Newbie needs a little help........

[Kirkysboy]

This seems like an awesome site so far but Ive got a few questions.

What does PC mean?

Are their any techniques to waxing/polishing besides the usual circular motion, would another way reduce swirls?

Use 100% terry cloth, and a micro-fiber towels to dry and take of the wax and polish?

Claybar should only be used on the areas with left over dirt and such after washing?

I want to get "on the shelf products"(the ones that are sold at most stores) so I was thinking of Meguiar`s wash then maybe their Quik clay detailing system with lubricant. And then Color X which I think is a cleaner polish and then finish it off with the NXT tech wax.....Thanks.

[groebuck]

Welcome! - okay - Clay Bar is to remove embedded contaminents in your finish not dirt left over :). Fully wash and dry your car (more on that later). Then use a Clay kit like Clay Magic or Mothers, it will include a clay bar and some kind of lubricant. Basically you wet a small area (2`x2`) then rub the clay over the ares (not hard just a slight firm pressue) back and fourth. You should feel it grab at first then glide across. Wipe the area with a clean Microfiber and feel that section you just did. It should feel really really smooth.

When waxing and polishing, try to follow the direction wind would travel across your car - so for the hood, from bumper to windsheild...small circular motions in those directions are okay but not al circle crazy, the goal is not to add swirls or the possibility of swirls.

Now the terry cloth. Terry cloth is agressive and can cause swirls in the paint. It`s better to dry your car with a Waffel weave microfiber drying towel or something like the Absorber (you can get it at most walmarts or pep boys). Save the terry for the bath ;)

A PC is a Porter Cable dual action polisher You can check it out a www.premiumautocare.com :) hope that helps.

[Kirkysboy]

Thanks, that really helped. So use small cicular motions on all the car or just where the wind travels?

[rabbi]

Front to back. The entire car. I try to go in straight lines instead of circular but sometimes I revert back to old habits and find myself doing the circular thing.

[CrobarCars]

Kirkysboy - Welcome aboard. Glad you could join the "gang" here....IT really is a great place for inproving your detiling skills.

[Kirkysboy]

Thanks good set-up here :cool Glad to see a familiar name.

[NattyBumppo]

Rabbi......Like you, often times my old habits come back and I find myself applying product in a circular motion. It`s nice when you have Steve behind you to smack you in the back of the head and say "straight back and forth numnuts". LOL

Kirky...Mother`s Clay Bar Kit is a great deal. Showtime QD is killer and very user friendly as long as you don`t use too much and not on a hot surface. Mother`s clay is my favorite hands down. Then you also get a small bottle of Mother`s Cleaner Wax that will do an average size car 3 times. All for like 12-15 bucks! What a deal.