Critique my process/products

1

1500canoe

New member
I`m new to relatively serious auto care and detailing. Until a month ago I didn`t know what a 2 bucket wash was or anything like that. I have learned a lot reading these forums.

I have started by collecting a bunch of quality microfiber and products (that were not cheap), so for now, no DA. I intend to get a Porter Cable and compounds/polishes for some older vehicles later, but as my primary vehicle is 1 month old, the paint is in good shape with very few visible swirl marks. This is a daily driver. Below is what I plan to do about twice a year (full treatment), once now in the Spring and once in October/November before the salt trucks and winter gets going. I can up this to 3 times a year if needed.


  1. Iron-X to take care of any rail dust, etc that may be on the vehicle, rinse after
  2. Clean chrome wheels, tires, wheel wells, Meguiar`s Hot Rims Chrome and Meguiar`s Hyperwash
  3. 2 Bucket Wash with Dawn to help strip any wax etc. (for regular washes I`d use Meguiar`s Hyperwash)
  4. Clay w/ Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Pinnacle Clay Lubricant
  5. Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion (applied by hand for now)
  6. Light IPA wipedown (10% solution)
  7. 2 coats of Collinite 845 by hand with ~1 hour wait between coats
  8. Exterior glass/mirrors with Stoner`s Invisible Glass
  9. 303 Aerospace Protectant as desired on plastics/trim, tires, mud guards, wiper blades, etc.

At some point I`d like to swap out the clay for a gentle nanoskin mitt, just because I think that will be easier/quicker. I did consider Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 or Mazerna Power Lock as other possible LSPs, but settled on the Collinite 845. I may experiment a bit later on. I have heard that 845 can be applied over either of those products, but that may be overkill. For regular washes I`d skip the Iron-X, Dawn, clay, IPA, and Collinite. So, just a wash.

I have no idea where a QD fits into this or would help me. I also have no idea if Dawn is the way to strip old sealant/wax and prepare for re-treating, or if there is something better suited.

Any feedback, critique, product suggestions, etc. are welcome and appreciated!
 
1500canoe said:
... I did consider Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 or Mazerna Power Lock as other possible LSPs, but settled on the Collinite 845.
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These are all great sealants, 845 being is a wax/sealant hybrid. The extra $19 or so for Wolfgang buys you an easier-to-use product and maybe an extra few weeks or a month of protection (in hot weather).

1500canoe said:
I have no idea where a QD fits into this or would help me.
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After a full detail, maybe the following day, a QD will enhance the look and possibly remedy any wax dust or smearing. Back in the day when polishes and waxes were very dusty or slimy, we had to wash our cars after a full detail, but the products are so much better that it`s not really necessary.

You`ll find other uses for the QD as well. As a drying aid, it`s a must-have. I also use it after a waterless wash if there`s smearing due to my lack of care or mixing the WW too strong.

To me, all processes look better after a QD!
 
rlmccarty2000 said:
Skip the Dawn. It has been proven not to strip old wax. The paint cleanser will do the job.
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So when you`re looking to "reset" your LSP and re-apply, you`d just use whatever wash method and soap/shampoo that you`d normally use (followed later by the paint cleanser)?
 
1500canoe said:
So when you`re looking to "reset" your LSP and re-apply, you`d just use whatever wash method and soap/shampoo that you`d normally use (followed later by the paint cleanser)?
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This will probably sound like a BS answer, but it just depends. Really.

If everything`s fine except the LSP has started to degrade, I often just reapply with zero special prep. (Autopian Heresy, but it works fine for me..no claying/etc., nothing but a wash).

If there`s marring you might want to correct it, in that case that`ll be the pre-wax prep.

If it`s in-between those two extremes you might be able to just clay it, or use a Decontamination Wash product, or yeah..the Paint Cleaner.

If you stay ahead of the curve (spot-clay as needed at every wash, reLSP before it`s really necessary), and don`t mar it up when you wash (perhaps the biggest challenge in Detailing), then just wash it and apply another coat of wax as needed.

FWIW, and this is just me, I wouldn`t do any layering of LSPs. I`d find one product that you like and just do that as needed. And I`ll never buy another (of my six or eight favorite varietyies of) QD again in this lifetime since discovering Garry Dean`s Infinite Use Detail Juice, which does everything those QDs did and does it all better for far less cost.

And (as I just keep on posting :o ) I`d never use something like 303 on exterior trim. NEVER. Prep it with Griot`s Rubber Prep (yeah, plastics too, not just rubber), and then seal it with Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus. I haven`t used the Slime Approach on exterior trim since forever. (OK, OK, end of rant...for now ;) )
 
Accumulator said:
If you stay ahead of the curve (spot-clay as needed at every wash, reLSP before it`s really necessary), and don`t mar it up when you wash (perhaps the biggest challenge in Detailing), then just wash it and apply another coat of wax as needed.

I`ll never buy another (of my six or eight favorite varietyies of) QD again in this lifetime since discovering Garry Dean`s Infinite Use Detail Juice, which does everything those QDs did and does it all better for far less cost.

And (as I just keep on posting :o ) I`d never use something like 303 on exterior trim. NEVER. Prep it with Griot`s Rubber Prep (yeah, plastics too, not just rubber), and then seal it with Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus. I haven`t used the Slime Approach on exterior trim since forever. (OK, OK, end of rant...for now ;) )
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Great tips, thank you! I like the idea of being able to "cheat" another coat of LSP on if things are pretty decent. So long as it adheres...

I had not yet heard of Garry Dean`s Infinite Use Detail Juice but this looks like something I`ll be trying soon.
 
1500canoe- I`ve never had issues with my LSPs adhering unless I tried some oddball combo, certainly never from not doing an Autopian-level prep each time the way Conventinal Dogma says you oughta ;)

"If you don`t clay or use a Paint Cleaner your wax won`t work right/be durable/[whatever]" simply isn`t true IME. IF you wait too long it`ll not look swell, but that`s about it. Before too long you`ll probably want to do some correction anyhow, and that job`ll be sufficient "proper prep" for another long round of just washing and waxing.

Note that I *would* always spot-clay during each wash, using something *very* gentle like Sonus SFX clay and their Glyde Lube. You migfht want to do a quickie rewax of clayed areas if you`re more aggressive about it than I am (most people are), but it`s often unnecessary to rewax the whole panel.

At the first sign of some undesirable change (e.g., maybe the beads don`t look quite as spherical or somesuch..) do another coat. I`d just see how that goes for you before doing more. You can always get more Autopian about it as need be.

Since I can`t quit kicking this topic around...if you use a Trim Sealant instead of 303/etc. you can be the same way about your trim ;) (Ok, OK...I really will drop it now!)

The IUDJ seems to be 100% compatible with FK1000P...and my other LSPs too. I don`t try to use it for, well...Infinite Uses...but for a QD/Drying Aid/etc. it finally got me off the FK415/FK146/[my other QDs] bandwagon, and I was a HUGE fan of FK425!
 
The only thing I have to offer is forget the trim dressings. Do yourself a favor and just use a coating. Polish angel black bond or Dr. Beasley trim coating are both easy and durable.
 
Mike lambert- Are coatings like the Beasley as, uhm....Accumulator-proof as *Trim Sealants* like UTTG+? I can`t mess that stuff up if I try.
 
Accumulator said:
Mike lambert- Are coatings like the Beasley as, uhm....Accumulator-proof as *Trim Sealants* like UTTG+? I can`t mess that stuff up if I try.
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Okay, now y`all have me looking at trim sealants/coatings. How long do you think the UTTG+ lasts on a daily driver that is usually parked in a garage? It seems a little pricey, but if a 12oz bottle lasts for a while and the sealant itself lasts for a while... I could see trying this out!
 
1500canoe- I can`t really say just how long it lasts (seems my vehicles are so pampered that my experiences aren`t the norm), but it`ll be a lot longer than dressings do. Wipe it with UQW/etc. as your Drying Aid and I wouldn`t expect it to need redone for quite a while. And like so many products, it doesn`t take much; I bet most people over-apply and end up wiping off the excess (I wipe on, then buff dry with an old MF).

I`d hate to waste your money, but I really do just *love* that stuff. One of those products that I`ll always have on the shelf. When I think about switching to a Trim Coating, I can`t help but wonder why I would...
 
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