School me about paint care....

[pk4882]

Hey all,

I just purchased a black 2004 Toyota 4 Runner.

Perfect in every way except for some swirls and little scratches here and there.

Give me your opinions on products to apply to the car to make it look good and get rid of the little blemishes.

What say you?

PK in VT

[SprintPoser]

When I had my swirl-ridden Black Sapphire Metallic 2002 BMW 530i, I first got a Porter Cable 7224 random orbital polisher off a Craigslist seller. Then I went to Autogeek.net and bought an array of Lake Country foam pads for it, and 3 different levels of Menzerna polishes, and finally the Pinnacle Souveran Paste wax.

The first time it took about 6 hours to get through all the steps, but once done it look better than factory fresh.

Check out this page, lower down on it for the free videos. Great resource, excellent seller of a wide range of products at fair prices.

http://www.autogeek.net/auto-detaili...ce-center.html

[zxme]

+ 1 on the porter cable 7224

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted

Clay bar.

[SprintPoser]

My procedure for restoration of the paint:

wash
bug & tar remover
clay bar
wash, 2-bucket method, microfiber wash mitt, Mother's California Gold Car Wash
Spot applications of 3M Scratch Remover
Menzerna Power Gloss PG1000, Lake Country Orange CCS pad (firm)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish PO83Q, Lake Country gray pad (medium)
Menzerna Super Finish Nano PO106FA, Lake Country white pad (soft)
Pinnacle Souveran Paste wax applied by hand with supplied foam pad
Buff wax off by hand, Ultra Plush microfiber towels
3M tire black
Back-To-Black on black trim parts
Detailer's Krystal Vision glass cleaner

Glad I don't care about shiny cars the way I did with that black Bimmer! That was a LOT of work twice a year.

[Pigman]

My procedure for restoration of the paint:

wash
bug & tar remover
clay bar
wash, 2-bucket method, microfiber wash mitt, Mother's California Gold Car Wash
Spot applications of 3M Scratch Remover
Menzerna Power Gloss PG1000, Lake Country Orange CCS pad (firm)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish PO83Q, Lake Country gray pad (medium)
Menzerna Super Finish Nano PO106FA, Lake Country white pad (soft)
Pinnacle Souveran Paste wax applied by hand with supplied foam pad
Buff wax off by hand, Ultra Plush microfiber towels
3M tire black
Back-To-Black on black trim parts
Detailer's Krystal Vision glass cleaner

Glad I don't care about shiny cars the way I did with that black Bimmer! That was a LOT of work twice a year.

This but you always do the tires right after the wash/clay bar step....so when you over spray the shit its taken off by the way and polish...and if you can get a white and a blue foam pad hit it with the 3M's swirl and scratch remover you will find you can get it close to a matt class finish but take your time and go at it with a low speed buffer. People hit black cars or trucks with a wool pad swirl the shit out of it at high speeds and don’t care because the wax hides it until it fades away and you got a nice swirl job..

I detailed cars for a few years and seen a tone of shitty jobs....

[SprintPoser]

I tried doing tires earlier in the process but they would get dusty.crappy from the polishing steps.

Instead of spraying the tires, it use a small 4"x4" microfiber cloth and get it pretty wet with the tire black. This way I can control the exact location of that stuff, and don't get it on the paint/polish of the wheels nor the car body. It's working perfect for me.

There are a few other details I left out such as wheel care, painter's tape in certain areas before buffing, waxing inside the door jambs, and more. Good Lord, let's not stat on how I would detail the interior! That was always the second day of my weekend.

[Dip Dungles]

But you have to admit after all that work your car looks beautiful. That's what I kept telling myself when I was detailing my old black EM1 civic. What's funny is that after that car I vowed I would never get another black vehicle ever again.

[03Worc9R]

My procedure for restoration of the paint:

wash
bug & tar remover
clay bar
wash, 2-bucket method, microfiber wash mitt, Mother's California Gold Car Wash
Spot applications of 3M Scratch Remover
Menzerna Power Gloss PG1000, Lake Country Orange CCS pad (firm)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish PO83Q, Lake Country gray pad (medium)
Menzerna Super Finish Nano PO106FA, Lake Country white pad (soft)
Pinnacle Souveran Paste wax applied by hand with supplied foam pad
Buff wax off by hand, Ultra Plush microfiber towels
3M tire black
Back-To-Black on black trim parts
Detailer's Krystal Vision glass cleaner

Glad I don't care about shiny cars the way I did with that black Bimmer! That was a LOT of work twice a year.

That pretty much hits the nail on the head. Take your time its not a fast process. It is easier to burn through the paint than you think using a firm or wool buffing pad. I personally prefer a slower buffer if you have a variable speed on the model used. With each step, lean into paint the first couple times over then a couple times with very little pressure. (goes for each step) Try to not the the pad get too dry, it will burn paint easier.

It is a lot of work to put a car through this process, I suggest a touch free carwash if you are a drive through kinda guy for your weekly washes.

Oh, and having a lift helps take the strain off your back!!
Attachment 30911

[SRTie4k]

I do not have that much dedication.

Is that process what professional detailers do?

[nt650hawk]

Griots Garage

Polishing compounds and a Porter Cable.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/category...ing.do?nType=2

Everything you want to make your car look immaculate.

[03Worc9R]

I do not have that much dedication.

Is that process what professional detailers do?

It is if it is a professional detail shop. A lot of places say they will buff your car for cheap $$ and just do one of the middle steps. Then use a wax to cover up the swirl marks. (looks like tiny spider webs reflected from the sun) It will look better than it did, but depending on how picky you are it is not the proper way. It will look shiny and nice till you get in the right light and look close at paint. A couple months later when the wax wears off it wont look as nice. To do it RIGHT and remove all the swirl marks it is best to do the full processes. You get what you pay for a lot of times when dealers try to con you into having your car detailed.

[SRTie4k]

I definitely need to get my car professionally detailed. 3 years of occasional cleaning and only 1 coat of wax are showing their age, although thankfully my car is metallic grey so it shows hardly anything except dried mud.

[Bkilm]

Ok, So there is no way in hell i could spend that much time washing/waxing my car, id probably get an hour into it, get impatient, try to rush and make it look terrible.
Quick question, What would one of you or a professional shop charge for a REAL external detail like sprint poser is talking about? (assuming the car is already washed/no dirt on it)

[zxme]

Usually 200-300
Maybe someone can chime in where they had brought their car/truck and had a good experiance.
I need my black truck done very soon.

[03Worc9R]

The shop I worked at would charge about 350. for a sedan size vehicle that needed all the steps. Bigger cars or severely scratched black cars would be 400.
It seems like a lot but it takes HOURS and they really put the work into it.

[sandman]

on average it takes me 2-7 min to get a full detail.

i call or email my detail guy and park the vehicle over by the hose.

If anyone in southeastern ma needs something done let me know and i'll put you in touch with a great detailer.


All he does is details bikes, cars, trucks and vans.

[Lxpony]

The shop I worked at would charge about 350. for a sedan size vehicle that needed all the steps. Bigger cars or severely scratched black cars would be 400.
It seems like a lot but it takes HOURS and they really put the work into it.

Fuck that.....way too much work and money.thats why i only own white cars now. Ive had my mazda for 2.5 years and never touched it with wax. The key imho is to keep it in the shade as much as possible when parked......i dont have the time or patience for all that shit.....

[03Worc9R]

Fuck that.....way too much work and money.thats why i only own white cars now. Ive had my mazda for 2.5 years and never touched it with wax. The key imho is to keep it in the shade as much as possible when parked......i dont have the time or patience for all that shit.....

To each his own....