My system

[Jastal]

When it comes to detailing exterior my process is
1 - wash
2. Clay
3. Cleaner wax
4. Gold class hand wax
5. Tires/wheel well
6. Silicone spray all plastic (makes them look new)

Is this a good system? Also, should i apply final inspection after all of this?

[Michael Stoops]

Re: My system

If this process is giving you the results you want and you're happy with the outcome, then it's a good system. There is no "perfect system" that works for every person, or every car. Achieving expectations without doing unnecessary steps is what we all should strive for. Of course, expectations vary so some people just want to keep their daily driver looking decent, while others want the darn shiniest daily driver in town, and others are prepping for a very high end concours event with a rare and valuable car. Those expectations aren't going to be the same for all the scenarios.

As for the "unnecessary steps" part, that's where your question about Final Inspection comes in. Final Inspection and other mist and wipe quick detailers are designed to allow you to safely and quickly remove light dust and fingerprint smudges without scratching the paint. If you've just washed/clayed/waxed then there really shouldn't be a huge need for a quick detailer, if any need at all. If the wax you're using creates a bit of dust then you might want to give the paint a quick once over with a QD to eliminate that dust, but otherwise there's no need to use one at this point.

What you might want to consider between wax applications, like every time you wash the car, is to then use a spray wax (Gold Class Quik Wax, Ultimate Quik Wax, etc) to help boost the shine and offer a bit more protection. Quick detailers should be used between washes to remove light dust - quick waxes are used immediately following a wash.


Edit to add: Oh, by the way, we've moved this to Detailing 101 and out of the How To Articles section, just so you know.