Is my method efficient?

[ismaelg]

Hi,

I was wondering if I'm wasting effort in my "method". Because of my busy life, I don't have time to wax my car often. Sometimes, not even twice a year. Heck, sometimes it takes months to wash it....
I have yet to get a DA so I work by hand.
After a good wash, I start with Meguiar's clay bar. (One of my favorite products that is simply amazing) After that I use the 3 step Deep Crystal (Cleaner and Polish) but I substitute step 3 with Gold Class wax. If needed, I have Scratch-X standing by.
Since I work by hand, is this method really effective? I like the results, but somebody once told me that since I was doing it by hand I was most likely wasting the cleaner and polish.
Would the results by hand be similar if I use the 1 step cleaner wax? Or go straight from the clay to the Gold Class?
Any comments or suggestions?

By the way, my car is a 4 1/2 years old, 50K miles daily driver (and a Highway stone chip magnet)
Here is a recent pic of it, after this method.


Thanks,

[Murr1525]

Re: Is my method efficient?

It is a good method, not wasting anything.

However, with a time crunch, you might prefer to

Wash
Clay
ColorX
Wax

to move things along a bit quicker.

[nothelle]

Re: Is my method efficient?

When you have a D/A then you'll have more time to pamper your car. I personally don't have the time and energy to do it all by hand (except waxing).. D/A saves me a lot of trouble and more time for family

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Is my method efficient?

I like the results, but somebody once told me that since I was doing it by hand I was most likely wasting the cleaner and polish.
Would the results by hand be similar if I use the 1 step cleaner wax? Or go straight from the clay to the Gold Class?

The most important thing is that you like the results. Period.

You are hand applying products that are designed to be hand applied - no waste in that. Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner is pretty mild stuff anyway, but with regular use it will prevent things from getting out of control, and preventative maintenance is always easier and faster than correction work. And the polish step isn't going to yield anything more if you apply it via D/A or hand anyway.

Still, if you evaluate the surface critically after every wash you'll know when it really needs to be clayed and/or if a paint cleaner is needed. If the paint feels smooth then claying won't gain anything for you, and if you aren't seeing any fine swirls, towel marks, or other below surface defects then a paint cleaner won't make a huge improvement either. You don't have to do those steps every time you wax, only when they're really needed.

While you posted image doesn't show any close ups of the paint in direct sunlight, what it does show is a 4 1/2 year old dark blue daily driver with great depth and reflections. Is the paint flawless? We doubt it, but from the sounds of it you aren't really looking for a true flawless finish anyway (which is probably wise on a daily driver, as obsessing over flawlessness is a sure fire short cut to the looney bin!). We wouldn't be surprised, though, that up close your paint looks far, far better than 80-90% of the cars on the road around you. If that's so, and you like the results, then why change anything?

[ismaelg]

Re: Is my method efficient?

Thanks everybody!

Michael, you pretty much summed it all. As a car crazy guy all my life I dream of a flawless paint, superdetailed chassis and all that. But the reality is that 100 miles of daily commuting on a busy freeway are not easy on any car. Add to that rain, dust, heat, volcanic ash from a nearby island, Sahara dust that crosses the Atlantic and I'm surprised it still holds. I miss my teenager years in the late 80's when I could spend days on a car....
However, I would like to improve my skills and bring it up a notch or two.
Other than dozens of small stone chips, not surprisingly, there are swirl marks and light scratches everywhere.
I'm convinced I'm in the right place to learn and keep asking....
I'm looknig into getting a DA soon.


Thanks!
Ismael

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Is my method efficient?

Using a D/A will make initial clean up of the paint much, much easier. You can remove the swirls and bring back incredible depth and gloss to the paint without breaking your back and wearing out your arms and hands.

From there on it's all up to how careful you are when washing and drying the car, how meticulous you are when it comes to quick detailing to remove light dust, etc. You can keep a car looking great for along time with minimal effort. In fact, the routine maintenance, the preventative maintenance, is much easier than correcting the problems once they've gotten out of hand. Get that system dialed in and you won't have to spend half your weekend, every weekend, keeping the car looking great.

Of course the other option is to buy a car you really love and care about and treat it like a queen. Then buy a mechanically sound beater for your daily commute so you don't have to worry about it. We know lots of guys with beautiful weekend toys who drive clear coat failing, trim faded, torn interior beaters for daily use.