Basic question on washing

bigaudiofanat · 11-17-2013, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lionheart

Just bought a new 370z and have some newbie questions on keeping it clean.

In the FAQ sticky it recommends a full exterior detail 2x/yr. What do you do and how often in between those full details?

Do I have it right that a full exterior detail is 1) shampooing 2) claying 3)waxing 4) polishing?

So what do I do to maintain the wax and polish? Do you simply hose it down and microfiber dry once or twice a wk to maintain the wax? Or do you wash soap as well?

Thanks

A great questions to ask. A full detail depends on a few things in the year of driving. Have you worn off your wax? How well do you maintain a clean car properly meaning not introducing new swirls. and so on. I myself because I pickup very few new swirls in a year will only do a light polishing and a full 2 day detail once a year. With a nice in depth washing/cleaning a few times a year without any polishing or claying. The rule of thumb is you should keep your hands off your paint as much as possible and keep it as nice as possible to the point your happy with it. Polishing twice a year can really cut down on how much clear coat you have. Even when I do a full detail I only go after the spots that need swirl correction or get marring from claying. I wish my car at least every other week, once a week if it gets bad as it does sit outside, with 2 bucket method and foam gun to insure I keep scratching and swirls to a min.

As for what products you use can also effect what your results are. I prefer uber from detailers domain over adams as I have used them both.

Junkman2008 · 11-17-2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigaudiofanat

... Polishing twice a year can really cut down on how much clear coat you have.

That's like saying that you can die from driving fast, without defining what "fast" is. What an elderly person may consider fast could be slower than the posted speed limit. Driving slower than the posted speed limit could get you killed in a large city.

It depends on the polisher and polish that you are using, as well as your technique. I may touch up my paint 10 times a year, but I am only using a very light polish and finishing pad, along with the PC because that's all the power I need. So you really can't make a blanket statement like that without defining exactly what is being used.

bigaudiofanat · 11-17-2013, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

That's like saying that you can die from driving fast, without defining what "fast" is. What an elderly person may consider fast could be slower than the posted speed limit. Driving slower than the posted speed limit could get you killed in a large city.

It depends on the polisher and polish that you are using, as well as your technique. I may touch up my paint 10 times a year, but I am only using a very light polish and finishing pad, along with the PC because that's all the power I need. So you really can't make a blanket statement like that without defining exactly what is being used.

Very true, let me go into detail a bit, if your using a compound once a year your cutting a lot of clear coat off. Where as I use a finishing polish like FF 3000 and a orange or white pad for my yearly work unless a spot needs more extensive correction.

Junkman2008 · 11-17-2013, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigaudiofanat

Very true, let me go into detail a bit, if your using a compound once a year your cutting a lot of clear coat off. Where as I use a finishing polish like FF 3000 and a orange or white pad for my yearly work unless a spot needs more extensive correction.

I'll go along with that. Although once you have fully corrected your paint, you should never have a need to use anything more aggressive than a white pad. That's is, if you are properly touching your paint. Of course this only applies as long as something never happens to your paint that was beyond your control (like a fat woman with a garbage bag for a purse grinding up against your paint as she goes by).

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