Tips for my first official detail

D

dublifecrisis

New member
ok, other than my own cars or family, I have NEVER detailed someone elses car. I would say I'm doing it for free but this friend of mine actually paid for half of my PC/polish combo order and I agreed to detail her 07 Black CTS. She's been through the machine washes (both gas station and more upscale ones) so there are some swirls. She is also a smoker but I agreed to stick to the exterior and then I agreed to do a follow up later which will include wash/wax/ full interior.



I laid out this for her as a plan so she would know the work involved. Please help me with this outline. Whether you're an expert or a noob like me, all is appreciated. I'm pretty stoked.



Tires/Wheels/wheel wells

Clean tires and wheel wells with bleche white and all purpose cleaners.

Clean wheels with aluminum treatment to rid brake dust and oxidation

Mothers power ball used to apply aluminum polish

Spray wax wheels



Wash ans Dry car

10 minute pre-rinse entire car

Wash car using 2 bucket method top to bottom rinsing each panel before washing the next

Dry using leaf blower than spot drying with plush microfiber towels

Move car to garage

Clean windows using Stoners Invisible glass



Clay process

Clay the entire car with mild clay using Mothers Showtime quick detail as a lubricant

Examine paint surface using a sandwich bag finger test on the surface



Paint Correction using Porter Cable 7424

Polish all painted surfaces using Menzerna Intensive Polish and White 6.5" lake country Foam pad

Inspect level of correction and apply 2nd coat if needed OR spot polish trouble areas

Polish all painted surfaces using Menzerna Final Polish and Gray 6.5" lake country finessing Foam pad

Hand polish exhuast tips using Mothers metal/aluminum polish



Wash/Dry

Wash and dry entire car again to get rid of any excess polish residue

Apply rainX if requested (front and rear glass)

Clean door jams

Condition and dress all rubber seals



Sealant/Wax

Not sure what I want to do as a sealant but I have Meguires NXT tech wax 2.0

I also have meguires gold class/meguires carnuba/mothers cleaner wax



so, the stuff she chipped in on is basically the PC and the menzerna/pads but I have wash/wax/MF and all that stuff. I might be able to pick up a couple other things in the meantime but I might just have to go with what I have.
 
dublifecrisis said:
ok, other than my own cars or family, I have NEVER detailed someone elses car. I would say I'm doing it for free but this friend of mine actually paid for half of my PC/polish combo order and I agreed to detail her 07 Black CTS. She's been through the machine washes (both gas station and more upscale ones) so there are some swirls. She is also a smoker but I agreed to stick to the exterior and then I agreed to do a follow up later which will include wash/wax/ full interior.
Click to expand...



Excellent idea -- She gets an incredible detail, worth a few hundred dollars (I'm sure you'll spend many hours on it)- and you get the tools needed for a long time.



I laid out this for her as a plan so she would know the work involved. Please help me with this outline. Whether you're an expert or a noob like me, all is appreciated. I'm pretty stoked.



Tires/Wheels/wheel wells

Clean tires and wheel wells with bleche white and all purpose cleaners.

Clean wheels with aluminum treatment to rid brake dust and oxidation

Mothers power ball used to apply aluminum polish

Spray wax wheels
Click to expand...



If you want to really get in there.. (if the wheel wells are very dirty) take each wheel off, and get to work. -- If they are in good condition, just do your best with the space you have.



I also recommend waxing the wheels just like you wax a car. Let it sit a bit too.



Wash ans Dry car

10 minute pre-rinse entire car

Wash car using 2 bucket method top to bottom rinsing each panel before washing the next

Dry using leaf blower than spot drying with plush microfiber towels

Move car to garage

Clean windows using Stoners Invisible glass
Click to expand...



I would remove the pre-rinse.



I would also wait for the glass cleaner till your done polishing.



Clay process

Clay the entire car with mild clay using Mothers Showtime quick detail as a lubricant

Examine paint surface using a sandwich bag finger test on the surface
Click to expand...



Sounds good



Paint Correction using Porter Cable 7424

Polish all painted surfaces using Menzerna Intensive Polish and White 6.5" lake country Foam pad

Inspect level of correction and apply 2nd coat if needed OR spot polish trouble areas

Polish all painted surfaces using Menzerna Final Polish and Gray 6.5" lake country finessing Foam pad

Hand polish exhuast tips using Mothers metal/aluminum polish
Click to expand...



I would examine the level of marring/swirls -- then use the white pad on a test area of 1x1 -- See the results.. if it works continue with the car. If it doesn't remove all the swirls, I would move up to an Orange pad. Try in same area.. keep adjusting until you find the right combo that will achieve the results you want on first pass.



Trying to help you out where a second polish isn't necessary. As it is very time consuming.



Wash/Dry

Wash and dry entire car again to get rid of any excess polish residue

Apply rainX if requested (front and rear glass)

Clean door jams

Condition and dress all rubber seals
Click to expand...



A second wash after a polish isn't necessary either. A good wipe down with MF towels is all it will need. But if it makes you feel better, go for it :)



Everything else sounds good.



Sealant/Wax

Not sure what I want to do as a sealant but I have Meguires NXT tech wax 2.0

I also have meguires gold class/meguires carnuba/mothers cleaner wax
Click to expand...



I'd recommend the NXT 2.0 -- It is what I use,.. esp. over the products you mention you have.



so, the stuff she chipped in on is basically the PC and the menzerna/pads but I have wash/wax/MF and all that stuff. I might be able to pick up a couple other things in the meantime but I might just have to go with what I have.
Click to expand...





Sounds like you have all that is needed. Do you have more agressive pads than the white?
 
hey thanks for the tips. Glad I don't really have to wash the car twice. and yes I have a couple orange pads. I'm gonna practice on another newer GM truck, also black, so I will at least have become a little comfortable not only with the DA/polish, but also GM's clear.



I can't wait until the UPS man comes. Been wanting it for a long time, no thanks to you guys...LOL
 
Hehe.. sound like me. Be prepared to spend alot more time than you might think on the polishing. Try to not do it in 29 degree weather like I did.. (doh) -- I was in the garage, but had it open. Just makes things take longer of course.



You'll be immensly satisfied and proud of you long hours and hours of work when you are through. Also polishing is great because it is something you are encouraged NOT to do often. Twice a year is a good 'maximum' recommendation.. Some say 3 -- but no more. On older paint once a year is probably a safe bet.



Takes about 45 seconds to set up your Buffer and pads once you get it.. so be ready to go at it when it comes in. I actually got mine,.. set it up, and put it in a nice neat pile and took a picture, and posted it. Cause I wasn't going to do it till the next day =)
 
One suggestion I have is,instead of waxing the wheels,use a sealant such as Rejex. The heat generated by the brakes will put some heat into the wheels and break down the wax faster than it would a sealant.I used Rejex on my BMW and it holds up well.The brakes dust just comes right off when I hose the wheels.



You've got Menzerna stuff,so you should be good to go with polishing.Being that the car is black,you might want to use a glaze prior to waxing. I think glazes prior to waxing really make dark colors look shiny and wet.



Just my .02 worth. Have fun and enjoy the detail.She is getting a heck of a deal by what you have listed.Post pics if possible.



Dave
 
You sound like you have a good plan, which is important. I have one suggestion though.

This is all dependant on how bad the "some swirls" are, and how soft the paint is.

But, when you get ready to polish, use one panel as a test panel first. Then, find how aggressive you will need to go to get the swirls out. You might have to step up to a yellow or orange pad. I have not used the grey pads, I tend to just use whites for finishing.
 
carfull about those wheels... many stock aluminum wheels, like mine, have clear coat on them. If you use an aluminum polish on clearcoat it will totally wreck the finish.
 
I don't think I have a 'sealant' and unless I can something OTC I might be out of luck on that part. Does DG make a sealant that would play friendly with the surface post polish and pre-wax? I'm thinking I'll start with the IP on a white pad and see how that looks, then do the whole car that way and then Final polish with the gray pad. Follow that with a wipedown (should I use some UQD on this step?)

And in regards to polishing the wheels, I was guessing this OTC Mothers stuff would be pretty safe. I also have DG 101 which I used on my GTI wheels and they're buttery smooth.



I'm like a kid on xmas eve. Just ordered yesterday afternoon, and UPS says my pkg is already here in Jax and has been scanned as of 630 this morning. SWEET!



thanks for all the tips. you guys/gals are awesome. now to find a sealant
 
Well your not building the



death-star-7.jpg




deathstar.....



Just try to do the best you can and know when to quit when your ahead as far as making things "perfect".
 
ok, in regards to the actual polishing part of this detail, I'd like to actually get a little more comfortable with the technique. I've seen threads where someone says "this is how I do it" but I've only seen that with a Rotary or using some other brand of polish. I suppose practicing on some other car would work (I will likely hit a panel on my neighbors GMC HD) and my brothers tacoma---

I think the part I'm most unsure of at this point is knowing when the polish is broken down correctly. I don't want to over due it or run it short. Lastly, is it necessary to at least do an IPA wipedown at any point? or can I get by with wash/dry/clay/polish/LSP?
 
I'm just going to throw it out there...



I'd also recommend to take extra care of your back. When I did a my first ever detail on my old car I'd rush rather than taking precautions on my back. I'll bend down to buff the car rather than "sitting" on a stool or the floor. My back hurt for a few days, but this was when I wasn't really serious into detailing.
 
i hear ya. I recently hand polished my in laws SUV and I my back and arms were sore.



so today, my package came. I guess since I'm in FL and so is AG, my stuff got here in 26 hours from the time I clicked the order button. I just chose the normal 3 day ground. I'm anxious now to test the new stuff out. Also picked up some Meg's #7 and tire gel from pepboys, and 2 Viking MF from kmart. this !@#$ is addicting.
 
It is addicting -- But it is making your ride look better than factory -- That is why it is so cool. Something I never knew was possible, I thought a wash and wax was the best your gonna get, when the paint got old, well thats it. But nope, it is like exfoliating your skin, for a fresh layer.. even on a 10-15yr old car, it can look darn near brand new or better if done right.



Good tip on the back. I'm in my 20's still, and I got fairly sore from my detail earlier this week. My back, my abs, my biceps, and so on. It is really a fairly good work out. Detailers who polish all day long probably stay in fairly good shape. Though I think alot of detailers do general jobs, and then break out the rotary on certain jobs, so it isn't a constant 8 hour of buffing everyday type of ordeal. I'm sure some do though. =)



The tip to know when you've got it 'good enough' is a good point. Sometimes we think we can get it just a little better,.. keep in mind your polish is roughly the equivalent of sandpaper on the paint. The more you grind, the more your taking off. Even if its slow, it will eventually go through that clearcoat -- Some cars faster than others =)





Of course post pics of your results. More than just a panel too -- Do whole car pics, the sides /front/back and so forth.
 
I use Klasse All In One, its abbreviated AIO if you want to search for it on here. I really like how easy Klasse is to use, and it always comes out gorgeous for me. With what I am hearing about polycharging, then that would make Klasse AIO even better.

One suggestion I have, is be careful with your layering. You need to make sure that if you are going to layer (like seal over wax etc etc) make sure you don't wipe out your previous layers by using a product with cleaning or cutting agents.

i.e. don't spend alot of time glazing and sealing, only to wax with a cleaning wax like nxt 2.0. Alot of waxes use polymers (and alot of other chemicals I have no clue about either) to give a better shine. So, one thing useful is a pure Caranuba Wax.

There is a writeup called "The Perfect Shine". I suggest reading this two or three times, and deciding what procedures from there you want to incorporate.

There are alot of choices that you can make.



Goodluck
 
thanks for the info. I might be good enough just adding a wax (whether cleaner, synthetic, carnuba) right after my final polish. Fact is, I might only have enough time to just an LSP. what These are all OTC so what would you guys use?



Mothers Cleaner Wax (paste)

NXT 2.0

Meg's step 3 Carnuba (harder to work with)

Gold Class

Meg's # 7 glaze



Not sure I'll be able to squeeze another order in any time soon. (yeah right : ) but I know I'm gonna need more pads...i feel like a heroin addict with this stuff. I need to get back to work.
 
ok I ordered 6 more pads (1 orange, 3 white, 1 gray, 1 red) all LC 5.5. I knew I could last the weekend. Spent $50 at Wally world too. dayum, I can't stop spending.
 
You mention NXT 2.0 is a 'cleaner wax/sealant' ?? I use this exclusively on my vehicle. I have DWG arriving this week.



The DWG goes on before the Sealant generally (can go on after as well) -- So is my NXT 2.0 going to remove the DWG? And should I apply after the NXT 2.0 to be double sure? Hrmm



Thanks
 
Neofate - about the NXT 2.0, I do believe that wax has some cleaning properties. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.



Dublife - I like the NXT 2.0. It is a good OTC wax. That would be a good wax to use after your polishing in my opinion.
 
dublifecrisis said:
thanks for the info. I might be good enough just adding a wax (whether cleaner, synthetic, carnuba) right after my final polish. Fact is, I might only have enough time to just an LSP. what These are all OTC so what would you guys use?



Mothers Cleaner Wax (paste)

NXT 2.0

Meg's step 3 Carnuba (harder to work with)

Gold Class

Meg's # 7 glaze



Not sure I'll be able to squeeze another order in any time soon. (yeah right : ) but I know I'm gonna need more pads...i feel like a heroin addict with this stuff. I need to get back to work.
Click to expand...





I would recommend NXT 2.0. It's going to give a great shine, make the car POP. And technically, NXT is a "sealant", not a "wax", in the strictest definition. The main reason is that waxes are made of natural products, like carnauba, whereas sealants are synthetic and polymer based.



Now, what you have listed here, they're all pretty good products, but in some cases, they're not even in the same class as the others.



Mother's Cleaner Wax is kind of a polish & wax rolled into one. It's meant to help clean the paint and get rid of nasty stuff, and it's meant for most people who don't want to do a cleaner/polish and then wax. Think of it like a shampoo & conditioner for your hair; it does the job in washing & conditioning, but it's really not as good as a separate shampoo & conditioner. It's really meant for the average joe who goes out and waxes every couple of months and just wants their car to look kinda shiny.



Gold Class is GREAT stuff, and is a lot like NXT 2.0 in its durability, but it's got carnauba wax and isn't synthetic. It will also haze up a lot thicker; the NXT wax goes on a lot easier than any other wax I've ever tried (with the exception of the Turtle Wax ICE, but that stuff just doesn't seem to last any decent length of time). NXT is also probably one of the easiest to buff out, vs. most of the waxes with carnauba, IMHO. It's better than the Step 3 Carnauba, but it's also more expensive - you'll find you get what you pay for with a lot of products.



Step 3 Carnauba is also good stuff, but as you mentioned yourself, it IS harder to work with, especially when comparing it to NXT. It's easier to put on than most paste waxes, since it's a liquid, and it'll give a great shine, but it's not as easy to buff out.



I've tried almost all of the products you've listed (with the exception of #7 glaze, but that's because I found NXT before I found places selling #7) and of them all, I like the NXT the best. Again, it's a matter of preference, as I know a lot of guys here will swear by P21S or Zaino or some other wax that they prefer, but with what you're using in the lineup, NXT is perhaps the best stuff you can get as an OTC, since it seems like that's what you're looking for.



Again, most of what I'm telling you is my opinion, based upon my personal experience - you need to try something and see what you like best and what works for you, but if you find something you really like and it does what you want it to do, you can't ask for anything more. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top