Detailing Confusion and Questions
 

I recently got my car and I'm a bit confused with all the steps required to detail my car. Last night I purchased a few items from the WalMart/Canadian Tire here just to tide me over till I figure out what professional products I want. I also wanted to clean my car and didn't want to wait a month or so before I figured stuff out and ordered it. Anyways here's what I bought:

- Meguair's Gold Class Shampoo
- Black Magic Tire Dressing Spray (water based)
- Mothers Clay Bar kit
- Meguair's NXT Wax

Chenille wash mitt, two buckets, six microfiber clothes, and a gigantic microfiber drying towel which I plan to return and get a microfiber waffle towel instead.

The car is about a week old and is coloured white with a clear bra. Here are the questions.

1. Are the products I've picked good enough? Again, here in Canada, at least to my knowledge, we don't have access to stores like Pep Boys and other automotive stores that sell the higher end products.

2. Is there a way I can tell whether or not I need to use a clay bar? When I first got it I felt the paint with the back of my index finger and hand and it seemed smooth. Should I still go with the clay bar? I purchased that paint protection business from them (yes I know some people are against it but what's done is done). Does that have any effect on anything?

3. If I go ahead and use the clay bar on my car does that mean that I have to first wash the car with dish soap to strip the wax? From what I understand the clay bar will remove small particles as well as the wax leaving me with clean surface. Is this correct?

4. If the wax doesn't get stripped with the clay bar and I have to use dish soap should I clean the car again with the Meguairs shampoo after I clay bar or can I just wax it?

5. If the clay bar does remove the wax is it still a good idea to wash the car again after the clay bar has been applied and then wax the car?

6. Can the clay bar be used on the windows? Is there any point in doing so?

7. Will using the Meguairs NXT on the clear bra cause any discouloration or should I be worried about using it on the clear bra? Do you use the same method of waxing on it like you would on the car itself (small sections, buff, move to next section)?

8. Can I use the Meguairs NXT on the sport wheels after I clean them (and after I clean the car) for added protection. I would be cleaning the wheels with a simple soap and water solution as it sounds like that's the best way to go.

I think that's about it. If you have any additional comments or suggestions I would love to hear them. I'm going to clean my car on Saturday morning as well as my girlfriend's Civic (provided I have time). I'll report back with my experience.

[QUOTE=CaptainSlow;571540]I recently got my car and I'm a bit confused with all the steps required to detail my car. Last night I purchased a few items from the WalMart/Canadian Tire here just to tide me over till I figure out what professional products I want. I also wanted to clean my car and didn't want to wait a month or so before I figured stuff out and ordered it. Anyways here's what I bought:

- Meguair's Gold Class Shampoo
- Black Magic Tire Dressing Spray (water based)
- Mothers Clay Bar kit
- Meguair's NXT Wax

Chenille wash mitt, two buckets, six microfiber clothes, and a gigantic microfiber drying towel which I plan to return and get a microfiber waffle towel instead.

The car is about a week old and is coloured white with a clear bra. Here are the questions.

1. Are the products I've picked good enough? Again, here in Canada, at least to my knowledge, we don't have access to stores like Pep Boys and other automotive stores that sell the higher end products. All ok, I don't use your tire spray. I do not like silicone tire spray (it throws the silicone off the tire while you drive!).

2. Is there a way I can tell whether or not I need to use a clay bar? When I first got it I felt the paint with the back of my index finger and hand and it seemed smooth. Should I still go with the clay bar? I purchased that paint protection business from them (yes I know some people are against it but what's done is done). Does that have any effect on anything? Clay away! One must use a detail spray to lube the clay. Don't forget the silicone hand mit!

3. If I go ahead and use the clay bar on my car does that mean that I have to first wash the car with dish soap to strip the wax? From what I understand the clay bar will remove small particles as well as the wax leaving me with clean surface. Is this correct? Yes.

4. If the wax doesn't get stripped with the clay bar and I have to use dish soap should I clean the car again with the Meguairs shampoo after I clay bar or can I just wax it? Try fingernail test first.

5. If the clay bar does removes the wax, is it still a good idea to wash the car again after the clay bar has been applied and then wax the car? I would polish after claying the car; followed by washing off any polish; then wax.

6. Can the clay bar be used on the windows? Is there any point in doing so? Yes. [COLOR="Blue"]I do this whenever I clay the painted surfaces followed by polishing the glass with glass polish; then re-cleaning with glass cleaner.[/COLOR]

7. Will using the Meguairs NXT on the clear bra cause any discouloration or should I be worried about using it on the clear bra? Do you use the same method of waxing on it like you would on the car itself (small sections, buff, move to next section)? I don not know. I use "PLEXUS" PLASTIC CLEANER/POLISHER. Comes in spray can.

8. Can I use the Meguairs NXT on the sport wheels after I clean them (and after I clean the car) for added protection. I would be cleaning the wheels with a simple soap and water solution as it sounds like that's the best way to go. Clay first with a separate clay bar, then wax. I jack up the car and remove the tire/rims, to clean, clay, then wax once a year.

I think that's about it. If you have any additional comments or suggestions I would love to hear them. I'm going to clean my car on Saturday morning as well as my girlfriend's Civic (provided I have time). I'll report back with my experience. Clean,clay,polish your GF car first for love benfits![/QUOTE]:tup:

Watch the videos!
Car Care Tips: How to Wax Your Car to Classic Car Restoration, Your Guide to Car Detailing

Order your cleaning stuff from EShine.ca, I did and has no regrets. I believe they give advice over the phone but I didn't need it cos of all the info i gathered on this forum!

I don't think you need to use dish soap to remove the wax, this idea was started by zaino. I just wash my car using zaino soap. But it probably won't hurt the paint if you do use dish soap. When you clay be sure to spray a mixture of car soap and water as you clay, don't just spray and start claying. If you're going to clay the car I recommend you buy a porter cable polisher, it will make it easier and quicker to remove any scratches you create after claying and also the swirl marks the dealer made. There is a ton of info on this forum and online how to get things done.

wash and dry
clay
wash and dry
polish
wax

I use zaino soap, 4 white pads for the porter cable, menzerna final polish, optimum spray wax, zaino detail spray.

Auto Detailing Guide - Detailed Image

Thanks for the tips. So what I'll do is:

1. Wash the car with the Meguairs shampoo
2. Clay with the Mothers Clay Bar
3. Wash the car again with the Meguairs shampoo
4. Polish the car (I'll get this: Autoglym Super Resin Polish
5. Wax with the Meguairs NXT

So according the links I apply the polish lightly and then use more force to work it in. This doesn't scratch the paint even more?

I don't have foam applicators but I got 100% cotton ones. Are those okay or should I go with foam? I picked those over the foam because the foam seem as soft (does that matter when it comes to applying polish and wax?)

There is no need to wash after the polish? Just make sure to clean it with a microfiber cloth?

A polish is supposed to remove the fine scratches, something you can't really do by hand. If a towel is all you have then I guess that works.

After you're done with polishing you can wipe down the car with a solution of rubbing alcohol and water, to remove the oils left by the polish. I didn't do this because I use a spray on wax which I can apply as often as I wash the z. But for most people, they will wax the car a couple times a year and they want the wax to stick.

But polish is suppose to deeper the wax shine! Wiping it with alcohol will eliminate that!

Wash
Clay
wipe off all residue or wash(if your polishing next step doesn't really matter)
Polish
Seal
Wax

No tire dressing with silicon in it. bad for tires. Learn how to clay the car, its very easy. that sutff you have isn't bad but you can ge ta lot better for about the same or little more. I really like and primarily use Optimum no rinse wash, as it serves a wash, quick detailer and clay lube. A good one step polish try XMT360, it is a light polish and has a built in sealent I have had great results on it with my white pathfinder and silver Z (both new) and provides good protection. Optimum Spray wax as a quick LSP that lasts a long time and has very good protection as well. The Biggest thing I could reccomend is Meg's APC+ as you can get a Gallon for like 15 bucks and make different ration bottles for cleaning wheels, engine bay, interior/exterior, carpets... stuff works wonders.

Remove step 4 and you are good to go. You should get good at steps 1,2,3,5 before you start to use any thing harsh.

So polish is a no go? It looked fairly straightforward as to the application. I used to regularly wax my Jetta when I had it. The only thing I haven't done is the clay bar and the polish. I figured as long as I take my time and tape off areas I thought it would be okay (albeit it might take a while as I would be doing it by hand).

So just hold off on the polish till the fall or something after I get a few washes on the 370Z under by belt?

Looking at the page, i guess you can use it. I thought it was a product that helps correct scratches. After watching the video on the page i realized it is not one of those products. So go for it.

polishing helps paint by correction and giving a deeper shine and clearity. go for it.

polish will help give you that lasting shine under the wax!

Thanks for all the tips. Everything went quite well and the car shines. What I did notice was that right near the gas cap, next to the rear light, the paint isn't very smooth. The paint around it feels like glass but that particular section doesn't feel very smooth at all. Is that normal for cars or should I try and go over it again with some clay bar?