First time car will be detailed...need some advice

[draco159]

Hi everyone! I have been lurking for months and finally created an account last night. Here is what I have going.

The car is a 2005 Subaru WRX Wagon that is in pretty good condition for a daily. The swirls are only evident when your face is against the paint, and there are some bird dropping etchings on the hood and two doors (from the previous owner ). I purchased the car in May of '09 and have not even clayed the car since then, so there is no wax or anything on the car. Bad I know.

I currently live in an apartment complex due to college and cannot wash my car at the complex. My other resort is either coin machines or a touchless wash, I do the latter when I can't make it home. I am able to go home about every other weekend and giver her a GC wash, but due to time constraints, I can't give the complete detail she needs till about May. I do have time though to give a full detail while at the apartment, but I will be using a touchless wash unless you guys think a coin one would be better.

Here is what I have in my arsenal as of last night:
- GC car wash (already at home)
- GC Clay Kit
- DP2 Polish
- SwirlX
- NXT 2.0 Liquid Wax

I may try and snag some UC by the time I can fully detail in case the SwirlX can't fix what's been done. In the meantime, what should I do?

Here are some pics of the car. This is how it looks as of now with only a GC wash. No detailing at all has been performed since I have owned it:

[HCAD]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Welcome draco. Definitely clay before you polish. Try the products you have first and then determine what your next needs are. The "touchless" wash you mentioned, are you talking about the drive-in variety? If you're going to polish your car, you'll need a better wash than that. Try something like Optimum No Rinse, it's apartment friendly.

[Murr1525]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

ONR is a good option.

The coin-op places can be good if you take you own soap, bucket, mitt. Just have to go at a really early time so you dont block anything up.

Glad I got rid of my 05 Legacy.... hated cleaning those wheels.

So,
Wash
Clay
Clean - SwirlX/UC as needed
Polish - Optional - DC2
Wax
Wax

[draco159]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

I didn't even think of bringing my own wash supplies/buckets, good idea Murr! Yeah most people here go through either the drive in touchless washes or the touch ones that pull your car through. There are more touch ones here than touchless, which is surprising.

How long on average does that regime Murr listed usually take? I'm assuming a half day ordeal if I just want to get it "good enough" for a daily. I am actually more concerned about the etching than the swirls as you can't even see the swirls by doing a walkaround.

Do regular 5 gallon buckets from Home Depot work with those grit guards?

[Murr1525]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Well, I'd probably skip the polish this time, since you have other things you want to focus on. The car doesnt look terrible, so hopefully claying wont be too bad. Dont forget the glass.

If you arent working in the SwirlX real well to remove swirls, you will move faster. I think 4-5 hours would be more than reasonable.

Usually I wash the car one day. Save the interior for another day. Do the mufflers, etc another day, once or twice a year. Once or twice a year I'll do the wheels real good. You know, keep it simple and enjoyable.

[draco159]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Alright, I appreciate the help guys!

How about this regime for starters:
wash
clay
clean (SwirlX lightly, UC over tough stuff if SwirlX didn't get it)
wax (2 layers nxt)

And say after I get the etchings mostly gone, is it better to use ColorX or a cleaner/wax before the final coats of pure wax?

P.S. Oh and those 2 holes in the rear hatch are covered by an emblem now, so no fear of water going in and doing damage.

[Shawn T.]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Paint Cleaners: Swirlx and Ultimate Compund; possibly Scratchx but not totally necessary. Order of aggressiveness from least to greatest: SwirlX, SctratchX 2.0, Ultimate Compund. Be sure to use ScratchX 2.0 and not the original formula as the original is weaker than SwirlX.

Polishes: Either Deep Crystal Polish or M07 show car glaze. They are both very good and will add great depth to the paint.

Microfibers: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY!!!!! I would recommend about 12 to begin with. Walmart has decent quality ones but you could always go with the incredible Supreme Shine Microfiber from Megs.

Wax: I like Gold Class, only tried NXT once and it was very good also. It really comes down to a personal preference. If you plan on applying the wax by hand, I recommend the paste but for machine application I suggest the liquid. The differences in the paste and liquid versions come down to a personal preferences.

Cleaner Wax: Cleaner Wax (A12), the consumer version, is very good and does a nice job of providing a little more muscle to remove slight oxidation and very mild swirls. Colorx is a much stronger cleaner wax, comparable to M06 Cleaner Wax. I have yet to use it but I have heard nothing but good reviews. These can be used if you are running low on time and still want to mildly correct, polish and wax the car.

Dressings: I like M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner Conditioner for tires and some exterior trim. I also like Supreme Shine Protectant for tires and outdoor trim. Natural Shine Protectant is great for interiors and for people who prefer a low gloss on their trim pieces.

Quick Detail Spray: Quik Detailer is great and does a fantastic job. Ultimate Quik Detailer is equivalent to M135 as it utilizes the hydrophobic technology (the product is “afraid” of the water and therefore the water will either bead or sheet off the car).

Dressings: I like M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner Conditioner for tires and some exterior trim. I also like Supreme Shine Protectant for tires and outdoor trim. Natural Shine Protectant is great for interiors and for people who prefer a low gloss on their trim pieces.

Quick Detail Spray: Quik Detailer is great and does a fantastic job. Ultimate Quik Detailer is equivalent to M135 as it utilizes the hydrophobic technology (the product is “afraid” of the water and therefore the water will either bead or sheet off the car).

Applicators: I prefer the foam applicator pads because they are the least agressive of the applicator types (foam, microfiber, terry cloth-->this is from least aggressive to most aggressive).


Spray Wax: Quik Wax is a good product but Ultimate Quik Wax is even better. You can use these after you wash the car in order to boost the already established wax. This should really be used as a booster wax more than the base layer but it will work great either way.

[Shawn T.]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Because you are using a paint cleaner, I would recommend using a pure polish afterwards. I would follow this with a pure wax of some kind.

That being said, I will many times chase my paint cleaner with Cleaner Wax or Colorx. Afterwards, I top with two more layers of GC Carnauba Plus. A bit strange to some, but I love the shine it leaves.

[draco159]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Paint Cleaners: Swirlx and Ultimate Compund; possibly Scratchx but not totally necessary. Order of aggressiveness from least to greatest: SwirlX, SctratchX 2.0, Ultimate Compund. Be sure to use ScratchX 2.0 and not the original formula as the original is weaker than SwirlX. I will try least to greatest and see which one works the best.

Polishes: Either Deep Crystal Polish or M07 show car glaze. They are both very good and will add great depth to the paint. I goofed on my original post, I do have the Deep Crystal Polish. Not sure why I put DP2 instead of DC2, maybe I was thinking polish haha.

Microfibers: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY!!!!! I would recommend about 12 to begin with. Walmart has decent quality ones but you could always go with the incredible Supreme Shine Microfiber from Megs. I'll be sure and try some of those Meguires ones!

Wax: I like Gold Class, only tried NXT once and it was very good also. It really comes down to a personal preference. If you plan on applying the wax by hand, I recommend the paste but for machine application I suggest the liquid. The differences in the paste and liquid versions come down to a personal preferences. All I have ever used is liquid actually, I guess I'm too nervous about paste for some reason.

Cleaner Wax: Cleaner Wax (A12), the consumer version, is very good and does a nice job of providing a little more muscle to remove slight oxidation and very mild swirls. Colorx is a much stronger cleaner wax, comparable to M06 Cleaner Wax. I have yet to use it but I have heard nothing but good reviews. These can be used if you are running low on time and still want to mildly correct, polish and wax the car. If I have time for a cleaner after weekly washes, would ColorX be too strong as opposed to using A12 in its place?

Dressings: I like M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner Conditioner for tires and some exterior trim. I also like Supreme Shine Protectant for tires and outdoor trim. Natural Shine Protectant is great for interiors and for people who prefer a low gloss on their trim pieces. I've never tried Meg's dressings outside of the interior ones, which I use all the time. I'll pick some up!

Quick Detail Spray: Quik Detailer is great and does a fantastic job. Ultimate Quik Detailer is equivalent to M135 as it utilizes the hydrophobic technology (the product is “afraid” of the water and therefore the water will either bead or sheet off the car). Comes with the detail kit, and it will definitely be used a lot.

Applicators: I prefer the foam applicator pads because they are the least agressive of the applicator types (foam, microfiber, terry cloth-->this is from least aggressive to most aggressive). I havn't seen foam in stores, but I'll look at all the shops nearby.

Spray Wax: Quik Wax is a good product but Ultimate Quik Wax is even better. You can use these after you wash the car in order to boost the already established wax. This should really be used as a booster wax more than the base layer but it will work great either way. I've read this is good for weekly wash applications, I'll be sure and add it!

Because you are using a paint cleaner, I would recommend using a pure polish afterwards. I would follow this with a pure wax of some kind.

That being said, I will many times chase my paint cleaner with Cleaner Wax or Colorx. Afterwards, I top with two more layers of GC Carnauba Plus. A bit strange to some, but I love the shine it leaves.

I have Deep Crystal Polish and NXT 2.0 liquid, so that should do the trick. Like I asked Cooper above, is ColorX too aggressive for a weekly wash?

Thanks guys!!

[draco159]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Well, I'd probably skip the polish this time, since you have other things you want to focus on. The car doesnt look terrible, so hopefully claying wont be too bad. Dont forget the glass.

If you arent working in the SwirlX real well to remove swirls, you will move faster. I think 4-5 hours would be more than reasonable.

Usually I wash the car one day. Save the interior for another day. Do the mufflers, etc another day, once or twice a year. Once or twice a year I'll do the wheels real good. You know, keep it simple and enjoyable.

My interior is clean pretty much every day, so exterior is all I would be focusing on really. And I've never clayed glass, but I'll be sure and do that.

[Murr1525]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

If you are using SwirlX and UC, there is really no need for a cleaner/wax type product.

In the future, and what I tend to do, is use a cleaner/wax for a quick detail. So like:

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

And then twice a year maybe, or even once if busy, do a more 'full detail', that will do more to remove swirls, water spots from the course of the year, such as:
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean - SwirlX, etc
4. Polish
5. Wax
6. Wax

As a side note, you might really want to get something like Ultimate Quick Wax for after your future washes, really seems to extend the life of the wax.

[Murr1525]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

If you are washing weekly, and using a spray wax each time, there should not be a need for a weekly cleaner/wax.

But yes, the Cleaner/Wax or ColorX would be mild enough to use monthly if needed, but you may find you get more life than that out of your wax. Who knows.

[draco159]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

If you are using SwirlX and UC, there is really no need for a cleaner/wax type product.

In the future, and what I tend to do, is use a cleaner/wax for a quick detail. So like:

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

And then twice a year maybe, or even once if busy, do a more 'full detail', that will do more to remove swirls, water spots from the course of the year, such as:
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Clean - SwirlX, etc
4. Polish
5. Wax
6. Wax

As a side note, you might really want to get something like Ultimate Quick Wax for after your future washes, really seems to extend the life of the wax.

If you are washing weekly, and using a spray wax each time, there should not be a need for a weekly cleaner/wax.

But yes, the Cleaner/Wax or ColorX would be mild enough to use monthly if needed, but you may find you get more life than that out of your wax. Who knows.

Oh okay, I think I'm starting to get how all of this works together. So UQW after every wash after I lay down a few coats of NXT this week. This will take place of a cleaner stage outside of the two or so times a year I address swirls and such. Man, I really appreciate all of your time guys!

[Murr1525]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Well, the spray wax will 'boost' the layers of Nxt wax, so it looks better and lasts longer. But at some point the surface wont feel as nice, the water wont run off as well, etc, and then it is time to re-wax with a proper wax like Nxt. That is where you would decide between a full detail with all the steps, or a quick one, like cleaner/wax + wax.

[draco159]

Re: First time car will be detailed...need some advice

Well, the spray wax will 'boost' the layers of Nxt wax, so it looks better and lasts longer. But at some point the surface wont feel as nice, the water wont run off as well, etc, and then it is time to re-wax with a proper wax like Nxt. That is where you would decide between a full detail with all the steps, or a quick one, like cleaner/wax + wax.

Alright, excellent. I assumed the original wax would degrade over time, and that was only a step to make it last as long as possible(in a way). This all makes sense now, actually a lot easier than I thought when looking at a giant wall of products to choose from