what is the correct steps for black
03-12-04, 06:51 AM
#1
what is the correct steps for black
okay i have done a few searches , cant seem to get a straight idea on the prpoer steps in creating a clean finish and what to use to seal the finish
i have 99 black onyx , although my finish is deep and wet looking , i have no surface imperfections , but on the roof have a couple of water spots i cant get rid of also when i crouch down and the car is parked at the right angle and the sun is setting i can see fine super fine scratches but cant feel them with the fingernail
please from the pro's in this forum what is the proper steps to use
wash
swirl remover (such as 3m)
polish
wax
or do i have it reversed, when i wash and dry using a soft terry towel most times i get these swirls in the paint to look terrible in the sun so i normally have to use the zymoil cleaner wax to get rid of it
can you detail pro's help me out here
should i use the meguiars 3 step process and how do i seal the finish
i have 99 black onyx , although my finish is deep and wet looking , i have no surface imperfections , but on the roof have a couple of water spots i cant get rid of also when i crouch down and the car is parked at the right angle and the sun is setting i can see fine super fine scratches but cant feel them with the fingernail
please from the pro's in this forum what is the proper steps to use
wash
swirl remover (such as 3m)
polish
wax
or do i have it reversed, when i wash and dry using a soft terry towel most times i get these swirls in the paint to look terrible in the sun so i normally have to use the zymoil cleaner wax to get rid of it
can you detail pro's help me out here
should i use the meguiars 3 step process and how do i seal the finish
03-12-04, 10:27 AM
#2
I, too, have a '99 black onyx GS400. So far, this is what I've found to work pretty good for me:
1. Wash car.I use Meguiars Gold Class Car Wash to gently clean the car.
2. Dry car. I use an all natural leather chamois. If you're using terry cotton towels to dry your car, make sure that you're using only 100% made in USA cotton, else, there will be some contaminants in most foreign-made cotton that will leave microfine scratches in your paint (giving you the swirls).
3. Clean and polish paint. Meguiar's #9 (paint polish combined with a fine-cut cleaner in it, $11). This helps to clear up minor imperfections (via fine-cut cleaner) in the paint while giving my black car a nice deep appearance to the finish (via the paint polish). I use this product BEFORE waxing, as polish is just that, a polish to bring out color, not give it protection). To reduce the amount of swirls appearing, apply the product in the direction that the air would flow across the car as if it was moving (i.e. front-to-back of car). Only apply this product a section at time on the car (1/ 4of the hood, a front fender, 1/2 of the door, etc.), and then promptly and completely remove it in the same front-to-back of car wiping manner (note: you'll need a few more towels to remove the polish). If some sections have more contaminants and imperfections in the paint, just rub the area more (using more polish) and it will come out. If the paint is really bad, I'd recommend using the Meguiar's Premium Paint Cleaner before applying #9.
NEVER the polish the whole car and then remove it--the polish will harden and it will be extremely hard to take it off (did it once. . .). Remember, do a section at at a time (besides, you tend to do a better job if you focus on a small area, at least for me).
4. Rinse car. This gets any remaining residue off the car. Rinse it by using a hose without ANY attachments. Have it freely running about medium-high stream (i.e. don't use a hose attachment, nor your finger to get it to spray--just let it run in free stream). Start at the top (roof), and work your way around the tops of the windows, the top of the trunk, and the hood, and you'll see that about 95% of the water will run together and sheet off the body panels and windows. If you sprayed the car, the water won't sheet off and you'll get large water beads staying on the car--which defeats the purpose (hence why you want to use a free flowing stream without any attachments). Wipe dry the car with a chamois.
5. Wax. Meguiar's #26 (Yellow Hi-tech wax, $12). For some reason, this is wax of the most durable waxes I've used yet. It's lasted 3+ months, and still beads great and has an excellent shine. Again, to reduce the apparent swirls, apply it in a front to back airflow direction. Remove it the same way. This especially important in a dark color vehicle such as ours.
FYI, from the Meguiar's line, those 2 paint products are my favorites. The consumer-line Deep Crystal system is a good product (used it for a few years), but I feel that the professional-line Meguair's #9 followed by #26 is an act above it with very good results. 3M is supposed to make some really good, similar products to the above Meguir's products, but I don't have any personal experience with them.
1. Wash car.I use Meguiars Gold Class Car Wash to gently clean the car.
2. Dry car. I use an all natural leather chamois. If you're using terry cotton towels to dry your car, make sure that you're using only 100% made in USA cotton, else, there will be some contaminants in most foreign-made cotton that will leave microfine scratches in your paint (giving you the swirls).
3. Clean and polish paint. Meguiar's #9 (paint polish combined with a fine-cut cleaner in it, $11). This helps to clear up minor imperfections (via fine-cut cleaner) in the paint while giving my black car a nice deep appearance to the finish (via the paint polish). I use this product BEFORE waxing, as polish is just that, a polish to bring out color, not give it protection). To reduce the amount of swirls appearing, apply the product in the direction that the air would flow across the car as if it was moving (i.e. front-to-back of car). Only apply this product a section at time on the car (1/ 4of the hood, a front fender, 1/2 of the door, etc.), and then promptly and completely remove it in the same front-to-back of car wiping manner (note: you'll need a few more towels to remove the polish). If some sections have more contaminants and imperfections in the paint, just rub the area more (using more polish) and it will come out. If the paint is really bad, I'd recommend using the Meguiar's Premium Paint Cleaner before applying #9.
NEVER the polish the whole car and then remove it--the polish will harden and it will be extremely hard to take it off (did it once. . .). Remember, do a section at at a time (besides, you tend to do a better job if you focus on a small area, at least for me).
4. Rinse car. This gets any remaining residue off the car. Rinse it by using a hose without ANY attachments. Have it freely running about medium-high stream (i.e. don't use a hose attachment, nor your finger to get it to spray--just let it run in free stream). Start at the top (roof), and work your way around the tops of the windows, the top of the trunk, and the hood, and you'll see that about 95% of the water will run together and sheet off the body panels and windows. If you sprayed the car, the water won't sheet off and you'll get large water beads staying on the car--which defeats the purpose (hence why you want to use a free flowing stream without any attachments). Wipe dry the car with a chamois.
5. Wax. Meguiar's #26 (Yellow Hi-tech wax, $12). For some reason, this is wax of the most durable waxes I've used yet. It's lasted 3+ months, and still beads great and has an excellent shine. Again, to reduce the apparent swirls, apply it in a front to back airflow direction. Remove it the same way. This especially important in a dark color vehicle such as ours.
FYI, from the Meguiar's line, those 2 paint products are my favorites. The consumer-line Deep Crystal system is a good product (used it for a few years), but I feel that the professional-line Meguair's #9 followed by #26 is an act above it with very good results. 3M is supposed to make some really good, similar products to the above Meguir's products, but I don't have any personal experience with them.
Last edited by SeattleGS400; 03-12-04 at 10:39 AM.
03-12-04, 10:52 AM
#3
Here's a pic of Meguiars #9 in action
Here's a pic of the first time that I applied the Meguiar's #9 in action--the results were so good I had to get the camera out to record the results.
This first pic is of the hood. Notice how bad the unpolished right side of the hood was to begin with. It looks dull and has a few micro-fine scratches/swirlmarks in it (black has a tendency of showing every surface imperfection).
Nonetheless, after appying Meguiar's #9 to the L side of the hood, it's very deep and glossy and it hides a few of the touched-up chips in the paint as well.
This first pic is of the hood. Notice how bad the unpolished right side of the hood was to begin with. It looks dull and has a few micro-fine scratches/swirlmarks in it (black has a tendency of showing every surface imperfection).
Nonetheless, after appying Meguiar's #9 to the L side of the hood, it's very deep and glossy and it hides a few of the touched-up chips in the paint as well.
Last edited by SeattleGS400; 03-12-04 at 11:00 AM.
03-12-04, 10:56 AM
#4
Here's a pic of Meguiars #9 in action
In this pic, I had just finished the hood (note again the gloss and depth of shine), and was working on the L fender. The polished left half looks great, whereas the unpolished right side still has the microfine scratches (aka swirls) in it and looks dull.
The Meguir's #9 helps to smoothen up the microfine swirls via the fine-cut cleaners (and fillers) and to give the car a deeper shine via the polish. Great stuff.
The Meguir's #9 helps to smoothen up the microfine swirls via the fine-cut cleaners (and fillers) and to give the car a deeper shine via the polish. Great stuff.
Last edited by SeattleGS400; 03-12-04 at 10:57 AM.
I'm curious to know how it all works out using the 3M swirl remover. What other products are you using on your car?
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