Detailing My New Jeep Diesel

[longarm]

Actually, it's my wifes new Jeep, but she lets me detail it for her and occassional y drive it. We just picked up a 2005 Jeep Liberty Limited CRD (Diesel) in Light Khaki (Tan). I also just took delivery on my Klassie Concours kit. Here is what I had in mind to get it looking like a show car. (Until it goes mudding off road that is) Ohhh, it's getting entered in a show and shine contest at Mighigan Off Road Companies shindig on the 30th of this month.

Wash w/ Dawn and Wool Mit from Autopia Store
Clay with EO and Pinnacle Clay Bar
Wipe down w/ Sonus MF and mix of 70% Bottled Water & 30% ISO Alcohol
Klassie AIO x1 applied with pc
Klassie SG x1 applied by hand
Pinnacle Soverign Liqued x2 applied with pc


The paint isn't too neglected. It sat on the dealers lot for about 3 months. I don't think it moved because it only had 7 miles on the odometer when we bought it. How does the above treatment sound? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It's getting put in the back garage for detailing tomarrow. I'll be doing a little all week. Next Saturday it gets the 2.5 inch lift and bigger tires. Then off to the show. Other Jeepers make fun of me because I said I want a clean Jeep. However, when were on the trail, I will be nice and shiney. My Jeep will also be alot easier to clean. I've never used Klassie, so any tips or links to tips would be appreciated. How long does AIO need to cure before SG can be applied? Thanks in advance!!

[longarm]

Nobody huh?

[Accumulator]

Hey longarm, haven't seen you around here for a while.

What you have planned sounds fine as long as the paint didn't somehow get marred (and thus require polishing). You don't have to wait between the AIO and SG, just apply the SG as soon as you've wiped the AIO off. I'd apply multiple layers of SG (24 hours apart, or just one after each of the next few washes) before topping with wax.

[Arved]

Personally, I wouldn't think a brand new finish would need Klasse AIO. I'd go as far as Clay Bar (and why not use a car wash/shampoo instead of an expensive quick detailer?) and evaluate from there. I'd say you have way better than a 50-50 chance that you could go directly to the Gloss Sealant Glaze stage, unless something got really funky, like the dealer trying to wash the rail dust off, and scratching the paint in the process. Remember the rule - "Use the least aggressive means possible to remove the defect." Maybe a little hand rubbing with a swirl remover is all you need before glazing.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

- Arved

[longarm]

Thanks for the replies fellas. The paint doesn't look bad. There are a couple of spots on the hood that are a little faded where bird poop sat. I don't know if the dealership even washed the Jeep there, I don't think so. I gave the salesman EXPLICIT INSTRUCTIONS that I didn't want ANYONE touching my new Jeep. He thought I was a little off kilter that I would want to clean it myself. I just told him that he wouldn't understand. I don't have to use AIO, I also have FPII and Blackfire Polish. Does the SG really hold up against small stone chips and scratches? Sounds almost too good to be true. Hey, and can I use SG on the lower grey cladding? There isn't much of it, but I want to keep it looking good. I'm taking off the wheels and gonna go over them with AIO and SG.

I have to get that trophy on the 30th.

[RJJ]

longarm, I really want to get the crd, what are you hearing for mileage numbers?

[Accumulator]

longarm- I've never had a problem using the Klasse twins on trim like that on any of my vehicles; I think it'll work fine for you.

The KSG does protect a *little* against marring, at least if you get 6 layers on there and wash the way I do (but I suspect it's almost all a matter of the wash technique). Stonechips? No way.

[Bill D]

Yeah, if you need stone chip protection, you should look into clear paint protection film. It's made by 3m and sold under many brands such as Xpel, Stongard, Invicashield, Armor Glove, etc.

[longarm]

I have the Limited CRD. We love it so far. Were not getting the best milage though. Averaging city around 18 MPG, Highway- 22-23 and even towing a trailer weighing around 1400 lbs I was still getting about 18-19 MPG on the highway. Actually, we really couldn't tell we had a trailer behind us. You can get alot of info over at L.O.S.T . Were very happy with it. If your going to buy one, get it now. For the 06 model year Jeep is dropping the standard 7/70 warranty and going with the 3/36. I'll post pictures when I get done with it.
I'll be putting the SG on the lower grey cladding. It won't make it shine too much will it?

[Accumulator]

Originally Posted by longarm

I'll be putting the SG on the lower grey cladding. It won't make it shine too much will it?

I don't *think* so, but I dunno for sure. If it does you can always just strip it off with rubbing alcohol and try something else.

[longarm]

Well regarding the Michigan Off Road Center Show, The show was a J-O-K-E! It was rigged! I don't want to come off as a sore loser, but come on, what I heard and witnessed, it's plain as day. We actually had one of the best spots in the lot, right next to the porta-poopers. LOTS of traffic and lines waiting to use them. I must have had over a dozen people want me to start it up so they could hear it run. LOTS of compliments, even two seperate people said I should start selling Jeeps, as I sound pretty good at it. TON'S of people complimented how shiney the paint was. We arrived at 8:30 am. I was under that thing shining up the skid plates I wanted to win so bad. I was expecting judges with those undercarrige mirrors. End result, all I got out of it was a sunburn. The judges were sponsers of the event. They didn't look under my Jeep, nor inside. They really didn't even look at the paint. They just wanted to know what mods I had. Then a couple of hours later, I am over by the BDS Suspension tent and over heard the judges talking with Mark, the owner of Michigan Off Road Center. I inadvertentaly peeked over the judges shoulder at the results. I was on the list for 3rd place best street class or best in show. I only got a peek, hard to miss the "Third Place #19." I was #19. Then I hear Mark, the owner tell the sponsers that they need to give the best awards to the people who do the most business there. WOW!!!! Well I stuck it out for the next couple of hours because I say my entry mumber on there for atleast one trophy. Well, when they started giving away all the trophys, they were having little deliberations for a minute or two before announcing each name. TALK ABOUT BS!!!!! That coupled with the fact that the general attitude was that my Libby was nice but not an off roader. My KJ was the only one there that was 100% street legal. I was a contestant in 4 catagories. They were Baddest Jeep, Best Engineered, Best 4wd Street Class, and Best in Show. I detailed the hel outta my KJ. I KNOW for a fact I had the best shine there. I was looking at the clarity of the other trucks and Jeeps there. I wasn't looking for #1 there in everything, but comeone! As a matter of fact, thre was a Rubicon there that in my opinion was the nicest Jeep there. The people who got the trophies there were all on first name basis and friends with the owner. They had all their work done there and won a trophy as a result of it. It was a complete waste of time to even go. I would love to take some of those jokers out in a nice KJ and let them ride with some of the Liberty owners that have shown what a KJ can do. As a matter of fact, there should have only been one trophy class, "Customer Appreciation Trophies." Maybe if I had paid them to install my lift for me, I would have one something. FOR CRYIN OUT LOUD there were TONS of people out there with Meguires QD and white wash cloths. I cringed at all the swirls I saw and bad detail jobs I saw. It reminded me of what life was like before I became an Autopian. That is scary just to think about!