complete detail by hand stumped ????

[WhiteCamaro88]

im going to do a detail by hand and i have the following products

nxt car wash
meguiars quick clay
dc #1
dc #2
nxt tech wax

now my car is a 94 so the paint is 11 years old should and there is scratches (white paint) should i buy scratch x or color x and whichever one seems right for me does it replace dc #1 or fit in somewhere ???

any advice would be greatly aprreciated i am holding the detail off cuz im not sure about the color/scratch x ???

dc #2 says formulated for darker paints is it safe for use on white ??

[Cole'sCarDetailing]

I did a full detail of a 1992 White BMW 540i that had never been waxed a week ago and had awesome results after using ColorX. It took almost all of the noticeable scratches off.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: complete detail by hand stumped ????

Originally posted by WhiteCamaro88
I'm going to do a detail by hand and i have the following products

NXT car wash
Meguiar's quick clay
dc #1
dc #2
NXT tech wax

now my car is a 94 so the paint is 11 years old should and there is scratches (white paint) should i buy scratch x or color x and whichever one seems right for me does it replace dc #1 or fit in somewhere ???

any advice would be greatly appreciated i am holding the detail off cuz I'm not sure about the color/scratch x ???

dc #2 says formulated for darker paints is it safe for use on white ??

ScratchX is a more effective scratch remove than ColorX as ScratchX is a dedicated paint cleaner while ColorX is a all-in-one cleaner/wax. If you want to remove scratches and other defects by hand, then go for the ScratchX. It will replace the step you would have used Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner as this is also a dedicated paint cleaner, it's just not as aggressive as ScratchX.

Deep Crystal Polish is a pure polish and can be used on any color single stage paint or clear coat paint, it creates the most noticeable effects on medium to dark colors because white paint and light colors because of the nature of their color, don't offer a lot of depth and reflectivity. Polishing light colored paints is still good for the paint, it's just you won't see a dramatic visual difference.

Here's a good process to follow

Wash
Clay
ScratchX
Polish
NXT Tech Wax - Two thin coats

Stand back and admire the results.

[WhiteCamaro88]

one more question for you mike i have purchased both scratch x and dc#1 now the scratches are far away from each other so i wouldnt be using scratch x on hardly any paint should i use dc#1 after scratch x in the places that arent scratched

sorry if its confusing im just confused on the cleaning part of the process

thanks for your help im in a bit of a slump here

[Murr1525]

Dont worry, learning and figuring things out is hardly a slump.

ScratchX would be great on just the big scratches/swirls, then if the rest of the paint inbetween is swirl-free, or at least to your liking, run over the whole thing with the DC#1. No need to avoid where you ScratchX'd, and just easier to do the whole area than avoid them probably.

[TKDDAD]

That didn't last long

Only 6 weeks old and scratches !!...not sure what I did wrong but only put a coat of NXT on last weekend and the hood is horrible...had a paint protectant applied when i bought it (actually was on the car already)...anyway I washed it tonight and pulled it in the garage under the lights...yuck...lots of swirls and what looks like some etching...I guess I need to wash, colorx, then NXT again ?...I'm doing it all by hand so what else should I consider ??...thanks..

[Mike Phillips]

Re: That didn't last long

Originally posted by TKDDAD
Only 6 weeks old and scratches !!...not sure what I did wrong but only put a coat of NXT on last weekend and the hood is horrible...

NXT Tech Wax is completely non-abrasive, so the scratches,

* Came from somewhere else, perhaps your applicator?
* There was dirt present on the hood?
* The scratches were already present, perhaps filled in or you didn't notice them?

had a paint protectant applied when i bought it (actually was on the car already)...anyway I washed it tonight and pulled it in the garage under the lights...yuck...lots of swirls and what looks like some etching...I guess I need to wash, ColorX, then NXT again ?...I'm doing it all by hand so what else should I consider ??...thanks..

You should try to track down the root-cause of the scratches to prevent them from being instilled again after removing them. Perhaps your washing process? This is the most common method of instilling swirls and scratches.

Removing swirls and scratches out of clear coat finishes can be very difficult by hand if the paint is very hard at all and that is usually the case with new cars, that is the paint tends be be more on the hard side of the scale versus the soft side of the scale. It can be done, but it takes the right product and the right technique.

You can try ColorX, but ScratchX is a dedicated paint cleaner and more effective at removing below surface defects than a cleaner/wax like ColorX.

Try this...

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

We've never met anyone that regretted purchasing a dual action polisher as they are more effective at removing defects out of paint and do all of the work for you.

Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

Remember, clear coat finishes are Scratch-Sensitive, they are easily dulled and scratched and once they are dulled-down and instilled with scratches it requires the right products and the right application and removal techniques to undo the damage. This includes your applicators and your removal materials, as in your polishing cloths. Something to consider.