a bunch of newbie ???????????

[imported_2wheelsx2]

1st off ive been learning from this forum for the last 6 months and love it. but i have some question first is to detail king, it is how do i get my car to look like the jetta you posted
http://autopia-carport.com/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=6548e (`http://autopia-carport.com/forum/showthread.php3?s=&threadid=6548e`)
let me tell yall what i hae been doing to my black (realy dark blue pearl) 2000 honda accord
1st i have been using either 3m swirl mark remover but have recently switched to meguires number 9, i think its not as harsh as the 3m, am i right? Ihave been using a cheap orbital buffer from walmart untill i get my pc7424
2nd step some times is meguires deep crystal polish applied by hand
3rd mequires gold class or mothers pure carnuba as a final step.
b/c it usaully takes me several hours to do the car i ussualy use meguires final inspection to wipe the car down between coats
well my problem is hazing after the 3rd step. i think its hazing b/c if i only see it in the direction i wiped, i am using royal velvet to remove and then a micro fiber to do a final wipe down. nad i only wash, wax and dry in straight lines never circles
second is that the wax and slickness only last about a week and then the swirls and roughness return.

i love having a clean car and can budget 2-3 hours a week to clean the car. does anyone have any suggestions as to what i am doing wrong or do i just need a pc and some better products
sorry so long

[Andre']

Sounds like the products you are using are just covering up the swirls not removing them, use the 3M SMR and FI2. It is hard to remove swirls by hand a PC will help you out a lot.



You also may need to use clay to remove the contamination from the paint before you wax.



Do you apply more than one coat of wax in a day? Wax needs time for curing, if you apply more than one coat in a day it can caus hazing, try one coat.



How do you wash your car? tools, products.



A good sealant will last much longer than a carnauba wax, try Klasse, Zaino or Blackfire.

[imported_Intermezzo]

If you are using a cheap orbital buffer, you might have difficulty getting the SMR to work effectively. I would invest in a high quality DA like the PC 7336 or 7424. Do a search for carguy`s PC techniques and follow them to the letter. Also, the SMR`s by 3M and meguiar`s do contain some abrasives and will remove light swirls, but they are primarily oils and fillers. To really remove swirls, you`ll have to use something like 3M Finesse-It II.

[DETAILKING]

30 coats of zaino on this baby..........

http://www.fototime.com/BFFEE2FDB60DE05/orig.jpg (`http://www.fototime.com/BFFEE2FDB60DE05/orig.jpg`)

You won`t get the optics seen in this pick or durabilty with the products you are using. You should though, be able to get the car looking pretty damn good with those products. Gold class has a killer shine initially, but I would not recommend the product on a daily driver, as it has very poor durability. You will see a reduction in gloss and slickness as early as the first or second wash.

With 2-3 hours a week you should have time to do the proper maintaince to upkeep the detailed look of your car using those products.

For a more reflective shine and less maintaince, try out a synthetic polymer system (I prefer zaino on black cars with good paint). You will find that the car will stay slick and glossy wash after wash, with only weekly washings and quick detailings required for upkeep after you layer on a few coats.

[imported_2wheelsx2]

well thanks for the replies, im going to hold off on the pc and order the zaino, because i want to make sure i am up for the task of another black car before i order my next vehicle, which will be a full size suv, and i have had three black cars and i always say i dont want another black car then get to the delarship and get weak when i see it in black

[Don2000g]

Black is certainly a challenge but it can be quite gratifying when you see a nicely detailed black car. Laters

[imported_Intel486]

Always get a dark color. I hate whites. Dark colors look soooo goooood when they are properly detailed.

[miguelgf]

Au contraire - a white car will be better looking for longer, requiring less maintenance and showing fewer scratches. Not to mention being almost impervious to swirls :)

[YoSteve]

I agree with Andre` for the most part. I also think that your wax is not agreeing with your prep (which is why he suggests to wash before hand, Dawn probably). Also it might be a tad cold to wax in NY. I`m also curious as to why your paste wax haze wouldn`t come off with QD. And, you need to see if you swirl mark issues are remedied by your prep. Washing with something like Dawn my give you clues.



If you use a polymer you can spend less time rewaxing every other weekend. The others give some good advice on this forum :)

[imported_2wheelsx2]

well yes the prep is removing about 85 % of the swirls , and i am actually in SC right know the weather is about 55 -65 when im waxing

[Jngrbrdman]

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

<em class=`bbc`>Originally posted by JohnN [/i]
<strong class=`bbc`>Au contraire - a white car will be better looking for longer, requiring less maintenance and showing fewer scratches. Not to mention being almost impervious to swirls :) [/b]</blockquote>
Amen to that, brother. I was never satisfied when I had a dark car. Even after a long day of polishing and waxing I could still see every little dent and every swirl. When I finish detailing my white car I can actually sit under a tree and relax knowing that it is as good as it has ever been and nobody but me is ever going to really notice the flaws. :) I still can`t say that I`m totally 100% satisfied but at least I can relax after I`m done. With my dark green Mustang I felt like "maybe if I put on another coat those swirls will go away..." I have to really get down and look to see any swirls on the Acura. Especialy now that I`ve Blackfired it. :D That thing is practicaly flawless to my eyes now. Still a couple things I need to work on but at least I can rest.

[Don2000g]

I must admit that a nicely detailed white car looks amazing. It also demonstrates that one has taken quite a bit of time to get it that way as its difficult to attain a breathtaking look for white. Laters