Help the new guy

V

victory

New member
Alright, don't think i'm doing too bad with my car, but for all i know you guys will be horrified.



Basically, i know a little about making the car look nice, but mainly just use products i can find at the local autoparts store. I was hoping for recommendations of products and steps to get a really professional looking finish. Keep in mind that it's my daily driver and i don't have a garage, so using a product that is sensative to things like, say, water and sunlight, is simply not acceptable.



First, i wash the car and take out any major scratches with meguires fine cut and clay. Wash the car again, dry thoroughly, then i apply liquid glass as a polish buff it out, give it some time and apply a quality carnuba wax like meguires or the sort to give it a little depth and bring out the metallic paint. I use microfiber for application/removal.



Being spring i'm constantly hitting it with a california duster and meguires QD to get the tree spooge and occasional birdshit off.



Now the car looks good (to me, i'm sure some would laugh at my pitiful work), but i'm sure you guys can give me some suggestions on products and methods to really get the gloss, depth, durability and longevity i'm looking for.



Car is a new-to-me 2002 buick regal GS. Paint is silver two-tone with a gunmetal grey below the door mouldings. Has about 60K on it, paint is in good condition aside from 60K of stone chips on the front, which isn't terrible either.
 
if by hand, the only other thing I use from the local shelves would be NXT, add 3 coats and be prepared to be amazed.
 
I'm not limiting myself to off the shelves.



Isn't meguires NXT slightly abrasive? Won't that take off the polish and wax i've already put on?



Personally i don't like using all-in-ones.
 
:welcome to Autopia victory!



Your process is fine for regular maintenance. As long as you're using high quality towels and applicators along with good technique you should continue to get good results.



I would suggest getting Meguiar's ScratchX for the minor scratches and scuffs that come with every day life. Meguiar's Fine Cut is optimized for machine use so it's very, very mild by hand (also, if it's the older formula, it's only for machine use) and won't be especially effective on moderate defects.



NXT is not abrasive. You can use it as often as you want. Meguiar's ColorX, A12 Cleaner/Wax, #6 and #66 are all-in-ones.





PC.
 
Guess i've never had any terrible scratches since the fine cut has worked for years. I use microfiber for application/removal.



Alright so after cut and clay:



polish with the LG

wax with carnuba

top coat with NXT



hold on....Correct me if i'm wrong, but shouldn't the carnuba be used as a topper for the best appearance?



So:

Polish w/ LG

NXT

Carnuba

????



Now, do you guys also have better products in mind as well? I've been happy with the LG as a polish, but i'm always looking for a the slickest, best looking longest lasting carnuba wax.
 
victory- Welcome to Autopia!



Yeah, put the carnauba on last.



You might see if anyplace has Collinite 845 Insulator Wax. I see it OTC at my local autoparts store. Nice stuff.



IMO about 95% of how a car looks is in the prep, even with silver (I have a lot of silver vehicles). I probably spend about as much time inspecting the paint for micromarring as I do polishing it; by the time I apply my LSP (Last Step Product, i.e. "wax") it usually looks about as good as it's gonna get, the wax doesn't so much add looks as add protection. Find some lighting that'll show all the tiny flaws (I use high-wattage incandescents) and correct those- you won't believe the difference.
 
Yeah, i understand silver is never going to have that super-wet look, but unlike dark solid colors, it doesn't look neglected too easy either. The gunmetal two tone gets a that wet look and it makes the car look absolutely stellar.



I usually do my detailing in the ambulance bay at my firehouse while i'm working a 12 hour shift. Just pull one of the ambulances outside and do my car in there under those big mercury vapor engine bay lights. It's really the perfect garage to do detailing in.



Never heared of the wax you're suggesting. Good properties? Logvity? I'll take advice from anyone with "practical perfectionist" as their title
 
Pics of the car

IMG_0257.jpg




IMG_0259.jpg
 
thanks viper



I think i'm going to use a lot of advice i got here. I figure i'll strip off the wax on the car, claybar (it needs it) polish with liquid glass, follow with NXT, and finish with Collinite



That should neet my requisites of: slippery as ****, shinly as ****, Hard as nails and durable as hell :2thumbs:



also, i'm currently using the meguires QD. How would you guys rate it?
 
victory- Heh heh, I always get a kick out of the way guys in your field often spend the down-time detailing :D The emergency vehicles in my area are always very sharp looking.



Sounds like somebody has already filled you in on the Collinite. Their stuff works great. I kinda prefer their 476S paste due to its durability, but the 845 is easier to use and looks a bit better.



Meguair's makes a few different QDs...only one I've used much is the #34.



You might want to look into ordering FinishKare's FK425. After somebody here kindly sent me a sample, I was sold. I had thought it was the overhyped-product-of-the-moment, but nope, it really *is* that good. Not the only good one out there, but mighty impressive, especially the slickness.
 
Gotta keep the trucks clean and waxed, we put them through hell.



I went and ordered a bottle of the collinite 845 and a tin of the fleet wax paste, which i'm told is the same as 476s, just in a bigger container for the same money. Was cheap enough that i'll figure out which i like best,



So, here's what i have planned



1)Wash

2)Clay Magic & scratch remover

3)Wash and Dry thoroughly

4)Liquid glass x2

5)NXT x2

6)Collinite x2



Opinions?
 
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