My 350Z at Meguiar's - June 24th 2006!

[Beer Goggles]

Ah, ye ole member gallery trick. Sorry I'm just used to uploading them direct from the computer...I edited and the pictures are now for everybodies viewing pleasure.

[Ed 718]

Thanks for hosting the Class Mike and sorry for being late that drive from Palm Desert took me longer than I expected. I had fun today and now the Z guys all want to borrow my Dual Action Polisher. Good thing the polisher has a lifetime warranty.....Ed

Happy Anniversary Mike

[Wired 24/7]

Mike - thanks for a really great class.

As I mentioned to you before, I am a Zaino fan, but that doesn't mean I don't think meguiar's products are awesome.

On that same note, I am really glad I attended the class on Saturday, because I was having a talk with my girlfriend who owns a 03 Civic (blue) and she loves how my car looks, so she said she wants to use my zaino stuff.

Then we washed her car later on saturday and I looked at her paint. (I believe you call this the "Evaluation" step)

She has some marks from not only bonded surface contaminants, but also some water mark residue, and some other random **** in the paint.

Luckily, thanks to this class, I know that Zaino won't do anything for her paint (similar to a pure wax I suppose). I told her the options were to prep the car with clay and then polish, then use zaino or else if she doesn't want to devote that much time, we could just claybar and use a cleaner wax (I DID NOT KNOW THIS BEFORE THE CLASS ) I still love Zaino but I think it is only good for paint in really good condition (like a new car etc).

So... then we talked about her "Goals" and I realized she just wants her car to look good and shiny but swirl marks are not a major issue.

Long story short - we went out and bought some ColorX, I think it is probably the most appropriate product for her. (I already have some clay)

Looking forward to results!

We plan to apply it by hand...since it is a cleaner wax I know we should really work it into the paint.

I actually have a question... when applying by hand, should I do the criss-cross pattern with colorx, or just swirl it on in circle-patterns? In your experience which is the best for applying by hand?

Anyway I know you won't get to this for a while - enjoy your anniversary and I'll talk to you later.

Thanks

-Mike Kahn

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Wired 24/7
:We plan to apply it by hand...since it is a cleaner wax I know we should really work it into the paint.

I actually have a question... when applying by hand, should I do the criss-cross pattern with ColorX, or just swirl it on in circle-patterns? In your experience which is the best for applying by hand?

Hi Mike,

Thank you for the kind words. This was a fun class with a lot of great questions from members from My350Z.com


As to your question about, which direction should you move your hand when applying products to paint goes, here's an article on that topic from you guessed it...

The Information Station


Once you get to the Information Station, there's a sub-forum called Hot Topics and in the sub-forum Hot Topics are most of the answers to the most popular/common questions or topics of discussion on all forums about detailing cars in general and polishing paint in specific.


Circles or Straight Lines?


In a nutshell, as along as the products you're using are non-abrasive, it shouldn't matter which direction you move your hand because you're not instilling scratches into the paint. It really becomes a matter of personal preference or as the above article describes, sometimes you,

"Let the panel be your guide"

My personal preference for using a cleaner wax is to spread the product out using circle motions because it's the easiest way to move liquid film out over a surface area and then once the product is spread out over the area I'm going to work I continue to use circular motions because it's an effective way to work a cleaner/wax into and against the finish. If I come across a long, thin panel such as an A-Pillar, then I use straight-line motions.

Hope this helps...

[Wired 24/7]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
My personal preference for using a cleaner wax is to spread the product out using circle motions because it's the easiest way to move liquid film out over a surface area and then once the product is spread out over the area I'm going to work I continue to use circular motions because it's an effective way to work a cleaner/wax into and against the finish. If I come across a long, thin panel such as an A-Pillar, then I use straight-line motions.

Hope this helps... [/B]

Exactly what I was looking for.

Thanks, and if I have the presence of mind I'll try to snap some before/afters with the colorx

[ZPHILE]

Mike - just want to say thanks!

Mike,

I know that everyone here on the My350z detail thread has said this already - however I need to say thanks myself and really I appreciated your time Saturday. I learned much that day and how not to fear the D/A but to embrace it! Please let all the folks at Mequier's know how much this class helped and how it has instilled some loyalty in me and your products. That'll happen when you see how the stuff really can work. Keep up the great work and hope to run into you again!

H.

[tripmachine]

class...

Mike,

Once again that was an excellent class!! Great information like always! Thanks for using my car as the demo... sorry I didn't have it washed for everyone, ran into a few problems and thought I wasn't going to be able to make it but luckily I still made it. ;] I bought quite a bit of stuff at pepboys and senik as well... I had 4 details over the weekend, still didn't have time to do my car. =/ soon enough hopefully but a lot of people are wanting cheap details so for now i'm just using Color X. If they are only willing to pay me for about 2-3 hours worth of work Color X will have to do for them. ok once again, Great class... hopefully see you on wednesday for a bit.

-Josh

[mikeg8r]

Another BIG thanks, Mike. I really appreciate your "expert" tips both in the class and in the forums. Here's a photo from the day after class... nothing too challenging... Wash, Clean, Polish, Wax. The basics. Next time i'll get some #83 and work on the deeper scratches

[mikeg8r]

I also worked on my wifes car this weekend. I finally got around to taking pics yesterday.





I used #80 followed by #7 and 2 coats of NXT wax this time. That's an awesome combination.

[G2FAST]

Re: My 350Z at Meguiar's - June 24th 2006!

woohooo, nice pictures.......