*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

I would try APC.

 

APC and a small stiff brush should do the trick. Consider a protectant after the residue is removed. I find it easier to use sealants and waxes that do not stain trim. That way I can get right up to the plastic bits without worry.

 

Ultima Waterless Wash + is the most versatile product in detailing! I use it to remove bird bombs, bugs, and smudges. If you are looking for something to use after a maintenance wash consider Duragloss Aquawax. With whatever product you choose make sure you use a high quality towel.

 

+1. The "waterless" products are pretty amazing. Adams has the waterless wash, and also released a rinseless wash recently as well. ONR is also very good.

For sealant, Adams has a "quick sealant" product that comes in a aerosol can. Will not stain any exterior surface, and lasts 6+ months. I use the liquid sealant on my body, but find the quick seal to be amazing for trim, wheels, glass etc.

 

Can anyone recommend a good combo for a one step/stage polish? Thinking about a lake country white pad with megs m205 on a flex polisher. Thanks.

 

The Megs 205 is usually used with 105 as a two step system.

Do you only have swirl marks to remove?

What do you have available at no additional cost to you?

If you have an orange pad you can try that with the m205. The white pad may leave some very light trails. Which ever way you go work the buffer across the surface slowly. As with any combo try it out on a 2ft section of the hood to see if you like the results before doing the entire vehicle.

Lots of guys like HD Speed product as a AIO one step.

I have used Megs D151 as a one step AIO with success. Usually with an orange pad.

 

I would def recommend CG Black Light if you are looking for an AIO! Works extremely well and application method truly determines results of what it is best at, either a polish or sealant or glaze.

 

I have swirl marks and water spots. Just looking to improve my paint but not make it flawless. It is my daily driver. Plan on buying the pads and polish product and rent the machine. I thought the orange pad was a more aggressive pad than the white. Not too sure though. Got more research to do.

 

Heard good things about it. Isn't it more of a glaze though. Might use it as the glaze after my polishing step. Then an LSP after it.

 

It is a little more aggressive but it works well getting rid of light swirl marks.

I would just skip the glaze. The fillers usually wash off after two washes.

 

It has glaze properties as well as a sealant and some very fine abrasives in it for a very light polish as well. If you use it with something like an LC gold pad it will act as a glaze and sealant. yet if you use it with say a blue LC pad it will act solely as a sealant, but if you use it with maybe a green or gray LC pad then it will act as a final polish with built in sealant. I have used it several times, think i am on my 2nd or 3rd bottle, and i typically use it with a gray pad and then top coat it with either jet seal or something like that and then whatever carnuba is next in the line up...

 

Thanks guys. Looking to get some good correction power but want it to finish out fine with no marring or micro swirls. If that makes sense? Might be tricky w a one step polish bit I will try.

 

I'm afraid you may have unrealistic expectations out of a one step. You say you want "good correction power" and "no swirls or marring". Unless I misunderstand what your idea of good correction power is, then you cant really get both out of a product. In order to make the good corrections then the polish has to abrasive enough to put the fine scratches and slight haze into the finish, then you have to step down to a finer polish to get those marks out and so on and so forth until you get to a finish polish, or if the correction needed is not that bad then you could use a less severe first polish and finish with an all in one. but an all in one is not going to be "the best polish" or "the best glaze" or even "the best sealant". because it is trying to be good at all three and a devoted sealant or glaze or very fine polish only has to be good at one thing.

Make sense? Hopefully you dont take that as me trying to burst your bubble, and instead take it as me trying to pass on the knowledge that Tom and others have shared with me.

BTW CG has a 10% sale on their PC

$139 7424xp PORTER-CABLE Car Polisher and Buffer, 6", Orbital, Variable Speed (7424XP)

7424xp's no coupon needed it just is instantly applied when you put it in your cart, so maybe you can use another coupon on top of that???

 

nvm misread

 

I have a set of XD rims black satin finish but the inside of the rims are looking pretty bad with brake dust what should I use to get the rims looking good again, I was also wondering if you could suggest something to keep up my plate bumpers they are powder coated satin black also.

 

Wash with your regular paint soap solution. Clay bar then seal with a synthetic sealant such as Meg's 21.

After doing the wheels with the clay bar plan on tossing the clay bar. Use 1/3 of a full clay bar rather than the entire bar.

If you like the sealant do a second coat.

 

Sub'd

 

Just washed my truck today because the weather forecast says it's not supposed to rain for a few days...But a few hours after I'm done washing/detailing..guess what?!?! It f'n rains!!!

 

Swissvax Opaque wax is designed for vehicles with matte paint jobs, but it is $$$$$. The container will last you a lifetime though for personal use. It's what goes on the lambos and ferraris you see rolling around in matte. There are more and more matte wax options popping up as matte paint has become trendy again lately.

The best way to keep the inside of those wheels looking good is to coat them with whatever wax or sealant you plan to use before you even have tires mounted on them. Then take them off once in a while and give them a good cleaning, reseal them. Your best bet now is to just take them off and go at them with an aggressive all purpose cleaner and a soft brush. Rinse them really well when you have them good and clean. You might be interested in a product like iron-x to dissolve all the brake dust that's become embedded into the wheel. Then you can follow up with a clay bar, final clean up with mild soap or 15% isopropyl alcohol, then seal them up.

 

When you say flex polisher do you mean the 3401VRG? If that is the case I'd recommend you try and find a place that can get you the meguiars microfiber polishing system. If you have an air compressor, this is the kit to get. Clean the pad off with your air nozzle at 90PSI after EVERY section, this is important to make it work. The 6" kit is pretty much designed for the flex 3401 because it is a forced rotation random orbital and has the extra kick to spin the larger pads, all other normal random orbitals (PC9424, Griots DA polisher, Megs G110) should use the 5" kit. It's about the most user friendly system I've ever seen, just use as they suggest in the videos.

If you don't want to spend any more money then there's no stopping you with the megs 205 on a white pad, that will be fine and will improve the look. If you find you want more correction than that, you can just use the same polish on an orange pad and get more correction, but you may get a bit of haze and have to clear that up by going over it again with the same polish and the white pad. Your choice. Clean the pad with a dedicated cloth after each section.

If you're using the flex rotary polisher than that's a whole different ball game. But I'm guessing that's not the case.

When you've finished polishing clean the polishing oils and residues off by washing with a wax stripping soap or dawn dish soap, and giving it a wipedown with 15% isopropyl alcohol if you want to. That will make your sealant last longer. Finally, apply your wax/sealant as your last step.