*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

Also if you feel like it. Post pictures. I wanna see how bad sun tan lotion stick onto car paint. Lol

 

Last night I applied wax stripper and then clay barred the panel. Even with the wax stripped I still had to apply a fair amount of pressure when rubbing the clay bar to get any of the sun block off. If I run my hand over the sun block speckles I can't feel them but if I look at the right angle I can see them. There are still about 10% of the sun screen speclkes remaining so I'll have to try hand applying the polishing compound to get those off.

I should have taken photos last weekend but didn't think about that. This stuff is almost the same color as the clear coat, at least when it dries. I'm sure it didn't help that it had been baking onto my truck for the past couple months before I noticed it.

 

If Sunblock does that to your paint, makes you wonder what it does to your children's skin...

 

Well hopefully all kids who use sunblock get a bath more often than my truck does so it doesn't become embedded into their skin. Plus old skin flakes off so I figure the sunblock would eventually fall off too.
And I'll bet it would have rubbed off a lot easier had I caught it earlier.

Polishing compound did the trick and pulled the remaining sunblock off the panel. I barely used any pressure when rubbing it onto the panel. I applied a coat of wax to the panel after removing the polishing compound and now the panel looks good as new.

@PackCon Thanks for the advice.

 

How well does this work?

 

This is the only video i've found of it: https://youtu.be/kfpcB1BSH80

I really like it. It is chinese, so its not the best thing in the world but for what i intend to use it for...its fantastic. I use it to wash my bikes/atvs. I'll use it on the engine bay, bed, and under carriage of my truck. I'll also use it to throw a quick spray off on the truck in hunting season instead of spending $5-10 at the car wash every week

 

Interesting. I picked up a used MTM foam cannon off a detailing forum. It has made in Italy on it. Maybe its just the sticker made in Italy. lol.

He had to use a lot of soap for the cannon. I typically use maybe a 1/4 of the container full of soap and I can do a couple of cars with that. Maybe it was the cheap soap he was using.

 

He was definitely doing it with cheap soap. I can do my bike three times with a couple table spoons of adams car shampoo

 

I mix it with hot water in the container and leave it settle while i set up the pressure washer and everything else. Then make sure its totally topped off before i hook it up.

Obviously the more soap you use, the more foam you get.

 

Speaking of foam cannons, what pressure washers do you guys own? Do you recommend it?

I spent $80 on a Torx foam cannon and the day after it arrived my pressure washer took a dive so I've never used it.

Now I'm looking for a new washer. Hoping to get a nice gas one around $200 but thats probably if I can get a used one. I like the 2500-3000 psi range but I'm not sure what range is safe for cars.

 

I have a question for the detailers out there.

I'm getting my new truck tomorrow, and I've been looking at stocking up on detailing and cleaning supplies, I'm pretty overwhelmed.

My old truck I've had for 15 years, I used to wash and wax it weekly. But it was a work truck, and I was in construction, it took a beating. Every time I washed it I would find more dents and scratches etc, the last few years I only washed it every few months, and just used turtlewax car wash and wax in one, and armor-all wipes on the inside, wind-ex on the windows etc.

Well apparently that's the absolute wrong way to be doing things. There's just so many new products now, compared to when I was religiously washing my vechicle 10+ years ago. So I've been looking at kits that have a lot of what I would need, I don't want to buy a bunch of things I don't need. I have an older buffer, but it's a cheapy and will get a new one down the road.

I've read some on the chemical guys stuff, that it's decent. I've thought about getting these two kits:

Chemical Guys HOL203 Black Car Care Kit (9 Items)

$100 Chemical Guys HOL203 Black Car Care Kit, 9 Items

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017W5JOT8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LQjNzb1CM2GR4

Chemical Guys HOL134 Best Complete Wheel, Rim, and Tire Kit, 16 fl. oz (10 Items)

$95 Chemical Guys HOL134 Best Complete Wheel, Rim, and Tire Kit, 16 fl. oz, 10 Items

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0849J3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xRjNzb0DRN00N

I would like to know, if those are ok deals, are if I'd be better buying individual products.

The clay bars, I notice there's hard, medium, soft. Is medium a good choice to start?

It would be nice if I could find one complete car kit, with everything for the interior/exterior, wheels and tires. I haven't found anything as of yet.

This stuff adds up quickly, it's going to cut into my seat cover money. If you all think that's a rip off, I'd like to know your opinions. There so many products out there.

Thank you for your time

-Dave

 

I wouldn't bother with the black car care kit. Look for something with a good sealant. By the way I have a couple of products over in my sale thread in the 2nd gen marketplace (shameless plug )

I would start with soft clay bar especially for a new vehicle. Toyota paint tends to be soft so you run the risk of marring with an aggressive clay.

What kind of buffer is your old buffer? Depending upon what it is, you may want to pitch it. Hopes it not one of them from Walmart...don't ask me how know that they don't work.

I recommend looking at Autogeek.net and cruising their forums along with Adams Polishes. By the way, don't buy anything from any site without a discount code. All major sites run 15-20% off sales all the time.

 

I think it's better to buy individual products for the specific needs you have. I think it's more effecient because you don't waste money on a product you might not use.

I use a lot of Chemical Guys products. I started out with their stuff and haven't bought a product I haven't been impressed by yet so I just stick with them.

I use their wheel brushes and Diablo Wheel Gel. I think those are great. I think their Decon De-Ironizer is a must have for everyone. I use it about every 3rd wash on my truck (it's expensive). Makes my wheels so clean I could eat off them. I do think the wheel kit though is a little much if you just have OEM wheels. Also a lot of $$$.

Since your truck is new, I would focus on cleaning products vs. paint corrective products. Looks like that's what you are doing. I also highly recommend you do NOT buy a black truck if you want to get into detailing. Black will drive you nuts, because you'll work so hard to keep it looking nice and it will stay that way for about 20 minutes LOL. But do what you will.

It's hard to narrow down things you "need" to start out with but these are products I use all the time I think are essential:

• pH Balanced soap that is sealer and wax safe
• two buckets (wash and rinse)
• two grit gaurds
• wash mit (I like the deadlock kind)
• Drying Microfiber Towels (x2)
• Clay Bar Kit (Mother's makes a great one) I personally like the medium clay, the light ones are too light for any good work
• MF Towels in different colors for different products (nothing wrong with getting huge cheap packages of them)
• If you want to wax, I think the Butter Wet Wax is great. Super easy to put on, you can put it on glass, and it's so easy to buff off. Also smells like bananas (which by the way bees and wasps love, so if you have an allergy to their stings might want to avoid).
• Wheel soap/cleaner (go with a high quality product not a cheap one that could damage your wheels)
• Wheel brushes
• Interior Detailer
• Good glass cleaner

I think those are pretty much the basics

 

I have not been able to find a coupon code for AutoGeek that actually works. I see a lot out there but but they do not work.

 

Thanks for the tips guys! Any help is always appreciated. Was just needing some guidance in the right direction.

About the black truck... My Dakota I'm selling was a real pretty blue, it was a major pain to keep clean. I told myself I'd never buy a black truck.

I live out in the country, my driveway is gravel. When it's dry out, there's dust everywhere. I told myself I'd never buy a black truck.

I work at a Cement Plant. There a quarry, Cat 777 haul trucks and equipment, running around. We make dust, lots of it, and sell it. I told myself I'd never buy a black truck.

I was test driving a white TRD at the dealership the other day, I told myself I wasn't going to buy a black truck. Then I seen this:


...and I freaking bought a black truck.


I'm picking it up tomorrow.

 

Sign up for their newsletter first. Second, frequent the site especially on weekends. I never buy anything there without a code/sale. I bought GTechniq Crystal Serum Light and Exo v3 for $80. Normally it's $115

 

Black is O.K. if you wash and hand dry it every week. One of these days I'm going to have my black paint Line-X'ed so I can quit drying and waxing it.

 

Excellent. Thanks.

 

Currently have this: https://www.yamahamotorsports.com/pressure-washer/models/pw3028

Absolutely love it. Couldn't recommend it more.