Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

[Chris'sTaco]

Hey Guys,
New to the site so hi to you all!
Ive been using Meguires products for a little while now. My current system and the steps that i used on my last vehicle (black 2006 civic si) was as follows:
clay bar
sealer
#7 Show car glaze
NXT wax
I was very happy with this system and i had excellent results!

Since my civic ive gotten a 2011 Tacoma in silver. I planned my first offroading trip and used the above steps before the trip in order to protect the paint. during the trip i went through dirt roads, roads with brush on either side, and alot of mud. It seemed like the system protect and held up ok, but i was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for a step by step system that may hold up and protect my paint better in the conditions ill be taking it through while offroading, while still giving it that nice rich and deep shine.

On an off note, should I be using a sealer before or after the show car glaze? I was told by someone that the show car glaze should go on first, but with it being a oil based product, wont the sealer have a hard time bonding to the paint?

EDIT: I do all my detailing by hand by the way.

[Bjkearns]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

your going to be hand detailing a Tacoma??
ugh better man than I

You would really be much better off purchasing either a G110DA or a Porter Cable 7424

[Chris'sTaco]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

your going to be hand detailing a Tacoma??
ugh better man than I

You would really be much better off purchasing either a G110DA or a Porter Cable 7424

I dont really trust myself with any type of powered machine. I watched a buddy of mine do his car with a machine using a similar system to mine and it looked great..... until a few weeks later when you could see a ton of swirl marks.

[David79z28]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Are you sure the swirls weren't added when he washed the vehicle after it was detailed?

After the initial swirls were removed was it properly sealed? I have seen people use products with alot of fillers only to have them wash out....

I use a 7424 PC with awesome results.

It's usually not the machines fault if swirls appear after they were removed with the machine. Fault usually lies in the materials and/ or methods used...

Glaze goes on before wax/ sealants.

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Ive been using Meguires products for a little while now. My current system and the steps that i used on my last vehicle (black 2006 civic si) was as follows:
clay bar
sealer
#7 Show car glaze
NXT wax
I was very happy with this system and i had excellent results!

Well, you're a bit out of order. No need to seal after claying.

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. Clean - Something like SwirlX or Ult. Polish would be a good mild cleaner/polish.
4. Polish - Optional, esp if using a cleaner/polish mentioned above. But this is where the #7 would go.
5. Wax
6. Wax - 2 thin coats are best.

Since my civic ive gotten a 2011 Tacoma in silver. I planned my first offroading trip and used the above steps before the trip in order to protect the paint. during the trip i went through dirt roads, roads with brush on either side, and alot of mud. It seemed like the system protect and held up ok, but i was wondering if you guys had any recommendations for a step by step system that may hold up and protect my paint better in the conditions ill be taking it through while offroading, while still giving it that nice rich and deep shine.

Can only do so much. More a matter of doing it often. If in a hurry, you could do a detail like:
1. Wash
2. ColorX
3. Wax

which would cover all the steps, and do it quickly.

On an off note, should I be using a sealer before or after the show car glaze? I was told by someone that the show car glaze should go on first, but with it being a oil based product, wont the sealer have a hard time bonding to the paint?

As mentioned above, you are a bit out of order.

EDIT: I do all my detailing by hand by the way.Scottwax

Moving to a machine or not is up to you. Bit more of an investment, but certainly helps.

[Chris'sTaco]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Well, you're a bit out of order. No need to seal after claying.

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. Clean - Something like SwirlX or Ult. Polish would be a good mild cleaner/polish.
4. Polish - Optional, esp if using a cleaner/polish mentioned above. But this is where the #7 would go.
5. Wax
6. Wax - 2 thin coats are best.



Can only do so much. More a matter of doing it often. If in a hurry, you could do a detail like:
1. Wash
2. ColorX
3. Wax

which would cover all the steps, and do it quickly.



As mentioned above, you are a bit out of order.



Moving to a machine or not is up to you. Bit more of an investment, but certainly helps.

So what's the point of a sealer then? I was under the impression that a sealer acts a "hard coat" and is the most protective layer of the paint? Looking around here you guys seem to use the term sealer and wax interchangeably? Sealers and waxes are the same thing?

[Shawn T.]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Sealants are usually totally synthetic while waxes are based off of carnauba. That's the main difference but you can use the word interchangeably for the most part.

In your case, the sealant would be NXT 2.0. What was your "sealer" before when you were using it after claying?

For Meguiars waxes and sealants, using M07 Show Car Glaze before does not interfere with their bonding. In fact, M07 and M26 Hi-Tech Yellow Wax is still an amazing combination. Also, NXT 2.0 and Gold Class Carnauba Plus have oils in them to begin with.

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Some companies say they want their products on a bare paint surface. Meguiars says their products work good after a good paint cleaner/polish, and that certainly seems to be the case.

[Chris'sTaco]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Would m205 polish work as a cleaner? Then glaze and wax?

[jgrockwell]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Shawn T. and Murr1525

Im confused....I want to accomplish what christaco is. Protect the paint on my black car, BTW. Shawn I have the same exact car. 2009 Black Civic Si

Problem
1. Road Rash from rocks, sand, anything that kicks up from the highway and daily driving. On my bumper and hood, got all these tiny little nicks and chips. Unavoidable, I know.
2. Protectants, Sealers, and/or lots of wax to protect my black car as best it can from the elements and upcoming winter. Salt is so heavily used in NJ/NYC area.

I have been reading the threads and now I seen some posts about sealants. #20,21, 80? Which one should I use? Or should I even use it?

Where does this fit in the 5 step process, please just hold my hand and list it out.

1. wash (2 bucket)
2. clay
3. clean (right now its pretty good as is, swirls are really at a minimum. It's really shiny now, best I ever had. So what should I use?
4. Polish (is this where I should be using a sealant, if so which one is right for me?)
5. Wax, wax, and maybe wax again?

thanks guys

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

Would m205 polish work as a cleaner? Then glaze and wax?

#205 and Ult. Polish are similar. They would could as cleaner/polishes, so covering both steps. Mild cleaner, and some polishing oils.

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

1. Road Rash from rocks, sand, anything that kicks up from the highway and daily driving. On my bumper and hood, got all these tiny little nicks and chips. Unavoidable, I know.

Going with a clear bra type of thing is really the only way to prevent it.

2. Protectants, Sealers, and/or lots of wax to protect my black car as best it can from the elements and upcoming winter. Salt is so heavily used in NJ/NYC area.

Ult. Wax or Nxt 2.0 would be the best protecting. And then washing as much as possible, with a Wash n'Wax or following up with Ult. Spray Wax to prolong the wax.

I have been reading the threads and now I seen some posts about sealants. #20,21, 80? Which one should I use? Or should I even use it?

Well, first..

#20 - Mild Cleaner/Wax
#21 2.0 - A synthetic wax, similar to Nxt 2.0.
#80 - a mild cleaner/polish - so not really what you are looking for.

Where does this fit in the 5 step process, please just hold my hand and list it out.

A wax or sealant would come last.
Keep in mind, we go with Meguiars terms here, different companies call different products different things, just to add confusion.

1. wash (2 bucket)
2. clay
3. clean (right now its pretty good as is, swirls are really at a minimum. It's really shiny now, best I ever had. So what should I use?
4. Polish (is this where I should be using a sealant, if so which one is right for me?)
5. Wax, wax, and maybe wax again?

1. yes - good quality towels, sponges, etc also.
2. yes
3. Well, you could go with a mild cleaner/polish like Ult. Polish or SwirlX.
4. No, this step would be optional, and refers to a pure polish, which means a product with only oils in it, like #7, or DC Polish.
5. 2 thin coats are recomended.

So a simple detail could look like:
1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. Clean - Ult. Polish
4. Wax
5. Wax

or:
1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. ColorX - this is a cleaner/wax, so covers the clean, polish, and wax steps at once. Speeds things up, but wont have as good of cleaning, or wax, etc as seperate products would. But its pretty darn good for being faster.
4. Wax

[jgrockwell]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

So a simple detail could look like:
1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. Clean - Ult. Polish
4. Wax
5. Wax

or:
1. Wash
2. Clay as needed
3. ColorX - this is a cleaner/wax, so covers the clean, polish, and wax steps at once. Speeds things up, but wont have as good of cleaning, or wax, etc as seperate products would. But its pretty darn good for being faster.
4. Wax

Thanks Murr, my detailing questions answered.....I have to find a place that does the clear bra's in NJ. Any suggestion on which one? I see that there are a few of them...

btw, McCutchen is a beast!

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a New Detailing System to protect my paint

I have to find a place that does the clear bra's in NJ. Any suggestion on which one? I see that there are a few of them...

I think the 3M is popular. Getting a good installer is probably more important, have to see if anyone from your area chimes in with some experience.

btw, McCutchen is a beast!

Well, got us to football season at least...