Need a little help :)

[Skywitit23]

He's guys! Been awhile since I posed but I'm still on the beginner side of things.. My friend detailed my whole car pretty much yesterday while me watching and learning.I have a 2012 mustang race red, we used 3 products Ultimate compound the consumer line and then I went out and bought the swirl remover 2.0 professional line, I forgot the number..We hit the car with UC on a wool pad, then the polish on a polishing foam pad..The car came out nice, I'm curios tho if we did have in fact have to hit the car with a wool pad or could we have just use another foam pad? My car did have some nice swirls but nothing crazy, my friend said in some spots he used the wool vs the foam.. Is it better to use foam more with let's say 5 passes or just use the wool in 2? I'm guessing the wool but are you taking a lot more clear and paint off with wool vs the foam?

Next question is where I need the help, after the polish we waxed the car, carnauba I think is what he had, I then did some buffing myself in certain areas and used my NXT 2.0. My question is should I have used a paint sealant before the wax? I was reading that the paint sealant is just like a wax, you don't do both? But then some videos I see people "seal the paint" then wax... I'm kinda confused on the topic...So should I apply anything else on the car before I start driving again? I wanna make sure it's protected really good..I hate swirls lol... Thanks guys sorry for the long read..

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a little help

Well, to fix a swirl, you would need to remove the same amount of paint, whether using foam or wool, or MF.

The only area of concern is that with wool pads and a rotary, you can easily go past that and cause damage if the user isnt experienced. So with a newer detailer, we would say foam and an extra pass or two to stay safe.

As far as waxing, that is really just personal preference.

Some people like 2 coats of carnuba wax, some like 2 coats of a synthetic product, and some like 1 coat of each. Just up to you. Generally you would put the synthetic on first in that case....

And the wax wont really stop scratches, or anything... a microscopic layer of wax isnt going to stop a stone being dragged across your paint. You really want to focus on your washing technique, tools, etc to cut down swirls.

[Skywitit23]

Re: Need a little help

Ok Yeah I'm fairly new to the rotary en.., I did the top part of my roof yesterday and my front bumper, my fiend had to leave. I used the wool first then foam then wax, it came out nice no swirls, no mirroring, holograms nothing I was really happy, then I got crazy and started doing more of the car

Ok so first you want a synthetic which would be the non man made waxes? And then carnauba wax? I also used quick detailed spray as well after the wax..

Should i I get more of the professional line instead of consumer? He told me to get #85 and 82? I couldn't find neither so I got the swirl 2.0 , but I do have at home swirlX did I just buy the kinda same stuff? Lol

so as far as a paint sealant or non made wax, which you prefer to call it lol what should I get? Or I already have it in the NXT 2.0?

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a little help

Once things are cleaned up, and kept that way, really should never need wool again anyway. And not really a rotary either....

Synthetic would be like Nxt 2.0, Ult. Wax, #21 2.0.

Really best to just leave the wax alone once it is applied, not qding right away.

The Consumer Line and Pro Lines aren't better or worse, just different goals, sometimes different price points... It sounds like your friend is a bit more familiar with the older products. These days, we would tend to say to use #205 or Ult. Polish as your mild cleaner/polish.

SwirlX and #9 Swirl Remover 2.0 are in the same ballpark as the #205... hard to say if you would see big differences.

I just use 2 coats of Ult. Wax... I think it is a step up from the Nxt Wax, but the liquid version applies a bit differently, so have to be aware. And esp good if used with UQW after future washes.

[Skywitit23]

Re: Need a little help

Well I doubt my car is gonna stay swirl free lol it's my DD winter/summer I mean unless I'm doing something wrong. What do you mean I shouldn't need a wool pad or rotary again? It's all I have should I not be using a rotary? It has many speeds, elaborate for me if you may?

Question, what about if my car eventually seems faded? Wouldn't I need the rotary again? To polish or something? How do I keep the paint looking "rich"? Also what does the cleaner wax actually do? Does that keep the paint rich? Or am I completely way off lol

ok being I have swirlX already and now #9 should I use my swirlX before my #9? Should I have bought the #205 instead of these others? This is what gets me confused..I don't know which is better or not there's to many lol should I buy #21? I'll apply 2 coats of that and call it a day correct? So thee for I do not need regular wax like my NXT or a carnauba? You apply this wax with a hand foam pad?

yes my friend use to detail awhile ago so you may be correct, I just want to keep my paint golden..Being my compound part is done and I guess the polish state, what else do you do to the paint? I see so many more products? "Machine glaze #3, BSP swirl free polish #82, show car glaze number 7? Then on the cleaner side which means to me I don't know what lol, mirror glaze pro, mirror glaze liquid ? Then under waxes and sealants , you have mirror glaze sealant 2.0, hi tech liquid wax...My point here is there's so many different products I wouldn't even know what to use to achieve my goal cause theres so many.. Sorry for the long read I don't mean to bash your head in, just trying to understand so the next time I do a car or another car I know what to do..

[1994Gen1L]

Re: Need a little help

Well I doubt my car is gonna stay swirl free lol it's my DD winter/summer I mean unless I'm doing something wrong. What do you mean I shouldn't need a wool pad or rotary again? It's all I have should I not be using a rotary? It has many speeds, elaborate for me if you may?

Question, what about if my car eventually seems faded? Wouldn't I need the rotary again? To polish or something? How do I keep the paint looking "rich"? Also what does the cleaner wax actually do? Does that keep the paint rich? Or am I completely way off lol

ok being I have swirlX already and now #9 should I use my swirlX before my #9? Should I have bought the #205 instead of these others? This is what gets me confused..I don't know which is better or not there's to many lol should I buy #21? I'll apply 2 coats of that and call it a day correct? So thee for I do not need regular wax like my NXT or a carnauba? You apply this wax with a hand foam pad?

yes my friend use to detail awhile ago so you may be correct, I just want to keep my paint golden..Being my compound part is done and I guess the polish state, what else do you do to the paint? I see so many more products? "Machine glaze #3, BSP swirl free polish #82, show car glaze number 7? Then on the cleaner side which means to me I don't know what lol, mirror glaze pro, mirror glaze liquid ? Then under waxes and sealants , you have mirror glaze sealant 2.0, hi tech liquid wax...My point here is there's so many different products I wouldn't even know what to use to achieve my goal cause theres so many.. Sorry for the long read I don't mean to bash your head in, just trying to understand so the next time I do a car or another car I know what to do..

My 2011 Race Red F150 looks good after an application of Ultimate Polish, Ultimate Liquid Wax, and Gold Class Carnauba Plus + Quick Wax.

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a little help

Well I doubt my car is gonna stay swirl free lol it's my DD winter/summer I mean unless I'm doing something wrong. What do you mean I shouldn't need a wool pad or rotary again? It's all I have should I not be using a rotary? It has many speeds, elaborate for me if you may?

Not to say it isnt possible, but the general trend is that the best finish will be from a milder machine, such as the DA polisher. And milder pads, products. Even any swirls that show up now should be solvable with milder means, ieven if you wanted to stick wih the rotary.

Question, what about if my car eventually seems faded? Wouldn't I need the rotary again? To polish or something? How do I keep the paint looking "rich"? Also what does the cleaner wax actually do? Does that keep the paint rich? Or am I completely way off lol

Well, there are two things going on with clear coat paints. The base coat, where the color is, could fade over time. But since it is under the clear coat, you really cant do anything to it.

The clear coat is what you can work on. By keeping it clean, polished, waxed, it will stay healthy longer, so provide protection as much as possible. The clear coat also is where the gloss comes from... so keeping the surface clean and defect free will allow the most gloss.

Assuming you maintain things well, there will only be dirt and very light swirls at most to remove. That can be done with clay, and then a mild-medium strength products, like a cleaner/polish (which covers the clean/polish steps), or a cleaner/wax (which covers the clean / polish / wax steps).

You would tend to get better results from a cleaner/polish, then wax... but a cleaner/wax can save time, so just a trade off.

ok being I have swirlX already and now #9 should I use my swirlX before my #9? Should I have bought the #205 instead of these others? This is what gets me confused..I don't know which is better or not there's to many lol should I buy #21? I'll apply 2 coats of that and call it a day correct? So thee for I do not need regular wax like my NXT or a carnauba? You apply this wax with a hand foam pad?

As long as the car is in good shape, I dont think you'll see a huge difference, and can just use them up. Or try a panel of each and stand back and look. #205 would probably be the thing to buy in the future though.

You can wax with a hand pad if you like.

Nxt 2.0, #21 2.0, and Ult. Wax are all synthetic. Nxt 2.0 and #21 2.0 are basically the same product. So, just 2 coats and done would be fine.

If you wanted to try a carnuba wax (Gold Class, #26) in the future, thats just up to you.

yes my friend use to detail awhile ago so you may be correct, I just want to keep my paint golden..Being my compound part is done and I guess the polish state, what else do you do to the paint? I see so many more products? "Machine glaze #3, BSP swirl free polish #82, show car glaze number 7? Then on the cleaner side which means to me I don't know what lol, mirror glaze pro, mirror glaze liquid ? Then under waxes and sealants , you have mirror glaze sealant 2.0, hi tech liquid wax...My point here is there's so many different products I wouldn't even know what to use to achieve my goal cause theres so many.. Sorry for the long read I don't mean to bash your head in, just trying to understand so the next time I do a car or another car I know what to do..

A lot of the Pro line products may be made to work best in very specific environments, specific tools, pads.... Its really more than the average person needs to worry about.

For a car already in good shape, just doing something like:

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean/Polish - #205, etc as mentioned above
4. Wax
5. Wax

6. Maintain - Ult. Quick Wax after future washes

will keep things nice and shiny.

[Skywitit23]

Re: Need a little help

Thanks Murray for your replies, so let's see if I get this straight. The cleaner/wax is a cleaner/polish/wax (less aggressive?) correct? and the cleaner/polish ex: swirlX,#9,#205 (more aggressive?) or aggressiveness has nothing to do with it? Would ColorX be considered a cleaner wax?

Well being a DA is 250-300$ I have to stick to my rotary, good practice too, but the DA is a better product to use with basic mild cars? The rotary is used for bad cars I assume?

I have #21 in my shopping cart should I not buy it because my NXT 2.0 is basically the same? The only thing I wonder is it is couple years old maybe I should buy the #21 and chuck the NXT and also buy carnauba? What I would do being I'm anal is 2 coats of #21 and one coat of carnauba then my UQW, or whole I actually take away from the finish because of to many layers?

I also wanted to ask you about painted rims I'm not sure what to hit it with compound wise or polish? I'll post a pic. I have the dyna cone from meguiars

[Skywitit23]

This is what I have I'm gonna wash it now first before anything then clay

[Murr1525]

Re: Need a little help

Thanks Murray for your replies, so let's see if I get this straight. The cleaner/wax is a cleaner/polish/wax (less aggressive?) correct? and the cleaner/polish ex: swirlX,#9,#205 (more aggressive?) or aggressiveness has nothing to do with it? Would ColorX be considered a cleaner wax?

When you combine steps, you will tend to lose some of the 'strength' of each step.

But the cleaner/waxes do cover a range... the A12 is very mild, Black Wax is mild, ColorX and #66 are medium... White wax is a little stronger.. the Paint Reconditioning Cream is fairly strong.

The cleaner/polishes tend to be mild, and then the compounds are stronger.

ColorX, SwirlX, #205, White Wax would probably get you about the same defect removal by machine.

Well being a DA is 250-300$ I have to stick to my rotary, good practice too, but the DA is a better product to use with basic mild cars? The rotary is used for bad cars I assume?

I'm not saying it cant be done well... just that more errors get made with a rotary, more of a chance of hazing, etc.

I have #21 in my shopping cart should I not buy it because my NXT 2.0 is basically the same? The only thing I wonder is it is couple years old maybe I should buy the #21 and chuck the NXT and also buy carnauba? What I would do being I'm anal is 2 coats of #21 and one coat of carnauba then my UQW, or whole I actually take away from the finish because of to many layers?

I'd skip the #21... At least as long as the Nxt seems to shake and mix well.

3 coats isnt terrible, but no need for more. Save the UQW for after future washes.

I also wanted to ask you about painted rims I'm not sure what to hit it with compound wise or polish? I'll post a pic. I have the dyna cone from meguiars

Well, same as paint... After you washed them, you could use something mild like the SwirlX, or or stronger like the UC.

You would want to wait till your next detail to clay.... can remove some wax otherwise...

[The Guz]

Re: Need a little help

Murr has given you some great info. You can get a DA polisher for pretty cheap.

Good price for a porter cable. I picked mine up for $90 when they were on sale.

http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-7424XP-6-Inch-Variable-Speed-Polisher/dp/B002654I46/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386714219&sr=8-1&keywords=Porter-Cable+7424XP

You could even look into getting a DA polisher from harbor freight. They seem to be getting good reviews over on autogeek. They just need a better backing plate.

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-variable-speed-dual-action-polisher-69924.html

The car will get swirls but you can limit the amount you get by using a proper washing technique (2 bucket) and avoid automatic car washes. Maintenance products like ultimate quik detailer and ultimate quik wax will help in the longevity of the wax/sealant you are using, in this case NXT. Then the next time you polish the car you may only need to use something less agressive such as white wax, M205 or ultimate polish rather than compounding once again.

M205, ultimate quik detailer and ultimate quik wax are great products and I recommend you have them in your arsenal.

[gclark26]

HF also has an additional $10 off coupon making the final price $54.99. I ordered one as a backup