My first PB detail

[anolin]

Also posted at the PB message board, but nobody's home...

---

Here is my plan for my first full detail on a 7 week old BMW, Sapphire Grey Metallic:

1. wash (Megs GC, DP Extreme or SS&S in foam gun)
2. clay (lube with 50% diluted S&W)
3. dry
4. polish (ProPolish; PC with Edge polish pad - no cut)
5. sealant (EX-P by hand with MF applicator sponge)
6. repeat sealant
7. wax (Natty's Blue by hand)

here are my questions..
a. By using the diluted S&W for clay lube, can I just slowly wipe dry the vehicle using a quality MF drying towel? or should I re-wash and fully dry before polish?

b. Can I skip the polish step with new, pristine paint?

c. How many layers of EX-P do you recommend, If I only plan to do a full detail twice a year - Spring and Fall? FYI I live in Denver.

-------

For my weekly, between details washes, can I spray and wipe QW+ to a freshly washed car during the drying process, or should I fully dry the vehicle first?

1. wash
2. dry
3. QW+

or can I skip step 2?

 

[Poorboy]

Here is my plan for my first full detail on a 7 week old BMW, Sapphire Grey Metallic:

1. wash (Megs GC, DP Extreme or SS&S in foam gun)
2. clay (lube with 50% diluted S&W)
3. dry
4. polish (ProPolish; PC with Edge polish pad - no cut)
5. sealant (EX-P by hand with MF applicator sponge)
6. repeat sealant
7. wax (Natty's Blue by hand)

here are my questions..
a. By using the diluted S&W for clay lube, can I just slowly wipe dry the vehicle using a quality MF drying towel? or should I re-wash and fully dry before polish?

Yes, you can just dry it before polishing. rewashing is not needed.

b. Can I skip the polish step with new, pristine paint?

That really depends on if there are any swirls or imperfections that need removing.

c. How many layers of EX-P do you recommend, If I only plan to do a full detail twice a year - Spring and Fall? FYI I live in Denver.[

I would do two coats initially to insure total coverage, then wait a day or two and add a third

-------

For my weekly, between details washes, can I spray and wipe QW+ to a freshly washed car during the drying process, or should I fully dry the vehicle first?

1. wash
2. dry
3. QW+

or can I skip step 2?

For using QW+, I'd dry first before applying, but what I do recommend is using Spray & Gloss before drying which will add more gloss and more slickness to the drying process to help prevent micro-marring.

 

[anolin]

Sounds good. I'll add S&G to my next order.

I really should clarify the condition of the paint: It is MOSTLY pristine... you can search DC for "new car vs. garage" to see pics of the small area of big damage to this vehicle. I'll save that discussion for the appropiate thread, but as far as polished and unpolished areas of a vehicle, will EX-P 'bond' to washed, clayed, unpolished paint? When you use a cutting pad on a trouble section, do you have to use that same pad/product combo on the rest of the car to ensure even coverage of the sealant/wax?

 

[Poorboy]

I really should clarify the condition of the paint: It is MOSTLY pristine... you can search DC for "new car vs. garage" to see pics of the small area of big damage to this vehicle. I'll save that discussion for the appropiate thread, but as far as polished and unpolished areas of a vehicle, will EX-P 'bond' to washed, clayed, unpolished paint? When you use a cutting pad on a trouble section, do you have to use that same pad/product combo on the rest of the car to ensure even coverage of the sealant/wax?

Personally I would do a light polish to the whole car before applying a sealant.
Maybe Professional Polish or Polish w/ Carnauba, or even SSR1...
After using a cutting pad, I would typically use a polishing pad with the same or slightly less aggressive product to remove any possible marring, but you don't have to do the whole car with a cutting pad, only your areas of concern.

 

[anolin]

got it.

I don't expect that a medium cutting pad w/ ProPolish to do much on the damaged area, so my next order will probably be for S&G, SSR1 and SSR2.

Luckily, I have a beat-up '94 Acura Legend to practice on. Lots of damaged areas, various levels of scratch and swirls.

 

[kaos]

but what I do recommend is using Spray & Gloss before drying which will add more gloss and more slickness to the drying process to help prevent micro-marring.

About 5 or 6 washes ago, I tried this new trick that people have been using, misting S&G onto the wet surface before drying, and found that it gives just as good of a gloss as drying first and going back over with S&G, and saves a step. Two thumbs up!!!! :yay