How many sessions with a neglected car before you get it right?
- Thread starter CarGlow
- Start date
Jngrbrdman
New member
What do you mean by 'session'? Do you mean how many products you have to go through before it is right? 2 or 3 should be about right if you have a neglected finish. For serious swirls it is nearly impossible to remove all the damage as well as leave a non-hazed surface behind with only one product. If you use a really agressive product then you usually have to step down the polish to remove micromaring. Depending on whether or not you consider paint cleaners and sealants a 'session' or not, it could take several steps to achieve a perfect finish.
Beercan31
New member
I also would like to have a definition on the word "sessions"
Not knowing what process your doing is a bit harder to answer the question. If it takes you 3 "sessions" to get the results your looking for 1 of 2 things may be happening, 1. you might be using a very mild polish and, 2. your not working your polish to the fullest extent.... using a very mild polish is not a bad thing, you just need to be a bit more patience in your process.... not working a product to it's fullest extent can leave a grayish/blue hue in a off center reflection to a darker finish.
Most of the time I (try) to chose the right product the first time... like I said try.... It's a general rule to chose the mildest method first and if satisfactory results were not achieved you may step up in aggressiveness or repeat the same process again. Which sounds like what you might be doing. not saying this is bad, just time consuming.
Ohh by the way I love doing beaters/neglected veh. I love the challenge. every one is overwhelmed by the results including me and the finish last a long, long time..... (not the protectant)
Hope this help is some odd way.
CarGlow said:
Not knowing what process your doing is a bit harder to answer the question. If it takes you 3 "sessions" to get the results your looking for 1 of 2 things may be happening, 1. you might be using a very mild polish and, 2. your not working your polish to the fullest extent.... using a very mild polish is not a bad thing, you just need to be a bit more patience in your process.... not working a product to it's fullest extent can leave a grayish/blue hue in a off center reflection to a darker finish.
Most of the time I (try) to chose the right product the first time... like I said try.... It's a general rule to chose the mildest method first and if satisfactory results were not achieved you may step up in aggressiveness or repeat the same process again. Which sounds like what you might be doing. not saying this is bad, just time consuming.
Ohh by the way I love doing beaters/neglected veh. I love the challenge. every one is overwhelmed by the results including me and the finish last a long, long time..... (not the protectant)
Hope this help is some odd way.
Jen@autogeek
I'm FloridaNative on AG
I agree with Rich. The turn arounds on old beaters are truly amazing. I love watching the owners step back and gasp when they see it!! Great feeling. 
From an enthusiasts point of view, it goes on forever. Since I just do my own and some friends vehicles, it's a little different than the approach a professional needs to take.
Each time do a full detail, I try to go a little farther than the time before. Maybe go a little deeper in the engine compartment, clean an area of the interior I might have overlooked, get rid of a paint flaw I missed the last time. This spring, a friend noticed a dirty hose at the rear of the engine compartment of my wife's GTP that I had totally overlooked. In my defense, I hadn't done a spring detail on the car yet, but I might have missed it anyway. It's pretty easy to miss something the first time around, maybe even the second, but sooner or later, you should get to most of the areas.
Sometimes it takes me 10 to 15 years.
Charles
Each time do a full detail, I try to go a little farther than the time before. Maybe go a little deeper in the engine compartment, clean an area of the interior I might have overlooked, get rid of a paint flaw I missed the last time. This spring, a friend noticed a dirty hose at the rear of the engine compartment of my wife's GTP that I had totally overlooked. In my defense, I hadn't done a spring detail on the car yet, but I might have missed it anyway. It's pretty easy to miss something the first time around, maybe even the second, but sooner or later, you should get to most of the areas.
Sometimes it takes me 10 to 15 years.
Charles
Beercan31
New member
A beater in such shape (as this one) one would say it needs to be repainted took me 16hrs+. This was not done in one sitting, it was done in 4 days 4+hrs each.... after my primary job in till it was to dark to see by halogen light.
Before
Transition
After
this was done with a rotary (first time I ever used one) and a PC.
If you enjoy detailing time is not a factor, unless your doing this as a business. what is most important is learn the process, master the process, become one with the process.... (young jedi)...lol sorry. just could not help my self... product choice is not as important at this time, knowing full in advance that each product has it's own learning curve... for example Meguiar's DACP #83 takes a little more practice to get it right, it's not a product that is wipe-on wipe-off and go oooh ahhh....
so I say screw the time factor... take what ever time you need to get it done right, have fun, enjoy your self while learning... besides most time factors you read are exaggerated to make them selves look better to there underlings.
Before
Transition
After
this was done with a rotary (first time I ever used one) and a PC.
If you enjoy detailing time is not a factor, unless your doing this as a business. what is most important is learn the process, master the process, become one with the process.... (young jedi)...lol sorry. just could not help my self... product choice is not as important at this time, knowing full in advance that each product has it's own learning curve... for example Meguiar's DACP #83 takes a little more practice to get it right, it's not a product that is wipe-on wipe-off and go oooh ahhh....
so I say screw the time factor... take what ever time you need to get it done right, have fun, enjoy your self while learning... besides most time factors you read are exaggerated to make them selves look better to there underlings.
cwcad
New Normal
I agree with BC and Charles. The heck with the time. I look forward to my detail time. It is time well spent.
belcherm58
New member
I just got my first PC. I have used rotary buffers before with wool pads with mixed results. I ordered the PC and some Lake Country Pad set from Autogeek and some Poorboys SSR1 and SSR2.5. The Mustang is a 1994 GT with dark green paint. It had some whitish tints on the hood over the enigine and some
on the horizonal surfaces of the quarters and truck deck and spoiler. Looks a lot like water spots. I buffed with orange pad PB SSR2.5 like 6 times on the hood. Worked it for hours. I decided to get heavier compound and go get Meguiars #4 Heavy Cut Cleaner. A lot better but not all coming out. I ordered a yellow pad and hope that knocks these whitish stains out. I did the rest of the car for inspiration. I wanted to see something look perfect before I gave up. The rest looks great. Anyone else see stuff like this. No Pics....I was beat as it was 95 degrees.
My shoulder was pretty sore the next morning.
on the horizonal surfaces of the quarters and truck deck and spoiler. Looks a lot like water spots. I buffed with orange pad PB SSR2.5 like 6 times on the hood. Worked it for hours. I decided to get heavier compound and go get Meguiars #4 Heavy Cut Cleaner. A lot better but not all coming out. I ordered a yellow pad and hope that knocks these whitish stains out. I did the rest of the car for inspiration. I wanted to see something look perfect before I gave up. The rest looks great. Anyone else see stuff like this. No Pics....I was beat as it was 95 degrees.
My shoulder was pretty sore the next morning.
belcherm58
New member
Next buffing session... I am going to mixed white distilled vinegar and wipe
down those spots to see if it helps. Then yellow pad with #$ Meg's. I don't
want to cut through the clear. If I see pigment coming off on the pad I will
cry.
down those spots to see if it helps. Then yellow pad with #$ Meg's. I don't
want to cut through the clear. If I see pigment coming off on the pad I will
cry.
belcherm58
New member
I will say you can work it a lot longer. It doe's not break down real quick.CharlesW said:Can't help with your problem, but is Meg's #4 a good choice for use with a PC?
I thought #4 needed a rotary to break it down.
Charles
Beercan31
New member
CarGlow said:
We all are.
At 47yrs old I'm still lucky enough to be able to sit Indian style on the ground and polish out a veh. Man do my shoulders hurt afterward. I feel it takes some upper body conditioning to be able to do this stuff to our selfs but in the long run the oooh's, aaahhhh's, and Nice job's... are worth all the pain.
This afternoon was spent on a Silver 1999 Honda CRV that was in decent shape, just had a few swirls and parking lot scuffs.
Meguiar's #80, Poorboy's PwC, both with the PC, a Meg's polishing pad, speed of 6. LSP was Collinite IW by hand. It took me 5 hours to clean the engine compartment, vacuum the interior and windows, scrub the mats, and do the extrerior. When I see it in the sun tomorrow, I'll know better how many sessions it will need.
How do you pros do it? There is no way I could do this every day.
Charles
Meguiar's #80, Poorboy's PwC, both with the PC, a Meg's polishing pad, speed of 6. LSP was Collinite IW by hand. It took me 5 hours to clean the engine compartment, vacuum the interior and windows, scrub the mats, and do the extrerior. When I see it in the sun tomorrow, I'll know better how many sessions it will need.
How do you pros do it? There is no way I could do this every day.
Charles
TrueDetailer
All About The Bling Bling
On my personal truck, i'll take a weekend to fully detail it.
Of course when i'm working i have to get it all done within about 6 hours.
Of course when i'm working i have to get it all done within about 6 hours.