Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

[anant]

Hello everyone,

I have recently been thinking about a detailing process. As I do not have too much experience with Meguiars products hopefully you guys can tell me what I need. So this will probably be used on the cars that I detail to a certain extent. My main goal is our black BMW 335i that is filled with medium swirls on the hood and some scratches. I was unsuccessful with removing them with Turtle wax polishing compound liquid.

Heres the paint process:
1) Wash - any car wash
2) clay bar - ill pick up the clay bar kit soon
3) Compound - Ultimate Compound(or something lighter)
4) Ultimate Polish or Deep Crystal by hand
5) Wax - With one of Meguiars by hand
Does this seem alright?

Now for my questions:
1) Does the wash and wax car wash contain a film of wax? Is it better to just use regular wash if I am waxing anyways? Or does it mean it is meant for waxed surfaces?
2) Does Ultimate Compound work on swirl marks or is it too abrasive? Is Swirl X meant for swirl marks or will UC do the job?
3) Is it proper to use compound on the whole body? Or is it better for spot scratches? Does it provide an enhancement to the paint or is it solely a scratch cleaner? If the rest of the car is flawless is there any point?
4) If UC leaves any fine swirls/haze will I be able to remove them with Ultimate Polish (being a slightly abrasive polisher)? Deep crystal being a pure polish with oils and no abrasives, will it do any thing to them. ( although i dont believe so)
5) Now Polish, putting the abrasives aside which provides a better and deeper gloss/shine to the paint before wax? Or do they contain around the same polishing oils. If DC is that much better maybe I can remove small imperfections of UC with scratch x 2 or swirl etc.
6) As far as waxes I am unsure whether to use , Deep Crystal, Gold Class, NXT, or Ultimate. Which one provides the best/longest protectant and best shine?

Also after doing some reading I found that they all contained different products. DC is a carnauba and synthetic polymer blend. I believe Gold Class is the same thing. I also believe NXT and Ultimate is pure synthetic.
7) Now I am aware that NXT and Gold Class also contain either polishing oils or cleaning agents? Which one contains which. The thing about this is that it seems redundant considering I will have already polished the full car. If it contains any cleaner is there any chance of it removing/harming the coat underneath or removing a coat of wax underneath on the 2nd coat? Should I just use one of the other ones.

I am sorry for all these questions. Can you tell I am excited to go detail the beamer! I just dont wanna harm any thing further. It would be great if one of you experienced enthusiasts can take a look at this and give me their experienced answers and opinions!

Cheers

-anant

[Murr1525]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

My main goal is our black BMW 335i that is filled with medium swirls on the hood and some scratches. I was unsuccessful with removing them with Turtle wax polishing compound liquid.

Well, hard to say what the reason was. Could be the product, could be your technique, could be your paint is hard to work on... lots of factors.

Heres the paint process:
1) Wash - any car wash
2) clay bar - ill pick up the clay bar kit soon
3) Compound - Ultimate Compound(or something lighter)
4) Ultimate Polish or Deep Crystal by hand
5) Wax - With one of Meguiars by hand
Does this seem alright?

Yeah. Just be sure to wash with two buckets, good soap, good towels, etc.

Now for my questions:
1) Does the wash and wax car wash contain a film of wax? Is it better to just use regular wash if I am waxing anyways? Or does it mean it is meant for waxed surfaces?

Yeah, the Wash n'Wax has wax in it.... I tend to use a regular soap if detailing after, and the UW&W if doing nothing after.

2) Does Ultimate Compound work on swirl marks or is it too abrasive? Is Swirl X meant for swirl marks or will UC do the job?

Just names... UC is stronger, SwirlX is milder. I would go with UC if working on a big area, seems like bad swirls, etc.

3) Is it proper to use compound on the whole body? Or is it better for spot scratches? Does it provide an enhancement to the paint or is it solely a scratch cleaner? If the rest of the car is flawless is there any point?

Well, UC would only need used where needed.... but if the whole car needs it then it can be used everywhere. If not, you could UC where it is needed, and then use the SwirlX/Ult. Polish over everything to even it out.

4) If UC leaves any fine swirls/haze will I be able to remove them with Ultimate Polish (being a slightly abrasive polisher)? Deep crystal being a pure polish with oils and no abrasives, will it do any thing to them. ( although i dont believe so)

Yes, Ult. Polish would be good.

5) Now Polish, putting the abrasives aside which provides a better and deeper gloss/shine to the paint before wax? Or do they contain around the same polishing oils. If DC is that much better maybe I can remove small imperfections of UC with scratch x 2 or swirl etc.

If the surface was perfect, they'd be pretty even. But it never really is, and Ult. Polish would be good for your mild cleaner in the future anyway, so may as well use it.

6) As far as waxes I am unsure whether to use , Deep Crystal, Gold Class, NXT, or Ultimate. Which one provides the best/longest protectant and best shine?

Well, Ult. wax will last longest generally speaking. Looks is kind of a personal choice.

Also after doing some reading I found that they all contained different products. DC is a carnauba and synthetic polymer blend. I believe Gold Class is the same thing. I also believe NXT and Ultimate is pure synthetic.

Yes.

7) Now I am aware that NXT and Gold Class also contain either polishing oils or cleaning agents? Which one contains which. The thing about this is that it seems redundant considering I will have already polished the full car. If it contains any cleaner is there any chance of it removing/harming the coat underneath or removing a coat of wax underneath on the 2nd coat? Should I just use one of the other ones.

Eh, we're talking very mild here, not like a cleaner/wax. Just go with what you like best.

[anant]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

Thanks Very much Murr for you quick reply. By the way the swirl marks were already there when we bought the car used. I never used a buffer so swirls to that caliber would have been impossible

[anant]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

Also does DC polish contain abrasives. And does compound affect paint gloss at all? Just out of curiosity what is your preference of wax?
All other opinions are welcomed and wanted.

[Murr1525]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

DC Polish is oils only.

The UC would improve paint gloss if that paint is in bad shape, if that is what you mean.

I liked using the new Ult. Wax, just takes a little time to get used to.

[anant]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

Well what i mean with the cmpd is that if I apply it to regular flawless paint. Will I notice a difference in the shine after using UP and a wax

[Murr1525]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

On some paints, UC will finish out perfectly. On some others, you may need to follow up with a milder product like Ult. Polish or SwirlX for it to really be flawless.

Now if the paint was in great shape, you wouldnt be working in the UC as hard, so less likely to leave any marring behind. But would still depend on the paint if it needed followed up with something milder.

[anant]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

Thanks , but I think you have misunderstood my question.

If I take for example the door tht has perfect paint and no scratches. If I apply UC, then UP , then wax will there be any difference in shine/gloss of the colour than if I had just applied UP and wax to the same door. In other words, if there are no scratches/defects is there a point of using UC.

[Murr1525]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

No, if there is no defects, no need to use it.

If you just needed UC in one spot, say under door handles, you would just use it there, then U. Polish everything to even it out.

I guess the only caveat for your question would be if the paint wasnt as flawless as it seemed, and the UC did removed something the U. Polish couldnt. Would have to do test spots to see, but that is the only way UC would 'appear' to make flawless paint better than U. Polish alone.

[Cloin]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

I appologize for thread stealing a little but my questions are similar to OP. But with the additional question about using a PC does that affect which product selection should be made. I have a black car as well and many recommend the look of the UW over the NXT 2.0 but the NXT is "formulated" for use with a random orbital? Is that just packaging lingo or is it a better choice than the UW if I am going to use power instead of elbow grease? Thanks for the responces Murr.

[Murr1525]

Re: Questions about my Meguiars detailing process and product choice.

Ult. Wax is fine for a DA polisher, done it that way myself. Seemed to need a little more at first, then goes back to the pad being loaded like usual.

All the products would be fine by hand or DA.