Complete Detailing (I'm Lost)

S

Silicon Toad

New member
OK.....after 3 days of reading and searching post about detailing I've come to the conclusion that I am totally confused, even more than when I started. First I’m not sure what all necessary steps I need to take when detailing my car (ex. Wash, clay, polish, wax…). After that I’m not sure on the brands to use. Could someone help me with a list with brands? (It might also be usefully to have a sticky of something like this)



Ex) Wash

Clay

Wash (optional)

…

AIO

...

Natty's



Thanks,

Trey
 
That process you have listed above would be fine. :)



If you have swirls/scratches that you want to get rid of, you'll need to add a polishing step in there, after clay and before AIO.



If you want increased durability (particularly if you live in a cold climate) then I'd advise you to use a sealant after AIO, and before Nattys.



The various brands don't really apply to any specific colors or types of cars. You just pick whatever sounds good to you. I like AIO + Wolfgang sealant, or AIO + UPP (FourStar Ultimate Paint Protection), topped with Nattys. That's my recommendation to you.
 
Silicon Toad said:
OK.....after 3 days of reading and searching post about detailing I've come to the conclusion that I am totally confused, even more than when I started. First I’m not sure what all necessary steps I need to take when detailing my car (ex. Wash, clay, polish, wax…). After that I’m not sure on the brands to use. Could someone help me with a list with brands? (It might also be usefully to have a sticky of something like this)



Ex) Wash

Clay

Wash (optional)

…

AIO

...

Natty's



Thanks,

Trey
Click to expand...
Have you by any chance clicked on the "learn!" link at the top of the page? That takes you to http://www.guidetodetailing.com, a site that contains articles and an e-book written by David Bynon, the owner of Autopia. Surfing the forums can be a difficult way to learn about detailing from scratch, because there's not much structure to it. David's articles and the Autopia Guide to Detailing e-book, in particular, are organized in such a way that it's easier for a beginner to figure out how to get started. At this point, understanding the process is (IMO) a lot more important than which brand of polish or sealant to use. Once you understand why you're performing a particular step, you'll have a much easier time of evaluating what you want out of the products you decide to use on your car.



Skim through the e-book; the confusion should start to clear. :D



Oh, and :welcome to Autopia!



Tort
 
Hi Trey, :welcome to Autopia.



First, stop and take a deep breath. I know there's a lot of info here to consume all at once but you don't really need to. Just start trying things at your own pace and you'll pick it up.



In it's simplest form the steps are go something like:



Wash off loose dirt.



Make the surface pristine by removing stuck on gunk, stains and defects (like etching or swirls).



Protect the newly pristine surface.



You can get more sophisticated as you learn but you'll still be doing the same fundamental things.



The steps you listed yourself will do just that. Washing will remove loose dirt. Clay will remove stuck on crud. AIO will remove stains and light surface defects while adding protection. And the Natty's will add yet more protection.



Which products use will depend on how/where you buy supplies and personal preferences.



You can order online if you don't have a local source for Klasse, Poorboy's, etc or you could do the exact same steps with products from your local car parts store like Meguiar's or Mothers.





PC.
 
So something like this would be acceptable:



Wash

Clay

Wash

SSR1

AIO

UPP or Wolfgang sealant (dose this have to sit for 24 hours?)

Natty's



Thanks,

Trey
 
Yes that would be fine, provided there aren't any real swirls in the paint. SSR1 is pretty gentle stuff.



UPP or WG sealant would probably work best if you allow 24hrs before topping it with another layer of sealant, or topping it with a wax. If you're looking for the best durability, then I'd wait the 24hrs.
 
TortoiseAWD said:
Skim through the e-book; the confusion should start to clear. :D

Tort
Click to expand...

Great advise. Detailing is like anything else. Lots of study and research (and trial and error) will be your best teachers.



Products? Once again, just keep reading and researching on this board and try some products.



I, personally like Zaino products, but there are so many out there that are just as good, it's impossible to call any one line the "best"....



(When I was growing up, there were Fords, Chevy's and Dodges. Now the brands and models are uncountable! Same with detailing supplies!!!!!) :grinno:
 
Not in my opinion. I've found that a lot of products that are marketed as "for dark paints" are great on light paints, and vice versa.
 
Using SS1 followed by AIO has no point, IMHO. SS1 is pretty mild, and will just clean the paint - and that's what AIO is for. If you have swirl marks or defects you wish to remove, I'd use SSR2.5 or something. If not, just use AIO as a cleaner and skip SSR1.
 
I personally think of SSR1 as a polishing haze fixer. Yes it can remove some light swirling, but I think the main purpose of it is to remove haze left by the heavier cut SSR3/2.5. If your swirling is light, SSR1 might just be the polish for you, but I'm assuming that this is the first time your trying to have your car look the best it can so I would again assume that the swirling would be beyond the capabilities of SSR1, so I'd say your best bet would to get both SSR1 and SSR2.5 (or another similar combo from a different company).



I did a neighbor of mine's dark grey metallic car with AIO/UPPx3. Added the UPP layers 24 hours apart after a light dust off of the car (the car was left in a garage the entire time).The flake pop was amazing with this combo. That was the middle of August. Just a few days ago it rained and I noticed that the car was still beading water like crazy, and this is with minimal upkeep. He washes it by hand like twice a month and thats it. If your paint is metallic, I'd highly recommend this combo. If your still set on using Natty's Blue on top of it though, expect some of the flake pop to diminish, but in return, your paint is going to take on a very deep wet look. That's what happened when I topped the UPP on my car with souveran.
 
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