First time detailing - Process and Product Suggestions?

[svc]

Hi all! I`m new here and looking for some help getting my car detailed this weekend. It`s a brand new BMW Alpine White with 500 mi, so I don`t think it needs a lot of work.







Here`s the process I`m going to follow and the products I plan on using. I will get it hand washed and dried, tires and wheels cleaned and detailed before I start working on the car.



1) Clay - Meguiar`s Smooth Surface Clay Kit

2) Polish - Meguiar`s Show Car Glaze Polish

3) Wax - Meguiar`s Ultimate Liquid Wax



Do you guys think this is a good process for a white car?



Should I include a step between 1 and 2 to better prepare the surface? Also should I apply a sealant (Griot`s Garage One-Step Sealant maybe?) between steps 2 and 3?



Thanks!

[Dan]

I`d use Ultimate Polish instead of the glaze. Also while I really love the Ultimate Wax, NXT looks much better on white. UW is better on darker colors.

[Accumulator]

svc- Welcome to Autopia!



White is pretty easy to maintain.



I myself would decontaminate it with a ValuGard ABC wash instead of claying, IME that works better and any rust-blooms will be pretty obvious on white. OK OK that`s just me but I really do find the ABC works better for this than clay (which I do use/like/recommend, just not for the initial decontamination).



Rather than the Meguiars glaze polish (which isn`t really a "polish" in the conventional sense, just a temporary glaze that`s better suited to older single stage paint), I`d do the vehicle with an All-In-One ("AIO") product which combines paint cleaners with mild polish and some minimal protection. I`d use either HD Speed or Zaino`s AIO. Yeah, gotta order those online.



The Griot`s one-step is a similar product that IMO will be inferior to the two I mentioned.



I`d top the AIO (like, after the next regular wash) with a good Last Step Product ("LSP") such as FinishKare`s FK1000P. Another choice would be Collinite`s line of waxes, which are user-friendly and last a lot longer than many sealants, let alone regular waxes.



BTW, that`s the combo (ZAIO + FK1000P) I`m using on a few of my vehicles, including a white sedan. Far superior IMO to the results you`d get with consumer-level OTC products. Lasts for many months, all you gotta do for a good long time is just wash it.



Note that others (including my pal Dan, who posted above) do very well using *only* the AIO, without even bothering to top it.

[Wasatch]

A sealant will definitely give it a different look. I really like Jeff Werkstatt`s Prime Acrylic and AJ. I bought some Dodo Juice Iron Glass, so this will be new to me. I usually top the sealant later on with a good carnauba wax, like Lusso Oro, Dodo Juice Light Fantastic, if you can still find some Pinnacle Paste Glaz.

[David Fermani]

Are you using a machine or doing things by hand? Just be careful not to marr the paint while claying it. Keep it well lubricated and constantly fold the clay.