what looks best on white?

[imported_saleen4971]

ive got a 93 grand cherokee, with white paint, and a grey plastic two-tone. what products will make my white look best? and how about the trim? thanks alot guys

[Jngrbrdman]

Those are pretty tall orders. Lots of things will make it look great. The first thing you need to do is rid yourself of the concept that there is a "best" product for any color. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what looks plasticy to one person looks fluid and glossy to the next. Its all a matter of what you like.



The first thing you need to do is research (if you don`t know how already) on how to use a clay bar and then use it. that will improve the appearance dramaticly right away. Then you need to choose a paint cleaner. I`m a big fan of Klasse AIO, but that`s just me. The link in my signature is my car with various products on it. Right now I am happiest with my Platinum UPP topped with P21S combo. I`ve used several other products and combinations and this pleases me the most. Its just my opinion of it and opinions vary greatly.



Are you going to be shopping online for your products or will you be shopping locally? That will make a huge difference in recomendations as well.

[imported_saleen4971]

im probly gonna order the stuph online, not many good stores around here (an autozone and 2 pep boys). and online stores usually have packages.



im looking for somethgin that will make my car sort of glow, or shimmer. i know a claybar will do miracles for my 10 year old paint, i just dont know what products to buy. a friend of mine reccomended the blackfire polycly II kit, and meguiars gold class wash, with #7, 9, adn 26. will those get me what im looking for?

[JasonC8301]

Well depends on what type of state you`re finish is in.



Do you have a Porter Cable dual action polisher?



If you have swirls and light scratches be prepared to spend time polishing. Polishing is where the cars` glow and shimmer come from. A sealant or wax is just icing on the cake.



A sealant like K or Z will outlast any carnauba period. Well unless you don`t drive the car and wax weekly with carnauba vs. a K or z`d car outside all day and driven 200 miles daily.



Are you a cartnauba fan, or do you like sealants for durability?



Jason

[imported_saleen4971]

im not a fan of anything, im new to the detailing scene, i jsut want my car to look damn good for the first day i drive to school wiht my full liscence (september 17th)

[Jngrbrdman]

Well, in that case, get a clay bar (preferably Clay Magic) and some paint cleaner. If you can get Klasse AIO then that would be the thing to do. Then you need to decide if you want to go the sealant route or the wax route. Lots of research to do there. If you don`t care then just get a bottle of Meguiar`s Gold Class and you are good to go. Claying your car and using Meguiar`s Gold Class will make a huge difference all on their own. I would still suggest getting a good paint cleaner. If you buy AIO then you might as well get some SG too. That makes white just glossy like a polished rock. I`ve got some pics in my sig of the front of my car with a few layers of SG on it. Very shiney. Nice for white.

[LouisanaJeeper]

Pics of my ZJ w/ Zaino on the paint (also Clayed w/ mother`s and polished with a rotory and PC by someone more skilled than me :) ) and Stoner`s Trim Shine on the Cladding.

http://usazj.rockcrawler.com/cgi-bin/i/Zaino/side3cropped.JPG

http://usazj.rockcrawler.com/cgi-bin/i/Zaino/bike.JPG

http://usazj.rockcrawler.com/cgi-bin/i/Zaino/wheel.JPG

[imported_saleen4971]

...*raises eyebrow* SG??? haha, forgive my stupidity. and cant you seal AND wax? or am i thinkin of somethign else? gold class "shampoo & conditioner" u mean? is AIO a paint cleaner? its that stuph in the red bottle, right?



again, sorry about the stupidity, im a newb to the detailing world (a car wash to me used to be a normal car soap and tutrle wax :( )

[chris0626]

Jngrbrdman, I think you`re right on the money with your "new to detailing" advice: clay and Megs Gold Class. But don`t you think he could get a bit of extra zip in his finish by applying Meguiar`s #7 (also pretty readily available) in-between? That would be my winning combo for somebody who just wants a good shine in their first efforts. What do you think?



saleen4971, you can also pick up lots of good basic info by clicking on the "Learn" icon at the top of the page and reading the articles there. :up

[Jngrbrdman]

Yeah, #7 would look good too. I`ve got an adversion to glazes so I tend not to recommend them. No denying that it would look great though. :bigups

[Jngrbrdman]

Originally posted by saleen4971

...*raises eyebrow* SG??? haha, forgive my stupidity. and cant you seal AND wax? or am i thinkin of somethign else? gold class "shampoo & conditioner" u mean? is AIO a paint cleaner? its that stuph in the red bottle, right?



again, sorry about the stupidity, im a newb to the detailing world (a car wash to me used to be a normal car soap and tutrle wax :( )



Meguiar`s makes a Gold Class liquid and paste wax as well. Gold Class is a line of products and not just an individual one.



You can use a sealant and a wax if you want. You just can`t apply more sealant over a wax so when you top it with wax you just need to be sure you are done with the sealant. And yes, AIO is the one in the red bottle. There is a list of commonly used acronymns on the front page that you should probably get familiar with. ;) We use them alot around here.

[wash-girl]

I have the white/grey Laredo combo on my `96, and I love it. Use the advice above for your paint care, and then spend a bunch of time on your trim, and I guarantee you will love the results. Get that grey cladding and the black trim to shine, and the contrast with the white will make the Jeep look amazing.



The best product I have found for the trim is Meguiar`s Trim Detailer (it`s a gel product in a black bottle--don`t get the red liquid in the spray bottle, as it runs too easily). Do your windshiled cowl, rearview mirrors, all window trim (including the windshield and the rear glass), door handles (including the rear hatch), antenna base, roof rack, and grille slats.



The cladding can also be done with the Trim Detailer, or most tire shine products. I usually use Turtle Wax Tire Wax for the tires and the cladding. Come to think of it, you could probably use it for the rest of the trim, as well, to save some money.



Also, don`t forget the wheel wells! A good shot of some sort of "triple action" tire spray works well in there. Clean, shine and protect those big ol` Jeep wheel wells, and you`ll see things really look sharp.



A big thing with white is the contrast, so definitely pay attention to that trim. It takes some time, but at least there`s half a vehicle that you can shine quickly, without worrying about swirl marks!