Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

[StayinClean]

Whats going on everybody, i'm new to the board and i need some advice. I want to do a complete detail on my car, i'm thinking of puting it in a car show soon, if i get everything finished that i want to do to it. The car is my daily driver and the odometer just hit 13k this week so the car is for the most part in new condition, considering i give it a good cleaning everyweek (i have hand waxed it twice with TW Ice)(thats pretty much it since the car was new). but it has VERY minor swirls but by put putting it in a car show i want make sure it has NONE. and my light tan leather is very hard to clean and i have some stains i want to get out some stains off the seats from wearing new raw denim jeans and basic dirt off the seats. I found an expirenced shop that would do a Real complete detail for $275 but I'm have other thing i want to do to car other than spend $275 on a good cleaning

I would like to know what products i need to buy to clean the car insideand out with the order and process of using +hem to be carshow ready? I'm working with 10in craftman orbital, i would even like to know what type of pads i need...

P.S.>sorry for writing so much...

[tguil]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

Not to be a smart ---, but it would be a good idea for you to start by spending an hour or so browsing this forum. Lot's of good information and not all that hard to find.

Tom

[CieraSL]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

Check out these threads, I think you'll find them helpful.

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31175

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26009

[Maserati Mario]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

[quote=StayinClean;292934]...to be carshow ready? I'm working with 10in craftman orbitalquote]

An orbital won't make it show ready.
I'm sorry to say but, you need to spend some money to get the right products/equipment. Then you need the Experience, this is what your paying someone for.
I don't think your being realistic.
Sounds like you don't have experience and want a show car shine with out knowing how.
That's just not possible.
Read around here, you'll find allot of answers and if you don't, ask.

[StayinClean]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

[quote=Maserati Mario;293016]

...to be carshow ready? I'm working with 10in craftman orbitalquote]
An orbital won't make it show ready.
I'm sorry to say but, you need to spend some money to get the right products/equipment. Then you need the Experience, this is what your paying someone for.
I don't think your being realistic.
Sounds like you don't have experience and want a show car shine with out knowing how.
That's just not possible.
Read around here, you'll find allot of answers and if you don't, ask.

I am not a hardcore detailer and just trying to work with what i have and looking for some tips to get me where i want to be, i have a good idea of what direction i need to go in:
I was thinking
1. start off with a good handwash with using my pressure washer, then drying.
2.clay the car with smooth surface clay kit...
3. rinse the car with the presure washer again then dry.
4. use either swirlx or ultimate compound worked in with the orbiter to make the paint as flawless as possible.
5. remove all residue with microfiber towel.
6. use a coat of NXT Generation® Tech Wax® 2.0 worked in with the orbiter, then removed with microfiber towel.
7.spray on quick detailer then wipe it down.
8. lastly yes i may mix products, and apply Turtle Wax Ice synthetic liquid polisher, the wipe it down.

and as far as the interior i need some advice....

if someone see something wrong or maybe knows something different let me know...

i really dont know which to use Ultimate compound or swirl X for best results.

I dont want end up like this: http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30356

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

Hi StayinClean,

Let's see if we can help out...

I am not a hardcore detailer and just trying to work with what i have and looking for some tips to get me where i want to be, i have a good idea of what direction i need to go in:
I was thinking
1. start off with a good handwash with using my pressure washer, then drying.
2.clay the car with smooth surface clay kit...

Good start!

3. rinse the car with the pressure washer again then dry.

As long as you're wiping the residue off the paint after claying each section you shouldn't have to wash the car again and this will save you time and a step, (labor). You can if you want however.

4. use either SwirlX or ultimate compound worked in with the orbiter to make the paint as flawless as possible.

Test each product first starting with the SwirlX, be sure to only use one product per bonnet that came with your orbital buffer. Make sure you can make one spot look better using either the SwirlX or the Ultimate Compound before going over the entire car.

Technically you can use our products with tools like these but that doesn't mean you're going to get the results you want. Traditional Orbital Polishers are just not very effective at removing paint and that's how you remove swirls, you have to remove a little paint. DA Polishers like our G110 work better because you use a smaller size pad with a tool that has a lot more power and a higher speed.

In most cases, you can remove swirls faster by hand than you can with a Traditional Orbital Buffer because you can exert more pressure using your hand versus the TOB.

But try first and see what your TOB can do, maybe it will work on your car's paint as paint systems vary in polishability.

Check out these threads,

Very good read,
Please explain Pros/Cons between Rotary and Orbital Buffers

These are all good reads too...
Rotary vs DA Polisher vs Traditional Orbital Buffer
What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...
Machine Photos - DA Polishers - Rotary Buffers - Traditional Orbital Buffers
Polishable & Polishability - Paint Hardness or Softness
What is the meaning of soft paint?
Paint Workability - The Hardness or Softness of your car's paint

"You don't how hard or soft your paint is until you go out into your garage and work on your car"

And one more...

The words Clean and Cleaning as defined by Meguiar's terminology

And one more,

Rotary Buffers versus Random Orbital Polishers

5. remove all residue with microfiber towel.

Read this first as you want to remove things like UC and SwirlX immediately after you work a section, you don't let these types of products dry.

Which products need to dry before removing?

6. use a coat of NXT Generation® Tech Wax® 2.0 worked in with the orbiter, then removed with microfiber towel.

Make sure you always let Meguiar's waxes fully dry before removing, see this thread,

The Swipe Test

7.spray on quick detailer then wipe it down.

Generally speaking, after you wipe off a dried coating of wax you don't want to touch the paint and disrupt the protection ingredients any more than you have to including wiping with a quick detailer. You want the protection ingredients to fully set up. If you start wiping the paint more and more after just waxing it you will move the protection ingredients around on the surface and in the process remove some of them; so if possible, wait till the next day to do any final wiping with any kind of liquid.

If you have not tried Ultimate Quik Detailer, then you might consider this for your quick detailer for prepping the car for display as it step higher gloss and slickness than our regular Quik Detailer.


Check out this thread,

NXT Cure Time?

8. lastly yes i may mix products, and apply Turtle Wax Ice synthetic liquid polisher, the wipe it down.

There's no reason to do this except for personal preference, so if you want to you can, but the results from NXT Tech Wax should maximize the appearance quality of your prep work without any other product needed to improve upon its results.

If you do want to do what's called "Topping" read this first.

Topping NXT aka "How to top one type of wax with a different type of wax

And then these,

Final Wiping Techniques
How to maintain your car's finish in-between polishing sessions

and as far as the interior i need some advice....

Blue dye of jeans, stained onto light leather seats can be tricky to remove without causing physical damage or appearance damage in the process. Maybe try a safe approach first like cleaning the seat with a dedicated leather cleaner like,

G11016 Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Cleaner




Then follow with a conditioner/protectant.


G11116 Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Conditioner

I dont want end up like this: http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30356

For some reason the person that posted that never came back with any follow-up questions. If you read through the thread not only are the problems listed but also the correct way to apply UC or any compound or paint cleaner were typed-out in DETAIL by yours truly. So please do read all the pages in the above thread and then you won't make the same mistakes as you'll know exactly how to apply and work a compound like UC over a clear coat paint system.

Hope all the above helps, just to note most of the linked threads were taken from the Hot Topics forum and the How To Articles forum.


From the homepage, center column, scroll down a ways...

Have Questions? Looking for Answers?
So much good, practical and helpful information in the "Information Station" like these two forum groups and the List 'O Links thread.

Hot Topics
How To Articles
List 'O Links 2.0

[Megafast13]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

Hey Click the Link in my signature about car...

Read all of it and click the links at the bottom of it

[02zx9r]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

Hi StayinClean,

Let's see if we can help out...



Good start!



As long as you're wiping the residue off the paint after claying each section you shouldn't have to wash the car again and this will save you time and a step, (labor). You can if you want however.



Test each product first starting with the SwirlX, be sure to only use one product per bonnet that came with your orbital buffer. Make sure you can make one spot look better using either the SwirlX or the Ultimate Compound before going over the entire car.

Technically you can use our products with tools like these but that doesn't mean you're going to get the results you want. Traditional Orbital Polishers are just not very effective at removing paint and that's how you remove swirls, you have to remove a little paint. DA Polishers like our G110 work better because you use a smaller size pad with a tool that has a lot more power and a higher speed.

In most cases, you can remove swirls faster by hand than you can with a Traditional Orbital Buffer because you can exert more pressure using your hand versus the TOB.

But try first and see what your TOB can do, maybe it will work on your car's paint as paint systems vary in polishability.

Check out these threads,

Very good read,
Please explain Pros/Cons between Rotary and Orbital Buffers

These are all good reads too...
Rotary vs DA Polisher vs Traditional Orbital Buffer
What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...
Machine Photos - DA Polishers - Rotary Buffers - Traditional Orbital Buffers
Polishable & Polishability - Paint Hardness or Softness
What is the meaning of soft paint?
Paint Workability - The Hardness or Softness of your car's paint

"You don't how hard or soft your paint is until you go out into your garage and work on your car"

And one more...

The words Clean and Cleaning as defined by Meguiar's terminology

And one more,

Rotary Buffers versus Random Orbital Polishers




Read this first as you want to remove things like UC and SwirlX immediately after you work a section, you don't let these types of products dry.

Which products need to dry before removing?




Make sure you always let Meguiar's waxes fully dry before removing, see this thread,

The Swipe Test



Generally speaking, after you wipe off a dried coating of wax you don't want to touch the paint and disrupt the protection ingredients any more than you have to including wiping with a quick detailer. You want the protection ingredients to fully set up. If you start wiping the paint more and more after just waxing it you will move the protection ingredients around on the surface and in the process remove some of them; so if possible, wait till the next day to do any final wiping with any kind of liquid.

If you have not tried Ultimate Quik Detailer, then you might consider this for your quick detailer for prepping the car for display as it step higher gloss and slickness than our regular Quik Detailer.


Check out this thread,

NXT Cure Time?




There's no reason to do this except for personal preference, so if you want to you can, but the results from NXT Tech Wax should maximize the appearance quality of your prep work without any other product needed to improve upon its results.

If you do want to do what's called "Topping" read this first.

Topping NXT aka "How to top one type of wax with a different type of wax

And then these,

Final Wiping Techniques
How to maintain your car's finish in-between polishing sessions




Blue dye of jeans, stained onto light leather seats can be tricky to remove without causing physical damage or appearance damage in the process. Maybe try a safe approach first like cleaning the seat with a dedicated leather cleaner like,

G11016 Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Cleaner




Then follow with a conditioner/protectant.


G11116 Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Conditioner






For some reason the person that posted that never came back with any follow-up questions. If you read through the thread not only are the problems listed but also the correct way to apply UC or any compound or paint cleaner were typed-out in DETAIL by yours truly. So please do read all the pages in the above thread and then you won't make the same mistakes as you'll know exactly how to apply and work a compound like UC over a clear coat paint system.

Hope all the above helps, just to note most of the linked threads were taken from the Hot Topics forum and the How To Articles forum.


From the homepage, center column, scroll down a ways...

Have Questions? Looking for Answers?
So much good, practical and helpful information in the "Information Station" like these two forum groups and the List 'O Links thread.

Hot Topics
How To Articles
List 'O Links 2.0

AWESOME write up

[Golden]

Re: Getting Ready 4 a Car Show...

Mike already covered it. Just a few tips for ya that actually DO make a difference.

-Make sure all vents are lined up evenly.
-Make sure front seats line up as well.
-Inside and outside of exhaust tips cleaned.
-Spotless wheel wells.
-Clean inside of wheels.
-Even coat of tire dressing.