Newbie Needs a Little Help

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BigRedDad

New member
I am a complete newbie to detailing. I have been reading information, watching videos at AutoGeek, and gathering any information I can. These may be absolutely stupid questions, but it will prevent me from making stupid mistakes this weekend when I start detailing.



Note: I purchased the PC 7424XP, some Pinnacle and DP detailing products, and some MF towels.



Questions:

1. On the videos, it says to do polish in roughly 2'x2' sections. For the videos, they do the swirl remover, then the finishing polish, then the sealant/wax. For the stupid part of this question:



Is this how you are supposed to do the whole car in sections (swirl remover, finishing polish, sealant) then move to the next section or do you do the whole care with swirl remover first, then move to the finishing polish for the whole car, and finally move to sealant?



2. All information I have gathered says not to detail in the sun. I can understand and do that. However, I cannot do this in a garage. I can keep the car out of the sun by putting up a very large canopy. Temps are supposed to be in the upper 70s over this weekend. Would it be OK to do this under the canopy?



Thank you for bearing with a newb. I am only trying to minimize the amount of mistakes/frustration I run into on my first run.
 
BigRedDad said:
I am a complete newbie to detailing. I have been reading information, watching videos at AutoGeek, and gathering any information I can. These may be absolutely stupid questions, but it will prevent me from making stupid mistakes this weekend when I start detailing.



Note: I purchased the PC 7424XP, some Pinnacle and DP detailing products, and some MF towels.



Questions:

1. On the videos, it says to do polish in roughly 2'x2' sections. For the videos, they do the swirl remover, then the finishing polish, then the sealant/wax. For the stupid part of this question:



Is this how you are supposed to do the whole car in sections (swirl remover, finishing polish, sealant) then move to the next section or do you do the whole care with swirl remover first, then move to the finishing polish for the whole car, and finally move to sealant?
Click to expand...



You answered your own question... do the whole care with swirl remover first, then move to the finishing polish for the whole car, and finally move to sealant.





2. All information I have gathered says not to detail in the sun. I can understand and do that. However, I cannot do this in a garage. I can keep the car out of the sun by putting up a very large canopy. Temps are supposed to be in the upper 70s over this weekend. Would it be OK to do this under the canopy?
Click to expand...



:buffing: You will be fine detailing under the canopy. Many mobile detailers use canopies. :buffing:



Thank you for bearing with a newb. I am only trying to minimize the amount of mistakes/frustration I run into on my first run.
Click to expand...



Take your time, don't rush things.... I find detailing is great therapy and cheaper than seeing a pshrink! :LOLOL
 
DaGonz,

Thank you for answering. I know I will need to take my time. I need to limit frustrations or ADD will kick in. I only detailed a car once. I FUBAR'd the heck out of it. That was 15 years ago. Never detailed or had a car detailed since. I looked our cars the other day in the rain. They looked horrible. Now I notice how bad they are all the time. I want to get the shine back on them and keep it that way.
 
You CAN do the whole car, but if this is your first time, stick to the 2x2 area so you can see your progress. If you try to do the whole car and do it in a hurry, you'll get frustrated and do a bad job.
 
yakky,

I might have incorrectly wrote what I was trying to convey. In my understanding there will be several steps to my first detailing experience. I think you are recommending Method 1 below.



1. Wash

2. Light Swirl Remover

3. Finishing Polish

4. Paint sealant



Parts 2, 3, 4 all come after step 1.



My question is which method to follow? (I would rather ask a dumb question and be right the first time instead of being wrong the first time and be stupid for not asking this question):



Method 1: Wash and dry car. Do steps 2, 3, 4 in a 2x2 section completely, then move to the next section and so on until the car is done.



Method 2: Wash and dry car. Do step 2 in a 2x2 section and move to the next section until the whole car is done, then go to step 3 until the whole car is done, and finally step 4 until the whole car is done.
 
I think you should do Method 1 for one section until you are happy with it. Record how long it takes you, then evaluate how long its going to take for the whole car. Then use method 2 until you are done with the whole car.
 
BigRedDad,



If you are going to try doing all three steps on a 2x2 section before doing the whole car, I'd recommend starting on a small panel (perhaps the front fender). That way, you CAN complete each step completely, instead of doing a 2x2 spot in the middle of the hood. That way, you won't need to wonder where you "left off". Personally, I always complete each step around the entire car first, but that's just the way I started doing it 30 years ago.



If the canopy isn't working for you, you can always detail early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid working in the direct sun. My house faces west, and there are a lot of times I start detailing around 6:30 or so to avoid having the paint too warm.



Take your time, and I am sure you'll do a great job. You've got some great products to work with, and plenty of people that can help answer questions if you run into a bind.
 
Guys,

Thank you for the information. I am trying to educate myself now as much as possible to minimize the risk of bigger mistakes when I start. Based on the information so far, I think I will be doing a combination of both: do all steps on a section before moving to the next section and within each section do it in 2x2 parts if it is a big section (hood). I am sure trial and error will come into play as well.



I don't plan on rushing it. I have a very long weekend to get one car done. If it takes starting and stopping, that is OK I think.
 
BigRedDad said:
I don't plan on rushing it. I have a very long weekend to get one car done. If it takes starting and stopping, that is OK I think.
Click to expand...



Thats a great attitude about the job, lots of us here are used to doing a 3 stage polish on a car in a day, but to someone doing it for the first time, its VERY tiring. I see it time and time again when someone gets frustrated and says the process doesn't work, that is why it is so important to get one small panel done the way you want, so then you have all the confidence in yourself. Good luck!
 
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