So, how often?

[GLOCKer]

How often should I be washing, polishing, and waxing my car?

My car is not a daily driver, and I just completed a wash, clay bar, polish, and wax on August 29th. I've driven the car maybe once or twice since then, so it's not getting a lot of exposure. Come November 1st, my car club is hosting another car show, and I want to make my car look award winning. Should I look forward to just washing it or should I consider a wash and a wax as it gets closer to November 1st?

[jfelbab]

Re: So, how often?

I'd wash, examine the paint for defects, marring and contaminants. If the paint is good, I'd just apply D156/UQW the day before the show and M135/UQD just prior to the judging. If the baggie test shows bonded contaminants, clay and re-examine the paint. You may then need a light polish and a redo of the sealant or wax.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: So, how often?

How often anything needs to be done to a car - from a simple wash to full paint correction and everything in between - depends on two things: how bad it is (how dirty, how dull, how swirled, etc) and what your expectations are. If you did a full detail and got the finish really dialed in on August 29 and it's just been out for a cruise or two since, it should still look darn near perfect other than what little bit of dust it picked up out in the wild. That can usually be cleaned up with just a quick detailer and a couple of microfiber towels.

But that show on November 1 will 2 months post detail session on 8/29. How much will you drive the car between now and then? What kind of condition is it really in right now, and can it be better? As a final prep the day before a show, if you really want to maximize the depth and gloss, a once over with M205 on a foam finishing pad followed by your favorite wax should give the finish a nice lift with minimal effort.

For a judged show, however, you do want to look at a couple of other things:

• make sure the interior is spotless and you don't have any overly glossy or greasy looking product on the dash and door cards
• make sure the glass is streak free inside and out
• pay attention to the door jambs and around the shut lines of the hood and trunk - a little UQW goes a long way to making these areas look their best
• make sure the engine bay is clean and dust free
• the wheels should be spotless, including the barrels of the wheels, not just the face - again, some quick detailer or better yet, some Ultimate Wash & Wax Anywhere can make this task easy even when you arrive at the event
• the wheel wells need to be clean and black, not neglected and left to stand out against an otherwise pristine car - spray some M40 up there and wipe it down with a microfiber pad
• ensure that you have not left any wax residue around emblems, head lights, tail lights, side marker lamps, etc - a bit of quick detailer and a soft detailing brush or old tooth brush works great for this, and in really tight areas those bamboo cooking skewers are awesome

[GLOCKer]

Re: So, how often?

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm a bit lost with the product abbreviations and what is a baggie test?

[jfelbab]

Re: So, how often?

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm a bit lost with the product abbreviations and what is a baggie test?

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?1293-Meguiars-Online-Acronyms-Product-Links

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?44773-The-Baggie-Test-How-to-inspect-for-above-surface-bonded-contaminants

[GLOCKer]

Re: So, how often?

Thanks!