What new members REALLY need to know about detailing

[Scottwax]

1. "Best" is subjective when it comes to waxes and sealants. Too many variables for there to be a single, all around best wax or sealant. Do you want durability? Sharp reflections? Super wetness? Incredible depth? Is your car a daily driver? Garage queen? Do you have acid rain/fallout issues where you live? What is the annual rainfall in your area? Average temperature? How harsh are your winters? How hot are your summers? Do you have to park under trees?

2. No one knows how many passes with a machine it will take to remove your defects. It takes however many passes it takes. Even those of us who do this for a living can't look at a car right in front of us and know how many passes it will take and it can be different from panel to panel.

3. Similarly, we don't know what pad/polish/speed combo it will take to correct your paint either. Even the same cars, painted the same day will respond differently. Many a time, I've had a stack of pads and several bottles of polish sitting next to a car trying to find the right combination.

4. It is spelled "Meguiar's", not "Meguire's". Learn it, love it, live it.

5. The Professional Detailer's General Forum is not for asking what wax or polish to use. It is for general discussions of the business of professional detailing. The Car Detailing or Product Discussion forums have higher traffic and you will get a lot more input.

6. There is no one single person here who knows everything about detailing. Focusing on what just one person does or uses will limit your knowledge.

7. (from Salty) Stop wet sanding or heavy cutting without the proper experience and then asking is this damaged, when you know it is.

8. (fron JuneBug) I would like to add, if you're just starting out - KISS, as in keep it simple stupid, if you go out and try to buy every product, 1 you'll be broke and 2 you'll never get good at anything.

Definitely agree. Stop making detailing hard and complicated, it really isn't.

1. Evaluate
2. Clean
3. Evaluate again
4. Correct
5. Check work carefully
6. Protect.

9. (from carn00bie) there has been an awful lot of newbs posting, rather than searching lately.



10. When you polish your car and whatever you are using isn't working to your satisfaction, don't run to your computer and make a post about not being able to get the swirls out and then ask "should I use a more aggressive polish/pad?". Here is the answer- "yes". Now you don't have to get mad when 3 hours later your post doesn't have any replies.

Please use a little common sense. Assuming you are using proper technique (use speeds of 5-6 with a DA buffer, enough pressure to lightly slow the spinning-then letting up just enough for the speed to pick back up, and moving the buffer about 1-2" per second in 50% overlapping passes) if you aren't removing the swirls/defects you need a more aggressive polish, pad or both.

11. It is BRAKE dust, not BREAK dust.

[Nopstnz8]

+1. I agree with everything listed here!

MODS can we make this a STICKY?

[bert31]

Great job Scott, this should be a mandatory post for noobs to read when they sign up.

[BigAl3]

great post scott!

[Scottwax]

Oh yeah, forgot...you kids get off my damn lawn.

As long as I am being grumpy, minus whale go all the way, amirite?

[howareb]

You don't get to 26k unless you know what you are talking about. Great post Scott.

I love the Meguire's...I mean the Meguiar's one

[salty]

Nice rant!

Adding to your list.

Stop wet sanding or heavy cutting without the proper experience and then asking is this damaged, when you know it is.

[Denzil]

Great post Scott, made me laugh a little, LoL.

[alowe]

Scott, what is the best wax for any color paint?

[JuneBug]

I would like to add, if you're just starting out - KISS, as in keep it simple stupid, if you go out and try to buy every product, 1 you'll be broke and 2 you'll never get good at anything.

[gofastman]

Good post, there has been an awful lot of newbs posting, rather than searching lately.

[Autopia Expert]

MODS can we make this a STICKY?

Your command is my wish!