Figurin` out my process?

[REX-RACER]

Hello all!



<---- 1st Post! :D



I`ve been trolling here for about a month or so trying to pick up as much as I can and figure out all the jargon. I gotta say this the friendliest internet B/B I`ve ever seen unlike other places where people are constantly trying to flame you. Everybody here seems very mellow and especially willing to help the newbies. :) I think it has to w/ the fact the the average age and maturiyt level of participants here seems to be a little higher than in many other internet boards! :xyxthumbs



At any rate, down to business!



I have been a car nut since I was about 12 years old and I love all aspects of driving, owning and taking care of cars . . . well except for the car note and insurance payments. I`ve always done most of the light maintenance and appearance care on my own vehicles but I stumbled across this site and found out how much I really didn`t know about detailing care even though I`m usually the guy amongst my family and friends that everyone asks to wash and wax their car when they want it to look good. I usesd to think polishing, buffing and waxing a car were all the same thing! :rolleyes:



Basically what I want to do now is start doing some mobile detailing on the side to earn some extra money for go fast parts for `01 Mustang Cobra! :bounce



I`ll probably start doing this in the spring like March or April when the weather permits so right now I am learning as much as I can from this sight and I want to see if I`m on the right track?



So far I`ve come up w/ the following process and products I want to use:



NXT Wash



Pinnacle PolyClay or ClayMagic Claybars



Wolgang Deep Gloss/PorterCable Kit (http://www.autogeek.net/pcw100.html)



Klasse All-In-One and Klasse Sealant Glaze



#26 Meguiar`s Hi-Tech Yellow Wax



Also I want to get a portable blower/vac like this one for quick exterior drying and interior vaccuiming.

Vac-`N-Blow (http://www.autogeek.net/vacnbloporva.html)



As well as a small liquid deep cleaner like the Bissell "Little Green Machine" for stain removal.



My process would be :



Autoglym Engine Cleaner > Sonus Total Eclipse > NXT Wash > Claybar > Klasse AIO > Klasse SG > #26 > Sonus Rim Bright + Total Eclipse



I thin that about covers it but any help would be greatly appreciated! Please let me know if I`ve forgotten anything or I have something I don`t really need?



I figure I have about $500 to get my supplies and get up and running hopefully. I don`t have any experience w/ the PC yet so I`ve been linning up some "practice" vehicles:



My Red 1995 Jeep Cherokee:

This one needs serious help. It`s my winter beater car and is parked outside all the time. It has 115k miles on it and has serious oxidation/paint contamination. I don`t even know when this car was last waxed or anything! It`s a good and faithful truck in the winter though so it deserves some TLC!



My True Blue 2001 Mustang Cobra:

This is my p&j of course! Last year I claybarred ( for the first time ) and used the Meguiar`s 3 step I got at AutoZone. I did it all by hand and it took like 5 hours but it came out really good. This year I want to take it to the next level!



My g/f Black 1996 Monte Carlo:

You know how g/f`s are so you can guess what this is like. Last year I used some "Color Back" and then Meguiar`s Gold Class on this and it came out so-so. I figure I can really take this one up two notches w/ the right stuff.



My mother`s Black 2002 Acura TL:

This ones a real shame since my folks don`t wash their cars until they go in for service! They live out in the sticks and every time I see this car I swear it has new swirls or scratches. It`s a shame `cause this car was sharp when it was new. I`ll need to really help the paint on this one too.



My father`s 2004 Black Silverado Sport Side:

Same thing as my mother`s car + my dad gets off-road from time-to-time.



So that`s my story. Sorry for the excessively long post but I figured I`d make it good for my first one!



Thanx so much for reading and any help any one can offer!

[jknowles4]

Welcome!!!



I am a newb also and have found this board very helpful. Good luck!!!

[Camarorulz]

Hello, welcome! You`ll find this board very helpful to keeping your cars looking new. :) I`ve been reading up and its been an invaluable source of info. That looks like a good process btw.

[Eliot Ness]

:welcome Welcome to Autopia.



Well, you are headed in the right direction, but Iâ€â„¢ll make a few suggestions. You have a link to a PC/Wolfgang kit but then you mention using the Klasse twins and #26. IMHO, you would be better off buying your PC locally at Lowes or ordering it from Coastal Tools. Check out this thread (about Lowes) and this link to Costal Tools:



http://autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=47427



http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/port/pr7424.htm?L+coastest+hknk0501ff92cc92+1105086056



You can order a good set of pads and backing plate from Excel Detail. Start with this kit:



http://www.prestostore.com/cgi-bin/store.pl?ref=exceldetail&ct=&pd=97914&pg=14145



Then add something like two green pads (polishing), a yellow pad (med cut), and an orange (light cutting/polish) pad. All of those pads and backing plate will only run about $60, but youâ€â„¢ll have a nice range of pads to use and an extra one of most if you switch to a different product during a detail.



Also order some nice MFâ€â„¢s (microfiber towels) from Patrick (Excel Detail at the same link listed above) and you have a great start for using the PC.



There are a lot of how-to articles to get you started on the PC, plus other processes like correctly washing, etc. This link will get you started:



http://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html



Your choice of Klasse is a good one, but if the finish on any of your cars has defects (swirls, marring, minor scratches, etc.) youâ€â„¢ll need to correct them with a polish to achieve the ultimate finish before applying the Klasse. There are a lot of good polishes, but Iâ€â„¢ll recommend two that are easy to use to get you started: Poorboyâ€â„¢s SSR2.5 and SSR1 (and perhaps SSR3 if you`re looking at some really bad stuff):



http://www.poorboysworld.com/super-swirl-removers.htm



Your wash a clay should do fine, and the Vac `N` Blo is a nice vacuum, but you may want to look around at Home Depot and pick up a nice Ridgid and save some $$$$. The 4 gallon WD4050 is a nice size unit:



http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/Wet-Dry-Vacs/index.htm



There are plenty of great products out there and many boil down to personal preference. Iâ€â„¢m sure others will chime in with other product recommendations.



You`ve got a lot of reading to do and choices to make, but if you have anymore questions weâ€â„¢ll be glad to help.

[REX-RACER]

Thanx for the welcome folks!



Eliot Ness, thanx for the info. I will definitely look into the PC at a hardware store close to me and also a good shop vac. Those are good money saving tips.



Okay so you said some things that already bring up :confused: for me?




Your choice of Klasse is a good one, but if the finish on any of your cars has defects (swirls, marring, minor scratches, etc.) youâ€â„¢ll need to correct them with a polish to achieve the ultimate finish before applying the Klasse. There are a lot of good polishes, but Iâ€â„¢ll recommend two that are easy to use to get you started: Poorboyâ€â„¢s SSR2.5 and SSR1 (and perhaps SSR3 if you`re looking at some really bad stuff ):



I thought Klasse AIO was a polish and would correct minor deffects? Are you saying that I will need some other type of polish in addition to AIO if I encounter problematic paint? If AIO isn`t a polish that corrects minor imperfections than what is it???



Also what are people`s opinions of the Wolfgang products on autogeeks.com? I haven`t really heard anyone mention them over here which is usually a not so good sign I gather? :confused:



Thanx for all the help and keep the suggestions comming! :bounce

[Eliot Ness]

Originally posted by REX-RACER

........I thought Klasse AIO was a polish and would correct minor deffects? Are you saying that I will need some other type of polish in addition to AIO if I encounter problematic paint? If AIO isn`t a polish that corrects minor imperfections than what is it??? ........

While technically a polish, AIO is pretty much a non-abrasive paint cleaner that leaves behind a little bit of paint protection, meaning that MOST of the cleaning ability it has comes from chemicals rather than abrasives. It will do a very good job of cleaning your finish of oxidation (and other contamination) and if used with a polish pad may reduce some light swirls, but the keyword here is light. Please donâ€â„¢t misunderstand, AIO is good at what it does and provides an excellent base for SG (and many other products), but to remove more serious defects youâ€â„¢ll need an abrasive polish. From your description of the finishes youâ€â„¢ll be working on came my recommendation of the SSR line.



If you remember nothing else please make a mental note of this: Start out with the least aggressive (abrasive) product/pad combo and then work your way up if needed. If a finish doesnâ€â„¢t look that bad, then AIO on a polish pad may do the trick (try a small area first). If it doesnâ€â„¢t then you can step up to one of the SSRâ€â„¢s (or whatever polish you decide to use).



As far as Wolfgang products go the only one I have is the sealer which I havenâ€â„¢t used yet, but several other members here have used it and like it. But like I said in my first post, if youâ€â„¢re going with the Klasse twins youâ€â„¢re already set for a good sealer. HTH

[REX-RACER]

E.N. Thanx so much for your help!



That makes the AIO thing a lot clearer. I had heard years ago that some otc "clener waxes" had abrassives in them so that they would "melt" the paint or clear coat while you were applying and there by fix minor imperfections.



I see now that there are two types of polishes: one type has chemical cleaners like the AIO and others have actual abrasives that help you to more or less "wet sand" the pant down to a super smooth finish and then apply sealent/glaze or wax.



Thanx again for the help!!!