Detailing 101: Common Question and Answers, What and Where to buy stuff + Technique

[Dnz]

so what the hell do i now have QD for? To clean my car after its clean?

Or to give it a quick wipe before a photo somewhere after i had washed it that morning..?

[David]

DNZ,

QD is good for cleaning up bird bombs. That's what I primarily use mine for. I keep a bottle in my trunk with a clean towel. QD is also used a lubricant for clay. No worries. Your bottle of QD won't go to waste. And it is always good to keep one handy in the trunk for spot cleaning the bird bombs.

[Dnz]

Whats the argument against getting a waterblaster to clean the car? Any PSI which is *best* for a car? Coz from what i hear, bmw uses it on the cars they take for service (as well as many car groomers)

[David]

When you say 'waterblaster', do you mean pressure sprayers? Those things are no good. They'll just push dirt into your clear coat.

Just beacuse the stealer uses it in their service center doesn't make it any good. And I've never heard of any real pros that use it.

[Viking325i]

Yea, its a low pressure blaster, bout 5 litre/min flow rate @ 1200PSI (which is the lowest pressure available). The results I've seen come up well if you then dry it, dunno bout long term regular use tho.

[David]

The best way to wash your paint is to either use free flowing water from your garden hose, or attatch a spray gun to your garden hose and use it to MIST water on your paint. Do not use full force.

JMHO.

[Dnz]

I just went out and got it.. i aint 100% sure if im happy so i can bring it back..

I tested it ion my brothers pulsar (which might i add aint waxed properly) and it shifts all the dirt off it, except for that last thin layer of dust.. which you can take off with using your fingers

Maybe a waterblaster/handwash combo

Im gonna test it on my waxed 325 when it gets back. Maybe itll work better on it coz its still shiny shiny in most parts...

[Tapio]

David,

So I finished doing my cars with the AIO, 3 coats of SG and a final P21S wax and the result is great. At this point you say that you simply wash the car weekly for 6 months until the process is repeated. How does the final wax really hold up since normally waxes have to more frequently reapplied? Don't you replenish the wax at all? If you would, is there a compatibility problem with the underlying SG coats?

I used Pinnacle Black Onyx Tire Gel. but it does some sling off that I don't care for. Do you see sling off with the Meguiars High Endurance?

Tapio

[David]

Tapio,

First and foremost, this thread is worthless without pics!!!!

Glad to hear things turned out well. As for your questions:

The final wax obviously won't hold up for the entire 6 months. If the weather permits then you can reapply p21s on a monthly basis. I can't do this because the weather is too miserable during the winter.

No compatibility problems with the SG underneath. You can apply as many layers of p21s on top of the SG as you wish.

I don't have any sling off problems with the megs high endurance. To avoid that problem, take a towel and blot your tires about 10-15 minutes after applying the dressing. This will allow most of it to settle, while allowing you to remove the excess.

David.

[paul e]

>>Q: Is it possible to polish out swirl marks by hand?
A: No. Unless you are superman, then you will have no luck whatsoever in removing your swirl marks by hand.<<

I seem to be having much better results with a product i never see mentioned. For instance, if I park my car, and its under or near an overhead light, Ill often see a telltale scratch in the clearcoat layer, that absolutely drives me nuts. I dont want to leave the garage and enter my lobby until Ive done something about it.. Know what iVe had best luck with for this type of detailing? 3M Light or Moderate strength Cleaner Wax! I simply shake and apply a small blob to the surface of a small, wadded up cotten terry towel... Ill quick detail the immediate area of the scratch first, to make sure theres no grit to grind in. I then simply rub the product moderately into the scratch. If its a swirl, it comes right out completely. If its haze from a prior polish, same thing. And if its a scratch, I can eliminate at least half of it this way, making it much more pleasing on the eye. Now, I know some of you will say that all IM doing is covering it up with oils, filller, and wax... Wrong! This is not the case at all. Going over the area with some isopropyl to check reveals the haze, swirl, or minor scratches really are gone.. Moreover, being a one step product, I dont need to applyl any wax over it as I would have to had it been a pure polish.. For these reasons, I think this is an ideal, quick procedure to follow for removing this type of small area damage.

[David]

>>Q: Is it possible to polish out swirl marks by hand?
A: No. Unless you are superman, then you will have no luck whatsoever in removing your swirl marks by hand.<<

I seem to be having much better results with a product i never see mentioned. For instance, if I park my car, and its under or near an overhead light, Ill often see a telltale scratch in the clearcoat layer, that absolutely drives me nuts. I dont want to leave the garage and enter my lobby until Ive done something about it.. Know what iVe had best luck with for this type of detailing? 3M Light or Moderate strength Cleaner Wax! I simply shake and apply a small blob to the surface of a small, wadded up cotten terry towel... Ill quick detail the immediate area of the scratch first, to make sure theres no grit to grind in. I then simply rub the product moderately into the scratch. If its a swirl, it comes right out completely. If its haze from a prior polish, same thing. And if its a scratch, I can eliminate at least half of it this way, making it much more pleasing on the eye. Now, I know some of you will say that all IM doing is covering it up with oils, filller, and wax... Wrong! This is not the case at all. Going over the area with some isopropyl to check reveals the haze, swirl, or minor scratches really are gone.. Moreover, being a one step product, I dont need to applyl any wax over it as I would have to had it been a pure polish.. For these reasons, I think this is an ideal, quick procedure to follow for removing this type of small area damage.

Paul, great tip! Thanks for sharing.

[95RogueM3]

Hey david,

Does the sealant take the place of the wax. I read the article and cant decide if i want the "glass look" or the "warmer" look. So some questions:

-What exactly is "warmer" going to look like?

-For an Avus blue car would you think the wax look to be better or the sealant? (kind of a darker blue)

-can one apply the AIO by hand? Can I apply the AIO regardless of method without claybaring the car first?

-I have always been told to never use anything but a 100% cotton towel, is this now incorrect? WOuld you recommend the 60/40 blends or the 80/20 blends

-I have also always been told to never use soap on my car (i presume now they mean dawn)...but is it seriously beneficial to use a soap such as the Wolfgang brand ?

-Final question...: what brand of side molding ( as found on the m3) restorer would you suggest? There is the silicone base or the actual dye? Are these hard to use and effective?

Thanks so much this article is so so cool and I really cant wait to give these things a try.

-Richard

[David]

Hey david,

Does the sealant take the place of the wax. I read the article and cant decide if i want the "glass look" or the "warmer" look. So some questions:

-What exactly is "warmer" going to look like?

-For an Avus blue car would you think the wax look to be better or the sealant? (kind of a darker blue)

-can one apply the AIO by hand? Can I apply the AIO regardless of method without claybaring the car first?

-I have always been told to never use anything but a 100% cotton towel, is this now incorrect? WOuld you recommend the 60/40 blends or the 80/20 blends

-I have also always been told to never use soap on my car (i presume now they mean dawn)...but is it seriously beneficial to use a soap such as the Wolfgang brand ?

-Final question...: what brand of side molding ( as found on the m3) restorer would you suggest? There is the silicone base or the actual dye? Are these hard to use and effective?

Thanks so much this article is so so cool and I really cant wait to give these things a try.

-Richard

Hi Richard.

Yes, the sealant does the take the place of the wax. It will provide far superior protection than a carnuba wax.

Warmer will look like a deep pool of liquid that you can dive into.

On my dark blue car I use only klasse, without a topper. The SG brings out the colour of the paint very well. On my Boston green bimmer, it's a different story. The SG on it's own doesn't bring out the paint the way I like, so I have to top with a carnuba do add warmth. The warmth brings out the green nicely. A lot of 'what looks better' will depend on what you like personally. All people have different tastes. Experiment and you will find something that pleases you.

You can apply AIO by hand. Use a terry covered foam applicator and work the AIO into sections of the car in a front to back motion. Once worked in, wipe off with a quality towel.

You don't need to clay, but I would strongly recco it if this your first big detail. It WILL make a VERY NOTICEABLE difference. You'll be glad you did it. And since you're doing a big detail, you mind as well go the distance.

100% cotton is still a grwat choice for towels. If that's what you currently have then go ahead and use them. I have cotton that I still use as well. With MF, the actual blend does not affect the quality. Quality is related to manufacturing processes and QA performed at the plants. If you buy from a trusted source, your MF's should be fine for use, regardless of blend.

When they say soap, they mean dawn dish washing soap. Dawn is too harsh for an automotive finish. You need something speciifically made for auto paint. You don't have to blow your wallet out buying stuff on the net. Go to target and pick up a galllon jug of meguiars gold class car wash for 10 bucks. It's cheap, good, and will last you.

I don't have any experience with the dye's, so I can't help you there. Most trim treatments I use are just dressings that wash off after a few weeks. I've yet to find/see anything permanent.

You're welcome. Glad to be of service.

David.

[notegback]

I personally don't have a Bimmer (my dad does) and have detailed more than my fair share of family cars by hand. These are great steps to restoring and protecting a car's paint. I've never needed to use a swirl remover since our cars have all been fairly new and treated well, so I usually do everything by hand. We have an ancient rotary Craftsman buffer from when my dad was younger that I use from time to time, but it's junk, even with the variable speeds.

I'd like to purchase a PC, but I had a question about the pads. Earlier you stated that they shouldn't need replacing for a long time, but how do you clean the pads between uses?

Thanks for the time you took to put this thread together and to answer all of our questions. I along with many others are very grateful for it.

[Kyle K.]

Depending on the pads you buy, you either wash them by hand or toss them in the washing machine. The adhesive on most pads won't stand up to the heat in a washing machine, so you've got to do it by hand, but CMA's Advance Contour pads are washing machine safe.

To wash them by hand I usually put them into our sink in the garage and plug the drain, then fill the sink with 1" or so of warm water, and smash the pad around with your fingers. You'll probably have to refresh the water every now and then but eventually the water you wring out will be clear again, thats when its clean.

[David]

I personally don't have a Bimmer (my dad does) and have detailed more than my fair share of family cars by hand. These are great steps to restoring and protecting a car's paint. I've never needed to use a swirl remover since our cars have all been fairly new and treated well, so I usually do everything by hand. We have an ancient rotary Craftsman buffer from when my dad was younger that I use from time to time, but it's junk, even with the variable speeds.

I'd like to purchase a PC, but I had a question about the pads. Earlier you stated that they shouldn't need replacing for a long time, but how do you clean the pads between uses?

Thanks for the time you took to put this thread together and to answer all of our questions. I along with many others are very grateful for it.

notegback,

Kyle answered your question perfectly. I personlly always handwash my pads after every use, and I never throw them in the machine only because I want them to last longer.

And I'm glad you like the thread. I'm more than happy to help out the community.

David.

[VewAskwBMW]

David,

Great info. Thanks!!

What is the name of rubber dressing that you use to keep your door, trunk and hood gaskets fresh? I remember seeing it in a thread once, but can't recall the name. Strange name, but supposedly available from the dealer.

Thanks again.

[David]

VewAskwBMW,

I believe the product your are looking for is called gummi phledge (I think that is how you spell it).

And you are very welcome. Glad to help out.

David.

[MissDetail]

Where to buy: Just got a newsletter from AutoGeek. They are running a 15% discount from now until June 1 with FREE SHIPPING for orders over $75!!!

[95RogueM3]

Hey David,

Im about to utilize the great discount at Autogeek and had a few questions:

1) does claybarring take off wax?

2) Can I claybar, then go straight to wax? (I am hesitant to use any kind of polish..even the Klasse AIO)

3) Is there a pre-wax cleaner that isnt a polish. I am afraid as stated above to use a polish.

4) I am going to be doing the detailing soon and also was wondering if i need to wash the car after claying it?

Would it be necessary/okay to:

Wash>>>Clay>>>Wash>>>Wax/Seal ?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

-Richard

[David]

Hey David,

Im about to utilize the great discount at Autogeek and had a few questions:

1) does claybarring take off wax?

2) Can I claybar, then go straight to wax? (I am hesitant to use any kind of polish..even the Klasse AIO)

3) Is there a pre-wax cleaner that isnt a polish. I am afraid as stated above to use a polish.

4) I am going to be doing the detailing soon and also was wondering if i need to wash the car after claying it?

Would it be necessary/okay to:

Wash>>>Clay>>>Wash>>>Wax/Seal ?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

-Richard

Richard, to answer your questions:

Claying will remove wax.

You can straight from claying to carnuba waxing but NOT to sealing. If you want to seal with klasse SG you have to use the AIO. The AIO will clean the paint and provide a base for the SG to bond to. Removing AIO from the equation will compromise the bonding and durability of SG.

Klasse AIO is technically not classified as a polish by the klasse people. They call it a non-abarasive chemical cleaner. But I have noticed that it does bring out my paint and make it a bit brighter. I've also noticed that it can remove hazing left by FI2, which is the reason why I call it a mild polish as well. There are no other cleaner only products that I know of that are compatible with klasse SG. Most of them have oils and fillers in them that will interfere with the bonding of the SG.

If you follow my claying technique, then you will not need to wash the car after. As long as you dry the lube off each section as you go along then you will not need to wash after. What some people will do is clay the whole car without buffing off the lube as they go along. Then they will just wash after to get the lube off.

If I were you I would personally use AIO. AIO is a fantastic product. Don't worry about using it on your paint. It is so mild as a polish it's not even funny. Don't worry about wearing out your clear coat, etc, because it won't . I use AIO 2x a year without a problem. AIO does a wonderful job of cleaning up the paint. I really can't stress enough how good it is. Don't let your fear stop you from using a great product and getting the most out of your detail.

David.

[chemdog]

For a new guy to the life this info is priceless thanx. Guy's like you make guy's like me look knowledgable in the world of detailing!!!!

[David]

chemdog,

Thanks for the kind words. Glad to help out the community.

David.

[bellavus]

Damn, I should link my Interior Detailing How To article also

[David]

Damn, I should link my Interior Detailing How To article also

I just did a big detail of my interior 2 weeks ago. It came out very nice. I'm gonna write an article of my own based on my method/experience. I'll just paste it into here.

David.