The official Spring ATOT detail your car thread! With POLL

The Sauce

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
4,738
34
91
Ok everyone, first day of spring was just past. Time to get off our collective fat asses and detail out that car! What do you use and what is your process? I'll get things started here:

Wash: Meguiars Gold Class
Clay (Mother's, Pinncale, Clay Magic...whatever is around)
Meguiars Scratch X or 3M Swirl Remover (as needed)
Klasse AIO
Klasse SG x at least 2 layers 24 hours apart
P21S Carnuba topper (depending on my mood)

Tire Dressing: NXT Tech Protectant
Interior/Vinyl: 303 Aerospace
 

TheAudit

Diamond Member
May 2, 2003
4,194
0
0
I use any ol' car wash detergent I can get, that doesn't matter to me.

The wax I am using now is NXT (used it once so far and am very happy with it), before that it was another Meguiar's wax.
I like Stoner's More Shine, Less Time for the tires and Invisible Glass for the windows.
Sometimes I use RainX on the glass.
I used to use Tocco Magico on the dash.
 

Fiveohhh

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
3,776
0
0
Klasse all the way. Going to probably detail mine in a month or so when I pull it out and all don't have to worry about salt. Normally I'll wash it with some meguirs soap or something. Than grab the quick detailer and clay it for awhile. Apply klasse compbo and call it a day. If need be do some buffing for any scratches before the clay.
 

jteef

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2001
1,355
0
76
i'm gonna try klasse this time, I need to buy a random orbital polisher first though.
 

The Sauce

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
4,738
34
91
You don't need an orbital for Klasse AIO, although I heard that it goes on real nice with one. And DON'T FORGET THE CLAY!
 

LiQiCE

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,911
0
0
I do this about every 6 months:

1. Wash car with Liquid Dawn (removes all the polish/wax I have on the car).
2. Claybar the entire car (Zaino Z-18 Claybar)
3. Wash the car with Z-7 (might start adding Mr. Clean Auto Dry in too, purifies the water so it doesn't leave water spots).
4. Apply 1-3 coats of Z5/Z2 + ZFX (Z5 = Zaino Polish for hiding light scratches and swirl marks, a must for black cars, Z2 = Zaino Polish for clear coats, ZFX = Additive to Zaino Polishes to get the polish to haze quicker).

Makes the car look great ... usually wash the car every ~2 weeks or so, weather permitting, and add a coat of zaino once a month or so until I start the process all over again.

Here's some example pics:
Mirror Image
Lookin Shiny

Zaino also lasts a pretty long time ... I haven't added zaino onto the car in quite some time because of the cold, but I took it to a car wash and had them clean off all of the salt and dirt from the winter. Still looks great
Here's one more

It does take me about 1 day (~8 hours or so), to get through all of the steps above, but its only every ~6 months or so. I could probably get away with once a year even since the car is garaged 99% of the time.
 

The Sauce

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
4,738
34
91
Goddamm Liqice...warn us about the sunflare shot! Damn near went blind! Nice shine BTW...might be something to that Zaino stuff.
 

Fiveohhh

Diamond Member
Jan 18, 2002
3,776
0
0
Originally posted by: LiQiCE
I do this about every 6 months:


Here's some example pics:
Mirror Image
Lookin Shiny

Zaino also lasts a pretty long time ... I haven't added zaino onto the car in quite some time because of the cold, but I took it to a car wash and had them clean off all of the salt and dirt from the winter. Still looks great
Here's one more

It does take me about 1 day (~8 hours or so), to get through all of the steps above, but its only every ~6 months or so. I could probably get away with once a year even since the car is garaged 99% of the time.

Wow, thats one reason I don't want a black car. I know I'd want to have it look like that, and thats WAY too much work:p
 

VTEC01EX

Senior member
Mar 8, 2002
315
0
0
I'd love to detail mine. I just have to go outside and shovel all the snow off of it first... blah.
 

Azraele

Elite Member
Nov 5, 2000
16,524
29
91
After 3 acid attacks, I think mine's beyond hope.

It is covered is pretty flower petals from the trees though.
 

Aharami

Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
21,294
148
106
im a detailing n00b. i just get my car washed at a car wash and wax it with turtle wax myself. waxing itself takes like 3 hrs! and i dont buff it either. does it take that long for u guys too? and should i get one of those buffer machines and start buffing?
 

T3C

Diamond Member
Jun 3, 2003
5,324
0
0
Originally posted by: Snatchface
Ok everyone, first day of spring was just past. Time to get off our collective fat asses and detail out that car! What do you use and what is your process? I'll get things started here:

Clay (Mother's, Pinncale, Clay Magic...whatever is around)
Meguiars Scratch X or 3M Swirl Remover (as needed)
P21S Paintworks Cleanser
Klasse AIO
Meguiars NXT or Klasse SG + P21S Carnuba (depending on my mood)

Tire Dressing: NXT Tech Protectant or 303 Aerospace


Now I am in the mood to detail my car.
<-- Heads off to buy supplies
 

tnitsuj

Diamond Member
May 22, 2003
5,446
0
76
Originally posted by: LiQiCE
I do this about every 6 months:

1. Wash car with Liquid Dawn (removes all the polish/wax I have on the car).
2. Claybar the entire car (Zaino Z-18 Claybar)
3. Wash the car with Z-7 (might start adding Mr. Clean Auto Dry in too, purifies the water so it doesn't leave water spots).
4. Apply 1-3 coats of Z5/Z2 + ZFX (Z5 = Zaino Polish for hiding light scratches and swirl marks, a must for black cars, Z2 = Zaino Polish for clear coats, ZFX = Additive to Zaino Polishes to get the polish to haze quicker).

Makes the car look great ... usually wash the car every ~2 weeks or so, weather permitting, and add a coat of zaino once a month or so until I start the process all over again.

Here's some example pics:
Mirror Image
Lookin Shiny

Zaino also lasts a pretty long time ... I haven't added zaino onto the car in quite some time because of the cold, but I took it to a car wash and had them clean off all of the salt and dirt from the winter. Still looks great
Here's one more

It does take me about 1 day (~8 hours or so), to get through all of the steps above, but its only every ~6 months or so. I could probably get away with once a year even since the car is garaged 99% of the time.


Damnnnn.. Zaino is some good stuff.
 

The Sauce

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
4,738
34
91
Originally posted by: Aharami
im a detailing n00b. i just get my car washed at a car wash and wax it with turtle wax myself. waxing itself takes like 3 hrs! and i dont buff it either. does it take that long for u guys too? and should i get one of those buffer machines and start buffing?

Uh oh...looks like we need to set up a clinic here. Here's what to do:

1.) Take anything that has the words "Turtle Wax" on it and huck it as far away from your car as you can...preferably off a cliff and into a raging river. Another alternative would be to drop it into one of those high-pressure metal stamping machines like they used to kill the Terminator with (in part I).
2.) Buy Mother's Claybar Kit from your local car parts store.
3.) Follow the instructions and clay your entire car ( I assume it will need it given what you said).
4.) If your paint is in crappy shape then yes, buy a buffer (preferably the Porter Cable 7424) and use a cleaner/polisher like Meguiars #83 (DACP) on the entire car. If not use something like Scratch-X or 3M SMR by hand.
5.) Then apply a sealant or wax as noted above...a nice easy choice is Meguiars NXT Tech Wax which is easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

Do that and then we can talk about more advanced techniques.

PS - If it took you 3 hours to wax your vehicle then either 1.) you own a tank or 2.) you were trying to polish with wax, which is an utterly futile endeavour. Once the surface is prepped it should only take 15 minutes to spread on some high quality wax or sealant.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,207
66
91
It's nice that Zaino actually started allowing web ordering last year.

I'm about ready to put in my first order.

 

TRDGT

Member
Mar 15, 2004
151
0
0
I am armed with a Porter Cable random orbital and all the Griots garage stuff I can get my hands on.
Spring and the smell of car wax AHHHHHHH.Text
Have fun in your garage!!!!;)
 

Aharami

Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
21,294
148
106
Originally posted by: Snatchface
Originally posted by: Aharami
im a detailing n00b. i just get my car washed at a car wash and wax it with turtle wax myself. waxing itself takes like 3 hrs! and i dont buff it either. does it take that long for u guys too? and should i get one of those buffer machines and start buffing?

Uh oh...looks like we need to set up a clinic here. Here's what to do:

1.) Take anything that has the words "Turtle Wax" on it and huck it as far away from your car as you can...preferably off a cliff and into a raging river. Another alternative would be to drop it into one of those high-pressure metal stamping machines like they used to kill the Terminator with (in part I).
2.) Buy Mother's Claybar Kit from your local car parts store.
3.) Follow the instructions and clay your entire car ( I assume it will need it given what you said).
4.) If your paint is in crappy shape then yes, buy a buffer (preferably the Porter Cable 7424) and use a cleaner/polisher like Meguiars #83 (DACP) on the entire car. If not use something like Scratch-X or 3M SMR by hand.
5.) Then apply a sealant or wax as noted above...a nice easy choice is Meguiars NXT Tech Wax which is easy to find and relatively inexpensive.

Do that and then we can talk about more advanced techniques.

PS - If it took you 3 hours to wax your vehicle then either 1.) you own a tank or 2.) you were trying to polish with wax, which is an utterly futile endeavour. Once the surface is prepped it should only take 15 minutes to spread on some high quality wax or sealant.

hmm thanks. i'll try this after the salt clears. oh and i was trying to polish with the wax...like it said on the bottle...
pour onto damp cloth or sponge. apply polish evenly with circular motion. let dry to a haze. wipe off with clean cloth

oh and i also dont have a garage...so i wax my car in the parking lot. sometimes in somewhat of a direct sunlight. is that really that bad?
 

beatle

Diamond Member
Apr 2, 2001
5,661
5
81
I use Mother's clay, then use Meguiar's 1st step (removes oxidation and swirls) and then Meguiar's 2nd step (polishes, makes shiny) and then I top it with NuFinish. I've not found anything that lasts as long as NuFinish does. My paint is over 12 years old and still looks new (except the damn plastic bumpers :().
 

The Sauce

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
4,738
34
91
hmm thanks. i'll try this after the salt clears. oh and i was trying to polish with the wax...like it said on the bottle...
pour onto damp cloth or sponge. apply polish evenly with circular motion. let dry to a haze. wipe off with clean cloth

oh and i also dont have a garage...so i wax my car in the parking lot. sometimes in somewhat of a direct sunlight. is that really that bad?

Well, to be fair there are some "cleaner" waxes that have some polishing ability...but for the most part their cleaning ability is very minor and if your paint is so-so they will not remove the oxidation. There are better things to spend your time "polishing" with than wax that will give you a better result for your time.

Supposed it is bad to apply wax/sealants in direct sunlight...I think it's the heat that is mroe the issue than the actual light. Prevents it from bonding and whatnot.