Advice Please: Just Getting Started

[thr61]

After driving an 8 year old Volvo station wagon which to the best of my knowledge was never washed or waxed, I am now the proud owner of a 2006 BMW 325i (titanium silver metallic).



Given that I have never done any washing, waxing, sealing, etc., I need to be realistic about what I can take on in terms of time/effort.



I am interested in advice as to a basic system. I am prepared to clean and seal the rims/tires (I started seeing brake dust immediately), wash and dry the car, and periodically apply some sort of protectant/sealer. I don`t see myself using baggies to test for grit, going the clay route, or having a multi-stage sealing process. My perfect world would be to have the whole thing take about an hour, with perhaps more time spent on a (??) 1/4ly sealing.



I have read through these forums and on some of the BMW detailing forums and have not found an approach that makes sense to me given the above. I would like advice as follows:



1. Basic system



2. Product recommendations given the system:



- wash mitt

- buckets

- shampoo

- wheel brush

- protectant

- drying cloth

- spot treatment for tar, birds, bugs

- cleaner



3. If I have missed anything, please add this in as well.



Thanks. Once I choose an approach and give it a try I will post my thoughts about how it went and some pictures....

[toml]

After driving an 8 year old Volvo station wagon which to the best of my knowledge was never washed or waxed, I am now the proud owner of a 2006 BMW 325i (titanium silver metallic).



Given that I have never done any washing, waxing, sealing, etc., I need to be realistic about what I can take on in terms of time/effort.



I am interested in advice as to a basic system. I am prepared to clean and seal the rims/tires (I started seeing brake dust immediately), wash and dry the car, and periodically apply some sort of protectant/sealer. I don`t see myself using baggies to test for grit, going the clay route, or having a multi-stage sealing process. My perfect world would be to have the whole thing take about an hour, with perhaps more time spent on a (??) 1/4ly sealing.



I have read through these forums and on some of the BMW detailing forums and have not found an approach that makes sense to me given the above. I would like advice as follows:



1. Basic system



2. Product recommendations given the system:



- wash mitt

- buckets

- shampoo

- wheel brush

- protectant

- drying cloth

- spot treatment for tar, birds, bugs

- cleaner



3. If I have missed anything, please add this in as well.



Thanks. Once I choose an approach and give it a try I will post my thoughts about how it went and some pictures....



If you haven`t already, you really should do some reading by clicking on the "Learn!" icon at the top of the web page. There are quite a number of beneficial articles.



Also, download David`s new ebook. Excellent, excellent info! Here`s the download link (http://www.guidetodetailing.com/AUTOPIA.EXE) from David`s thread (http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=62332&highlight=ebook).

[thr61]

Thanks. I did read through all of the articles and they provided a great overview.



My interest was in hearing if there are other opinions or approaches that were worth considering. Also, the articles have pretty specific product recommendations and again, it is interesting to hear other perspectives.

[zippymbr]

This question gets asked all the time, please do a search on what you would like to find out. And then if you have a specific question about a product or process ask away. There are soo many choices of products to choose from and their attributes and advantages are discussed here daily.

[dmatre]

My first advice would be to read, learn, and practice.



I think that most of the people here (who aren`t pushing the products that they sell) would agree that the process is 95% of the final result. The product is only the last 5%.



After hanging around here, learning, and practicing, I`ve found that even low-level consumer products (NuFinish, etc) will yield great results - if you apply the correct process.



On this board (and others), people get pretty caught up in the `chemical-of-the-week`. Somebody comes out with a new polish/wax/sealant/insert-chemical-type-here, and many folks buy it just to test it out.



While there`s nothing wrong with that, just keep in mind that it`s not necessary to have the latest and greatest just to get good results.



Practice, practice, practice is the key.



Recommendations for your list (my opinion only):

1. Wash Mitt - Natural Sheepskin

2. Bucket - 2 buckets, 2-gal or larger. One for soap, one to rinse the mitt in, before resoaping

3. Shampoo - good quality (Mothers, Meguiars, Griots, many others - stay away from dish soap)

4. Wheel Brush - I use two different brushes, a large soft one for the wheel face, and a thin one for getting to the back of the rim (behind the spokes). I bought the soft one on-line, the small one from Pep-Boys

5. Protectant - Here is where everyone has an opinion. I`d probably try to get something at the PepBoys, so that you aren`t spending a lot of money on shipping. Meguiars, Mothers are great names.

6. Drying Cloth - Microfiber WaffleWeave. There are several different vendors. Don`t rub it on the paint, just slide it lightly across

7. Spot Treatment - I don`t spot treat. You may want to get a fine polish (as this is actually the step that creates a great shine in the paint), for any spots found; or use a QuickDetailer (again Megs or Mothers) to touchup any bird problems between washes

8. Cleaner - See 7. above



You don`t need to spend a fortune to get great results . . . it only takes learning, determination, and effort. Good luck.

[thr61]

dmatre --



thank you very much for your views on all this. 2 questions: I know the protectant views are wide-ranging, but I have been impressed with the description and support of Klasse All-In-One. What do you think about this? Second, the spot treatment question was for something to use PRIOR to washing the car to pre-treat tar and bird droppings etc. before the actual wash.



Thank you again.

[dmatre]

dmatre --



thank you very much for your views on all this. 2 questions: I know the protectant views are wide-ranging, but I have been impressed with the description and support of Klasse All-In-One. What do you think about this? Second, the spot treatment question was for something to use PRIOR to washing the car to pre-treat tar and bird droppings etc. before the actual wash.



Thank you again.



I try to avoid promoting/recommending one product over another, but since you asked directly . . .



I really like Klasse AIO. I use the AIO as a general cleaner, and I use the Sealant/Glaze after the AIO. The AIO has some protecting capability, but Klasse makes the SG as a long-term protectant - and it looks great too.



By washing carefully (please read David`s manual on how-to wash a car), and using the SG, I typically only have to devote a full day to the car once or twice a year. Other than that, it`s only about 1 hour each weekend to wash, shine (I like to use a diluted mixture of SG, but you can also use the Sonus Acrylic Spritz), and vacuum.



I carry a small bottle of quick detailer in the car, along with a microfiber cloth,for `emergencies`. If I come out of work to find a bird bomb, I`ll hit it with the quick detailer, and GENTLY wipe with the MF cloth . . . to get it off of the car as soon as possible. The longer a bird bomb sits on the paint, the greater the chance of permanently etching it.



If I don`t notice the bird bomb until washing the car, I simply use the water pressure of the hose (in a direct stream) to remove as much of the mass as possible, then I wash over the area carefully, using the wool wash mit. I don`t do anything special for these areas.



As for road tar, when I bought the Benz, MB gave me a car care kit, which inlcuded both bug remover and tar remover. These both are really great products. I don`t know if you can find the equivalent at PepBoys. You may want to check between local MB, BMW, and Audi/VW dealers, to see who has the best pricing (as I`m certain that they all have similar products).



If you do use the Bug or Tar remover, be certain to reapply the AIO (and SG if you are using it) afterward; as they remove most of the protectant while they are `working`.



The folks here are great, so you`ll probably get a ton of replies (and even better advice/explainations) in addition to mine.

[thr61]

So now I`m starting to get concerned about the number of steps involved.



I am comfortable cleaning wheels, washing and drying car. However, I would like to only have ONE more step after that -- is there a way to both polish and seal? And is this something that can be done 2 or 3 (maybe 4) times a year?



I thought AOI would do it, but it now appears to require a seal on top. And that last step looks pretty tricky and easy to mess up....



Thanks.

[dmatre]

So now I`m starting to get concerned about the number of steps involved.



I am comfortable cleaning wheels, washing and drying car. However, I would like to only have ONE more step after that -- is there a way to both polish and seal? And is this something that can be done 2 or 3 (maybe 4) times a year?



I thought AOI would do it, but it now appears to require a seal on top. And that last step looks pretty tricky and easy to mess up....



Thanks.



There are combined products. Cleaner/Waxes are available from Mothers, Meguiars, and others.



To be honest, I`ve found that if you use a Cleaner/Wax, the total time that you spend on the car goes up, because the sealant doesn`t last as long. This means that you end up cleaning/waxing 4-6 times per year, whereas with a good sealant you can get away with 2-3.



You`ve got a couple of things going for you, that would make me less aprehensive about using a sealant (if I were you):

1) It`s a new car, so I wouldn`t worry about needing too much cleaning (although I would definitely consider claying the car . . . which is as easy as spraying the Quick Detailer on it, lightly rubbing the clay back & forth, and then wiping up any remaining QD with a MF towel).

2) It`s a Silver car. The only color which hides imperfections better than white is silver (the metal flake helps to hide any swirls)



Additionally, it`s not as easy to mess up with sealant as you may think right now. I know that there are some folks who have had problems with hazing, etc. I`ve used SG for quite a while now, and can tell you that if you do get hazing, just a quick spritz of QD followed by an MF wipedown is enough to remove the hazing.

[steveAZ]

Here is my suggestion, and I`m not being an a$$.

Pick up the lambswool washmit, some quality soap/shampoo, buckets and some MF towels. Read the ebook for the washing section, and wash the car weekly (under an hour). For everything else take it to a professional a few times a year. You just spent ~35k on a car, and you obvisouly don`t have the time to do it yourself, but it sounds like you would like to have a well maintained car.

To me, this sounds like the best solution becasue its going to take more time then you`re willing to dedicate. Again, I`m not trying to be an a$$, just realistic.

[rollman]

Here is my suggestion, and I`m not being an a$$.

Pick up the lambswool washmit, some quality soap/shampoo, buckets and some MF towels. Read the ebook for the washing section, and wash the car weekly (under an hour). For everything else take it to a professional a few times a year. You just spent ~35k on a car, and you obvisouly don`t have the time to do it yourself, but it sounds like you would like to have a well maintained car.

To me, this sounds like the best solution becasue its going to take more time then you`re willing to dedicate. Again, I`m not trying to be an a$$, just realistic.





That`s good advice ! :xyxthumbs :xyxthumbs :xyxthumbs



:buffing:

[thr61]

OK. So, if I did want to spend some time on the car and not send it out, the thought would be to use Klasse AIO and then Sealant/Glaze after? This would be in addition to regular washing/drying...

[imported_MCA]

Hey thr61,



There are actually several ways to meet your goal/objective (some do require a longer initial step).



Option 1 (Requires a lengthier initial step, but lasts a fairly long-time and the sealants can be used on your wheels and windows):

A. Wash/Dry using “Autopianâ€� methods. I cannot stress this enough…minimized swirling equates to minimized polishing (at least mechanically).

B. ***Use a Multi-stage products (Ex: ZPC/ZFX/Z2Pro or AIO/SG)*** Although this does require extra time, you are guaranteed at least 3-4 (maybe even 5) months of solid protection and above average looks (although purely subjective).

C. After each wash, use a compatible “booster-type� QD to assist in replenishing the existing LSP (keep in mind that this is not the same as adding another equivalent layer of LSP). Gives the car a “just waxed look�.



Option 2 (Can easily be done in 1 hour):

A. Wash/Dry using “Autopian� methods.

B. Use a good cleaner/wax. Even an OTC product can do wonders these days.

C. After each wash, I would recommend a “booster-type� QD or even better: some form of a spray wax (OCW, Sonus Carnauba Detail Spritz, PB`s QD+, etc.) Gives the car a “just waxed look�.



I still HIGHLY recommend that you go all out your first time through…wash, clay, mechanical polish (if needed), final polish (if needed), LSP application. Doing so maximizes the look of your car, and from then on, it’s all about maintaining the look.



Hope this helps,

MCA

[dmatre]

OK. So, if I did want to spend some time on the car and not send it out, the thought would be to use Klasse AIO and then Sealant/Glaze after? This would be in addition to regular washing/drying...



That`s correct. Wash/dry, then use the AIO, then the SG.



After that, you shouldn`t have to do more than wash for quite a while. If the car doesn`t get too bad, you can always wash/dry, then go straight to another coat of SG each month or two. It doesn`t take too long to do, and it really makes the car look great.



If that`s too much like work, then you can wash weekly, then AIO/SG every 4-6 months.



The choice is yours: Do a little bit of work every so often, or do a lot of work once in a while.



Either way, the paint will be protected, and it will look great (and we all know that freshly washed/waxed cars run better).

[toml]

thr61,



After AIO, you could also use Optimum Car Wax (OCW) as a topper. It`s been getting a lot of good, non-hype raves here, and it`s a wax that you spray on and wipe with a MF. I don`t know how much easier a wax application can get :)