hey guys, back in early july i detailed my new 07 red fx4
i used
megs gold class wash
megs clay kit
megs nxt 2.0

it shines everyday but the next time around i wanna do something more n get rid of the water marks and scratches. how often should i wax it? im thinking after the winter say, february or march i'll do a complete detail? what do you guys suggest? list from start to finish would be awesome.

 

Have you read the detailing sticky yet?

 

ditto. and a budget number would help a lot.

 

yeah i read it. i downloaded it the glossary months ago. i was just asking for a list and alittle help because alot of members dont have red cars or that waxed before and had questions for there second waxing.

 

around $100. not too high, i dont want to spend my whole life savings ya know haha

 

First I would suggest to atleast triple your budget. Do yourself a favor and pick up a DA and pads. You'll thank yourself for it.

It seems that Meguiars is your choice of products. Check out ADS, Rick is a great guy.

First, if you're not doing it already, start off by washing correctly. Two buckets, one rinse and one soap, both with grit guards in them. And use a good wash mittl ike the SM Arnold Wool Wash Mitt. You have the soap, clay and even a good sealer wax covered. What you need is a good polish. A lot of people have had good luck with #83 followed by #80, or just #80 if the paints is decent enough shape. One you get the paint where you need it, use your Nxt and then after it cures (12 hours) apply a good carnauba wax. Gold Class would work or even #26. Correcting paint by hand is a real pain, literally, you're gonna hurt. Another option would be to use something to just cover up the swirls. The only downside is, you're still going to know they're there.

 

Honestly, a good starting point is Meguiar's 3 Step Deep Crystal System. It's a great "starter" kit. It will get you used to the idea of "Abrasive Polish" then "Pure Polish" then "Wax."

The system has 3 steps to it.

1) Paint Cleaner - This is where you are really going to see an improvement in swirls and water marks. As ESF said, to REALLY remove the marks you'll need a DA, but that can be an investment for later if you decide you like this detailing thing and want *more*. Take this one, work in 1x1 sections and really work the product into the paint.

2) Polish - This is a pure polish, going to increase depth.

3) Wax- Is what it is.

at $8 per bottle, it's worth your time to try.

 

first off, thank you. this means alot to me explaining n writing all of this. do you recommend a certain DA or size that u may have or a buddy of yours? i never really checked them out before.

i do have a wool mitt that i wash my truck with already. i use another more rougher mitt for the wheel wells so that any rocks or anything dont get caught and then transfered onto the paint surface. That grit guard looks pretty cool, i might have to get one. i just spray the mitt off every time i do a pass on the truck. but this sounds better.

as far as the #83 and #80 i'll def need to check those out. thanks again

 

first off, thank you. i think the polish was the part i been missing out on. after its polish i think it'll look amazing. Can u go to rough with the polish that u eat away the clear coat and your down to the paint?

 

do you have a machine???? i think they would be useless without one

 

You have a very long way to go before you do that. Even with a DA, it's very very unlikely. Now if you step up to a rotary, the chances of doing damage to your paint increase. As far as a good machine. The Porter Cable 7424 is a great machine and it's what I use. The G100 if you can find it, it's the same thing but with a Meguiars logo on it. Then there's the G110 which I guess is supposed to have a bit more power than the G100/7424 but I haven't heard too much about it. Then there's the Flex, which I just can't justify the cost of it when I can get a rotary for less and it can achieve more, but the Flex is more powerful than the 7424/G100/G110. They all have their place. For what you're trying to accomplish, I think you would be fine with a 7424/G100. The G100 is nice because while it's the same machine as the 7424, Meguiars offers a lifetime waranty while Porter Cable offers I think 1 year.

 

Actuall I wanted to mention that I'm not sure how well those two work by hand which is why I even started in on the machine aside from it being easier. On that note though, people are really raving about #105 which can be applied by hand.

 

Well, What you are going to have to do is decide whether you want to do things by hand or machine.

By hand is obviously the cheapest route, but with the most work. There isn't anything saying you CAN'T get a flawless finish by hand, just how much time you are willing to put into it.

By Machine is going to be "easier," but you obviously now have the expense of the machine, pads, etc.

If you want to go by machine, goto www.autodetailingsolutions.com and check out their "DA Packages."

 

If your budget is semi rigid at $100 and you have the muscle and will to do it, this is a very good start. It's rough on the arms but can be done well by hand.

Yes it won't touch what a machine can do. BUT, 90% of people would be perfectly happy with the results the 3 step thing will give you.

Sounds like you already have and practiced with your washing and claying so I think you're right on track. If you're not ready to jump to the big bucks and addicting nature of the machines and what comes with them you'll still be fine.

 

By hand, with that budget, supplies available on retail shelves:

Wash
Clay
DC step 1 or ColorX
NXT 2.0
Top with pure carnauba, not a cleaner wax

You don't need a pure polish if you use NXT 2.0, it has polishing agents.

If you get a DA, then you need to look at mail order professional products to optimize the results.