*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

[skichiiwa]

i dont really understand when to polish. correct me if im wrong.

you wash the truck with soap( good car soap)
clay the truck every 6 months or so or when particles are attached to the paint to smooth the surface.( bumpy ,not super smooth)
wax or seal to protect from environment . ie sun, rain etc.

and polish ... when and why? to remove swirls streaks? so if you wash, and seal enough you should not have to polish? super SMRT. sorry if you have answered already in this tread.

thanks for all your patience..

[glwood6]

I just got a 2006 Prerunner, and for the most part, the paint is in great condition. The dealer said they applied a paint 'sealer', and will re-apply it every 6 months if I bring it in...is that something I should take advantage of, or are they pulling my chain? Do they really put something on that protects the paint?

One other question- whoever previously had the truck had something in the bed like long lumber or something heavy that they leaned against the top of the cab. It scraped some paint off right on the corner, about 6-8 inches wide, about 1/4" high...can that be repaired by me without taking it to a paint shop? The truck is Desert Sand Mica. I'm not sure of the paint code, and have not looked for touch up paint yet. Would I also need to get clear if I attempt to repair this spot myself?

[mShu7]

glwood6 - Congrats on the new ride! The stuff the dealer puts on the paint is typically severely over-priced and isn't any better than what you can do in your driveway. It's a big-time profit making service. If you don't want to do it yourself, pay a QUALITY detailer to do it right. You'll pay far less and there will be far less risk of your paint being screwed up vs. going to a dealer (dealers are known for doing more harm than good when it comes to detailing). Obviously, waxing/sealing the paint yourself is by far the cheapest way to go. Meg's NXT is a great choice for an over-the-counter wax/sealant. If you want help finding a good detailer in your area, let me know. My email is mike@drivenautodetail.com .

As far as the scrape is concerned, can you post a pic? From the sounds of it, it's probably going to need a re-paint unfortunately.

[glwood6]

I should have been more clear on my original post. The paint sealant they offer is at no charge. They said to bring it in every 6 months to have it renewed...I'm not sure how long they will offer it, I need to check on the paperwork.

I will take some photos of the spot in question tonight and post them for you.

Originally Posted by mShu7

glwood6 - Congrats on the new ride! The stuff the dealer puts on the paint is typically severely over-priced and isn't any better than what you can do in your driveway. It's a big-time profit making service. If you don't want to do it yourself, pay a QUALITY detailer to do it right. You'll pay far less and there will be far less risk of your paint being screwed up vs. going to a dealer (dealers are known for doing more harm than good when it comes to detailing). Obviously, waxing/sealing the paint yourself is by far the cheapest way to go. Meg's NXT is a great choice for an over-the-counter wax/sealant. If you want help finding a good detailer in your area, let me know. My email is mike@drivenautodetail.com .

As far as the scrape is concerned, can you post a pic? From the sounds of it, it's probably going to need a re-paint unfortunately.

[mShu7]

I wouldn't let a dealership detailing department wash my car for free, if that tells you anything

I've seen way too many cars get abused due to bad wash techniques used at dealerships. Allowing them to do that, and anything else is a very bad idea!

[glwood6]

Originally Posted by mShu7

I wouldn't let a dealership detailing department wash my car for free, if that tells you anything

I've seen way too many cars get abused due to bad wash techniques used at dealerships. Allowing them to do that, and anything else is a very bad idea!

I see your point. They are not all that close anyway, so I probably wouldn't make it back out there after all. Thanks for your insight. I will have some photos of the scratched area hopefully tonight.

[mShu7]

No problem. Autopia.org is a great auto detailing forum if you care to learn more about that aspect of car care. You can also check out these tutorials here: http://www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/

[dude051]

Hello,

Awesome to see such a wealth of shared knowledge in this forum!

I have a few issues with keeping my new taco clean though:

1) My only water source for my home is from a water well. This water is practically unfiltered, and no processing is done on the water to my home. Geographically, we have a LOT of lime stone, and with all of this, the water is rock hard and due to coming straight from the ground has a fair amount of contaminates in it. Aside from going to a buddies house with city water, is there any additives I can work with to help my water condition when washing my truck? Also, although not economical, if I were to use the no rinse wash, maybe buy cheap water from jugs? I have tried to goto local car washes, but they all frown on using your own soaps for their water, so I have been un-successful with that...

2) My truck is black and we have a dirt road with no garage. Aside from washing my truck at least weekly, is there anyway to help the dust from not sticking to it?? I am planning to give it my own home polish then wax once I can properly wash it, but still, after a few days after a general wash it looks like I haven't washed in a month .

Thanks for any help ahead of time and rock on!

-J

[glwood6]

Originally Posted by mShu7

As far as the scrape is concerned, can you post a pic? From the sounds of it, it's probably going to need a re-paint unfortunately.

Here are four photos of the affected area:

Driver's side:


Driver's side a little closer:


Passenger side (longer area):


Another shot of the passenger side:


What do you think? I guess if it needs professional repainting, at least it is all in one area that has edges on all four sides that can be masked off...

[mShu7]

Originally Posted by dude051

Hello,

Awesome to see such a wealth of shared knowledge in this forum!

I have a few issues with keeping my new taco clean though:

1) My only water source for my home is from a water well. This water is practically unfiltered, and no processing is done on the water to my home. Geographically, we have a LOT of lime stone, and with all of this, the water is rock hard and due to coming straight from the ground has a fair amount of contaminates in it. Aside from going to a buddies house with city water, is there any additives I can work with to help my water condition when washing my truck? Also, although not economical, if I were to use the no rinse wash, maybe buy cheap water from jugs? I have tried to goto local car washes, but they all frown on using your own soaps for their water, so I have been un-successful with that...

2) My truck is black and we have a dirt road with no garage. Aside from washing my truck at least weekly, is there anyway to help the dust from not sticking to it?? I am planning to give it my own home polish then wax once I can properly wash it, but still, after a few days after a general wash it looks like I haven't washed in a month .

Thanks for any help ahead of time and rock on!

-J

That is unfortunate about the water situation. My suggestion would be washing with a product called Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine. It is a VERY popular wash product amongst the enthusiast detailers. I used it pretty much exclusively when I had a mobile operation. If you do a search on YouTube.com for "Optimum No Rinse" you'll find lots of video demo's. Look for the ones posted by user "Scottwax". He's a highly-respected mobile detailer in TX and ONR is all he uses.

As far as the dusting, I'd suggest again using ONR diluted to Quick Detailer strength and doing a wipe-down on your truck every 1-2 days.

[mShu7]

Originally Posted by glwood6

Here are four photos of the affected area:


What do you think? I guess if it needs professional repainting, at least it is all in one area that has edges on all four sides that can be masked off...

Unfortunately, it looks like re-paint city. Touching that up would cover the area to help prevent rust, but it's still going to be VERY noticeable. I'd try to find a reputable place that can re-spray those panels.

[supremetaco2]

i was wondering how to remove specks of paint from my window... xacto knife will work? ive also heard of wd40?

[rb11701]

Originally Posted by supremetaco2

i was wondering how to remove specks of paint from my window... xacto knife will work? ive also heard of wd40?

I would try a claybar first and see how it goes. Overspray removal was the first use of a claybar before the secret got out.

[skichiiwa]

few questions.

is it necessary to dry the car with a soft cloth after washing it ?

how often do you wax or seal?

do you need to wash twice month if you live in a rainy area?

[rb11701]

Originally Posted by skichiiwa

few questions.

is it necessary to dry the car with a soft cloth after washing it ?

how often do you wax or seal?

do you need to wash twice month if you live in a rainy area?

When drying, the softer the better. The reason is that there is a chance that you will add more swirls and scratches with a nonsoft towel. The absolute best way to dry a truck is using compressed air to blow out the major water areas. Then go back with a soft micro fiber towel. A waffle-weave micro fiber is best IMO. Remember, the most damage from your finish is from either washing poorly or drying poorly.

As for wax/sealing, in the summer, I do once every 2 weeks. The hot sun and elements will wear down a finish pretty good. However, once a month is fine if you are not nuts about detailing.

You don't 'need' to wash on any schedule. It is personal choice. If you have a dark color, the dirt will show quicker. Lighter color, longer time before dirt really looks bad. In the summer, I would wash every week. Wax every 2 weeks. I like doing it, so I didn't mind.

[dysfunctnlretard]

I was looking to get a long lasting protecting while also maintaining the deep shine of a wax so my plan is to wax and seal. Question is: what order do I go in? Wax first? Seal First?

[jbob]

after you rub all that stuff on there will they be any paint left?

[rb11701]

Originally Posted by dysfunctnlretard

I was looking to get a long lasting protecting while also maintaining the deep shine of a wax so my plan is to wax and seal. Question is: what order do I go in? Wax first? Seal First?

Seal it first. Then wax. Pay attention as some sealents need some time to cure before topping with anything.

[Tacomzz09]

Hi there, I cleaned my truck recently after a trip, and i have owned this truck for a year now, and after it dried, i got a Halogen light, turned off the lights in my garage and spotted a couple of minor scratches that cant be noticed without the Halogen lights, this is found throughout the body of the car, I am just wondering how can I get those scratches out, and im pretty sure it isnt a swirl, because all scratches are from left to right.

Thank you very much.

[rb11701]

You will need a machine polisher to get those out, as well as a agressive polish and a finishing polish. Getting them out by hand can be done, but it will be a mother and take a long time if those defects are all over the body.