until a couple weeks ago, Ive had Jeremy do my car before the big show at my dealership every October. He would start at 9:00, and leave about 6:00-7:00 at night..No bullshit..There are very few people with as much attention to detail as him, or as good as him. Thats why Meguiar's loves him, and the he has the whole Northeast region.

Yep, in order to do it right it takes a lot of time. I can wash and dry one start to finish the right way in about an hour.

I factor in about 5 hours give or take for the polishing depending on the condition of the paint.

The wax or sealing I can do in about an hour or two depending on the car.

I keep my interior very clean and keep black towels on top of my rubber floor mats which are on top of my factory floor mats. So for my interior I usually just have to wipe down the inside to get rid of any dust or lint and pull out the towels and rubber mats when I get to the show and it's good to go.

Add a few minutes to wipe down the engine bay and to shine the wheels with plexus and tires with whatever the flavor of the week is (still can't decide what's best) and it's a done deal.

But, all that is on a car that never sees rain and has very little dirt to start with.
To do one from scratch like I did on the Z3 were talking a long time. I did it over 2 days and really should have spent more time on it but since it was a favor not a paying job I wasn't giving it the full Monty.

 

[GlassVapor]

+1 on the Plexus, its also great for removing bug juice and decal residue