nakolo

I have a 00 TL. Since i live in an apt complex my car has to be parked out doors. needless to say I'm anticipating the end of the year when we buy a house with a garage!!!!

In anycase, I've been trying to keep the paint well maintained as best as possible. I've been taking my car regularly to a hand wash car wash here in the bay. Every month or so I'll get a wax job done on it just to keep it protected.

Since the cars' been under the elements 24hrs a day I find I'm fighting a losing battle. Sure my paint is still somewhat smooth, it's just not the same as if I had it under a garage at night.

The rules of my apt. lease don't allow any maintenace of cars on the premesis. (another bul@#$%% rule!)

Bottom line has anyone had their car professionally polished? Or has anyone taken the car to a professional shop to be detailed? (buff job included?) Don't get me wrong I envy all of you who get to use your spare Saturdays to work on your paint. (oh how I miss those days)

Let me know if anyones taken their car in to a shop to have the paint buffed.

In addition I've encountered a couple of permanent stains from those damn pigeons. I'm really looking to get them off.

To get those @#$% birds back I now leave bread crumbs mixed with crushed Alcaseltzer in a bowl. Then I watch em fly a couple of feet and plop dead as their stomachs explode. @#$% em! They deserved it anyway.

Black TL

I have had my car detailed before and let me tell you, the results were amazing. I took my car to my local dealership Rallye Acura and they cleaned and conditioned the inside and buffed, polished, and waxed the outside. I paid $130 which is what I would pay at any local car wash (they charge the same) so I just took it to Rallye in case they messed up, they would be liable. Anyway, I want to take it to them again but they raised their price to $199 (Bastards!). I dont want to take it to any local car washes because when I took our other car there, they left buff marks all over. Watch out for those! Some places will make your car shine but when the wax wheres off, you are stuck with millions of swirls. I am currently looking for another place to take it. If anyone in the NYC area knows of a place, please let me know.

As for the birds, I have about five permanent marks left by them. It went all the way to the metal. Cant do anything except repaint it I guess. The TL's paint is cheap so it gets damaged easily by birds. Our 94 Accord's paint has held up better than the TL's and the car has 175k miles on it.

accordv6

It kinda sucks that you can't do it there in the evening or something.. I used to work at a detailing shop and I can tell you that they really rush getting your car finished, reason being most of the detailers are paid per car, not per hour...Nobody is going to take the time and do it right more than you...my best advice is just to find somewhere to do it...or do it at your apartment..washing isn't really maintainance anyways, I don't think so at least. Do it yourself, better results, cheaper, and you get the please of knowing you did it for your baby yourself.

patrick

LOL! Didn't know there was a "legal" way of getting rid of them! BTW, does this work with crows? Near my place, there's lots of them and they just crap all over my car! How much alcaseltzer do you use with bread crumbs?

RickRack

A proffesional detail shop is the only way that you will get the results you are looking for. I'm sure it looks pretty good after you do it by hand but the only way to get out any of the surface scratches and blemishes is to have it buffed. Nothing works as good as a high speed buffer because it actually heats up the paint and melts the paint into the scratches. Any product that you use by hand just hides your scratches temporarily until it wears off. A buffer will fill those scratches in. I would recommend using a clay bar over the entire car and buffing it with a light compound to remove any small scratches you may have. After compounding, buff the entire car with a good polish or glaze to get rid of any swirls from the compound and follow it up with a good quality wax to seal in the shine and protect it from the sun and elements. Make sure they do not buff you car at a high speed. Swirls are caused by buffing at a very high speed and some people think it comes out better using a higher speed but the trick to having a swirl free shine is using a low speed when buffing. About the bird @#$%... There's not too much you can do once it has stained your paint. Wetsanding may diminish it somewhat but not completely. Hope this helps you out. Good luck. If you bring it to a detail shop make sure you ask around to find a reputable one.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Actually swirl marks are more often caused by using poor quality towels to dry the car or washing your car with cheap sponges or synthetic wash mitts.

A professional detailer will not, at least I would hope not, cause swirl marks with a rotary buffer. I used one for years and unless the guy is a complete idiot, it will only help the finish.

Swirls can be filled and/or removed using something like 3M SMR or other products.

As far as the bird stains, RickRack is right. If it has been sitting on the clear for an extended period of time, it's eaten through the clear coat. Not a whole lot you can do. It can be minimized a bit, but it will always be visible.

RickRack

NSXNEXT is absolutely right. Swirls can most definitely be caused by using poor quality towels & wash mits but are also caused from buffing at high speeds. I own 2 detail shops in MA. and have been detailing for over 7 years. I detail nothing other than exotic and hi-line vehicles so I have some knowledge when it comes to detailing. You are probably thinking about an orbital buffer. A high speed buffer and an orbital buffer are 2 totally different animals. If you are talking about an orbital buffer than yes, you have to be an idiot to get swirls from using it. It is very easy to swirl up a car using a high speed buffer as well as burning the paint if you don't know what your doing. Have you ever looked at a car in the sun and seen lines (swirl marks) in the paint, usually running in straight lines down the sides of the vehicle and up and down the hood and trunk? These are the swirls I am talking about that can be caused from buffing at high speeds. Sometimes they will not show up on a vehicle until the wax wears away over time and tend to show up less on light colored cars. I always recommend using a low speed when buffing a vehicle. A higher speed should be used only when trying to remove a deep scratch or on a car that needs some serious help!

Beiruty

I am interested in detailing my 01' CLS ( in/out), do you do CLS or can you refer me to very good detailer ( at reasonable cost )?

Thanks.

I live in Nashual, NH

RickRack

I will detail your car for you as long as you don't mind driving the distance. I would rather do it at my shop in Malden because I have a lift there. I guarentee it's worth the ride down to MA because I guarentee nobody details a car the way I do. I go as far as removing all of the wheels on the car to clean behind them as well as the suspension and wheel wells. Find another shop that will do that for what I charge! I have an account with an exotic car dealer down the street which keeps me pretty busy during the week so the weekend is probably a better time to do it. Are you looking to get a full detail or just an exterior? Let me know if you're interested and we can discuss a price. I'll hook you up since you drive a CLS .

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

RickRack,

Good points. I was really suggesting that any professional detail shop that puts a rotary buffer in the hand of a non-trained professional is asking for trouble.

But yes, I have seen the damage done when it's in the wrong hands.

1999TL

Detail experts. I have a rotary buffer that i haven't used in probably like 2 years. What's the best pads to buy for it and where?

RickRack

Since you car's a 99'... it can't be in too bad of shape so I would recommend using a foam pad rather than wool. In general, wool pads are considered "cutting" in nature and foam pads are generally for light compounding as well as final finishing (or polishing). There are several foam pads available, but the main categories involve the size of the foam cells and the surface configuration. I would recommend using a pad with a "waffle-" like surface that resembles an egg crate because these pads are designed to reduce the amount of surface heat generated by the pad and will not cause swirls marks. I get my supplies delivered to me from an independent reconditioning wholesaler but you should be able to find them at a local auto parts store such as Napa or Auto Zone. If you have any surface scratches or blemishes in your paint than you will need a foam cutting pad. You should do all of your compounding with this pad. After compounding, you will need a foam finishing pad to do all of your polishing/glazing with. It is not necessary to put a lot of pressure on the buffer or use the buffer at high speeds because it causes swirl marks in the paint. Let the buffer do the work. If it's a variable speed buffer, I would recommend compounding at 1400 RPM and polishing at 1200 RPM. Make sure to apply a good coat of wax to seal the paint after you're done buffing. When I buff a car, I use a spray bottle of water and lightly mist the panel before I apply the polish or compound . This keeps the surface cool for a swirl-free shine. Also, spray the wax applicator lightly with some water when waxing to make it easier to wipe off when you're ready to wipe. Make sure to tape up any trim on the vehicle before buffing so it won't haze up, also put some newspaper over your windshield wipers so you dont get wax and compound in them. I hope I answered all of the questions you had. Let me know if you have any more questions and good luck finding those pads!

Beiruty

Rick,

Check your PM

1999TL

thanks a lot. You know your sh!t.

RickRack

No problem, any time.

nakolo

Excellent Suggestions all! That was really helpfull. Especially the facts regarding the orbital buffer.

Now just have to find a place I can trust in the Bay Area, CA.

****************
BTW, for the birds. I took two loafs of bread and crunched 2 alcaseltzers.

the birds don't actually blow up the foam just builds in their stomachs still they implode.

They can't regurgetate. LOL

iatacs19

are you serious about the birds?:wow:

RickRack

Yes, those birds suck! If you ever get bird sh!t on your car, get it off ASAP because the acid in their sh!t eats away your clear coat and even your basecoat if it stays on there long enough. The best way to get it off is to either wash your car or spray some water on it and let it soften up before trying to wipe it off because it scratches the paint if you use a dry rag. As long as it doesn't sit on the paint for too long wetsanding should take it out. Buffing it with compound helps a little but wetsanding works better. Tree sap also ruins your paint if left on long enough. It discolors the paint and sometimes causes the paint to lift. I find that acetone and rubbing alcohol work the best to take it off. Make sure to just rub it lightly over the sap so you dont scratch the paint.

nakolo

<i>BTW, for the birds. I took two loafs of bread and crunched 2 alcaseltzers. </i>

Actually I mean't 2 slices and 2 alcazeltzers (spelling).

....Still looking for a shop around here in the Bay.

iatacs19

none of the birds in my neighborhood want to eat the special mix bread of mine.......