9 Weeks to Win! (Week 6)

[pheerix]

I am a practical man. I have a daily driver Honda Fit 2015, in Pearl White, garaged at night. Marring and swirls are hard to see on it. This is my 2nd time to do a full real preparation on my car for winter (California "rainy weather", cold weather, lots of morning dew)

Keep it simple, keep the car clean, live with a few swirls or marring, maintain value, and of course, be a little vain to outshine the other cars. All the following steps are in chronological order or what I did around September 15 in preparation for a California "Winter". My first time since being bit by the detailing bug.

Microfibers.

• Costco yellow MFs
• Chinchilla MFs
• Glass low ply towels from Microfiber Tech

Preparation

1. Coin Op Spray down and rinse all light dust off.
2. Bring it to my house and onto the driveway still wet.

Tires

Tools and Chemicals

• 3D Yellow Degreaser 1:4, 1:10, 1:20
• High volume foaming trigger sprayers
• Stiff tire brush for the rubber
• Expanding garden hose
• Brake dust brush
• Tire brush from Autozone for the rims

Tire steps

1. Spray inner rims with 1:4
   
2. Spray 1:10 onto the rubber
   
3. Use 1:20 to keep it all wet, and for the face of the rims
   
4. Scrub the inner rims with brake dust brush
   
5. Scrub the rubber down with a medium stiff brush
   
6. Scrub the face soft brush
   
7. Rinse and repeat to the other 3 tires
   
8. Bring the car inside a close garage

Wash and Decontaminate

Tools and Chemicals

• Nanoskin Fine grade sponge
  
• Meguiar`s D114 1:128 and 1:256
  
• Garden sprayer 52 oz from Home Depot low pressure pump
  
• Presoaked Costco MFs in D114 1:256 solution (Garry Dean method)

Wash Step

1. Spray down with D114 1:128 solution everywhere
   
2. Top to bottom rinseless wash with presoaked towels

Decontamination Step

1. Spray D114 1:256 solution
   
2. Nanoskin Fine sponge until smooth, including the glass
   
3. Dry the car and remove dried on D114 (All it needs is a light buff with a quick spray)

Glass
I do this only to the windshield, side and back glass get a different treatment later.

Tools and Chemicals

• Low ply glass MFs wrapped around a MF sponge
  
• Zep 1:32 ammonia free glass cleaner
  
• Costco MFs
  
• Rain X Water Repellent
  
• Wal-Mart Terry Cloth applicator pad
  
• Meguiar`s D156 Spray Wax

Glass Cleaning Steps

1. Spray the whole windshield
   
2. Vertical lines with low ply glass on half a windshield at a time
   
3. Immediately buff with a Costco MF, flip and buff again
   
4. Do 2nd half of the windshield
   
5. Grab a fresh Costco MF for each side and buff again

Glass Treatment

1. Rain X onto a white terry cloth applicator
   
2. Apply onto windshield in a circular motion all along, then trace the outline of the glass
   
3. Wait a few minutes, buff off.
   
4. Repeat for a total of 3 layers (No joke, I like to over do this)
   
5. For the final buff, it starts to get harder to take off, so I use D156 to help

Tire Dressing

Tools and Chemicals

• Meguiar`s Ultimate Liquid Wax
  
• Meguiar`s D156 Spray Wax
  
• Opti-Bond tire gel
  
• Wal-Mart MF applicator pad
  
• Detailing store generic tire dressing applicator sponge crescent shaped thing

Tire Dressing Steps

1. Apply Meguiar`s Ultimate Liquid Wax to the rims face and crevices with MF applicator (I can`t reach the back barrel)
   
2. Repeat ULW onto all tires
   
3. 1st layer of Opti-Bond Tire Gel to the tires
   
4. Repeat OBTG on all tires
   
5. Grab a Sprite cause I`m thirsty, plus to let the ULW set a bit more
   
6. Spray D156 onto the face of the rim to buff off the ULW
   
7. Repeat on all tires

Sealant and Wax
I hand apply sealants and waxes, using a backing plate as a grip to the circular pads (Found this easier than using a DA). I give at least 30 minutes between each layer of sealant and wax to set up. I even went out for dinner with my family after applying the Paint Protect, and came back to finish the job.

Tools and Chemicals

• Meguiar`s Paint Protect 365
  
• Meguiar`s Ultimate Liquid Wax
  
• Wolfgang Fuzion
  
• Meguiar`s D156 Spray Wax
  
• Chinchilla MFs
  
• 5 inch backing plate
  
• Meguiar`s Finishing flat pad
  
• LCC Black Finishing pad
  
• LCC Blue Finessing pad

Sealant and wax steps

1. Meguiar`s Paint Protect + Meguiar`s Flat Finishing pad
   
2. Do the whole car, wait a while, and buff off.
   
3. Meguiar`s Ultimate Liquid Wax + LCC Black Finishing pad
   
4. Do the whole car, plus the trim, wait a while, and buff off.
   
5. Wolfgang Fuzion + LCC Blue Finessing pad
   
6. Do the whole car, wait a while, buff off
   
7. Take a break

Finishing Touches
I do all of these at the end of the waxing stage.

Tire Dressing

• 2nd layer of OBTG

Final glass cleaning

• I use D156 and Costco MFs to clean the back and side windows, since it is nearly impossible to streak with, as long as I buff with a dry MF after
  
• I also use D156 on my side view mirrors
  
• I don`t care about the over spray, since I do a final buff on the entire car after anyways

Door jams

• D114 1:128 on all door jams and crevices
  
• D156 on all door jams and crevices as well

Engine

• D114 1:128 everywhere in the engine bay, with demoted MFs
  
• D156 everywhere in the engine bay with demoted MFs
  
• OBTG 1:1 in a spray bottle on black tubes or rubber stuff using a Wal-Mart MF applicator or demoted MFs.

Final Buff

• Use a lot of fresh MFs (Chinchilla or 520 purples), with one spray of D156 as a "primer" to buff the entire car

Final Tire Dressing

• 3rd layer of OBTG

Go to sleep


Interior
As for the interior, I did it on a separate day, it was pretty simple, so I won`t go into much detail.

General Interior

1. Take out all my carpet mats, brush until spotless, and vacuum.
2. Vacuum everything inside very thoroughly
3. Wipe down all plastic with Meguiar`s Natural Shine using MFs and MF applicator pads from Wal-Mart
4. Simple Green 1:20 APC on the steering wheel and shift knob
5. Wipe down interior glass with low ply glass MFs, with Zep Ammonia free glass cleaner, buff with Costco MFs right after

Interior windshield

1. Tricky devil, but I have a way to get it streak free.
   
2. Set yourself in the drivers seat with the Stoner`s Wand, bottle of Zep glass cleaner, four Costco MFs, and two low ply glass MFs
   
3. Place the low ply MF on the wand, spray lightly once or twice, then wand the interior windshield up and down until you get to a little bit more than half the windshield
   
4. ASAP, take off the low ply glass MF, and put on a Costco MF, and repeat to buff off the residue
   
5. Repeat again with a 2nd Costco MF on the drivers side.
   
6. Repeat process while sitting in the passengers side for that side of the window
   
7. Enjoy the streak free windshield glass, and don`t touch it again until summer time.

Deodorize

1. Spray Zep Air Deodorizer on the chairs and back area.

As for maintenance, I would follow the same routine I usually do every week or so.

Interior
(No kids, so it`s just me and my wife in the front all the time, plus we keep the back seats folded down all the time.)

1. Vacuum as needed, which is usually just the two front seats and front floors
   
2. Spray Zep Deodorizer on the seats in case we ate somewhere that left a food smell on our clothes which transferred into the car.

Tires

1. D114 1:128 Spray onto rims and wipe
   
2. D156 spray onto rims and buff
   
3. Opti-Bond tire gel 1:1 onto tires, leave it over night

Exterior

1. I keep a 5 gallon bucket with folded MFs in it, soaked in D114 1:256.
   
2. Rinseless wash every week when I have time, sometimes I have to skip a week.
   
3. I clean the windshield almost every day, or every other day, depending if there`s a lot of dust on them or if I was on the highway and have weird splatters. I use Zep`s 1:32 ammonia free glass cleaner and D156 to buff.
   
4. Clean the wiper blades too, since dust collects on them
   
5. Spray wax D156 everything, including the windshield, using a LOT of towels to keep residue streaks off the glass.
   
6. Buff all D156 off with fresh MFs.

That`s my cleaning routine that I did this year, my first time, plus my usual maintenance. Can`t believe I just wrote all of that here for the past two hours or so, recalling what I did.

I`m a Meguiar`s fan out of their cost effectiveness, and all, plus a cheap OTC cleaner person, like with my Zep and Simple Green.

Enjoy the detailing guys. Was fun writing this one.

This man wins the contest although some steps seem redundant or excessive? For example Ultimate liquid Wax as tire dressing followed by like 3 layers of Opt-Bond and Fuzion over ULW over Paint Protect? Thumbs up for effort and obsession.

[TheAverageMan]

Oh, the ULW isn`t for the tire`s rubber, its for the rims/metal. I use it as a sealant.

I gotta say though, it worked better than I thought. Contaminants don`t stick onto my car as much anymore lol.

The Paint Protect, ULW, and Fuzion are all what I consider quick sealants (Fuzion is the only one with some Carnuba in it), with instructions that they can be buffed off in like 5-10 minutes. Something gets left behind, lol. I was amazed that after driving through Monterey Bay`s 17 Mile Drive next to the ocean, and parking under trees, a simple D114 1:128 waterless wash on the hood leaves it smooth with a baggie test, and that was earlier this week, about 2 weeks since I did all of this.

Also forgot to mention.

After brushing and vacuuming the stock floor carpet mats, I took them out, put them in two black trash bags, stashed them in the garage, and put in my new Husky Liners. They`re amazing, but the passenger side kind of warped and doesn`t fit super snug like I was expecting. I should have gone with Weather Techs, but I heard that those don`t stick to the floor as well. Next car I get, I`ll go weather tech to try them out.

[Coreytrx]

I`m about to get the truck ready for winter. Here`s what I have planned.
Wash
Clay
Compound & Polish with Wolfgang Uber & Wolfgang Polish
Apply a couple coats Collinite 845
Clean interior.
Through out the winter use the drive through pressure washer to get most of the salt and dirt off.
Then do a waterless wash.
Wait until it gets warm enough to do a full wash.

[cda555]

I live in So Cal, so we don`t really have winter; however, when I know it will be raining I will usually take measures to protect. I will inspect my mud flaps since WRXs have soft paint. I want to make sure the wet debris is not going to sling on the paint. Then, I will make sure the paint is fully protected with sealant or wax. The car looks cleaner longer when water beads. I think this season I will spring for some winter wheels and tires for safety, and because I don`t want my painted wheels to take a beating. I have rubber mud flaps year round, so that is never an issue.

[4u2nvinmtl]

To maintain my 09 Jeep SRT8 over the winter, I wash it weekly at a large interior parking garage for a Condo building (11foot ceilings, hot/cold water, and power outlets).

I follow the same wash routine I do in the summer I just have to lug everything to the garage. I pack: Meg`s hyper wash, two mitts, 4 buckets with grit guards, 5 assorted brushes/woolies, Meg`s Quick Interior, Meg`s D101 APC, Meg`s D108 Degreaser, PERL for the plastic/rubber, FK1000P LSP, Mothers Metal Polish, UWW+ (drying aid, quick detailer, waterless wash), Stoners invisible glass, lots of microfibers, foam applicators/brushes, Clay alternative, NewCar sent airfreshners, leatherique, Tarminator, and Iron-X (I only use as needed, but that`s what I pack).

[fredrock21]

Wash it. Put a coat of Wolfgang paint sealant 3.0 on entire vehicle. Run vehicle through car wash every couple of weeks.

[01GreyStangGT]

Apply Wolfgang DGPS 3.0 then rinse less washes in the garage with ONR Wash and Wax, and sometimes add Meguiar`s Ultimate Quik Wax.

[Angus]

This contest is timely since I just started thinking about Phase 1 of my winter defense plan (WDP): maximum protection against the unknown harshness ahead. The last few winters here in SE Pennsylvania have been brutal. Between the historically low temps, abundant snowfall, and heavily salted roads the demands on LSP’s have been huge.

This year I’ve decided on a split approach between how I protect my daily driver (black - 98 Honda Civic) vs. my wife`s car (pearl white Subaru Impreza - garage kept). Why 2 different approaches? Practically more than anything else - now that we have 5 month old, and my wife’s car is the only 4 door w/ baby seat, I just don’t have the time required to do a full coating prep/ application. I need fast and reliable products!

Phase 1: Prep for winter

Wife’s car:

Interior

DP Total Interior Cleaner (Dash, doors, shift knob and boot, center console)
BLACKFIRE Interior Protectant (same surfaces as above)
Glass cleaned with mf glass towel repeatedly rinsed/ wrung out in hot water w/ a second towel for drying

Exterior

Tires:

DP Tire Cleaner & Restorer
DP Tire Coating (1 coating)

Rims:

Iron-X
Washed with Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo
Traditional Clay + Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo (as lube)
BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal

2B Wash:

Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo

Paint Decontaminate:

Iron-x
Stoners Tarminator
Nanoskin Autoscrub Wash Mitt - Fine Grate
Nanoskin Autoscrub Speedy Prep Sponge - Fine Grate (for tighter areas the mitt can’t get into)
Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo (as lube)

Paint:

BLACKFIRE Gloss Enhancing Polish
BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal

Windows:

Nanoskin Autoscrub Wash Mitt/ Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo (as lube)
IPA wipe down
Pinnacle Black Label Glass Coating for windscreen
BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal for side and rear windows

Headlights:

BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal

Trim:

BLACKFIRE Crystal Seal

Machines:

AR Blue 383 pressure washer for pre and post rinsing after 2B, Iron X, and clay
Masterblaster for drying/ forcing water out of cracks & crevices
Flex 4301 for application of BF GEP on a black pad
Wet Dry Vac for vacuuming out the interior

The above process emphases speed/ efficiency at each point of application:

• By using Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo as both my car wash and clay lube I’m eliminating the need for multiple products.
• Claying time will be drastically reduced by utilizing the high-tech rubber polymer coatings found on Nanoskin’s wash mitt and sponge.
• Using BF GEP I’m maximizing gloss on already well maintained paint
• The maximum time saving will come from topping nearly everything with Crystal Seal used across multiple surfaces w/o the need to buff it off! Win-Win!!

My goal is to complete all of the above exterior steps in a single day. The only part I’m not sure about is the potential marring left by the Nanoskin/ will I need to polish afterwards? Fingers crossed I will not need to!

My daily driver.
Since it’s needs are different (sits outside 24/7) and I have more time to play with (I’ll drive my garage queen) I’ll be applying multiple coating to the paint, glass, tires, and trim.

Interior

DP Total Interior Cleaner (Dash, doors, shift knob and boot, center console)
DP Interior Surface Protectant (same as above)
Glass cleaned with mf glass towel repeatedly rinsed/ wrung out in hot water w/ a second towel for drying

Exterior

Tires:

DP Tire Cleaner & Restorer
DP Tire Coating

Rims:

Iron-X
Chemical Guys Citrus Wash Red
Traditional Clay + Four Star Clay Lubricant
Black Label Diamond Wheel Coating

2B Wash:

Chemical Guys Citrus Wash Red

Decontaminate:

Iron-x
Stoner Tarminator
Nanoskin Autoscrub Wash Mitt - Fine Grate
Nanoskin Autoscrub Speedy Prep Sponge - Fine Grate (for tighter areas the mitt can’t get into)
Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo (as lube)

Paint:

CarPro Reflect Polish
CarPro Eraser
CQuartz

Windows:

Nanoskin Autoscrub Wash Mitt/ Nanoskin Bubble Bath Wash & Shine Shampoo (as lube)
IPA wipe down
Pinnacle Black Label Glass Coating for windscreen
Nanoskin Rain Glass Sealant for side and rear windows

Headlights:

Detailer’s All In One Headlight Restoring Polish
GG 6, 5” BP + 5.5 Thin wool pad
Detailer’s Headlight Protectant Spray

Trim:

CarPro Eraser
CQuartz DLux

Machines:

AR Blue 383 pressure washer for pre and post rinsing after 2B, Iron X, and clay
Masterblaster for drying/ forcing water out of cracks & crevices
Flex 4301 for application of Reflect on either a white or black pad (TBD after test spots)
GC 6 for headlight correction w/ DP’s AIO
Wet Dry Vac for vacuuming out the interior

I hope to have all of the above done over the course of weekend + a few weeknights.

Phase 2: Late Fall

• Swap out the wiper blades on both cars for sturdy winter specific blades.
• Check tire pressure, following larger temperature drops, and make sure the spare tire is fully inflated (on-going)
• Swap out the window wiper fluid from summer mix (1Z Einszett Kristallklar Premium Windshield Washer Fluid Concentrate + DI water) to Blue stuff + Pinnacle GlassWork Windshield Washer Booster for better dealing with all the slushy/salt/ general road grime.
• Door seals treated with 303 Rubber Seal Protectant to help maintain their elasticity/ reduce squeaks during the cold weather

Phase 3: December - March maintenance washes and snow removal.

• Foam cannon + pressure washer connected to the utility sink in my garage, water temperature determined based on ambient outside temp.
• Honeydew Snow Foam allowed to dwell, then rinsed.
• PW lances changed for angled ones to rinse the undercarriage and inside wheel wells.
• Waterless wash (Ultima WW+) performed outside or inside depending on temperature and daylight.
• Respective LSP’s recharged with BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Polymer Spray and Reload.
• When it’s too cold to run the PW at home, I’ll hit a coin-op and foam/ rinse down there and then proceed home for next steps.

• Interior glass cleaned with mf glass towel repeatedly rinsed/ wrung out in hot water w/ a second towel for drying.
• Wet Dry Vac for vacuuming out winter’s crud from the interior

• Snow Joe for clearing snow accumulation from the vehicle.
• Spray bottle filled with Prestone De-Icer Windshield Washer Fluid for melting ice accumulation from windows.
• Various scrapers for clearing ice from the vehicle`s glass surfaces.

If I win this contest, I’m planning on giving my Father in-law the prize since he’s never used a Waterless Wash before and his black GMC truck will look great wearing BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection! I’ve been slowly turning him on to better detailing products & tools and both of these BF goodies would add to his growing arsenal nicely.

Thanks for contest Paul! I`ve got a lot of detailing to do over the next few weeks!!!

[Mikek9965]

I live in the desert, so nothing really changes. I do the normal routine all year long to the truck.

[sealthedeal]

The winters here are not too tough beside just the Dec/Jan when its cold and I dont really do a special detail as most reputable products do last long so around I`d put something that can last me 2 months (e.g. collinite 845 or 915) and I am good to detail frequently after that.

[PA DETAILER]

Todays the day!

[edb]

Already started the process of washing and waxing all the family cars. Dads nice car got the royal treatment, with clay and everything. Trying the ultima line this year on it. Wanted to polish first but he wasnt ready for his baby to get the polisher going on it. The rest of them will at least get washed and waxed depending on time permitting. Mine has a rust spot i need to deal with... a little afraid of that one.

Edit: Forgot that i got some uww+ for waterless / rinsless winter washes this year. But I would be happy to compare the two.

[Marc08EX]

Our winters here are very mild so I still do my same routine year round.

I either do the 2 bucket method or do waterless washing.

[Tat2d]

Both of my vehicles are still in good shape this time of year, so just a thorough interior cleaning, and a coat of wax or sealant. Wash during winter as weather allows. It hardly ever gets really cold here, so I can keep them fairly clean.

[edb]

No ten hour drum roll yet? Someone has been slacking.