Am I doing this correctly?

[DaSwede1127]

I just bought a 2008 Volvo C30 R-Design and I want to pamper it this weekend and protect it as much as possible so I am trying to plan a 4-times-a-year kind of thing. Are the steps below the rights ones? What do you suggest?

1) Rinse car; let stand for a few minutes.
2) Wash using microfiber mitt and Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo and Conditioner (using 2 bucket system; 1 for rinsing, 1 with clean water and cleaner).
3) Rinse car.
4) Dry with microfiber towels.
5) Spray Meguiar's Quick Detailer as lubricant.
6) Clay outside using Meguiar's Smooth Surface Clay Kit
(Do I do step 5 and 6 together? As in spray the hood, then claybar the hood, then move onto the next panel?).
7) Wipe car down with microfiber towels to get rid of excess polish.
8) Mask off areas not to wax like taillight, etc.
9 & 10) Apply wax using Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax 2.0 (should I use the thing that comes with the wax or should I use my bare hands instead?) and buff each section of the car at a time.
11) Sit back and take pictures.

Please help me out!

[Murr1525]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

1. Yeah, good hose down, no need to let it stand, you dont want the water to dry.

2. Good, pick up some Grit Guards soon.

3. Good.

4. Good.... not just MF towels, but a waffle weave towel like a Water Magnet. MF towels can be made for different purposes, so ones for other tasks wont work as well for drying.

5-6. These kind of go together... dont just spray the whole car. Just work on a small area at a time. Maybe spray and clay a 1 or 2 foot square at a time. The QD will dry otherwise. Then remove excess QD with a MF towel once you finish an area/panel.

7. What polish? If you mean paint prep, you can either use a paint cleaner and a pure polish, or a cleaner/wax to prep the paint.

8. Taillights can be waxed.

9. Yes, use the one that came with it, and maybe pick up a few more applicators for other products. The Hi-Tec foam applicators are like what you are looking for.

10. Wax the car with very thin coats. Let the wax dry until it swipes away clean, probably 20 minutes. Then remove with the MF towels.

[EAT HEMI]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

With Murr's additions, you pretty much got it. Oh, except enjoy a frosty beverage when you are done.

[DaSwede1127]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

7. What polish? If you mean paint prep, you can either use a paint cleaner and a pure polish, or a cleaner/wax to prep the paint.

I meant the lubricant. Do I have to prep the paint for the waxing after I have clayed it? If I have to prep before waxing, what meguiar product do you recommend? Keep in mind this car is brand new, just need to protect it as much as possible.

[Murr1525]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

OK, the spry lubricant that comes with the box of clay is called Quick Detailer. You might want to pick up a second bottle as well. You can easily use 1/2 or 3/4 or so of one bottle, so having a spare is handy. You dont want to skimp on the lubrication. Plus to clean off bird ****, etc in the future.

As far as paint prep, I would at least use a cleaner/wax. That would be the quick and easy thing for you. The Cleaner/Wax in the maroon bottle (and a small sample comes in the clay box) would be a good choice, or ColorX is the other popular option.

Once you are done with the full detail, after future washes I like to use the Ultimate Quick Detailer to get that just waxed shine back.

[Murr1525]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

You might like to read these links over if you havent seen them, to help get a better feel for the steps/product names, and general knowledge.

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

1986 Ford Bronco II - Extreme Makeover

Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer

Recommended Products - G100a Dual Action Polisher

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

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

[DaSwede1127]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

So would you suggest putting the Deep Crystal System Polish in between steps 7 and 8 in my original post? This seems to be the perfect polish for my car since my car is factory painted and cured black metallic paint.

[Murr1525]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

If you wanted to, that would be a good easy polish to use.

You could try just the polish this time, then use the cleaner and polish for your next detail.

Another good article while we are on the subject is "A Lesson from White Paint" by Mike Phillips over at autopia.org. Its a good article, and kind of talks about how paint can get dirty without a person even realizing it.

[DaSwede1127]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

If you wanted to, that would be a good easy polish to use.

You could try just the polish this time, then use the cleaner and polish for your next detail.

Another good article while we are on the subject is "A Lesson from White Paint" by Mike Phillips over at autopia.org. Its a good article, and kind of talks about how paint can get dirty without a person even realizing it.

I am sorry for asking so many questions, but what is the best using just a polish or using just a cleaner?

[Mort Corey]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

Since this is a brand new finish, I would not bother with the stand alone polish like DC2. If you have the clay kit that includes the cleaner wax, that would be quite enough and then the final coat being the NXT. Ideally, if time permits, letting the cleaner wax cure over night (or a few hours) before finishing off with the NXT will give you the best results.

Mort

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

With Murr's additions, you pretty much got it. Oh, except enjoy a frosty beverage when you are done.

Like a frosty mug of A&W Rootbeer!

[Murr1525]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

The absolute best would be both a pollish and a cleaner....

Using a cleaner/wax kind of does both those steps for you at once.

[DaSwede1127]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

The absolute best would be both a pollish and a cleaner....

Using a cleaner/wax kind of does both those steps for you at once.

Is the Meguiar's Deep Crystal System Paint Cleaner a cleaner/wax kind or is there a different one by Meguiar's? (I been using meguiar's for years, but not I got a brand new car and I will be taking the detailing WAY more seriously).

[Murr1525]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

Many folks get them confused at first.

There is the Deep Crystal System in maroon bottles, which is 3 products that are dedicated to each individual step. Each label clearly says:

- Deep Crystal System Step #1 Paint Cleaner
- Deep Crystal System Step #2 Polish
- Deep Crystal System Step #3 Wax

Each of those only does the step listed.

Then there is the Cleaner/Wax in the maroon bottle. This product is a mild cleaner, a polsih, and a wax all in one step. There is a sample of it in the Smooth Surface Clay kit, and I think it has the same label as the larger bottle.

They should be easily found in the Meguiars online store if you want to see the pics to compare, but I am sure we can find the links if needed.

[DaSwede1127]

Re: Am I doing this correctly?

Ok. Thanks for all your help!!
I went shopping and $60 later I ended up with:


Here are some pics of my car as it is now, BTW: