Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys,

Well, my car was already pretty clean when I got it, but I had to put some of my own back breaking muscle into it.

The only dissapointment was the wax. The brand I chose, (I'd have to go look right now to verify the name,..) didn't leave as thick of a coat as I've gotten from plain old turtle wax. I will definitely have to go with someone else's recommendation of a 'GOOD' wax that will leave a nice coat that a shirt will slide down just by dropping it on the hood. With this wax, using the cottton (official) test.. hehe,.. the shirt slides about a foot and stops.. of course it is silky smooth to the touch and especially with a cloth.

Any how.. to the pictures.

First I washed it thoroughly of course. Then dried it with a microfiber towel. Only used one towel for the whole car, I was impressed with it.

Then on to the wax process:

Here is the front of the car after 2 coats of wax:


The back, accordingly:



Finished product at a few angles:
(couldn't get the camera to show what the car really looked like,.. it looks nice in person. [Maybe in the daytime]).



The rear of the car:



Another front angle from the passenger side:



I spent a whole lot of time doing that, hehe.. So I'm pushing the interior detail till tommorow. The interior is clean as well, but being clean doesn't really speed things up when I'm detailing for the first time.. I treat it like it is filthy.

If any of you have read my post about my bumper shine,.. I did a few things to it and it has a bit more shine to it, but I am going to have to spot paint that one spot where the paint is coming off, and then clear coat it lightly. --

Any recommendations for a small area on the rear bumper that needs a little paint ?(but I don't want it to puff up like touch up paint does.. a spray look is what I'm after) -- Then I'll just even out some clear coat on it very lightly.

Lexucan

It looks pretty shiny...I think...
Do you always detail your cars in the dark?

PK_Celsior

iTrader: (18)

It came out very nice. :thumbs:. I rarely see any good condition LS out in SD,Cali because everyone drives krazy here >_<. Im glad i've motivated people to keep their LS400 nice and purdieeee :]. im about to quick detail my car right now before the big meet on the west side.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

For some reason , thinking back, I always end up finishing in the dark. It wasn't that bad though -- For the exterior, a flood light is fine, just moved the car from one side to the other for light.

Only somewhat difficult part was/were the windows at night. Had a few spots to fix this morning.

It is shiney, but again I am not happy with the wax used. It didn't leave as smooth/thick of a finish as it could have. The shine looks ok, but I can just tell with the 'touch' that it isn't that good. It was like 4-5$ Wax.. but I've never bought anything special in the past.. I am looking into Zaino atm .. but it is crazy expensive, and it looks like I have to really do some researching, and go through several step processes (that are best with a buffer of some type) to get the best results.

I'd love to have a buffer to be honest,.. one that I wouldn't be able to screw my vehicle up with. Waxing the material off by hand isn't *hard* but it could also be alot easier with a machine. What makes it somewhat difficult is if you only have 3-4 clean terry cloths on hand and need to save the last one for when you are 'done' and final wipe. Doesn't take long for a 1'x1' cloth to require some muscle to move it when it gets caked with wax. If I could swap out rag/cloths 20 times it would really make things a bit easier

You guys think it is definitely worth it getting a PC , the right heads, the whole Zaino kit? All of that would run several hundred dollars easy.

In the mean time, I'm looking for a wax that will leave a very smooth to the touch finish, and glasslike shine. What is the best that you can find at a local chain store you guys would recommend?

PK_Celsior

iTrader: (18)

http://www.meguiars.com/?paste-car-w...-Car-Wax-Paste
i used this to wax my car before the meet
http://www.meguiars.com/?car-maintenance/Quik-Detailer
than that to give it that really nice shiny look

http://www.autogeek.net/klasse.html
or you can use that stuff looks really really good.
if you just want to smooth everything out you can use a clay bar. i havent tried that yet so i cant recommend a brand or type. hopefully more people can chime in

tod071

If you're looking for OTC stuff, try looking for Duragloss 105 (sealant) at any automotive shop or Collinite products at a marine/boat supply store. I'd recommend Collinite 845 liquid insulator wax for a very long-lasting, durable shine.

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Thanks PK. Have you guys noticed when you first start detailing a car, on the outside you find every little scratch/paint flake, etc ? Of course you would because you are going over your car with a fine tooth come, metaphorically. Then after you are finally done... does anyone else do that 'final wipe' about 6 times?

Then admire the efforts of your labor? .. Walk inside, then an hour later come back to make sure it is still shiney? lol..

Thanks for the recommendations on the wax -- The mcguires stuff I have the quick detailer, and I have the mcguires claybar kit (the detailer comes in it).. The clay bars are tiny, and I got it for a huge stretch of white paint that is on a lower panel behind a fender well.. Suffice it to say the clay bar didn't do ANYTHING.. heh.. I was just laughing as I played with the putty rubbing hopelessly.. it was no match. I did take it and run it over some other 'marks' and it got a few of them, but it seemed just rubbing it did nothing.. If I got my fingernail and pushed it into the putty very thin, and then basically scratched the mark with my fingernail (coated in a thin layer of clay bar) it would come off.

I can see rubbing down the car with a claybar, but I would have to get a much larger piece of clay, and it recommends rubbing for 1-2 mins for an area. That would take a few days to do an entire vehicle. So I guess you just basically rub the vehicle like you are taking wax off with a larger clay piece and you pull contaminants out.

*I did notice that the bar got dirty (after a wash) -- on any part of the car. So it does pick up some stuff that isn't visible to the naked eye.

Anyhow,.. The mcguires stuff was at my local Walmart, (some of it), but not any mcguires wax. So maybe if I go to an Autozone or some such I will find what you referred me to there. It is a respectible brand, and we know it works.


-- back to your first detail:

Yesterday when I did my interior -- I first vaccuumed the entire car. I mean air vents, carpet, dash, radio buttons, little seams, seats, (spots you'd never see) -- trunk, under spare tire.. and on and on. Then I pulled out my Leather cleaner/conditioner in one.. (I think it was mcguires too).. but it said it had no detergents, and no lanolin .. I sprayed my seats down, my leather on my doors, etc.. and just let it soak in for 5mins. I'm talking using WAY more than normal.. these seats hadn't been conditioned in a decade, but they looked fine.. not dried out etc..

So I got my 1x2 towel and went to town rubbing it in. Wow, that stuff was great. It seemed like the leather really soaked it in. The seats were shining after I was done. (not my intention mind you).

I had so much of it, I had the residue all over my clothes from moving around the car.. But, you gotta get dirty to get the job done right (or at least I do).

*Note: After 30mins or so, the seats backed off on their shine.. which I assume is just a drying/asorbtion process by the conditioner. But they did look 'conditoined'.. maybe a touch darker and the tone more even.

I still don't know what to use for my dash/console/radio buttons.. and wood grain (gear shifter). I accidentally rubbed some of that over the dash, and it looked good.. so I just used the towel that had the residue on it and went over the rest of the car. (Maybe good maybe bad.. probably didnt' do much of anything).

*If you guys are reading this rambling post completely and catch this: -- What is a good (OTC) product for the dash/vinyl, etc?* **Is armor all a no no?

After all of that, I pulled out the floor-mats and vaccumed under them. Then I took out one of those carpet shampoo bottles that has the head that is a scrub brush .. And started spraying all of the carpet on the floor. (This thing SUCKED.. the cleaner barely came out, and would foam up) -- But I covered all the area..

I scrubbed it in with the head of the brush decently, and let it sit for 10-15mins. Then I used a dry towel and dried it out a little.. Blotted some, rubbed some. --Then vaccummed it all again. (really looked good after that little bit of shampoo) -- but it really pulled some odors out of the carpet.

The floors and mats were still a touch damp when done, so I left them out, and all doors wide open for a few hours.. then put the mats back in later.

*Yeah that was my interior experience* --

Nonetheless.. I found that on the interior I found out so many more things about the car going over the inside. I would find little small sticky spots in the carpet where one of his daughters had dropped gum or a jolly rancher in the carpet. (I had to pull out the razor blade many times). I found hidden compartments hehe.. and much more.

Basically.. I think it would be a good idea to inspect a used car by taking it home and detailing it. After that you would know exactly what you are getting into.

And, no,.. there isn't any point to all of this drivel .. --

I guess if you didn't catch the question(s) in there.

1) What is an OTC product for the dash? -- Is armor all a no no?

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Thanks! Is a sealant a direct replacement for the Wax process? Or is it to be used after wax?

Lexucan

Maybe it's because you spend so much time babying her that although you start working on it during the day, before you know it, the day is gone and you're still out there buffing and polishing and vacuuming, and window cleaning, etc. etc...in the dark.

You were asking (in your other thread in the LS400 forum) about a product to use other than Armor-all. I can easily recommend 303-Aerospace protectant. It's great on all rubber and vinyl materials and provides good UV protection. AND it doesn't leave the super-shiny greasy residue that Armor-all does.

I must say, your enthusiasm is palpable and contagious! I wash and clean my car probably twice a week on a regular basis, but after reading all your posts since you bought your LS400, I feel like I've been badly neglecting my car! LOL I might just haul out a few floodlights and give her another going over when I get home tonight!

PK_Celsior

iTrader: (18)

i use armor all inside my whole interior and havent had a problem. so go ahead with it you will be fine :] i tend to use the wipes because i get to lazy to spray stuff and make a mess everywhere i just cleaned

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

You are exactly right ! --

Aerospace 303 -- Got it, thanks. I've heard of that before, but a different number.. must just be a different product (of course). This commonly found at auto stores.. or more specifically boat shops ?

*Just as an aside, is armor all damaging to my dash and such if I did use it?*-- Scratch that, just got an answer to that!

But to the enthusiasm.. hehe.. Well I am just really glad, obviously, to have a vehicle I appreciate again. It has been a long time, and I have always been a car nut. That void has been filled again.. so I'm unleashing years of neglect on this vehicle. (Which to some is a joke.. but I think it is nice).

It will settle down as all things do. If I wash my car twice a week in 6 months from now then we will see. -- I never let cars I appreciate, so to speak, go uncared for though. It is all about detailing and then 'maintaining' the detail. So you don't have to spend days on end doing stuff to the vehicle. I still have a list in my head a mile long of things that I am going to do to the car.. but once all said and done it should be relatively 'not so time consuming' to keep it up.

However I do enjoy the work.. -- I didn't enjoy the pain of a 12 hour detail this weekend last night .. but now that is all but gone everything is gravy. It is funny,.. I'll go out for a 30 mile drive, and then wipe it down once over with some detail spray when I get back. Just can't let the 'just waxed' look fade ..


You aren't neglecting your car.. hehe, I highly doubt that. But there is nothing 'hard' about detailing a vehicle at nighttime -- We, as evolved humans' have this thing called light. hehe... Sure it isn't as abundant as the sun of the day, but it gets the job done. Go ahead and post some pictures if you do anything in the next few days.. everyone else is lol.

I'm about to go install some Sylvania Silverstar ST's -- (Maybe have the name wrong there) -- But the higher range Headlights that project in blue/white instead of your typical old yellow/white color range. -- And possibly try to figure out how to aim them after such. (That should prove to be interesting)

Take care!

mikez

From being on the forum i would think buffing without a rotary is useless lol

How is the result waxing by hand? Are you satisfied with the result?

PK_Celsior

iTrader: (18)

i say if it work back in the day by hand. than it should still work now . just gota stop being lazy thats all :]. i feel as if technology is making us lazy ahhh.
http://xplayazplayzonx.multiply.com/...iiii_CARRRROOO
check out my car. IT ALL DONE BY HAND i didnt need no machine to make my car all nice and purdieee

tod071

Generally, a sealant offers a long-lasting, durable protection and a nice "shine".
Waxes, carnaubas in particular, are meant for beauty, depth, and gloss. Not so much the durability. Collinite is the exception to the wax rule. It lasts longer than most sealants.

You can top a sealant with a wax (not the other way, though). Rule of thumb with sealants is to let it "cure" for at least 24hrs before topping it with a wax. This will allow the sealant to bond with the paint.

tuan92129

Meguiars NXT (1.0) is on sale at Target for $7.99 (I bought my bottle last year for $25
Meguiars Yellow wax is also a high quality wax.

So....when are you gonna break out the buffer