ranthal

Just picked up a new Dark Gray Metallic 09 XT yesterday and one of the first things on my list is to get some good wax/sealant on this beauty to keep it looking great. I know there are already some other threads on this so I'm gonna go off of some of those and see what you guys recommend.

So when I got to work today I made sure to park in a nice open spot trying to avoid dings and such. Turns out the reason it was nice and open is everyone else knew about an effed up sprinkler that was just waiting and plotting to spray all over my beautiful new paint (sprinkler ->) and now there's a bunch of water spots all over the sides of my car. I saw some recommendations to use a microfiber cloth and vinegar to get rid of them-this was for on the paint right? Should I dilute the vinegar at all? After I wipe them off should I do anything to remove the vinegar like wash/rinse it? If it wasn't clear before that I'm a complete noob to having a car I actively care for it should be now but you know, it seems silly to get rid of water spots only to spray the car with water.

But I guess I'll have to wash the car anyways because then comes...

...some sort of wax/sealant deal to protect the paint and make it shine for a while. The two names I picked up on to do this were Klasse AIO and Turtle Wax ICE. Klasse seems to take the sealant route if I use it with Klasse High Gloss Sealant whereas Turtle Wax, well wax. What are the big differences and pros/cons? Is there some sort of combo of the waxing and sealing that people like to do?

Any other tips on ways to keep my paint job looking great? kthanx

 

ranthal

Oh and just crossed my mind. Along with all these different products what would you suggest I have in my car care kit? Microfiber cloths, good drying towels, washing supplies... any good brand suggestions?

green dimnd

There's a wealth of information on autopia.org and detailingbliss.com. For supplies, autogeek has a huge selection, but many other sites carry excellent supplies. Since you have swirl free finish to start with (unless the dealer threw a few swirls in for free), you will save a lot of future correction work by learning careful wash technique. There's a page on autogeek and autopia will also have a wash technique page. A few good waffle weaves for drying (4 for $28 with free shipping from wcdetail.com is an amazing deal), a good wash medium like a quality sheepskin mitt, a decent shampoo (Meguiar's, Poorboy's are both reasonable) and two buckets will get you started. Klasse is good, but AIO isn't really a pure sealant ( that would be their high gloss sealant glaze) and there are plenty of other sealants to choose from too (Duragloss, Meguiar's 21, etc.) You can top it with a decent carnauba, no need to break the bank to start with, Collinite, Meguiar's 26, and S100 are all under $20) You'll want something for the trim like Meguiar's 40, something to clean the wheels like S100 gel (if you have a local Harley shop), something for the tires like Poorboy's Bold and Bright, a few good microfibers, wax applicators, etc. and your Satudays will never be the same. And yes, the vinegar for water spots is meant for the paint,no need to dilute or rub real hard, just remove the water spots before your next wash or follow with a quick detailer spray if the car's already clean.

bettsyboy

good luck... my 09 DGM is making me OCD about chips, scratches and keeping it clean.

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09 Forester XT

ranthal

Thanks, reading up on autopia now and building my shopping list. I hate the smell of vinegar so I'm just counting down the days until Saturday so I can give it the full treatment but my roommate had a good laugh last night when I got home at 8 and went outside to wipe off some of the water spots

vicali

they are usually the same people that drool once your done and can't figure out why your car looks so good;



check out www.meguiarsonline.com too.

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mike

Daisy

Lone Ranger

Synthetic aerospace sealant:

RejeX®: So Slick, Bugs Can't Stick!

I put it on in October 2008 right after purchase of my '09. After midwest winter and six months she's still beading water aggressively. Shine is as good or better than carnuba waxes, and others.

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2009 DGM 2.5X 5MT

ranthal

so i went ahead and bought a klasse kit from amazon for about $45 plus shipping ( Amazon.com: Klasse Kit: Automotive) since a lot fo what i read recommended AIO and it saved some $$$ buying the kit. i went with meguiar's for the wash/detailing needs. after a long saturday detailing, washing, applying coats etc it came out great. most of the people who live at my apt complex probably think i'm crazy since i was out working on it for a good part of the day but once i was done some of my neighbors i talked to afterwards were damn impressed and want my advice on it now i was really impressed when the AIO pretty much got rid of a little scratch i accidentally put on the driver's side door not paying attention with the hood.

for anyone who has used the klasse high gloss sealant what's a good way to tell if you buffed it all off? i'm still seeing some streaks from it here and there that a quick rub with a microfiber removes but it all depends on the lighting.

i might move on to some carnauba at some point or another sealant later but for the time being i really recommend the klasse kit for an affordable first buy if you haven't done this sort of thing before.

Kean

Klasse SG is renowned for being finicky. ....part of the reason I never bought it years ago when I first tried the AIO. I would hunt around in the Autopia forums to see what others have done to help in the removal of the product. It may help to makes sure you are using several clean towels to buff the product off (turning often and grabbing a fresh one as needed). A wipe down with a QD (quick detailer) may help. ....again, I've never used the SG so I don’t know help well it plays with other products.

Personally, I think the Klasse twins were good products in their day (and still perform relatively well). However, with newer products and formulations with comparable (or better) characteristics/durability, I just don't feel they are really worth considering anymore.

ranthal

Yeah I buy that. A lot of what I read here and other places like Autopia highly recommended AIO but not so much SG, mostly just bought it for an easy on the wallet combo.

I did end up using detailing spray and some microfibers on it which seemed to do the trick. It rained around here the past week as you well know (So Cal!) and it was awesome watching the rain bead off. I'm going to give it it's first wash since I applied the sealant this weekend (3 wks) so it'll be a good test to see how it looks after.

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2009 DGM XT Ltd

Kean

....I'll wager it looks even better after this first wash. I found that to be the case with some products in the past that have left a light film/residue. I ran a across a thread not too long ago from a user on Autopia that swore his method works the best for applying/reoving SG. ....if I run across it, I will let you know.

btw, that first mist/rain last week sucked. I took my '03 out that day (freshly cleaned) and it got coated with oil/grime from the road.

jkoppee

hey just wanted to bring this thread back up after looking at pics of brewpub's amazing detailing work on his ride. I've also got myself an '09 dark grey metallic foz that made my OCD even worse then before. I tried reading up on the sights listed above and there's just tons of info on there all over the place but none that give a run down of what to do start to finish. So I was hoping to get some advice from brewpub or those that keep their cars looking as great. It's just really hard putting all the information into one thought when it's all over the place and everyone gives different opinions.

So could anyone give a run down of what they do to wash and detail a car, for instance instead of getting a bunch of ideas of what might be better and what someone's used and what others have said I was hoping to get

When washing the car
I do this first using xxx
then I use xxx next,
then use this product after
then finish with xxx

When waxing a car you should only do it every so often
and then what you use.

Anyone willing to give a quick write up for me? It would be much appreciated

adc

I just keep it clean and don't even wax anymore. My car always looks good. I have found that frequent waxings do'nt protect the finish a whole lot over time.

After 3 years a good claying and wax will make them look about the same. I just have better things to do. Besides..taking immaculate care and some idiot scrapes you in the parking lot..ftl. To each his own. I've gone through that stage. :D But after 1 3/4 years my engine compartment looks like it just came from the factory. :)

I used to use the Meguiar's #26 and ShowCar detailer.

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Be careful what you wish for.

Kean

....the first part of the quote above is the unfortunate truth. There is no simple, definitive answer. There are a myriad of products and techniques and many of them lead to results each may feel is satisfactory. In a nutshell, there are some basic do's and don'ts but in the end, all roads lead to Rome. It really depends on what solutions work for you. Even reputable detailers will freely admit they are still perfecting their technique. The constant introduction of new products, new processes, etc. make these discussions even more dynamic. .....rinseless vs. traditional washing, wash media (lambswool, MF, BHB, etc.), drying tools/techniques, APC's, brushes, etc. It is likely everyone will have different combinations, methods, favorite products and tools that essentially do the same job (some arguably better than others). As a result, each answer to your question will basically be a different opinion. .....you're back to square one. Having said all of that, (for what it's worth) I will list out a brief outline of the products I "currently" use the most (or ones I am currently trying):

Washing (Wheels / Wheel Wells)
- Bucket w/Grit Gaurd
- boars hair wheel brush (BHB) (for wheel face/spokes)
- EZ Detail Brush (for inner hub/between spokes/parts of caliper)
- 1" round BHB (for lugnut holes/caliper/areas that the other brushes might miss)
- Car Wash Soap (sometimes Gold Class, ONR or an APC like Meguiars APC+ (diluted 4:1) when excessively dirty).
- assortment of nylon brushes for wells, etc.

Washing - Traditional (Paint)
- Genuine lambswool wash mitt.
- BHB (for lower rocker panels/trim, mud flaps, grille, etc.)
- currently using a Foam gun w/car wash soap (currently Gold Class but I am experimenting with ONR)
- rinse bucket with Grit Guard
- 1" round BHB for trim/seals
- inline sediment & soft water filters

Washing - Rinseless (Paint)
(still trying this out to see how/if it will work in my normal routine)
- Genuine lambswool wash mitt.
- BHB (for lower rocker panels/trim, mud flaps, grille, etc.)
- Bucket with Grit Guard with ONR (Optimum No Rinse) solution.
- Spray bottle with QD strength ONR solution (for pre-wash application that I let dwell).
- several good quality MF towels (for wiping down/drying)

Drying (after traditional wash)
- electric blower
- MF waffle-weave towels (for paint)
- multi-purpose MF towels (for door jambs, wheels/tires, etc.).

"Dressing"
- Black Wow (when needed to rejuvenate some plastic bits)
- 303 Aerospace Protectant (for trim, seals & tires)
- foam applicators & multi-purpose MF towels

Polishing
- Clay (as needed....I typically use Clay Magic)
- Optimum Polish (typically all I need on my '03 & '08 Subaru for correction)
- Porter Cable dual action polisher
- Lake Country CCS 5.5" pads (several orange, white and gray)
- an assortment of other compounds/polishes for various applications and that I use as the need arises.
- Cobra MF towels (for product removal)
- 50/50 IPA/distilled water solution for final wipedown
- 3M plastic polish or Meguiars Plast-X for the headlamps/taillamps (as needed), or when polishing the whole car I will sometimes use the same product for this purpose.
- painters tape (to tape off trim)

Wax/Sealant
- Zaino Z-5, Z-2, Z-AIO
- Optimum Opti-Seal (OS)
- foam applicators (for the OS)
- CCS foam hand applicators (tying with the OS and Zaino)
- Cobra MF towels (for product removal)

Interior
- multi-purpose MF towels
- compressed air
- shop vac
- 303 Carpet/Fabric Cleaner (as needed)
- assortment of small brushes
- 1Z (Einzsett) Cockpit Premium (for dash/trim)
- 50/50 IPA sol for wipedown of windows

Quick Detailer
- Cobra MF towels
- I was trying Meguiars (#34) Final Inspection and (more recently) ONR solution (QD strength).

I know I'm forgetting some stuff but that is basically what I currently use for each process. However, my personal opinion is that perhaps you should start out with some basic materials first and work from there. Get a feel for what you may want to change or add to your arsenal/process. Several of the big detailing vendors even provide kits for those who are just staring out which will include (for example) a bucket, wash media, soap, MF towels, etc. If I needed just the basics, I would probably pick the following:

- Wash bucket (preferably 2 with Grit Gaurds.....one for soap and the other for rinsing the wash media)
- Wash Media (a good lambswool or MF)
- Car Soap (something like Gold Class is readily available at local part retailers and is a decent product with good lubricity....there are many others).
- MF waffle-weave towels (for drying).
- several good quality MF towels for product removal from paint, buffing, etc.
- several "multi-purpose" quality MF towels for jobs that you don’t want to subject your good towels to.
- foam & MF applicators
- an MF-specific detergent (like Micro Restore) ...or something clean rinsing without perfumes/softeners (to soak/wash your MF pads/towels)

Add your choice of dressing(s), polish, glass cleaner & waxes/sealants. I say "your choice" since it really depends on your specific application. There really is no "one" wax or polish that works perfectly for every situation or individual. It really depends on several factors including how it is applied, the condition of the finish, your expectations, etc.

As far as steps/techniques I could write another novel but I don’t see why when there are some good sources for this information already (this is roughly in the order I usually do these things myself):

Engine Cleaning/Detailing
Engine Cleaning & Detailing - Autopia.org

Washing/Drying
Washing & Drying - Autopia.org

Claying
Detailing Clay & Pre-wax Cleaning - Autopia.org

Polishing
Polishing Paint to Perfection - Autopia.org
Paint Clinic - Autopia.org
Over Polishing Paint - Autopia.org

Waxing
How-to Properly Wax Your Car - Autopia.org

Interior
Car Interior Detailing - Autopia.org

Trim Care
Detailing Car Trim - Autopia.org

Glass & Plastic
Detailing Automotive Glass & Plastic - Autopia.org

Quick Detailing
Quick Detailing - Autopia.org

I hope this has helped organize the general process for you (from my perspective) at least to some extent.

jkoppee

wow kean, haven't check back to this thread in a while but that writeup is exactly what I was looking for, thank you.

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09 2.5x Prem Dark Grey Metallic