Full TA Detail: Before & After Pics
10-03-2010, 04:04 AM
#1
Full TA Detail: Before & After Pics So I decided to not be lazy this morning and detail the TA after not having cleaned it for about a month. It was pretty filthy, haha. Thought I'd post pics. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated 
What I used:
- Meguiars wash
- Foam sponge
- Shammy
- Black Magic Tire Wet
- Meguiars Ultimate Compound
- Turtle Wax Buffer
- Microfiber towels
Before Pics:
Triangle Pillar thing uncorrected:
Started out with a regular pressure wash:
Then Mequiars soap wash with sponge pad:
Rinse:
Dry with shammy, damn this bitch is low:
Swirl marks I wanted to correct:
Corrected:
I had a weird faded blemish on the hood that I corrected, sort of, you can still kind of see it:
All finished up:
What I used:
- Meguiars wash
- Foam sponge
- Shammy
- Black Magic Tire Wet
- Meguiars Ultimate Compound
- Turtle Wax Buffer
- Microfiber towels
Before Pics:
Triangle Pillar thing uncorrected:
Started out with a regular pressure wash:
Then Mequiars soap wash with sponge pad:
Rinse:
Dry with shammy, damn this bitch is low:
Swirl marks I wanted to correct:
Corrected:
I had a weird faded blemish on the hood that I corrected, sort of, you can still kind of see it:
All finished up:
10-03-2010, 04:20 AM
#2
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Looks good!
I see that you do not mount your license plate in front of your car,
How do you keep your plate from becoming a projectile or from slipping & sliding into your lap while driving?
I tried leaving my plate off the front and keeping the cool looking fire-chicken up there too!,
but the Vermont state police always pulled me over and told me to mount my license plate properly, as it is the state law in VT!
so reluctantly I did!
PS: I go to the auto detailer where I live because I have rims like you do, and they are a PITA to clean, (aluminum) I am lazy too!
I see that you do not mount your license plate in front of your car,
How do you keep your plate from becoming a projectile or from slipping & sliding into your lap while driving?
I tried leaving my plate off the front and keeping the cool looking fire-chicken up there too!,
but the Vermont state police always pulled me over and told me to mount my license plate properly, as it is the state law in VT!
so reluctantly I did!
PS: I go to the auto detailer where I live because I have rims like you do, and they are a PITA to clean, (aluminum) I am lazy too!
10-03-2010, 04:36 AM
#3
First of all, looks like a brand new car, the last pic just WOW!
Any advice on how to remove "gunk" from the glass and paint? I have a few spots that I'm too scared to scrub on and try to be gentle with a wash mitt, but these spots just won't come off with soap and water. (especially behind the rear tires and fender wells)
How did you remove all the swirls exactly?
Would you give details about the process of washing, please? When I wash my car I have one bucket with the soap in it and another bucket with just water to dip the wash mitt in to keep it clean as I'm washing.
How about the drying? I use a waffle weave towel but need something better because it leaves some kind of lint everywhere, and I think it caused the very fine swirls I'm noticing all over. That shammy is safe on the paint?
It's been very cold where I stay but I found a touchless car wash that I like to go to, and all I have to worry about is drying for now. Do you think these car washes are ok?
Sorry to bombard you with question haha, it's just that I thought I had a solid method for keeping my TA swirl free but it's not like when I first bought it anymore, this thing was spotless. Then again it wasn't driven much either
Any advice on how to remove "gunk" from the glass and paint? I have a few spots that I'm too scared to scrub on and try to be gentle with a wash mitt, but these spots just won't come off with soap and water. (especially behind the rear tires and fender wells)
How did you remove all the swirls exactly?
Would you give details about the process of washing, please? When I wash my car I have one bucket with the soap in it and another bucket with just water to dip the wash mitt in to keep it clean as I'm washing.
How about the drying? I use a waffle weave towel but need something better because it leaves some kind of lint everywhere, and I think it caused the very fine swirls I'm noticing all over. That shammy is safe on the paint?
It's been very cold where I stay but I found a touchless car wash that I like to go to, and all I have to worry about is drying for now. Do you think these car washes are ok?
Sorry to bombard you with question haha, it's just that I thought I had a solid method for keeping my TA swirl free but it's not like when I first bought it anymore, this thing was spotless. Then again it wasn't driven much either
10-03-2010, 05:41 AM
#4
I know I'm not the OP, but I detail cars for some of the people's cars I work on. I also manage a power-washing business for a few thousand fleet cars/tractors.
For the gunk you are referring to, try a clay bar treatment. It will also remove paint overspray, remove surface contaminates that can cause scratching and swirls while drying, and smooth out your paint finish. I even clay bar my windows. It also removes tar, road paint, and other annoyances. I would do the entire car, as it can reduce some swirls, but not anything like a good polish or rubbing compound can. I use a porter-cable style variable speed buffer with a good 3m foam attachment, and polishing compound after clay bar about once every 3 months. it removes the waxes ive applied and gets it ready for the new.
For washing, just make sure you give the surface a good stream of water to remove any loose dirt that could become lodged in your washing apparatus. I prefer a microfiber/chenille washing mitt. for basic washes, just use any generic car wash like the meguiars he used. Never use the same mitt/sponge on wheels that you do on paint finishes. If you have to, mark the wheel sponge. Brake dust is very harsh on paint, and will scratch it before you even know you did it, with the slightest amount of pressure.
Touchless car washes are alright for a touch-up wash, but if you have any kind of scum/film on your car, a contact-style car wash will have to be used to remove it. My pressure washing system uses 3000-4000psi of water (most touchless systems are 2000-2500), and it would remove a good bit of dirt and a lot of films, but needed to be brushed/scrubbed off for heavy baked on deposits. If I go through a touchless car wash, I spend extra time driving under the drying blowers to get my car very dry and push water out of the areas that tend to hold it.
Drying can be done via microfiber towels or a "california water blade". Basically a super flexible silicone water squeegee that is safe for any clean finish when wet. It cuts down drying time immensely and leaves no spotting of the surface. If you want to get really into drying, compressed and/or heated compressed air is the absolute best to dry it without touching it. If you have an air compressor, get a small blower attachment and use that to blow out excess water from your door sills, cracks around the lights/trunk/mirrors, etc.
The order I would do it is: get car in the shade, pre-wash rinse with a hose/sprayer, gently wash the car with soap and a mitt top to bottom, rinse, wash one more time bottom to top, rinse, begin drying with a blade/microfiber towel, begin clay barring one area at a time, starting on drivers side of hood and work around the car back to the starting point, apply a coat of meguiars polish and remove, then apply 2-3 coats of a good wax. I even put one light coat of wax on my windows. if possible, do all of this in the shade. I like to do my personal cars in the evening/night or early morning when it is very cool outside, but I have a very well lit shop to do it in also.
I hope you found this useful.
For the gunk you are referring to, try a clay bar treatment. It will also remove paint overspray, remove surface contaminates that can cause scratching and swirls while drying, and smooth out your paint finish. I even clay bar my windows. It also removes tar, road paint, and other annoyances. I would do the entire car, as it can reduce some swirls, but not anything like a good polish or rubbing compound can. I use a porter-cable style variable speed buffer with a good 3m foam attachment, and polishing compound after clay bar about once every 3 months. it removes the waxes ive applied and gets it ready for the new.
For washing, just make sure you give the surface a good stream of water to remove any loose dirt that could become lodged in your washing apparatus. I prefer a microfiber/chenille washing mitt. for basic washes, just use any generic car wash like the meguiars he used. Never use the same mitt/sponge on wheels that you do on paint finishes. If you have to, mark the wheel sponge. Brake dust is very harsh on paint, and will scratch it before you even know you did it, with the slightest amount of pressure.
Touchless car washes are alright for a touch-up wash, but if you have any kind of scum/film on your car, a contact-style car wash will have to be used to remove it. My pressure washing system uses 3000-4000psi of water (most touchless systems are 2000-2500), and it would remove a good bit of dirt and a lot of films, but needed to be brushed/scrubbed off for heavy baked on deposits. If I go through a touchless car wash, I spend extra time driving under the drying blowers to get my car very dry and push water out of the areas that tend to hold it.
Drying can be done via microfiber towels or a "california water blade". Basically a super flexible silicone water squeegee that is safe for any clean finish when wet. It cuts down drying time immensely and leaves no spotting of the surface. If you want to get really into drying, compressed and/or heated compressed air is the absolute best to dry it without touching it. If you have an air compressor, get a small blower attachment and use that to blow out excess water from your door sills, cracks around the lights/trunk/mirrors, etc.
The order I would do it is: get car in the shade, pre-wash rinse with a hose/sprayer, gently wash the car with soap and a mitt top to bottom, rinse, wash one more time bottom to top, rinse, begin drying with a blade/microfiber towel, begin clay barring one area at a time, starting on drivers side of hood and work around the car back to the starting point, apply a coat of meguiars polish and remove, then apply 2-3 coats of a good wax. I even put one light coat of wax on my windows. if possible, do all of this in the shade. I like to do my personal cars in the evening/night or early morning when it is very cool outside, but I have a very well lit shop to do it in also.
I hope you found this useful.
Last edited by ExclusivePerformance; 10-03-2010 at 05:53 AM.
10-03-2010, 10:39 AM
#5
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Holy crap Eric! Please tell me you didnt compound that whole car by hand...when you could have borrowed a buffer...
Chamois are safe as long as they are clean. Just like microfiber it will pick up the dirt and other grime off the paint and eventually do more damage than good IF youre not careful. ALWAYS make sure everything is clean...if in doubt, get a NEW one! You're working to get scratches out right...not add more in the process.
Oh, and ps...Triangle Pillar Thing...Mr Fancy Names...Sail Panel.
Wheres the engine bay pics? You get the inside cleaned up too?
Chamois are safe as long as they are clean. Just like microfiber it will pick up the dirt and other grime off the paint and eventually do more damage than good IF youre not careful. ALWAYS make sure everything is clean...if in doubt, get a NEW one! You're working to get scratches out right...not add more in the process.
Oh, and ps...Triangle Pillar Thing...Mr Fancy Names...Sail Panel.
Wheres the engine bay pics? You get the inside cleaned up too?
10-03-2010, 11:28 AM
#7
Looks very good...here are some tips to make it better.
-You need to follow Ultimate Compound with a finer polish.....an off the counter product you can use is scratch-x. Ultimate compound is VERY aggressive....and theres a 95% chance that you left "buffer trails" or "holograms" in the paint (lines you can see from the buffer). A finer polish and pad combo will remove these.
-I see you did not use any wax, sealant, or anything to protect the finish. Aside from correcting, protecting is the most important step in detailing. You have to preserve the finish you produce. A good over the counter wax is Meguairs #26.
-You need to follow Ultimate Compound with a finer polish.....an off the counter product you can use is scratch-x. Ultimate compound is VERY aggressive....and theres a 95% chance that you left "buffer trails" or "holograms" in the paint (lines you can see from the buffer). A finer polish and pad combo will remove these.
-I see you did not use any wax, sealant, or anything to protect the finish. Aside from correcting, protecting is the most important step in detailing. You have to preserve the finish you produce. A good over the counter wax is Meguairs #26.
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10-03-2010, 03:59 PM
#10
Thanks
The other guy that posted pretty much answered your questions, lol.Holy crap Eric! Please tell me you didnt compound that whole car by hand...when you could have borrowed a buffer...
Chamois are safe as long as they are clean. Just like microfiber it will pick up the dirt and other grime off the paint and eventually do more damage than good IF youre not careful. ALWAYS make sure everything is clean...if in doubt, get a NEW one! You're working to get scratches out right...not add more in the process.
Oh, and ps...Triangle Pillar Thing...Mr Fancy Names...Sail Panel.
Wheres the engine bay pics? You get the inside cleaned up too?
Chamois are safe as long as they are clean. Just like microfiber it will pick up the dirt and other grime off the paint and eventually do more damage than good IF youre not careful. ALWAYS make sure everything is clean...if in doubt, get a NEW one! You're working to get scratches out right...not add more in the process.
Oh, and ps...Triangle Pillar Thing...Mr Fancy Names...Sail Panel.
Wheres the engine bay pics? You get the inside cleaned up too?
And NO I didn't compound it by hand silly, I have a buffer. I usually clean my chamois after every wash so it stays clean, I know what I'm doin! I wasn't able to finish up the engine bay and interior, had to take off to SAR That $20 better come with a handjob or something...
Looks very good...here are some tips to make it better.
-You need to follow Ultimate Compound with a finer polish.....an off the counter product you can use is scratch-x. Ultimate compound is VERY aggressive....and theres a 95% chance that you left "buffer trails" or "holograms" in the paint (lines you can see from the buffer). A finer polish and pad combo will remove these.
-I see you did not use any wax, sealant, or anything to protect the finish. Aside from correcting, protecting is the most important step in detailing. You have to preserve the finish you produce. A good over the counter wax is Meguairs #26.
-You need to follow Ultimate Compound with a finer polish.....an off the counter product you can use is scratch-x. Ultimate compound is VERY aggressive....and theres a 95% chance that you left "buffer trails" or "holograms" in the paint (lines you can see from the buffer). A finer polish and pad combo will remove these.
-I see you did not use any wax, sealant, or anything to protect the finish. Aside from correcting, protecting is the most important step in detailing. You have to preserve the finish you produce. A good over the counter wax is Meguairs #26.
I have the tech 2.0 wax, but it was getting late already.Thanks!
10-04-2010, 02:25 AM
#20