Car Detailing Question
05-09-2010, 05:58 PM
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Car Detailing Question
I did some research on car wash and wax procedure and still have some questions..hope can get some helps here.
normally I will have car wash and waxed afterwards, but I was told to use polishes before the wax to remove the swirl as well. How often should I do the polish work?. And my friend recommend details spay as well? but should I apply it after the wax? Thanks for your 0.02..
normally I will have car wash and waxed afterwards, but I was told to use polishes before the wax to remove the swirl as well. How often should I do the polish work?. And my friend recommend details spay as well? but should I apply it after the wax? Thanks for your 0.02..
05-09-2010, 07:17 PM
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Check and post here -> https://mbworld.org/forums/detailing...otive-care-37/
05-09-2010, 07:30 PM
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Have always used Zaino on every car I have had. Great product and the shine never ends. Labor intensive for the first cleaning and application but after that very easy and fast. The more coats the better for me although a couple is all that is needed. Sal is always glad to answer any questions and is based out of NJ. Suggest looking over the site: zainostore.com You won't be disappointed. Just my 2 cents.
05-10-2010, 12:01 AM
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Zaino is ok....but there are better products out there. There's a reason why no pro detailer uses Zaino anymore.
What your friend recommended in polishing is true. Doesn't matter if you wash then wax, if you don't get rid of your swirls and scratches, it'll never look truly great. Hand polishing can only do so much, so if you're serious about the condition of the paint and clear, invest in a good polisher. The Porter Cable is a pretty standard entry level polisher. As for actual polish, go with Menzerna line. They're the official line of polishes for MB and have polished designed specifically to deal with our ceramic clear coat. SIP for more aggressive polish, Power Finish for moderate, and 85RD for finishing.
What your friend recommended in polishing is true. Doesn't matter if you wash then wax, if you don't get rid of your swirls and scratches, it'll never look truly great. Hand polishing can only do so much, so if you're serious about the condition of the paint and clear, invest in a good polisher. The Porter Cable is a pretty standard entry level polisher. As for actual polish, go with Menzerna line. They're the official line of polishes for MB and have polished designed specifically to deal with our ceramic clear coat. SIP for more aggressive polish, Power Finish for moderate, and 85RD for finishing.
05-10-2010, 01:36 PM
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Zaino is ok....but there are better products out there. There's a reason why no pro detailer uses Zaino anymore.
What your friend recommended in polishing is true. Doesn't matter if you wash then wax, if you don't get rid of your swirls and scratches, it'll never look truly great. Hand polishing can only do so much, so if you're serious about the condition of the paint and clear, invest in a good polisher. The Porter Cable is a pretty standard entry level polisher. As for actual polish, go with Menzerna line. They're the official line of polishes for MB and have polished designed specifically to deal with our ceramic clear coat. SIP for more aggressive polish, Power Finish for moderate, and 85RD for finishing.
What your friend recommended in polishing is true. Doesn't matter if you wash then wax, if you don't get rid of your swirls and scratches, it'll never look truly great. Hand polishing can only do so much, so if you're serious about the condition of the paint and clear, invest in a good polisher. The Porter Cable is a pretty standard entry level polisher. As for actual polish, go with Menzerna line. They're the official line of polishes for MB and have polished designed specifically to deal with our ceramic clear coat. SIP for more aggressive polish, Power Finish for moderate, and 85RD for finishing.
Machine polishing is the only way to actually remove the swirls and scratches.
Zaino is great if you want a mirror reflection, but if you want to really see depth to the paint, a top quality carnauba wax is the only way to go!
05-10-2010, 02:21 PM
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Thanks for your response... when you mentioned "85RD for finishing", do you need apply it after wax step or you can just apply it after polishing?
I checked autogeek website.. it has polishing, finishing, protection, quick detail several steps. Are these steps need be followed? Thanks
I checked autogeek website.. it has polishing, finishing, protection, quick detail several steps. Are these steps need be followed? Thanks
What your friend recommended in polishing is true. Doesn't matter if you wash then wax, if you don't get rid of your swirls and scratches, it'll never look truly great. Hand polishing can only do so much, so if you're serious about the condition of the paint and clear, invest in a good polisher. The Porter Cable is a pretty standard entry level polisher. As for actual polish, go with Menzerna line. They're the official line of polishes for MB and have polished designed specifically to deal with our ceramic clear coat. SIP for more aggressive polish, Power Finish for moderate, and 85RD for finishing.
Last edited by vitamink; 05-10-2010 at 02:25 PM.
05-10-2010, 02:43 PM
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You need to wash the car thoroughly and clay bar it before doing any polishing work...
You would polish with either SIP or Power Finish using an Orange pad depending on paint condition and amount of swirls. This step is to remove the swirls and scratches. You would then polish with either Super Finish or 85RD using a black pad to bring up the gloss level. After that you apply your protection (sealant or wax). (Pad choice can vary depending on amount of cut desired, but the Orange & Black are good middle of the road choices for the two steps.)
A QD spray can be used at the end to help remove and sealant or wax residue that might still be present, but I would advise against using one any other time except after the car is washed. Using a QD to remove anything other than light dust from being in a garage will induce scratches.
You would polish with either SIP or Power Finish using an Orange pad depending on paint condition and amount of swirls. This step is to remove the swirls and scratches. You would then polish with either Super Finish or 85RD using a black pad to bring up the gloss level. After that you apply your protection (sealant or wax). (Pad choice can vary depending on amount of cut desired, but the Orange & Black are good middle of the road choices for the two steps.)
A QD spray can be used at the end to help remove and sealant or wax residue that might still be present, but I would advise against using one any other time except after the car is washed. Using a QD to remove anything other than light dust from being in a garage will induce scratches.
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05-10-2010, 03:17 PM
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Just my .02, because I've done the whole wash/clay/polish/sealant/wax twice now. I have to say, to do it right is a serious PITA by yourself. To do it right, that is to remove all swirls/scratches, etc., to a showroom gloss would probably take two full, and I mean full, days. Complicating this is it appears you've never done this before and even though a porter cable is not difficult to use, you'll wear out quickly doing the entire car, that is if you do it right. You can half *** it and it'll look OK, but there will still be some swirls left behind.
There's a reason most top detail shops charge 500 or more for a full showroom type detail, it's tedious and time consuming. They have more than one person working on the car, and at a good shop, they've done this many times and know all the tricks.
If you really want to do the detailing thing yourself, I'd recommend going to one of these shops and watch folks who know what they're doing. By the time you spend all the money needed to get all your supplies/tools, you could have just paid them to do it for you. I think it's worth it, since this level of detail will ususally last a full year, provided you take care of it the right way.
There's a reason most top detail shops charge 500 or more for a full showroom type detail, it's tedious and time consuming. They have more than one person working on the car, and at a good shop, they've done this many times and know all the tricks.
If you really want to do the detailing thing yourself, I'd recommend going to one of these shops and watch folks who know what they're doing. By the time you spend all the money needed to get all your supplies/tools, you could have just paid them to do it for you. I think it's worth it, since this level of detail will ususally last a full year, provided you take care of it the right way.
05-10-2010, 03:18 PM
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You need to wash the car thoroughly and clay bar it before doing any polishing work...
You would polish with either SIP or Power Finish using an Orange pad depending on paint condition and amount of swirls. This step is to remove the swirls and scratches. You would then polish with either Super Finish or 85RD using a black pad to bring up the gloss level. After that you apply your protection (sealant or wax). (Pad choice can vary depending on amount of cut desired, but the Orange & Black are good middle of the road choices for the two steps.)
A QD spray can be used at the end to help remove and sealant or wax residue that might still be present, but I would advise against using one any other time except after the car is washed. Using a QD to remove anything other than light dust from being in a garage will induce scratches.
You would polish with either SIP or Power Finish using an Orange pad depending on paint condition and amount of swirls. This step is to remove the swirls and scratches. You would then polish with either Super Finish or 85RD using a black pad to bring up the gloss level. After that you apply your protection (sealant or wax). (Pad choice can vary depending on amount of cut desired, but the Orange & Black are good middle of the road choices for the two steps.)
A QD spray can be used at the end to help remove and sealant or wax residue that might still be present, but I would advise against using one any other time except after the car is washed. Using a QD to remove anything other than light dust from being in a garage will induce scratches.
I just washed and clayed my car, today will be the wax process. VitaminK, the question on do you have to follow the steps? Answer: hell yes.
After a good wash, feel the surface of your car with your hand. Run it slowly over the paint, and see what you feel. Bump, bummipty, bumps. Claying is a must. Now my car is smooth and ready for the wax with my PC.
05-10-2010, 03:49 PM
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Thanks everyone! I didn't plan to keep my car at showroom level, which I couldn't even I want to. it's my DD. I just want to wash and take care of it in the appropriate manner. I checked the autogeek and wants to get some tips but found it gets really complicated. That's why I am here and try to found out how most people take care their cars..
Just my .02, because I've done the whole wash/clay/polish/sealant/wax twice now. I have to say, to do it right is a serious PITA by yourself. To do it right, that is to remove all swirls/scratches, etc., to a showroom gloss would probably take two full, and I mean full, days. Complicating this is it appears you've never done this before and even though a porter cable is not difficult to use, you'll wear out quickly doing the entire car, that is if you do it right. You can half *** it and it'll look OK, but there will still be some swirls left behind.
There's a reason most top detail shops charge 500 or more for a full showroom type detail, it's tedious and time consuming. They have more than one person working on the car, and at a good shop, they've done this many times and know all the tricks.
If you really want to do the detailing thing yourself, I'd recommend going to one of these shops and watch folks who know what they're doing. By the time you spend all the money needed to get all your supplies/tools, you could have just paid them to do it for you. I think it's worth it, since this level of detail will ususally last a full year, provided you take care of it the right way.
There's a reason most top detail shops charge 500 or more for a full showroom type detail, it's tedious and time consuming. They have more than one person working on the car, and at a good shop, they've done this many times and know all the tricks.
If you really want to do the detailing thing yourself, I'd recommend going to one of these shops and watch folks who know what they're doing. By the time you spend all the money needed to get all your supplies/tools, you could have just paid them to do it for you. I think it's worth it, since this level of detail will ususally last a full year, provided you take care of it the right way.
05-10-2010, 11:49 PM
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There's nothing like the feeling of slickity smooth paint after you've clay-bar'ed it. But you should not have to use a clay bar more than once a year, if even that. Even Money is right, it is quite labor intensive. Back when I used to detail my cars, it would take me one full day from morning to late into the night for wash, dry, clay bar, swirl mark remover polish, mild polish, glaze polish, and carnuba wax. It was not for the non-dedicated folks, but if you like working on your car, you'll love the results!
05-11-2010, 12:28 AM
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There's nothing like the feeling of slickity smooth paint after you've clay-bar'ed it. But you should not have to use a clay bar more than once a year, if even that. Even Money is right, it is quite labor intensive. Back when I used to detail my cars, it would take me one full day from morning to late into the night for wash, dry, clay bar, swirl mark remover polish, mild polish, glaze polish, and carnuba wax. It was not for the non-dedicated folks, but if you like working on your car, you'll love the results!
