New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

[Joseph D]

Ok, thanks to this forum I've come up with a plan to keep my brand new Honda Pilot in good/great condition. Just took it home from the dealer, so I don't know the extent of the damage yet, if any. But I did check it out in the sun and there are very very faint swirl marks. I'm sure it'll show up more once I wash it a couple times. I do plan on cleaning the marks, but not for a few weeks.

BY HAND
1. Wash. Got two buckets from Home Depot. Waiting on two grit guards in the mail. Will use meguiars microfiber mitt. After that, can I go straight to the leaf blower (already have one) or is it recommended I blot with a water magnet first?
2. Clay. Meguiars smooth surface kit (no need to wash after the lube is used right?)
3. Ultimate Black Wax.
4. Ultimate Liquid Wax.

That will be the initial and ongoing maintenance. Once the extent of the swirl marks are known, I may look for a used DA polisher, and once I grow the cajones to use it on a new car, will go with whatever product I need to take off the swirl marks. I may practice on my beat up 2002 black honda accord first.

How does this plan sound?

[Joseph D]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

EDIT: I guess there is no Ultimate black wax, just Black Wax? So replace #3 with "Black Wax."

[s word]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

Good process to begin with. Can;t go wrong with a two bucket method. You won't need both Black Wax and Ultimate Wax. You can save time and just use the Black Wax to give you the slight correction you want and protection. Then later on (few weeks/months) do the Ultimate wax.

[Stephan]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

Use the blower then the magnet. Only one wax needed. Get some supreme MF towels.

I just wipe after clay with some fresh QD.

Here's 2013 TL Black after clay, #7 Polish and #26 Carnauba. You should invest in some D114 Rinse Free Express Wash.

[Detailing by M]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

Get some Ultamate Polish and polish it!
Black loves polish.
I like Black Wax but it doesn't polish that well, so use it now and polish it with a polish asap.
Polishing by hand stinks but it is possible.
Get a DA asap, there safe, easy to use and very "noob" friendly.

[Joseph D]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

I was thinking two stage wax because that's what I saw through my searches. I'm also kinda lazy so I hear the Ultimate wax lasts longer?

Polish before wax right? The polish won't take after a wax?

1 - Wash
2 - Clay
3 - Ultimate Polish
4 - Black wax/ultimate liquid

Does that sound right?

[ffboy]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

Right, Polish before Wax. Polish will make black even blacker, richer looking and deeper. Ultimate Polish does contain a small amount of cleaning agents that might be too weak for light swirls, so consider that. You might want to try Ultimate Compound if you are not satisfied with the results you're getting with ultimate polish. Ultimate Polish can conceal the swirls. Another alternative, is wash, clay, SwirlX, Black Wax, Ultimate Wax then M26 (Optional).

[Joseph D]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

Ok, so I sort of took Please Wash Me Detailing's advice. Sort of. Instead of a full blown DA system (I really only have one car to take care of) I got cheap and went for the Meg's DAPS system.

New plan. First time I'm going to wash (two buckets grit guard) and clay. Then Ultimate Polish with the DAPS system and then ULW. I will check for swirls in between the clay and polish steps.

Then, if there are marks (I'm sure there are), I will go with either: Swirlx? Scratchx 2.0? or should I just run with UC on the maroon pad on the DAPS system? I have another really neglected 10 year old black accord I can practice on with the UC.

But I don't want to mess up my wife's new Pilot with UC. Feel more comfortable with something softer etc.

[Murr1525]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

What would be best is to do a test spot or test panel with the UP, and see how it turns out. Then go to the UC right away if needed, rather than doing the whole car, and it not being right.

[Stephan]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

But I don't want to mess up my wife's new Pilot with UC. Feel more comfortable with something softer etc.

That's very good thinking!!! Don't mess up your wife's car.

You mentioned very light swirls. Start with lightest pad first, don't jump right into a heavy cutting pad. A yellow pad should do the trick.

p.s. Clay won't eliminate swirls, so checking before polishing won't tell you too much.

[Joseph D]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

That's very good thinking!!! Don't mess up your wife's car.

You mentioned very light swirls. Start with lightest pad first, don't jump right into a heavy cutting pad. A yellow pad should do the trick.

p.s. Clay won't eliminate swirls, so checking before polishing won't tell you too much.

I meant to check to see if there were any swirls at all. It hasn't been washed yet from the dealer, so I'm assuming there are swirls, but they can't be seen yet. once I wash it, and clay it, it should be clean. So any swirls will be seen then.

I'm assuming there will be swirls though. I don't expect to be that lucky guy who gets a black car from the dealer with no swirls in it!

[Joseph D]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

What would be best is to do a test spot or test panel with the UP, and see how it turns out. Then go to the UC right away if needed, rather than doing the whole car, and it not being right.

So forget the scratchx/swirlx? Jump straight into UC?

[Murr1525]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

Yeah, usually no need for every product combo inbetween... you can use UC on the polishing pad to make it milder as well.

Again, just a test spot with that as well... then proceeding over the car if it looks good.

[Detailing by M]

Re: New to detailin: New Black Honda Pilot plan

The DAPS is a fine tool.
If you compound with a foam pad you'll risk creating marring, haze on the paint. Not a problem but then you have to polish out the hazing.
So that's why I'm suggesting just polish.
And do paint correction with the DAMF System.
But do some test spots, I could be wrong. That happened once in my life