First car wash on new car.

[RJ522]

Hi everyone. This is my first post here and the information on this site is awesome. Well I just purchased a silver Accord and plan on washing it for the first time this weekend. I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to detailing so just wanted some advice on what to do for the first wash.

I figured I would just wash and apply the quick detail. Should I even go as far as waxing already? I didn't think it would be necessary quite yet. Any advice would be appreciated!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: First car wash on new car.

Hi RJ522,

Seeing that this is your first post... Welcome to Meguiar's Online!

Originally posted by RJ522
Hi everyone. This is my first post here and the information on this site is awesome. Well I just purchased a silver Accord and plan on washing it for the first time this weekend. I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to detailing so just wanted some advice on what to do for the first wash.

I figured I would just wash and apply the quick detail. Should I even go as far as waxing already? I didn't think it would be necessary quite yet. Any advice would be appreciated!

First, invest in a Grit Guard and some quality washing and drying tools.



After washing and drying your car, Wax it!


Don't even wait for it to start going downhill, nip this in the bud and star right off the bat taking care of your car's finish with a premium quality car wax. I use NXT Tech Wax on our 04 Honda Pilot and it looks as good today as it did the day we bought it and I wax about once a month with Tech Wax Liquid and about once a week or more often with NXT Spray Wax after washing.

Barry Meguiar always says,

"Frequent car care is easy car car"

And if anyone knows car care it's Barry. Right now chances are very good your car's finish is in excellent condition as long as the service department at the dealership where you bought it didn't already instill swirls, if not, then you're lucky!

So right off the bat, commit to taking ownership of the washing process and then find a wax you like and use it often and your car's finish will always look like new. It's only when you let the finish go for an extended period of time will it deteriorate and then you'll have to start at the claying and paint cleaning step and work your finish back up to like-new again.

[RJ522]

Thanks for the QUICK response Mike. I've already purchased a line of NXT products including the car wash and Tech wax. Unfortunately I dont have the grit guard but will be on my next list of purchase. I've also read on this site that the cordless buffer would be a good investment for my situation considering the paint job seems perfect out of the dealership.

Well looks like I'm going to be a detail addict after all is said and done. Hopefully the wife doesn't kill me. Thanks again Mike.

[Ranger72]

since you dont have a grit guard, use two buckets. One with the normall ammount of nxt soap and water and the other bucket just with a dab of soap filled mostly with water. Evertime you go back for more soap, first rinse it in the clean pale of water. This will help to keep your soap clean nece less chance of scratching the paint. Also, remember to always start at the top of the car and work your way down.

[imacarnut]

also... right before you start drying, take just the hose (no nozzle) and sheet the water off, so there is less water to dry off and follow up with a quality waffle weave aka water magnet http://meguiars.com/estore/product_d...wel&sku=X-2000 congrats on the new honda!

[ourbail]

I can honestly say that after purchasing Meguiars products and a G-100 my cars paint condition is in better condition than the first day i brought her home. the paint is super slick and wett,and pops big time in the sun or early evening.

[Murr1525]

The cordless buffer is good for applying wax, or polish, things that are applied more delicately. It wont do a real good job with a paint cleaner, removing swirls, etc. You have none now, but they will happen, and it wont be the best to remove them.

It may be easier to just get the G-100, so you dont need to end up buying both later.

[RJ522]

rcknit - Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely be picking one up.

ourbail - Nice ride!! Hopefully I'll eventually be up to par with you when it comes to maintaining a "new" car look.

murr - I would love to invest in the g-100 but there is no plug near where I can work on my car.

[zr123]

I face the same problem (not having a plug near by) so I use a 50ft ext cable... works great

[the other pc]

If the finish doesn't get damaged to the point where you'll need the extra power of the G-100 the cordless should serve you well for routine maintenance. It's a big "if" but it's feasible.

As long as you practice good wash techniques, wash any bird bombs and such off immediately and always keep a tube of ScratchX handy to manually address the damage that the cordless can't handle you should be able to keep your ride looking great.


PC.

[rusty bumper]

Maybe a DC to AC power converter would help here.

Be sure to check the watt rating first........A PC uses about 400 watts according to my estimates, but that is probably running it at full speed.

[RJ522]

Alright, I gave in and bought the G-100 today and waiting for it to arrive. My question is since the car is new (and me still being new to detailing), is it necessary for the polish step before I wax?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by RJ522
Alright, I gave in and bought the G-100 today and waiting for it to arrive. My question is since the car is new (and me still being new to detailing), is it necessary for the polish step before I wax?

Meguiar's always teaches people to first evaluate the condition of the finish and then use the results from your surface evaluation to help you choose the right products for your particular detailing project.

Wash the car, then inspect the finish in bright light like the sun with your eyes, and check for above surface bonded contaminants with your sense of touch using your clean hands.

If your finish is in great condition to start with, then you can simply use your new G100a to apply a wax of your choice using the 3.0 setting.

[silence]

this is a stupid question.
What exactly does the wax prevent? I wash and quick detail once a week and do a full detail once a month. The reason why I ask is that there's always water spots, and marks left from things and the paint is always vulnerable to fine scratches. i'm really anal when it comes to cleaning my car. I just thought i would ask about the wax.

[the other pc]

It's not a stupid question at all. In fact, to understand it accurately and in fine detail requires a PhD in Chemistry, which I don't have so the best I can do is sort of a generalized explanation.

Wax is a microscopically thin and relatively inert sacrificial barrier that helps resist, or at least slow down, chemical breakdown of your paint caused by the environment.

UV radiation from sunlight, atmospheric oxygen, chemical fallout, bird bombs, environmental pollution, tree sap, water impurities and all manner of substances and compounds degrade the integrity of a finish. Waxes (and synthetic sealants) interfere with those chemical attacks an help preserve the finish.

They can't stop all chemical attacks but they can significantly reduce the effects of many and provide at least some protection from most.

The layer is really, really, really thin. It can't provide any significant protection from mechanical damage like scratches, swirls, chips, pitting, etc. The only way to avoid those is to well, avoid them. Which is of course impossible on a car that is actually driven but you can reduce the amount of them with good washing and handling and repair some of them with detailing.


PC.