So it seems people seem to be happy with exceldetail on here so I'm gonna place an order which I hope will give me everything I need to fix my car up.

"Fix my car"? Yup, I've always done automatic car washes my whole life. I've also never paid that much attention to keeping it nice & shiny; just take it through a wash every 3 weeks or so (less often during winter though [Chicago]). I now want to start cleaning it the right way & fix my problems.

Here is a list of my "problems":
1) Clearcoat swirls
2) Minor scratches (not felt by finger)
3) Minor scratches (felt by finger)
4) Rock chips in windshield
5) Fix up paint on a removed emblem so that the outline doesn't show
6) Hazy headlights
7) Small white dots on hood...felt by finger...like the paint is gone & is showing primer.
8) Windshield difficult to see out of when raining [like there's a layer of film in certain spots]

Here is the damage that I can think of that has caused it:
1) Automatic car washes
2) Sap supposedly fell on windshield & hood...might be cause of #7 & #8
3) Used goo gone for #5 but didn't clean up afterwards
4) Chicago weather
5) Vandalism

So basically what do I need to order to fix up those problems & then for normal washing & making it look good? I'm new to this and to me waxing/polishing/detailing all sound like the same thing so it makes it difficult to know what exactly I need.

What I already have: 12 microfiber cloths. I also live in an apartment & park on the street. If I can't get everything on that site, AutoZone is also somewhere I can hike to for quick stuff.

Thanks.

 

Some questions for you...

• What kind of budget are you looking at?
• How good do you want your car to look?
• Do you have any pictures of the damages/defects on your vehicle?

 

I'd suggest you start with one of Patrick's UDM/PC Packages - A Polishig Kit or Cutting kit then add add'l products from there.

I got the polishing kit and the orange pad was enough to remove paint transfer from a run in with a parking garage "safety" post.

Also got Optimum Polish and 4* UPP.

While you may need other products/pads, the kit is good place to start. Call Patrick, he'll hook you up.

 

give him a call and tell him what you want to do and he will tell you what you need....

 

Thanks for the responses.

Budget: not more than $100. I don't need perfection.

How good: just decent. Again, don't need perfection. The stuff I care most to fix are problem #1[swirls], #2 & 3[scratches], #7[white dots where paint is gone]. I also want to get the right stuff for doing a car wash the right way.

Pictures: I'll try to take some but I don't really have any. I do have one of the emblem problem though:




^ Is that it? I don't need chemicals? What's the difference between a cutting & polishing kit because the descriptions sound the same.

I like just starting small & then adding on top. It's winter time here so I won't even do anything until a couple months. Just gathering what I need so that when the time comes I don't have to go out searching.

True, I could've done that. I just want the opinion of the forum first. Not implying that he would, but I might get swayed to buy more than what I'm really looking for. I just want the car looking decent. I don't need it to look professional, else I would've gone to professionals. Just some simple DIY stuff I can do to recover its appearance and then keep it that way.

 

its going to be hard to get started for a hundred bucks...your really going to need a udm/pc to get your mission completed and that alone is about 150 bucks...correcting paint/clearcoat by hand is just about impossible....

 

With your $100 budget, plan on doing everything by hand; even the polishing to remove the swirls and scratches (a lot of time and physical effort will be involved).

If that's totally fine with you, then we can proceed to pricing out what you need.

 

$100?

That'll get you enough for a nice clean up, but not what you said you want to accomplish.

To Start, you need:

- Microfiber Towels (a mixed bundle is probably best)
- Car Wash Soap (OTC - Meg's Gold Class or similar)
- A leather cleaner/conditioner (OTC - Meg's Gold Class or similar)
- A vinyl conditioner (OTC - Meg's Gold Class or similar)
- A tire dressing (OTC - Meg's Hot Shine or similar)
- An "all in one" wax (OTC - Meg's NXT or similar)
- A glass cleaner (OTC - Stoners Invisible Glass or similar)
- A bucket.
- Drying towels (MF Waffle-Weave)


Honestly, the most economical method to gather these very basic items it to go to Wal-Mart and/or Target.

 

I would go for Duragloss in a heartbeat...........

 

Let's say that all I got was some UDM (Unified Dispersion Modeler?) and it costed $150. What would I be able to do with it if I purchased nothing else...if my goal was simply eliminating swirling & scratches?

Yeah $100 is probably rough, so I guess I just want the minimum required. Otherwise I guess I'll just have to ask again when (financial) times get better...unless you guys recommend some cheaper alternatives that actually work well.

At the moment I'm not concerned about tires, interior, or glass...already got Armorall for the first two & Invisible Glass for the (tinted) windows.

 

udm=ultimate detail machine....you cant do anything with the machine by itself...you will need a few pads and some polish....then you will need some wax or sealant to finish the car off...that would be a minium...i would think you can get away with around 200 bucks....call excel and talk to him...his isnt going to sell you anything you dont want just for the purpose of trying to make a buck....

 

No, no .... UDM/PC = Ultimate Detailing Machine/Porter Cable.

That is a random orbital buffer and, in a kit, comes with pads for specific purposes - medium cutting/polish, light polish/AIO, Topping product (for example). The runs ~$175 I *think* - check the web site.

This thing will improve the quality of your work IMMENSELY and decrease the time to do by 2/3, if not more. ADD to the UDM a selection of Polish, Wax, AIO's, Glaze or LSP's (Last Step Product, like 4* UPP).

You still need the washing basics - car wash soap, bucket(s), MF mitts/towels, drying towels, etc.

Finally, products to clean window, leather, vinyl and tire dressing.

I understand what you're saying about starting out - we've all just "started out" somewhere. Mostly with off the shellf soap and All in One Wax - like the list I posted earlier.

The only *real* problem with that approach is you can't/won't effectively remove swirls and light scratches and the twice a year wax & detail takes *all* day (if not 2) to do by hand and will wear you out.

There is nothing wrong with that (off the shelf products with a 2 or 3 time a year hand wax & detail). Thats exactly what I did for *years* and with very acceptable results.

But with a UDM and the right products, you can get to a whole other level without spending any more time.

 

I guess at this point my post is premature since it seems I need a UDM and it appears 'by hand' isn't effective. And I can't raise my budget...I've fallen victim to continuously slightly raising my budget until the amount I ended up spending was at least double my budget. So I guess the polishing/waxing/detailing/fixing-up part will just have to wait til I make more money.

Now for actual car washing: I wanted to try the NRWS but no one responded to my question of whether the offer was for pre-wash or for the actual washing until it expired, so I guess I won't be using that. I've seen the microfiber stuff at AutoZone so those shouldn't be a problem. So all I need is car wash soap? The (manual) carwash I can go to already has soap so what makes this different?

Maybe I'm just in over my head...never knew keeping a car clean could be this difficult/expensive. And with the way my money looks now, I probably won't be able to get it done anyway. Sorry this noob wasted you guys' time.

 

By hand, is effective. Whether or not it meets your needs, I think, is what were not sure of. I mean anything is better then nothing. BUt start at ground level, like washing and drying techniques followed by a good paint cleaning and quality sealing. Granted you may not remove all the swirls as most machine users are accustomed to, its a step up. Maintain with a quality spray wax, and you've got good protection.
Then you at least have good common sense practices established until you can venture into machine work, when your financially able to. At this point your not adding to the problem, simply putting it on hold.

 

Exactly.

Hand washing/waxing/finishing *will* get you a nice clean, good looking car. What you won't get is that next level of correction/swirl removal. But that can come later, budget permitting.

Believe me, until this year I had *no idea* the number and kinds of products available (a guy could go broke).

Before that a regular wash every week or so and a really good wash, wax and detail 2 or 3 times a year. Using decent/good off-the-shelf products and the car looked great compared to most others on the road.

You *can* improve your look on a budget. Just be realistic about how much you can accomplish.

 

i was in the same boat a year ago too...now my wife and neighboors think i am crazy with the amount of time and money i spend on maintaing my cars looks...

 

Thats cuz you are crazy........and you have it out for cats too!

 

 

If you are not going to make this a constant part of your car care and you only want something to correct the car, sort of a one time thing try this... check out the local pawn shops. Look for a right angle random orbit sander. The Dewalt 433 or Porter-Cable (various model numbers) will do the same job. I saw a Dewalt 433 at a pawn shop near by in working (but very used) order for about $40. You can also find these on eBay. At any given time there are many available between the PC and Dewalt and you should be able to get one for well less than 100 bucks. Then all you need is to buy a few pads. The Dewalt 433 comes with a 6" velcro backer that will take any of the 6.5" foam pads. I have an old 9" car buffer I've used a few times. They do a decent job but don't have the power to remove serious scratches. You can make it look alot better with one and it is far easier than doing it by hand. I happen to have one I no longer need after buying the G110.

The paint chips are easy. After I've cleaned the car and clayed the hood I hit the spots with touch up paint. I leave the spots proud of the surface, basically leave a blog. Then let it dry. Then I hit it with Langka. This basically dissolved the blog down until it is flush with the surface. You cannot see it if you do it right. You can buy it here.. not cheap but works well.. http://www.langka.com/chip-scratch-repair-c-21.html If you don't want to do that there are other techniques that take more time and effort but can fill in those chips.

Like anything your results will be what you want them to be. If all you want to do is improve what you have you can do that without breaking the bank and use more eblow grease. If you want the paint looking like new it will be a lot more work and money. Nothing wrong with trying to improve the car and do it on the cheap. But you will have sore arms!

 

I understand what you guys are saying and Rocket_man brings up a good point; I really don't plan on making it a "daily regimen" (exaggeration). If I try to do corrections by hand and the result isn't what I hoped for then I would eventually end up needing the expensive equipment. It would therefore be a waste of time to do it by hand. I'm in no rush, so I can afford to wait 'til I have the money to grab the right tools for the job. I certainly don't want to try the by-hand method and make the problem worse.

And the condition of the car is probably bad so I wouldn't wanna do an ineffective/cheap job only to have to do it again & again & again...etc. I'm all for elbow grease, but if it won't do what I need, then what's the point? I can wait, the aesthetics of the car are not that important to me that I need to give in to low-quality methods or break my budget. So for the moment I'll just concentrate on how to correctly wash the car (of which I see many threads/faqs on) and then do what I need to do once I start making more than 10k a year.

 

My take.....

 

I have two words for you and express Patrick's sentiments... Preventative Maintenance.

 

New, email me your address, I will ship you an oz. of prevention, Excel style.....

 

Damn, you're too awesome Patrick.

 

I'll ship him out a couple oz's of 105 Denzil.......That way he gest better then average protection with some chemical cleaning......far from a two or three stage cleanup, but its protected.

 

Wow, didn't expect that....I'm much obliged! I see why AZine thinks highly of you. But I guess you are right, by not doing anything the problem is probably more likely to get worse. Since it's Winter and my car is covered in salt & snow, I probably don't even know how bad it actually is.

I really appreciate all the help & advice you and all the forum members are supplying me with; it really goes a long way.

 

We're happy to help fellow board members that are interested in keeping their rides clean, even if it's on a very limited budget.

 

Since I have to put my "repair" budget on hold, I still need to move forward with my "washing" budget. This is what I'm thinking:

- 1 gal NRWS
- 32oz Multi Purpose Power Mister
- Pure Australian Medium Sheepskin Washmit from Eurow

Comes out to about 60 bucks. I've already got microfiber cloths from Autozone. I figure if I wash it NRWS, then use the Duragloss 105, I should be good, and then when I actually can, grab the UDM & polish stuff. This sound like a good plan?

 

watch out for the detail bug. :X its a addiction man

 

Go with the qt of NRWS and the 1 Gal Sprayer, about $30.00. Thats at least 10 washes with the sprayer and a bucket full.
Sheepskin or two, $12.00
Those 32oz Power Misters are inferior compared to the 1 Gal spritzers ability.......
Oh, your 105 sample has been sent.....=)

 

This would be a better route.

 

Why shouldn't I go with the gallon of NRWS? I plan to use NRWS exclusively, so it makes sense to buy as big as possible so it saves me more $ down the road, or is there something I'm not thinking about? Also, how are the Power Misters inferior to the other ones? I know I'm a noob but it looks like the sprayers are more than what I really need...unless again, there's something inherently more advantageous that I'm not aware of? Don't they do the same thing? Gotta remember, cheap noob here!
vs.

PS: I've received the 105 sample, thanks! Once I order & use the NRWS do I just apply the 105 with a paper towel like I'm cleaning glass?

 

The spritzer just look cooler! I'll let Patrick educate.

 

Plain and simple? How many hand trigger pumps to empty a QT of NRWS? (I dont wanna find out)
How many compressions pumps to empty a Gal of NRWS? (Not that your going to use it all) about 30.
True, a gal is better bang for the buck, but unless your professionally detailing, a Gal is going to last a long, long time considering your only using a couple oz per wash. Thats 64 washes! Couple that with washing every other week? You have 2 years of product.
A Qt of NRWS (32oz) will allow you approx 15 washes, thats 30 weeks worth of clean car.
If you could afford it, I think the ultimate bargain would be the spritzer with the NRWS Gal. Thats the best bang for the buck, but Im not here to sell you more then you need, hence the Qt NRWS and the spritzer.
The spritzer also has a adjustable spray tip, and a much stronger stream of water exiting. I think you would enjoy the NRWS more with the spritzer anyway. Its just a more refined and perfected technique with the spritzer. Wheel wells? Cant get in there with the hand pumper.......

 

I gave in, except I went for the 1/2 gal sprayer; 1 gallon seems huge. Plus it'll be easier to manage since I gotta carry all of this down 4 flights of stairs & outside to my car when I do it. (bucket w/water&nrws, sprayer, mitt, microfibers cloth). I also bought



cause I think I need that for the Duragloss.

 

Dang, I didnt even consider the 1/2 Gal. Great choices, you wont be dissapointed.
You actually got my last Qt of NRWS (Until new shippment arrives) Guess it was meant to be!
And you have the support of quite a few followers here on Azine, not to mention my business card with email and phone number for ANY questions.......

 

lol, I guess it was meant to be!

I'm sure I'll bother everyone with questions once I try it out. Thinking about grabbing/borrowing a camera so I can take some before/after shots.

 

Hey there, just read through this entire thread, glad you decided to try something out. Keep the questions coming...

I'm in Chicago too (suburbs). I'm a HUGE NRWS fan, been using it for the 2nd winter now. Granted, I have a garage to wash in, I think you'll still love it and having a clean car while everyone else is covered in salt

Anyway, here are a few threads of NRWS in action to help you out...

Season 2 of NRWS

Optimum NRWS in Action!

NRWS in Action

The full thread for Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine

 

Cool, thanks steve9207; good to know there's someone in my neck of the woods using it with great results. How often do you do a NRWS wash during winter & do you continue your usage throughout the year? I assume if you had the garage you'd be doing traditional washes when the weather's nice just because. My plan is that NRWS is the only thing my car will ever see again.

I think I'll get my excel stuff thursday or friday so hopefully on saturday I'll get to use it. Here is my plan:

1. spray the pre-treat mixture on
2. do the actual nrws process
3. clay with the pre-treat mixture as a lubricant
4. do another nrws process
5. apply duragloss

Any objections?

 

I just used my ONRW for the time...love it and I'm sure you will too newperson.

I'm haven't tried it as a clay lubricant but next time I do...I probably would.

I'm still debating if I am going to buy the Surf City Liquid Clay Bar...or go back to traditional detailing clay.

Please give us an update with some before and after pictures to add something visually with your experience.