Recommendations for 80% of the Result with 20% of the Cost/Time

[RobWK]

Hello everybody!



After driving by a few detailing spots and getting quotes of $175+ for wash, polish, wax and buff I decided to go at it myself since I am after all a poor graduate student (which means I`m poorer than a poor college student). I do, however, have a somewhat nice car from the days before I went back to graduate school. Unfortunately this car has seen the abuses of the Desert South West windstorms and it desperately needs it`s paint to be brought back to life- something the detailers I drove by werent going to accomplish with what they offered and something that would cost me 500+ at a real professional.



In an effort to get the best bang for my buck I`ve been reading these forums for a few days looking for exactly which products I should use and how I should use them, and in which order I should use them. Unfortunantly there`s so much information out there that I could spend another 5 hours reading everything and not really find what I`m looking for. Also tried searching and that didnt turn up exactly what I wanted to see either.



From what I can tell here and other places, Klasse All In One seems to be a fantastic product. I decided on it but before I ordered it I thought I would read up on the how to use article on here. The site admin recommended the Sonus Klasse Complete Kit with Polycharger and then something like the Porter Cable 7424. That`s all great and all but suddently I`m at nearly 500 bucks again, and I haven`t even started on the car :( . On top of that I have to buy some touch up paint and supplies which look like they`re going to cost me 75 to boot, plus all the time involved.



So, my question is: How can I get 80% of the results with 20% of the time/cost involved with the above mentioned products? I have a few power drills, and I think I could borrow a tool which is essentially a porter cable, but with a saw and no second handle (could a buffer be put on that?)



Thanks for any advice someone can give me.

[ZeroDfx]

Given your proclivity for finding a shortcut, personally I think you`ve come to the wrong place. This board tends to be inhabited by people who are only interested in 110% results even if it takes 125% effort and 150% of normal costs.



You would be best served by doing exactly what you planned: finding an All-In-One product like Klasse, or an OTC polish-cleaner-wax. Given that you will likely be doing it by hand, or using a make-shift polisher, this will give you 80% results with 20% effort.



Good luck with that,

ZeroDfx

[imported_Detailing Technology]

Go for Zaino All-In-One. $26.95 + shipping.



80% of the results, I dont know about that. Depends on the surface and the scrutiny of the eye examining the end result.

[Autogeek]

If you want a very cheap, yet effective alternative to the more expensive Klasse and Zaino products, I would HIGHLY suggest looking at the Duragloss line.



As always, if you haven`t clayed already, I would definitely recommend doing so before using these products.



AIO-type product (a little stronger than their 101, very effective on oxidation which seems to be present in your case) - Duragloss Marine RV Polish #501 cleans, polishes, and shines gelcoat fiberglass boat and RV finishes. Duragloss durable boat and RV polishes. (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-marine-rv-polish--501.html)

Or the 101 - Duragloss Polish & Cleaner (PC) #101 (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-polish---cleaner.html)



You can then follow up with #105 which is EXTREMELY durable. Duragloss Total Performance Polish (TPP) #105 (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-total-performance-polish.html)



If you want more polishing ability and want to do this by hand, I`d suggest looking into Meguiar`s ScratchX. It`s quite effective when used properly. Meguiar`s SCRATCH X Fine Scratch & Swirl Remover is a rubbing compound that can be applied by hand. Meguiars ScratchX polishes away fine paint (http://www.autogeek.net/megscratxfin.html)





Don`t get me wrong, your finish will NOT come out perfect using this process. BUT, it will look a million times better once your paint is "brought back to life". ;) :hifive:



-Matt

[JohnHenry]

Yikes! DO NOT touch your car with something that doubles as a saw! (Did I read that right?) Drills aren`t much better. I know this because I`ve done stupid s*** like that.



I second the advice above. You can do a decent job, for grad school anyway, with Meguiar`s three step products applied by hand. Those three, some car wash, Meg`s Scratch X, wheel cleaner, tire dressing, carpet shampoo, a few microfiber towels, a wash mit, and a cool set of fuzzy dice will set you back maybe slightly more than fifty bucks at Advance Auto, Auto Zone, O`Reilly`s, Pep Boys, NAPA. Plus you`re set for probably more than a year`s worth of wash and wax Saturday afternoons.



Spring for the Swissvax and Flex when you`re out of school and in the corner office.

[imported_themightytimmah]

Clay, Clearkote Vanilla Moose by hand, Collinite 845 by hand. It will look better than 95% of the cars on the road.



Getting that last 5% is a killer.

[Backer1]

Long Post Alert!



Okay, I`m going on the following assumptions (pictures would be very helpful):



1) Based on your description, your car`s paint has medium to heavy defects in the clearcoat which should be polished out (read: needs serious correction)



2) You are willing to spend a little bit of time and money to do the job right (read: you have a few days and around $200 to spend)



If these are off, then just skip to the part about hand polishing.



Now, to the recommendations!



---

All items are Meguiar`s, because they are very cheap and proven effective. All products to be purchased from AutoDetailingSolutions.com (ADS for short), unless otherwise stated, due to their great prices, selection, and service.



Prepping for Polish:



Hyper-wash for the paint, APC+ for the engine, wheel wells, etc. Degreaser for engine if needed, Water-Based Dressing for Wheels, trim, interior, etc. Clay for paint too, obviously.



Hyper-wash

D-11012........................12 oz. Sampler (Concentrate)

Internet Special...$5.99



All Purpose Cleaner Plus

D-10332........................32 oz Sampler (Concentrate)

$6.49



Super Degreaser (if necessary)

D-10832........................32 oz. Sampler (Concentrate)

Internet Special...$6.49

Comes in D-20108 bottle with trigger sprayer.



Water-Based Dressing:

D-17132........................32 oz Sampler (Concentrate)

$7.99

Comes in D-20171 bottle with trigger sprayer.



Smooth Surfaceâ„¢ Clay Kit

*bonus Cleaner Wax sample and a full-sized Supreme Shineâ„¢ Microfiber

G-1016

Internet Special...$15.49



Machine Polisher:



Beg, borrow, buy, or steal one. If your paint is hammered, you will need one of these. If you are looking for lowest amount of effort and least amount of time, get a rotary. Orbital polishers are more noob-friendly, but take a lot longer and sometimes can`t acheive the same level of correction.



If you have a Harbor Freight near you, the machine you want is the 7" Variable-Speed Sander/Polisher. It sells for $30 on HF`s online store, and if you bring in a print-out they will pricematch it for you.



If you don`t have a Harbor Freight near you, then ask local shops if they will let you use one of their rotaries for a day. Chances are good you`ll get someone who is willing (or at least will let you rent it). The bonus to this is that you may not need to purchase a backing plate or pads. Still, don`t count on it.



Backing Plate and Pads:



I`m going with 1 of each pad type due to your low budget. Getting 2+ is more convenient because the pads may need to be cleaned after a few panels, but it`s fairly easy to just wash your pad with a dishwashing soap solution and a nylon-bristled brush when you need to. My recommendations:



“Easy Buff� Rotary Backing Plate

W66

$21.95



Purple Foamed Wool - Compounding Pad

58-4265............6.5" x 1"1 Pad

$12.95



Soft Buff® Foam Polishing Pad

W-8006.........6.5" 1 Pad

$8.95



SOFTBUFFâ„¢ Finishing Pad

W-9006......$6.5" 1 Pad

$8.95



Polishes:



Again, going with Meguiar`s because it`s really cheap, yet is pretty effective. Note: if you`re looking to do several cars, you may want to step up to the 32-oz quantities - they are good deals as well. Right now, I`m just trying to keep your costs as low as possible, and 12-oz is probably more than enough for just 1 car.



Meguiar`s #95 Speed Cut Compound

M-9512........................12 oz. Sampler

$6.99



M83 Dual Action Cleaner/Polish

M-8312........................12 oz. Sampler

$6.99

Comes in M-9912 dispenser bottle.



Meguiar`s #80 Speed Glaze

M-8012........................12 oz. Sampler

$6.49

Comes in M-9912 dispenser bottle.



Glaze (optional):



Glazes are non-abrasive - they don`t do anything but fill. Many people say they see a big increase in the paint`s "wetness" when using a glaze, and it also will help fill swirls. However, a well-polished car will still look great without a glaze. It boils down to budget, and how far you want to go. Personally, I`d give it a try if I were you.



#07 Show Car Glaze

M-0716........................16 oz.

$8.99





Last-Step Product (LSP):



Sealants and Waxes. People say sealants give extremely vivid reflections and intense shine, while waxes give a deep gloss and a wet look. It`s a matter of personal preference which look you like.



For sealants, NXT 2.0:

G-12718........................18 oz.

$14.95

*Two Free 16 x 16 Microfiber Towels



For waxes, Collinite 845 Insulator Wax. Find it here for $15 shipped:

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



I recommend getting both, and seeing which one you like best. You could even top the NXT with Collinite and see if that look suits your liking. Go nuts!



So, let`s add this up for you:



Washing supplies: $43

Polisher, backing plate, pads, and polishes: $104

Both LSP`s and the glaze: $39



Add $15 for shipping, and you`re right around $200.

---



If you`re thinking really cheap, but you still want to polish it, then I`d recommend this procedure for hand-polishing:



Wash

Clay

Meg`s #105 for defect removal (from ADS - it`s a ton faster/more aggressive than Scratch-X)

Scratch-X (or #9) to remove #105 marring (if needed)

Meg`s #7 (optional, fills in any remaining swirls + adds a wetter look)

LSP



This will set you back less, and still get really nice results. However, it will probably take longer, will not be as good as machine polishing, and your arm will be very tired at the end of the day. Speaking of which, it might be a good idea for you to just do a panel or two at a time, rather than tackling the whole project at once (which can be intimidating).



Above all, good luck, and post up your results!

[Hey, Moe!]

I think all of the above posts are valid. There is good advice in each one, and there are multiple ways to get what you want.



As ZeroDfx mentioned above, this post is loaded with perfectionists. Since you aren`t going there, than what you read above should work out. It is all sound advice.



But, please, do clay. If you don`t, then you risk grinding various "stuff" into your finish when you polish later.

[Scottwax]

What exactly is your budget?



You want easy, then it doesn`t get much easier than using Optimum Poli-Seal by hand and buff it off by spraying Optimum Car Wax on it then wiping it all off. You aren`t going to remove a lot of swirls that way though.



About as aggressive as I would go by hand would be Meguiars #80 Speed Glaze and you can use pretty much any wax you want after using it.



Timmah`s suggestion of Vanilla Moose is also good. A little less correction ability than Poli-Seal but absolutely goof proof to use. Collinite 845 is a very easy wax to use and pretty durable.

[Backer1]

+1, a budget estimate and close-up pictures to show the car`s condition would be really helpful.

[bwalker25]

agreed, pictures (good ones) would be most helpful. but I`ll echo what Matt and Scott have said. I also agree with Collinite 845, good stuff....

[pwaug]

I would agree with Matt above that the Duragloss products are by far the most bang for the buck, but if you are going to try removing defects by hand I would highly suggest you use Megs M105 with a MF applicator rather than ScratchX. It is much more aggressive and may require one pass rather than three with ScratchX. If you wanted to use all OTC products then follow up with a coat of Megs ColorX (applied aggressively), wait 12 hours then a coat of NXT 2.0. On the Megs Online website check out the "Working by Hand" forum.