Sunday`s the big day

[ShannanC]

WARNING - This is Kinda long -

This sunday I`m finally off work so I`m planning to re-detail the car (needs it bad). I have some new techinques to try and know alittle more about what im doing now thanks to all of you. so, heres my plan. Wake up around 9-10 and start hopefully around 11.



Dawn wash - Meguiars Body Scrub - 3m SMR - 3m IHG - Collinite 915 wax. Eagle 20/20 the windows and vacume out the interior and other minor things



I`m doing all this by hand, paying extra close attention to where my pinstripe once was as well as the hood and roof. Now here are my questions. How`s this plan sound to all you? With the 3m SMR, its a diminishing abrasive right, so i have to rub a spot untill theres barely a haze left or what? I wanna try to remove water spots on the roof, I have 3m finish restorer i hear is good for spots, b/w which steps should i use it or should i just stick with the SMR? I really want to do good this time and make it look so nice that when i drive it to school the following monday people think its a rolling mirror. Thanks for all your help

[matt@wheelwax]

I cant help you with the 3m stuff, as I dont use it, but today I did a similar process and it turned out relatively well. Swirl marks are noticeably removed, but some are still there (too poor for a PC damnit).



I did this:



Double dawn wash (water still beaded after doing it twice - I had 2 coats of #20 and 6 coats of #26.)



Clay magic



2x #9



1x #7 (decided that after I read that adding more coats had a diminishing effect, id just do one. Too much work by hand!)



2x #26



Final inspection spary



Also cleaned the interior, 303`d the plastic inside, vacuumed, floor mats clean, used Invisible Glass on well, the glass, and checked the air in my tires and added a little bit of oil to the crankcase.



That was a long days work!

[imported_Tony]

For the water spots try vinegar and water. After you wash with dawn and after you rinse use a solution of 50/50 vinegar and water on the water spots. Sponge the solution on and wait a few minutes and then rinse. Do this several times until you are please that this solution has done all it can do. Then rewash with dawn.



SMR: Is difficult to be effective when using by hand. Pick up some Meguiars scratch X. Test the scratch x against the SMR and see which works best for you. The Scratch x is less abbravise, but it breaks down easier when using by hand.



Dawn wash

Vinegar/ water

rewash then dry

clay

polish and or glaze

top/wax



Have fun



BTW: vinegar/water is great for cleaning glass therefore,after you do the spots then do the windows and rewash with dawn.