semi pro/hobby detailer

[TRAKPAK]

I worry to much on the look after its done- My prep work is excellent- so once I get the top together- we`re all good.

[Jngrbrdman]

I talked to a buddy last night and he`s a detailing MF- a good dude too- but he only uses a buffer with a clean white pad to buff out his exsisting dressings on his everyday driver with 117K and it looks showroom new- he never uses wax- only polish/ stuff like megs/mothrs etc....he says the buffer just glosses it up good for big shows- and yes, it is a show car- a Mustang no less! However, I might add- he`s not looking for durability because he works on that car a ton....but its darn interesting isn`t it? Gotta see how the DG works out- and will pick up a PC over Xmas at Home Depot on a big sale- I`m thinking about a 6.5" buffer- but gotta find some older apint to gets suome reps............Thanks much

All I can say is that some people just have no idea what they are missing... You might be completely satisfied eating at Olive Garden until you go to Italy and have REAL Italian cooking. Then you`ll never look at Olive Garden the same way again. The same holds true for detailing. No offense intended towards your friend, but you have professional veterans of the detailing industry telling you that certain products and tools are necessary for restoration or the ultimate shine. If your friend is polishing by hand and greasing up the car with glazes that hide the swirls, then I guarantee you I could improve the looks of his car ten fold with a couple hours and my tools.

Don`t go cheap on your buffer. Those $50 el cheapo buffers with plastic gears are no match to a Porter Cable. You can pick one up for about a hundred bucks on the web and I`ve never seen them on sale for less anywhere else. Even on sale. Check out Ebay or coastaltool.com and see what you can find. They aren`t that much money and they really are one of the best investments in tools that you can get for your car.

[TRAKPAK]

I don`t disagree but a PCable in the hands of a novice ain`t worth a damn is it? really? You Pro`s have learned the trade- either through a friend, a company or tyhe school of hard knocks-or some of each right? well, even though you could- doesn`t make me feel the least bit comfortable with zero experience-really? Think how your 1st buff job went - umpteen years ago and look what you can do NOW!!!!!!!!!- if you ain`t laughing- you maybe crying- experience - experience - experience period. I will get a PC- but I gotta start eeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssyyyyyyyyyy dude. Alright-get me started- I`m pretty set on using DG 101-111-104 basically- is that at least in the right direction????????

[Jngrbrdman]

That is the nice thing about the PC 7424. It is idiot proof. The only way you are going to hurt the car is if you drop the machine on it or are absolutely stupid and run it across a thin edge of paint at speed 6 or something like that. Believe me, you would have to try and damage the paint with this machine. Novice or pro matters not. The machine will perform better than anything else you will find in that price range and will definitely be better than anything below it in cost.

My first detail with the PC7424 was just as easy as my last detail with it. There is a very short learning curve with it and you`ll have the tool figured out before you are done with half the car. Like I said, it is an idiot proof tool. My 6 year old knows how to use it. I`m dead serious about that. I can show you videos of him polishing the tank of my motorcycle with it. Don`t avoid this machine because you think it is going to be difficult to use. That would be a rotary you are thinking of. Those require a little more practice to get right. The DA polishers like the PC are fool proof and definitely a product you should have.

[Beemerboy]

That is the nice thing about the PC 7424. It is idiot proof. The only way you are going to hurt the car is if you drop the machine on it or are absolutely stupid and run it across a thin edge of paint at speed 6 or something like that. Believe me, you would have to try and damage the paint with this machine. Novice or pro matters not. The machine will perform better than anything else you will find in that price range and will definitely be better than anything below it in cost.

My first detail with the PC7424 was just as easy as my last detail with it. There is a very short learning curve with it and you`ll have the tool figured out before you are done with half the car. Like I said, it is an idiot proof tool. My 6 year old knows how to use it. I`m dead serious about that. I can show you videos of him polishing the tank of my motorcycle with it. Don`t avoid this machine because you think it is going to be difficult to use. That would be a rotary you are thinking of. Those require a little more practice to get right. The DA polishers like the PC are fool proof and definitely a product you should have.

I will back this up, I taught my 13 year old to use it, while he was 9.

The plus is that you can turn some great results on it with a lot less effort than by hand

[TRAKPAK]

cool- I`ll pick one up but am determined to go with my old school methods of doing things by hand- in Febuary, I`m putting 1 car in the world of wheels so I may take the plunge BUT- I have yet to be disappointed with my own work- even compaing it to other people with pro experience- I also have the luxury of not being on a schedule of the people picking up their car when pros are getting $$$ for their work. I do it when I think it needs it. But usually in truth- well before it needs it so it actually rarely needs it- does that even make sense? lol

[TRAKPAK]

okay- hold the presses- new formula- after reading non stop for the past two weeks in preperation for this weeks detailing madness- all by hand I might add.
decided to change my a few things. THink I will NOT use DG Polish before waxing and after claying the 06 Lexus and 08 4Runner- I`m going to wash/dry of course, clay both- use some QD to make sure they are cyrstal clean and will use Megs #7 Glaze and THEN- and only THEN WAX with DG 104 paste carnuba.

Just DG 104 over the MEGS NXT liquid on the Mustang and its already been washed/dryed,clayed and NXT`d- so a coatish or 2 of 104 will finish it off nicely.

More importantly just using the MEGS #7 Glaze instead of Polish as the abrassives- which are only mild but totally unecassary for a 4 and 2 year old vehicles (toyota/ Lexus) with 50K garaged and 20K garaged and near pristine cond...- the polish will do more harm than good- the glaze will be the Hula baby------------owwwwwwwwww.

I ain`t mad but must confess am a little distressed someone didn`t kinda suggest that to me on this forum- but detailing is so personal- its scary!!!!!!!!Thanks for all the good comments- glaze is the wayzzzzzz baby

[Mr. Clean]

Trakpak, I`m going to leave you to your own devices. Sometimes lessons are best learned the hard way. Check back in after you`re done and let us know your impressions of what you did and how it turned out for you.

[JaredPointer]

Polish as the abrassives- which are only mild but totally unecassary for a 4 and 2 year old vehicles (toyota/ Lexus) with 50K garaged and 20K garaged and near pristine cond...- the polish will do more harm than good-

I totally disagree with that statement and will go so far as to say I`ve never seen a car with 50K & 20K that didn`t need some sort of polishing at least once. EVER. I know Toyota paint, and I know Southeast Toyota and their pre-delivery finish prep. If you got either of those Toyotas from them, I`d bank money they need at least a light polish (and most likely need some wetsanding spots removed). However, I digress... What I see in my eyes and what you see in yours are probably totally different. Your opinion of flawless and mine are probably different.

Polish used correctly will not "harm" the vehicle finish. Not 100% sure where you`re getting that sort of information, but it`s dead wrong.

Not knocking you - just stating what I know to be fact in my detailing experience. There`s room for improvement in every car/finish.

[TRAKPAK]

points well taken- and yes- what i see and what you see is going to be different- probably very much different- I`ll give it a a try and see- but no- I have midwest weather where I live- you know - the freeze thaw thing going on.

Alright i will take it under advisement on the polish vs glaze= but tommorrow its on- I`ll let you know. I clayed part of the Lexus tonite and its like nite and day where I did it and where i didn`t clay- its almost sickening to have that much diffenece but not see it- but side by side- the body panels- the difference is unreal- not to mention I haven`t done anything else wax wise yet- however- the glaze is cool thing too- you can`t really say anything negative-meg 7 - according to most , it is killer- never read anything that it wasn`t excellent about it

Okay- SHould I go with the DG 101 cleaner/polish or 111 just polish after the claying but before the wax-I`m listening- I mean- I`m trying to use better chemicals yall- gimme a holler- and again- thank you all for your comments- it is greatly appreciated- you all truely are kind enough to share your expertice with hardheads like me...lol thanks fellas

[GearHead_1]

I totally disagree with that statement and will go so far as to say I`ve never seen a car with 50K & 20K that didn`t need some sort of polishing at least once. EVER.

This isn`t simply an opinion, it is fact. If one can`t see issues at this point it`s because of a less critical eye, not that they don`t exist.

[Jngrbrdman]

This isn`t simply an opinion, it is fact. If one can`t see issues at this point it`s because of a less critical eye, not that they don`t exist.

+1 on that for sure. +1 to Mr. Clean as well. Good luck with your work. I hope the results are pleasing to you.

[TRAKPAK]

here`s the scoop yall- washed/dryd/clayed and DG 101`d the 4Runner- looks killer= silver- will top it tommorrow with Megs & or Nattys red

Problemo- the mustang was finished and topped last weekend with Megs NXT- killer- added some DG 104 and it looks like dog #@$*- gotta strip the hood tommorrow- wash/dry/clay and re wax with megs #7 or NXT- to get it where it was- what is up with the 104 dudes??????????????

[Jngrbrdman]

You have to be more specific when you say it looks bad. Why aren`t you posting pictures? I think we are at the limit of what we can do to help you until you start posting pics.

[Bullitt]

Sorry if this thread gets bumped up, but I have to put in my two cents. This thread went off on the wrong course when the LSP`s and which ones to use came into play. What I`m trying to convey here is that it seems the argument is which DG product or Meg`s LSP product to use etc, when it should be what he`s doing before any of this is discussed. 99.9999% of the final look of any car is what you do before you apply any wax or sealant. There`s been more than one post hinting to "That it`s in the process". Sealants and Waxes to have there place in the over all look of a car, but it`s very minimal. You could have a $2000 tub of wax and if you scuffed up the car with a clay bar, it`s not going to look good. This brings me to my next point, the OP mentioned that part of the car wasnt looking so good at one point. I`ve seen many people wonder why their wax looks so bad when in reality they marred the paint with a mild clay on a dark car, and they thought the wax was to blame. My point is that you could have bad prep work and a $2000 wax vs. good prep work and a $5 wax and the $5 wax would run circles around it.