Car Detailing Tips

[DaveXR8]

Hi all,

I thought i'd share some detailing tips with all the Toyota owners which I have learnt and discovered throughtout my time of detailing.

First off will be Washing.

Always wash in the shade or out of the sun.

Some of you may have heard of the 2 bucket method.

This is where you have 1 bucket which contains the car wash solution diluted with water and the other is just plain water.

When chosing your car wash solution, make sure you go for a pH neatural one. This ensures that it does not contain any solvents or acidic ingresients which can cause damage to your paint work.

I like to use a lambswool wash mit and recommend washing your vehicle from the top down. Make sure you rinse your wash mitt in the water only bucket after each panel. This helps minimise the amount of dirt left in the wash mitt and will make it less likley to cause swirl marks on your paint work.

Always work in a horizontal or back and forth motion.

I dunno if its just me but swirls seem to mainly form in circular motions.

Once vehicle has been washed rinse with a hose or pressure washer from the top down making sure you give the gaps in between the exterior trims a good blast as they can hold a fair amount of dirt.

When drying it is best to use a waffle weave microfibre towel.

They absorb more water than the average chamois and is less likely to scratch the paint surface.

Hope this helps some of the enthusiasts out there.

More to come soon.

Have fun:D

[DaveXR8]

Waxes and Sealants

Proberly the most asked about by every enthusisast.

Waxes and sealants are the final process when detailing paint surfaces. This is the icing on the cake.

Although waxes and sealants do add to the gloss and shine of the paint, it all depends on how well you prepare the surface before the final wax/sealant is applied. This consists of proper washing, claying, compounding and polishing(if needed). The smoother and defect free your paint is the better results you will get out of your wax or sealant.

Carnauba wax

Carnauba is a natural wax which is derived from the Brazilian carnauba palm. This is natures hardest wax, which provides temporary protection and an awsome finish. This is used highly by show car enthusiasts and offers a deeper finish on darker cars. Carnauba wax usually last up to an average of 3 months. When reapplying wax it is important ot make sure that you remove the old wax with a surface cleaner or prepsol because if old wax gets built up it can start to streak and haze depending on humidity conditions.

There are carnauba waxes in paste and liquid form. Always go for the paste as this is how they are when they are extracted from the palm. The carnauba wax is broken down when it is liquid form so it will not contain as much of the natural carnauba.

Synthetic Wax

Synthetic wax is usually made from polymers or acrylic resins.

The polymers give it longer lasting protection, usually up to 6 months and is easier to apply and buff off.

Although it protects better it does not give the depth and clarity as well as what carnauba wax does.

Also, if the paint surface is not prepared proplery before the application of the wax it can highlight the defects and make it stand out more than usual.

Sealant

Sealants are usually arcrylic which makes it the best out of all for protection as it cures more harder and lasts more longer than waxes, usually anywhere from 6-12 months. What a sealant does is it creates a molecular blanket which sits on top of your paint. It gives a better shine compared to the synthetic wax and the good thing about sealants is that once its cured you can layer it or apply carnauba wax over it to give it the showroom shine and finish.

I personally like to use sealants because protection is the main priority and if the surface is prepped properly it can creat some outstanding finishes.

Application of waxes and sealants are very easy.

Make sure your car is cleaned prepped and dried properly, especially aound exterior trims as they can hold water and if the water runs onto the sealant/wax when applying it it can cause white spots and hazing.

use a foam applicator pad and and apply some of the wax or sealnt onto the pad and work onto paint surface using a back and forth motion to prevent any swirls. Apply it to the whole car then wait about 15 minutes and buff off with a microfibre towel starting from where you started off first working your way to the end. It is important not to apply too much the first time around because only a certain amount will cure onto the paint and all the rest will be buffed off. If you want more protection then layer it after it has cured. Curing usually takes 12-24 hours depending on the product.

Heres a pic of too much wax

This is what you should see when waxing/sealing. only a light haze of it.

Happy motoring:wave:

[Wixy]

awesome write up there dave,

just want to let people know though regarding the shine of carnauba wax vs synthetic wax. i think thats a bit of a personal debate as to which gives out a better shine. ive noted its a 50/50 game of which wax has more clarity to shine, so there should be no overall universal assessment of which is has the greater depth and clarity of shine. It should be kept as an opinion than a fact sheet.

i have seen and used/use synthetics which maintain a deeper gloss than its' natural counterpart, but then again, its what my eyes tell me, and its what my opinion is based upon. Others will differ or concur with me.

the best part is for the consumer, and you guys, to compare with your own eyes via a half bonnet comparison. 1 half a synthetic, and the other half a carnauba and your eyes will tell you. however, products will vary with shine, hence there is no universal assessment.

and damn, wots with the guy doing his teggie? that job looks horrific, or its not wax lol.

[DaveXR8]

Good point you've made there Wixy.

It all depends on the finish which the owner of the vehicle is looking to achieve.

Paint preparation plays a big part in how well your selant or wax finishes off the paint.

If a surface is not prepped properly then it can cause the product to not bond/cure properly.

If you wax your car regularly then a paint cleanser, wax remover or light polish should be used every 6 months or so to remove old wax and contaminants and to prevent old wax building up.

[GReddy_ES]

I dunno if its just me but swirls seem to mainly form in circular motions.

the theory behind not washing,waxing or polishing in circular motion is becos u'll see scratches/swirls from all directions compared to doing it in horizontal/vertical motions where u'll only see it from certain angles.

And also to note that its recommended to polish or wax ur car in straight lines and not in circular motion as in the pic of the guy doing the Integra.Reason is same as above.You dun want to put circular marks/scratches in ur paint.

With regards to using pure carnauba wax,it definitely gives a better finish.But then again,be prepared to fork out big money for quality wax.Swissvax starts from abt $125 for a tub of 200ml Wax(30% per vol. carnauba).Reason why it gives a better finish is becos of the larger amount of carnauba in the wax compared to synthetic waxes.We try alot of Meguairs polish and waxes and compared to the Swissvax..its just heaven and earth.There's just no way Meguairs wax can outshine/outlast the Swissvax waxes.

Well thats just my 2 cents worth :D

Edited November 11, 2008 by GReddy_ES

[whitestivo]

brilliant post davexr8

two buckets, simple and yet what a top idea

thanks

whitestivo

[DaveXR8]

brilliant post davexr8

two buckets, simple and yet what a top idea

thanks

whitestivo

Thanks mate.

Some people dont realize this but swirls are mainly caused by incorrect washing and drying methods.

Drive through car washes, foam bruses at self serve washes and the use of normal terry towels are the main culprits.

Cheers :D

Dave

[GReddy_ES]

brilliant post davexr8

two buckets, simple and yet what a top idea

thanks

whitestivo

Thanks mate.

Some people dont realize this but swirls are mainly caused by incorrect washing and drying methods.

Drive through car washes, foam bruses at self serve washes and the use of normal terry towels are the main culprits.

Cheers :D

Dave

Not to mention wiping over a dusty/dirty car :P haha

[Wixy]

Not to mention wiping over a dusty/dirty car :P haha

LOL tell me about it.

i was @ the servo car wash the other day, and saw people washing their cars buy just spraying water, then pulling it out in the sun shine and using chamois to wipe a DIRTY DIRTY CAR!

it was a black car too....sigh. i would kill for a black camry, itd look weird, but man, its sooo difficult to work with a single stage white, without a garage and without low voltage swirl-see/xenon lights.

on that note, i would imagine swissvax would be a better product seeing they are targeted for different consumer retail markets, and not to mention the cost! meguiars best professional wax is most likely a mix between high tech yellow wax and a mix between #21 synthetic sealant and polymer sealant. on consumer level, its just techwax2.0 or gold class.

1 bottle of swissvax wax would cost the total of all of them meguiars above, and anywho, if i had a 200K+ car, i would using something else other than meguiars, would you?

[Wixy]

Good point you've made there Wixy.

It all depends on the finish which the owner of the vehicle is looking to achieve.

Paint preparation plays a big part in how well your selant or wax finishes off the paint.

If a surface is not prepped properly then it can cause the product to not bond/cure properly.

If you wax your car regularly then a paint cleanser, wax remover or light polish should be used every 6 months or so to remove old wax and contaminants and to prevent old wax building up.

u know what i need? im sooooo lazy, i need a liquid claybar formula that rids bonded contaminates without the fussy of claying - turtlewax ice is not a considered a solution! hehe.

im finding everytime i wax, around 1mth later i will be wanting to wax again, and i'll find decent amount of that sandy feeling on the bonnet. sucks when one doesnt have a garage, and that i travel on a freeway which is constantly having roadworks.

[GReddy_ES]

1 bottle of swissvax wax would cost the total of all of them meguiars above, and anywho, if i had a 200K+ car, i would using something else other than meguiars, would you?

if i had a 200K+ car..i'd definitely only finish it with Swissvax!:)

[DaveXR8]

Comounding, Polsihing and Filling

There are 3 main ways which you can remove defects such as light scratches, swirls, water spots, scuffs etc out of your paint work.

These 3 processes can be done by either hand or machine(rotary).

Doing it by hand will be alot more safer but will take alot more longer to get the desired results.

Machine polishing is more quicker and results are alot more better but this can only done by a trained professional as there are many different techniques used with machine polishing and if done wrong can leave severe holograms and buffer trails.

Example: Stands out like dogs n%ts on black paint

A rotary can also generate alot of heat and if not constantly in motion it can burn through the paint.

You also have the option of using a Random Orbital polisher. An RO combined with the right polish can be used to remove ligth to medium swirls and leave a hologram free finish.

Alot of detailers like to use RO's to finish off dark coloured paint.

When applying these, only work at a 2x2 ft area at a time. The reason for this is that once the product is exposed to air it can dry if not worked constantly. If the product dries and you are stiff buffing, this will cause buffer trails. This is called dry buffing.

When choosing which compound or polish to use always start from the least abrasive. If this does not work, do not jump up to the next abrasive compound but instead move up in levels of the pads first. This is safer as there is a smaller jump in abrasiveness in pads than there is with compounds and polishes.

Fillers

As the title says, fillers work by filling up light swirls and preps the paint for the final coat of wax or sealant and helps level the paint aswell. These are also known as glazes. All in ones do a similar job as well but AIO's clean, fill and protect.

Fillers are non abrasive so it wont cut back any paint so this is recommended for cars which have been machine polished before or have thin paint.

Polish

Polsihes are light abrasives which are mainly used to remove light swirls holograms and buffer trails left by heavey compounding.

Most polishes can remove anywhere from 1800-2500 grit scratches.

If you want the best finish out of a polish when applying it by machine you should only work to a max of 1500rpm for a couple passes and when you notice the polish starting to break down then reduce the speed to 1200 for 1 pass then to 900 then again down to 600.

The higher speeds help remove the defects as where the lower speeds finishes off the polishing and gives it a nice glossy and shiny look.

Compounding

This is done by using a high abrasive compound and different level pads to cut back layers of the paint or clear coat. Compounds are able to buff out any where from 600-1200 grit scratches.

After using a compound you must follow it up with a polish to remove any of the buffer trails or holograms left by the heavey compounding.

Compounds cut through layers of paint very quickly so when working compound with a rotary you will find that you wont have to work it as long as you do with a polish.

If doing this by machine all you need to do is smear the compound over the area that you will be working and run it at 1500rpm for a couple passes ONLY then stop and check. Look and see if it has removed the defect. Also, rub your finger over the top of the paint. If the colour has come onto your finer then you have buffed past the clear coat which is a no no and you will have to stop at that.

If no coloured paint has come off then continue but make sure you check it after every pass till the defect is gone.

This is a before and after shot of a 2 step polish which invloved swirl remover and glaze.

Happy Motoring:wave:

[GReddy_ES]

Doing it by hand will be alot more safer but will take alot more longer to get the desired results.

Doing it by hand also would give a result that wouldn't last.Faded,scratched or swirls marks would be back after a couple of months at most or once the "fillers" are gone.You also probably wouldn't need fillers once the car's buffed up and swirl/scratch free.Just a good polish and wax would be good enough.

[DaveXR8]

Doing it by hand will be alot more safer but will take alot more longer to get the desired results.

Doing it by hand also would give a result that wouldn't last.Faded,scratched or swirls marks would be back after a couple of months at most or once the "fillers" are gone.You also probably wouldn't need fillers once the car's buffed up and swirl/scratch free.Just a good polish and wax would be good enough.

Fillers are only a temporary fix which will wash out over time.

If you are after a permanent solution then using abrasive polishes and followed up with a good wax or sealant would be the go.

[GReddy_ES]

Doing it by hand will be alot more safer but will take alot more longer to get the desired results.

Doing it by hand also would give a result that wouldn't last.Faded,scratched or swirls marks would be back after a couple of months at most or once the "fillers" are gone.You also probably wouldn't need fillers once the car's buffed up and swirl/scratch free.Just a good polish and wax would be good enough.

Fillers are only a temporary fix which will wash out over time.

If you are after a permanent solution then using abrasive polishes and followed up with a good wax or sealant would be the go.

ermm isn't that what i said :P

[DaveXR8]

Doing it by hand will be alot more safer but will take alot more longer to get the desired results.

Doing it by hand also would give a result that wouldn't last.Faded,scratched or swirls marks would be back after a couple of months at most or once the "fillers" are gone.You also probably wouldn't need fillers once the car's buffed up and swirl/scratch free.Just a good polish and wax would be good enough.

Fillers are only a temporary fix which will wash out over time.

If you are after a permanent solution then using abrasive polishes and followed up with a good wax or sealant would be the go.

ermm isn't that what i said :P

my mind must be doubling up

[DaveXR8]

I was speaking to my local Spray painter today about newly applied paint.

If you have recently gotten your car resprayed or is planning to make sure you do not apply any sealants or waxes to it straight away.

Even though the car does get baked in the spray booth for a certain amount of time to help the paint cure faster, the paint doesnt actually cure fully for at least a couple months.

Fresh paint needs air and heat to cure properly and if a sealant/wax is applied it blocks these out and suffocates the paint. Because of this it may cause the paint job to go dull over a short period of time.

So if you have just resprayed your car, wait a couple months before you apply any protection to your car.

Cheers :D

Dave

[DaveXR8]

Oxidation

Oxidation is the process involving paint deterioration.

Oxidation occurs by the combination of heat and oxygen breaking down the structure of the paint and causing the appearance to look dull, faded, hazy and chalky.

Automotive paints contain basic oils in them and when exposed to UV over a period of time these oils dry up and this is what causes layers of paint to oxidize.

The only way to cure this is to undergo a complete paint correction to bring up a new layer and renourish the paint.

If your paint has started to flake then it cannot be corrected. it will need to be resprayed.

Paint Correction

Paint correction use to be known as Cut, Buff & Polish. What a paint correction does is that it levels out the paint or clearcoat but cutting back on it to even it out the paint defects and orange peel. This is usually done by machine (rotary or orbital polisher) and requires multiple steps with combinations of different pads and polishies to achieve the best correction possible and to rejuvinate the paints shine.

Paint correction takes time to complete as it is more of a precision job where it constantly needs to be checked with high powered halogens to make sure no hazing or buffer trails are left behind. An average correction can take anywhere from 5-10 hours but i have seen some take up to 18hours. This is mainly with cars that have hard ceramic clear coats and is harder to penetrate.

Toyota paints usually have a medium to soft grade of paint so correction can be done in a reasonable amount of time but only once the right combination of pads and polishes have been worked out.

Thats all for now.

Happy Motoring:wave:

[DaveXR8]

Hi all,

It's been a while since I've posted anything on this thread so I thought it was time to add something.

Nearly everyone I speak to asks about polishing their vehilce but seems to be gobb smacked when I mention all the different methods that can be used so heres a bit of a run down on polishes and methods which can be used to polish up your car.

Wet Sanding

Wet sanding is where really fine sand paper (1400-2000 grit) is used to level out paint finishes or to spot remove imperfections. This is used only when buffing and polishing will not be effective enough to remove the defect because constant machine polishing in one spot can lead to burning the paint.

Once the imperfection is levelled out as much as possible you will need to polish the paint to remove the marks left from wetsanding.

Compounding

Compounding is where a heavey cutting polish is used to remove heavey oxidation, scratches and fading in the clear.

I have come across some Toyotas with fairly soft paint and have found that heavey compounding is not nessassary unless the paint has been very neglected.

Products- Menzerna Powergloss/IP, Prima Cut, Megs Ultra cut compound.

Polishing

A polish is a light abrasive which is designed to remove light oxidation, light scratches and swirls and any RIDS(rotary induced dealer swirls) or buffer trails left by heavey compounding. Polsihing will also leave the paint with a nice glossy finish.

Products- Menzerna 106ff/85rd, Prima swirl/Finish, PB swirl removers, Megs #9

Glaze

This is a non abrasive polish which is also known as fillers. Some people are against glazes/fillers but they do have a place in the detailing world.

Glazes are best used when there is not a suffecient amount of clear left on the paint to do a decent correction on. Glazes will help fill in light swirls and scratches and leave the paint with a smooth sleek feel. Glazes can also be used as a paint enhancer after a correction is done.

Prima Amigo is the only glaze at the moment which is polymer based which means it can have an application of sealant or wax applied straight on top of it.

Cheers :D

Dave

[SamF]

Great info, keep up he good work.

[Saiya]

Im gonna pin this topic really good information right here. Excellent work DaveXR8.

[DaveXR8]

Im gonna pin this topic really good information right here. Excellent work DaveXR8.

Thanks Saiya

[DaveXR8]

Hey all! Hope everyone had a good Xmas.

Today I thought Id post up the process which I do on the exterior of my car every 6 months.

Every 6 months I do a full exterior detail which involves:

Wheels A wheel cleaner is sprayed on then a wheel brush is used to agitate any caked on brake dust and dirt. This is then pressure cleaned. I then use Driven Finish Restorer to polish up the rims and spokes then protected with Driven Auto/ Marine polish or Bilt-Hamber Auto Balm.

Dewaxing (remove old wax/sealant) diluted 1:1 prepsolve or multi purpose cleaner. I use a pressurised spray bottle to spray it onto the car then once the whole car is covered then I hose it down.

Wash(2 bucket method) The whole car is washed using double the amount of wash solution then I normally do as this will help remove any wax/sealant that might have been missed. Start from top as this will force any dirt to run down to the bottom of the car. Then hose or rinse off.

ClayCar is clayed with Bilt-Hamber Auto clay or Clay Magic Blue with soapy water. Being done every 6 months there is usually minimal contaminants which will show up on the clay but it will still feel smoother than what you start with.

Hose & Rinse again

Dry I dry my car using a large Microfibre Waffle Weave towel. When drying I always do it in a side to side motion. This will decrease the chance of inducing any swirls. Then I use a smaller W/W to dry the door, boot & bonnet jambs. Windows are wound down slightly and the top of the window is dried aswell.

Polish or GlazeIf the paint has developed any webbing or minor swirls I will then use a finishing polish (Prima Finish or Menzerna 85rd) to deep clean the paint and remove any light paint defects.

I will then follow it up with a Glaze (Prima Amigo) to enhance the finish of the paint and add extra slickness to the finish. If paint is still in good condition I will skip the finishing polish and go straight to glazing.

LSP (Last Step Product, sealant/wax) a LSP is then applied. I tend to change it around between brands such as Driven, Wolfgang, P21s, Zaino and Victoria wax. I apply 1 coat and let it cure for 12-24 hours then a second coat is applied.

Windows Cleaned with Prima Clarity and a general purpose M/F towel and Tyres shined with CG Tyre gel(applied with applicator pad)

This process will usually take up to a full day (7-9 hours) but it all depends whether you do the polishing and glazing by hand or machine. Its a daunting task but its well worth it when you stand back and and think to yourself..."man that car looks good!"

Happy and safe holidays and have a great New Year!

Dave

[DaveXR8]

Water Spots

Water spots are caused when a vechile is not dried properly.

Regular water from taps contain minerals such as Calcium and metals which when left to dry in the sun can etch itself into your cars paint work. Rain water can contain more harmful elements such as acid which wil cause more damage faster.

The best way to prevent water spots it to make sure your car is dried properly after a wash. It is recommended to use a good Microfibre Waffle Weave towel as these are highly absorbent and is soft enought so it doesnt induce any swirl marks on the paint while drying. I also like to follow it up with a smaller Waffle Weave towel to ensure that I have not missed any areas.

If you notice any water spots on your vehicle when it is dry, attend to it straight away with some Quick Detailer and MF towel. If it does not wipe off then it needs to be polished out with some fine to medium abrasive polish.

Water spots can be a pr!ck to remove when left to bake in so the quicker you attend to it the easier it will be.

Here is what a water spot looks like. Wipe with QD and towel. It should remove the dry minerals but if you still can see the outline of the spot then that is when it has caused damage to the paint.

Cheers :)

Dave

[DaveXR8]

Ive pulled this link from another website for you guys and girls to see. It shows you what damages are caused from different types of car washes.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=PZjWkB_q2lE

Only trust yourself I say when it comes to cleaning your car!

Cheers :D

Dave