Comments on My Process Please

[Nikon]

I have been detailing cars for a number of years and am self taught. After many years of trial and error (15 years ago when I first used a rotary I learned an important lesson on how to burn paint) I have become fairly good IMO. I am always trying to improve and on one of m quests for information I came upon this website. Very informative and I know I can learn a lot from the excellent detailers on this forum.



So to get things started I would like to recieve your opinions on my current exterior detailing method. I washing with Mequiar`s #62, then use Mequiar`s overspray clay bar with Mequiar`s #34 (as you might have guessed I currently use Mequiar`s products almost exclusively). I then use my PC (Mequiar`s yellow pad) and Mequiar`s #2 to clean and remove spider marks and swirl marks. I follow this up with SMR2.0 using the PC and a yellow pad. Depending on my mood and and available time I will apply Mequiar`s #7 with the PC and yellow pad (note I have dedicated pads for each product) before applying either Mequiar`s #26 or MGC.



In the past I have tended to use very low speeds on the PC and now that I have read a bit about this here I will try using higher speeds.



Any comments. I am generally pleased with the results I get but I am always looking for improvements. Besides I just bought my first black car and I want to crank up my technique a notch for this new challenge.

[shaf]

Welcome to Autopia Nikon. :welcome



Glad to have more experienced enthusiasts here too - it really helps with the learning curve and adds more to the knowledge base. I think your process is okay, but I`d be inclined to use Meguiar`s beige (finishing) pad with #7 rather than another polishing pad. Some people may suggest the purple cutting pad with #2, but I don`t know since I don`t use #2 and it may depend on how bad the swirling is that you`re fixing anyway. HTH!

[Nikon]

Thanks for the feedback.



As luck would have it I just picked up a red pad and a beige finishing pad as well. I usually try to remove all swirls and fine scratches twice a year and found that with the yellow pad I often needed to do a repeat application with the #2. I`ll give the red pad a try along with higher speed on the PC (I usually set it between 3 and 4).



I`ve been using terry towels to remove product but have been wondering about using MF towels or perhaps MF bonnets for the PC to remove the product instead. I tried a couple of Mequiar`s Ultimate Wipe MF cloths but discovered the border was made with thick nylon thread that marred the finnish enough that I needed to use #2 to remove the scratches. I ended up cutting the border off of these cloths but the experience has left me somewhat cautous about MF.



Thanks again!:)

[imported_BretFraz]

Welcome to Autopia, Nikon :wavey



Have you tried #83 Dual Action Cleaner Polish? Quite a few of us use it and we all like it. Its starts like a #2 but has buffered abrasives that mellow to something close to #9. You can use it with a cutting or polishing pad. I used it yesterday on my car and kept the speed at 5-6 the whole time. Worked great!!

[Nikon]

Wow this is a great group!:D



The overspray clay works good for me. Although since I haven`t used any others I don`t have a base for comparison:nixweiss . I have found that it grabs if I don`t use enough QD or don`t kneed it enough before use. I was thinking of trying the Autopia clay next.



Thanks for the tip on #83. I`m going to give it a try in place of the #2 next time. I have seen this mentioned on the site but wasn`t sure what the difference was.