How to Properly Detail a Vehicle

I too use the Meguiars Ultimate Wax....Also use their matching spray detailer. Very good product !!!

 

I use to use the Hi Tech Yellow Wax as well....I was a little skeptical on using the new synthetic polymer, I'm old school , the easier to use , the less effective. But I've had a change of heart

 

Our detail dept. uses 5 gallon buckets of Meguiars products that are fed into a main control unit. It has a dial to switch between 4- 5 gallon containers of product

 

Sounds like a discussion best suited for Graves ??.......

 

I'm VERRY fortunate that I have a detailer that washes my truck....and he knows that the owner is VERY ANAL

 

But NOBODY touches my truck with a buffer than ME

 

Glasurit Refinish Products has a Clearcoat that is VERY impervious to SCRATCHES.....I wish my Tundra had that Clearcoat on it !!!.....But you better have a real clean booth and you can't buff it after it's applied.... so a really good painter needs to apply it. I would love to do that to my Tundra but that's a hell of a lot of work with removing everything from the panels. Belt moldings door handles run channels.... bumpers..... all of it

 

Glasurit Product # 923-645.....Amazing Clearcoat !!!!

 

I wish Toyota would use the Glasurit clear coat exclusively and just charge a little extra on the sticker price. I would pay twice the cost or charge just to have it especially on my black truck

 

Google " Glasurit Image Film English " and watch the video....i sprayed their "55 Line" color system for 16 years....ABSOLUTELY THE BEST !!!!!

 

I still have a can of that stuff. Love it but it's such a PITA to wipe it off once it dries.

 

Nuttin Cialis cant "Erectify"

 

wife's car currently has collinite on it. truck has adam's. i know we have had a very mild winter so far but i'm impressed with both. i think adam's is just a bit ahead of collinite though. adam's is a bit easier to apply even after warming up the collinite a bit.

just washed all the crap off the truck yesterday. it had been in snow, snow melt, mud, up and down the hill a few times. it also sits outside full time. paint feels just as smooth and slick as when i originally detailed it out and put on the adam's. that was back around halloween. wife's car feels pretty good too but i can start to feel some crap building up on it.

i've used adam's waterless wash a few times. really impressed with it. been following that with their detail spray. i did just pick up some adam's rinseless wash but i haven't tried it yet.

 

will do. no foam canon at the moment. i don't have a pressure washer but adam's has a canon that will work with a normal garden hose. might give it a shot. with the unseasonably warm weather we're having right now, i could play a bit.

 

Ceramic Coatings, the Ultimate protection. They have been utilized for several decades in commercial and manufacturing applications. Absolutely no wax ever used after the vehicle has been properly coated with 3-4 coats.

 

Sub'd

 

The wax I use is pure Canuaba wax will last a full year. I usually do it 2x / year I
Use a pretax cleaner first and the the paste wax are we aloud to use products
Name here??

 

I don;t see any reason why you can not tell us the name.....I would love to know the name of the pure carnuba product you're using that lasts a year......which brings me to my next question...if it lasts a full year, why do you do it 2x a year?

 

for your info the wax I use is collinate double coat past wax. I wax twice a year to get ready for heavy snow and salt and stone use.

 

Thank you.....but Collnite 476s is not pure carnuba....it is a carnuba/polymer blend....I asked because I'd not yet heard of a pure carnuba with that longevity

 

haha seem you spend a lot supplies,only need 6 items

 

I have a very generous family.....and, truth be told, I have bought some stuff that I wanted more than I needed....since I enjoy learning from anyone who does detailing at any level....what would you consider those six items to be?

 

Ok D-Day is here. I'm not gonna lie, I did skip some areas. Under the hood mainly, @ Jim did such a helluva job it didn't need it. So it was a hot as a you know what so I didn't take before pics, I just jumped right to it.
1- Pulled out mats and washed them, sun did the drying.
2- Hit some areas with Resolve carpet cleaner. Smells good.
3- Wiped inside down with Aerospace 303
4- Cleaned glass inside
5- Vacumed
Break, Pool time and a Cold Beer
6- Soaked truck down with the Snow Blaster from Chemical Guys
7- Hand washed truck, almost passed out, back into pool
8- Clay Bar
9- 1 coat of Butter Wax
10- 1 coat of Carnuba Wax
Break
11- Cleaned glass outside
12- Applied Wax Addict on tires and trim
( Awesome Product)
13- Installed my dog mat in back seat.
Here are the products I used, of course these were recommended by @Steve and @Jim. I don't see any reason to change anything. These products are amazing and do the job.
I spent 4 hrs easy doing this detail, and that's not counting engine detail and some other minor areas. Probably not the best way being it was 95 outside, but it's done. Here are some pics of truck and products I used. I will definitely have a Pro Suc & Blo vac next time around. A must when detailing. Salute

 

Still had some good beading. That C.Quartz is definitely worth doing. Yeah I need more detailing tools hahaha. Thanks for the compliment Jim. There's still work to be done, but you put me on the right track my friend

 

Please forgive the long post.. I want to give the complete picture of what I'm thinking so the pro's here can correct any mistakes in my thinking.
I've done a lot of reading here today, and want to make sure I've not crossed wires somewhere.

It's been a long time since I've actually waxed a vehicle. But according to recent research I've used far from quality products.

Long story short I don't have a ton of time to work on the truck, an hour every week or two seems to be a lot to ask from the wife.
For wash & wax: I may try to start at dusk, take a break to get the kids down (6mo, 2.5yo, 5yo), then take the rest of the evening to finish up... may need to invest in some work lights.... Or maybe start at first light and take an hour here or there with the truck spending most of the day in the garage (provide it fits).
The other stuff I can take 30 minutes after the kids go to bed to do (glass, interior, exterior plastics, tire condition & shine, engine cleaning).
You can follow the quotes up from here for a longer version

I'm looking to use products (sealant & wax) that will last a while (1 year would be great).
2017 CM MGM, kept outside in the afternoon/evening sun (full time in Houston's heat & humidity & storms), a few long trips but usually around 600mi/mo (70-80% highway).

Stuff I already have:
1600psi electric pressure washer

Chemical Guys - MIC415 MIC405 Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Pad (Chenille)

MF (sponge) mitt

$13 Chemical Guys MIC 292 08 Premium Grade Microfiber Applicators, Blue (Pack of 8), Lint Free

MF applicator

$28 Carrand 93053 Deluxe Car Wash 8" Wash and Jet Dip Brush with 48" Handle

Truck Brush

$10 Chemical Guys CWS_402_16 Mr. Pink Foaming Car Wash Soap (Works with Foam Cannons, Foam Guns or Bucket Washes) Safe for Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, RVs & More, 16 fl oz, Candy Scent

Mr Pink

$20 Chemical Guys WAC_201_16 Butter Wet Wax, Deep Wet Shine for Cars, Trucks, SUVs, RVs & More, 16 fl oz, Banana Scent

Butter wet wax

$5 Invisible Glass 91164 19-Ounce Cleaner for Auto and Home for a Streak-Free Shine, Deep Cleaning Foaming Action, Safe for Tinted and Non-Tinted Windows, Ammonia Free Foam Glass Cleaner

Invisible glass
Replacing:
Stiff bristled brushes (Came with pressure washer) for rims and tires
walmart "microfiber" drying towel that leaves parts of itself behind lol (like little threads, usually blows off in the wind after completely dry)
Costco microfiber cloths (great for around the house cleaning up kid messes and just general cleaning - probably ruined from wash/dry cycles)
Armorall wipes (probably need to be thrown out given how bad they are for the interior)
Armorall tireshine (used once, then read reviews of cracking sidewalls.. again, probably should be thrown out)

Got about $200 worth of products I'll probably pull the trigger on in the next few weeks depending on the feedback here - please don't let my waste my money on the wrong stuff (again)! Thanks
I'm learning... slowly lol


Wash Process - 1hr (includes setup and break down, 30-45 min of washing/drying)
a) pull out rubber floor mats and hit them with the pressure washer (let dry then hit with 303??)
1) Pressure wash (1600psi) whole vehicle top to bottom, paying extra attention to stuck on gunk (bugs and the occasional bird droppings)
working from the top of the cab, down the shady side of the vehicle, then back to front ending with the sunny side of the vehicle then the grille, then on to the tires:
2) Rinse area with hose (sheeting water over the area)
3) scrub area with soapy MF mitt
3.b) same for wheels, but using

Chemical Guys ACC_G08 Wheel & Tire Brush, Short Handle

soft brush instead of mitt for rims and tires.
4) toss mitt into non soap water bucket
5) rinse soap off area with hose (sheeting water over the area)
6) ring out mitt a few times in non-soap bucket before returning to soapy bucket (both with

$11 Chemical Guys DIRTTRAP03 Cyclone Dirt Trap Car Wash Bucket Insert Car Wash Filter Removes Dirt and Debris While You Wash (Blue) 12" Diameter Great For Washing Cars, Trucks, SUVs, RVs & More

grit guards)
once car is washed
7) use

$11 Chemical Guys MIC_781_01 Waffle Weave Gray Matter 70/30 Blend Microfiber Drying Towel with Silk Edging, 25" x 36"

MF towel to dry body of the car
8) use clean

$10 The Rag Company - Standard Waffle Weave Microfiber Towels (3-Pack) Detailing, Window, Glass and Drying, Wax & Polish, Lint-Free, Streak-Free, 370gsm, 16in x 16in, Yellow

MF cloth to dry wheels

(I do most parts of this already in my wash process, except for the 2 bucket method, and I use the pressure washer for all rinsing)


Wash/Wax Process - 4 hours?
1) wash (see above process) with diluted Dawn mixture & dry - 45 min
2)

$17 Adam's Polishes Iron Remover (16oz) - Iron Out Fallout Rust Remover Spray for Car Detailing | Remove Iron Particles in Car Paint, Motorcycle, RV & Boat | Use Before Clay Bar, Car Wax or Car Wash

IronX - spray, let it sit, then rinse & wipe off with water & dry - 30 min
3)

$20 Chemical Guys CLY_109 Light Duty Clay Bar and Luber Synthetic Lubricant Kit (16 oz) (2 Items) , Blue

Clay Bar - apply lube generiously in a 3'x3' area and rub forward then back with the clay bar - 45 min?
4) wash (see above process) with Mr Pink & dry - 30 min
5)

McKee's 37 MK37-650 High Def Paint Sealant, 16 oz.

McKees HiDef Selant (rub on with MF applicator, have a beer, MF cloth to wipe off) - 40 min (25 on, 15 off, not including drying time)
6) Extreme Depth wax with x-seal - 30 min (over kill? or just allow mckees to last longer?)
7) Butter wet wax as my top (sacrificial) coat - 30 min (mostly because I have it already - hope to reapply on a regular basis after washing)

8) WaxAddict for tires / tonneau / exteror plastics - 20 min

steps 3 & 5+ I will attempt to do in the garage (gotta check clearance) to avoid contaminants in the breeze and direct sunlight if done during the day time

Glass: - 30 min
1) Invisible glass (foaming - scrubbing with news paper) for windows (inside and out)
2)

$9 Rain-X 800002243 Glass Treatment, 7 oz. - Exterior Glass Treatment To Dramatically Improve Wet Weather Driving Visibility During All Weather Conditions

RainX Glass Treatment (on exterior of the windows)

Interior: - 30 min
1)

$16 303 Automotive Protectant - Provides Superior UV Protection, Helps Prevent Fading and Cracking, Repels Dust, Lint, and Staining, Restores Lost Color and Luster, 16oz (30382CSR) Packaging May Vary

303 Protectant for all plastic / rubber surfaces
2) Leather - Lexol (cleaner & conditioner)

Engine Compartment: - 30 min
1) Use Mr Pink soapy water buck to wet microfiber cloth and wipe down all reachable areas - 10 min
2) Use fresh MF cloth and fresh water only bucket to re wipe areas - 10 min
3) Use WaxAddict on all plastics with another clean MF cloth - 5 min
4) Use yet another clean MF cloth to buff off WaxAddict - 5 min
5) buy stock in MF cloths - ? min

I'm breaking the "stick to one product line" rule for sure, but it seems like different lines have better products for different things... Is it really that important to stick to one product line for Sealer, Wax, Soap(?) ? From a chemistry standpoint it may make sense, but I'm no chemist... nor am I a pro detailer.
Based on what I've read in the detailing section I've tried to select the products with the best reviews (most didnt include their full process) or what was recommended to me. So many products... it's hard to compare them all...

After getting comfortable with clay baring (probably do wife's crossover in a month or so, then repeat next spring on both vehicles) I may try doing Ceramic Coating... provided I can find 10 hours to do it... maybe a PTO day while the kids are in school/daycare..

After I wash this weekend I'll do the "sandwich bag test" to see how heavy of a clay bar my vast inexperience thinks I'll need.

For interior I usually just use a damp MF cloth. Occasionally hit door panels and center console with a (GASP) armorall wipe (I've got a bunch from when I didnt know any better). The dash just gets glass cleaner: over-spray from when I wash the windshield.

Thank you's to @SouthBoundSteve, @driverdog, @BayRunner for all the helpful info in these threads... as well as everyone else for the quality (or at least funny) questions and comments!

 

I’m sure my finish has some contamination but it feels smooth to my hand and that’s good enough for me. I’m not trying to get any showroom sponsorships or anything. But I’ve taken product and technique advice from @SouthBoundSteve and & @driverdog who really know their stuff. My routine is pretty basic and it gets a really nice result imo. Also *quick*. About 2.5 hours from start to finish.

Get the vehicle wet.
Iron X for the rail dust.
Foam cannon with a 25:25:50 (dawn:meguiars gold class wash:water).

2 bucket method with meguiars wash wax combo (thick yellow stuff) with a MF sponge on a pole.
Then spray meguiars hot wheels on the wheels tires and wheel wells. Rinse everything.
Tire wheel brush for tires wheels and wheel wells with the bucket of meguiars.
Squeegee and chamois the majority of the water. And here’s the best part - 100% of the water doesn’t need to be gone. Meguiars quick spray wax (maroon bottle) Or meguiars ultimate quick wax (black bottle) can be applied to damp surfaces. (And black plastic but I use a different product) in the sun or shade. No big deal. Spray and wipe on w/ MF cloth. Then wipe off with clean MF cloth. Gets a nice deep shine, keeps a bead for 2-3 weeks.

Rain X spray on windshield. Invisible glass on the interior and remainder of exterior windows. 303 protectant on inside plastic.
Wax addict Tyre conditioner on the tires and exterior black plastic. Wipe down the wax addict.
Done.

 

Good morning! Thanks @driverdog for the response!

“Money, time, or quality. Pick 2.”
I’ve got a little money to put into this, but I don’t want to be waistful trying everything under the sun. I pick time and quality (I want good quality quickly). I will definitely be going with some kind of ceramic coating in the future, I just need to get my detailing chops up. I’d rather learn and do it my self than go the extra expensive way of paying someone to do it if I can swing it. I’m a lot pickier than most seem to be: I want it done right, not just “done.”

Dawn wash: yeah, I included it in the waxing process for stripping, for regular weekly washes I use Mr. Pink.

I’ve used the same window cleaner. Seems to be 6’s compared to invisible glass and the safelight brand (a buddy that worked there gave me a few cans a few years ago). That’s in regard to application: how easy it cleans. In your experience you say invisible glass hazes more quickly: are you talking about after application... as in you have to reapply more frequently? I may have to compare the two again...

Thanks for the tip on the Micro-restore, I didn’t put that on my list, but I’ve got it in my cart

My truck doesn’t really get dirty (I’ve noticed yours doesn’t either lol). During the not so rainy months it gets washed every other week if not weekly. I work from home so the 600mi/mo is while the kids are in school. My last fill up was June 22 and I still have half a tank (36gal tank) lol

The pressure washer “pre rinse” I do seems to take care of most any grime that’s on the paint. Even just using a single bucket, there was no observable color change to the water after I washed it last night (no grit guard)... if I had the time I probably would have used the same solution to wash the wife’s car (doing all the wheels at the end).

I got excited and did a dusk wash last night (started at 8, finished with cleanup around 8:45). Got the kids to bed and butter wet waxed. Started at 10pm Went on pretty easy, but on the top and hood it’d fog back up 2 minutes after I buffed it off... took me a few attempts before I realized I was fighting the humidity. I was putting stuff away at midnight :/
It took extra time realizing I was fighting the humidity... and because it was dark. Got done applying it around 10:45.

I did the “baggie test”...
With my hand in the bag I couldn’t slide it (palm in the bag, against the vehicle). It felt smooth with my fingertips running against the bag. I picked a spot on the door a few inches below the handle toward the middle of the door.
I also ran my fingers against the paint as I washed it and it felt a bit gritty, so I’m thinking I may need medium clay...

I think I’m going to need some paint correction... I’ve got a dozen or so spots that look like rock chips on the hood over the headlights. There’s also a few random scratches here and there. Must be in the clear coat since I’ve never waxed the thing before. Unless I’ve got some sort of dealer coating on there... which is possible... I tried taking a few pictures but the mirror finish from the butter wet wax they were hard to see!

The hood and roof are STILL covered in dew... will have to wait until closer to noon when the sun comes over the house and hits the truck to see if I’ve got any unbuffed spots... I’ll probably take more pictures then because I’m sure the paint is going to look AWESOME in the sun!





I REALLY need to take that chrome out...

 

@PermaFrostTRD

Takes all kinds!
If mine wasn’t brand new, I probably wouldn’t care as much. Most of the removing contaminants stuff is just practice for ceramic coating. I want to do it a few times before I seal it in there forever...
But if your happy with your results - that’s what matters!!