New Here, dropping by to say hello and quick questions

[imported_Nimble]

Hello, my name is Justin and I am a active member on forums like Bimmerforums, dtmpower, clubrsx, vwvortex, and now yarisworld...lol, I just bought a new 07 Toyota Yaris liftback, black of course. :)



This past Xmas, I received a very nice gift from my stepdad. A PC 7424, 6" backing plate,3 pads, and 3 32oz Meg`s products. This was a expensive gift, and I need to know what products to add to them for the least cost to get the results listed below. I prefer sealents because they last so long.



They are labeled the following:



1) Yellow foam, labeled Hi Gloss Professional, Constant pressure foam pad. From classic motoring accessories, made in USA. Is this pad good for light polishing with something like Menzerna IP or FP2?



2 White foam pad also from classic motoring accessories. Model number 46-676VC, made in USA. Is this best meant for products like Menzerna 1 step acrylic or Klasse AIO?



3) 3M perfect it plus black nubby foam polishing pad. Model number 05738. Should this only be used for lightly putting on final products like waxes and sealents?



I am SOMEWHAT familiar with detailing with a PC, I`ve done a car before a few years back, and used to detail with a full machine polisher when I detailed a bit 5+ years ago.



ON TO MY REAL QUESTIONS??



-with my PC and pads, I received 3 32oz bottles of Meg`s products. They are, Meg`s 85, 83, and 82. I know I`ll never use 85 on this car, it`s called the Diamond cut compound 2.0, and the 83, DACP shouldn`t be needed on this new a car. But, where does the 82, swirl free polish fit into the detailing equation? Is that comparable to a Klasse AIO as far as paint defect removal? I know it doesn`t have any polishes in it, so what should I follow it with? I`m just trying to minimize the money I spend on any products needed to keep my new car perfect.



-since my car is new with very little paint defects, just a typical dealership wash and wax, should I use the PC to rid the paint of all light surface marks before sealing?



-What product would be good for that? I research a lot on properautocare.com and they seem to recommend Klasse AIO, Menzerna 1 step acrylic jacket, or Menzera Final Polish 2.



-Being black, I`ve heard that the Klasse twins don`t provide enough depth, is this true? Keep in mind my Yaris is my daily driver, and being a entry level Toyota, I doubt the paint is that great a quality.



-Should I use wax instead of a sealen to bring out the black better?



-My list of favs for sealing/waxing is as follows (based on reading, so correct me if Im wrong).

-Klasse High Gloss Sealent Glaze

-Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket

-Pinnacle Souveran paste wax

-Blackfire`s new wax, I forget the name



-properautocare seems to recommended the MF wash mits, and the big blue drying towel, are these good products?





I know that was a long-winded first post, but I appreciate any help you guys can give.

[Accumulator]

Nimble- Welcome to Autopia! Heh heh, *I* sure can`t talk about long-winded posts, as you`ll see:



The #85 Diamond Cut is a rotary-only product. While some have used it via PC there`s no way I`d try it, let alone on a black car.



You might need the #83, hard to say until you start polishing.



The #82 is the light polish that you can *hope* will be all you need.



Pads: different companies use different color-coding and I`m not sure what CMA is using these days. *GENERALLY* the yellow is a cutting pad (pretty aggressive, will usually leave micromarring) that is used with something like the #83 and *GENERALLY* the white is a milder pad that`s used with something like the #82 and also often with products like AIO. I`m not familiar with 3M pads but that *sounds* like a finishing pad for LSPs (Last Step Products, i.e., waxes and sealants).



The #82 is mildly abrasive and also does some concealing. The AIO is (functionally) nonabrasive on most paints and cleans the surface while leaving a little (very little) protection. Using AIO after #82 might make some marring "come back" as the AIO will remove the Trade Secret Oils/"fillers" that the #82 leaves behind.



Menzerna FPII is a polish that doesn`t leave anything behind. It`s more aggressive than AIO and a little more aggressive than the #82.



I find the Klasse twins (which I use on one vehicle) only look good on finishes you can get/keep basically perfect- they don`t hide anything and sometimes even make any light marring really obvious. Getting, let alone*keeping* a finish nice enough for Klasse might be a tall order on a black car. If it were mine, I`d probably use a "heavy wax" such as Collinite instead; it`ll look good, do a little concealing of any marring, and it`s cheap and easy. Collinite is very long-lasting, rivaling, if not beating, most sealants. Souveran looks great but doesn`t last long.



Don`t worry about depth or other subtle effects...worry about not marring the paint ;) People get all wrapped up in the miniscule differences between LSPs but those are only about 1% of a vehicle`s appearance. Keeping it clean without causing scratches is a lot more important.



So if it were mine I`d polish with #82, see if that removes the marring. If not I`d polish with the #83 and then repolish with the #82. Then I`d wax with Collinite.



Washing: I could write a book...for a black vehicle I`d get a foamgun and learn how to use it. There are a number of washing/foamgun threads so I won`t repeat it all here. IMO there`s no way to over-emphasize the importance of good wash technique as most marring happens during the wash, you wash more often than you do anything else, and if you mar the paint up it won`t matte what you wax/seal with, it`ll just look crappy due to the marring. (So yeah, I`d try to remove all the existing marring before waxing/sealing.)



MF mitts are OK but so are sheepskin (and Boar`s Hair Brushes, "BHB"s if you use them right). Some MF mitts tend to hold on to dirt which can lead to marring. The BBT is OK but not the softest waffle weave microfiber ("WWMF"). Might be soft enough for your paint, might not be. [Repeat foamgun advice...]



See what a *real* long-winded post can be like ;)

[imported_Nimble]

Nimble- Welcome to Autopia! Heh heh, *I* sure can`t talk about long-winded posts, as you`ll see:



The #85 Diamond Cut is a rotary-only product. While some have used it via PC there`s no way I`d try it, let alone on a black car.



You might need the #83, hard to say until you start polishing.



The #82 is the light polish that you can *hope* will be all you need.



Pads: different companies use different color-coding and I`m not sure what CMA is using these days. *GENERALLY* the yellow is a cutting pad (pretty aggressive, will usually leave micromarring) that is used with something like the #83 and *GENERALLY* the white is a milder pad that`s used with something like the #82 and also often with products like AIO. I`m not familiar with 3M pads but that *sounds* like a finishing pad for LSPs (Last Step Products, i.e., waxes and sealants).



The #82 is mildly abrasive and also does some concealing. The AIO is (functionally) nonabrasive on most paints and cleans the surface while leaving a little (very little) protection. Using AIO after #82 might make some marring "come back" as the AIO will remove the Trade Secret Oils/"fillers" that the #82 leaves behind.



Menzerna FPII is a polish that doesn`t leave anything behind. It`s more aggressive than AIO and a little more aggressive than the #82.



I find the Klasse twins (which I use on one vehicle) only look good on finishes you can get/keep basically perfect- they don`t hide anything and sometimes even make any light marring really obvious. Getting, let alone*keeping* a finish nice enough for Klasse might be a tall order on a black car. If it were mine, I`d probably use a "heavy wax" such as Collinite instead; it`ll look good, do a little concealing of any marring, and it`s cheap and easy. Collinite is very long-lasting, rivaling, if not beating, most sealants. Souveran looks great but doesn`t last long.



Don`t worry about depth or other subtle effects...worry about not marring the paint ;) People get all wrapped up in the miniscule differences between LSPs but those are only about 1% of a vehicle`s appearance. Keeping it clean without causing scratches is a lot more important.



So if it were mine I`d polish with #82, see if that removes the marring. If not I`d polish with the #83 and then repolish with the #82. Then I`d wax with Collinite.



Washing: I could write a book...for a black vehicle I`d get a foamgun and learn how to use it. There are a number of washing/foamgun threads so I won`t repeat it all here. IMO there`s no way to over-emphasize the importance of good wash technique as most marring happens during the wash, you wash more often than you do anything else, and if you mar the paint up it won`t matte what you wax/seal with, it`ll just look crappy due to the marring. (So yeah, I`d try to remove all the existing marring before waxing/sealing.)



MF mitts are OK but so are sheepskin (and Boar`s Hair Brushes, "BHB"s if you use them right). Some MF mitts tend to hold on to dirt which can lead to marring. The BBT is OK but not the softest waffle weave microfiber ("WWMF"). Might be soft enough for your paint, might not be. [Repeat foamgun advice...]



See what a *real* long-winded post can be like ;)



Wow! Thanks for that reply, and taking the time to help me out. I`ve been seeing many of you pros mentioning "Collinite." Is this as good as P21S? To reiterate, I really should be using some sort of wax over a sealent on black? I`ve used Zaino on my old cars, do you like it? Where can Collinite be purchased?



For drying then, do you think the Sonus yellow colored WWMF drying towel is the best out there? If not, what do you recommend?



I`m new to that foamgun washing, I`ll have to search and check back. If I continue to use the old way with 2 buckets, should I skip the MF wash mit and use full sheepskin instead?



Thanks again for the help. :waxing:

[Eliot Ness]

For drying then, do you think the Sonus yellow colored WWMF drying towel is the best out there? If not, what do you recommend?I`ve been on a recent quest to find the softest and most absorbent WW towel out there and have found at least 4 that qualify, and the yellow Sonus MF-200 is one of them, plus it is currently on sale:



http://autopia.org/forum/854879-post10.html



If you can`t find the Collinite locally, some CarQuest and other auto parts places sell it, the following place has it with free shipping. If you want a heavy wax I`d go with the 476S, it is very durable:



Collinite waxes from MacTec | car waxes, boat wax, and detailing supplies (http://www.mactecllc.com/collinite.asp)



I personally prefer a sheepskin was mitt over a MF mitt because I think you`ll have less chance of marring with a quality sheepskin. The foam gun is a pretty good tool and one of our site sponsors sells one:



Gilmour Foamaster Foam Gun (http://www.danase.com/gifofogun.html)

[Accumulator]

I`ve been seeing many of you... mentioning "Collinite." Is this as good as P21S? To reiterate, I really should be using some sort of wax over a sealent on black? I`ve used Zaino on my old cars, do you like it? Where can Collinite be purchased?



Most Collinite waxes don`t look as good as P21S to many people under certain conditions but I sincerely doubt that most people could *ever* tell the difference in a true/fair test. If the finished vehicle doesn`t look good (whatever "good" means to you) IMO it won`t be because of the choice of LSP. FWIW I don`t really like P21S (either its look or its durability), to me it`s a "worst of all worlds" wax..sorry, that sounds awfully harsh but I can`t think of a single reason why I`d ever use it over another wax (my P21S just sits on the shelf while I use other stuff). I use Collinite on some of our vehicles and IMO it looks fine.



I`m not a Zaino user and I hesitate to comment on an approach I haven`t tried. I will say that I`ve seen some black cars with Zaino on them and *I* didn`t care for how they looked (but their owners sure thought they looked great). But that`s just *my* opinion and again, the choice of LSP isn`t a huge factor in how a vehicle looks. One thing though...sealants like Zaino (even Z5 from what I`ve seen) make every little flaw quite visible. I really would stick with a carnauba on a black daily driver. See if some Zaino user chimes in with an opposing view and decide for yourself.



I get my Collinite direct from them ( Collinite Wax ProductsÂ` :: Choice of the Pros :: Auto, Marine and Industrial (http://www.collinite.com) IIRC, I`m not on a PC with the addy bookmarked). I`d phone to order, they`re nice guys. Their 845 Insulator Wax is available in some autoparts stores and some of their other waxes are in marine supply places. But that link Eliot Ness posted looks great, can`t beat free shipping.

[imported_Nimble]

The below is what I ordered....kind of went overboard hehe. I added the Poorboy`s Natty`s Blue because they say it`s good for dark cars, and has minor fillers in it. I plan on doing a quick, light dawn wash, a quick clay (the car is new hehe), then rewash with my tried and true Meg`s Gold Class car wash. Then off to do a PC quick pass with Meg`s 82. For LSP`s I`m going to try the Collinite by itself for a week or so, and then add a top coat of Natty`s blue. I`ll be sure to post the results here. If it ever warms up. :(



1 Collinite Super DoubleCoat Auto Wax #476 12.50











1 3 Pack Blue Microfiber Pad 4.99











1 The Ultimate Guzzler Waffle Weave By Cobra 28 x 54 19.99











1 Cobra Microfiber Wash Mitt 7.99











1 Cobra Chenille Wash Pad 6.99











1 The Original California Car Duster (Plastic Handle) 14.99











1 5 Gallon Professional Wash Bucket with Grit Guard 19.99











1 Four Star Detailing Clay 9.99











1 Four Star Clay Lubricant 5.99











1 Poorboy`s Natty’s Paste Wax – BLUE 13.99











1 Poorboy`s QW+ Quick Wax Plus 8.99











1 Learn About Microfiber: Cobra Blue All Purpose Microfiber Towels 6 Pack 19.99







Subtotal: 146.39







Coupon offer (15% savings): -21.96







Subtotal: 124.43







Shipping: 0.00







Tax: 0.00







Total: 124.43



Btw, I used P21S on a gf`s Mini Cooper, and I thought it was a pain in the *** to use. It turned out nice though.

[Accumulator]

Nimble- Nah, you didn`t go overboard.



Yeah, see if the differences in waxes matter to you. The Collinite will protect fine and putting the Natty`s on top sure won`t hurt anything (though you might notice a change in the beading).



Be *VERY* careful with that CCD...I can`t use `em without marring paint but others do fine.



Keep an eye out for marring after you wash...[Repeat foamgun lecture again ;) ]



Might want to pick up a BHB for the wheels and some kind of leaves-stuff-behind QD to use after a wash..gives the LSP a boost and helps lubricate the surface while you`re drying.

[imported_Nimble]

Nimble- Nah, you didn`t go overboard.



Yeah, see if the differences in waxes matter to you. The Collinite will protect fine and putting the Natty`s on top sure won`t hurt anything (though you might notice a change in the beading).



Be *VERY* careful with that CCD...I can`t use `em without marring paint but others do fine.



Keep an eye out for marring after you wash...[Repeat foamgun lecture again ;) ]



Might want to pick up a BHB for the wheels and some kind of leaves-stuff-behind QD to use after a wash..gives the LSP a boost and helps lubricate the surface while you`re drying.



Yeah, I`ll only use the CCD sparingly. My car is a daily driver, but it is used for little mileage and is also garaged every night, so I`m just planning on using th CCD the few days after a wash when the top surfaces get a bit dusty.



I`ve heard that I should wait one week and a wash before layering different Carnauba products, so I`ll just put a coat of Collinite on and them wait a week and put 1-2 coats of Natty`s Blue on. Does that sound good?



What`s BHB for the wheels?



For washing, I plan on using the Cobra Chenile wash pad for most of the job, and if I find it getting too dirty, I`ll jump to the Cobra MF. Autogeek`s sheepskin choices were kind of expensive, and I got these 2 for the price of one SS mit. I am notorious for hand spraying whatever mit I use after each pass and them re-dipping into the clean soapy water for the next pass. But it`s a black car...so we`ll see. :nixweiss

[imported_Nimble]

EDIT: I just searched, Boar`s Hair Brush, I see. :) I`ll have to pick one of those up.



You also mentioned some leave behind QD, I thought the Poorboy`s QW+ Quick Wax Plus that I ordered would do that??