help - what is good basic care car?

[96miata]

I just got a miata 96 in gr8 shape and want to take care of it. I`ve never done any of this detailing and am trying to sort some things out:



1. when do i use klasse AIO? once in a while where the paint is oxidizing or as part of a regular cleaning?



2. what is the order of things if i want to be kinda basic? wash, AIO, wax?



3. is there a good spray wax that i can do easily by hand? this site mentions einszatt glanz, any thoughts?



4. do i put the wax on after washing/drying or do i need to use klasse and/or smth else first?



thnks

ari



ps: sorry if this info is elswhere, i;ve searched and read and haven`t found it..just bits and pieces

[Eros]

1) AIO will last 6 or more months depending on your environment. So I would suggest you should get the KLASSE HGS too for more protection and shine.



2) WASH , CLAY, KLASSE AIO, KLASSE HGS (if you have), then WAX.



3) Since I haven`t use spray wax I have no comment on that.



4) No! you don`t need to use AIO again or else you will strip everything that you put on your car. Remember the AIO is a cleaning agent. I use Meg. #34 after washing and drying.



:bounce :bounce

[Accumulator]

96Miata- Welcome to Autopia. Someone`s probably gonna point you towards the "learn" icon or tell you to buy the e-book. Good advice. But a quick take on your q`s:





1. when do i use klasse AIO? once in a while where the paint is oxidizing or as part of a regular cleaning?



You don`t want the paint to oxidize at all, you wan to keep ahead of such things. So the AIO is used whenever you need to clean the paint, when necessary, prior to applying your final protectant (which should, IMO, be SG). You won`t need to do this very often.



2. what is the order of things if i want to be kinda basic? wash, AIO, wax?



Close: wash, clay, polish, AIO, SG (yes, use them both), wax. I`m keeping in mind that you want to keep it basic, but you really should clay the surface (especially if you haven`t done it before), you need to polish to remove swirls/scratches (this is an INfrequent thing), and SG is DEFINITELY worth applying for the protection. If anything, skip the wax. If you MUST (and if you can live with the swirls, etc.), also skip the polish.



3. is there a good spray wax that i can do easily by hand? this site mentions einszatt glanz, any thoughts?



*I* would just use a slickness-enhancing QD after washing if you want to add something (quickly). Rely on the SG to provide your primary protection/appearance. It`ll last for months.



4. do i put the wax on after washing/drying or do i need to use klasse and/or smth else first?



I sorta answered this above. The AIO will clean off everything (down to clean paint). You CAN instead merely apply more SG after washing (and spot-claying as needed) so that the finish never really degrades much. This way you can avoid doing a big, "full" detail. Again, the protective qualities of SG, and its durability, can`t be overstated. It can completely change how you look at/go about detailing. Add it after the AIO, you`ll be glad you did.



Feel free to ask for clarification, additional info, etc.

[Eros]

96miata

Check this thread what Jngrbrdman did to the pick up truck by using AIO



http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23482&highlight=klasse+before+and+after:bounce

[96miata]

ok, thanks for the info. this is a lot. i am short on time and dont want to buy a buffer. so how does this sound?



1. take it somewhere 1x/year where they will do they whole 9 yards with clay, polish, AIO, SG, wax, ragtop protectant (any recommendations for west Los Angeles)



2. then just do a wash and SG on my own and in between washing just QD (and do interior). I realize this ain`t the best gloss (since i`ll skip clay, polish and wax when i do it) but i want to start out easy or i will burn out and not do anything.

[Accumulator]

96miata- Well, your proposed plan would be a lot better treatment than most Miatas get! *I* fully understand that not everyone wants to spend all their time detailing their car. Having a pro do it once a year and then just maintaining it is a perfectly sensible approach.



I`d still pick up the block/glide clay kit. You can spot clay while washing (adds maybe 5 minutes if you have to do a LOT of it, no biggie, really!). That way you can (really) clean off any contaminants before adding more SG. I assure you, it`ll be money well spent. If you decide it was a waste of money, I`m sure someone will buy it off you!



The one other thing you might consider is a SG-friendly QD. Handy stuff to have around for when you don`t have the time/inclination to SG your car but notice (after washing) that it needs SOMETHING. Also invaluable for cleaning off bird bombs before they etch your paint.



Sorry for the "hard sell" approach to the above, but I REALLY do consider them indispensable.