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I will post pics later, but this past weekend I finally started my weekend warrior detailing season (Better late than never) on my GF's dad's 04 TL Nighthawk black pearl (What a great color)!
Background: 04 TL garaged and not driven often. Well maintained with reguilar washes although wash practices could be better. Car had a great deal of spiderweb scratches, minimal water marks. A bunch of fine scratches and a few that were pretty deep.
***A TON OF LEFT OVER DRIED WAX****
Process:
Wash wheels with Detailing Dynamics wheel shampoo and Danase Foaming Soap. Tires and wheel wells got Deep Purple APC diluted 2:1.
BODY:
Washed with Danase Foaming soap with a lil dawn mixed in and chenille mitt
Clayed with detailing dynamics clay with Zaino Z7/water as lube.
Rewashed with foam soap and a lil dawn.
Polish:
Tried using Menzerna IP with cyclo yellow pads on cyclo. Though I was making headway until I still saw minor scratches. For poops and giggles I did a test area with PG on the yellow pads and despite being harsh, the PG didn't really haze the paint. I then went over the PG with 106FF on green pads and it finished amazingly so I went that combo over the entire vehicle.
I was pretty happy after the PG and figured what little was left of the fine scratches would be removed by the 106FF.
****BTW This was my first time using 106FF and let me just tell everyone that if you don't have this polish, you are working TOO HARD. This polish isn't a luxury, I feel it is a MUST HAVE!!! If you do more than your own vehicle 1X per year, you need 106FF****
I polished again using green pads on the cyclo and the 106FF created a great finish. My only concern is that despite my best efforts, I couldn't get a bunch of the fine spider web scratches out, even with multiple passes! *** am I doing wrong. Although the finish is like glass, under flourescent lights and if you look just the right way, you can still see a few of those fine scratches. It pissed me off something fierce!
Second issue, there has to be ab etter way to remove caked on, dried up wax as my clay couldn't remove. I had a small detailing brush that would work, but it took forever. Any tips for removing dried wax to those really tight areas you get tools into?
LSP:
I used ZFX Zaino Z5 x2 with Z6 in between and after the 2nd. I wanted to top with CS but I couldn't remeber if I can use that over the ZFX Z5 right away or if it needed more time to cure. I know ZFX allows teh Zaino sealants to cure, but figured I would use caution. I am going to wash the TL next weekend and follow up with CS.
Please feel free to comment and flame as you wish, as long as I learn from it and get better, I don't care how harsh you are! LOL
Thanks!
I will post pics later, but this past weekend I finally started my weekend warrior detailing season (Better late than never) on my GF's dad's 04 TL Nighthawk black pearl (What a great color)!
Background: 04 TL garaged and not driven often. Well maintained with reguilar washes although wash practices could be better. Car had a great deal of spiderweb scratches, minimal water marks. A bunch of fine scratches and a few that were pretty deep.
***A TON OF LEFT OVER DRIED WAX****
Process:
Wash wheels with Detailing Dynamics wheel shampoo and Danase Foaming Soap. Tires and wheel wells got Deep Purple APC diluted 2:1.
BODY:
Washed with Danase Foaming soap with a lil dawn mixed in and chenille mitt
Clayed with detailing dynamics clay with Zaino Z7/water as lube.
Rewashed with foam soap and a lil dawn.
Polish:
Tried using Menzerna IP with cyclo yellow pads on cyclo. Though I was making headway until I still saw minor scratches. For poops and giggles I did a test area with PG on the yellow pads and despite being harsh, the PG didn't really haze the paint. I then went over the PG with 106FF on green pads and it finished amazingly so I went that combo over the entire vehicle.
I was pretty happy after the PG and figured what little was left of the fine scratches would be removed by the 106FF.
****BTW This was my first time using 106FF and let me just tell everyone that if you don't have this polish, you are working TOO HARD. This polish isn't a luxury, I feel it is a MUST HAVE!!! If you do more than your own vehicle 1X per year, you need 106FF****
I polished again using green pads on the cyclo and the 106FF created a great finish. My only concern is that despite my best efforts, I couldn't get a bunch of the fine spider web scratches out, even with multiple passes! *** am I doing wrong. Although the finish is like glass, under flourescent lights and if you look just the right way, you can still see a few of those fine scratches. It pissed me off something fierce!
Second issue, there has to be ab etter way to remove caked on, dried up wax as my clay couldn't remove. I had a small detailing brush that would work, but it took forever. Any tips for removing dried wax to those really tight areas you get tools into?
LSP:
I used ZFX Zaino Z5 x2 with Z6 in between and after the 2nd. I wanted to top with CS but I couldn't remeber if I can use that over the ZFX Z5 right away or if it needed more time to cure. I know ZFX allows teh Zaino sealants to cure, but figured I would use caution. I am going to wash the TL next weekend and follow up with CS.
Please feel free to comment and flame as you wish, as long as I learn from it and get better, I don't care how harsh you are! LOL
Thanks!
