Critique on a step

[NotoriousGT350]

Here is my steps I have been using and I need to know if Speed glaze is necessary everytime I detail. And if not when in the detail process should I use it? Reason why, I had 2 members in another forum say NO to it and one stating, "Terrible advice. Glaze is usually nothing more than a filler and a temporary band-aid to cover imperfections. If thats the way you've been doing it, then I guarantee your customers are very upset when a few washes later their paint looks like **** again." Of course the only cars I do our mine. So he has me thinking as I have research few years ago when I first join and just had a routine of steps to go by from searching here. So I'm just questioning myself whether or not I somehow got confused in the whole process and been doing it wrong

My steps include:

*Wash with Meguiar's NXT Car Wash
*Clay bar with Meg. Smooth Surface Quik Clay kit(Meg. Quik Detailer spray for lube) entire exterior and undercarriage rocker panels/door jams
*Meguiar's #80 Speed Glaze with Meg. Dual Action Polisher(4.5 speed on Polishing pad)
*Meguiar's Deep Crystal #2 Polish(Buffed with Micro Fiber Bonnet on Polishing pad on speed 4)
*Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax(Buffed w/ MF Bonnet on Finishing pad on speed 4) x2 coats
*Meguiar's NXT All Metal Polish on wheels/TB/PL/valve covers
*Meguiar's Quik Wheel Detailer spray on wheels/eaton blower/idlers
*Meguiar's Hot Shine Tire Foam
*Meguiar's PlastX on headlights/foglights/taillights
*Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather conditioner/cleaner on seats/steering wheel/e-brake handle
*Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer spray
*Meguiar's NXT Speed Detailer spray to keep clean throughout weeks.

[Murr1525]

Re: Critique on a step

No, you're correct.

However #80 does have a good amount of oils, so if you werent removing the defects entirely, they could be covered some.

If anything, it is the DC2 step that isnt needed, since #80 has a lot of oils already. And not sure how you mean you are applying it?

[NotoriousGT350]

Re: Critique on a step

Ok, I usually use the #80 to remove some fine scratches or swirls just b/c living here in west Texas can have an effect with blowing dirt and gust at 50-60 mph a few times a year. So I always thought and done those steps as...
-wash
-clay bar
-cleaner
-polish
-wax

But if #80 could be use as both cleaner and polish as I notice it does richen the shine more with the oils it has, I can just mark out DC#2 then. Otherwise if my steps are correct, then I'll just stick with it. And if the swirls or fine scratches are not noticeable before the detail, I could just skip the cleaner(#80) and go straight to DC#2 after clay bar.

[Murr1525]

Re: Critique on a step

Well, it would be up to your ayes if the DC2 adds anything after the #80, or enough to make the time worthwhile.

Keep in mind the DC2 is just oils. So it will not work to remove dirt, etc either from the paint.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Critique on a step

Sounds like you got advice from someone unfamiliar with M80. M80 Speed Glaze is a cleaner/polish that utilizes diminishing abrasives to handle the cleaning, or defect removal, portion of the job and a good dose of polishing oils to handle the polishing, or gloss enhancing, portion of the job. It's great stuff, and we used to it almost exclusively in our Saturday Detailing 101 classes. The downside to it is that it's pretty mild (it rates a 4 on our scale of 12) so correcting moderate to severe defects with it can be a bit of a challenge. But for paint that is easy to correct, M80 does an outstanding job.

Using DC 2 as a follow up does seem a bit redundant due to the level of polishing oils in M80. But where you might want to stick with DC 2 is if you step up to a more aggressive defect removal liquid, like Ultimate Compound. UC is derived from M105 in our Mirror Glaze line and provides a lot more cut than M80 while being very user friendly on a DA buffer.

But, since you said the only cars you do are your own, and you know M80 is getting the job done, then you probably don't really need to change anything.

Then you state this.....

But if #80 could be use as both cleaner and polish as I notice it does richen the shine more with the oils it has, I can just mark out DC#2 then. Otherwise if my steps are correct, then I'll just stick with it. And if the swirls or fine scratches are not noticeable before the detail, I could just skip the cleaner(#80) and go straight to DC#2 after clay bar.

.... and we've got a suggestion for you. Yes, you're correct in thinking that if no swirls are visible you can skip M80 and go straight to DC 2 (and then wax) following the clay bar. But if your cars are in good shape, and we suspect they are since you've been giving them this treatment all along, we would suggest giving our new Ultimate Polish a try in place of DC 2. While it does contain some very light abrasives they are the newer SMAT abrasives as found in M205 from our Mirror Glaze line, but UP still contains a lot of the polishing oils you've grown so accustomed to. But with those SMAT abrasives UP can do wonders not only for gloss enhancement, but overall clarity of the finish as well.