98camaro1le

iTrader: (5)

Weather is turning around and I just got my PC and coverking car cover so it is time for a spring detail in the next few weeks when I get the time. Here is my preliminary process but with it being my first time using the PC, how will this work. The car has never been polished with a swirl remover and the paint is lightly swirled and a DD. Any help will be appreciated...

Wash with Dawn
Clay Bar
Wash with Meguiars Gold Class
2 pass with orange pad and #83
2-3 passes with white pad and #80
Zaino ZFX
2 Coats Zaino Z5
Two layers of undetermined wax with black pad

Strokinit383

iTrader: (22)

I dont think i would wash with dawn, that stuff is very harsh. The clay bar will remove all the crap from your paint so you dont really need to use the dawn. I would just use regular car soap.

CAMAROZ28AQUINO

I think he's using dawn to strip off all the old wax to start nice and fresh...and yep that sounds about right for the list! good luck

Avengeance

iTrader: (4)

You CAN wash with dawn however it is not too good for rubber and plastic. Honestly.. you dont need it. Between clay bar and #83.. whatever wax is on the car will be gone, easily. Another thing is.. when you clay bar with quick detailer you dont have to rewash the car. Just clay one-two panels at a time and wipe it down after those couple panels. Again, youll be polishing so it is not really neccessary to get all the quick detailer off because the second you turn on that PC with polish... its gone. Also.. if you do a real good job on the first pass with the #83 you really shouldnt need more then one pass on the whole car... that is if you really mean it when you say it has only light swirls. Save the extra passes for the #80 if needed. I would also say do the last step wax by hand.. its kind of a bitch to put wax on a pad and you use less when doing it by hand. The pad will absorb your wax... just do it by hand.

-Wash with Megs Gold class
-Clay bar (wipe down after 1-2 panels)
-Polish with Orange pad and #83 (one pass)
-Polish with Orange pad and #80 (one pass)
-Polish with White pad and #80 (one pass)
-Zaino
-Meguiars #26 paste wax by hand (2 times, use foam applicator and spray applicator one spritz with quick detailer to prime)

Remember.. PC will require patients.. 3'x3' sections at a time, work the polish until it is ALMOST gone, overlap each section by a little, DO NOT buff until its dry, tape off decals/plastic/rubber with 3M blue tape, speed #5 at most. Also.. with Meguiars polish you can do a couple panels at a time and then go back and wipe off... no need for immediate wipe off, especially #80.

Good luck!

Avengeance

iTrader: (4)

Oh yeah.. dont use too much polish! Clean your pad after a few panels.. spray it a couple times with quick detailer and take a micro fiber towel, cover the pad, press your hand into the pad, turn the PC on #5 and hold the towel to the pad for 10-15 seconds. This will prevent the pad from loading up which will make polishing a LOT easier.

phrozen755

iTrader: (5)

hmm...this thread just totally made me go out and buy a clay bar with clay oil...

Now, noob question...I have this McGuier's 3 step process crap, a cleaner, polish and wax...any weird **** I need to do before claybarring my car besides washing it? Then right after claybarring I dont need to wash again, correct?

My car has some pretty bad "warn out" parts on her...specifically on the tops of both the left and right front fenders (1996 firebird formula)...I'll see if I cant find this thread tomarrow when I get home and post some pictures of it...

Thanks!

Avengeance

iTrader: (4)

Correct. Im assuming you will be polishing by hand? If so make sure you wipe off as much quick detailer (clay lube) as possible, after claying a panel. It isnt so important to remove all of it when polishing by machine, but if youre polishing by hand try to remove as much as possible so there wont be any need to rewash.

ICEMAN 31

carful with soaps found under the kitchen sink, if you are gonna use them make sure its not a hot day and the sun isnt blaring

98camaro1le

iTrader: (5)

thanks for the responses, I hope that one day i will as skilled with the PC as Avengence. I guess practice makes perfect

Avengeance

iTrader: (4)

Thanks for the kind words.

Youre right, practice makes perfect and its easy to practice with a PC. Just a few basics.. patients, not too much polish, stay at #5, and more patients. Using a PC takes a good chunk of time.. youll be polishing for a good 4-5hrs. When I used to use a PC (now use a rotary) I would down a few ibuprofen before I started.. because if I didnt my back would HATE me when I was done.