so after winter i usually do a complete detail on my car to bring back the full gloss of my paint.
i did a full wash with demineralized water(no minerals=no water spots) claybar treatment, polish, and wax.
if you want to polish your own car and have some questions, let me know. its pretty easy!
heres the pics! - all taken with my iphone
claybar process
after claybar, you can see how there is lots of swirl marks.
after claybar, from far - looks good, but lots of haze.
Polishing with a porter cable 7424 and Optimum polish
After polish - same area as the claybar pic with the light
Wax application- i apply the wax with my hand all over 1/2 of the car, then use a microfiber towel to remove it
LMAO.Looks good.Here is the question.How does it look in the sun.Also how long is it going to last. Did you burn your clear coat, and last but not least how long did it take you. I bet you spent 6 hours polishing your car from start to finish. So if you went to a mechanic shop and had something repaird, it would be 65 an hour as a minimum. 65 times 6 is 390. So when I say I will polish for anyone in N-E-C-C for 200 bucks.I think your getting a pretty good deal. I it turned out good. Awsome. Good for you. Alot of people just dont have the time and patients though.
not sure whats so funny…
answers to your questions:
-looks mint in the sun with a really deep gloss and shine. also the paint is smoother then glass.
-the wax should last 1-2 months as i used a liquid wax. next time i will use a paste wax with a coat of some synthetic wax ontop of it. considering i wash my car with demin water, and let my car air dry always, im sure it will last longer.
-didnt burn my clearcoat, its pretty hard to with an orbital buffer as long as you dont fall asleep polishing one spot
-took me about 8hrs from start to finish, not including washing
i have always taken care of my paint, so i didnt even need to use a compound. i used the softest pad i had and some polish and that took care of everything.
200$ is a pretty good deal. i paid maybe 400$ for all my supplies, and they should last me atleast 5 yrs.
supplies are cheap, its just time consuming.
you polish it every month?
i though when you polish your car, you taking a minimal amount of the clear coat off? and if you polish your paint every month, eventually you will run out of clear coat…
That’s why I have my orbital polisher that doesn’t remove all the material. You hate it because it doesn’t spin. I like it because I can’t lightly apply polish compound.
dennis i looked for my old simmonz polisher, but i must have already got rid of it.
there is a guy selling one on 780 in the classifieds for 35$ i think.
anyways heres what i have, maybe this will answer any questions you have
for the PC i dont have that exact package, i think mine was 250$ but i also got the backing plate and some other things with it that you would need to buy separate.
-i only used the blue poli seal bottle with the black pad in this 1 step polish that i did. i didnt even need to use the polish, or compound bottle with a harder pad.
-waxed with Meguiars #26 wax
all my polishes, pads, and cloths
pad that i used
all my pads
close up of polishes
and heres a pic of a pad scale so you have an idea why the pads are different colors
There is nothing better than waking up on a saturday morning, washing the car and then spending a few hours detailing it before noon. Then taking pride in your work over a case of beer that afternoon
Basically, you make time if you want to do it yourself.
When I get serious about detailing, it usually takes me waaay longer than that… more like 6-8 hours. (includes claying, at least 2 polishing steps, and an LSP)… after that I’m usually exhausted.
Car looks good as usual.
I have to do mine this weekend…not looking forward to it. I never do. Damn you guys for making me put my mostly stock car in the show. Maybe I can win best stock vehicle in Powerama. Ahahaha.
