New Detailing Regime

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RamFan

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After looking at Autogeek and Autopia again for a refresher I've been tossing around ideas for quick "detailing". First things first, this is a daily driver and is not, nor will ever be a show car. Therefore, products are something that I can get locally (Walmart, Advance, etc.) I will not be special ordering any products (other than the microfibers and polishing pads) and I won't be spending high dollar for boutique products. I was thinking of doing a compound or polish every 6 months but am hearing conflicting stories on the harm caused to the clear coat by polishing or compounding too much so I'm erring on the side of caution. With that being said, I am tossing around the idea of doing the following every 3 to 4 months with maintenance washes between. I know that we've got a couple detailers on here so I'd like to here your input on anything I may be doing wrong or overlooking.

Exterior-
Step 1- Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover
Step 2- Mothers Carnuba Wash and Wax
Step 3- Mothers Cleaner Wax
Step 4- Meguiar's Ultimate Black

Interior-
Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer
Meguiar's Rich Leather Cleaner and Conditioner

Wheels/Tires-
Diluted Simple Green (Not sure if safe for clear coated wheels)
-or-
Mothers Carnuba Wash and Wax
 
Daily driver gets the $12 automatic car wash.

Your detailing seems like a lot of work for a daily driver.

I try and wax both vehicles at least once a year. But I do spend the time and money to drive 2 hours to get CarWell done. Detailing the underside I guess.
 
Exterior -
Skip the bug and tar remover - go for a clay bar. Use your favorite detail spray for clay lubricity. If you decide that you absolutely must use the bug and tar remover then make sure you use a separate bucket and rag.
Concentrate on correcting any defects and then protect it. Swirl remover (light cutting pad if you have a DA) and a polish will set you up for success. Get it looking pretty and then throw a coat of your favorite wax over it. Paint sealants are great for this because you can polish it, seal it, and then put wax over the sealant for an extra barrier making maintenance a breeze. Skip the "wash and wax" if you plan on using the cleaner wax. For maintenance washes the "wash and wax" will be fine, but will be nothing like a good carnauba wax over a prepped finish. I just use a basic cheap wash that produces good suds. Invest in some quick detailer like Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer. After a good wash in between waxes this can extend the life of your outer coat.

Interior-
The Meguiar's stuff is actually pretty good. I use the Quick Interior (natural finish) and the leather wipes.

Wheels-
I use degreaser on my tires (then agitate with a brush), which also gets on my clear coated wheels, with no ill-effect. For the wheels I just knock off any grime with the wash pad/car soap and then finish them up with the quick detailer and microfiber.
 
Id use clay instead of bug and tar remover as well. Clay,wash, polish and than wax is what i would do. I typically use simoniz clay bar=kmart for 10$ or less. Use a spray bottle of ur car wash mixed with water as lube. Try Nu finish polish (avail everywhere) followed by gold class or any other wax.
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Id use clay instead of bug and tar remover as well. Clay,wash, polish and than wax is what i would do. I typically use simoniz clay bar=kmart for 10$ or less. Use a spray bottle of ur car wash mixed with water as lube. Try Nu finish polish (avail everywhere) followed by gold class or any other wax.


When will they make a Nu Finish that one can get on plastic. My Jeep is 1/3 plastic exterior with various gravel guards or whatever they are.
 
Tried the rinseless wash based I think, on a post I saw here. It saves pretty much time.

I used the Turtlewax OTC product which worked just fine. For example, today after work, I stopped in for groceries with my wife, drove to the hardware store, then to the do-it-yourself carwash (For dirtier cars you knock the chunks off first with a stream of pure water---its not for tremendously dirty cars). Ate dinner with family, washed and spray waxed the car in the garage put the microfiber cloths in the wash and still had enough daylight to go jogging. That's one less thing to do this weekend.

I did modify the routine a little from the bottle directions: I have a truck, so I mixed up three gallons instead of two, paying strict attention to proportions.

Instead of the two buckets with a mitt and grit guards at the bottom of the bucket, I put a bunch of cheap microfiber towels in my bucket of solution. (very clean bucket of course) I put a dry towel in one pocket and a wrung out towel in the other. I would spread the stuff around on a panel with a saturated towel, tossing it in the empty bucket the moment it looked a little dirty. I would wipe the panel with my wrung out towel and then dry with my dry towel. Occasionally I would toss those in the discard bucket too. I went through a lot of towels, but so what? The cleaning went pretty fast.

I could see how you could improve on this. You can get a top for the Home Depot buckets. You could mix up a bucket and have your towels already soaking in the covered bucket and knock off a cleaning anytime you have a spare 45 minutes. Remember, you can do this at night or in inclement weather. Also, a rinseless wash pretty much takes care of the windows, too. A nice bonus.

Assuming you are keeping up your car's finish, there is only a rare need to do a paint correction. Get a durable reasonably priced wax/sealant and plan on applying it three times a year. I think a DA polisher is worth it, but they are moving along so fast with easy to apply durable finishes, it might get obsolete in a couple of years
 
If you get bugs like we do in FL, you need the bug/tar remover. Clay won't get all of it, and I don't want bug guts embedded in the clay. The Turtle Wax stuff works very well and is reasonably priced.
 
Originally Posted By: HyundaiGuy
If you get bugs like we do in FL, you need the bug/tar remover. Clay won't get all of it, and I don't want bug guts embedded in the clay.


Bingo. Plus my paint doesn't need clay. Another reason I like the idea of a cleaner wax, its very lightly abrasive so it'll pick up any contaminants that may stick without being too harsh on the clear coat. I think people overuse clay, as long as a finish is maintained so that contaminants don't stick I don't see a reason so need clay. Even when clay may be needed, a compound should be able to do the trick.

Edit- Whoo hoo 1,200 posts!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: RamFan

Bingo. Plus my paint doesn't need clay. Another reason I like the idea of a cleaner wax, its very lightly abrasive so it'll pick up any contaminants that may stick without being too harsh on the clear coat. I think people overuse clay, as long as a finish is maintained so that contaminants don't stick I don't see a reason so need clay. Even when clay may be needed, a compound should be able to do the trick.

Edit- Whoo hoo 1,200 posts!


All paints need some form of decontamination - even the ones that seem to feel smooth. You will often find sap and grime on the surface that will removed by clay. However, you should look into the Autoscrub Nanoskin wash mitt - it is far more efficient and effective than clay.

Also, Cleaner wax does not remote surface contaminants - it only cleans a small amount of oxidation and embedded dirt after the paint has been clayed or decontaminated.

Your regimen is very labor intensive and may not deliver the results that you are hoping. I suggest a thorough wash, followed by using the autoscrub nanoskin mitt, a light polish with a one-step product (HD Uno, Menzerna Power Finish, Sonax Perfect Finish or Meguiars D151), then a sealant such as Collinite 845.
 
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: RamFan

Bingo. Plus my paint doesn't need clay. Another reason I like the idea of a cleaner wax, its very lightly abrasive so it'll pick up any contaminants that may stick without being too harsh on the clear coat. I think people overuse clay, as long as a finish is maintained so that contaminants don't stick I don't see a reason so need clay. Even when clay may be needed, a compound should be able to do the trick.

Edit- Whoo hoo 1,200 posts!


All paints need some form of decontamination - even the ones that seem to feel smooth. You will often find sap and grime on the surface that will removed by clay. However, you should look into the Autoscrub Nanoskin wash mitt - it is far more efficient and effective than clay.

Also, Cleaner wax does not remote surface contaminants - it only cleans a small amount of oxidation and embedded dirt after the paint has been clayed or decontaminated.

Your regimen is very labor intensive and may not deliver the results that you are hoping. I suggest a thorough wash, followed by using the autoscrub nanoskin mitt, a light polish with a one-step product (HD Uno, Menzerna Power Finish, Sonax Perfect Finish or Meguiars D151), then a sealant such as Collinite 845.


I know you've had concerns over clear coat thickness on your Prius and have explained your own concern that polishing could further thin it. That being said, why polish 3-4 times a year? It seems to me that if polish were to cause damage, it would be occur when done so often. As a compromise I was thinking of Meg's #6 but lack of availability made me think the Mothers Cleaner Wax would be more suitable.
 
Originally Posted By: HyundaiGuy
If you get bugs like we do in FL, you need the bug/tar remover. Clay won't get all of it, and I don't want bug guts embedded in the clay. The Turtle Wax stuff works very well and is reasonably priced.



If you get Love-Bug in FL you need a chisel!
 
Not sure what your finish looks like now but if it's in VG condition, a cleaner wax might introduce swirls. based on the list of products you have there I'd highly recommend ordering a bottle of Collinite 845 from detailersdomain.com and use that instead. But keep in mind a one-time application of a quality finishing polish like Menzerna SF4500 with a DA can be maintained for months or even years with a proper washing and waxing regimen.
 
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Not sure what your finish looks like now but if it's in VG condition, a cleaner wax might introduce swirls. based on the list of products you have there I'd highly recommend ordering a bottle of Collinite 845 from detailersdomain.com and use that instead. But keep in mind a one-time application of a quality finishing polish like Menzerna SF4500 with a DA can be maintained for months or even years with a proper washing and waxing regimen.



A cleaner wax, if used properly, will not introduce swirls. If you are working on a clean surface, it should not cause issues.
 
Originally Posted By: BTLew81
A cleaner wax, if used properly, will not introduce swirls. If you are working on a clean surface, it should not cause issues.


Exactly.
 
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Per the directions on the bottle of TW Bug and Tar Remover, wash the car first. Then apply it. Link:

http://www.turtlewax.com/detail-Bug & Tar Remover Trigger -48-83.aspx

Step 1: Wash with Dawn to get the surface squeaky clean. Zaino advises doing this prior to applying one of their polishes/sealants/waxes. Don't use Dawn when doing maintenance washes since it will strip the wax/sealant.



Yes, Turtle Wax states to use it after a wash. However I'd rather not have any of that residue on my paint, which is why I'd like to try it before the wash.
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: RamFan

Bingo. Plus my paint doesn't need clay. Another reason I like the idea of a cleaner wax, its very lightly abrasive so it'll pick up any contaminants that may stick without being too harsh on the clear coat. I think people overuse clay, as long as a finish is maintained so that contaminants don't stick I don't see a reason so need clay. Even when clay may be needed, a compound should be able to do the trick.

Edit- Whoo hoo 1,200 posts!


All paints need some form of decontamination - even the ones that seem to feel smooth. You will often find sap and grime on the surface that will removed by clay. However, you should look into the Autoscrub Nanoskin wash mitt - it is far more efficient and effective than clay.

Also, Cleaner wax does not remote surface contaminants - it only cleans a small amount of oxidation and embedded dirt after the paint has been clayed or decontaminated.

Your regimen is very labor intensive and may not deliver the results that you are hoping. I suggest a thorough wash, followed by using the autoscrub nanoskin mitt, a light polish with a one-step product (HD Uno, Menzerna Power Finish, Sonax Perfect Finish or Meguiars D151), then a sealant such as Collinite 845.


I know you've had concerns over clear coat thickness on your Prius and have explained your own concern that polishing could further thin it. That being said, why polish 3-4 times a year? It seems to me that if polish were to cause damage, it would be occur when done so often. As a compromise I was thinking of Meg's #6 but lack of availability made me think the Mothers Cleaner Wax would be more suitable.


The roof of my Prius does measure in the 70-80 micron range and I am leery of hitting with an aggressive compound. However, I do think that this is a fluke since all of the other panels were in the 120-140 range IIRC. I would not be too concerned about hitting the roof with a moderately aggressive polish (i.e. Menzerna Power Finish) today; in fact I plan to polish out the roof soon and permanently seal it with OptiCoat 2.0.

I would not be too concerned about using a light to med polish on a regular basis on any car. Like I said, there are better products and techniques available than the ones that you originally listed.
 
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: BTLew81
A cleaner wax, if used properly, will not introduce swirls. If you are working on a clean surface, it should not cause issues.


Exactly.

Sounds like the OP's car is black, so while I don't necessarily disagree with you, I'd never take the chance on a black car. I've spent far too many hours, days even, trying to keep the finish of a black car in top shape.
 
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: BTLew81
A cleaner wax, if used properly, will not introduce swirls. If you are working on a clean surface, it should not cause issues.


Exactly.

Sounds like the OP's car is black, so while I don't necessarily disagree with you, I'd never take the chance on a black car. I've spent far too many hours, days even, trying to keep the finish of a black car in top shape.


Nope, one is blue and one is silver. I'm staying far away from black vehicles.
 
Originally Posted By: RamFan
Originally Posted By: gofast182
Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: BTLew81
A cleaner wax, if used properly, will not introduce swirls. If you are working on a clean surface, it should not cause issues.


Exactly.

Sounds like the OP's car is black, so while I don't necessarily disagree with you, I'd never take the chance on a black car. I've spent far too many hours, days even, trying to keep the finish of a black car in top shape.


Nope, one is blue and one is silver. I'm staying far away from black vehicles.

In that case, have at it!
 
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