My plans to clean up my new(used) 2001 Accord Coupe:

1. Seafoam, change spark plugs with Irridium ones, oil change
2. Get new tires
3. Get the front bumper repainted
4. Shampoo and condition leather with Duragloss
5. a. Wash car
b. Claybar car with Clay Magic(if available at my local auto shops)
c. Wax the car
6. Vaccum

My questions are:

1. Should I try claybar even though I'm a total noob?
2. Is #5 from above the correct way to go about detailing the outside of my car?(my car has never been claybar'd or waxed by the previous owner)
3. What kind of wax should I use?(any recommended brands)
4. Is there an easy way to get rid of the scratches pictured below?

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

if the bumper is getting repainted, you should wait until 30 days after it is painted to wash the car since the paint is very soft and can be damaged easily.

 

Using a claybar is not difficult. See this thread for more info and this tutorial.
It's usually a four step process 1) Wash 2) Clay 3) Polish 4) Seal
See this thread to get an idea of what products a few of the members prefer.
Most of the light surface scratches can be corrected/removed through machine polishing. If the scratches are deep, you may have to seek the aid of a body shop or you can try and DIY.

 

I don't have any machines, can I do this all by hand? Also would my process of wash,clay,wax work or do I need follow those four steps?

 

Adding that 3rd step is the single most important step to beautification, next to just protection alone. You can polish and seal all by hand, you just dont receieve the polish benefits as you would with a PC.
Theres doing it "right". (Wash. clay, polish (PC), and seal). And doing the best you can with what you've got. If you can even add a paint cleaner to your figures, your better off.
Its extremely important, not only from a physical standpoint as well as cosmetic, to get the surface to a point where it will accept a sealant. The paint needs to be cleaned of foreign matter for proper bonding, and there are a few ways to do this: (Besides a simple, thorough wash)
1. Clay
2. Polish
3. Cleanse (with a paint cleaner)
Or variations of the above, such as clay and polish, clay and cleanse, etc.
Your on the right road, glad you found a great place to discuss it too! We're here to help!

 

Can any moderators delete some of my photos with the license plate shown? I forgot to white it out.

Also I was able to obtain a PC from a friend so I'll be going out to buy some clay, polish, and sealant. I'm trying to clean my paint on a budget b/c I spent all of my savings on the car itself and other accessories that were needed.

 

Also what are some sealants available in local stores like carquest, napa, autozone, kragen. I've never seen any of the sealants listed in the thread for products prefered by members in local stores.

 

carquest carries Duragloss products...601/105 combo, 111, 101 are all good sealants to try. 601/105 being the most popular.

 

So since I'm planning to repaint the bumper, would the fresh paint on the bumper look different from the paint on my car after it has been claybar'd, polished, and waxed?

Should I wait until the bumper is painted then wait another 30days to detail my whole car?

 

I would go ahead and detail the vehicle and leave the bumper. Paint shops should be able to color match the bumper with the rest of vehicle. Let the paint cure for 30-45 days before applying any wax/sealant.

For more info about Duragloss, click here. BTW, make sure you have a polishing pad and a finishing pad for the PC.

 

Ok here's what I got so far for my plans:

1. Turtle wax car wash
2. Either the Clay Magic kit or Meguiar's, which ever one I can find at my local autoshops
3. Meguiar's Deep Crystal System with my friend's PC
4. Duragloss 601/105 combo
5. Meguiar's NXT wax

Is the PC hard to use? Also is that all I'm going to be using the PC for?

I'm guessing that I can use the sealant and wax with a foam applicator

 

I think you'll get better results using DG 671 or DG 652 in lieu of Megs DC System which is none abrasive. In other words, all you'll do is "hide" surface defects instead of correcting/removing them with the DC system. NXT has cleaners and would not be a good idea to use it as a last step product (LSP). The DG 105 should take care of that.
The PC is a very versatile tool and can be used for applying & removing waxes/sealants and surface buffing. The primary purpose is paint correction i.e. removing swirls, minor scratches and oxidation giving you a consistent finish over the entire vehicle. It's not that hard to use and as with any new tool, there is a slight learning curve - speed, product charactersitics and pad/product combinations. There are many threads in regards to using the PC and several tutorials and videos online.
Yes, that is probably the best way for hand application.

 

Thanks I'll be trying out all this stuff on sunday with a friend who is also trying to learn how to detail cars. I hope all goes well.

 

Check out this site called Paint Care & Detailing for more info on polishing. There are some online videos and and pics of what can be done when a PC is correctly used. . . let us know how everything goes.