i had another thread about this in the general discussion section, but it was closed since it was the wrong area.

anyways, long story short i went to a car wash place to get my car cleaned b/c it was quite dirty from a weekend trip. the car was cleaner, but it also has those light brush marks on the surface (i have a nighthawk black pearl colored 07 TSX--this was its first wash since i got it this past december).

will a good waxing kind of hide those marks? i unfortunately live in an apt with no access to a hose, water, driveway, or garage to do my own washing/detailing unless i go over a buddy's house or pay for the detailing job.

 

Depending on how bad the scratches are, you'll likely want to polish it and then wax it.
And for the love of God, please avoid the carwash at all costs...

 

yeah, i didn't want to do it. but it's either i let the crud sit on the car or just wash it off.

it's hard when you don't have a driveway and access to water. i'm going to have to buy some supplies, read up on exterior care here, and crash someone's driveway.

 

Black car

This is a great place to make friends with detailers

T

 

For apartment/condo dwellers.

 

wow, that's awesome.

patrick/excel detail: i actually tried to PM you regarding supplies on your website, but for some reason i guess i couldn't.

in addition to the apt. kit, could you recommend any other essentials/products/product names for a n00b like me? ideally, i'd like my car to just look nice with a shiny finish, and avoid having to go to the local car wash where it'll get all scratched up. i'm primarily interested in just washing and waxing for now, and possibly moving towards more-specific detailing like polishing (stupid car wash swirls) or claying.

i've read a number of threads, but of course everyone is different as far as what they're doing and going for and it's a lot to take in. i just don't want to miss anything.

and thanks for the apt. kit link!!!

 

Yea, I also would suggest a PC with a light swirl remover, XMT1 or 2 in particular. Top this off with XMT Glaze and you'll be set to go, as if it was when you got it in December.

Good Luck.

 

When necessary, find a good touchless wash.
I actually have a driveway and a wide array of products, but because it's currently 5 degrees and slushy here in MN (and will be 4-5 months out of the year) so washing it myself is not really an option. However, I too have a Black car that I must keep clean. So, touchless carwashes (though not IDEAL) are my only hope.

On the rare occasion that it actaully gets above 40 here, I do a quick wash and wax job, but I'm pretty sure the stuff used at my local touchless wash strips whatever I put on. However, I confident that it's better than the snow/ice/sand/salt that is currenlty caked on.

 

try a product called Sonus SwirlBuster. it's better than your average filler. i believe it fills AND seals. find it on google

 

A good quick fix would be the Optimum Poli-Seal. A very light abrasive polish/sealant. 3 times the polymer protection of the Optimum Car Wax Spray. I'd highly recommend it as would anyone who has used it before.

 

It's available at Autopia and I don't know if it has the properties of a sealant. As with any type of polish, follow with a layer of sealant.

 

thanks for the link. i have only read about it in forums, and never actually tried it myself. does it work as advertised?

 

Nope, never tired it either. . . . I've got other polishes that work for me and and quite happy with them.

 

i'll definately have to look into that polish.

so i'm assuming i need an applicator for the optimum/polish-sealant, right? the colored pads w/ the different abrasivness?

are there different pads to use when i end up waxing?

i have so many questions about this. i guess i'll just list them and any help or feedback would be great:

1. applicator/pads for polish. is there one kit that i should be getting over the other? cutting, final, or polishing? http://www.prestostore.com/cgi-bin/s...etail&ct=65112

and how many uses until you need to get new pads?

2. do i need applicators/pads for waxing or will a microfiber towel do?

3. how often do you guys change towels or wash mitts?

4. is it bad to actually wash/wax your car when it's relatively new?

5. frequency of regular washing and detailing? i've read like every 2-3 weeks or whenever dirty, wash and rinse. do more detailed stuff like claying, polishing, etc... every 3 months.

i went to target last night to just check out what they have as far as cleaning stuff. i might get that california dry blade. they had megs car shampoo so i can pick that up there. a bunch of mitts and microfiber towels, but i think i'd rather buy them online w/ the polish kits and stuff since the online detailers probably would have better stuff.

 

I second the optimum no rinse that comes in the apartment kit. I bought a gallon to split with a buddy who lives in a condo. I have a driveway and a garage but will still use it every now and again when bored, or the weather is too bad to wash it outside. Great stuff. Also makes a decent QD when diluted properly in a spray bottle. If I remember, 32oz spray bottle uses a couple capfuls (about 25- 50 cents worth) of no rinse from the gallon bottle so it's very cheap.

 

any thoughts on the use of paint cleaners before using polish and waxing?

i'm trying to compile a list of stuff i need. so far, i have:

washing/drying:
2 buckets
sheepskin wash mitts
megs car shampoo
microfiber towels
california water blade

polish:
optimum poliseal
polishing pads (abrasiveness TBD)
more microfiber towels

wax:
synthetic
carnauba
foam pads for application
more microfiber towels

and then whatever variety of tire/rim cleaners and accessories to clean the wheels.

does that about cover it?

 

Depends on the condition of your paint. For most new cars, I would say the final polishing kit will fit your needs. If your car has light to medium swirls the polishing kit will do nicely.

I still use the old Propel pads (gray, blue & green) which I've had for a year and half. I also have the Erasure pads for just less than a year. The old pads have been used about 8x the Erasures about 3x. Proper pad care will extend the life of the pads.
If you apply by hand, I would recommend using a MF applicator or 4" foam applicators. Use a finishing pad for machine application and follow with MF polishing towel.
No, not at all.
This is the process I use and the last two are usually done before the winter months and at the beginning of Spring:

1. Wash: 7-10 day, follow with a QD (DG AW)
2. Wax: Once a month with a spray wax like UPPS or OCW, apply a coat of sealant every other month
3. Claying: 6 months
4. Polish: 6 months

This is not set in stone; find what's convenient for you.

 

Sounds good, except the water blade, (Try to avoid using it).
Paint (chemical) cleaners are very good for surfaces in a somewhat swirlfree state. Polishes, on the other hand will clean paint also, but with a combination of abrasives and chemical cleaners. Dont buy into "non-abrasive, swirl removal", paint cleaner. It just isnt going to happen. Its too dependant upon pad cut. I would rather have a combination of pad cut, and abrasives, vs., just pad cut. Polishes tend to be more of a lubricant then cleaners. And lubrication is important when attempting to remove swirls.
If your using a polish which contains fillers, you could certainly use a paint cleaner afterwards to inspect your swirl removal process. The chemicals will remove all the oils and clays which are filling. Some will simply wipe the surface with some Isopropyl alcohol, which will dismantle the oils as well.

 

My thoughts on the CWB, a lot of people will swear by it. My personal choice for drying is a MF waffle weave towel (25 x 36) along with (what Patrick calls) an associate towel, a smaller WW. Makes the ddrying process so much easier.

xjohnkdoex, check out this thread to get an idea of what products are preferred by a fes of the members here. This list of product manufacturers might also be of interest to you.

Have fun detailing . . . .

 

great, thank you all for your input and help. i know it can be monotonous or annoying answering the same n00b questions about washing and detailing the car all the time, but i do appreciate it!

 

sorry, another question: what do you use to clean the polish or wax pads for proper pad care/longevity?

 

also, after going through the linked thread, i'm a little confused between the difference in a paint cleanser (ie. klasse AIO) vs. the polisher (optimum poliseal). is the paint cleanser applied before or after the polisher?

 

John, you dont necessarily have to use both. As stated above, if your paint is in a somewhat swirlfree state, go with a cleaner. That will brighten the surface and remove any surface contaminants which would normally dull the surface, without any abrasives. Polishes (as defined) contain abrasives, and are necessary to remove swirls. By design, they also contain some of the same instruments that cleaners contain. So, a polish will also clean the paint via abrasives and chemicals. Polishes tend to contain additional oils for lubricating the abrasives, so they break down (diminish) properly. Some polishes also contain fine particulates (clays) which fill in swirls. One may think the swirls have been removed, when indeed, they have been covered up or filled in, with these clay particles.
If in doubt, after polishing, you can wipe the area with a MF moistened with IPA (alcohol) or with a spray mister.
OR, this is where a paint cleaner would come in.
The results after this wipedown would reveal 2 things. Does your polish contain fillers, and/or did the polish remove the swirls.

Poliseal does nocontain fillers, and it is a light abrasive, and polymer protectant. Minimal Nuba content (vs Polymers,) is in PoliSeal.

 

oh, ok, i think i got it. thanks for the clarification.