New Member here! A couple of questions for you

[goceltics34]

Hello all! I guess you can say that I am a virgin when it comes to posting a thread. I have been an avid reader of these forums for a few months now, but this is my first post.



I want to give my car the absolute best shine possible. Time is not really a factor as I love caring for my baby. I also plan on waxing at least once every two months. Here are the steps that I will employ starting with my next wash.



Wash w/ Pinnacle Bath Shampoo

Polish w/ Pinnacle Body Cleansing Lotion

Seal with Wolfgang`s Deep Paint Sealant

Wax with Pinnacle Signature Series



Do I need to clay the bar given that the car is less than a year old?



Also, are there any other products that would give me a better result than those listed?



Any help will be greatly appreciated!

[detailbarn]

goceltics34 welcome to Autopia you will find a wealth of information about detailing here.



As for your questions , first I have a few for you what make , model and color is your car and in what area of the country are you located? As for the car not needing to be clayed, I highly reccommend doing it alteast for the first detail there`s going to be some inbeded contaminants on the paint no matter how new it is. What you have listed for a plan of action is a good one but depending on the condition of the car it may need more attention, specifcly a polishing step. If you have a pictures of the car it would be easier to suggest what steps you should take. You`re certainly on the right track and you sound commited to doing it right so you`re ahead of the curve.

[togwt]

:welcome to Autopia goceltics34



Sounds like your on the right track, as detailbarn suggests clay the vehicle you won`t regret it.



Even new cars that have been setting on a car dealerships lot for a few weeks can accumulate surface contamination; don`t assume a vehicle that looks good is contamination free

just because the surface look.



Acid rain, road salt, tree sap and airborne contaminants are very detrimental to a vehicles paint film surface. Brake dust or rail dust are very small, almost microscopic particles of steel, iron or their alloys. These particles carry a negative charge while the vehicles they land on are carrying a positive charge. The vehicle surface becomes a magnet, attracting and bonding the ferrous metal particles to the vehicle surface.

JonM

[goceltics34]

I have a 2004 Acura TL Anthracite Metallic. I live in Southern California.



I tried attaching a picture of my car with my post but it didn`t work. How do I attach it, or even multiple pictures? It then tells me that the picture is too large. How do I shrink the size of a picture?



Thanks for the responses guys! Autopia rocks!

[RedondoV6]

Welcome goceltics34!



Another vote for clay .. I think you will be surprised what clay will remove from a 2004 vehicle, even after you wash it. You will probably be able to feel the difference too with your hand.



Good luck, look forward to seeing you post again :)

[the other pc]

:welcome to Autopia goceltics34!




Originally posted by goceltics34

Do I need to clay the bar given that the car is less than a year old? It really depends on the environment and your personal tolerance for crud. You may want to clay once a week or once a year based on your car`s environmental exposure.



Wash the car and run the pads of your fingers over the surface. Is it smooth as glass? If not you may well want to clay. Even if you think it`s pretty smooth try claying anyway. Then feel it again. The first time I tried it I was hopelessly addicted.






Originally posted by goceltics34

Also, are there any other products that would give me a better result than those listed? If your techniques are sound the products you list will give excellent results. Other products may or may not give results that you, yourself, personally like better. The only way to know is to play with them and form your own opinion.



I`m guessing that once you try the Pinnacle/Wolfgang combo you listed you`ll either

a.) be so pleased you won`t feel a need to try others.

or

b.) be extremely pleased but so excited that you want to try everything just for fun.





PC.