Mazda6: It's finally time!

RuffRyder

RuffRyder

Enthusiast Extraordinaire
I need some advice/recommendations on products and process. :bounce :woot:



This thread shows pics of the SAME car (color, body kit, wheels, tires) as I own.



Here's what I'm thinking:



Wash - EO Wet

Tire Wash - A2Z

Clay - Clay Magic

Wash - EO Wet

Mild Clean/Polish - AIO on paint, glass, wheels, plastic ext. trim

Seal - SG * 3 (24 hours apart) on paint and wheels

Wax - #26 * 3

Tire Dressing - Meg's Insane (applied first by swipe, then let to sit), it might sling, but I love the bling bling shine

Windows - Meg's NXT glass cleaner, then Rain-Xed

Interior - Quick vacuum with upholstery attachment is all it needs as I'm quite anal with my Meg's Interior QD



I need recommendation on a QD to help lube up the applicators, a QD for maintenance (if you think I should use 2 diff. QDs), and any advice on cleaning off cleaning pollen quickly and easily.



I'm planning on hand application on all of these as I don't own a PC (though depending on how my graduation gifts pay off I may buy one).



My shopping list is as follows:

  • Clay Magic Clay Set
  • AIO (Autogeek's Klasse Twin Set)
  • SG (Autogeek's Klasse Twin Set)
  • Meg's Insane Tire Shine
  • Meg's NXT Glass Cleaner
  • Excel WW MF
  • Some MFs for removing products
  • Tire Swipe
  • QD(s)
  • Anything else that you recommend/I've forgotten :D



Edit: If you can recommend any online retailers so that I have to buy at the least number of stores (saves me hassle and shipping), I would also appreciate it.
 
I love that color! Plus its a Mazda, I own one myself, 05 Tribute in Platinum Metallic I think (looks similar to your color.)



Wash - EO Wet

Tire Wash - A2Z

Clay - Clay Magic



-I like this stuff, works well.



Wash - EO Wet



- This second wash seems repetative to me, but you can wash it again if you want. The AIO has mild cleaners and after I clay and remove swirls (shouldn't be the case here) I just jump right in and AIO the car.



Mild Clean/Polish - AIO on paint, glass, wheels, plastic ext. trim

Seal - SG * 3 (24 hours apart) on paint and wheels



- See how you like the SG, if you like it leave it, easier to add a few more coats later, once you add #26, you can't add SG anymore.



Wax - #26 * 3



-not a bad wax, but not as durable as SG. I have stepped up to Souveran paste.



Tire Dressing - Meg's Insane (applied first by swipe, then let to sit), it might sling, but I love the bling bling shine



-Some people like Bling Bling, but sling totally does it in for me. I apply Zaino Z-16 to my tires, let it sit for a bit, then come around and wipe them down and let them dry overnight, no sling for me.



Windows - Meg's NXT glass cleaner, then Rain-Xed



- no comment, I use Zaino Z-6 on my glass.



Interior - Quick vacuum with upholstery attachment is all it needs as I'm quite anal with my Meg's Interior QD



- I only done my interior once after a month and a half and ~4500 miles later. If you keep on the interior and make everyone know you are anal about it then they leave you alone and make sure to keep fingers and hands off the car's paint and interior. People still comment on the new car smell (I think its a combo of Zaino Z-10 and some new car smell.)



Meguiar's #34 Final Inspection is a nice QD. Also it is cheap for a gallon of the stuff and has good lube properties.



Hmm, I basically shop around for all my stuff. I don't really try to buy everything in one shot but rather a culminating purchase and collection of products. I do go through mostly Zaino products though, between Z-2, Z-7, and Z-16, it is good to have a local distributer.



Tools are also equally important as the products along with technique. I am sure you read how to use the products. I use 100% cotton chenille wash mitts from Viking with the blue cuffs and cotton symbol (did a bulk buy a while back) and use www.topoftheline.com for foam applicators and terry cloth applicators (I use them once then chuck them, cheap and not chancing dragging a dirty applicator over my finish.) Also a good set of wheel well, tire, and wheel brushes along with interior brushes are also good. I have mostly exterior brushes (all kinds of wheel brushes), I only have two interior brushes.



www.pakshak.com or www.yosteve.com for MF and WW towels.



www.properautocare.com and www.autopia-carcare.com are places I go to buy stuff.



Two or four bucket washing method is also recommended to keep the swirls away.



Good luck,

Jason
 
Looks pretty good, i'm not sure if i'd use the #26 though. From what I here it really darkens the paint, not sure if you'd want that on a metallic car with tons of flake. For clay lube I would just use your washmitt and a bucket of soapy water. It works so much easier than QD IMO. For a routine QD its personal preference, I like 4* UGE and WG QD, if your looking for an OTC I believe Mother's makes a pretty good QD.

I believe you can get most of the Meguiar's products locally, if not Autogeek has pretty much everything. You can get the Klasse kit, MF kit and all the Meguiar's NXT products at Autogeek to save on shipping.
 
Heh heh, I just detailed a similar car. ;)



If anything, I'd recommend:

1. wash the tires and wheels first. or use a separate bucket and wash mitt so you don't get the junk from the wheels and tires onto your paint. but by doing the wheels and tires first, you avoid worrying about the water drying up on them.



2. wash the car. use an open hose to rinse. after finishing washing the whole car, get some soapy solution and put a bunch onto the panel you are going to clay, and then clay using the soapy solution as your lube. for example, to clay the hood, use your wash mitt to put some of your car wash soap on a section of the hood, then start to clay, making sure the clay is well lubricated. after you're done claying, you can wash that section again, if you feel like it.



3. if you want to clay after washing instead, any QD would work: Meg's Final Inspection, the Mother's one that comes with their clay, etc. just make sure the clay has enough lubricant to slide over the paint.



4. AIO isn't really apprassive, so it would not really remove any swirls/scratches you have. but if you have it done by your dealer's detailer (just make sure they do a good job) or you can live with whatever swirls/scratches you have (the color makes it hard to really notice) then just apply the AIO.

i heard there is a new foam applicator on the market which is good for applying AIO and SG. apparently it's like a piece of a polishing pad and a piece of a finishing pad glued together.



5. Windows - you can use AIO on the windows instead of the glass cleaner and Rain-X. AIO will slightly clean the glass, and also provide some protection.



6. QD recommendation - I really like using Poorboy's Spray and Wipe (SnW) because 1) my car can get dusty on the drive to work and the SnW sorta lifts the dirt off the paint w/out scratching it as compared to me using Final Inspection which seemed to cause scratches; 2) you can use it in the sun; and 3) you can use it to clean your car if it is slightly dusty and don't want to take out the bucket and hose to wash your car. It's also important to use a quality MF towel, like PakShak's Ultra-Plush MF towel or Viking's MF Drying Towel (i think that is the name of the Viking towel). i find having a plush side of a MF towel to quite good at picking up the stuff on the paint without scratching or marring it.



7. The NXT products and tire swipes you probably can find at a nearby Wal-Mart or car parts store, and save on some shipping.



8. You should try to support the forum and buy from the Autopian Store. They should carry the Clay Magic clay, Klasse Twins, and MF towels you would need. Also see if they carry that two-sided foam applicator I mentioned above. I haven't tried it, but it sounds like a good way of applying the Klasse twins by hand. If not, other online vendors might carry all you need.



9. after you're done, pull the car out into the sun (granted it's sunny) and admire you're hard work. maybe have a beer or two if you are so inclined. :D



Good Luck! :wavey
 
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