Since im going to spend over 100-200 bucks on a prodetail then i figure i would like to Do it myself. I need some suggestion on what tool to buy like a orbital polisher. (i was looking at the porter cable 7424) What type of wax and soap do i buy?

how long would it take if you do it yourself.

 

The Porter Cable 7424 is a great choice - it's pretty much universally praised. You'll need to buy a backing plate plus pads as well as a good polish. Take a look at this link: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/pc-7424.html Finally, you'll need to put on a good wax on top for protection.

I've used the Sonus SFX #1, #2, and #3 polish with good results. For a "wax" I like to use Zaino (synthetic) but am very impressed with S100/P21S (regular carnauba wax) too.

You're going to get many different suggestions on the type of polish and wax to use!

The car soap, IMHO, isn't quite as important as long as it's a soap specifically made for cars. What's more important is the type of wash mit you use as a cheap one can scratch your paint and/or create swirls. A good sheepskin mit is recommended.

Good luck!

 

Your best bet would be to check out the forums at www.autopia.org

 

bored7one4, check out this thread about buffers. Seems and sounds like the same dilemma that Doc Holliday has. Autopia as previously mentioned has a "How To" section and will answer almost any question you have regarding detailing. Another source of info would be BBC. Chemicals (waxes, polishes, cleaners, etc.) are numerous and some of the more popular ones and highly recommended include Klasse, Zaino, Four Star, Poorboys, P21S, Megs, and Pinnacle. Check out the Wash & Wax forum to get an idea of what folks are using. There's a lot of info there also from members like exceldetail, TOGWT and maximumdetail and you can PM them for more info.

 

most people seem to forget about this website
www.properautocare.com

they have GREAT information... they might be a lil pricey.. but sometimes they have good deals.. just compare them to some of the others..

 

Your 100-200 pro-detailing cost probably is just a one time deal. If you invest that on good equipment and products you can keep for a long time. Once you start with the PC then get yourself a decent set of pads with it like Sonus DAS or SFX or a Lake Country set (that comes with the backing plate). If you shop the 'net for a pad "kit" it should already come with a hook and loop (velcro) backing plate that is meant for the pads.

Wax is is very broad term these days. Simply put, your choices in "waxes" are natural (Carnauba) and synthetic or man-made polymers. These doesn't include "Polishes" that add gloss to your finish. But there are one-step products out there to make it simpler for you. It depends if you want to do it the easy way or the hard way. The latter produces much better results.

The simple one or two steps are:

Use a Cleaner Wax. (You need to do this every few weeks since wax does not last too long on the finish.) Use Meguiar's Cleaner Wax (one of the most popular), Meguiar's Pro Cleaner Wax #6 or ColorX. You can also use a better synthetic product like Klasse All-in-One and/or top it off with the Sealant Glaze. And it's just as easy to use and can be done by hand as well. Try this method first and see if you would want to take it further.

Multi Steps are:

Use a Paint Cleaner, Polish and Wax. Meg's and Mother's have a 3-step system that are very good and have been on the OTC for years. Or invest in a professional system of Cleaning/ Swirl removing, Polishing/ Sealing and Waxing.

Even if your car is brand new, you'll get better results if you clay the paint to remove contaminants. You also afford better adhesion to any product you may apply.

As far as Soaps, I just buy whatever is on sale. Good brands are Armor All wash, Turtle Wax Zip wax shampoo and Meguiar's. I'd stay away from soaps with "citrus" content that can strip the waxes and polishes off the finish.

As far as time, it all depends how much you can devote to cleaning the car. Using a PC cuts the time down substantially so you have more time admiring the finish afterwards.