Its about time i gave the focus a polish/wax

Just wondering what other people use/recommend?

Whats the best way to go about it?

I've had the same car for a while now so I'm getting pretty slack washing it, I really only do it if I'm going to a comp or boostcruising curse…

I try to wash the car as early as possible in the shade to avoid streaks, as for what to use:

Kitten Wash'N'Wax
Kitten Liquid Polishing Wax
Polyglaze bug and tar remover
Ployglaze Tyre foam

this is a great little resource. all the bits can be found at autobarn

http://www.hsvforum.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=1672

T-Cut if I'm gunna cut it back

Meguier's if I'm going to make it shiny

hunt down 'Maz'...he's the one to talk to.

or, are you a member of OCAU?

there's a huge ass 'car detailing' thread in there which, pretty much has everything you want in there. it's worth signing up just to find that.

i did some research too, yes, for a car i dont own, YET!...lol. but yeh, i reckn try find that thread in OCAU....or check out my celica thread in the rides section which i just bumped up recently, there's a section in there where maz gave me some advice too.

Meguier's. Best S.hit you can use.

Meguiars do have some awesome polishes, but the rest of their line are not the best (mind you NXT stuff is good).

The best polishes/waxes come from the following:
- Klasse
- Zymol
- Zaino
- Swissol
- Poorboys
- P21S
- Pinnacle
- Sonax
- Concours

You can get msot of these at http://waxit.com.au/

Meg Gold Class wash
Meg Gold Class endurance high gloss tyre shine
Meg clear coat safe cleaner wax
and a few soft rags ... I like to pull car into shop to keep in shade while drying and waxing.
Eagle One make some great products, though...and I have a Mothers Mag Polish for when the occasional car needs a touch-up.

Make sure you prep the paint well, there is no point waxing/sealing a 'dirty' paint.
I absolutely believe on claying, done properly, it will leave your paint smooth as a glass.

If you think Meg stuff is good (which it is), try using Zaino or Pinnacle, it's awesome but pricey.

Good luck!!

Zaino is all that touchs my cars.

some of the brands above are some of the best on the market, for sure. but like car audio, there is no 'best' product. it's just a matter of personal choice.

overall, the products must be tailored to:
*paint condition
*paint thickness
*paint hardness
*paint colour
*your budget
*how much time you want to invest

car detailing is another hobby of mine. here is a copy of a thread i wrote for another forum, which i hope provides an outline of what can be done (2 separate posts cos of number of pictures):

i thought i'd share my personal preferences and experiences with detailing my GT. especially as i received a few new products in the mail. for those in australia, a free plug to David at www.waxit.com.au . he provides an excellent range of products, is very prompt with despatch, and prices are very fair considering the convenience of ordering online (i don't know if he mails overseas, but there are likely to be local online sellers in the UK and elsewhere).

the purpose of this write-up is to provide an overview of the common approach to detailing. hopefully it clarifies a few aspects so people with little-to-no knowledge develop an idea of what is possible and where to begin, even if it's to discuss with a professional what is required. it's nice to understand what they are talking about!

i know there's a few of us who find detailing a rewarding hobby, and will be familiar with many of these products and practises. the products i use are probably not THE best around (certainly not the wax for example, where you could spend a few THOUSAND $$$), but they seem to suit the car very well, and i am extremely happy with the results. worth discussing with the seller what might suit your needs, cos it depends on the condition of your paint, and partly on colour. older alfa's have softer paint, whereas the latest 159/brera/spider have harder paint. there's a huge range of brands and items, and different products can achieve the same results, so there probably isn't one 'best' regimen.

the internet has some excellent info/tips. good resources include the waxit website and www.detailingworld.co.uk where i obtained most of my knowledge. note, i am not a professional, i am a hobbyist! so i also apologise for any inaccuracies in this information, and am happy to be corrected. :

washing and preparing the paint

paint preparation is crucial to optimise paint condition before polishing; and it's easy. you can achieve perfectly fine results at the local DIY carwash (don't use the brush!), which is a good idea where water restrictions apply (they do in most of australia!). however, i prefer to use a bucket of water (roughly room temperature or slightly warm) and car wash shampoo; if the car is particularly filthy, i'll use the 2-bucket technique where you use shampoo in one to dip your wash cloth/mitt, but rinse it in the other bucket. the rationale is to prevent rinsing the dirt and grime from the cloth into the clean shampoo water. there are dedicated 'waffle weave' microfibre clothes for washing, and also mitts, but i prefer to use a quality chamois. you can also use a microfibre cloth or chamois to dry the car; fanatics will 'dab' the paint dry (!) but you can just gently wipe it.

i use Meguiar's Gold Class car wash shampoo. i don't believe it's any better than many other brands, but i am happy with it. i also clean my microfibres and polish applicator pads in the washing machine at 50 degress celcius using Pinnacle Micro Rejuvinator.




claying

you want your paint to be perfectly smooth. sap from trees and 'industrial fallout' can leave tiny specs of grime that make the paint rough; run the back of your hand over the paint after washing the car. if it feels a bit rough, then claying the paint may be helpful. you may be able to see spots of sap and grime in good light if you look closely, at the right angle. such spots are not removed by washing the car.

'detailing clay' is usually synthetic, with the consistency of pottery clay. it comes in various grades of roughness, but you would typically use 'fine grade' (smoothest). rougher grades might be used at a bodyshop to remove overspray. you first need to wet/lubricate the paint with a clay lubricant. i prefer to use Meguiar's Quik Detailer, which is suitable for the job, and sold in a package with Meguiar's clay.



if your paint has not been clayed before, you may be surprised at how much crap is removed during this process. refer to the waxit FAQ for further details on good technique.

paint correction - polishing

virtually all cars over time develop swirls. these are very fine, superficial scratches in the clearcoat. light coloured and metallic cars (eg: silver) 'hide' swirls far better than dark and solid colours (eg: black). sometimes you need to view the car under bright (fluorescent) lighting, say at a petrol station at night, or in bright sunlight. from certain angles, you will notice the scratches.

this photo of a 147 is an example of swirls in sunlight:




given my paintwork was in very good condition to start with (not loaded with swirls, no oxidation, and what most people would see as 'very shiny'). yet there were a few swirls in the panels and the 'gloss' (shine) could have been better. for this, i was recommended a Menzerna product called PO106FF, which most detailers simply refer to as FF or Final Finish. this product possesses a small amount of 'cut' to remove a tiny amount of clearcoat, taking it back to perfectly smooth and ridding the swirls, whilst also possessing a high level of gloss. it was enough to remove virtually all swirls and marks in my paint.

i also just added to my armery, Menzerna PO85RD3.01, also known as IP or Intensive Polish. this possesses a much higher degree of 'cut' (albeit still moderate and there are products with more cut), and less gloss. i will reserve this for deeper scratches and other cars with harder paint.



both of these products should be applied by an electric polisher, a technique refered to as 'machine polishing'. the 2 types of machines usually used are an RO (random orbital) or rotary polisher; they are often marketed as sanders. the RO, as its name suggests, not only spins the pad in a circular motion, but also oscillates to create a movement pattern like this:



a rotary polisher is typically used by professional detailers and/or the experienced. it simply spins a buffing pad in a circular motion at highspeed. this focuses the polishing power on a single point, which means the operator must have good technique and move the rotary at an even sweep across the panel. if too much pressure is applied or the rotary stalls in the one spot, this patch can be 'burnt' and the paint damaged. this results in cutting right through the clearcoat, and at the extreme, will cut through the paint into the undercoat! too little or too much polish can also lead to the rotary 'hopping' across the paint and marring the finish. the main benefit of a rotary is the speed at which you can complete a car; it generates more heat and pressure, so the job is done faster.

the RO has the benefit of spreading its polishing power over a broader area. the process is slower and gentler, and less risky, so suits the amateur better. you may find multiple 'runs' over the same panel are required to achieve the final results, subject to the polish, pad, and pad speed. i use an RO, which is a Metabo SXE-425.

polishing pads to attach to the machine come in various grades. depending upon the type of foam used, they can be harder or softer, smoother or coarser. as such, you must choose the appropriate pad for the job. for polishing, you will want a pad with some 'cutting' property, which usually means a pad that is firmer. i personally use Lake Country CCS series pads, which come in 6 grades. for polishing the alfa, i used the 'white' polishing pad which has 'very light' cutting power. i now also have an 'orange' polishing pad which has 'light' cutting power (and is firmer) for removing deeper scratches and working on harder paints.

pictured is my Metabo, 3 pads ('orange', 'white' which is no longer very white, and 'grey' which is a finishing pad to apply other liquid products (has no cutting power)), a couple round foam applicator pads (for applying wax by hand), and microfibre cloths and a mitt.



with 2 different polishes and 2 different pads, i theoretically have 4 combinations to tailor to the job.

the actual process involves applying a small amount of polish to the pad, then dabbing this across the panel. roughly work in 2'x2' patches at a time; the bonnet of my GT would be divided into at least 4 sections. the RO is variable speed, so i start with the lowest, then step up incrementally towards the 3rd speed. work the polish until it starts to dry, at which time it loses opacity and become more transparent. then buff with a microfibre, and study the results. strong, harsh lighting (eg: bright fluorescent lights or halogen worklights) is recommended for scrutinising the paint. redo any areas where swirls remain. a good guide is available on the waxit website. you should also use masking tape around the edges of the paintwork to prevent polish staining these areas (eg: black plastic can take on a white stain).






Menzerna, and other professional grade products, can really ONLY be used with machine polishing. it is not possible to break down the polishes by-hand. attempting to remove swirls by hand isn't very successful, and takes a LOT of time and effort.

however, there are hand products available for the job, and most people recommend Autoglym SRP (Super Resin Polish), followed by EGP (Extra Gloss Protection). you are unlikely to correct paint to the standard of machine polishing, and your arms will be sore! products like Meguiar's ScratchX reportedly don't do a good job, or are suited to only very small patches of paintwork.

LSP (last stage product) - wax and sealants

after paint correction, you need to protect the resultant surface with a wax or synthetic polymer sealant. these provide the final 'gloss' (shine), and vary in longevity, ease of application, and quality of finish, which is usually reflected in their price. they are typically applied by hand, though liquid sealants can be applied by machine using a suitable soft finishing pad.

purists prefer waxes. that is, a product that contains carnauba wax. carnauba is touted as the most durable natural product available for the job, and is extracted from the leaves of the carnauba palm. different quality waxes contain different grades and amounts of carnauba. lower grades have a slight yellow tinge, whereas higher grades are more transparent. waxes allegedly provide a higher gloss, and can take on a real 'glow'. however, they are less durable than sealants, and should be reapplied every 1~3 months for ongoing protection.

sealants are synthetic polymers that bond to the paint surface, and provide a protective barrier and gloss. they allegedly offer less gloss, but can be more transparent; though this can mean less 'glow'. their durability means they require reapplication only every 3~6 months, and sometimes 6~12 months. some sealants are a 2-stage product.

i prefer to use Pinnacle Souveran wax paste. this is applied by hand using a foam applicator. i also use a technique refered to as 'spit polishing'. this involves an initial layer of wax; cover several panels to allow time for the first to dry. follow by a light spray of detailer (eg: Meguiar's Quik Detailer) then immediately follow with another run of wax. i find you don't need to re-apply much more wax; the spray liquifies the original layer to create a smooth paste, and rubbing over the panels again with the applicator is enough. the rationale is to create a more even layer and i find it does make a difference.



paint preps and all-in-one products

this can be an inbetween step to the above, or an all-in-one application. depending upon the product, some contain microscopic 'fillers' which cover over swirls. they may also possess mild cutting properties, and a sealant for a highgloss finish. if you are not aiming for a show class finish, such a product can easily suffice and provide a very glossy finish, appealing to most people. however, if swirls are not removed by a polishing step, they will reappear as the filler wears away (with time and washing).

i have used Meguiar's Nxt Generation Tech Wax, and it's a good product. it contains filler, oils to 'nourish' the paint for a wet look, and a sealant for a nice gloss finish.



however, i have a new product as an inbetween step. a full polish/correction would only be performed every 6~12 months. i might use this product every month or so (followed by wax), and wax every 2~4 weeks. it is Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion. this contains a filler and oils, so provides a nice lift to the paintwork (similar to the Meg's Tech Wax, but without a sealant).



wheel care

wheels should not be neglected. they are exposed to brake dust, which over time, can become caked-on, and be very hard to remove. frequent cleaning of the wheels will keep them bright and looking fine. if caked-on dust is hard to remove, there are specific wheel cleaning product available; combine with a suitable bristle brush.

my wheels are relatively new, and already possess a quality clearcoat to the 'centre' piece. however, i have Poorboy's World Wheel Sealant for ongoing protection. like a paint sealant, this is applied by hand, and creates a layer to prevent brake dust and contaminants from bonding. it provides a nice gloss and makes removal of dust easier.

for the tyres, i use an aerosol tyre gloss: TurtleWax Wet'n Black Tyre Shine. i have also used Meguiar's Nxt Generation Tyre Spray, which is also good, but more expensive with no-better results. before each application, i use an old rag to rub the sidewalls clean, removing accumulated road grime and old tyre gloss. after spraying, i leave it to soak, and do not buff it; if you want a more matt or low-sheen finish, you would wipe off the excess.



black plastics and interior

black trims on the outside of the car can fade over time from exposure to UV light and the elements of the weather. these include the black plastic grills, window frames/edges, and the shroud around the windscreen wipers.

there are various products to revitalise the blackness, returning it to a nice dark lustre. they can be applied by hand, and also suit interior trims.

for exterior plastics, i favour Autoglym Bumper Care. it is slightly oily, but after application you can buff off the excess so it doesn't attract dust and dirt.

for interior plastics (eg: dashboard), i prefer PoorBoy's World Natural Look. this is water-based, non-oily, and smells like bubblegum! for the leather, i have Zaino Z9 Leather Cleaner. spray on, wipe the leather clean, and buff off.

for my carbra (!), which is black vinyl, i use 303 Aerospace Protectant.

keep the surfaces clean and looking good!



quick detailing and glass

for glass, i use Duragloss Water Spot Remover and a fine-weave microfibre cloth.

for quick detailing i rely on Meguiar's Quik Detailer (same stuff that lubricates claying) with a microfibre mitt, carefully wiping the panels clean. i would perform this after a routine wash or before waxing.



summary

well, the products i use may not suit everyone's cars, but they certainly work on black alfa GT's! if you have swirls or poor paint, the most effective means of correction is by machine polishing. the products used should be tailored to the softness-hardness of the paint, and degree of damage.

most people are not interested in the time and costs involved to DIY. so employing a professional detailer can be the better option.

if you aren't after a show class finish, then an all-in-one product may be the answer. regardless, careful and regular washing, and frequent reapplication of wax/sealant is required to keep the paint in top condition.








happy detailing.

wow, nice post shiny.

Now I am motivated to clean my car properly, instead of using just a single bucket of cold water, ahaha.

I'm impressed as well/ I've just spent up big on waxit....

thanks for the tips

time to spend some money! lol

Currently iv just been washing it with gold class, but its got some minor scratching which id like to fix

Waxit is a great site. I have bought alot of stuff from there.

I was actually impressed by the service. It turns out they couldn't find a wash mit, so they rang me this afternoon and said that my order was to be delayed a day. The fac that they are willing to call you if something may be out of stock rather than just sending you an email, plus the same day shipping is great.

I ended up splurging on

Swissvax Pneu Tyre Dressing
http://www.waxit.com.au/proddetail.asp?pro...0003&cat=30
Clay magic kit
http://www.waxit.com.au/proddetail.asp?prod=KICM01&cat=3
Poorboys Wheel Sealant
http://www.waxit.com.au/proddetail.asp?pro...0018&cat=29
Swissvax Cleaner Fluid
http://waxit.com.au/proddetail.asp?prod=PC0007&cat=5

plus a few other little things. I know how I'm spending my weekend

Wow, some nice detail post there shiny, get some Zaino quick detailer in your arsenal, this works really well with dark colour car.

Meguire Crystal Paint Cleaner, Meguire Crystal Wetlook.

I think the Zymol stuff is the ducks nuts personally.

I use Meguiars on my own car (when I do it ) but when I next buy some replacement polish/wax etc etc it will more than likely be Zymol.

Well the results are finally in. I was working on the weekend, but I finally got home just in time to do it today. I took a good long read of shiny's post above, and also a reading of the packets of the new products.

I had some meguiars NXT car wash at home, so I started with that. I think it's a really good car wash, and I thought it did a fairly good result. Chamois dried it and I thought it was looking fairly good. The cleaning mit that I used was surprisingly good as well.

Next was time for the trial of the clay magic kit (http://www.waxit.com.au/proddetail.asp?prod=KICM01&cat=3). I bought it with the clay magic lubricant, and I was sceptical at first. Anyway after about half an hour I couldn't believe that so much dirt and grime came off the car. If you make one investment, i'd suggest the clay magic bar and lubricant pack. The results are stunning to say the least.

I also had some slight swirl marks on the bonnet and a few other places on the car, so I used some swissvax cleaner fluid. This is a fantastic product, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. You actually wipe it off rather than letting it dry to a haze, so it all comes off really easily and the results speak for themselves. Very easy to work with, and the results whilst not apparent immediately, make waxing such an easy proposition, that I wondered why I've never done this before.

Next I used some meguiars NXT tech wax. I got a really good shine from it all. After watching the karate kid too many times when younger, I had the notion that you used circles when waxing. Actually using a straight line makes for a much better result. But what I must point out that all the prep work that was done before makes the removal of the wax so much easier, but brings out a deaper gloss in the paint.

I finally finished off with the swissvax tyre dressing, and I must say that the double pump (one on the squease down, and one on the way up) was a pretty good idea. The tyres came up pretty well, and the smell is excellent. I'm guessing that it would work really well on all rubbers on the car, esp the interior. The smell is one of the best features about the product if you were to use it inside the car. Overall I think that it is a really good product.

I got around to washing the focus on the weekend as well

I started off by washing it with meguiars gold class,

then clay bared it with meguiars quik clay kit - turned out amazingly smooth!

then waxed it with meguiars nxt gen tech wax

Its amazingly smooth and glossy now!

It could could be polished but its not that bad and i couldn't really afford to do it right this time (eg polishes, pads, buffer)

I mainly used meguiars because its decent value and easy to get (could have gotten better from waxit.com.au but couldn't have done it on the weekend)

The detailing could have been a little better, but the results aren't too bad. With a bit of extra work I could get rid of all the swirl marks.

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Great post Shiney, good detailing tut. In my show days I used 3M Imperial Hand Glaze, (dunno if its even still available?)...its almost like water and made the black on my car just look dripping wet...but it is a non-silicone polish, so offers no protection from tree sap and bird poo, but I could do a HQ in about 30 minutes, does not leave any residue, nor white buildup... I even did the alloy on the Simmons with it. In between, because I actually used the same car regularly, I used Nu Finish. No its not a 'once a year' car polish, But it is very quick and if you have an hour spare after washing the car, provides great protection, and a good level of shine. I used to then use the 3M the week before a show, the night of, and then on indoor events, at the event...if out door, in the am of the event...this would remove every trace of swirl marks. T Cut is great for its intended purpose, OR if you get too much fallout on the car, including cement dust, bitumen, stubborn bugs etc. But understand that T Cut, like clay will remove all the dead and oxidised paint /polish, meaning you really must put some form of polish back on the paint ASAP...like the same day. T Cut original is good as an alloy polish too for good alloy with minor marks and waterstains - with a machine you can do previously polished alloy, that can be in a pretty sad state, but you'll throw the buff pad away after. I must say, back then, I liked the 3M finish better than meguires - but like someone else said, its a personal thing, bit like car audio. I know nothing about the other products mentioned and detailing clay just was not in the realm of normal people.

I also should say YOUR paint will have a different result with different products too...Acrylic is totally different to polish than Two Pack, and that different again to enamel. Anything built after about 1980 is probably Two pack, many resprays since will be too...1960's to 1980's aus and us cars would be acrylic. I think earlier pommie stuff used some enamel - A painter member might give a better guide. My experience above was on Acrylic and was good enought to win a runner up best paint at one show, and Runner up Best Monaro at All GM day. I have used 3M on Two Pack with equally good results.

i use meguiars products mostly nxt gen stuff for my car, gold class for mums car (its black)

ive been hearing good things about Eagles Ones Nano Wax......costs around $30 and comes with an applicator....has been reccommended to me by a few people who detail for a living as one of the best off the shelf products getting around

apparently lasts longer than nxt gen tech wax

i have some Eagles One Nano Wax i was given as a present. i've used it on my gf's subaru, and it certainly seems to last very well (it's a daily driver that is often parked outside all day). water still beads nicely on the bonnet after about 2 months and multiple car washes.



nice work. it's always satisfying to have a nice clean car.





photos!

i think the next thing i buy will be a clay bar kit.....ive got some Bowdens polish there that i still havent got around to using....should have done it today but all my microfibre cloths and quick detailer are at work

will but need to wash it again, rained lightly this week so its covered in dirt again

I think the clay bar is possibly the best purchase that you can make for detailing your car. It just picks up all the little imperfections and gives the best result possible.

my old man has been a detailer/caryard owner for 25 years and only uses cutting compound/polish with a power buffer and then repo hand polish after. Never ever uses wax though, all his painter mates don't recommend it either... not sure why though. He sells only used cars though so I'd say he wouldn;t do the same on new cars.

I've used this combination on all of my cars (all older cars also) and it definitely restores the life in the paint. You do have to be really careful with the power buffer as it can take off a bit too much if you're not paying attention. The hand polish is perfect for fixing up any minor blemishes.

Ahh seems a lot of people know David from waxit.com.au

I bought the Pinnacle ultimate kit on the weekend, and the results are spectacular. Pricey but worth every cent!

I've used Meguiars products for years but I'll never go back to them. Pinnacle is leagues above....

Latly ive been using meguiars tech wax, tech wash, interior cleaner and turtle wax wheel and tire cleaner.
Ive found the tech wax really good compare to others ive used in the past... and the car wash is nothing special....
The turle wax wheel and tire cleaner is the bees knees, Altho i havnt used some of the brands above i have tryed meguiars, amour all, mothers, formula one and eagle one and none even come close to the turtle wax wheel clearner... one product on the market ill always recomend.

Clay bar. Best thing ever for car care imo. After clay barring your car, it is so much shinier, and feels like glass to touch. Its amazing how much these little sucker picks up, even after you wash your car three times before hand.

Meguiars make one, get out there and use it

Apart from that, I use Meguiars Gold glass wax, nice stuff that lasts a while. I also use Turtle platnium wax ontop. This stuff gives your pain that real nice, deep gloss it needs. While the Meguiars does most of the protecting.

I found Meguiars clay bar to disintegrate after extended use, i tried using Mothers and it holds much better for extended use, but the quick detailer smell like cinnamon which i dislike .

it may be because it has absorbed too much QD/lubricant. it is suggested to wipe off the excess each time you 'fold' the clay.

refer to the waxit site for tips.

Alright I'm going to buy a clay bar and lubricant for my car.

But also i need to "Cut" my paint as well, cause it is fairly old [10years], so is it recommended I also buy a "cut and polish"?

Or stick with standard polish?

Why do you need to cut your paint ? What excatly is wrong with it?

I normally stay away from a true polish on any modern paint job. A true polish is abrasaive, and actually takes the top layer of paint off.

Also, keep in mind alot of companes label there Wax as a polish, therefor it is not abrassive, and does not eat into the paint.

I highly recommend clay magic. There is no smell to the bar or the lubricant, and they are extremely easy to use.

Aights, I was getting a bit confused between cuts/polish waxes and etc.

But I think Ive got my head around it.

I bought Meguiars Quik Clay kit from Autobarn.

Like mac_man_luke, I wanted to do it this weekend. But i will be definitely be investing in "better" products from waxit.com.au in the near future.

I've had pretty decent results from Meguiars clay bars, but I've noticed they fall apart quicker than others. I'll definitely be checking out some other products from waxit.com.au

If you want to do something like remove swirl marks by hand the swissvax cleaning fluid is pretty good. Definately easier to work with than the maguiars I've used in the past (came in a cream bottle as was an absolute bugger to get off).

Okay cleaned the car today, washed, clayed then polished, no wax ...yet.

And it looks smick, paint is sooo smooth, it's shiny... but we need some sun to show off the shinyness

Looks like its gonna rain tommorw ahaha.

Here are some pics, sorry for the crap pics, cbf using tripod.

certainly has a decent shine already.

without very close-up photos and bright light, i'll have to take your word that there aren't bad swirls.

good job.




does their Paint Cleaner 'remove' swirls? i'm thinking it has a filler to 'cover' them, cos it doesn't have any 'cut' does it?

well i gave my car a quick clean yesterday and went for a drive down to west end with some of the tc.org boys for photos.....ironically i was the only tradtional twincam there

had planned to buy a clay bar but ran out of time so i just went with:
wash: mixture of meguiars gold class and ntx using meguairs lambs wool mit, chamois dry with meguairs chamois
wax: bowdens, meguairs applicator and microfibre cloth
wheels: meguairs ntx shampoo concertrate and a rag
tyres: meguairs ntx insane shine
windows: quick detailer

unfortunately ran out of time but i was still happy with the results





the group



a few ae101 20v levins, a gti golf, my corolla, an aristo another levin and a silvia

i seriously need to give it the clay bar treatment and also need to get rid of the swirls

Take a few hundred dollars of Merzena and Zaino polishes and this is the result on 17 year old paint!

Firstly the car was washed twice once with dishwashing detergent (this is a once only wash, to remove all previous waxes and polishes and silicones)

Then a Z7 wash, with my grit guard to stop any extra marring of the surface.
Once rinsed, I used my Z18 claybar to remove any inground dirt or surface contaminents. Then rinsed off the removed nasties.

Then Menzrena 106F, to remove some IRS (isolated random scratches-- detailing geek speak)

Then ZAIO- to prep the surface.

I then mixed up a bottle of Z5/Z2 combo with ZFX and some Z8 (custom blend)
Spritzed my applicator pad with Z6 and applied a very, very thin coated, waited for it to flash off. Then removed it.
Applied another coat, by this time it was lunch (when using Zaino, if you leave the polish in the mixing bottles for more than 12 hours, the polish will have cured and set and you cannot remove it... so my tip is to leave it in the fridge, stops the curing process.. Tegboy Top Tip)

After lunch- remove cured coat

Went over the car with Z6 -detailing spray on a MF cloth to remove all polish
Applied another coat. Whilst this was curing.

I cleaned the chrome rims with a damp cloth and Z-CS, they have already been Z5'd so no brake dust sticks to them. Did the tyres eith Z16

Remove the last coat.

Sealed with Z-CS, basically you just spray an applicator pad, and work it into the surface and then LEAVE it and walk away-- its awesome

I should have cleaned the leather whilst I was going with my favourite twins Z9/Z10 these give back the sensual leather smell -- yes I am unwell, hehe. But, I was honestly too tired to worry.. and the car is hardly driven lately whilst I am waiting for gear still

Once the Z-CS was dried, I did a final mist with Z8- which is the grand seal. Its too expensive to use everyday for removing dust, this is where Z6 is great.

Now some photos.. remember this car is white and white is the hardest colour to look wet and shiny. But here goes.

Car detailing is an addiction for me, I have thousands of dollars of polishes and microfibre cloths and detailing pads-- this means most weekends I have at least one car (that I don't own) to wash or detail. Whether it be family or friends cars.

Questions/thoughts?

What do you use for the plastic bits on the exterior, like the seals? Also what is the easiest way to remove bugs and tar from the road in the wash?

Any special micro fibre cloths that you use?

Also do you do it by hand or by rotary?

The finish is first class from the photo's. Good work

Thanks man.

On my rubber window seals, I use a product called Einzett Gummi Pflege. Its a great product, as I have pillarless/frameless windows, it stop them from squeeking against the rubbers whilst driving. Its actual designed for BMW seals.

As for removing tar, I used a Stoners product called Tarminator. It does remove polish however, so you need to re-wax afterwards. Fortunately, Zaino does make removing this type of stuff easy.

The microfibre cloths I use, I purchase from www.pakshak.com Ranney is the BEST in the business, super fast freight and very cheap. His Waffle Weave towels are great for blotting dry the car.

I use a PC with the Merzena with Lake and Country pads- All the rest is by hand. Zaino applied by PC, uses far too much.

Thanks Teg.

Any particular reason for Zanio and not Zymol/Swissvax etc?

Personally I like the look of swissvax, but I haven't upgraded my wax at the moment. Still using Meguiars NXT Tech wax, but looking for an upgrade soon as it's nearly run out.

@ anthony: one simple reason is 'personal preference'! like asking why a person chooses to use rockford fosgate amplifiers instead of audison. there is NO 'best' product out there.

i use menzerna and pinnacle mostly. why don't YOU use them?



this is so true. white is tough to work with! top job.

now buy a black car.

Menzerna because from reading it I need a machine and am not at that level of detailing (yet ) And waxes are cheaper than amps...

I'm only new to this whole car detailing thing shiny Before discovering waxit, I was just using the normal wash and just the meguiars NXT tech wax, and I'm jumping headlong into this and the results are leaps and bounds ahead of what I was doing before. I know it's a personal preference, but if there is a specific reason you use it then I'd love to know, espescially if you've used other products and there is a reason why your now using pinnacle.

At the moment I'm just looking for a new wax for my car, and the results on yours and Tegs is outstanding. If I could get a finish like that I would be over the moon, but I want something that will bring out the red and is relatively easy to work with.