New Guy - Want to make sure I am on the right track

I

imported_Pete F.

New member
This forum is fantastic - I have learned a ton by reading all of the posts. I am taking the plunge into detailing - moving from the wash and wax and spend a lot of money on products level to the detail with right products level.



I have 2 vehicles I am going to be detailing:



1. Ford F-250 in dark blue metallic. The truck has about 20K miles and the paint has some pretty nasty water spots I need to get out. There are also some swirls that need to be addressed.



2. Lotus Elise in ardent red. This car is brand new and some light scratches/swirls that need to be addressed. I will have to deal with the clear bra and deck stripes.



My plan for the Ford is:

-Strip any existing wax on the truck with Dawn, dry with waffle weave MF

-Clay the truck with Opti-clay

-Polish with PC, Propel pads and Poor Boys polish - I am getting several different pads and Poor Boys polishes and will work up in aggressiveness.

-Apply 2 coats of Klasse SG with the PC

-Apply 2 coats of Nattys Blue



My plan for the Elise is:

-Strip any existing wax on the truck with Dawn, dry with waffle weave MF

-Clay the car with Opti-clay

-Polish with PC, Propel pads and Poor Boys polish - I am getting several different pads and Poor Boys polishes and will work up in aggressiveness.

-Apply 2 coats of Klasse SG with the PC

-Apply 2 coats of Pinnacle Souveran



With the clear bra and deck stripes, a lot of the car will have to be done by hand. Are the Bella Blues from Excel good for polishes?



Here is my shopping list - am I forgetting anything?



Porter Cable

Backing plates

Counterweight

Propel Pads P1-P3 (2 of each)

SSR1 & SSR2

Pinnacle Souveran

Klasse SG

Nattys Blue



I am also getting waffle weaves, Optimum tire shine, Four Star leather cleaner and conditioner, sheepskin wash mits, MF towels and Poor Boys Natural Look.



I would like to buy everything at once, so if there is something I am forgetting, please let me know.



Thanks again for providing this wealth of information.



-Pete
 
I may get flamed on this but I would add Klasse AIO in between Poorboy's and SG. Since SG is so finicky to apply I would have as clean a surface as I was able to attain. You will recieve the added benefit of adding a product made to work in conjunction with the SG. i just never use SG without AIO.
 
cwcad said:
I may get flamed on this but I would add Klasse AIO in between Poorboy's and SG. Since SG is so finicky to apply I would have as clean a surface as I was able to attain. You will recieve the added benefit of adding a product made to work in conjunction with the SG. i just never use SG without AIO.
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I'll add that to the list. Thanks a bunch for the feedback.



-Pete
 
You sure you want SG ?? It can be tricky, and to say the least, difficult to use......especially on darks.........You absolutely do not want to apply it with a PC....
 
a.k.a. Patrick said:
You sure you want SG ?? It can be tricky, and to say the least, difficult to use......especially on darks.........You absolutely do not want to apply it with a PC....
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No, I'm not sure :-)



I guess the place I am lost is between the polish and wax steps. What do you guys recommend?



-Pete



PS I just put in my order with you - thanks a bunch for the great e-mail reply the other night.
 
If you are already started with the Poorboy's line why not get the EX sealant then top with Natty's? It certainly is a good product. I like working with one line to get acquainted with the products. As you get more experienced you can mix and match to your tastes.



I thought that you had already decided what you were going to use. That is why I suggested AIO to go with what you had mentioned.
 
cwcad said:
If you are already started with the Poorboy's line why not get the EX sealant then top with Natty's? It certainly is a good product. I like working with one line to get acquainted with the products. As you get more experienced you can mix and match to your tastes.



I thought that you had already decided what you were going to use. That is why I suggested AIO to go with what you had mentioned.
Click to expand...



I had decided, but it was mixing and matching from what I read over the past few days. So just get the EX sealant instead of the AIO and SG? Do I put the EX sealant on by hand?



Thanks again for all of the help.



-Pete
 
Pete, Kirk makes a valid point about staying with one product line and gathering experience with those. AIO is a great product no matter what you cover it with. The only reason I have reservations about SG, is that being new to car care and proper procedures, I would hate for you to get discouraged attemtitng SG. Like I said, it can be finicky to say the least. Add a dark color, and well....You may have a headache, and sore fingers from asking for advice. Dont get me wrong, SG's durability is hard to beat, but proper application is also key.

EX is a good liquid product, and if your set on topping it with a Nuba, go for it....EX-P may save you a Nuba step if your interested, or you could also add the Nuba on top of the EX-P....so much to learn/experience isnt there ??!!
 
a.k.a. Patrick said:
Pete, Kirk makes a valid point about staying with one product line and gathering experience with those. AIO is a great product no matter what you cover it with. The only reason I have reservations about SG, is that being new to car care and proper procedures, I would hate for you to get discouraged attemtitng SG. Like I said, it can be finicky to say the least. Add a dark color, and well....You may have a headache, and sore fingers from asking for advice. Dont get me wrong, SG's durability is hard to beat, but proper application is also key.

EX is a good liquid product, and if your set on topping it with a Nuba, go for it....EX-P may save you a Nuba step if your interested, or you could also add the Nuba on top of the EX-P....so much to learn/experience isnt there ??!!
Click to expand...



There is so much to learn, but with guys like you so willing to share your experience and advice, it makes it much easier. I can't wait for all of my stuff to get here so I can start!!



-Pete
 
Pete, put a cover on it or White95max will ruin the finish.....

Hey thats the beauty of what David created here...Share our experiences with those learning, and if our experiences dont match yours (Which they often wont) we run for the hills !!!!!! Kidding..

Again, thanks goes to the creator of this site....DB.....
 
a.k.a. Patrick said:
Pete, put a cover on it or White95max will ruin the finish.....

Hey thats the beauty of what David created here...Share our experiences with those learning, and if our experiences dont match yours (Which they often wont) we run for the hills !!!!!! Kidding..

Again, thanks goes to the creator of this site....DB.....
Click to expand...



Thanks Patrick - you have been super helpful. I really appreciate it.



Regards

-Pete
 
Being a newbie myself, I just went through the same process as you are going through.



When I was deciding on what sealant to use, ease of use was a big factor. After a lot of searching, I went with 4* UPP. It is probably one of the easiest things I've ever done, made my cars paint pop, and left a super slick finish.



Good luck with your details, can't wait to see that elise!
 
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