newB here about to place 1st detail products order, would appreciate y'alls help

K

kidsdoc

New member
after searching & doing as much research as i can, i've come up w/ the following list for my jet black 330i:



1) gonna get the PC at Lowe's

2) Pinnacle Poly-Clay

3) 3M SMR for dark cars

4) Klasse AIO & SSG

5) haven't decided on a wax but leaning towards P21S (would rather get one I could apply w/ the PC)

6) Classic's Porter Cable Accessory Kit for pads;



have I forgotten anything? Would really appreciate any help you guys can provide, thanks.
 
Sounds like a good list



Proper washing tools, in terms of car wash shampoo, wash mitts, drying towels......



What are you going to use for cleaning the wheels and tires and dressing the tires/wheelweels?



What are you going to clean your windows/glass with? (I like Stoner's Invisible Glass)



What condition is the paint in, if its slightly older might want to add 3M Finesse It II or 3M Pefect It II to your order (I find these at the local NAPA/Car quest store, ask for it)



Do you have a vac for the interior? Interior dressing?



Most people generally use the SG and wax by hand, not with the PC. The PC is meant primarily for polishing. I do use the PC every now and then for Zaino'ing a really large veichle with flat panels, like a pick-up truck.



I just want to help you get items you will not need now but a little down the line to minimize down time and shipping costs. But paying $10-$15 for shipping isn't something I want to do often.



Happy Detailing :)

Jason
 
Remember to focus on the process then decide what tools you need to accomplish each step. For example, what tools do you need to wash the car? Do you have the right ones, duplicates, or is something missing?



The list you have is fine for the exterior care but what about the rest of the car?



Process then Products
 
"Proper washing tools, in terms of car wash shampoo, wash mitts, drying towels...... "



i have a sheepskin mitt, will need to buy some m/f clothes



"What are you going to use for cleaning the wheels and tires and dressing the tires/wheelweels?"



have meguiar's hot wheels, will probably buy some p21s; have the meguiar's high-endurance tire gloss but am looking for something new (it's a pita to apply)



"What are you going to clean your windows/glass with? (I like Stoner's Invisible Glass)"



just picked up stoner's from wal-mart the other day



"What condition is the paint in, if its slightly older might want to add 3M Finesse It II or 3M Pefect It II to your order (I find these at the local NAPA/Car quest store, ask for it)"



my car is an '01, never been clayed, pretty crappy condition (swirls, sctraches rough w/ the plastic-bag test)



"Do you have a vac for the interior? Interior dressing?"



been using lexol every 3-4 months, also use meguair's vinyl cleaner



thanks for your help!
 
Will the Lowes PC have the velcro plate and correct pads to use or will you need to order that stuff?



I like Stoners More Shine Less Time for tires. It's very easy to use and I like the surface when it dries.



Pakshak has excellent mf towels and offers a discount for Autopia members. You can send him a pm on this site.



I like 303 for the interior.
 
well, here we are, about 5 months later & i'm finally ready to detail my car! any final words of advice before placing my order? thanks!
 
i love compounding/polishing with a machine but there is something final and satisfying applying and removing that last coat of wax by hand. I like the clyamagic clay better than the pinnacle stuff, but it is a personal preference. and i can buy it at autozone/wally world.
 
kidsdoc said:
well, here we are, about 5 months later & i'm finally ready to detail my car! any final words of advice before placing my order? thanks!
Click to expand...



yes, remember this.



Just because something cost a lot, does not mean it is better.



I would recomend clay magic over the pinnacle clay

3m smr works well, but if you detail in the sun try Vanilla Moose.

S100 or Carnuba Moose wax.



its not always the product but how you apply the product.

good luck
 
kidsdoc- *I* would get something stronger than the SMR. So many people find that it isn't aggressive enough (it WON'T remove what many people think of as "swirls" very well/easily). *I* would get some 3M PI-III MG (pn 05937) or 1Z Paint Polish (green can) or the stuff Jason recommended.
 
If you have alot of swirls, you should start with DACP and a cutting pad. Then to develop more shine, Megs SFP/#9 or 3M PIII-MG. Followed by Megs HP or other finer polish.



The VM/CMW really is killer products along with the QD spray called QS.



I too have Stoners IG and MSLT and love this stuff! I found that applying MSLT with one of those tire dressing applicators works well in controlling the overspray, as you just spray the applicator away from the finish and rub the tires. Nice way to apply this stuff!



By all means, clay the finish after you washed & dry.



Good MF towels from Pakshak cannot be beat and one or more Autopia CBT towels or DFTowels are a real nice towel to have for finish work and QD as they are the softest you can get!



After Klasse SG, the P21S looks killer! Or you can get S100 cheaper and it's the same as P21S, just sold for bikes. Why pay more for the same thing?



Take your time, do a little at a time. Read the following on the PC:



Detailers Dream the PC



AND: Beginners guide to the PC



This should keep you busy, read all the above as it does help!



Regards,

Deanski
 
thanks for all the additional advice, would it help if i posted close-up pics of my hood so that you guys get an idea of the damage?
 
ok, last question, about how many of each different pads will i need for my car? (orange, white, gray, etc.)
 
You're going to need at least two pads of each type that you plan to use. Otherwise, when the pad cakes up with product you will have to stop, clean the pad and wait for it to dry. This may work if you plan to do small sections at a time and don't mind waiting. I don't think you will need two gray finishing pads if you plan to wax by hand though. I haven't used one of the new orange pads yet. I just stick to the yellow, white and gray ones.



What is your final product list/plan? Definitely post good before and after pics so we can see your work.



Jeremy
 
With the PC and 6" counterweight, the LC Advanced pads are pretty good. Just use the correct size backing plate for the pad you are going to use.



It also helps to have at least one of the "finger" pads onhand. They are small foam bocks on the pad and cut/polish fast without products loading up the pad.



Advanced pads look like this: Advanced Pads



Foam pad comparison chart: Foam Pad Chart



"Finger" pads: Finger Pads



These are just examples.



You may find better pricing at other sites as well, TOTL, etc.



Good luck and keep reading!



Regards,

Deanski
 
Accumulator said:
kidsdoc- *I* would get something stronger than the SMR. So many people find that it isn't aggressive enough (it WON'T remove what many people think of as "swirls" very well/easily). *I* would get some 3M PI-III MG (pn 05937) or 1Z Paint Polish (green can) or the stuff Jason recommended.
Click to expand...



by searching the forums, it sounds to me like 3M PI-III MG 05937 is somewhat equivalent to Klasse AIO & SSG, is that correct?
 
ok, here's my (final) plan:



just bought the PC from Lowes today, so obviously i'm going to have to order the Velcro backing plate & pads



i'm going to autozone tomorrow to pick up some ClayMagic, i'll look for the following 3M products while i'm there:



1) FI II Machine Polish 39003

2) PI II SMR 39009 ($10 at PepBoys)

3) PI Fine Cut Compound 39002



will i need any other glazes/polishes?



this will all be followed by Klasse AIO & SG, followed by either P21s or s100



i'll take before pics tomorrow & hopefully my order will make it in before the long weekend!



thanks for all the friendly advice, it's greatly appreciated!:up
 
kidsdoc said:
by searching the forums, it sounds to me like 3M PI-III MG 05937 is somewhat equivalent to Klasse AIO & SSG, is that correct?
Click to expand...



Not equivalent, but COMPATIBLE. The MG is an (mild) abrasive polish that should be used to remove swirls and other light marring prior to applying the AIO. Don't let the "glaze" in the name "Machine Glaze" fool you. 3M and it's weird product naming practices...:rolleyes:



I suspect you're gonna read this AFTER you go to the store, I'm posting sorta late today. But anyhow:



*I* prefer the 05937 MG over the SMR (39009). The AIO can remove all the SMR's fillers, exposing swirls that you THOUGHT were gone. Likewise *I* find the PI-III line of products easier to use than the Finesse It and PI-II lines. The PI-II FCRC (pn 39002) does work well, though (BUT DON'T breath the dust!). Of course this is all personal preference and they'll ALL work fine (except for maybe the SMR; I STILL think it's too heavy on fillers and too light on abrasives for most applications).
 
Accumulator said:
Don't let the "glaze" in the name "Machine Glaze" fool you. 3M and it's weird product naming practices...:rolleyes:

Click to expand...



one of the naming practices that confuses me is the Roman Numerals! what is the difference b/w PI-III & the Finesse It/PI-II lines?
 
3M Finesse-It II Finishing Material: is designed for use on OEM and fully cured paints. Removes Grade MicroFine 1500 sand scratches. Removes swil marks after compunding while glazing.



3M Imperial Machine Glaze: non-silicone, non-wax machine glaze. Possesses excellent scratch removal, superior depth of shine/luster. Used by machine to remove swirl marks after compounding acrylic laquer.



3M Perfect-It III MG: Quickly removes compound swirl marks, produces a high gloss swirl-free finish quickly. Easy cleanup. Optimized for today's auto paints.



3M Imperial Hand Glaze: Non-silicone, non-wax hand glaze. Excellent depth of shine. Superior luster. Used by hand to refine and FILL swirls after machine glazing refinish or factory applied paints.



There is the list of 3M used products. Note that IHG does fill swirls.



Others remove swirls, some faster and better than others and for which type of paint.



Regards,

Deanski
 
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