I am flunking autopia.org...

M

methodip

New member
How's it going? I did NOT want to be that guy that seems like they didn't search but I am reading and reading but nothing seems to be any clearer to me, in fact the more i read, the more i the more i fail to understand and its because there is so much :wall :hairpull



Basically I have a brand new TL. Exterior color is Anthracite (dark grey/charcoal) with the black leather interior



I just want to maintain the paint and interior from things such as the elements, rock chips, the sun etc and obviously having that new car shine...



Tell me if i have the right products



--------------------------------



Basic tools:

-Foam gun

-Bucket



EDIT: I have the basic stuff ie Vaccum, Spotbot and bins to hold the towels



[Interior]

-any general microfiber towel

-detailing brushes



[Exterior]

-Glass/Polishing:microfiber "cloths"

-Drying: Waffle Weave towels

-Cleaning: "detailing" towels or wash mitt

-Buffing: microfiber buffing towels

-Detailing brushes (one small and one big)



--------------------------------



I do have the PC 7336 and from what I read and for what I am trying to accomplish, I will aprox. need the following items:



1 x 6" backer

(all 6.5" pads)

1 x Medium Cutting pad

1 x Light pad

2 x Light Polishing pads

2 x Polishing pads

1 x Finishing pads



--------------------------------

Products:



[Interior]

-Protectant

-Detailer

-Leather Cleaner



[Exterior]

-Shampoo

-glass/plastic cleaner

-Clay bar

-Wax

-Sealant

-Polish

-Swirl Remover

-Tar/Bug Remover



----------------------------



That is to the extent to the types of products to conduct a personal detailing garage. Am i missing anything? Do i need to add/subtract anything? Feel free to post exact products too but I can search that myself once I know what I will be needing more or less...



:nixweiss :confused:



Sorry for long post



TIA



Kevin
 
You are fine.



Besides that comment, I would advise you do not read anything below this.



It's hard to ask people if you are doing something right without getting their 2 cents, so that leads back to the cycle of confusion.



Detailing is about doing, so go do it!





"One who makes no mistakes, never makes anything."
 
Hi Kevin,



Welcome to the madness. :waxing: :bigups



I'm new to this also but it looks like you have done some research as to the tools you will need. As stated, I think the products will be a personal selection.



Best of luck and hope to see some of your work soon.
 
Don't get discouraged, as with anything, the more you know about a subject, the more you realize there is to know. First of all...protecting from "the elements, rock chips..." is a lot easier said than done. The right bird droppings will go through any protectant, and rock chips are kind of inevitable, although a clear bra will help, albeit with some tradeoffs.



If your car is perfect now, or after you polish it to perfection, you're going to want to concentrate on your wash technique to keep it that way. Keeping a fresh coat of LSP is a good way to ensure that any dirt comes off easily. There are many fine spray products now that can be quickly applied after a wash to keep the car slick.
 
thanks for the great and fast replies...



I tried searching for this but what does "lsp" mean? lol



now i just got to shop around for the particular products at the right prices...
 
I'll echo what the others have said.



Give real thought to what you're trying to accomplish (or conversely, what you're trying to avoid, like marring). Work out the concepts *mentally* before you start doing the physical work.



Some people have accused me of "overthinking" my detailing, but IMO very few people overthink *anything* ;)



And if you're going to use the vehicle in question as a daily driver, be realistic. [Stuff] happens and there's no point driving yourself nuts over this detailing stuff.



I'd concentrate on washing without marring, it can be a real challenge. This gets back to the "think it through" approach.



IMO the "polish" and "swirl remover" products are differentiated only by how some people use those words. It's good to have a mildly abrasive polish to remove light marring, no matter what it's called.



While it's good to have more pads than you need, with a basically new car in that color you might not need to do a huge, multi-step polishing job.



Maybe try to streamline the process a bit while you're getting started. No real need for both a wax and a sealant, a good waxwill protect just fine and will hide a little marring better than a sealant will. Simple is good ;)
 
I agree with the others. The single most important thing I learned here was proper wash technique... either the two bucket method, a Grit Guard, or a foam gun. A high lubricity soap is a must, as are sheepskin wash mitts.



Another important lesson I learned here is that the most important step in your process is the the prep. You can use the most expensive, highly touted wax in the world over a swirled, contaminated, non-clayed surface and it's never going to look that great. Using a wax or sealant over a properly prepped, polished, swirl free finish is key to every detail. I also agree with Accumulator regarding wax, especially on that color. I still use carnauba wax extensively and almost exclusively on my non-forgiving midnight blue metallic GTO because it hides minor marring, and I frankly dread breaking out the PC and polishing my paint any more than I HAVE to.



I'd also recommend getting a good quick detail spray to use after washing for extra "pop". Some prefer not to use a QD but I find it highly rewarding and easy.
 
thanks for all the replies, im still just reading some more and trying to figure out the best and least expensive route to take...



after Accumulator and BlackSunshine's post, i have to rethink some things



thanks to all again
 
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