Your Favorite Pads

[JasonC8301]

........OEM One Step and Finishing Wax.



Today was nice and sunny, with a temperature of 59 degrees. I didn't have any cars to detail today so I decided to have some fun with my parent's 1991 Toyota Corolla. Some parts of the car were repainted and not well (front passneger fender) and the entire driver side is spider webbed so I don't dare compound that side. The car has a little over 50K (not bad for a 11 year old car, 5K a year or so.)



I armed myself with my wash pad, hose, bucket, and Meguiars Gold Class shampoo then I proceeded to wash the car. The water just sat on the surface. There was nothing on the car in terms of protection. I dried with the California water blade and a cotton bath towel.



Here are some befores

Here is where I wetsanded with 600 grit sand paper because my father used some crazy glue and it leaked all down the side.

 

[JasonC8301]

After the wash, I took my PC with the lambswool polishing pad and a sample of Automotive International's Clear Coat compound.



I went to wrok with the PC set at 2 with heavy pressure, moving up to 4 with medium pressure and finally going over the section at 6 with light pressure. The compound went on quickly and easily, it spread like luke warm butter, easy but not like a hot knife through butter. The compound came off like a dream though, much better than Meguiars Dual Action Cleaner Polish. a few quick wipes and all the residue was off (you know what a pain in the rear buffing worked in Meguiars DACP is Brian, this was a dream compared to that.)



The resulting finish, WOW! surface was smooth but not as smooth as a clay job, 85% of the swirls were gone. I dare not go do another pass because the paint sucks on this car and I don't want to go through it. It turned into a deep wet red.



I give this product the thumbs up. Automotive International way to go on this clear coat compound!



Here are some pictures after the clear coat compound.

Hood

PC off trunk after compound

After the detail of the sanded section (the compound really helped make it look better), not up to Autopian standards but hey this is a beater car.

 

[JasonC8301]

Here is the lambswool pad after polishing most of the car, again the driver side I didn't dare compound (bad paint job and spider webs.)

Before pic of the rear view mirror housing

After some OEM One Step (similar to Klasse AIO)

 

[JasonC8301]

The next step I took was Automotive International's OEM One Step. Its a cleaner sealant type of product similar to Klasse AIO. I finally found a use for those terry bonnets that come with the CMA DM-KIT. I took one and placed it over the lambswool pad and applied the OEM to the entire car. I used it at a speed of 4. It went on nice and easy, the paint was "drinking" this stuff up. I had to flip over the terry bonnet because the thing got black with dirt. I finished up the car with the clean side which still turned black (driver side no compouding done.) I then took a 100% cotton bath towel to remove, wow it came off real easy and the resulting surface was deeper and slicker. Dare I say it came off easier than Klasse AIO, well maybe just the same. Very good product, nowdurabilty will be put to the test (water restrictions setting in in 2 days in NYC.) Again, another thumbs up to AI!

Here are two interior pictures, vacummed it, used Automotive International's Omni All Purpose cleaner on the carpets, sprayed on brushed, then sprayed on again, let it sit for 5 minutes then came and vac'd it with my wet/dry vac, wow pulled out a lot of brown liquidy sludge. I then put Lexol Vinylex on all the vinyl and plastic surfaces. The interior came out very nice, the dash went from a chaulky gray to a deeper darker gray. The carpets came out nice and clean. The smell also was fresh and clean.

 

[JasonC8301]

Clear Coat Compound and OEM One Step off Trunk

I then used the finishing wax over the OEM One step with a foam applicator pad. I used Ef Clear Pearl to moisten the applicator pad. It went on very easily, like a foam applicator saturated with Klasse SG.



I let it dry for 20-30 minutes while I dressed the wheels with Turtle Wax tire wax.



Removal, kinda hard compared to the OEM One Step, like Klasse SG. I had to go over some areas several times. Its not so bad though. Resulted in a deeper darker shine. An ok product from aI, doesn't get my thumbs up though.

Waving hand (is that me?)...

 

[JasonC8301]

Some afters (the scratch on the bumper was there when my parent's bought the car 3 years ago its into the plastic bumper but not through it)

 

[JasonC8301]

Here goes one last after pictures

The wheels were really really really X1000 dirty. It hasn't been touched in over a year. I used Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity cleaner ont he wheels and tires. I sprayed them with water then gave them a dose of the EF. The tries just oozed brown gunk as soon as the Ef touched the surface. The wheels were like that too. Really really nasty. I used TOL wheel brush ($6 or so) and the cheaper TOL tire srubber ($4). These brushes are really good. The TOL clear coat wheel brush hlped get most of the brake dust off the wheel. The tire srubber really deep cleaned the tires. the wheel brush's bristles are really really soft, while the tire srubber is as hard as a rock. I give a thumbs up to TOL tool's for the wheels and tires. Ef Hi-Intensity performed well as usual.



Wheels before

After the through cleaning and I had some time for the Finishing Wax to dry, I grabbed a EO tire swipe and TW Tire Gel (thanks DK, bright green bottle.) I put a bead onto the swipe and applied it to the tire, at first it was uneven, but after a few passes it came out really really shiny. I love the look. Its like EF Black Opal in gel form. I don't know about sling yet becuase I have not driven the car yet (I got my permit.) After I removed the Finishing Wax I just took the EO tire swipe and gave the tires a once over to get off the excess. A follow up on the tire gel in a few weeks.

FINALLY I am finished with the pictures. You have made it to the follow up.



Ok so today I tested Automotive International's Clear Coat Compound, OEM One Step, Finishing Wax, the lambswool pad with the PC, found a use for the terry bonnets, TW tire gel, and posted about Automtoive International's Omni All Purpose cleaner for carpets.



Thank you for reading this review and looking at all the picutres 21 in all.) Sorry if I went kinda crazy with the digital camera.



Follow up on the TW Tire gel and the durability of the AI paint products in a few weeks.



Jason

 

[gmblack3]

Cool and Great Job!:xyxthumbs

 

[BumpersPlus2]

GREAT review! I would like to finally break down and buy some of Ron Ketchams stuff. You will have to remind your parents about the detail you did for them, the next time your in trouble!

 

[BradE]

Outstanding work Jason. :xyxthumbs :bow Hmmm....looks like I am going to have to go see Ron and get some Auto Int stuff to try.

 

[admac]

amazing transformation jason. well done. :xyxthumbs

 

[rstype]

Wow, what an excellent before and after! Thanks for the great review and pictures.... and keep us posted with the durability of the products.



OEM One Step ... *sniff* ... Do I smell an alternative to Klasse AIO?



Great review... :up :bow :xyxthumbs

 

[imported_BretFraz]

Great job, Jason.:up :up



That's the kind of work I like to see - amazing before and after's of a grimey car. Takes some talent and hard work to pull that off.



Keep up the good work!

 

[Steve @ Guru]

Nicely done and well written. You're giving me a run for the money...

 

[JasonC8301]

gmblack3, Bumper Plus, ShowroomLincoln, admac, BW, bretfaz, and geekysteve (haha no way am I going to reach the height of www.thewaxtest.org just way too many products to buy with money I don't have.)

If the weather is good tomorrow I'll do a once over on the car with Automotive Internationals Wonder Wash (their QD.) I'll only post 2 or 3 pictures in that thread, no way am I spending another hour and a half to download (from camera), upload (to web), and posting on Autopia. Review on that tomorrow. I'll probably do another coat of Vinylex on the interior.

Just 24 hours and 30 minutes until April 1st and the water band is put on. Only 5 people in my area (counting me) (within five city blocks in all directions) wash their cars. Thats out of what 1000+ people? The one in which I respect for effort is Sugarman (says it on his plates), he actually puts effort and time into it, he uses Gliptone cleaner wax (has a yellow Vehicross, sweet ride with like 20 inch chrome rims.) The other 3 are pretty much TW and AA users. I saw one dip their mitt into the bucket clean the wheel, then bring it up and wash the paint. I know I know I should of stopped her but didn't want to intrude (I think I was wearing the green suit.) I should offer a weekend detailing class for free..............ok I'll stop typing.

Thanks again for the compliments,
Jason

 

[imported_capspackle]

Wow Jason.. :up :bow AMAZING before, and especially AFTER pictures.. it just goes to show you that with the right products, and a little time and effort, you can make the worst looking car look new again.. simply amazing.. i am truely in awe.. I am sure your parents really appreciate the hard work you put into it..





Could you mention exactly which products you used? and maybe where you obtained them?

 

[JasonC8301]

Here you go,

Wheel and tires

1. Eimann Fabrik Hi-Intensity www.properautocare.com (I have a gallon of the stuff, should last me a while.)
2. TW Finish 2001 Tire Gel (discontinued DETAILKING snet me this bottle in a trade)
3. clear coat wheel brush and tire scrubber ( www.topoftheline.com )
4. Eagle One Tire Swipe (K-mart, $1.99 for 2 or so)

Wash/Dry
1. Meguiars Gold Class Wash ($9.99 a gallon @ Target)
2. Target Baja Sol cotton wash pad (not 100% but its good)
3. California Water Blade
4. 100% cotton bath towel (K-mart, $2.50 each, Canon)

Prep
1. Porter Cable polisher and lambswool pad ( www.properautocare.com )
2. Automotive International Clear Coat Compound #VG-303 ( www.autoint.com or 1-800-543-7156)
3. 100 % cotton bath towel to remove (K-mart $2.50 each, Canon)

Polish/Seal
1. Porter Cable polisher and terry bonnet with lambswool pad as a cushion betwen backing plate and bonnet ( www.properautocare.com )
2. Automotive International OEM - One Step ( www.autoint.com )
3. 100 % cotton bath towel to remove (look above)

Wax
1. One Top Of the Line foam applicator pad ( www.topoftheline.com )
2. Automotive International Finishing Wax #VG-304 ( www.autoint.com )
3. Eimann Fabrik Clear Pearl (to dampen applicator) www.properautocare.com
4. 100% cotton towel

Interior
1. Wet/dry vac
2. Autmotive International Omni All Purpose cleaner ( www.autoint.com )
3. Scrub Brush
4. Lexol Vinylex ( www.properautocare.com www.tacscar.com )
5. Automotive International Odor Terminator ( www.autoint.com )

Glass
1. Eimann Fabrik Clear Vision ( www.properautocare.com )
2. Terry towels
3. MF towel
4. Automotive International OEM - One Step to seal the side windows (none on front and rear windows)

I think that covers everything but the engine, I do not dare touch the engine.

Jason

 

[imported_Intermezzo]

Ahh, to be so young and yet so accomplished! :up

 

[JasonC8301]

But I'm not young, I'm getting old haha

 

[BIOLINK]

Hey guys (and DC),

Give me your thoughts on your favorite foam pads for DA and rotary. And where do you get them?

I liked the classic flat pads form PAC but now I can't get them. Boo Hoo

:toetap05: