Dog vs Corvette.... uh oh

I

islesun

New member
I bought a brand new 2002 car and would like to detail it myself. I am beginning to wonder what I am getting myself into. This is very involved. The thing is I am half way into products purchased and just about into the no return zone. The challenge I face is not enough time and no garage. I figure my detailing will have to be done first thing in the morning and late afternoon.



I am very new to detailing. Just a few weeks ago I thought polishing and waxing was the same thing. I am trying to understand the whole process, wash, polish, sealer, and wax for the exterior and then there is the interior. This forum has been a wealth of information. I am a perfectionist and will not attempt something unless I can do it the right way, all the way.



Anyway, the question is, do I put a coat of wax on it now? A co-worker told me that I need to put a coat of wax on it ASAP because the car dealer probably only put a gloss on, which is not enough to protect the clear coat paint. Okay, I thought the clear coat is what is protecting the paint?



Another question is, can I put the wax on without doing the polish. I don’t have time right now to do the whole process. In about two week I will have the time to do the whole process. I understand the polish cleans the paint. To me if I put the wax on now, the polish will be cleaning the wax. Sorry if it sound stupid, but I am trying to get it straight in my mind.



Thanks



Tom
 
Hey Tom -



What you can do if you'd like is apply the wax now and two weeks from now use the polish, which will remove the wax.



I personally think a 3 week old car does not need a polish, if you really want to make sure your paint is really really really clean, just go with a clay bar.
 
Polish is abrasive, used to correct swirl marks and oxidation.



Wax is sort of a sheet to a mattress, just protects what it is covering. Not abrasive UNLESS you use cleaner waxes, which I don't believe in.
 
For a brand new car, a thorough wash, maybe a clay bar, and wax is enough. I wouldn't spend time polishing for another few months, personally, but I would get the right wax on there right away!
 
A lot of us do not have garages and are under time contraints. I usually wake up at the crack of dawn Saturdays & Sundays to detail all my cars. Also, having no garage is all the more reason to keep your car detailed and protected from the elements!



Yes, the clear coat is protecting the primer (colored paint) but there has to be something to protect the clearcoat.



Like the previous posts say, there is probably no need to polish/clean the car. Just wash your car with Dawn to remove whatever it is your dealer applied and then clay your car (which is pretty quick). Do another quick wash (with car shampoo) and then apply a polymer sealant (like Klasse or Zaino or Meguiar's #20) to protect your clearcoat. If you are under a lot of time constraints, using a polymer sealant would be a good choice because it generally lasts a lot longer than a traditional wax.
 
I would clay when you get the time. A new car will definitely benefit from this, as the shipping and sitting on the dealer's lot can really take a toll on that nice new paint. Your car was probably shipped by rail to a port, then floated over to you. Both of these things will cause junk (like rail dust) to stick in the paint. The #1 secret of doing it right is to make sure your prep work is as close to perfect as you can get it. In the mean time it won't hurt to put a quick coat of wax on it right after a good wash and dry. When you clay wash before with Dawn and after with car shampoo. Then use a good quality synthetic or wax on your glass-smooth finish.
 
Forum member PMed me about this and it sent shivers down my spine. I guess the dog jumped up on the hood and had a little party. So I came out and evaluated it. Took a lot of time and effort but it came out pretty good. There were several DEEP scratches that didn't come out, but overall the customer was thrilled. I did a 1 step paint correction on the rest of the car and a full interior detail as well. Finished at night so thats why some of the pics are just in the garage. Anyway, hope you enjoy ;)


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Had to wetsand the hood to get these bad boys out

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Thanks for lookin!
 
The dog definitely won the first round!!!!! Oh my gosh! That was brutal!

Nice correction. Those are fun aren't they?!!

I had a lady come to me with a '77 Vette in that same condition. I told her I wasn't a painter! :rofl:
 
Car fought the dog, and the dog won! :banghead::banghead::banghead:

Very nice recovery indeed Jeff. Not asking how many hours on the sanding as it might bring back bad memories :wink:
 
Luster said:
The dog definitely won the first round!!!!! Oh my gosh! That was brutal!

Nice correction. Those are fun aren't they?!!

I had a lady come to me with a '77 Vette in that same condition. I told her I wasn't a painter! :rofl:
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Yeah it was bear workin on that hood. Thanks!

gewb said:
Great job!

Preventative care: get rid of the dog.

Regards,
GWB
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LOL dog is now banned from the garage ;)
Thanks!

grungy said:
Car fought the dog, and the dog won! :banghead::banghead::banghead:

Very nice recovery indeed Jeff. Not asking how many hours on the sanding as it might bring back bad memories :wink:
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Hahaha!!! Enough hours I had to visit my chiropractor afterwards!
Thanks grungy.

gmblack3 said:
Excellent recovery Jeff!
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Thank you sir ;)
 
GOOD GOD~X(:cursing::banghead::doh::eek:
That dog did some job on that poor Vette. Thank goodness you were there to save the day. What a masterful that was Jeff.
The owner should kiss you on the mouth ("not that there is anything wrong with that").
Awesome job!!!
 
Wow, that dog did a number on that car! Nice work fixing the booboos.
I had a German Shephard run up to me and put his front paws on my car about 8 years ago. Neighbors dog... Scratches looked just like that. Luckily I was right there so there were only 2 paws worth of scratches instead of more.
 
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