First time detailing question

**jimmy630** · 10-17-2013, 01:29 PM

Hello everyone.
New member here who will be tackling a 96 Acura that I`ve never polished or waxed since new. Only gone to car washes. Car color is maroon. Will be using Meguiar products.

My question is, once the car is properly clayed, is there any reason I would need Meguiars 105 instead of going to the 205?

Any other advice is welcome.

Thanks

**Pockets** · 10-17-2013, 01:43 PM

Well dependent on surface defects you will need to use either polish or both.

Clay does not "correct" the finish it simply cleans and strips it down to just the paint without surface contaminants. This enables you to get right to correction rather than polishing through the surface contaminates and gumming up your pads.

If the finish is bad you will have to correct it with one or either of the two (sorry I`m not to familiar with the Meguiars products)

**GearHead_1** · 10-17-2013, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by jimmy630

Hello everyone.
New member here who will be tackling a 96 Acura that I`ve never polished or waxed since new. Only gone to car washes. Car color is maroon. Will be using Meguiar products.

My question is, once the car is properly clayed, is there any reason I would need Meguiars 105 instead of going to the 205?

Any other advice is welcome.

Thanks

The answer to your question is... perhaps. From your post it sounds as if you are considering clay as a light compound. Pull clay out of the polishing equation as this is not its function. Clay pulls bonded contaminants from the paint and is neither a compound or a polish. Whether you need both of the products you mentioned or not will be determined by the overall condition of your paint. The defects, swirls, marring and minor scratches should help you make this decision.

It is not unheard of to see more surface marring once you have clayed, meaning perhaps you will need the more aggressive product. When the finish is properly maintained you will likely not need to jump to a heavier polish once you have clayed. On the first go round you may need both products.

Like the saying goes you don`t need a cannon to kill a fly. Always start with the product that is the least aggressive product possible to get the job done. If you`re going to be safe start with the 205. This is also true in your choice of clays as some are more aggressive than others. This may not be what you want to hear when considering buying only one product but the more you do this the easier it is to know which weapon/s to pick. If Meguiars happens to be your product line of your choice, chances are that sooner or later you will be glad you had both products. These are solid products that get a good deal of discussion and are well liked.

**Stokdgs** · 10-17-2013, 03:24 PM

Jimmy360 -

+1 with the excellent advice above !

Have used both Meguiars 105 and 205 for years and find them both to be good in their respective places.

I will say that in my experiences with M105 and a rotary, I found that it worked better and did not dry out and dust, if I sprayed a little moisture on the pad first, so that M105 could get past that quick dry out stage, and go on to work and finish out with a great gloss..

I believe your Acura paint will not be hard to correct as it has always been with any Honda product, so perhaps you might want to think about trying out the less aggressive product first, as has been already suggested above this post..

That Maroon color is beautiful and probably shows all the defects to you easily in good lighting, right ?

Tell us please, what process you will be using, ok ? A machine ? Which one?
Foam or Microfiber pads? Which kind/s do you have ? Doing it all by hand ?

Are you going to put something on top of the corrected paint afterwards to protect it?

Good luck with this !
Dan F

**jimmy630** · 10-17-2013, 04:18 PM

Thanks to all above the input and advice.

Yes, I would think the maroon color will surely show any defects.

I figure to start with Meguiar`s car wash and the mild detailing clay since I`m new to this and maybe that`s why I`m a little concerned about using the 105.

**jimmy630** · 10-17-2013, 04:19 PM

Meant to mention I will attempt to do by hand.

**jimmy630** · 10-17-2013, 04:22 PM

What exactly do I look for after I`ve clayed to determine if I should use the 105 first or in place of the 205? Also should 205 always be used after 105?

**Todd@RUPES** · 10-17-2013, 04:41 PM

In lieu of the great advice offered, I will share this simple answer...

The reason you need a more aggressive product is because the less aggressive product isn`t capable of doing the work or not capable of doing the work in a fast enough time frame.

So, in your case, it would be impossible to predict the amount of correction you need without first testing a spot (always polish a small spot first to dial in your process). If M205 doesn`t deliver the results you are after, in terms of correction, with the pads, technique and machine you are using, stepping up to M105 will likely be the next step.

Keep in mind, most of the times that you go to a more aggressive product, you will need to backtrack and go to a less aggressive product for a finishing step.

**The Guz** · 10-17-2013, 05:14 PM

Since this is your first time detailing, I would start with meguiar`s ultimate compound and ultimate polish after you clay. They are user friendly and their formulas are derived from M105/M205. Speaking from experience, the ultimate trio (ultimate compound, polish and wax) work well together and they give good results.

As always try a test spot to see if you are getting the desired results. Post pics when you are done.

Forgot to ask if you are doing this by hand or machine.

**GearHead_1** · 10-17-2013, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by jimmy630

Meant to mention I will attempt to do by hand.

I know that you`re probably expecting someone to say this so I won`t let you down. I`m a pretty thrifty guy. I don`t throw money away. That said, I think one of the first things you ought to fix is getting a buffer. I won`t lead you towards one or another unless you`re interested in pursuing this suggestion.

Suffice it to say I have polished by hand, it can be done. It`s been 25 years ago and I won`t ever do it again. It`s just way too time consuming to get the type of results most car guys/gals expect to see.

Many of today`s polishes use a "diminishing abrasive" technology, there are many names for this technology but the idea is the same. These abrasives require a significant amount of "working" in order for the particles to break down. Some actually require a bit of heat and results can be better with a rotary but most work really well with an orbital machine. I just don`t think one can work these polishes by hand and get all there is to get out of them. Just my 2 cents.

This thread has been recently resurrected and is worth the read.

http://www.autopiaforums.com/forums/...polishers.html

**jimmy630** · 10-17-2013, 08:01 PM

Thanks Todd, Guz, Gearhead.

I think I will spring for a Porter Cable 7424 XP that I can get at a local Home Depot. Besides, I may end up doing other family member`s cars.

**Todd@RUPES** · 10-18-2013, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by jimmy630

Thanks Todd, Guz, Gearhead.

I think I will spring for a Porter Cable 7424 XP that I can get at a local Home Depot. Besides, I may end up doing other family member`s cars.

Devil`s Advocate...

If you get a PC from Home Depot, then you will need to purchase a backing plate as well as pads from an auxiliary supplier, so you end up spending more in the long run.

Right now, Autopia-CarCare.com is running a 15% off sale (doesn`t apply to polishers but does apply to pads, backing plates, polishes) PLUS Free Shipping over $150 (and a free BLACKFIRE gift over $150 as well). Now is a good time, if you are considering it, to spring for it, get the PC, your pads and backing plate, and save on shipping (save on the gas it takes to drive to Home Depot as well).