ntoxicated

Hello everyone, I'm NEW to this forum and a NEWBIE who's in need of a big help!

I read few posts and articles about car detailing/washing, but the more and more I read, the more I get confused. It seems like everyone has different taste and has own procedures. So, I'd be very appreciated if someone could respond to my questions below.


1) I just purchased New '08 IS 250 AWD Black Obsidian/Black Interior. I'm trying to keep the car clean and fresh as possible, so I've decided to do frequent detailing especially on the exterior body parts. However, because I wasn't so sure about the steps (everyone had different opinions which caused confusion), I couldn't give it a try.
So if you could, plz answer my question in the following format...

List your general steps to do exterior detailing (let's not think about my car being a new for the moment):
For Example,
1. Wash the car using soap - your favorite product name (ex: Dawn)
2. Use clay bar to remove contaminants - again, your product name (ex: Zaino or Meguiars)
3. Wash the car again - product name
4. Buffing - product name (Is this step always necessary? Buffing seems hard to follow unless you're professional)
5. Polishing -product name (ex: meg.)
6. Waxing - product name (ex: carnuba wax)
7. Drying - microfiber towels?

And few questions,
1. What is the difference between wax and sealant, when do you use them?
2. What is a paint cleaner?
3. What is pre-waxing? What's the point of doing it?
4. My car now has swirl marks from free car wash at the Lexus dealershop. Although the marks are not heavy, I want them to be removed. For the car being less than a month, should I go through all the steps of detailing procedures? Can't I just do 1.Washing, 2.Polishing, 3.Drying?
5. I'm already experiencing front brake dusts. Do you guys think I should go to the dealer and get it fixed or should I just put some dust repellent on myself?


I'm looking forward to all of your responds! Thanks in advance!!!

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

where in jersey are you? If you're local, I can go over everything w/ you.

love67

iTrader: (6)

Nooo -o-" i thought somebody is going to answer it here....because i have the same color same car as him, and i don't know much anything about cleaning, all i know is wash the car and wax...that's it...so anyone please help.?
some people said black color car should use some special soap...is it true? if so, and what should it be?
P.S. some part of my car is starting to not so shinny.....

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

ah, i actually forgot about this thread, lol. I'll answer it shortly beer is getting warm and food is getting cold

UberNoob

ill help chris in answering some of these questions

im not a pro nor as knowledgeable as chris though so please do correct me if i am wrong


1. wax is natural (ie, carnauba wax is from carnauba trees, lots of them in brazil)
sealant is a synthetic polymer (man made)

carnauba has more depth in its shine while sealant gives you a more durable protection as it lasts longer but does not have the depth of carnauba wax

carnauba usually lasts about 2~3 months on average
but there is Collinite 467S (carnauba wax) which chris carries that can lasts around 6 months no problems (almost the same as sealants) - it is harder to apply and buff off though but it gives my arms a good work out

sealants have more of a plastic layer kind of look but it will shine brightly regardless
carnauba has more warmth

so it really depends on your needs and preference

2.
paint cleaner removes road grime and tar and things like that
but if you really want to baby your car
dont use it
use proper claybar techniques with a good claybar and lots of lubricant (quick detailer or just soapy water)

3.
i dont know what the point of pre-waxing is

4.
it depends on how much you have driven but you should always claybar before you polish and wax because if the pads are dragging contaminants, they can create more swirls and scratch up the car

5.
if you are getting excessive brake dust, you could talk to the dealership to see what they can do about it or check out the 2IS section to see how people are solving that problem

but to cure the symptom of brake dust on the wheels, you can use wheel sealants on the wheels to allow the brake dust to come off the wheels much much easier and less likely to stick on it

oh yes and welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new car!!

UberNoob

i dont really have a fav soap for car washing
im using meguiar's deep crystal car wash because i can find it locally for a good price (too heavy to ship it economically)

you shouldnt always use Dawn
it is only good when you need to remove all the wax you have on there before so only useful for a full detail job

when my friend polishes my car with a Makita orbital, he uses Menzerna products for polish and glaze
it is highly recommended for professionals

for drying, a waffle weave microfiber towel does a great job
but you should also learn the proper techniques of drying with a towel
pull the towel along the car by holding 2 corners of the towel slightly above the paint surface
so kind of like dragging it without putting any force down onto the surface directly (only the weight of the towel is resting on the surface)

also when the surface is really clean, you can just turn the hose into a trickle of water and let it run down the car at a natural pace
this way most of the water runs off along with the hose's water
it takes some practice but it works well and just leaves a little bit of water left for regular microfiber towels to pick up

Sytfu_IS

iTrader: (4)

Chris, you need to make a video of what everything does and how you do it properly and post it on youtube!

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

I'd like to, but its going to be a while! I'm on injured reserve at the moment... torn rotator cuff

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

UberNoob was able to hit a lot of the questions right on the head. I'll try to not be too repetitive.

You pretty much have the steps correct for a full process. 4 and 5 are interchangeable words I suppose, along w/ compounding. Some people refer to polishing by all 3 terms. I usually refer to compounding as the stronger of the 3, while polishing would be set aside to include finishing polishes and paint cleaners while buffing can be a term used as an action performed w/ a buffer/machine.
anyway,...if doing a full detail job on a black vehicle, heres a typical process that I'd use. Some products may vary based on the condition of the vehicle, how they're reacting during use, or what mood I'm in, but in general, this is a go-to product list for a black vehicle.

Wash: Super Slick n Suds or Citrus Wash n Gloss. Both are my personal favorite.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com...ick--suds.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/ciwagl.html

Clay: In most cases, I use a light cut bar. If the paint is extremely soft I'll use an even lighter cut bar. Only for spot work will I use a medium/heavy cut bar. Luber is a Very slick clay lube. I'll either use that, or if I have a bottle of spray n wipe by my side, I dont mind reaching for that either.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/200grligrfig.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/lusysucllu.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com...less-wash.html

rewash: I'll use the same as my initial wash process.

Polishing/Compounding: Heres where this can get a little tricky. I always use a machine at this point. As a result, I'll usualy start w/ poorboys ssr2.5. If I were working by hand and needed something aggressive, I'd go no more than ssr2 though. This would typically be applied w/ an orange pad. SSR1 would follow, applied on a white pad.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/ssr26.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/ssr.html

Waxing: I'm really enjoying chemical guys 5050 right now. I've used it on my last 6 black cars that I've detailed. I'll go back other favorites eventually, but for now, this has been what I'm grabbing.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/50lisecopawa.html

Towels: For drying, the 24x36 waffle weave drying towel is fantastic. For paint, the elite towel is almost unbeatable. I get so much positive feedback on this towel, its amazing.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com...-drying-t.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/16x16elite.html
same as below, which is just slightly larger
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/16elmito.html


1.again, ubernoob pretty much nailed this one. not a hell of a lot to elaborate on really.

2/3. I think you're getting these terms confused. Usually, there is a "pre-wax cleaner", "cleansing lotion", etc. Its basically used to help create a nice base for the wax to sit on. It'll help add to the appearance of the finish. Some will have minor fillers in it as well. Can be a chemical cleaner or may have some very minor abrasives in it. A good example of this would be p21s paintwork cleanser or victoria wax lite cleanse lotion.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/licllo.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/p2pacl.html

4. Yes, you can polish the car to remove those swirls. I would've have the dealer do it, as they're likely to just reintroduce more of the same. A wash/polish/wax would be fine. I'm sure whatever they induced on to the surface isnt very deep. You should be able to get most of it out by hand... it'll just take a while. If you have access to a machine, even better!

5. for brake dust, you can do a few things. First, if its really bothering you, look in to pads that create less dust. Consider how you use the vehicle as well when chosing pads as operating temps have to be kept in mind!
For the rims, you need to get them clean! You might consider going with a product like p21s wheel cleaner or chemical guys premium blue wheel cleaner. Once the rim is totally clean, consider applying poorboys wheel sealant. THis will make future cleanings considerably easier, usually only requiring soapy water and a brush/mitt to keep them clean. An ez detail brush is a very good investment. It reaches the inside of the rim with ease, along with being able to squeeze in to tight spokes. REapply the wheel sealant each time you would normally rewax btw.
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/p2whcl10.html
http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/prblwhrimcl.html

http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/wheelsealant1.html

http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com/ezdetailbrush.html

shawndover

Chris, how often do you recommend buffing before waxing, versus just applying a coat of wax after a wash?

UberNoob

chris, could you also explain to me what glaze is
is it to fill in the really really fine holes that the polishing leaves behind?

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

Depends on how the finish is treated on a regular basis. If proper wash techniques are followed, polishing 1-2x a year is usually plenty. You dont want to polish too often though as it does slightly abrade the clear. Using something like a paint cleaner is mild enough where that wont effect it too much however. If you feel necessary, you can use a paint cleaner a little more often and may find that doing it 3-4x a year is sufficient.

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

glazes can be considered very fine polishes. Some glazes (like rmg) actually have the ability to do the slightest correction. For the most part though, they are oil/filler heavy products that will fill in minor depressions in the surface to help hide defects. They add depth and gloss to the paint while offering very little in terms of protection. They should be followed up by a good coat of wax. EZ Creme glaze and Red Moose Glaze are easily 2 of the nicest glazes around.

ntoxicated

Thanks for all the comments and replies everyone..
I posted this thread but didn't have a time to check back until today...
I will read this more closely over the weekend

And Chris, I'm from North Jersey - Edgewater?

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

Oh you're pretty close. Only about 25 mins away