*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

probably better to strip off the old wax when applying a new coat, and a clay bar is probably better suited to do that than dish soap. im not the resident detailer....but i figured i'd answer anyway.

 

what type of foam pad? polish pads are stiffer then the wax pads (soft to evenly spread wax/sealant across the paint).

dish soap is a great stripper to really clean your paint... if the truck stays outside and you have a hot or weathered climated, id wax once a month if you want to be on top of it.
i woudlnt necessarily strip it off each time you wax, only when you want to claybar/polish, etc.

 

rwdunky - Those cheap polishers aren't really good for anything other than applying wax/sealant. Reason is that because it's just not powerful enough to do any type of paint correction. If you're going to buy a machine polisher, there are many options. The cheapest option would be a Porter Cable 7424 (check AutoGeek.net for pricing).

bowzerdoo77 - Are you currently washing by hand 3 times a week? The more you wash, the faster your wax is going to wear away. That is why it is important to hand wash with a gentle shampoo. I'm am not a fan of using dish soap on a vehicle. I mean, it's dish soap. Just pick up some quality automotive shampoo at your local parts store. I would suggest waxing once a month. Refer to my first two posts for product recommendations.

 

hello all
my 08 tlacoma came off the truck today, white reg cab 4x4
I will let my detail dept wash it but then i think i will clay bar, polish and then wax. all with maguiar products. what would be a good product to use on the black wheel arch moldings

 

Be careful of who you let wash it. One incorrect hand wash can put scratches in the paint.

For the wheel arch moldings, you can use a tire shine or pick up some Aerospace 303 Protectant from Autogeek.net. Just make sure you wipe the arches down to remove excess product. Meguiar's High Endurance (purple gel) would probably be a good OTC product to use.

 

thanks for the info I do handwash 3 times a week if it is not raining here.. so I will stick to the once a month waxing and with a good wax the water just beads right off in the morning while I drive to work..

 

Anytime!

 

I've had good results with Meguiar's scratch X and also Harley Davidson's scratch and swirl remover. Wizard's products are also a favorite. I hate to hear I've been wasting my time waxing cars by hand all these years having never owned a power buffer.

The young man that bought my last one seemed rather impressed with the way the paint had held up on a nine year old truck. He bought it to celebrate his 81st birthday.

 

wax and polish are completely different things.

doesnt matter how you apply wax, by hand, oribital... however you prefer, the results will be the same. its not an abrasive, it just offers paint protection and a nice shine, not paint correction as a polish is meant for.
a polish needs to be worked into the paint, and broken down by heat created from the friction, as it "smoothes" out your swirl marks and scratches. this is impossible to duplicate when you apply it by hand.
there are 2 types of polishes, non abrasive and abrasive. the non abrasive just act as a "filler" and fill in scratches, where the abrasives remove them.

 

The size and kinds of scratches I've had to remove were with different polishes rubbed by hand in small circular patterns providing enough friction that it worked for me. This was followed by waxing, also by hand. Good results, just been lucky I guess.

If these methods don't work for me it was bad enough to take to the body shop and let them use the big guns. Lucky several friends are body shop owners.

 

Mike, am I correct that you don't think much of Armor-All, or are there places you would use it on a truck?

Thanks!

 

Just say no to Armor-All! LOL. The ONLY place I would use it would be the fender wells. The foaming spray works great for this area.

Anthony - Are you Anthony O. ? If so, glad to see you here!

 

Not me.

 

Ok.

 

hey mike. i just picked up some meguairs #26. what is the best cloth or sponge to use? thanx -rick

 

If you're applying it by hand, a microfiber applicator (blue rectangle type) work well. Then use a good microfiber towel to remove it after it's hazed over. Just make sure you don't use any terry cloth. Also, if you have a Target near you, they have the best micofiber products by a brand called Vroom. Like everything else, microfiber quality varies greatly. To test a MF product, rub it over a blank CD. If it leaves scratches on the CD, its not good for your paint. It it does NOT scratch the CD, you're golden. When you wash MF towels, don't wash them with anything else as the lint from the other stuff will collect lint on the MF towels. MF by itself won't lint. Also, don't use any fabric softener.

Good luck!

 

thanx for the info mike. makers of these products tell you to use terry cloth. and to wash microfibers with fab. softener. screw them. im taking your advice. thanx again

 

What is the best way to get wax off of the plastic parts (door handles, fenders, etc.) ?

I seem to have been a bit over zealous with the wax and have got it on some of the pastic on one side.

 

Anytime!

I'm still trying to find the perfect solution to this. You can try WD40 or even peanut butter. I know Griot's Garage makes a product for this situation (as to a few others. Once you have it removed, be sure to follow it up with some sort of trim protectant.

Also, to avoid this problem in the future, you could step up to boutique waxes. These more expensive waxes don't stain trim, and some in fact, can be used on trim. DP Max Wax is one of my favorites. You can get it at AutoGeek.net.

 

Did some searching and found my question in another thread. Mother's trim protectant was suggested to the other question asker. I tried it and it seems to have work ok. I think the best bet is to be more careful, but it works in a pinch.