Help with first El-Cheapo detail

[idahoeeboy]

Hi all,



I`ve been lurking here for about a month now, and found loads of great info. This weekend I will be detailing

my Black 2002 Pontiac Grand Am GT. There are some minor swirls and light oxidation on the hood, in part due to crappy body work after

an incident involving a deer 2 months after it was purchased. The rest of the paint is in fairly good condition.

Now since I just graduated college and we moved, I don`t have a lot of money right now (my wife wants appliances and furnature for some reason)

I won`t be buying a PC for about 3 months. However, I do plan on buying one, and I know how bad it sux to do it by hand, so please

don`t everyone say, "Get a PC."



Anyways, this weekend is probably the best for me as far as time goes. So I was hoping to detail the car then,

which means I don`t have time to do any online ordering. So here`s the question:

What decent OTC products can I get at like Kragen, Autozone, Walmart or something like that. The only thing I have is an old walmart random orbit

buffer, which isn`t very powerful, but its better than doing stuff by hand.



Here`s what I hope to accomplish:



Exterior:

1)wash

2)clay

3)Wash again--hopefully with same stuff I used in step one

4)seal???

5)wax



Interior:

1) Condition/clean leather seats

2) Vinyl UV protectant/conditioner





Ok, now don`t chew me out, but I`ve been using Armor-All for the interior leather & vinyl, and Zymol for the wax.

Suggested replacement products?



Thanks for all your help, if you need more info in order to give feedback, feel free to say so. I`m here all day folks.

[Rolla]

After washing, you would want to polish and then wax. As for OTC products, there are a lot. I would suggest Meguiars products.

[ScubaStevo]

Try finding a store that carries Meguiars professional line. They offer a full line of great products, that work good by hand. If you`re really strapped, you could try Mother`s new line up, I`ve heard nothing but good things about it.

[idahoeeboy]

So I would not want to seal, instead use a polish? What meguiar`s polish would you recommend?

[holland_patrick]

wash

clay with what ever you can find

wash

MEG NXT paste or liquid you will not get durablity but it has a ton of fillers



Be happy..

use the meg towels and you be home free.



PS the best way to keep swirls down is washing and drying right

[the other pc]

Since you need to this cheap and easy for now I`d go with an all-in-one, specifically Meguiar`s ColorX. It`s cheap, effective and readily available.



I find no need for a second wash.



so that would be:

Exterior:

1)wash

2)clay

3)ColorX

4)take wife out to dinner in shiny car





PC.

[idahoeeboy]

Ok, sorry PC, saw your reply after I already went shopping yesterday.



Here`s what I picked up:



Meguiar`s Deep Crystal Car Wash

Mother`s California gold claybar (includes cleaner wax & detail spray)

Meguiar`s Deep Crystal Polish

Meguiar`s Gold Class Paste Wax



What I was going to do is:

1) Dawn dishsoap wash

2) Clay

3) Wash with Meguiar`s

4) Polish w/ meg`s Deep Crystal

5) Wax w/ Meg`s Gold Class



However, I had two questions.



A) Is it possible and/or desirable to use the mother`s Cleaner Wax between the polish and wax steps?

B) Do I have to use the mother`s detail spray to lube the clay bar, or can I use Meg`s carwash?



Thanks for all your help guys...trying to get into detailing...& you`re loads of help.

[Setec Astronomy]

Sorry, I guess I should have piped up earlier. I think you can skip the Dawn wash, and yes, you can just use the DC Wash for clay lube. I think you need to go back to the store and pick up the Deep Crystal Cleaner (Step 1); that DC Polish will just be a PITA and won`t take off what you need to with the Cleaner, not to mention some minor swirl removal. Or you could just do as the other PC suggests, and use a one-step (the Mother`s cleaner wax sample). That would be wash, clay, cleaner wax, dinner. Just be careful with any of the waxes you have mentioned about getting it on any rubber or textured black plastic trim--it will stain like nobody`s business and really stand out on that black car.



It all comes down to how much work you want to do. Since you don`t have a PC...I would go for the cleaner wax route...the Mother`s sample, the ColorX as was suggested (I have never used either of those), or my old standby, Meg`s Cleaner Wax.

[idahoeeboy]

Thanks Setec,



I just heard about the Dawn thing reading ZainoBros site a couple years ago. It seems to kind of have a

mixed response here...some people think its not necessary, some people think it is, some people even say

its hard on your clearcoat.



So you think Meg`s will get things to where I can claybar? Cause I have like Zymol polish and (gasp with horror here)

car wash spray on wax residue all over it i`m sure.



The polish won`t really do a lot for me? I should trade it for the Step 1 Cleaner? Or should I keep it

and clean and then polish? (Both step one and two).



Thanks again all

[the other pc]

I agree with Setec Astronomy, Skip the dawn and use a cleaner. Even if Dawn is harmless (I`m not going there) it`s not going to do as good a job as the cleaner.



Meguiar`s and Mothers cleaner/waxes are good products but are intended for maintenance not restoration, hence the need for a cleaner like DC step 1 before hand. The ColorX is a more aggressive cleaner/wax so you can skip the separate cleaner step with it. Since you got the Mothers with your clay anyway I`d recommend either DC step 1 or ScratchX for a cleaner. (ScratchX will take out swirls that DC won`t.)



The DC step 2 is sort of optional. Since you`re looking to save money and time I`d trade it in.





PC.

[idahoeeboy]

Thanks PC, clears a lot up.

After I use the mothers cleaner wax, can I layer the meguiar`s wax on top of it? Or will the cleaning chemicals break the meguiar`s wax down and make a mess?

[Rolla]

I have not use the Meguiars wax you are using, but am sure you can layer it over the cleaner wax.

[sspeer]

I have not use the Meguiars wax you are using, but am sure you can layer it over the cleaner wax.



I believe Gold Class has cleaners in it, so it won`t layer.

[Rolla]

Isn`t the purpose of a cleaner wax to clean the surface when you don`t need to polish? Aren`t you supposed to follow up the cleaner wax, with a regular wax? Or do I have it understood wrong?

[idahoeeboy]

If Meguire`s gold class won`t layer, will Meg`s NXT? I wasn`t aware Meg`s GC had cleaners....is there any way to tell by looking the box? I went to their website and it said nothing about cleaners....