Making my Red Radiant Again! Input needed

Hey guys! Few questions for you detailing Pro's.

What do you think about this kit from ChemicalGuys?

http://www.chemicalguys.com/Porter_Cable_7424xp_Performance_Shine_Kit_with_f_p/hol_668.htm

I bought my truck used last year. And it had its fair share of scratches, chips and touch-ups. I actually noticed that part of the front bumper has been resprayed, as well as a new fender over the drivers front wheel has been installed. Plus what looks to be a new fender-flare that was painted at a shop because the paint is much thicker than my other 3. Cant see hardly any of the plastic dimpling that makes them more dull than the surrounding paint.

What I want to do is level out the paint that has been sprayed on my front bumper. This part was pretty shitty and there are actually some drips in it.

Also there are a fair amount of scratches, some that are only in the clear coat. Some that are deeper. mostly from trees on the trail. I tried hand polishing these and it helped a lot but i think i need a real orbital to get them to fade away even more.


There are so many products to chose from its hard to know what is really right. I need to read more but wanted an opinion on that kit. its $225 right now with free shipping. Im sure that orbital will last me close to forever and i can use it on my older truck so i dont mind spending the money to do it right.

Here are some pictures of the damage i want to fix:









This last one is of some of the dripping in the paint. Its better than it was after i spend a half hour polishing this part, but I think i need to step it up. Sorry for the focus issues. Hard to get pictures of the scratches and not the reflections with my phone.

 

Nice truck.

Since you're new to detailing I'd recommend a polish and then a sealant followed by a decent wax.

There are many different options available although I'd recommend a product like meguiars m205, then a sealant (like black diamond) and then a wax of your choice.

Take your time, follow the instructions and use CLEAN microfiber towels. I see more people damage their clear coats by washing/drying/waxing with contaminated towels.

The kit you posted is a great start. You can achieve great results with an orbital buffer. Just make sure to tape off any plastics before going after it.

 

Thanks for the info, i do think i have slightly scratched up my truck by using one of those microfiber washing mits after getting shit in it. I read that a nice pure cotton or sheep wool one is good?

Do you have any info or opinion on the products that come in the kit in my first post? Just curious. I'm going to look and see where i can find what you have suggested as well.

 

Wash -> Clay -> Polish -> Sealant

Klasse All In One and Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze
Porter Cable Polisher (use orange cutting pad for polishing) CCS Smart Pads

 

It seems like everyone I talk with prefers a different product.

I like meguiars m105 since its basically an industry standard. I've taken the time to work with the m105 enough so I'm pretty comfortable using it.

Here is a CLK63 before and after. I spent over 10hours on this car to get the clearcoat back to acceptable condition...although it was far from perfect.





After. Again, the car wasn't perfect since some of the scratches were really deep. I made the decision to stop where I did because the owner was happy with the results.





As RoyR posted though, Klasse products are great too...it really depends on what you're looking for...and patience. Just read the directions and make sure your towels are clean!

 

Wow thanks for the replies. That's a hell of a difference you made on that CLK. Looks like I have some decisions to make.

 

Well, the PC is a must. EZ Creme glaze is amazing, but I wouldnt bother w/ the pro polish. I would also recommend going w/ meguiars. Use their 105, follow w/ their 205, and if you still have energy, top w/ EZCG and finally, wax (if you want to use CG, go w/ their 5050 wax, its awesome!)

 

Ok so I need to make a list and narrow this down:

Porter Cable 7424
m105
m205
EZCG - is this it? http://www.chemicalguys.com/EZ_Creme_GLAZE_p/gap_111_16.htm

Currently I'm using the Meguiars Nxt 2.0 Wax. So far it seems to work great, and is easy to hand do. Continue using this? Have read plenty of good things about it on the forum as well.

On autogeeks, they literally have 30 different kits to chose from for the PC. Is there one i should get or buy everything separate? Not sure if I;'m saving money by getting a kit because it probably will come with stuff i don't need or will replace..

Also how many pads should i get and of what color/size/type?
a few orange? and anything else? are the 5.5 inch the ideal size? I noticed they seem to also have 6.5 and probably others


Procedure:

Wash it,
Claybar,
#105
#205
Ez Creme Glaze
Seal
Wax

Whats the difference between sealing and waxing? Do you do both?

 

I'm pretty sure that the nxt wax will remove your base layer (ezcg in this case). So you could omit the ezcg and continue using the nxt wax or just go for something w/o any cleaners in it. Something like poorboys natty blue paste wax is nice and relatively inexpensive. Or do you prefer a liquid wax opposed to a paste?
For the pc, use a 4.7/8" (5") flexible backing plate. I found that the 5.5" pads worked best. Although you could go crazy w/ all the pads, I found that the orange ccs pad and white ccs pads worked perfectly for my needs. You could certainly experiment w/ other ones (hydrotech, flat, etc) as you may find one works better for you compared to another.

 

oh, and yes, that was the correct stuff that you linked to.

If you wanted to try one of their waxes, I did like their M-Seal for a liquid product: http://www.chemicalguys.com/BEST_CAR_WAX_p/wac_113_16.htm

or like I said, their 5050 was awesome.
http://www.chemicalguys.com/Carnauba_Paste_Wax_Limited_Edition_5050_Paste_Wax_p/wac_302.htm

 

I dont really have any preference. I did like the nxt 2.0 because it was really easy to apply and wipe off. But id rather get a better finish, so would going with the EZCG and the natty blue paste protect my clear/paint better?

 

Heres some other options I can recommend:

Super easy to use, and looks outstanding:
Can be a little finicky (according to some), but I never had a problem using it. Lasts forever!:
Always a good choice:
easier to use than 476, but liquid, so not as durable...can still expect 10+ weeks protection w/ no problems...
Another easy one to use:
eh, I'm sure thats enough suggestions for now

 

Haha, Too many options!!

My main goal after looking at everything you guys have suggested is to fix my clear coat and hide the scratches as much as possible, then protect it.

Is a good wax enough protection or is it better to use some type of sealer then a wax? I cant believe how many products they have on these sites. I feel like you could have a 40 step process if you wanted.

 

I guess you have a few options. You can always use up your nxt wax and try something new once your current bottle runs out.
Finish/appearance is subjective. Not only that, but a "better" finish may not PROTECT better than a less glossy finish. example... You can load up a finish w/ oil based glazes that will look outstanding and make the finish appear to be wet and a million miles deep, but those glazes wont last very long, based on their chemical makeup. A carnauba wax or synthetic sealant will protect longer, however the appearance may not be as impressive.

Sealants tend to outlast canaubas.

Carnaubas tend to have a deeper, glossier appearance than sealants.

imo, carnaubas protect better against bird droppings, etc, and sealants against pollutants.

You can layer certain products w/ no ill effect.

I prefer glazes and carnaubas on dark paint colors, sealants on very light colors.

Have I made this more confusing yet? lol

So let me just clarify by stating the ez creme glaze is not a "necessary" step in your lineup. It will add depth and it'll look great, but you could technically skip it to save you time and $.

If you really want protection, take a look at those collinite products I linked you to. (476, 845.. or even their 915). That'll be your best bet.

 

it'll drive you nuts! Trust me!

Do this...

105 w/ orange pad (will do the large majority of correction)
205 w/ white pad (will refine finish)
EZ Creme Glaze or poorboys black hole, to help hide remaining imperfections (http://www.detailedimage.com/Glaze-C14/)
Top with your choice of wax.


YOu'll be claying the truck prior to polishing, right?

 

It's hilarious to me that an Indigo Ink fellow is giving polishing advice to a Radiant Red fellow. My last tacoma was Indigo Ink and sneezing in it's direction would put scratches in that paint job. I feel for you both! They're nice looking trucks, but damn it man. Thats why when I traded up I got Super White.

 

M105/205 is a very good combo as suggested above and if you order before 6/24 you can get 20% off at detailedimage.com using the code SUMMER2011.

 

damm it cleann

 

Thanks for the info on the code, almost used it but would of had to split shipping with them and my other order for the porter cable and that killed all the savings the code got me. o well!

Yeah i have a Meguiars clay bar kit that I have only used a few times.


Done! Ordered it all up, ended up with 2 orange pads, 1 white and 1 gray. Ill post pics when im done! Also just sent sockmonkey a PM about some decals

Thanks for the help guys!

 

Just finished using this http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/detail/MEG+G3300 on my truck earlier today and it did a pretty good job.

Before


After


Overall