Questions on detailing

**garbledwords** · 02-09-2013, 12:51 PM

I have a 2008 Mustang GT convertible (her name is Linda) this is in relatively good condition. It only gets about 7k miles per year and in parked under cover most of the time. I keep it clean with washing it usually a couple times per month. So this is Linda’s yearly spa day. I am thinking that this is going to be about 20 hours.

· Wash & dry car (Ultima Paint Guard Wash)
· Treat convertible top (RAGGTOPP Fabric Convertible Top Protectant)
· Repair paint chips (Dr. Colorchip)
· Iron-X (CarPro Iron X Iron Remover)
· Clay (Ultima Elastrofoam Paint Cleaning System)
· Polish (Step 1) (BLACKFIRE Total Polish & Seal w Tangerine Orange pad on DA)
· Polish (Step 2) (Sonus SwirlBuster Polish w Tangerine Orange pad on DA)
· Clean interior (Ultima Interior Shampoo Gel)
· Clean leather (Sonus Leather Cleaner)
· Condition leather (Lexol Leather Conditioner)
· Shine (BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection w Crimson Red pad on DA)
· Protect interior (Sonus Total Eclipse)
· Clean and polish wheels (Sonus SwirlBuster Polish & BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection)

Questions:
1. I need to fixup some paint chips. I am planning on getting a Dr. Colorchip kit. At what point in this process should I use it? I’m thinking early in the process before Iron-X’ing/claying. But would it be better after that or in between them?
2. I am not sure that I have the correct polish or even if I need to. I am looking for something that will clean the paint and start helping with the swirls. Maybe something like Sonus SFX-1 Restore Polish?
3. What tape should I be using to tape off the trim when I polish? I see where Autopia sells 3M Scotch 233+ Premium Automotive Masking Tape. Is this a good choice?
4. Should I be doing a wipedown with IPA at some point?

**ihaveacamaro** · 02-09-2013, 01:11 PM

1) I would do the dr. color chip on a day when you aren`t polishing/applying harsh chemicals on your car. Who knows what that could do to the chemical process of paint curing and bonding?

2) I think your polishing steps are a little backwards. From what you said you want, I think just Blackfire Total Polish N Seal is what you need. TPnS is a all in one product, meaning it slightly corrects and seals your paint. If you polish on top of that, you`re just working backwards and removing protection. I would still finish with Blackfire Wet Diamond after for extra protection.

3) 3M automotive tape is great. It leaves slight residue, but it is extremely easy to remove. A quick spray of detail spray and a Microfiber towel wipedown will be all you need.

4)If you skip Sonus polishing, then no you won`t need an IPA wipedown. I would still do a damp MF with water wipedown though. If you do Sonus polishing, then yes, after that step do an IPA wipedown.

**Merlin** · 02-09-2013, 02:27 PM

I`ve used Dr. CC many times. I would make sure the paint is perfectly stripped and clean.
For me that means no wax or sealant and wash the area(s) with Dawn (original) to strip.
I`d recommend that after you apply Dr. CC do NOT do anything else for at least 12 hours.

_____________

Merlin - 2003 Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary

**garbledwords** · 02-13-2013, 02:54 PM

Instead of the BFTPS would something like Meguiars Mirror Glaze #2 Fine Cut Cleaner work? And if so, what pad should be used with that.

**Todd@RUPES** · 02-13-2013, 03:24 PM

Originally Posted by garbledwords

I have a 2008 Mustang GT convertible (her name is Linda) this is in relatively good condition. It only gets about 7k miles per year and in parked under cover most of the time. I keep it clean with washing it usually a couple times per month. So this is Linda’s yearly spa day. I am thinking that this is going to be about 20 hours.

· Wash & dry car (Ultima Paint Guard Wash)
· Treat convertible top (RAGGTOPP Fabric Convertible Top Protectant)
· Repair paint chips (Dr. Colorchip)
· Iron-X (CarPro Iron X Iron Remover)
· Clay (Ultima Elastrofoam Paint Cleaning System)
· Polish (Step 1) (BLACKFIRE Total Polish & Seal w Tangerine Orange pad on DA)
· Polish (Step 2) (Sonus SwirlBuster Polish w Tangerine Orange pad on DA)
· Clean interior (Ultima Interior Shampoo Gel)
· Clean leather (Sonus Leather Cleaner)
· Condition leather (Lexol Leather Conditioner)
· Shine (BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection w Crimson Red pad on DA)
· Protect interior (Sonus Total Eclipse)
· Clean and polish wheels (Sonus SwirlBuster Polish & BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection)

Questions:
1. I need to fixup some paint chips. I am planning on getting a Dr. Colorchip kit. At what point in this process should I use it? I’m thinking early in the process before Iron-X’ing/claying. But would it be better after that or in between them?
2. I am not sure that I have the correct polish or even if I need to. I am looking for something that will clean the paint and start helping with the swirls. Maybe something like Sonus SFX-1 Restore Polish?
3. What tape should I be using to tape off the trim when I polish? I see where Autopia sells 3M Scotch 233+ Premium Automotive Masking Tape. Is this a good choice?
4. Should I be doing a wipedown with IPA at some point?

From the top...

Using BF Total Polish and Seal and following it with Sonus Swirl Buster would be counterproductive. Both are mild polishes. BF TP&S has a sealant built in and Sonus is a glaze/designed to fill defects. Each product would cancel out the benefits of the other.

So... (and to answer a question you asked later on) I would start with something like BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish. This would be all you need to clean the paint (after claying/IronX), increase the gloss and prepare it for Wet Diamond.

If the paint is in a little rougher shape then I would suggest BLACKFIRE SRC Compound FIRST, followed by BLACKFIRE SRC Finishing Polish. These products will give you way more polishing abillity then the previous two.

For your top, I would first clean it with RaggTopp`s cleaner prior to using the protectant.

For your leather I personally would use Leather Master`s Leather Strong Cleaner and Leather Protection Cream, but that is personal prefer. The products you selected will work well too.

**Todd@RUPES** · 02-13-2013, 03:28 PM

1. I need to fixup some paint chips. I am planning on getting a Dr. Colorchip kit. At what point in this process should I use it? I’m thinking early in the process before Iron-X’ing/claying. But would it be better after that or in between them?

IF you do it after cleaning the paint (washing/iron-x/clay) then you will want to let it dry for several days before polishing it, this could slow your process down.
I would do the entire car first (with your process), then stop wipe the area with the rock chips with IPA and apply the color trip. Come back at a later time, when it is completely cured, and apply the Wet Diamond.

2. I am not sure that I have the correct polish or even if I need to. I am looking for something that will clean the paint and start helping with the swirls. Maybe something like Sonus SFX-1 Restore Polish?

I would stick with BLACKFIRE`s polishes, as noted in the above post.

3. What tape should I be using to tape off the trim when I polish? I see where Autopia sells 3M Scotch 233+ Premium Automotive Masking Tape. Is this a good choice?

Great choice

4. Should I be doing a wipedown with IPA at some point?

You can. However you don`t need to. If you stick with the BLACKFIRE range there is no need to.