Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

[MarlenaMarley]

Hey folks! I'm Marlena, feel free to call me Marley! I recently purchased a 2007 Mazda CX-9 GT, Crystal White Pearl Mica with black trim. (For whatever reason, I can't attach a photo, but this is the car: http://zombiedrive.com/mazda/2010/mazda-cx-9.html). Laugh if you must, but I'm of the sort that names my cars. This one here is Sydney. Again, laughter is acceptable, but as a mother of four, this is my dream car. That being said, I take care of my cars. Wish my husband shared that mentality, he has an '04 Mazda 3 that he treats like GARBAGE. Runs her almost completely out of oil, no checkups, refuses to rinse the salt off her in the winter, and is now missing a grille after over a year of having it duct taped to the hood after one of the fixtures broke. It drives me NUTS. You'd think he got that thing for free the way it gets neglected. Sorry, I'm rambling. It's a sore subject. Moving on. My cousin-in-law is a mechanic, and is teaching me some basic maintenance; checking/replacing fluids, keeping an eye on the condition of belts and hoses, oil changes, brakes, general stuff like that. But when it comes to the exterior, I have no idea what I'm doing. I did some googling for a wash/wax/polish regimen, but I found SO much conflicting information as to what products to use, how to use them, what order to use them in, how often to use them, that I feel more confused than I did when I first started!!

Unfortunately, my beautiful Sydney does not have the luxury of living in a garage. We rent our home, which comes complete with a GIANT garage, but we can't use it because our landlord has had five or six cars stored in there for YEARS. They're just sitting there, covered in dust and rusting to pieces, while the cars that we paid a lot of hard earned money for are constantly exposed to the Ohio elements because our landlord is a hoarder. Sorry, rambling again. It's another sore subject. We live in a rural-ish area, and we have a gravel driveway, so I don't have a whole lot to worry about as far as contaminants/debris goes. Tree pollen, dust, bird droppings, that's pretty much it. I have the time (and am willing to invest the money) to take care of her every weekend, for what it's worth. And yeah, I know she's 'just a stupid SUV crossover', a 'not-so-special soccer mom car', or 'not a nice enough car to invest the time, money, and energy detailing, so why would I even bother' (real quotes from real *******s after I asked for advice on facebook), but obviously, I don't feel that way. She's a beautiful machine, she's MY beautiful machine, and if I treat her right, she'll stay that way. I'm proud of my car, and I think it's silly that people think I shouldn't pamper her just because she's not a lambo. Yeah, I roll up to soccer practice to pick up a bunch of small humans, but I'll be damned if she's not gonna be the shiniest, prettiest car there. Can you tell I have an issue with rambling???

I washed her last weekend using Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo & Conditioner, dried using Meguiar's Quik Detailer and some waffle weave towels, then waxed using Meguiar's Cleaner Wax Liquid (I've heard not to use cleaner wax too often because it can damage the finish?) and some microfiber cloths. She looked beautiful, but there were still a bunch of swirls/spiderwebbing. What products should I use (and how should I use them) to get rid of those and get her finish back to the brilliant smooth, glassy look? I'm sure it goes without saying that I'm doing everything by hand. I don't have a machine buffer or anything fancy, just some elbow grease and determination. Can anyone recommend a wash/wax/polish detailing routine? What products should I use, in what order, and how often? And what about the black plastic trim? Any product recommendation for that specific part, or should I just wash it, wax the paint, and leave the trim alone? I'm the epitome of a detailing noob, so thorough and detailed responses would be highly appreciated! I wanna make sure that I'm doing everything right, and that I'm not inadvertently doing more harm than good. And please, no bashing about how stupid my car is, she's not worth the hassle, blah, blah, blah. I know, but I obviously don't care.

[Blueline]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

Sorry, my eyes glazed over about a third of the way through.

Wash
Clay
Compound
Polish
Wax.

[The Guz]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

Nothing wrong with what we all consider our dream car. But we are all here because we enjoy taking care of our cars and having them look good. You are off to the right start.

Don't let the whole abrasives damaging the finish scare you off. Yes some cleaner waxes have abrasives. For sure a compound and polish have them. They are safe and will not strip off your clear coat after one use. I'll let Michael Stoop give you the technicalities when he gets back from Detail Fest. The right microfibers are a thing to have. Cheap microfibers can scratch the paint.

Blueline gave the outline on what the typical 5 step is. You can only do so much by hand. You can make the car look better but you will not be removing a majority of the deeper swirls and scratches. Claying is important. Google the baggie test. That is a good indication if you need to clay or not. Also ultimate quik detailer is not meant to be used as clay lube as it contains polymers that are to slick to allow the clay to remove the surface contaminants.

I always recommend this kit to someone starting out. It comes with everything one needs.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Meguiar-s-Ultimate-Results-Bundle/29670206

If you are looking for a quick detail then you would

Wash
Clay
Cleaner Wax


Cleaner waxes are all in one products. They clean, polish and protect. White wax offers the most cleaning power.

You ask how often to do it. A good rule of thumb that has been passed around here is when the quick detailer you are using starts to feel grabby then it's time to reapply. Synthetic waxes last longer than a carnauba or a cleaner wax.

In regards to the trim, cleaning it with some all purpose cleaner (D101) really helps prepping the surface for a trim protectant. Ultimate black would be the trim protectant to use. If you are looking for a trim cleaner that is available over the counter, Mother makes a back to black heavy duty trim cleaner that works really well.

[Meticulous-Detail]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

A little something I put together for customers, this is very GENERAL and for those NOT familiar with detailing.

Detailing: To meticulously clean, polish and protect all parts of a vehicle from top to bottom, inside and out, utilizing special tools and products that would not normally be used by your typical car wash.

Maintenance Wash: General maintenance wash is for a vehicle whose exterior has been well maintained with polishes and sealants. This wash utilizes a gentle shampoo that will not strip wax or sealants and add gloss and shine.
Decontamination Wash: Decontamination wash is for vehicle whose exterior has been neglected and has above surface contamination and swirl marks. This wash utilizes a strong soap mixture to remove dirt and strip wax in preparation for removing the above surface contamination and swirl marks.

Clay Bar: used to remove above surface paint contamination, paint overspray and industrial fallout. Paint contamination is tiny metal shavings from rail dust, brake dust, and industrial fallout. Paint contamination can be felt as a "rough or gritty" texture on the paint's surface as opposed to the “smooth as glass” texture. After this process the paint is left clean and smooth and ready for either compounding or polishing.

Below Surface Contamination: Types of below surface contamination could be water spots, bird dropping etch, tar stains, and tree sap stains. These types of contamination usually occur when a vehicles paint surface is left unprotected from the elements and the contamination is not immediately removed. These types of contamination usually require a combination of chemical cleaners, compounds and polishes to remove and restore the paints appearance.

Swirl Marks: Swirl marks come from improper washing and drying techniques and automated car washing systems. Utilizing pre-rinse or pre-soaks, grit guards in wash buckets, clean microfiber mitts, air blower to dry and clean plush microfiber towels with detail spray to dry the vehicle, along with the proper pressure all reduce the possibility of instilling swirl marks.

Paint correction: the process of removing these defects from a vehicles paint finish through machine compounding/polishing. This process will produce the most dramatic and eye dazzling results, as each panel of the vehicle is polished until near perfection.

Paint Coatings: permanent and semi-permanent paint coatings, glass coatings, trim coatings and even wheel coatings offer far greater protection than a conventional car wax or paint sealant. Paint coatings are resistant to alkaline cleaners, road salts and other harsh chemicals that can find their way from the road to your vehicle’s delicate finish. Most paint coatings are resin or quartz based. A paint coating forms a much stronger, harder bond and thicker layer of protection, enabling them to last considerably longer than wax/sealants. Most paint coatings last a minimum of one year while others, are semi-permanent and only need to be re-applied every couple years.

Paint Sealants: Synthetic products, composed mainly of polymers, designed for long-term paint protection and easy application. Paint sealants last longer than carnauba wax, usually 4-6 months, and are resistant to the elements. The latest polymer technology allows paint sealants to give the same gloss, depth and shine of a carnauba wax.

Carnauba Wax: Carnauba is the hardest natural wax on earth and offers water repellency and UV protection. Carnauba waxes offer maximum shine, slickness and gloss. Topping a paint sealant with a carnauba wax will also extend protection 1-3 months.



Step 1: Follow directions of the product and brand you are using.



Step 2: Start with Wheels and Tires:

Read directions and make sure the wheel cleaner is safe to use on the type of wheel you have. Clean wheels and tires with an all-wheel and tire cleaner with various bushes/mitts. Rinse very well. After the entire car is dried go back to the wheels and give them a polish if needed and then use a sealant. Keeping the wheels protected with a sealant will make them easier to clean because the dirt won’t stick to the wheel. To maintain the wheels after a deep cleaning you only need car soap and water.



Step 3: The Wash

Rinse entire car getting all the loose dirt off. Wash using two 5 gallon buckets with grit guards, 1 with clean water and 1 with soap and water, after each use dip the mitt in clean water before putting back in soap and water. Start at the top and work your way down. Rinse again using the flooding method, take nozzle off the hose and let the water just cascade the soap and water off. This method will leave less water on the paint.



Step 4: Drying

Use a leaf blower to dry the car and then a microfiber waffle weave towel to pat dry or lightly wipe the remaining water off. Use a light mist of detail spray with the towel to prevent scratching. Never use a dry towel on paint.



Step 5: Clay

Claying removes above surface bonded contaminants - these include industrial fallout, paint overspray, tree sap mist, bird droppings, etc. This prepares the paint for polish or compound.



Step 6: Compound

Compound removes below surface defects - these include fine scratches, swirl marks, etching, oxidation, etc. Follow directions and do small sections at a time 2x2.



Step 7: Polish

Polishing creates high gloss, shine and luster. Follow directions and do small sections at a time 2x2.



Step 8: Paint Sealants (optional if using a wax)

Paint sealants last longer than carnauba wax, usually 5-7 months, and are resistant to the elements. The latest polymer technology allows paint sealants to give the same gloss, depth and shine of a carnauba wax.



Step 9: Paint Coatings: permanent and semi-permanent paint coatings, glass coatings, trim coatings and even wheel coatings offer far greater protection than a conventional car wax or paint sealant. Paint coatings are resistant to alkaline cleaners, road salts and other harsh chemicals that can find their way from the road to your vehicle’s delicate finish. Most paint coatings are resin or quartz based. A paint coating forms a much stronger, harder bond and thicker layer of protection, enabling them to last considerably longer than wax/sealants. Most paint coatings last a minimum of one year while others, are semi-permanent and only need to be re-applied every couple years.



Step 10 : Carnauba Wax (optional if using a sealant)

Carnauba waxes offer maximum shine, slickness and gloss, but will not last as long as a sealant. Topping a paint sealant with a carnauba wax will also extend protection 2-3 months. Follow directions carefully.



Step 11: Maintenance

Follow the washing and drying steps above using a gentle soap that will not strip wax or sealant

Detail Spray or Waterless Wash: Use for light spot cleaning of dirt, bird droppings, bugs…etc.

Spray Wax: Use a spray wax after every other wash to boost your paint protection. Use a spray wax that can be applied to plastic trim, glass, wheels …..etc. and apply to entire car.


If your looking for some fantastic OTC products go with Megs clay bar kit, Megs ultimate compound, Megs ultimate polish and Megs ultimate paste wax. Fantastic products and very user friendly.

[Murr1525]

Yeah, just got to take it easy at first.. not going to get all the first day.

By hand or DA polisher, this woyld be great.

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. A cleaner wax like colorx or white wax
4. Ult wax

5. Ult spray wax after future washes

Just keep it simple, and worry about good quality mitt, applicators, towels.

Defects can be dealt with in the future, and easier once the car is clean and you are more familar.

IronX and Tarx are good products are if the car needed a deeper cleaning, but easy to use.

[MarlenaMarley]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

So much helpful info!! Thank you all SO much!! I've been looking into claying, and my husband said that once I get more familiar with products/procedures and such, he's gonna get me a Porter Cable DA 7424XP polisher, which I'm really excited about.

[MarlenaMarley]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

I initially misread step 3 as 'Clorox' and not 'colorx'!!

Clorox like the BLEACH???!! That absolutely CANNOT be right!!! = P

[MarlenaMarley]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

Guz, can you expand a bit on the 'grabby' part, please? Lacking detailing experience, I have no idea what grabby feels like, lol! Thank you so much for the advice!

[Murr1525]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

Grabby may not be the best word, but just kind of a paint only feeling, and not the extra slickness of the wax on top.

Really just have to get it cleaned up and waxed the real nice so you know what smooth feels like, and how the water runs off... then you can see and tell when it isnt like that as much anymore.

[The Guz]

Re: Overwhelmed with there to even start!!

It's when you spritz a little detail on the paint and the microfiber feels like it is dragging on not moving freely. That is what I meant by "grabby". It's a big difference in feeling in comparison to a waxed surface that is slick.

Another thing is when the water just sits on the paint looking flat. Here's an example of what a surface can look like with no protection on it. I stripped this area on this test hood so there is nothing on it. So the water just sits there and is just flat.