Newbie....Hi....

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BlkToy14

New member
I'm a 56 year old male. From The Black Hills of South Dakota.
I just got a good deal on a two year old Toyota Corolla LE. Part of the reason for the deal, I think is, it's Black. :o It wasn't taken care of the greatest. Isn't bad. I came here looking on how to take good care of this car's paint.

I have a hard time trusting anyone to buff it for me. It does need it.
I imagine I'll be using a car wash alot. Part of the reason is the undercarriage wash.
I live in an apartment. I have a two car garage with no power.

I've looked through the site. To be honest. I'm still rather disoriented. I do want to take good care of this. Just so it looks respectful. I hope I don't get super anal. I can do that.

I would appreciate advise. If you were me. I'm willing to spend some money for products. Don't want to waste it though. Don't have to have the super greatest either. Just real good. And time efficient.

I imagine I'd have to run through the car wash. Drive it home. Then use some kind of waterless wash? Then go to working on the paint? I'd appreciate baby steps advise. :unsure:


Just for my ego's sake. Yes I have been successful. But almost died 10 years ago. Lost everything. Been doing a little better each year. I drove a new BMW back in 84. In 78, I had a used Mustang fastback from 1970...super clean... I obsessed over that car....not a bit of rust on it. Both these cars I owned in So. Cal.
 
Welcome to Autopia!!

If I am interpreting your steps correctly - high pressure rinse, suds and rinse at a coin op, detail wash at home (I would rinseless (http://www.autopia.org/forums/detai...0323-rinseless-roundup.html?highlight=roundup), personally, but waterless is good too (http://www.autopia.org/forums/detailing-product-reviews/40351-wisdom-waterless.html?highlight=)) - sounds good. If you aren't too fanatical, become friends with glazes (e.g., http://www.autopia.org/forums/detai...23-review-cg-glossworkz-glaze.html?highlight=). Not perfectionist stuff but easy to apply and can look pretty good.

Fanatically correcting black paint is the path to woe. :)
 
Welcome, BlkToy14 -

Thanks for the great info on your car - It's black and that is going to be great when its clean and shiny and not so great when it's not.. :)

Mike above, has already given you great info and research materials...
I would go with what he has put up there to look and and think about using, since you dont have power in the garage and all...

Perhaps we can find another Detailer up there in the S Dakota area to chime in and maybe he's even close by.. You never know...

Sorry to hear about your health issues, but glad that you have overcome and hope you can get healthier...

I personally love any Black paint, have had many Black vehicles, and Detailed hundreds... I think one year I Detailed like 17 in a row...:)

We are a great, diverse, bunch here - and all are happy to help !
Dan F
 
Would it be advisable to use a clay pad before applying the glaze?

This did say to go ahead and use a wax or sealant after the glaze. For a better deeper finish. Maybe its just the name. I'm kinda liking the Blackfire products. Maybe the Black Ice over the glaze? Then maybe once a month using the Blackfire Midnight Sun.... carnuba wax or detailer(?) .. Am I thinking about overdoing it?
Once a year reapply the glaze. Once ever six months on the Black Ice?...once a month on the Midnight Sun?
Am I going overboard and obsessing?

I am wondering how many microfiber towels I should get?

On wheels. I have conservative steel wheels with hubcaps. Kinda like it. (Still they're 16 inch.) How can I take care of these so I don't end up with rust on the wheels. Can see them well through the hubcaps. Something especially good for the hubcaps? .... or just the same stuff as on the car finish?

I can see this Blackfire stuff is some money. That Black Ice ain't cheap. I'm still willing to spend if it all works good.
I definitely want to stick with the glaze. Then...over it?

There are a few scratches around the drivers door key. Fill those in?
 
Maybe I shouldn't be extending out the introduction thread like this?
I sure appreciate that advise, Mike. I'll figure out how to put my name in, which is Ron.
I'm not trying to be pushy. Know it takes time for replies.

I am interested. Most of these say to not use them on trim, rubber or plastic bumpers. Well... what about that big grill and bumper on my Corolla? One thing I like on this car...that grill ends up the same color as the car. I'm confident I could use it on other trim? Since it is the same color....I expect same paint?

Is there a trick to getting in between the lettering? I know... I used to just subject my fingers to abuse on this.

I'm glad I came here. Your advise has me confident I can make my rather conservative car, appear 'stand up'... not wanting a show piece though.
 
Other than questions... lets regroup here... the above has me blowing money I really shouldn't....

Yes you do understand on the washing. I found a drive through car wash that is touch free. They have a monthly membership for unlimited washes. Also a undercarriage wash. Which is important to me during winter.

I found out about a Meguiars Spray on wax. It goes good with anything. This is just something to use often and doesn't last. Like after I drive through the car wash. Go over the car quickly. Sort of mix it in with a detailed drying by hand.
Then...I'm looking at what wax to use? Have seen Collinite recommended? Yet...highly suggesting to use the same wax/company as I use for that spray on wax. ???

CG has a new product that is like the glaze. But it includes a shine to it. I wonder? Perhaps at this step, I should only be focusing on a good glaze on the car?

I did look into a detailer. Gee... Angie's list has 7 of them. All not recommended. Not one recommendation. That's about par for around here. I can see if I did get someone to buff the car for me. I'd have to find an auto body shop. And the person needs to know what he's doing. I think perhaps the glaze and handling it slowly by hand is my best bet? I know it will take much time.
I need to check. We do have some outlets in the parking lot intended for block heaters. If one still works? Would it be worth doing the buffing outside? On a calm morning?
I do wonder... with the amount of time I know I'm looking at. Can I clay the car. Then wait a few days to do the buffing glaze?
 
First, yes, claying is probably warranted. Do the baggie test to be sure (put your hand in a thin sandwich bag and glide it lightly over clean paint - if you hear/feel sandpaper type texture, definitely clay).
Waxes, in general, will not fill in any swirling/light scratches like a glaze. If swirls don't bother you....
A spray-on wax that last like most paste waxes is Optimum Car Wax. Just sayin'.
 
With black paint, I'd choose a rinseless wash over a waterless wash on most days. It's just about as easy to performa and much safer on black paint. As far as polishing, Dual Action polishers make polishing your paint to a show car shine easier than ever. Oh, and welcome to Autopia :)
 
I found this sitting on my computer. My old 1970 Mustang. B)
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I came up with a change. My apartments have plug in's, in the parking lot for block heaters. My manager said I'm welcome to use one of those for a DA polisher. I'll only use this in the spring and/or fall...avoid hot sun.
I realize Mike's advise included my not being able to use a polisher. That was a good option for being stuck to hand only.
I've also researched and realized I am better off polishing off the spyder webs. The glaze won't last like this will. I think Mike knew that...but I was stuck with hand only at the time.
I also found a touchless car wash that I got a membership to. As many washes a month as I want. Has the undercarriage wash, which I need.
I'm figuring...good enough is to finish off the car with meguiars ultimate paste wax. Then use meguiars X wax after the car wash...and after I dried any water left on the car. That is quick and easy. Anything else, I would use the rinseless wash at home after the car wash...then do .... whatever.
That Mustang.... I used Meguiars on it. That was many years ago. I liked it.
Now I just got quite a bit of work ahead of me. I'm sure, using a DA polisher will work much faster than by hand. I'm rather looking forward to the work. Looking forward to making my little Corolla look real stand up and respectful. I do admit...even now with it needing claying and getting rid of the spyder webs. People will say it looks like a brand new car. But they don't look closely. It has surprised me...didn't expect it to be as much car as it is. Rides, drives like a bigger car. Much more comfortable than I expected. It even has an engine brake.
 
I'm not an expert like some folks here, so take my advice for what it is. I'm not one to spend a lot of time on my cars, but enough to make them look good, good enough for me.

I would think you'd want an All-In-One product to start. Here is a great review of them all. I have used Klasse all-in-one (AIO) for almost 10 years. You could start with a clay (or not), then the AIO. Follow that up with a wax or such. Many good ones.

My daughter came to visit last weekend with her 5 year-old BLACK Kia Soul. It is kept outside at the beach, washed every 2 months or so, full of swirls, scratches and very dull looking from the salt air, never been polished, or waxed. Washed the car (had no clay), followed up with the Klasse AIO, wiped it down, then applied a coat of FK1000P, a wax I just started using. Two and a half hours work. My daughter was amazed at how good it looked. I, however, just saw the few remaining swirls and light scratches, but from 2 feet away, the car did look real nice. For her car I also used 303 aerospace sealant on all the black plastic and rubber and tires. That made a BIG difference. Black molding looks real dull when not treated.

Good luck on rehabing your black Corolla. My wife has a 4 year-old black Corolla. They polish up real nice.....
 
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