[loudmouthzls1]

basic info on the care of your paint.
1.Wash your car often- i do at least twice a week but thats just me
2.Never use dishsoap on your car strips all the layers of wax off your car
3.Try to get a coat a wax on your car a month
4.All waxes are not created equal
5.Paste wax and liquid wax work equally as well its personal preference
6.Wax doesnt make your car glossy it just protects your paint
7.polish is wat gives your paint that wet and glossy look
8.If at all possible try to prep your cars paint before u wax , polish it otherwise u just rub the dirt and other contaminents into the paint
9. never wax in direct sunlight
10. do tires and rims speratley
11. avoid using harsh chemical on chrome or aluminum wheels use a soft brush and carwash soap

there are a lot of other things that i didnt meantion but if u have any question on wax polish washing your car etc just ask .

 

[ThrashN]

Clay bars

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

dish soap isnt a bad thing... i usually hit mine once a year to strip all the wax.. start fresh

 

[loudmouthzls1]

well i wouldnt call it good for ur paint...unless u wanna take all the wax off.. but a cleaner wax or clay bar should do that safley to

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

oh yea couldnt agree with you more... its definetly not good for paint but i figure once a year isnt going to hurt it any more than it sitting out in the sun... plus i like using it before i claybar to gaurantee im getting a good clean prep before i start polishing/waxing... heres my typical spring cleaning ritual... im sure i left out things....1. dawn wash... save wheels and tires and wheel wells for last 2. claybar. 3. dawn wash 4. chamois... use air hose or leaf blower to get all the water out... dont forget door jams and rear hatches 5. then start buffing/rubbing/polishng/waxing... of course there is always rock chip repair and scratches to take out... then detailing engine bays.. and interior.. etc etc... and the gf wonders what i do out in the garage

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

oh just curious... does claybaring actually strip wax?... had a customer ask me that the other day and i told him i didnt think it did... but wasnt sure

 

[loudmouthzls1]

oh just curious... does claybaring actually strip wax?... had a customer ask me that the other day and i told him i didnt think it did... but wasnt sure

yes it does it takes off everything...hence why its so smooth afterward

 

[Bawls]

A few pre-notes, I don?t recommend washing in direct sunlight. Make sure the paint surface is cool. This will prevent premature drying and water spots which are harsh minerals that can damage your finish.

1. I would never touch my car with soap made to wash dishes. Detergents such as Dawn can dull your cars finish faster. Using a quality car wash shampoo such as Maguire?s, is very gentle to paint, plastics, and rubber.

2. Use a lint free chamois, I like the absorber. I also use on occasion the California water blade, but am careful with this, because one contaminant can scratch your finish. Others I've seen use microfibre drying cloths.

3. As Kyle said about the air hose, etc. I use a wet-vac (filter cleaned regularly) and I never use it if I recently vacuumed with it. Always be sure no small particles will fly out.

4. For interior detailing I've been using makeup brushes to clean debris from crevice, such as air vents, console, interior door handle, switches, etc. They are usually made of horse hair and will not scratch the plastics/vinyl such as a toothbrush. After that?s done, I vacuum, and then use 3M upholstery/carpet foam. Work it lightly into the carpet and seats with my fingers. Then vacuum everything again to help drying.

For more information check out http://www.guidetodetailing.com/art...php?articleId=9

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

yes it does it takes off everything...hence why its so smooth afterward

so why does the water still bead?

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

nice write up bryan

 

[Chris 96 WS6]

so why does the water still bead?

Water beads due to minerals and stuff in the water (they form the "kernel" of the bead), and because of the surface tension of water causes it to want to hold together.

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

so why is it that at work i can take a car... strip it of all wax... with a body prep solvent.... then claybar it and it doesnt bead... but wax a car.. then claybar it... the water beads... not tryingto start a war over claybars... just had a discussion about this very topic about a month ago... my argument was that a claybar does not break down wax.. it doesnt heat it up and "melt it away... it simply lifts off fall out (rail dust) and other contaminents on your paint.... the only way that i know to remove wax is by using chemicals... (solvents, dawn, other harsh detergents found in some car soaps) or let the sun "bake" it off... like i said... im nottrying to argue... i just would like to see some proof that claybars actually remove wax

 

[loudmouthzls1]

well u would think since claybar pretty much takes off all layers of dirt and debris off the clear coat it wouldnt be very had to take off wax...according to meguires.com the only thing that is left on ur car is the lubricant u used to lubricate the clay

 

[2000blackta]

so why is it that at work i can take a car... strip it of all wax... with a body prep solvent.... then claybar it and it doesnt bead... but wax a car.. then claybar it... the water beads... not tryingto start a war over claybars... just had a discussion about this very topic about a month ago... my argument was that a claybar does not break down wax.. it doesnt heat it up and "melt it away... it simply lifts off fall out (rail dust) and other contaminents on your paint.... the only way that i know to remove wax is by using chemicals... (solvents, dawn, other harsh detergents found in some car soaps) or let the sun "bake" it off... like i said... im nottrying to argue... i just would like to see some proof that claybars actually remove wax

According to Zaino's website you are correct. A chemical agent (such as the ones that you stated) are for stripping the wax. An abrasive polish (which is different from a wax or a sealant) such as Menzerna Intensive Polish, Final Polish II, Zaino ZPC, etc will also strip the wax from the finish as it is actually "cutting" your clear coat, effectively removing the wax. You should only use a wax such as carnuba (sp?) or a sealant such as Z2 Pro from Zaino after you have gotten the finish exactly as you want it (removing and not just filling in swirls, and removing other paint defects). You should also not wax and then attempt to use a sealant over top of the wax as it won't properly adhere due to the wax. I am no expert and am only posting this from things that at I have read and tried myself, but it works pretty damn well for me :thumbsup:

 

[SlowPurpleLT1]

thats what i thought... ive started a debate at work and with customers over what will take wax off and what wont

 

[CivicKiller]

F.Y.I. link don't work. I'm not trying to sound stupid, but a step by step process of preping your car for a wash and what to do to it after you wash it would be nice.

 

[Unloader13]

Clay bars do take some of the wax off, but it smooths it down. So the wax layer is totally flat and the clay bar takes off the hills and valleys that the wax could leave behind.

 

[Torque655]

So from what I have gathered from this thread, this is the proper order of cleaning the exterior or a car:

1. Wash with car soap
2. Clay Bar
3. Polishing compound
4. Wax

Sound right?

What do you recommend as the best brand choices for each of those?

 

[babyjay]

Meguiars, I like how most of the products smell good too.

 

[JOELTHEBEANER]

Is it safe to use purple power and water to detail the engine on my 96TA? Pressure washer?