alright guys...lets post up some info on red trucks.

What product(s) can I use to really bring out the red paint? My usual step-by-step process is as follows:

Wash - NXT car wash soap
Clay - Megs. (about once every 2-3 months)
Wash - Again with NXT if clay is used
Scratch X - about every other wash
Wax - NXT tech wax

After that process, yes my truck has a very shiny, deep color to it...but the question is, can i get more? I never really used any polish, I have been reading up about some Zaino products and from what I have read, they seem to be the best. What products can i use to get the ultimate shine and color from my red screw.

One more thing, being as I havent really used any polish, is the polish applied before or after the wax, or in place of?

 

Are you just hitting trouble spots with the ScratchX, or doing the entire truck?

You won't necessarily notice the truck being more "red" with Zaino, but it does offer excellent durability and lasts quite a while.

Polish before wax.

 

Carnauba will yield a deeper red...

With NXT my truck only gets really shiny, not deep and wet like when I use Megs #26.

 

I would tend to concur with Melov's assessment. While synthetics will, indeed, yield a longer more durable shine, they are complemented quite well by a pure carnauba wax as a 'topper' to the synthetic.

This is a very common practice within the detailing world -- that is, use a synthetic and then top with a natural wax. Zaino is a fantastic system but, in my opinion, it tends to fall a bit short on the look side -- it's very glossy and lacks depth. You may hear this referred to as the 'suran wrapped' look by several of us. Now, that said, if that's what you like, go after it. I prefer a wet, deep look to the paint that I can maintain simplistically and can achieve simplistically.

For my customers, this is almost ALWAYS the way that I'll go when they present me with a dark colored vehicle.

Now, as for your routine... you're overkilling a couple of steps.

Probably a bit over the top on the clay unless you're living next to a rail yard that is spray painting everything that rolls through on a daily basis. In short, you need not clay unless it's necessary. To assess that, simply run your dry and clean fingertips across your clean paint after washing. Can you feel all those little 'bumps' that were left behind -- even after you washed? That's typically some variation of 'fallout' that can typically be pretty easily removed by clay. Assess the paint about every quarter and remember what it feels like after you've clayed. A bump here and there isn't the end of the world but, if you're feeling a bunch of them, odds are you're due again. Most folks, in a typical 'city' situation without sitting at a factory 8 hours per day, will find that they can get by with a couple of times per year and still have stellar results.

-side note - I work within the environmental industry and detail professionally on the weekends (an OCD that got out of hand). I'm in and around industrial sites on a WEEKLY basis and often times spend full weeks at facilities with metal work and similar activities like painting and such. I find that I 'need' to clay about 3 times per year. Your results may vary but, again, only do it when needed -

Scratch-X... there's no need to continually use this product. In fact, using it as often as you've mentioned might be a bad thing versus a good thing. You see, Scratch-X is a fairly effective product at individual scratch removal. Also, it can be used over small areas as a swirl and oxidation remover -- what you probably don't want to do with this product is apply it all the way, top to bottom, over the truck. I think you'll find that it's MUCH more work than it's worth.

Remember, any time that you abrasively polish (ie: Scratch X or several other polishes), you'll need to rewax the affected area as you are removing the wax protection with the abrasive polish.

That said, you may need to polish (which, btw, is applied BEFORE waxing). There are oodles of products out there to choose from but, before we recommend something, can you tell us a bit about your finish?

Do you have swirls? Any marring on the finish? Straight-line scratches or similar? Any other paint problems? Have you ever had anything painted on the vehicle? If so, how much, where and when?

...I know it's a 2007 but, a lot can happen over several months of ownership if it's not getting the TLC that you may want to give but lack the time to give...

There are so many good products out there that deal with pretty specific paint problems that it's a difficult perscription to fill without knowing a bit about your paint... Let us know and we might be able to help you achieve a higher level of 'pop' than with a simple wax alone...

-RP-

 

RP, my 2006 RED Focus (Same red as that F150, I believe) is my next project. I've been treating it like a beater and it has a fair amount of light swirls...no deep scratches, just your typical webbing and haze.

Like I mentioned in the other post I am looking at snagging a polisher, likely the G100... any tips on a good product for a red paint to get the paint to show room quality in 2-3 steps?

 

Clay it.
#80 it. (maybe two passes - you be the judge)
#21 or NXT or Synwax or Nanowax it.

You're going to love the time that the G100 saves you... trust me. It's an incredibly effective tool.

 

Already clayed the beast. Just waiting on supplies to finish the job.

I do have a bottle of basically never touched Meg's #9...the 2.0 swirl remover. Should I use that or not?

Thanks for the tips

 

#80
#21
#26

is what I used prior to this pic. you could substitute NXT or Mother's synwax for the #21.

I am a big fan of following up with #9 .. i do it a lot of time after I have used #80 .. it seems to add a finishing touch to the swirl removal.. (or maybe I just like it because it hides my mistakes)

 

I have a red (E4) Lightning and find that the Meg's Show Car Glaze (#7) applied before the NXT, really makes for deep, wet look.

I also top it all off with Ultimate Gloss Enhancer.

Usually use #26 before the UGE, but am awaiting a can of S100 to try in leiu of the #26.

 

This is my usual process....

Wash
Clay if needed (usually once a year in the spring time to get rid of all the winter nasty stuff)
#9
NXT (2 coats)
#26 (sometimes I will stop after the NXT and not put on the 26)

Here are the results......




This particular time I just did the NXT. The 26 will give it a little darker apperance.