What am I doing wrong

[Detail Union]

Hi all,
I'ts been a while since I've posted too busy working 10.5 hour days for 18 months straight!Over the summer I started detailing about 2 cars a week mostly family and friends vehicles. I noticed that after the car has been driven a few days all the cars seem to get dull looking? The vehicles ranged from new 09 Camaros to 97 Grand Cherokees. Yes, I understand that cars get rained on and dusty etc. but, they look like they were never really detailed at all!! On some of the vehicles I spent 14 hours on them or so and they all shined pretty well. I use only Megs products from microfibers to waxes and everything in between. Can somebody help me out with this. I always use the 5 step process.

Thanks, Jeff

[Murr1525]

Re: What am I doing wrong

What products were you using?

[Detail Union]

Re: What am I doing wrong

M205, M105, NXT Gold Class Car Wash all with PC!

[seth1066]

Re: What am I doing wrong

M205, M105, NXT Gold Class Car Wash all with PC!

I hope not in that order.

[Murr1525]

Re: What am I doing wrong

Is the wax Nxt 2.0?

I thought Nxt 1.0 seemed to lose its looks a little. And you have clayed the cars as well?

It would be odd for it to lose its looks that quickly. You dont have to park by anything that will be polluting the air?

[Detail Union]

Re: What am I doing wrong

No not in that order? Everything is 2.0. I clean the pads often and use microfibers. During the 5 step process after the correction phase should I re wash the vehicle?

[seth1066]

Re: What am I doing wrong

No not in that order? Everything is 2.0. I clean the pads often and use microfibers. During the 5 step process after the correction phase should I re wash the vehicle?

It helps, otherwise (when it's too cold) I use several MF towels and liberal spraying of Last Touch to get all the first step correction product off the car. You can also use water and a little car wash in the sprayer as an alternative.

Any pictures of these vehicles?

[fe91]

Re: What am I doing wrong

have you washed the cars after you detailed them?
if so, do they still look dull?

[Detail Union]

Re: What am I doing wrong

I have some pictures odf the vehicles on friends camera and I have washed many of the cars afterwards and they look dull? I can't figure it out. You suggest using last touch or water in a spayer after you get everything off then go over it with the last touch or water?

Jeff

[searle]

Re: What am I doing wrong

Some of those cars (like your red avatar) might benefit greatly from some glaze (M07 or DC1) right after the preparation and before the NXT2.0 wax.

Also, when you say they get "dull" looking, is that due to dust etc? i.e. if you gently hand-wash them, are they bright again? Or do they still look as duill as before the wash? very strange. Especially strange on your 09 car since its paint should still be in very good condition.

[seth1066]

Re: What am I doing wrong

I have some pictures odf the vehicles on friends camera and I have washed many of the cars afterwards and they look dull? I can't figure it out. You suggest using last touch or water in a spayer after you get everything off then go over it with the last touch or water?

Jeff

No. I use this step to remove the product I just finished applying. In other words, I want to get any remnants of the product I just used so it doesn't contaminate the next less aggressive product I'm about to apply. Washing the car is obviously the first choice to do this. Some even wipe down the panels with alcohol to remove any of the previous product's residual oils from the finish. In a production shop like I'm in, this isn't possible.

So, ideally in a three step process:

Wash
Buff with 105 then wash;
Buff with 205 then wash;
Apply LSP, i.e. wax/sealant.

[Detail Union]

Re: What am I doing wrong

Thank you to all who have replied, Seth I will start doing it your way it makes sense do do that and I will give it a try after the snow fly's here in sunny Pittsburgh!

Jeff

[seth1066]

Re: What am I doing wrong

Thank you to all who have replied, Seth I will start doing it your way it makes sense do do that and I will give it a try after the snow fly's here in sunny Pittsburgh!

Jeff

Great! let me add something that Murr1525 mentioned. The claying process as the very first step. Since you ahve already done the 105/205 on these cars, it may not at this point be a big contributor to the final finish.

To test that theory, take a plastic non-sealable sandwich bag (the non-sealable one are thinner) and put your hand inside and lightly rub over the top surfaces. If you feel any small bumps, it will sort of feel like as if some sand was embedded in the paint, then you definitely need to clay. You can use any Meg's clay, but since you're going to be using the 205 at a minimum, you can go with medium or aggressive.