"Ming Mirror Finish"

J

jdmclemore

New member
Hello! This is my first post (I can't believe there's an entire forum dedicated to auto detailing! Fantastic!), and I couldn't find an answer to this...

I'll be purchasing a new vehicle later this year (2005 F150) and have started to think about car care ideas.

When I was growing up in San Antonio we had a Ming that my Dad always talked highly about. Never thought about it much until now, 15 years later, now that I'm purchasing my own vehicle.
The Ming process looks very interesting - what do you detailing pros think about it?

Here's a link to the SA Ming. It does bother me that all their pictures look 15 years old!
http://www.mingsa.com/main_pages/Ming.htm

Thanks in advance!
 
Doesn't look like they do anything anyone else could not do with a rotorary and some product..my advice - skip the snake oil and detail it yourself ;) - (the new f150 is schweet!!)
 
Anytime you see the claim, "eliminates waxing"...or something to that tune. Don't walk, but RUN...

But basically, it sounds like they are just polishing down with a rotary.
 
It seems that no matter how much the paint finish is polished and sealed it will still oxidize if no protection from uv, acid rain, etc.... I don`t get the 3 year part but maybe the warranty states you must use a particular wash weekly (which may be a wash and wax?) (and sold by them?) Most of the time the fault is in the warranty like a $6 watch that says include $7.95 for shipping and handling for warranty repair.
 
I found it interesting that they do NOT mention anything about Clear Coats. It seems to me that in order to get to the paint surface you have to go throught he clear coat first. I'm not expert in automotive finishes but I would not want my clear coat removed to get to the paint underneath. I may be reading more into this than I should. Also, from some of the thread I've here unless you really know what you are doing heating the surface of you paint could quickly burn through the finish leaving you with more damage than good. Not sure I would want to put my new car or truck through this kind of treatment.

I recommend reading more threads here at DC about proper vehicle car and learn to do it yourself. It's worth the time and investment.

2005 F-150 --- very nice ride.
 
I apologize first to any out here that are a Ming franchise, or work for one...

In my years in this business, along the way, I did a eight month tour of duty at a Ming franchise. With three years of swirl free buffing experience under my belt, I took the challenge of the job I was offered and learned their process. I followed their method exactly as trained. Using the wet polishing pad, applying the product to the bonnet, buffing the small section, first this way, then that way, then back to this way. I rinsed the pads in the fancy washer (blowing circuits more times than I can count). I became quite good at the process, and even trained others. I became a whiz with the customers. What bothered me though was that no matter how hard I tried, the process left swirls. The only thing the Ming process has that others don't, in my opinion, is the lack of a swirl free finish. It's true, a well polished vehicle will stay shine free for at least a year without wax just with weekly hand washing. However, most new cars will not need to be buffed out with a machine for the first year unless one wishes to remove the factory orange peal, or one uses the spinning brush type of car wash. If removing the orange peal is your desire, I highly recommend not attempting this yourself, but hiring a professional who is experienced in color sanding.

I suggest you save your money for a nice stereo and go down to the west-end or deep-ellum and have a good time showing off your new truck ;)
 
dr_detail said:

I suggest you save your money for a nice stereo and go down to the west-end or deep-ellum and have a good time showing off your new truck ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice, all. That money saved will definitely get me a spray-in bedliner or a tonneau cover.

Sounds like I just need to use some elbow grease and some of the products talked about around here to keep a nice shine on my new truck. But where should a newbie start? I see the Meguiars name thrown around a lot. I'm looking for some basic (but quality) products for washing, waxing, and tire/wheel cleaning. I'm pretty clueless on all of this, so I'm looking for info like "Definitely stay AWAY from this type of product.." or "A wax should always have THIS ingredient"....stuff like that.

Is that vague enough?:-p

Thanks again,
James
 
Since your truck is brand new you should have no problem maintaining the finsih. Start off by washing it with a good car wash soap (off the shelf Meg's gold Class - from premiumautocare.com Four Star ultimate auto wash).

Then Clay - a new vehicle will have rail dust from transport and the gunk it gets on it while on the lot.

The (depending on what products you want - off the shelf or ordering from premiunautocare.com (use detailcity coupon code for 10% off).

Off the shelf you can use the Meguiars Deep Crystal line - steps 1 2 and 3 if you like or do step one and 2 and finish off with Meguiars NxT tech wax (if you truck is not metaillic).

If you want products off PAC then -

Clay of course

for a polish you can't go wrong with Four Star ultimate Paint Cleaner or Poorboy's Polish with Carnuba

then follow up with a sealant - Four Star ultimate paint protection or Poorboy's Ex or EX-P (ex has carnuba - EX-P does not).

You can do three coats of ether (waiting 24 hours between coats)

then for the final bling bling shine you can top that with a carnuba - PS21 or Trade Secret.
 
I agree with groebuck. Maintain your new truck yourself. You will be happy and proud of your efforts.
 
jdmclemore said:
Hello! This is my first post (I can't believe there's an entire forum dedicated to auto detailing! Fantastic!), and I couldn't find an answer to this...

I'll be purchasing a new vehicle later this year (2005 F150) and have started to think about car care ideas.

When I was growing up in San Antonio we had a Ming that my Dad always talked highly about. Never thought about it much until now, 15 years later, now that I'm purchasing my own vehicle.
The Ming process looks very interesting - what do you detailing pros think about it?

Here's a link to the SA Ming. It does bother me that all their pictures look 15 years old!
http://www.mingsa.com/main_pages/Ming.htm

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...


Ming stinks as already noted.

If you are interested I have a detailing buddy in the Arlington area who is an excellant detailer and will take care of your truck the right way. Let me know if you might be interested.

Anthony
 
groebuck said:
Start off by washing it with a good car wash soap (off the shelf Meg's gold Class - from premiumautocare.com Four Star ultimate auto wash).

Then Clay - a new vehicle will have rail dust from transport and the gunk it gets on it while on the lot.

The (depending on what products you want - off the shelf or ordering from premiunautocare.com (use detailcity coupon code for 10% off).

Off the shelf you can use the Meguiars Deep Crystal line - steps 1 2 and 3 if you like or do step one and 2 and finish off with Meguiars NxT tech wax (if you truck is not metaillic).
Click to expand...

OK - I've done some reading (the Autopia Guide was great!) and I'm ready to buy a few products.

The new vehicle isn't til later this year, so I want to practice on my trade-in: a '95 Honda Civic, Black (Non-metallic). It's been pretty neglected, never waxed, oxidizing...its pretty bad. Good news is I can't make it look any worse!

I'll be doing everything by hand, and I want to purchase everything off the shelf here locally. I'm thinking Meg's Gold Class wash, some kind of clay (does the lubricant usually come with the clay?), a polish (i guess that's the Meg's Deep Crystal recommended above?) and then a wax (the NxT?). I also plan on getting a CWB (my first acronym!) and some microfiber towels. I already have some brushes.

So who sells what I'm looking for off the shelf? Is there one place that would sell all this?I'm in the big city, so I pretty much have all the stores around here.

Any suggestions are welcome! Remember, I'm a newbie. So for now, I want something semi-simple. No 14-step preocedures please!

Thanks...
 
off the shelf by hand.... my 2 cents :)...

Mothers Cleaner wax followed by Mothers Sealer Glaze... available at most Auto parts stores (Kragen, Auto Nation, Pep Boys, Cheif) nation wide... might also be available at Wallymart.
 
dr_detail said:
off the shelf by hand.... my 2 cents :)...

Mothers Cleaner wax followed by Mothers Sealer Glaze... available at most Auto parts stores (Kragen, Auto Nation, Pep Boys, Cheif) nation wide... might also be available at Wallymart.
Click to expand...


A Sealer Glaze on top of a cleaner/wax? Please forgive my ignorance but this routine sounds as if one product will cancel out the other in some form or fashion.

Usually a wax, again usually a paste "non-cleaner" carnauba wax is applied on top of a sealant because the sealant would then not be able to bond with the finish. This though is where my ignorance comes into play for I have no experience with Mothers products and their sealant may not be a sealant like the likes of UPP or Blackfire.

On the other side one could or should not use a cleaner/wax on top of a sealant because it will more than likely effect the sealant in a negative manner, especialy a liquid cleaner/wax as they are higher in solvent BUT here again is my ignorance coming into the factor. Please explain how these two work together, thanks:)

Anthony
 
Anthony,

I can't get technical on the chemistry or the philosophical properties of how this process works. I do know however that for over five years, this method was used on thousands of cars every year at new car auto shows in every major city across the country, and even some minor ones. I could hand these two products to an untrained day laborer, sometimes hired from the local unemployment offices or off the street, in two plain bottles (one labeled step one, one labeled step two) and get awesome looks, a deep shine, happy clients (OEM level) and an ease of use that couldn't be found in higher priced formulas. Combine that with the durability to withstand the grueling task of being wiped down and cleaned of carpet lint and finger prints every hour throughout the duration of the show (sometimes up to thirteen times a day for twenty-eight days straight*), you have a finish that's hard to beat. It was also a plus that if I ran out of product, I could walk into almost any nationally branded store and get more.

Gawd, this sounds like an add for Mother's; but it isn't. It's just my experience being shared with someone who asked about "off the shelf" products. If however you would like to ask a chemist how this process works, send your emails to chemist@mothers.com. I'm sure they're better equipped to answer them.

*The Texas St. Fair
 
4. What is a Sealer and Glaze?
When applied before waxing, a Sealer and Glaze helps hide minor scratches, spiderwebbing, swirl marks and other surface imperfections. It enhances clarity and shine, while giving darker colored paints that deep, wet look. If left unprotected, a Sealer and Glaze will not last long. It therefore needs an immediate coating of protective wax to truly have long lasting benefit.


This was taken from the Mother's website (I hope I don't get in trouble for copyright infringement!!!) Forrest (from Mother's) pops in from time to time on a few web boards and I remember him saying once that Mother's uses the glaze for their showcars to keep them shined up (the ones that they keep in the showroom, not outside) and that the glaze would not likely last more than a week without a coat of wax on it. I suppose you could use the cleaner wax instead of the step one pre-wax cleaner, but you should still use a pure carnauba wax after the glaze (the cleaner wax would take the glaze off). Just my thoughts, but if it worked for you, then that's what counts!
 
I suggest you use the saved $$$ to get a PC. It'll pay for itself in rewarding details. Look at the pics in the post just put up entitled My First Detail Dodge Ram exterior. You'll be able to see what the PC can do for you and it's idiot proof.....anyone can do it and not do damage.
 
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dr_detail said:
Anthony,

I can't get technical on the chemistry or the philosophical properties of how this process works. I do know however that for over five years, this method was used on thousands of cars every year at new car auto shows in every major city across the country, and even some minor ones. I could hand these two products to an untrained day laborer, sometimes hired from the local unemployment offices or off the street, in two plain bottles (one labeled step one, one labeled step two) and get awesome looks, a deep shine, happy clients (OEM level) and an ease of use that couldn't be found in higher priced formulas. Combine that with the durability to withstand the grueling task of being wiped down and cleaned of carpet lint and finger prints every hour throughout the duration of the show (sometimes up to thirteen times a day for twenty-eight days straight*), you have a finish that's hard to beat. It was also a plus that if I ran out of product, I could walk into almost any nationally branded store and get more.

Gawd, this sounds like an add for Mother's; but it isn't. It's just my experience being shared with someone who asked about "off the shelf" products. If however you would like to ask a chemist how this process works, send your emails to chemist@mothers.com. I'm sure they're better equipped to answer them.

*The Texas St. Fair
Click to expand...

dr etail,

Thanks so much for the reply and please don't take it as a slam or anything against you I am just curious about the matter because as I said I don't have much experience with Mother's products.

I do know though that a cleaner/wax is just that, a cleaner, usually a very mild cleaner designed to remove light oxidation, so my thinking is that it will also remove the sealer/glaze.

You can do a test with two side by side panels, apply the two step to one and then just the cleaner/wax to the next panel. My guesstimation is that they would both have the same appearance. If Mothers makes just a paste carnauba, low in solvents, you may try the cleaner/wax as step one then apply the paste on top of that for added depth and clarity. I do these steps with Pinnacle Liquid Souveran and Trade Secret paste wax.

Again this is just my guesstimation.

Take care,
Anthony
 
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