BlueBird346

iTrader: (13)

Anyone have opinions or suggestions about this stuff? Im gonna use it the next free day i have.

Also, what wax do you guys recommend. I used the Nu Finish "once a year" last time, and was pretty happy with it, but i cant compare it to anything, that was the first time I waxed a car since I was 15.

ArrestMeRedZ

iTrader: (2)

Clean off the old wax before you clay by washing with Dawn dishwashing soap. Keep an old towel under where you are rubbing. It's not a question of whether you will drop it or not, the question is when. If you do drop it in the dirt/cement/pavement, you have to throw it away or you will scratch the crap out of your finish. Use plenty of lubricant, and keep rotating (folding) the clay.

I use Zaino products, but starting out with it can be a PITA. I've also had good luck with Meguire's products. Didn't like the wax included in the Mother's clay bar kit at all.

BlueBird346

iTrader: (13)

yeah i remember before i was even old enough to drive, i washed my dads car and even waxed it once or twice, with meguiars. Im pretty sure it was a good product, but that was 3 years ago, which is why im asking. I think thats what ill go with.

cals400ex

iTrader: (27)

it isn't difficult to use. remember, preparation will the determining factor. wash the car well. remove bugs and tar. clay bar it and wax it. the clay bar is easy to use so dont' worry there. i always wash my car after i clay it because it will leave streaks here and there. don't drop the clay bar and when you use it make sure to switch the bar around a little bit. in other words, dont just use one part of the bar for your whole car.

ReFtheMC

iTrader: (6)

Ya i actually just bout it to, quick question though, is that little clay bar supposed to clean the whole car? haha because it really looks like it's not...

BlueBird346

iTrader: (13)

^I was thinking the same thing.

Raleigh TA

iTrader: (13)

That is some excellent advice, I could have benefited from that the first time I clay barred!
re wax, your result should dictate your choices. If you are going to daily drive, Mcguires is fine, if you are planning to show, I hear great things about Zaino. I do a combo, and I have been fairly pleased with several steps of Mcguires (see stickys) and I top it off with a detail spray of Ice. I plan to use the Ice wax next time I go through it, but this is Winter and a drought, so it may be a while. I do plan to go the Zaino route in the future, but my paint will only go so far to perfection as it is never garaged and has 211,000+ miles. Whatever you do, be patient, don't rush the job, plan to spend 8-12 hours for a full detail.

coolformula

iTrader: (21)

You can get pretty "good" results out of a lot of name brand waxes in my opinion. And the color of the car can have an effect. You can get good resutls after you get your paint ready with the 1,23, of meguirs and make the 3rd step 2 coats of NXT. A lot of people like tropicana I think the board has a sponsor. Also zanio is very popurlar.

right now I been using some zanio and top it off with some handglaze or a polish. Just take your time and let the wax cure for a bit.

Good luck!

cals400ex

iTrader: (27)

for the people asking about the clay bar, yes it will clean the whole car. i am not sure if that was a serious question or not. mothers claims their bars are good for around 3 small cars or so.

2001somws.6

iTrader: (1)

You can use the clay bar a few times but it depends on how dirty it is when your done. When i first got my t/a and used the mothers clay bar it was so bad i just trashed it because it turned brown when i was done.

Mothers 3 step wax systems works great. There cleaner wax sealer/glaze and carnuaba wax. And use the showtime that came with the kit between each step with a micro fiber towel.

Gipraw

iTrader: (10)

Tear the clay bar in half. half the bar is enough to do most cars.

No need to wash woith dawn first. Just wash the car with a good car wash soap, then clay.

Putting something on the ground beneath you is good advice. if you drop the bar on the ground, it is done.

There are several good wax products available on most parts store shelves.

you will get more durability from a synthetic product over a pure Carnauba.

Meguiar's NXT, Mothers Syn Wax are both good products. I am not a fan of any of the TW products.

If you want a better synthetic, then step up to some of the professional line products. Tropi-care, Zaino or Meg's all make very good synthtic sealants.


if you want to stay with the look of a pure carnauba, then go with Mother's Pure Carnuaba, or Meg's #26 Yellow.


there is ton's of info in this forum .. just do a little searching, you will find it.

BlueBird346

iTrader: (13)

Wow, I appreciate all the info. Keep it coming. Thanks.

95 Z28

iTrader: (21)

Definitely tear it in half. That way if you drop it, you have another piece to use, and if you don't then you have a piece to use next time. Use lots-o-lube too, if it gets stuck on the paint it's gonna leave a little ugly dull looking spot thats kind of a bitch to get off.

DBanks

iTrader: (5)

This might be long winded depending on how many people I feel like responding to -- bear with me here for a second. I run a detailing shop and have about 10 years experience dealing with regular auto parts store grade cleaners and profession grade cleaners. Here goes nothing.

Do NOT wash the car with dawn or any bath soap. It dries out the rubber, plastic and weather strip when used over long periods of time. Zaino shampoo is a great lube for clay. The shampoo is my personal favorite. The Z5 pro is good polish for amateur use. I would fill up a tall bucket of Zaino shampoo (two or three cap full’s -- its the green stuff) and then find a spray bottle. Top off the spray bottle with the shampoo water mix. Spray the shampoo in the desired area and work the clay into the paint. If the clay gets dirty, fold it, mold it, bend it, and rip it, etc until you find a clean spot in the clay again. When done claying, wash and dry the car immediately and begin the polishing process. If not polishing, the wax immediately. Clay removes all impediments in the paint.

I use Mother's clay for "favors" that I do with family friend cars and personal requests that I really do not get paid for. Clay is pretty much all the same stuff. You can get different hardness levels depending on how bad the area is. Behind the wheels on my '07 Denali is packed with road grime; I use a harder clay for on my truck than I do on my other cars. 3M makes the best clay on the market. It runs about $40 shipped and comes in a large cube. You can break the cube into quarters and it will last four cars. Best stuff out there.

All wax does is cover the area you apply the material to. Think of it this way. A wax simply seals the area you apply. You will see no polishing results from wax; the area will just be smoother. If you want to buff/remove swirls/light scratches, you need a good polish and a random orbital/rotary. For starters I would get a Porter Cable or beefier Ultimate Detailing Machine. I have a UDM and like it very much. I also have a Makita. As for buffing pads, I would suggest Lake Country. They have a great product line, last a good while and are rather inexpensive.

The best polish on the market right now is Menzerna. It is a bit pricey at about $50+ for a 32 oz bottle. There are a bunch of new editions to the product line finally being introduced to the US. It’s a German product.

Wax is wax is wax. Maguires makes a fine product as does Zaino as does Adams. It’s about all the same for lower grade products like the aforementioned. Just try one out. Maybe if a buddy has a product you do not - swap and switch. The more you try, the better your understanding for this stuff will be. I use Maguires on single stage paint with good results. Anything more abrasive is not needed. Base/clear paint jobs require polish being wax/sealants.

The top coat sealants vary like polishes. Menzerna or Pinnacle work good as does Zaino. Like anything else in our hobby, the more you research and experiment, the better results or products you will find.

If anyone wants to see some of my work, let me know. I can post photos. No photos of Fbodies but I have done a bunch of nice cars that should contribute to the thread. I can also post links if anyone wants them. Just let me know. Lastly, spend time over at Autogeek.net. There is nothing in the detailing world that autogeek does not cover/carry. Reading is a good thing. I can also get 10% off autogeek orders, PM me if need be. I'm done rambling. Hope this helps.

-Dan

davered00ss

iTrader: (4)

Use plenty of lube to keep the bar from sticking. I like the meguiars kit. I did not like the results of the NXT wax. I prefer the Meguiars Gold class wax. The Meguiars cleaner wax that comes in the kit is good as well.

ArrestMeRedZ

iTrader: (2)

Dan,
I agree with not using Dawn for normal car washing. I'm not talking about using it for long periods of time. This is a one shot thing. It won't hurt the paint.
It is about the best thing out there for stripping old wax, and should be used before claying the first time. If he's going to put a good sealant on it like Zaino, stripping off the old wax is imperitive. Plus, he can get to any contaminants in the paint (the whole reason for using clay) that may have been coated with wax. Additionaly, he won't load up the clay with additional gunk that Dawn will strip.
If he knows wax has never been used on the finish, Dawn may not be required. Wax may be wax, but Zaino isn't wax. I'm not sure about Mezerna, but I doubt that it is also.

chromeplated500

iTrader: (10)

yea.. I would say only use it to remove wa ans things.. cause this is one of those things you dont do too often... Ive heard of it drying out stuff like this but then why dont you take some of the interior cleaner and wipe down anything that is in question and not paint.?

it is Amazing and I was planning on just doing my hood, but as soon as that turned out sooo good I was like a little kid and did my whole car. Definently Worth it.

DBanks

iTrader: (5)

I will not argue that! I just hate to see guys new to detailing develop poor habbits. Once every year or once every six months will not hurt the car. Any more than that, I would shy away and buy a synthetic wash. Maguires makes a yellowish gold wash. I've never used it but I hear its OK.

I could not agree more. Claying the car is the ONLY way to break the finish down to baseline. In this case, baseline is the clear coat. Especially buying a used car, you have NO CLUE what the past owners "detailed" the car with. For example, I bought a BMW about a year and half ago and the owner waxed it with a thick paste like wax. He thought he was doing me a favor. I spent hours claying it. I even prepped the clay with wax and grease remover. I digress. From the baseline, building up a progressive protection system will prolong the life and finish of the paint. Good work.

-Dan

Steve P

iTrader: (6)

Bluebird:

You have received plenty of advice in order to get started on your paint restoration process. We also don't recommend the use of dawn to to strip old wax either.

Once your done with the clay process, it will be time to examine the surface for scratches, swirl marks/holograms. It's best to begin with the least aggressive methods of correction before determining a need to increase. Your most effective treatments will be accomplished with the use of the machine (PC or UDM). Experienced users can also achieve excellent results with the use of high speed rotary polisher.

After your satisfied with surface corrections, you can swab the surface with a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water to remove all oils and residues from your compounds and abrasives. This will insure removal of any fillers and provide a clean and durable base for your last step protection products.

Developing a regular maintenance process will make future surface applications a quick and easy task.

Feel free to contact us for any product recommendations. See our complete line at www.tropi-care.com

BlueBird346

iTrader: (13)

Dan, your info will be VERY helpful, along with all you other guys. I would like to see some pics of the cars, you worked on, and im sure im not the only one. Thanks ALOT guys.