Newbie questions (please go easy on me)

[wfmiller]

I am purchasing a new car in Millenium Silver. Is there a "new" car procedure that I should follow for the exterior? Also I currently have a 9" buffer but am looking at the porter-cable 7424 polisher. Is this a good polisher to use for a newbie? Also what products if any are recommended for a new car that I should be looking at to purchase?



This is a great site and I thank everyone for their patience and understanding.

[Deanski]

First, don`t let the dealership "Swirl mark and scratch application department" prep the car!



Yes the "PC" is the best polishing tool avalible for those who want to maintain a finish without damage. Here`s a link on the PC:PC for Beginners (http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/detailing/forum.php?postid=1430487&page=1)



As for products, all depends on how often you want to wax or "touch the finish" Some are waxes some are paint sealants, and all have a specific application and maintenance level.



Also, here a link on the PC and what you need:The PC (http://www.roadfly.org/milemarker/7/porter_cable_buffer.1.html)



The best prices for a PC: PC for Cheap! (http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/port/pr7424.htm?L+coastest+sfmh7612ffc220c2+1058186817)



You will also need Micro-Fiber towels or MF`s. A good source: MF Towels (http://www.pakshak.com/)



A final Quick Detail cloth: QD Towel (http://www.dftowel.com/)



also, see at top right of Autopia home page and click on learn. Also, see reviews of products.



Regards,

Deanski

[explorer]

:welcome To Autopia



You came to the right place to learn about car care, you will find some very experienced people which will guide you through the right processes to keep that car looking new.:xyxthumbs



I`m by no means one of them, but here are my .02$.



First get some MF, 100% Sheepskin wash mitt and only 100% cotton cloth should touch your paint when washing, nothing but the best for your car(got to pamper it:D )



You shoul start by using the two bucket method(do a search and you`ll see what I`m talking about if you don`t allready know) this I should strees is very important



I do not think you need a PC right now, since your car is new it should be swirl free(lets keep it that way;) ;) )



As for products I like P21s and Mothers, but there are endless brands out there, and like I said people with a lot more experience than I will guide you to the right ones.



Well enjoy Autopia, you will love it here

[Jesstzn]

Originally posted by Deanski

First, don`t let the dealership "Swirl mark and scratch application department" prep the car!



Deanski



Deanski just posted an extreemly valid point ^^^. I have a friend coming up today with a week old Black Jetta TDI .... lowered/wheels .. stunning car .. untill you look in the sun.. The dealership "Swirl mark and scratch application department" washed/waxed it and I swear they used a corn broom .. its an absolute mess. I would have never taken delivery .. Fortunatly it is very shallow and I`m sure 3m SMR or #9 will suffice followed by alcohol and water for the fillers, then Glanz or #26 .. his choise. I don`t have a PC yet to try the DACP but my little orbital werks great with #9 etc. Hopedfully I will post pix .. weather is 28 F here at 8 am.. hes is comming at 11.



You can see the end results under the forum "Click & Brag"

[chris0626]

Gotta stress what Deanski said. FIRST click on the "learn" icon at the top of the page, and read all those articles. Then read thru lots of the threads in the Autopia Univ forum. That will put you in the nation`s top 2 percentile. :bigups

[fidelfs]

I have a new car too. PC can work miracles in your brand new car. It won`t introduce scratches or swirls. There are products only for machine because they need the heat generated by the PC to work.

There are some glazes, polishes, wax, etc. you can apply with your PC.



PC is one of the best tool you will have in your garage.



:xyxthumbs

[GoodnClean]

I don`t know, on one hand the PC is a big investment with all the pads you need, but even on a new car its an awesome tool for applying even pure polish. I say if you`re really serious about caring for the car, go ahead and get one. I use it all the time just to apply protectants, its just easier than by hand (with the obvious exeptions)



If its "Millenium Silver" then its either a Lexus or a Toyota, whatcha getting? ;)



I reccomend you at least top out whatever you decide to do (be there a sealant or not) with S100, I`ve seen it on Millenium and its gorgeous.

[imported_NHBFAN]

Just go down to Wally World and pick you up some Nufinish or Turtle Wax, you``ll be fine.





Just kiddin!!!

[maxshine]

I`d recommend getting Clay Magic, AIO, Wax or Sealant of your choice, and MF`s, etc. I think you should get familiar with the products via hand application before machine. A new car in Silver - it should be a while before you notice any problems. Just my 2 cents.



GoodLuck

[tguil]

I agree with Maxishine. Whatever -- Get something on it quick. Something easy to apply and remove. Microfiber towels are a good first investment. I also suggest a good one step cleaner wax. Meguiar`s Cleaner Wax is an excellent product for a beginner. This weekend I am going to use Meguiar`s Medallion Premium Paint Protection on my wife`s silver Tacoma pickup. It`s a fairly long lasting sealant and is pretty easy to apply by hand or with a PC. It would look great on your silver Toyota or Lexus. On a new vehicle it is a one step product.



I`ve been polishing and waxing cars for over 40 years. There are tons of excellent new products out there. Most of them are discussed right here. This board has lots of folks who are more than just a wee bit obsessive about detailing. (I guess I might be one.)



Another good board that is slightly more conservative is Show Car Garage -- http://www.showcargarage.com Most of the products on this board are from Meguiar`s lines. These products are a safe bet for beginners. I`ve used them almost exclusively since 1970 or so.



I purchased a Porter Cable polisher last summer. It is great for those of us who polish and wax frequently. You can achieve some fantastic results with this "toy" that you can`t achieve by hand. You might want to wait to purchase one, but on the other hand life is short.......



Enjoy your new vehicle and enjoy keeping it looking great.



Tom :cool:

[wfmiller]

Yeah it`s an 04 lexus and still waiting for the dealer to get in what I ordered!! I am pretty anal about keeping my cars nice but since I have been doing research (here in particular) have decided that I did not know squat.



I have decided to purchase the PC and have already purchased MF towels. My wife thinks that I am nuts as I show her your replies. Yesterday we were at the store and I had to buy more ink cartridges for the printer as I have been printing a lot of information that I have found here.



For those of you that own the PC or similar device, what products have you found that work best with it?



Anyhow thanks a load to everyone. I definitely feel an obsession coming on!!!



Wayne

[Deanski]

Originally posted by wfmiller

Yeah it`s an 04 lexus and still waiting for the dealer to get in what I ordered!! I am pretty anal about keeping my cars nice but since I have been doing research (here in particular) have decided that I did not know squat.



I have decided to purchase the PC and have already purchased MF towels. My wife thinks that I am nuts as I show her your replies. Yesterday we were at the store and I had to buy more ink cartridges for the printer as I have been printing a lot of information that I have found here.



For those of you that own the PC or similar device, what products have you found that work best with it?



Anyhow thanks a load to everyone. I definitely feel an obsession coming on!!!



Wayne





First, if it was my SC430 again, I would not have the dealer prep the exterior finish! It`s OK if they remove all the plastic etc from inside, but I would request that it not be touched outside.



That said, now comes what to do. Since you are new to Autopia, I highly recommend you get a copy of the AUTOPIA GUIDE TO DETAILING: The Autopia Guide To Detailing (http://www.autopia-carcare.com/autguidtodet.html)



Next, you need a good car wash along with a sheepskin mitt to wash, then a clay bar kit to remove surface contamination prior to any polishing. There are many good washes, see the "REVIEWS" to assist you. I`ve used Meguiars 00 Hi-Tech Wash as well as the Gold Class wash.



A good clay kit made by Clay Magic is a good start and is very easy to use.



Once washed and clayed, wash again to remove any loose particles left and clay residue. Now it`s time to evaluate the finish.



If you have light swirls, a good start would be Megs #9, then #81 Hand Polish. If you use the PC, you need a polish pad and a finish pad.



Once that`s done, a good wax is all you need. P21s/S100, Souveran Paste, or any high-quality wax. Megs makes #26 which is also a great wax.



You could go to a sealant, but since you`re new to this, I`d wait till you get more experienced.



As for interior, 303 spray protection is good for vinyl. For leather, 1Z Lederpfledge, Autoglym or other fine leather care. I use Zaino Z9 and Z10.



Get the Guide to Detaling! It`s a fantastic reference material!



Good luck, and keep us posted.



Regards,

Deanski

[Accumulator]

wfmiller- Welcome to Autopia. A few thoughts about your new Lexus:



Be prepared to REFUSE DELIVERY if something goes wrong. Damage, dealer-induced swirls/scratches, all kinds of things can happen and the dealer KNOWS you will be anxious to get the car. It can be a tough thing to do, but be prepared to wait for another one (or even go elsewhere). You REALLY do want to start this thing off on the right foot. Gee, that`s sorta a negative thing to start this post with, but it really is the best new-car advice I can offer.



On more positive notes, there are a few things to do when you get it.



DO clay the car. The Autopia Block/Glide/Waffle kit is great. Ferrous deposits ("rail dust") will cause "rust blooms" that can permanently spot your finish, and they look awful on silver. I myself use AutoInt`s ABC system (do a search, there`s plenty of info on it) AND clay, but that is sorta overkill. You will PROBABLY be fine with just the clay. Get this ferrous-deposit-removal out of the way when the car is brand new so you don`t get any unpleasant surprises after 4-6 months.



The PC is a good tool, and it`s not too expensive considering how much you`re paying for the car! I find the 1Z polishes VERY easy (and safe) to use and would recommend them for a PC newbie. Topping these with a good sealant (like P UPP or Klasse) will have you well prepared for winter.



Note that this bit is a little different from Deanski`s advice- it`s not like we`re REALLY in disagreement, just presenting different ways you can go. Silver is a rather forgiving color and you should be able to keep it really nice without killing yourself on it.



As I mentioned with regard to the PC, don`t go "penny wise pound foolish"- investing a bit in the right stuff will be well worth it and will be insignificant compared to the cost of the car.

[GoodnClean]

I remember you now Wayne, you posted in the detailing forum on the LOC board ;) I`m SW03ES over there.



Like Dean said, I too would have requested my dealership not prep the car. I`ve just now got the dealer swirling under control. It was hidden under a glaze and I didnt even notice it until I stripped the car to apply a sealant. If you dont let them touch it, then you`ll SERIOUSLY have less of a problem getting the car looking perfect.



For the PC, I reccomend you get one yellow (wont need it for a while but its good to have, if you let them prep the car you`ll need the yellow pad to remove the buffer marks) two white and two grey pads from CMA www.properautocare.com. For instance how Dean said above with the #9 and #81, you could apply both with a white pad, the #9 with white and the #81 with grey, and then whatever wax you choose with the grey. CMA has a great description section about their pads.



Since you`re new to it I think that maybe a good sealant/wax to start with your be Poorboys EX. Its not a polymer sealant but it seems to be longer lasting than a straight wax and its VERY forgiving. Apply it real thick, on top of glazes, in the sun, in the rain lol it doesnt matter. I`ve never used it on Millenium, but I have on Lexus` Alpine Silver and had great results. Other members at the LOC have use it on Millenium and have been happy.



If you`re going to go the Meguiars route with the #9 and #81 then Meguiar`s #20 Polymer Sealant would also be a good choice. As I learned yesterday its reverse compatible with all Meguiars products...

[wfmiller]

GoodnClean, nice to hear from you. I am going to be talking to the Dealer tomorrow first thing. Today I spent over $325 for car "stuff" over the internet. This was just for the PC, MF, pads, etc. Realized I did not even get any wax/sealant or anything like that..................egad.



I am burnt out reading all the material that I have gone thru. This forum is simply amazing. I did order all the pads from CMA by the way. I am still trying to decide what I want to use as far as wax/polish/sealant. My problem is that I analyze everything to death.



Oh well back to work.....and thanks for the recommendations.



Wayne