detailing help

F

Fuelie95

New member
just bought a 2002 toyota celica on may 1st i dont know how to take care of my car such as what to do to it and when, i wash it once or twice a week and i was told that is bad to do. i just bought meguiars show car glaze and hi tech yellow wax, but before i use them i would like to know if i should or shouldn't.

this is the first vehicle i've had that i care what it looks like and i am dedicated to this car:D any info would be greatly appreciated
 
thank you so much for that link, after searching for literally an hour i thought i had read everything:D

but, if anyone could give me some direct how to's for my month old baby it would be great. after reading those i'm still a little confused. i just want to make sure i do everything right. i was about ready to polish wax etc every other week or so. wash once a week and "touch ups" as needed <lots of pollen here> that'll change once i get a cover i hope;) my car is dark blue and i want to keep it shining and healthy

thanks again!
 
Welcome:

You had mentioned that a purchase of Meg products had already been made. It all depends on how much time you can devote to your car. With that product line you may be waxing more often to keep the car in showroom condition. Consider using a polymer sealant, Zaino, Klasse, Blackfire for longevity.



Washing and drying is an important step in keeping the car in tip top shape. If you don't you will induce swirls that only will stand out when your car is waxed. Use only 100% cotton towels or MF (micro fibre)

Keep searching and you will find lots of info here.
 
well, i love spending time on my car, so thats not really an issue, i just need to know when i should do everything :confused:

i am really not so sure. i didn't even know to use 2 buckets for washing :nixweiss i am still looking throught the site, but if someone could give me approximates as to how often i should do everything it would be great
 
Here are some steps, you'll have to do some investigation on how to do each one. If you are using the Meguiar's line, this is what you do the first time:



1) Wash with dawn dish washing liquid. This will remove any waxes, but it will not hurt the paint or clearcoat. Only use dawn when you actually want to remove wax.

2) Put your hand inside a ziplock baggie and feel your paint. If it is rough, try using a clay bar on the car. Search for it and decide if you want to use one. You do not need to dry the car from step 1 if you decide to clay.

3) Wash with a car shampoo, dry completely.

4) Apply glaze once or twice. BTW, what color is your car and do you have any scratches or swirls yet? If so, this step may change.

5) Apply the wax

6) Buy Meguiar's quick detailer and wipe the car down.





Then every week or two thereafter:

1) Wash with car shampoo, dry.

2) Use quick detailer

3) You can layer the wax if you wish, or wait until it wears off (water will no longer bead)



Once the wax wears off you must start all over. I think I quickly outlined the steps, someone please jump in if I missed anything. Of course, depending on your goals on how you want the car to look, these steps may be different. I just provided what you should follow if you want to use the two products you bought. Tell us a bit more about your car, such as the color and if it has any swirls yet, etc. I can also explain some of the steps more if you'd like.
 
I also forgot to ask.....



1) You are willing to spend a fair amount of time weekly on the car?

2) Do you prefer the car to look more reflective like a mirror, or do you like a look that is more deep and wet looking? Both?

3) The cost of detailing can get crazy. Are you trying to keep the cost down or do you not care to a certain level?

4) Is your car parked indoors or outdoors during the day and night?

5) And of course, tell us about your paint like I asked in my previous post.



Sorry about all these questions I have, but I really think it will help us give you exactly what you want.
 
First of all, I would like to extend a welcome to the forum. You will find quite a few answers to those questions and more here.



I have a 2002 Maxima. Within the first month of ownership, this is exactly what I did.



1) Washed car with Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo

2) Clayed car with Clay Magic Kit

3) Polished with Klasse All-In-One

4) Waxed with Pinnacle Souveran



In your case, you would follow similar steps:



a) Dawn Wash

As one poster explained, this removes wax from the finish.



b) Clay Car with either Mothers, Pinnacle, or Clay Magic

Believe it or not, even a car that is "new" has contamination from transit and sitting in the dealer's lot. The clay bar can remove those contaminants.



c) Polish with Pinnacle Paint Cleansing Lotion

This helps cleanse the paint further



d) Apply Meguiar's Show Car Glaze

e) Wax with #26



If Show Car glaze is similar to Klasse Sealant Glaze, you will need to let the glaze cure for 24 hrs before putting the wax on top of it.

The wax adds depth to your finish.
 
For detailing newbies I highly recommend the Autopia Guide to Detailing. It can be downloaded at www.autopia-carcare.com.



This will give you the info you need to develop a detailing strategy. From there you can decide what products and tools you'l need to implement the strategy.



After that its all time, effort, and experience. If you get stuck on a specific problem, many of us here can help.



Good luck, and welcome to Autopia!
 
Just a small addendum to Prinz II's post.



#7 Show car glaze does not need to cure for 24 hours. You can check out the directions on the back of the bottle. Basically, you just need to work the glaze in and move on to the next spot until the whole car has been covered. Then buff off. You can do another coat if you like, but I have always found one to be sufficient. After the #7 is buffed off, your car should literally be "squeaky clean". I have found the cloth to squeak on the car's surface during the buffing. The #7 is mostly fillers and oils to give your car a super shiny wet look. You can now just apply the #26 on top for a spectacular finish. If your car is garage, the #26 is actually quite durable. It should be good for a month to 6 weeks.
 
thank you so much for being that specific and helping me out

to answer some of your questions:

i am pretty much willing to spend an unlimited amount of time on my car , i prefer wet looking but, as long as its shiny, i dont want to go crazywith spending money , but i don't want my car to miss out:) my car is always parked outside (i think i may get it a cover soon) it is asomewhat dark blue and it has little to no swirls and lots of minor "how'd-that-happen" scratches. thank you so much:bow
 
Im also a newbie to the detailing world. I have new Black Type R and this thread helped me out A LOT!!!!



Thanks guy!!

-Steve:xyxthumbs
 
Well, I did all that to my car, it was covered in pollen in 3 minutes. Then it rained the next day. But, i can tell a difference, though. I got one of those california dusters. Are those ok to use for pollen and stuff like that?

With the polish, my car wouldn't get "squeeky clean" I spent so long doing it, though. :mad: I had to say too that I love this site! It <and it's members> have been so helpful! Thanks!
 
Pollen is a ........... I don't like it for anything besideds making new trees.



Some people say Cali Duster is good, some say it is not. I'm not too hot on dragging stuff across my paint like that. Different strokes for different folks.
 
ok, one more thing, i'm sure you all think i'm crazy;) say i waxed 2 weeeks ago and my car is squeaky when i wash it, does that mean i should wax again? and as long as my paint is smooth i don't need to do anything before i wax it other then wash?

thank you so much! :bow
 
#7 and #26 is a good combo! I used to live by it.



Everyone gave some great advice. Starting off with #7 and #26 was a great one, much better than TW or Armour All.



On a car outside 24/7, expect to #26 every month.



Wash once a week and follow up with a quick detailer, I recommend either One Grand Show Off, or Eimann Fabrik Clear Pearl for a carnauba finish.



Never put a cover on a dirty car, always make sure it is clean when tucked away.



I would say use the duster on pollen, but if it rains, wash, don't dust. Well maybe QD if you have "clean" rain.



Post pics,

Jason
 
Hi kevinsmommy99 I too am new to this forum and can't help too much with detailing. But I did own a 2001 Celica GTS. Get a clear bra for that car ASAP. The paint on that car is real thin and chips real bad. Read this



Did you get the GTS Mine was Carbon Blue loved the rush of that car.



Stone Guard



Clear bra



Oh and get rid of the antenna it is too long and makes them look like a radio controled car:D
 
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