Detailing

[MonsterCav]

I own a yellow cavalier (the darker yellow, not the lighter). I would like it to have a deep shine and plan on making a day out of detailing it. This is what I would like to do:
- Wash
- Clay
- Scratch X - (can I do this to the entire car?)

Here is my problem. I have this Eagle 1 Wet wax/polish that i love. Can I use this and lock it in with a Meguiars wax? Is the meguiars part necessary is the Eagle 1 is a polish and wax? Thanks.

[Mobilejoe]

Yes you can use Scratch X on the whole vehicle but concentrate on a 12" x 12" area and do not let it dry on the surface. As Mike would say you also need to use it with "passion" (a lot of elbow grease) to really make it work but the results would be awesome. I prefer Meguiars products but I would use a pure polish and then a wax.

[MonsterCav]

So I should
- Wash (take off surface stuff)
- Clay (takes off contaminates on the surface of the paint)
- Scratch-X (gets deep down dirt in the pores of the paint)
- Pure Polish (final clean and shine)
- Wax (locks it all in)

With the wax, would I notice a big difference in quality of shine if I used carnuba rather then synthetic? I know carnuba does not last as long though.

[Murr1525]

Here, give these a read over as well, in case you didnt see them yet:

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

A Lesson From White Paint

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

What it Means to Remove a Scratch

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

[Murr1525]

Originally posted by MonsterCav
So I should
- Wash (take off surface stuff)
- Clay (takes off contaminates on the surface of the paint)
- Scratch-X (gets deep down dirt in the pores of the paint)
- Pure Polish (final clean and shine)
- Wax (locks it all in)

With the wax, would I notice a big difference in quality of shine if I used carnuba rather then synthetic? I know carnuba does not last as long though.

Just a little revision:
- ScratchX ( gets deep down dirt in the pores and removes swirls)
- Pure Polish (Fills in pores for shine)

I think for the best shine, you would go with synthetic, probably #21 in the Meguiars line.

You can use your Eagle One and see what happens. Occaisionaly mixing companies can cause a little smearing. But it isnt like your car will explode by mixing companies.

[MonsterCav]

So using the eagle one will give me a deep shine. If I use the carnuba will it give me a better shine than the eagle one? Also, should i wash the car after I clay bar it. Do you have any recommendations for a black car? My friend wants a really wet glossy look on his black firebird. Thanks for the help.

[Murr1525]

I've never used Eagle one, so I dunno. Try it.

You dont have to. I generaly give a final rinse. If it was a really dirty car, washing after the clay bar might be a good idea.

Well, 80% of a wet look is prep, ie. making sure swirls are gone, paint is clean, polished, etc. What condition is the car in, working by hand? And how much time he wants to put in?

But all the general rules still apply... white paint or black. But black does show swirls easier, and is usualy softer, so yo udo want to take car while washing, etc.

Tell him to sign up, we'd love to have another member. (Though it does keep hurting my chances in the giveaways... )

[MonsterCav]

Thanks. I think I am going to wash, clay, wash, scratch x, polish, and finally throw either the Eagle 1 Wet or the Meguiars Carnuba (havent made up my mind yet). Should be a long and interesting day, maybe Ill post some pictures when im done. Thanks for all the help.