Spring time...need help

WuNgUn

WuNgUn

New member
This is a long, indepth question...I really appreciate any/all advice I get from anyone who wants to sit thru this with me...many thanks!!

I'm relatively new here, and I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the techniques/products and processes for detailing...
Basically, I'll be getting a PC soon, and going at my 'Sonic Blue' SVT Focus. It's an '02, and it's never been machine polished. I find the paint a little sensitive (easily damaged/marred)...I'm considering a clay bar system, a 3 step polish, then a glaze to 'fill in' what the PC won't get out, followed up with Gold Class (2 coats) and finally 2 coats of Mothers pure carnuba...
Right now, generally speaking, the finish has a high reflectivity, and is almost void of orange peel (after MANY hand polishings). Under direct light however, there is just way too much spider-webbing for my tastes (car wash bay brushes BAD!!). Apart from that, there are a few rougher spots...damage from the gas cap hanging against the paint, some scratches on the top of the rear bumper, a few scuffs from (I'm assuming) people leaning againster 'er. Oh, and the lower sections, particularly behind the wheels, are very bad...pitted (fine white dots) from whatever debris gets thrown off the tires. This damage first showed up only after about a week of ownership, and certainly hasn't improved with age!
I'm looking for advice...
1) on type of PC pads for which process and
2) which polishes I should use...
I want to use a more abrasive compound on the rough spots only, followed by a complete, less abrasive polish for the entire finish, and then
a real fine cut for removing the 'dull' spots from the previous compound...
Right now, after the long winter, I doubt there is any protection on the paint right now (except for maybe some car bay wax/QD spray)...
3) Will/should I run a cleaner/wax remover over the finish after the claying?
4) Is it wise to use the PC for ALL these steps, particularly the non-polish steps (i.e. cleaner/glaze/Gold Class/carnuba)? Or should some of these only be done by hand?
I will definetly get some before/after pic's up when I get started...Sonic blue is truely an awesome colour, and I'm very proud of 'er!! I think the clear coat is actually a faint purple candy, and the base is a nice deep blue metallic. Simply stunning :)
Once again, thanks for your time and courtesy!!
:dcrules
 
WuNgUn said:
I'm looking for advice...
1) on type of PC pads for which process and
Click to expand...
I have had good luck with the Sonus DAS pads as well as the Meg's pads.

WuNgUn said:
2) which polishes I should use...
I want to use a more abrasive compound on the rough spots only, followed by a complete, less abrasive polish for the entire finish, and then
a real fine cut for removing the 'dull' spots from the previous compound...
Right now, after the long winter, I doubt there is any protection on the paint right now (except for maybe some car bay wax/QD spray)...
Click to expand...
I have had very good success with the Poorboy's SSR line, all the way up from SSR1 to SSR3.

WuNgUn said:
3) Will/should I run a cleaner/wax remover over the finish after the claying?
Click to expand...
You should wash and then clay (or clay while you wash) and then polish. Polish comes after clay to remove any marring that you may induce when using the clay (from not properly kneading, etc.).

WuNgUn said:
4) Is it wise to use the PC for ALL these steps, particularly the non-polish steps (i.e. cleaner/glaze/Gold Class/carnuba)? Or should some of these only be done by hand?
Click to expand...
This is purely a personal choice. The PC can certainly be used for all steps. I personally like to do LSP's by hand (waxes & sealants).
 
Here are some personal choices:
1) Either Lake Country VC's or Megs SoftBuffs.
2) SSR line sounds good to me, especially by PC. (2.5 and 1 or VM).
3) Nope, as Jared said the polish will be more than good enough.
4) Again it is personal choice. I apply compounds/polishes/glazes by machine and waxes/sealants by hand.

Some other opinions would be not to "consider" claying the car but definately claying the car, it needs it, trust me. A three step polish may not be necessary, SSR2.5 and SSR1 (or VM) will probably work out nicely for you and save a step. If you wanted to get a pure glaze go with Brilliance or Clearkotes new RMG. In order to maintain the finish get some quality washing/drying items, a good QD, and some S&W.
 
ok long post and replace my products with yours.I use advanced 7.5 foam pads and now using menzerna products.But the process stays the same just plug in your products, http://www.properautocare has charts to figure differences of products.
these are the steps you should follow: after each half panel(half hood-half roof-half trunk) switch mitts, more soap and water old mitt goes into rinse bucket
1. two 5-gal buckets: one with soap 1/2-3/4oz of soap and warm water other bucket just clean warm water, two mitts, garden hose, two brushes,one for tires one for wheels,either big blue microfiber or little blue microfiber. rinse entire car with hose with nozzle on, do wheels/tires/wheel wells.
2.begin washing with soap and water, tire brush, do tires then wheels rinse off, then begin with roof and soap and water wash both sides of roof and front and back windows, rinse off
3. wash hood and rinse
4.do trunk wash rinse
5. do fender just the top half then doors just top half then rear quarters just top half, wash and rinse then go and do other side of vehicle same thing.
6. now go back and do all the bottoms of each panel rinse
7. take nozzle off hose and rinse entire vehicle letting water flow off vehcle then squegee all windows and then wipe entire car off with big blue or little blue micro fiber cloth
8. You should be on beer #3 by now or more is OK
doing it this way keeps mitts from getting really dirty now dump water from both buckets and rinse mitts off good with hose even from inside and refill buckets the same saop water and just water let sit
REMEMBER WASH IN FRONTTO BACK MOTION THE WAY WIND WOULD FLOW OVER VEHICLE::DO NOT USE CIRCULAR MOTIONS, Reason being if any dirt is trapped in mitt will cause scratches to show up alot more.
9. now you can start with clay and lube, I prefer to cut my clay into 3-4 equal pieces from factory, take 1 piece and put into microwave oven and heat for 30-45 seconds this will soften the clay to work with, now flatten and make into egg shaped piece.
10. go out and spray small area just alittle lube and with clay in parm of hand go front to back in that area just 4 times will do, wipe with microfiber cloth, feel surface should be smooth if not repeat and go onto the rest of vehicle until done.
11. now repeat complete wash cycle, when completed drying, i use either shop vac/air compressor/leaf blower to blow water from mirrors/moldings/cracks any where you think water is hiding. reason any water dribbling out in next proccesses will cause alot of trouble. (trick for shop vac: take one of the plastic connectors for hose and attach a piece of cheescloth to end wrap with duct tape: reason if any dirt in vac will not come out and get on your finish.)
12.Should be on beer 4-6 by now
13.I use an old bed sheet and large piece of cardboard, sheet covers rear window and trunk while doing back of roof, covers front windshield and hood while doing front half of roof use blue painters tape to attach to window moldings will not harm anything and easy to remove. Piece of cardboard is to stand on and keeps sheet off ground when using on side panels.
14..take out polisher and pads and products, mark one white pad with magic marker on back intense polish mark other one finish polish. Now 2000 vehicle (black) look at finish is there alot of swirls/scratches/marks should not be alot if there are follow next step if not skip next step
15. alot of swirls/scratches/marks only: start with white pad marked intense polish spray alittle water on pad and put an X using Menzerna Intensive Polish
4"ea not much product is needed, take pad and dab it couple of places onto small area of roof.
16.With polisher set on #3 and polisher still on vehicle start it up. work front to back going over area until product seems to be drying up but not completely dry.then use microfiber cloth and wipe off and see finish, if happy move on, if not repeat, increase speed of polisher to 4.5-5 and repeat same area with same amount of intense polish and buff and wipe off, if still not happy, stop....change pads to yellow spray with water and then X of intense polish at #3 when happy with finish move onto next step.
17. If you use above steps then get spray bottle mixed with 50/50 water ISO alcohol and spray entire car panel at a time and wipe off with microfiber cloth make sure to get cracks good.
18. next white pad marked polish and using Menzerna Final Polish do same job as above roof/then hood/trunk/fenders/doors, moving sheet to protect neighboring panels and glass. polisher set at 3 and if not satisfied increase speed to 4.5-5, when done each panel wipe with microfiber cloth no water no iso, justwipe.
19.next step is black pad with Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze goes on same as above and wipes off same as above and same speeds 3 if not 4.5-5
20. by now should be on beer 8-12
21.Look at car should look GREAT if not you screwed up and will have to go back and repeat some of the previous steps to get best results.
22.next step red pad and Menzerna FMJ same as above spray just alittle water on pad first then X with just alittle product and do same as above buff then wipe off residue with microfiber buffing cloth, never let any product dry out completely in any steps.
23.with microfiber pad apply Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield, remember front to back application, do a panel at a time and wipe off with microfiber polishing cloth. making sure to get all cracks and crevices.

thing to remember is the bed sheet i use two (1 cut into 2 pieces) open hood and cover windshield up covering wipers use other one to cover fender, same for other side,when doing fenders cover hood and door, makes it easier to keep products off glass/chrome and keeps from hitting other panels with polisher by mistake. use blue painters tape to keep in place, couple of little pieces works fine, remember which side is up as bottom side might get dirt grease on it and don't want that on finish.
24. clean glass using microfiber cloth for glass and invisable glass cleaner, spray cleaner on section of cloth and wipe clean and repeat then wipe off and same with insides, remember to roll windows half way down clean and roll up and finish.
25. Chrome use what you like for this same goes for black moldings
26. tire dressing use what you like for this also wheel dressing.
27. Beer count should be 12-24 beers and you are done, step back "GET A WOODY' shine will increase even more in couple of days and if you are up to it can apply another coat of FMJ either by hand or machine, i find it just as easy to do by hand and repeat high gloss acrylic shield as well.

Hope this helps in some way, its your call and remember after your done wife/girlfriend has the MASSAGE to give you.
 
Thanks for all the info guys, especially 'lucky'...much appreciated. I can't wait to get started on the car! I washed 'er today, and noticed just how much spider-webbing there is (in direct sunlight). Nothing short of perfection will do!!!
For the washing, I pretty much follow the steps you do, but with only 1 bucket and 1 mitt...will try two next time. Something you missed, and I think is especially important, is to run cool clean, low pressure water over the area your washing with the mitt. This helps with flushing out any dirt particles, and provides plenty of protection, lube and cushion for the paint surface :tounge
Priced out the PC at Canadian Tire...$239 CDN!!! Yikes...surely worth the investment though, right? Not sure of the model number, but I think it's a 6"
 
Not sure what 239CDn money is but in US can be found at Lowes stores and can be purchased online same store for 97.00 US dollars and what you are looking for is porter cable 7336- 6" variable speed is classified as sander/polisher.
 
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