Few Questions...

[danago]

Hey. I am completely new into the world of detailing (just got my first car). I just went out and bought some meguiars products, but i think i may have left gaps. So far this is what i have bought:

-2 Lambwool mits
-Chamois
-MF cloth
-Terry towels
-Quik Detail clay kit
-DC Polish
-DC Wax

Ive been reading threads on this forum for hours now, so i now have a better understanding of what i need. Today i will go and buy the DC paint cleaner (or is there a better product i should use?), and i will probably exchange my DC wax with the NXT wax (Seems to be what everyone recommends). So my final process will look something like this:

-Wash/Dry
-Clay with Quik Detail as lubricant
-DC Paint cleaner
-DC Polish
-NXT wax

And then ill just maintain it with regular washing and quik detail, with a wax/clay/polish when necessary.

If anybody could perhaps tell me if im missing something in my proposed plan, or if you have any suggestion, i would greatly appreciate it.

Also, when my clay bar is no longer useable, how do i go about getting a new one without having to buy the whole quik detail kit again? Does Meguiars sell individual clay bars or do i need to order them from another company?

Thanks in advance,
Dan.

[Murr1525]

Re: Few Questions...

1. When washing, remember to use two buckets, and a Grit Guard if possible.
2. Clay is good, you might want an extra bottle of QD.
3. Clean - What is the car like? What condition? DC#1 will be your general cleaner by hand, but then ScratcHX for any swirls, scratches, etc that need removed. It might take till after your first detail to get a good look at the condition.
4. Polish - good
5. Wax- good, though honestly Nxt isnt my favorite, the Nxt 2.0 looks great. That is at Walmart at the moment, then more stores next month. Remember two thin coats...
6. Maintain - Good, though some Ultimate QD is great for after a wash.

The big thing for you will just be the number of things you need... several applicators, a few towels for drying, several cloths for removing products....

As far as clay, there are other ways to get it, but to tell the truth it isnt really that bad to buy the kit one or two more times at least. You will always want more cloths, you'll need more QD, and a litle cleaner/wax is good to have around. Dont skimp when using the QD, 3/4 of a bottle or so is not unheard of on a car, even more if it is real bad.

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle
Step 1 Wash
Step 2 Clean
Step 3 Polish
Step 4 Protect
Step 5 Maintain

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

Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer

Recommended Products - G100a Dual Action Polisher

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

1986 Ford Bronco II - Extreme Makeover

Each one, teach one... Ferrari Fiorano 355 F1 Spider

[danago]

Re: Few Questions...

Thanks for the reply. The car is in pretty decent condition, so yea ill do as you suggested and stick to DC1 for now and then go onto something else if necessary. And i have heard about the NXT 2.0, but i dont think it is avaliable here in Australia yet, so ill have to settle for something else for now.

When applying waxes/polishes, if the coat i apply is not even, will it look streaky?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Few Questions...

The car is in pretty decent condition, so yea ill do as you suggested and stick to DC1 for now and then go onto something else if necessary.

DC1 is an awesome paint cleaner and perfect for what you're doing. Here's a few tips.

1. Shake the bottle well

2. Apply some to your applicator pad

3. Spread the product out to an area about 12" to 16" square or so, after you spread the product out over this area then start working the product over and against the paint. You can use circle or straight-line motions just as long as you're working clean, i.e.s clean pads, clean paint, clean shop, etc.

4. Work it like you were applying face lotion to your face skin, that is be firm but gentle.

5. Remember polishing paint is an art form, not merely a mechanical process. It requires the human elements of care and passion.

6. After you work the product for 40, 50, 60 seconds or so, wipe off the residue with a clean microfiber polishing cloth and then move onto new territory and overlap a little into the previously worked section.

After cleaning the paint, next is polishing, this is optional, just wrote something about this here,

Show Car #7 - No durability?

After polishing or not if you skip this step then apply your wax. Apply a thin coat and allow the wax to fully dry before removing.

The Swipe Test


Hope this helps...

Check out this forum...
Hot Topics

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Few Questions...

When applying waxes/polishes, if the coat i apply is not even, will it look streaky?

Thin, even coat applied to a properly prepared surface.
Allow to dry till it swipes clear
Use your best/softest microfiber polishing cloths.

Final Wiping Techniques

If you haven't tried the UQD then pick up a bottle of this and give it a test drive.