Complete know nothing when it comes to car paint, newbie product(s) question

M

mjninc

New member
Hello,



I just got a car (daily driver) and I need to take care of it. I have never waxed a car before and don't really know how to take care of paint.



My goal is to have a car with a great shine that looks wet. My research led me to Zaino, but before I drink that cool-aid, I wanted to check in here to see if there is a cheaper way to get that kind of shine and clarity.



I don't have a buffer and will be doing everything by hand.



What advice would you have for a newbie that's trying to get a the best shine and clarity he can for his buck as simply as he can? (products included please.)



Thank for your help :)
 
To be perfectly honest, in your situation I think the best route might be to take the car to a professional and have it properly machine polished and sealed, and from there set yourself up with a maintenance routine (proper equipment for washing and adding more/fresh coats of sealant or wax periodically).



As far as any specific product recommendations, what do you have (make/model) and what color is it?
 
06 Mustang, Tungsten Gray. The paint has good reflectivity and looks to be in good shape. I have not washed or clayed it since I purchased it, it's been too rainy.



I actually prefer to learn how to do it myself. The Zaino process seems relatively simple and the results seem great based on the pictures. I was just trying to go cheaper, but I don't know what else is out there.



I enjoy spending time on cleaning, maintaining my car. I can borrow a polisher if need be, but I would rather stick to doing it by hand if I can achieve the kind of shine I am after. If not, then I can go the polisher route.



Thanks for your help.
 
Ah, nice. I actually spent quite a bit of time working on a TG '06 'Stang over the summer, belongs to a family friend. One thing is for sure, you probably won't be happy with the results you get unless you polish the paint up first, and for that you really do need a polisher -- polishing by hand just doesn't get the job done as well.



Aside from that, I was pretty impressed with the look of Optimum Opti-Seal topped with Optimum Car Wax on that paint. Definitely fits your description of a wet shine.
 
You can pick up a pot of Collinite 915 or 476 for relatively cheap, and it will give great durability performance, and ease of use. If you want to bump it up a notch try the Nanoskin Hydrophobic sealant. Either way, you'll be getting a nice shine, and great durability on a budget.





John
 
C. Charles Hahn said:
Ah, nice. I actually spent quite a bit of time working on a TG '06 'Stang over the summer, belongs to a family friend. One thing is for sure, you probably won't be happy with the results you get unless you polish the paint up first, and for that you really do need a polisher -- polishing by hand just doesn't get the job done as well.



Aside from that, I was pretty impressed with the look of Optimum Opti-Seal topped with Optimum Car Wax on that paint. Definitely fits your description of a wet shine.
Click to expand...



Great! Thank you. Now, what do you recommend as far as polisher's go?



Also, I will be working on a dark green 98ish 4runner, It has a good bit of oxidation/swirl issues. What do you recommend for that?



Again, thanks for the help!
 
mjninc said:
Great! Thank you. Now, what do you recommend as far as polisher's go?



Also, I will be working on a dark green 98ish 4runner, It has a good bit of oxidation/swirl issues. What do you recommend for that?



Again, thanks for the help!
Click to expand...



And the plot thickens....



Yeah, if you've got more than one vehicle to work on, and one of them has swirl/oxidation issues, you'll definitely benefit from picking up a DA polisher and some pads/polishes.



I'd start with a DA polisher like the Porter Cable 7424XP, Meguiar's G110v2, or Griot's Garage GG6, along with some DA Microfiber cutting pads and some 5.5" foam polishing/finishing pads. For polishes, either Meguiar's M105/M205, or possibly consider HD UNO and a finishing polish like Menzerna PO106FA or PO85RD.



As you start looking through the forum here you'll start picking up on the various available options; the best thing you can do before making any purchase decisions is to learn as much as you can from past threads.
 
First and foremost, read the guides. They are a wealth of info and before you think of taking a polisher to your car invest some time reading. I realize with todays DA machines you would almost have to throw a PCXP at the car to damage the paint but its still worth reading the guides before turning it on.



My personal advice would be find a reputable local detailer and have him take care of your car the first time. ABout 6 months ago I had a customer who told me up front he and his son would be doing ALL the maintenance for his sons new car and wanted me to detail it while explaining to his he and his son everything I was doing so he could replicate the process in the future. It was actually kind of a cool process. See if a local detailer is willing to do the same thing for you. If you are determined to do this yourself here would be my advice and purchase list for you. To make it easy I will list products I have used and you can find here on autopia.org. I am NOT trying to be a homer or 3d/hd products they are very very good and I feel comfortable endorsing them, and I am not paid or own any stock. Some products you will have to order online from other than autopia.



GG6 polisher

HD Uno (polish) 16 oz

Megs MF cutting pads, and Polishing pads or HD Orange and Green pads

3d Orange Degreaser (for the wash before polishing only not for maintenance washes) smallest size available

3d Pink car soap (your regular wash product) 1 gallon

P21S Wheel cleaner gel (wheels)

CarPro PERL for tire dressing (make sure you wipe it down ater a few mins to prevent sling)

3d APC (10:1 dilution for cleaning interior, 4:1 dilution or tires)

a bottle of Isopropyl alchohol (mix with distilled water about a 15% mixture for a final wipe down after polishing)

3d 50:1 glass cleaner ( i have recently fallen in love with this stuff) The smallest size available

Various brushes you can find anywhere online

Microfiber drying towels from WalMart (they are light blue and cheap and work great)

one or 2 microfiber applicators

about 10 microfiber 16x16 towels

HD Poxy, FK 1000, Zaino 2, or pick a LSP all are very good



If I left anything out Ill try and remember to add later. As a general rule of thumb in ALL things detailing related, ALWAYS use less product than you think you need. Chances are you will still be using too much, hehe.
 
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