DIY Detailing?

[z1ggy]

Doing research into doing a legit detail on my new car. It's proving to be kind of tough to get a break down of all of the exact materials I'll need, plus all of the products etc. I'm looking for any info or links to vidoes that give a really good description of the process and products. I assume youtube is a fairly good place to go, but unfortunately I can't get access to that here at work.

 

[imported_Irse]

Griot's Garage

http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/videos.do?nType=1

I would also go to a local place that sells detailing supplies and talk to them. I did this past week (spent over $300 there) and they gave me some good pointers. I did just my hood on Sat and it looked a lot better than I would have done if I didn't talk to them. Good quality products will cost money. Each person will have their opinion on what type of polish, sealant, wax, cleaners to use. It's endless. I also check out AutoGeekOnline

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/

 

[SandEagle]

i once ruined the paint on my black car when i tried to detail it myself. i bought one of those electric buffers and ended up with permanent swirls in the paint. fml. a professional detail afterwards cleaned it up ok, but lots of swirls were still noticeable. i was emotionally scarred from that experience.

 

[Kaido]

Doing research into doing a legit detail on my new car. It's proving to be kind of tough to get a break down of all of the exact materials I'll need, plus all of the products etc. I'm looking for any info or links to vidoes that give a really good description of the process and products. I assume youtube is a fairly good place to go, but unfortunately I can't get access to that here at work.

Good thread here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2350554

My procedure here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=35667664&postcount=3

Some more details here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=35681239&postcount=30

Some before & after examples:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=35681304&postcount=32

It's not really hard so much as time-consuming. And it's not really so much time-consuming as just blocking out the time to do it over a few days and then doing it. The initial purchase can also get somewhat pricey, but the bottles of goop can last awhile. So select some tools & goop, make a plan, and then do it. See what works for you. A lot of the stuff has the same results, but the procedures are usually the same: wash the car (claybar if needed, polish if needed), do a coat of synthetic wax, then a couple coats of carnauba wax and spread out the work over a few days to let the coats harden. Voila, beautiful paint!

 

[imported_Irse]

i once ruined the paint on my black car when i tried to detail it myself. i bought one of those electric buffers and ended up with permanent swirls in the paint. fml. a professional detail afterwards cleaned it up ok, but lots of swirls were still noticeable. i was emotionally scarred from that experience.

I had the same fears. But I got some good personal instructions and just did the hood for now and it came out pretty good. I think I can do better so will do the rest of my truck then go back to the hood.

 

[Keeper]

i once ruined the paint on my black car when i tried to detail it myself. i bought one of those electric buffers and ended up with permanent swirls in the paint. fml. a professional detail afterwards cleaned it up ok, but lots of swirls were still noticeable. i was emotionally scarred from that experience.

YIKES. Did the pro tell you what you did wrong?

Pressure? the compound? The pad? Totally SUCKS man.

 

[SandEagle]

YIKES. Did the pro tell you what you did wrong?

Pressure? the compound? The pad? Totally SUCKS man.

pro didn't ask. not really a pro, it was Ziebart lol.
but yeah, no idea....was probably the pad. i trashed that buffer right then and there out of anger. nowadays i just pay the dealer to detail my car. they do a good job.

 

[NutBucket]

YIKES. Did the pro tell you what you did wrong?

Pressure? the compound? The pad? Totally SUCKS man.

The buffer. They're mostly crap. Gotta got with a Porter Cable or the Meguiar's rebadge at least. And no wool pads; foam to apply/polish and microfiber clothes to buff it out by hand.

I followed this guy's guide and had good results previously. Unfortunately I haven't had time to do it in years.

http://ocdetails.com/

 

[Throckmorton]

pro didn't ask. not really a pro, it was Ziebart lol.
but yeah, no idea....was probably the pad. i trashed that buffer right then and there out of anger. nowadays i just pay the dealer to detail my car. they do a good job.

There's no need to pay a dealer to detail your car. All you have to do is wash it, wax it, and vacuum your interior. I hear often about those buffing devices-- I can't think of a reason to use one of those except to grind through a layer of corroded paint on a very old car. It's not something you do just in the process of washing the car

 

[NutBucket]

Wax is only protection. Detailing removes embedded dirt/grime/contaminants, swirls/scratches and restores shine to better than factory. Unless you car never leaves the garage it needs paint correction sooner or later.

 

[Yeahrt]

If you want to learn how to do it right go to http://www.autopia.org/forum/ They take it to another level.

 

[TROJAN4EVR]

I use Zaino(http://zainostore.com)products with great results. Check out their helpful "FAQ" and "Tips & Tricks" sections. If you really care about your ride and your lifestyle permits it, a properly executed DIY detailing(every 3mos) of your ride will feel very satisfying. And your ride will appreciate it!

 

[JulesMaximus]

Wax is only protection. Detailing removes embedded dirt/grime/contaminants, swirls/scratches and restores shine to better than factory. Unless you car never leaves the garage it needs paint correction sooner or later.

On a new car you really shouldn't have to detail the paint unless you have swirl marks or the dealer did a really poor job prepping the car. Just protect it with a quality wax. I like Meguiar's products.

Always wash and dry the car before doing any detailing work. If you don't do this you will just be pushing abrasive dirt over the clearcoat which will scratch and leave swirl marks.

If you have contaminants then use a paint cleaner or clay bar. If you have swirl marks, use a show car glaze (again, Meguiar's makes good quality products). Have plenty of clean dry cotton rags for applying and more clean rags to remove after each application. Finish with a good quality wax and more clean dry rags to remove.

I've had my car for almost a year now and have waxed it twice. I used some paint cleaner on the front bumper recently because it had bugs and tar on it but the rest of the paint was in fine shape and just needed a good coat of wax.

I know people who swear by Zaino but I've never understood the need to wax your car 50 times just to get a better shine. Seems like a huge waste of time to me.

Edit-I wouldn't recommend using an orbital polisher. Just do it by hand, it takes a little longer but you don't risk ruining your paint doing it by hand.

 

[NutBucket]

Orbital is definitely a professionals only tool. A high quality random orbit is perfectly safe for amateurs when used properly.