hi all i was wondering what products would bring out a better shine in my trucks paint i wash with meguires gold class car wash and once a month wax with meguirs gold class wax. pics
how do you post pics

 

That depends on how much time and $$$ you want to put into this. Give us that info, as well as whether or not you are willing to order off the internet (as opposed to getting stuff at AutoZone). We can point you in about 1000 directions, but it often works out the best when you can tell us the amount of time you are willing to spend.

Also, Are you looking to maintain this, or is this a one time big deal that you want to have the looks somewhat last for awhile, then do it again next year? For instance, I like to do a big detail 2x a year (usually for fun), and simple washing and regular waxing keeps it looking really nice in between. However, if you are planning on keeping your truck "show car shiny", you will need to expect a lot of work, especially at first.

To post pics: Do a search (see button on top of page). You need to do it either via your gallery or through an outside website. But try to keep them through the gallery, b/c it keeps the size down, and keeps the page user friendly. But do a search, and it'll give you more step by step directions if you need them.

 

thx i put about 2 hours a week into making my car look good my time can strech from 30 mins - 8 hours im obsessed with keeping my truck clean so it will be kept up with

 

Cool. Check out this thread

It's the really long one that I did that's about three posts long. I wrote it for another member, and am way too lazy to redo it every time the question is asked. Just pick and choose which parts you need to do.

RP-- need I say anything Send me your additions/modifications to that sometime (anytime) and I'll write something up, and send it to you. It'll be pretty easy that way.

 

here are the pics [img][http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...g?t=1181447771[img]
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...g?t=1181448364
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...g?t=1181448427

 

SWEET!!! Looks GREATThere's a few things that I'd point out, but it's bedtime, and I'm pretty sure that your newly acquired 'how-to' will cover most of it. Don't worry about the paint not looking perfect in the pice. Those very clearly show the automation in the FoMoCo factory...ie: Orange Peel. A lot of what I was going to mention on your truck will be covered in a thread I'm starting tomorrow. For now, Bedtime! Again, man, the truck looks really nice.

 

At first glance, the pics really don't look all that bad (dress those tires and wells will ya!?).

Let's advance the questioning here just a tad...

What exactly are you looking for from that paint? Are you wanting a warm depth? Are you looking for ULTRA shine (mirror like) (most don't really go for this on a black or other dark color)? Ultimate protection?

You've probably noticed that Gold Class Wax will really make the paint look pretty good but, you've probably also noticed that it falls miserably short on the protection side. It's a great show car wax but, much beyond that, it's a little less than to be desired.

 

thanks for the replies by the way i dress my tires with meguires hot tire shine. by the way whats orange peel ??? and im looking for mega shine

 

Shine, and shine alone, I'd switch over to a pure synthetic like Mother's Synwax or Meguiar's NXT (both of these products are on the shelf at your local Pep Boys). Duragloss products will be mentioned here in posts that will follow mine.

If you're looking for something that is a bit more exotic, you may consider the Zaino system, Meguiar's #21, or even Pinnacle XMT 360 (which will likely be products that you have to purchase online or elsewhere and have them shipped).

There are literally HUNDREDS of products out there that will vary in appearance from what you're currently using. We can suggest products until we're all blue in the face.

The bottom line -- find something you like and use it... use it frequently...

Now, you mention that you give about 2 hours per week to that black beast. As a fellow black truck owner, I can tell you this -- the more time you put into it, the more work you're going to make for yourself. It's a damned if you do... damned if you don't. Let me explain.

Like me, you're obviously washing frequently. Proper techniques and products will go a long way but, ultimately in the end, you're going to induce scratchs (typically of the straight line variety) and swirls by going through the routine.

Using procedures like flow drying, 2-bucket washing, blot drying, and smart quick detailing will go a VERY long way in making sure that your black paint doesn't end up looking like a nylon-brushed tunnel wash queen complete with oodles of scratches and enough swirls to make a 3-year old realize that the paint looks like poo.

Again, I've said it several times here... anyone can smack a coat of wax on a vehicle... most can even polish to a certain extent. A true enthusiast will go the extra mile to ensure that the overall maintenance of all that polishing and waxing hard work that you put in lasts -- and lasts a good long time.

Polishing is going to be something that you will encounter at some point down the road -- like it or not, we all mar our paint and cause swirls. But, doing the proper things between details will extend the overall look and lessen your time that you MUST spend with your vehicle... the time that you MUST spend cuts in to the time that you want to spend. Trust me.

So, in recap...

Synthetic is the way to go if you're looking for mirror-like reflections. If you want to deepen the look of a synthetic, you typically can overlay a pure carnauba or similar over it to give it more warmth (and a little more protection).

Find a product and use it frequently. Experiment with a few and stick with something.

Proper technique will go light years beyond waxing a vehicle. Get familar with good products, procedures, and techniques. This will REALLY help in the long run!! Trust me. Trust me. Trust me.

 

Ah RP stop, you're killing me! That's too funny! ......but true also!