Beginner advice....

[mikejbry]

Hi everyone, I have never been much of a car cleaner, when they did get a clean it would be an annual affair, maybe twice a year at best!.... My motorbikes got all the love, and cars were my work horses. However, I have never had a really nice car until the Zed. My 540i bmw looked great even when fairly dirty (Biiaritz Blue) and was the car I used when contracting away from home, so I never had much time to clean cars.

 

Anyway, enough of the rubbish, my new (to me) Ebisu Black 350z is covered in swirls, fine scratches (I think the local cats must have got jiggy on the bonnet and the roof fairly often!), there are a few deepers scratches that look like a woman (prob the guys wife) may have even had her hand bag on the roof...... and is looking like it needs some serious loving...

 

So I have read through the detailers noob guide, but to be honest there is so much choice out there with products I thought maybe I could short list what I need to get started here so I can go on amazon and bulk buy the lot so I have everything to give the car a complete start to finish. I have microfiber clothes, will buy a wash mit and drying cloth.

 

 

Shampoo and conditioner - reccomendations? There are 6 listed in the guide with no reason to choose one from another

 

Clay and quick detailer - I was thinking of the Maguiar quick clay kit?

 

Paint cleaner - Will I need something fairly aggressive to remove the swirls? Or am I looking at some machine polishing and various cutting compounds to even touch them? Or will the Maguiar's Deep Crystal do a good enough job. I have never machine polished a car, but saw another thead and I am guessing this auto finesse kit would work? I am a little worried though that I may be too heavy handed and polish through the lacquer!

 

Polish - seems to be very subjective and everyone has a favourite! Anything that is regularly reccomended or stick to the starter guide and go for Maguiar's Deep crystal?

 

Wax - from reading other threads, some waxes I have seen used such as Dodo Juice, is far more expensive than the bottled waxes, whats the main differences here, any recommendations? Or stick with the bottled ones mentioned in the the starter thread such as Maguiar's NXT

 

 

Apologies for the questions, I have searched, but have been left as undecided on what to buy as when I started!

 

edit: Forgot to ask, what do you use to apply the paint cleaner and polish? The microfiber cloths? Or do you save those for buffing?

 

Thanks!

Edited May 31, 2014 by mikejbry

[GMballistic]

I'm no expert but there are a few things I've used which are great imo. Especially for the noobs like us.

 

Firstly pre wash ~ I always jet was the car first and then use a snow foam. Various choices for snow foam but Demon snow foam is a good cheap option.

Have a look at my thread here for info on snow foam & guns; http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/84321-what-a-difference-a-snow-foam-gun-can-make/

 

Wash ~ I always use the two bucket method. E.g. One bucket full of your warm water/shampoo and the other full of cold water to rinse of your mitt in between going over the paint work. That's another point. Make sure you get yourself a good woolen mitt for the paintwork. Do not use a sponge.

 

This is the mitt I use; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Meguiars-Lambswool-Mitt-/181095507709?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item2a2a2226fd

Shampoo I use; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Meguiars-Gold-Class-Shimmer-Gloss-Finish-Car-Wash-Cleaning-Shampoo-Conditioner-/320985220928?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item4abc35c740

 

Once you've finished washing the car you will need to dry it off to avoid water marks. For that you will need a good quality drying towel.

I use a GTechniq one like this; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gtechniq-MF2-Zero-Scratch-Microfibre-Drying-Towel-36x24-The-Safest-Way-to-Dry-/291086232298?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item43c6176aea

 

As far as wax and paint treatments goes I have found the Meguairs 3 stage system to work great especially again for us novices.

This is what I'm on about; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Meguiars-Deep-Crystal-3-Stage-Complete-Detailing-Kit-Clean-Polish-Protect-/291062436145?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item43c4ac5131

 

STEP 1 - PAINT CLEANER - 473ML

THIS NON ABRASIVE, CHEMICAL PAINT CLEANER REMOVES ROAD GRIME,

SURFACE CONTAMINATION, LIGHT OXIDATION,

SWIRLS AND LIGHT SCRATCHES TO RESTORE DAMAGED AND DULL FINISHES.

IT PREPARES ALL PAINT TYPES FOR POLISHING AND WAXING.

STEP 2 - POLISH/GLAZE - 473ML

DEEP CRYSTAL SYSTEM POLISH IS A LIGHT ABRASIVE, PURE POLISH THAT HAS BEEN SPECIALLY FORMULATED TO CREATE A DAZZLING,

HIGH GLOSS FINISH BY CONDITIONING AND NOURISHING THE PAINT BY PUTTING THE OILS BACK,

MAKING DARK COLOURS DARKER AND REFLECTIONS IN LIGHT COLOURS DEEPER AND CLEARER.

IT IS THAT EXTRA STEP NECESSARY TO CREATE THE ULTIMATE, WET LOOK SHOW CAR SHINE.

STEP 3 - CARNAUBA WAX - 473ML

IN ORDER TO LOCK IN THE SHINE AND PROTECT THE EYE DAZZLING FINISH

YOU CREATED WITH STEPS 1 AND 2 OF THE DEEP CRYSTAL SYSTEM,

THIS CARNAUBA BASED WAX DELIVERS DURABLE LONG-LASTING

HIGH GLOSS PROTECTION WITH SUPERB WATER BEADING ACTION.

FOR BEST RESULTS APPLY TWO COATS OF THIS STAGE 3 WAX.

 

The Carnauba wax is great stuff but obviously there are millions of different waxes available and some people prefer others so I'm sure you'll get some other suggestions along soon.

The man you really need to talk to on here imo is ilogikal1. Hopefully he'll be along soon as he's really up on his detailing products.

Good luck.

[ilogikal1]

The man you really need to talk to on here imo is ilogikal1. Hopefully he'll be along soon as he's really up on his detailing products.

Good luck.

 

You do realise you're not getting paid for all these referrals, right?

 

 

To the OP, the first thing you need to know is detailing is very subjective. If you ask 10 different people for recommendations, chances are you'll get 10 different answers. So in the spirit of that I'm going to disagree with everything GM said. Alright, not quite, but I will offer some different products though.

 

Wash Mitt - I actually prefer this to the mitt, but they do a mitt too. Both excellent and mine has already outlasted my last lambswool mitt and is still going strong.

Shampoo and conditioner - AF Lather is very good, and currently on offer from Amazon.

 

Clay and quick detailer - The Megs kit you mentioned is foolproof and a decent starter kit.

 

Paint cleaner - Will I need something fairly aggressive to remove the swirls? Or am I looking at some machine polishing and various cutting compounds to even touch them? Or will the Maguiar's Deep Crystal do a good enough job. I have never machine polished a car, but saw another thead and I am guessing this auto finesse kit would work? I am a little worried though that I may be too heavy handed and polish through the lacquer!

 

A paint cleaner won't remove swirls. Some of them contain fillers which will mask them but they'll come back sooner or later, to remove the swirls you'll need to polish. This can be done either by hand or by machine. You'll get far greater results by machine and may even be able to tackle the deeper scratches. It is possible to get good results by hand but you simply won't get the level of correction you can by hand.

 

Polish - If you're working by hand, I'd recommend G Techniq P1 with one of these pads (with polishing, always start with the least abrasive and work your way up until you're getting the level of correction you require) followed by a filler glaze to hide what you can't correct (Poorboys Black Hole for a black car would be my choice).

 

If you're confident enough to machine polish, I'd recommend a DA rather than a rotary both for a newbie and for the soft Nissan paint - the Kestrel DAS-6 is a great starter machine and all you'll ever need for the Z. That and the AF kit will see you right.

 

 

Wax - from reading other threads, some waxes I have seen used such as Dodo Juice, is far more expensive than the bottled waxes, whats the main differences here, any recommendations? Or stick with the bottled ones mentioned in the the starter thread such as Maguiar's NXT

 

Purely down to personal preference. Liquid waxes tend to be more difficult to get a thin layer with because it's just so easy to slap them on. Personally, I prefer hard waxes for this reason alone. As a starter wax, look no further than Poorboys Natty's Paste wax - there's three colours, Blue gives a nice deep, wet look, Red gives a slightly wetter look and White is a little more crisp and not quite as wet.

Alternatively, there's a growing number of manufacturers now who offer sample sizes - Dodo Juice as you mentioned do these (called panel pots but they'll do several full cars easily), they're usually a decent buy if you want to try a few different waxes from time to time.

 

 

edit: Forgot to ask, what do you use to apply the paint cleaner and polish? The microfiber cloths? Or do you save those for buffing?

 

Foam or microfibre applicators for the paint cleaner depending on what you prefer. I tend to use the foam applicators. Polish is applied via the applicators linked above or by the DA pad if machine polishing. I tend to only use microfibre cloths to buff, quick detailer and interior cleaning.

 

A lot of it will come down to technique as much as the products, get yourself a cup of coffee and a packet of biscuits and give this lot a read. There's some great adivce in there on both technique and on what you're looking for each product to actually do for you. There's no such thing as a stupid question, so feel free to ask on here and I'm sure someone will be able to help you out, or at least point you in the right direction.

[roscopervis]

I really don't rate the 3 stage Meguiars 3 stage system, not least the 3rd step wax which lacks durability and is frankly a waste of time. Autoglym's Super Resin Polish although just one product is an all in one which cleans, shines and protects, plus is probably the best filling product on the market. It is also more durable than the 3rd step wax by itself.

It also works well below most waxes and sealants extending their durability. If purchasing from only Halfrauds, I'd be getting the Farecla G3 clay mitt, Autoglym Body conditioning Shampoo, Farecla G3 applicator pads. As for the last stage product (LSP) nothing from the Meguiars range actually lasts that long from there, Autoglym's Extra gloss protection is good but fussy and takes ages, HD wax is expensive. I like the Farecla wax and Turtlewax's Extra Gloss Sealer Wax shock is like Autoglym's, but less fussy and just as long lasting.

 

Sent from my AT10LE-A using Tapatalk

 

 

[Ricey]

Hi mike,

 

I sell a limited amount of detailing gear but the vitals if you ask me.

 

Scratchshields for your buckets or a couple of buckets with scratchshields are pretty necessary.

 

Dodo juice is a cracking wax. I only sell the panel pots but they've been known to cover 10-15 applications.

 

Envy shampoo ( better than dodo juice IMHO) and Mist Quick Detailer are also available.

 

Waffle drying towels are a must rather than a chamois as the chamois can scratch.

 

Take a look in my sub forum - revolve automotive. If there's anything I can't get then Tim at Envy Valeting is your man........he has some truly amazing products.

 

I can out you a starter pack together and Tim can get the real specialist stuff.

[GMballistic]

You do realise you're not getting paid for all these referrals, right?

What you talking about, you've already paid me once in the form of snow foam.

 

To the OP, the first thing you need to know is detailing is very subjective. If you ask 10 different people for recommendations, chances are you'll get 10 different answers. So in the spirit of that I'm going to disagree with everything GM said. Alright, not quite, but I will offer some different products though.

And I knew that was coming.

 

I'm willing to learn either way though. Anything that makes my Zed look better is worth knowing about.

[ilogikal1]

What you talking about, you've already paid me once in the form of snow foam.

 

Good point... now if only there were a way I could make money out of this...

 

And I knew that was coming.

 

I'm willing to learn either way though. Anything that makes my Zed look better is worth knowing about.

 

 

As I said; 10 different people, 10 different recommendations... I'm sure the other 6 will be along shortly. I just like spending your money for you really though...

[GMballistic]

^^ I'd bet the other 6 are more likely to disagree with me about my product choices though than you on yours.

 

Keep it up matey.

[Stutopia]

I'm going to go a mix things up by half suggesting some other stuff (you've seen we all like different things ) and half agreeing with the above. First off, do get yourself some decent buckets and scratch shields/grit guards, these will keep the nasty stuff at the bottom when you do your two bucket wash. Personally I think the Ricey goody bucket is a great place to start your detailing habit, as it has the essentials and is well priced. http://www.350z-uk.c...h-goodies-4047/

 

However, I didn't love my first waffle towel (which was different to the one in Ricey's bucket, so that could be much better than mine) but if you do fancy a change in future, I really do like the Wooly Mammoth Towel - http://www.ebay.com/...6-/171080523999

 

I'm going to take my life in my hands by disagreeing on the clay above. I personally can't see past Bilt Hamber Auto Clay SOFT, as it's great value and a great size and you only need to lube it with water http://www.amazon.co...t/dp/B002OHTN8C

 

My issue with the Meg's kit is the clay is too small, if you drop clay once, you HAVE TO throw it away. The BH clay is huge, so you carve it up in to at least quarters when you get it (be careful of the surface you use to cut on, as it will pick up debris for fun). This way, if you drop it after half the car you have more to use and you don't have to head off to Halfords to get another one. It's also actually very capable and soft so it should be relatively risk free, keep the paint and bar wet, and break it up/turn it in on itself lots, to keep a clean edge exposed.

 

I like a big foam applicator polishing pad, as they're less easy to drop than little ones - http://www.polishedb...aMasterSCPP0000 They also do a finishing pad as well.

 

Like a clay bar, if you drop an applicator pad or a microfibre, put it in the wash and get a new one, you really don't want to drag grit all over your paint. For this reason alone I'd say you can never have too many microfibre towels or applicator pads lying around, you'll be surprised how many you get through in a few hours doing different jobs - buy loads

 

I'm a big fan of this finger mitt for final products and small spaces, it is nice and soft too. http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/accessories/supernatural-foam-finger-wax-applicators-pkg/2/prod_633.html

 

Though it's not the world leader I think the 3-Step Megs, clean/polish/wax kit mentioned above, is a great place to start, certainly steps 1 & 2. They won't break the bank, easy to use, and if your car is in need of attention, you'll get great results. Once you've got your technique going there's plenty of time to branch out into better/different products for the three stages. If you want to go for it from the start I'd agree with the Poorboys Black Hole above, I use it's sister product White Diamond on my gunmetal Zed and it is great for hiding blemishes in the lacquer.

 

I would top it off with a quick detailer for when you don't have time to do a full detail and just do a wash and a touch up. IIRC there's one in the Ricey bucket, so another reason to try that. If you fancy a change, I've liked this for QD a while now, but I must admit I have not tried more than 4 or so quick detailers and there's about a million of them out there http://www.i4detaili...y-detailer.html

 

Last but not least, there's no point doing all this to the paint and not giving the wheels and tyres some loving too. I rate the look and staying power of the Megs Edurance Tyre Gel and it's available here with the handy applicator too - http://www.amazon.co...r/dp/B0048F3AZA

 

This is a cheap and cheerful wheel cleaner that I think does great job on maintenance washes, never used it on really filthy wheels though, so I can't say if it's a super strong cleaner, but it's cheap enough to not have to worry too much - as before, there's plenty of time to try new stuff http://www.halfords....tegoryId_255235

 

Keep everything that touches the wheels separate from stuff that touches paint, including mitts or brushes or applicators, You really don't want brake dust on something that will touch paint. I have a third bucket for wheel duty and totally separate tools/cloths.

 

Mainly because I love them I'd also suggest you watch some of the AMMO videos. I think they're super informative. Don't get hung up on the products, just what he's actually doing. Especially the Top 10 Detailing Mistakes one, thinks it's number 105 - http://www.ammonyc.com/videos/

 

Have fun and don't be afraid to ask questions about technique or products, we will all have different views and we occasionally reach a consensus on some things Remember to post up loads of pics, including some before ones, for us to enjoy your Zed and handiwork.

Edited June 1, 2014 by SuperStu

[GIXXERUK]

Hi mike,

 

I sell a limited amount of detailing gear but the vitals if you ask me.

 

Scratchshields for your buckets or a couple of buckets with scratchshields are pretty necessary.

 

Dodo juice is a cracking wax. I only sell the panel pots but they've been known to cover 10-15 applications.

 

Envy shampoo ( better than dodo juice IMHO) and Mist Quick Detailer are also available.

 

Waffle drying towels are a must rather than a chamois as the chamois can scratch.

 

Take a look in my sub forum - revolve automotive. If there's anything I can't get then Tim at Envy Valeting is your man........he has some truly amazing products.

 

I can out you a starter pack together and Tim can get the real specialist stuff.

 

Have to disagree with the panel pots, they last way more than 10-15 apps

 

[Ricey]

Hi mike,

 

I sell a limited amount of detailing gear but the vitals if you ask me.

 

Scratchshields for your buckets or a couple of buckets with scratchshields are pretty necessary.

 

Dodo juice is a cracking wax. I only sell the panel pots but they've been known to cover 10-15 applications.

 

Envy shampoo ( better than dodo juice IMHO) and Mist Quick Detailer are also available.

 

Waffle drying towels are a must rather than a chamois as the chamois can scratch.

 

Take a look in my sub forum - revolve automotive. If there's anything I can't get then Tim at Envy Valeting is your man........he has some truly amazing products.

 

I can out you a starter pack together and Tim can get the real specialist stuff.

 

Have to disagree with the panel pots, they last way more than 10-15 apps

 

Underestimate and no one is ever disappointed!

 

It's the Scotty from star trek school of marketing.

 

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk

 

 

[Stutopia]

Hi mike,

 

I sell a limited amount of detailing gear but the vitals if you ask me.

Scratchshields for your buckets or a couple of buckets with scratchshields are pretty necessary.

Dodo juice is a cracking wax. I only sell the panel pots but they've been known to cover 10-15 applications.

Envy shampoo ( better than dodo juice IMHO) and Mist Quick Detailer are also available.

Waffle drying towels are a must rather than a chamois as the chamois can scratch.

Take a look in my sub forum - revolve automotive. If there's anything I can't get then Tim at Envy Valeting is your man........he has some truly amazing products.

 

I can out you a starter pack together and Tim can get the real specialist stuff.

 

Have to disagree with the panel pots, they last way more than 10-15 apps

Underestimate and no one is ever disappointed!

It's the Scotty from star trek school of marketing.

 

Sent from my HTC One mini using Tapatalk

 

I never made the connection that he always under promises and over delivers!

[mikejbry]

Ok for better or worse I have ordered the following:

 

Kestrel DAS 6 polisher

Autofinesse REVKIT

 

Meguiars drying towel and lambs wool wash mit

Meguiars Gold Class car wash and conditioner

Meguiars paint cleaner step 1, and Meguiars polish step 2

 

Bilt Hamber Auto clay

Poorboys Black hole glaze

Poor boys Nattys paste red

Farecla 7167 G3 applicator pads for the wax and polish

 

£225 lighter!

 

I appreciate all of your help, hopefully I haven't left anything out, please shout at me if I have.

I haven't added a quick detailer as the Bilt hamber only needs water? Or is the quick detailer good for a spruce up if i dont have time for a full wax?

 

edit: I forgot something for the wheels! I have wonder wheels cleaner at the moment and it cleans pretty well in my novice opinion. Also forgot something for the windows and leather and interior cleaner! oops

Edited June 7, 2014 by mikejbry

[ilogikal1]

That list should keep you going for a while.

 

You're right, BH clay only needs water as a lube. If the car's well protected, a QD isn't really necessary, but you can use one to add protection between waxing or as a drying aid. Personally I'd see how you get on with what you've got and then decide later if you think a QD is required.

 

Wheels, once they're clean, get the protected too and then you shouldn't need anything more than a shampoo wash to keep them clean.

Windows, GTechniq G6 and leather, Dr Leather wipes to keep them clean and/or the Dr Leather spray for an occasional deep clean.

[Stutopia]

Good selection, you've got hours of fun there.

 

Get a bottle sprayer for your water lube in the clay phase. I'd splash out a couple of quid on a new and clean bottle like:

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plastic-Trigger-Bottle-Plants-Sprayer/dp/B00D12GD0A/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1402140708&sr=1-4&keywords=water+bottle+sprayer

 

If you must use something you have lying around, make sure it's properly clean inside and pump loads of water through the gun. You don't want remnants of last year's bathroom cleaner all over your totally bare paint!!!!

[mikejbry]

Ok, also ordered some FK1000p for my wheels, found one of your comparison threads ilogikal1!

[ilogikal1]

 

Always happy to spend other people's money.

[mikejbry]

All I can say is next weekend this car better be gleaming

[mikejbry]

Well 11 hours later, covered in sun burn and feeling totally knackard I cleaned my car today.

 

So washed her down, then had my first go at giving a car a clay bar treatment! Suprised at the amount of crap that was stuck to the paintwork, heres one of the front wings worth:

 

 

And the clay at the end

 

At this stage the paint was looking very dull, and a lot of swirls!

 

The fun part....first go on a machine polisher! I was suprised how user friendly the Autofinesse kit was, I didnt damage the paintwork at any stage which was something I was worried about.

 

After machine polishing the whole car 3 times using the Autofinesse revitalise kit. I used Poorboys Black hole glaze and the topped it off with Poorboys Nattys red wax.

Here are the results:

 

 

 

Just realised I need to polish my exhaust tips! Also need to wax the wheels and clean the windows, ran out of day light today. But I'm pleased with the results considering its my first go at anything like this!

 

Cheers for the help.

 

Mike

Edited June 16, 2014 by mikejbry

[Stutopia]

Looks like you've done a great job

 

Once you do a mammoth session like that it should be easy to keep on top of it and looking tip top with simple maintenance washes and a few waxes every now and again. Nice work, well worth it.

[GIXXERUK]

Looks great

[-Bradders-]

Looking good, feel free if you want any more cars to test your stuff on, to give me a call haha!