Awesome!! If I decide to go with a gloss paint job i'll be sure to be getting a kit lol.
Awesome!! If I decide to go with a gloss paint job i'll be sure to be getting a kit lol.
I use the mother's claybar but cant stand their wax. Meg's NXT Spray detailer works a lot better as lube for the claybar, soapy water also works well. Be sure to wash your car again after you clay it. Ideally you'd put a coat of paint sealant on after that, then some polish, and top it all off with some wax.
02 WRX Sport Wagon
No need to wash the car after you clay it. Just maket sure to wipe uo the clay residue after claying the panel. The order is clay, polish, wax, and seal. It is a waste of sealant if you put it on before you polish because the polish will just remove it.Originally Posted by GTScoob
Everybody's got their own method. The wash after claybarring is a quickie, just enough to make sure all of the spray detailer is off the car and the clay residue is all gone.
Also before you claybar make sure you wash your car with some diluted dish soap to strip all of the remaining wax off the car.
02 WRX Sport Wagon
hey what if you put a little bit of degreaser in the 'car wash' bucket along with the dish soap?
Might work if you dilute it enough. Degreaser along with dish soap is very harsh on the clear coat but works to strip products/contaminants off the paint so you have a good base for the clay bar. I normally just grab a little Dawn from the kitchen.
2 bucket washing system is also key, especially if you're doing a detail of this level.
02 WRX Sport Wagon
Thanks for the neg reps bitch. Maybe you should learn how to detail cars, like I said before, everybody has their own methods. If you want your car to look like shit because you put products straight on top of the car after claybarring go right ahead but I'd rather spend the time to have it look perfect.
GTFO noob.
02 WRX Sport Wagon
Regular Detail start to finish, no buffer and unbiased to any specific brand product:
1) In a shaded area lightly spray the entire car down to soften up the surface debri, mildly mix a degreaser [simplegreen, etc.] with warm water in a sprayer (preferably one in each hand) and spray the entire car down. Rinse the car from top to bottom with low pressure as needed...never ever use high pressure. If you are not polishing and waxing the car SKIP THIS STEP, this will remove all of that.
**2) This step is optional but highly suggested: if you have rubber molding around windows or trim on the car, go ahead and wipe down using plastic/rubber trim spray ("armoral"). Spray it onto a foam applicator and wipe all exterior rubber or black plastic trim. Doing this before you wash/detail means you don't have to worry about it getting on the paint or glass making the final wipe down of the trim much easier PLUS it prevents wax and polish from sticking to the trim & rubber.
3) Using two wash buckets: fill one bucket 3/4 full of warm water, pour in soup, then top off using high pressure to create suds (you put the soup in first and you'll have 3/4 suds and 1/4 bucket of water) Fill the 2nd bucket with warm water used solely to rinse the washing cloth. Always wash from BOTTOM to TOP using fresh microfiber clothes (no need for expensive wash mitts or sponges that you don't ever want to reuse anyways) Microfibers normally come in a package of 3 differant colors, once I wash with one I retire it to use for washing the door jams, under hood painted surfaces, or wheels. The 3rd color is strictly for final detailing only. Rinse from TOP to BOTTOM without a nozzle, no sprayer or anything, simply let the water flow out the hose like a waterfall and off the sides of the car.
4) Now you're ready for the clay bar, always spray a quick detailer or clay lube on first...working with one panel at a time. Follow the directions included with the clay. No need to clean or wash afterwards because of the following steps.
5) Next step is cleaner wax, apply with a fresh cotton applicator 1/2 a panel at a time buffing off with a fresh microfiber.
6) Polish is next, using a fresh cotton applicator do one (1) panel at a time (the cleaner wax above dries out too quickly to do a complete panel at a time) Buff, wipe, and remove polish with a fresh microfiber. NOTE: Feel free to apply polish to all the windows as well, applying & wiping just as if it were the paint (normally no need in using a cleaner wax but it can be done first as well)
7) Next step is carnauba wax, again applied with a fresh cotton applicator and buffed and removed with a fresh microfiber. NOTE: Again, this can be applied to all the windows as well.
8) Now back to the rubber molding, using a rubber/trim spray and foam applicator (or recycled but clean microfiber) wipe down all the trim and rubber again, taking care not to get it on painted surfaces.
9) It doesn't matter how good you are there will still always be excess wax, swirls, etc. after the carnuaba wax (noticeable in direct sunlight) Using a quick detailer spray and fresh microfiber, lightly spray over the car wiping it down with long strokes to smooth it all out. Pay close attention to the edges, corners, around emblems, etc. to remove any buildup from the previous 3 steps. Q-tips work well where the corner of a microfiber won't reach.
Most wheels are painted these days so other than machined aluminum, chrome, or flat black all the above steps for painted surfaces can be used on them as well. A 3 or 4 step polish and wax on wheels will make them shine and help prevent brake dust from sticking. Same as the car, wipe the tires with the rubber/trim spray before waxing and polishing the wheels then again afterwards.
Last edited by speedminded; 05-01-2007 at 12:17 PM.
^^^ Good writeup, although I normally wash top to bottom, starting at the roof and working down. That way the dirt from the top washes down the car and then gets washed away later. If the bottom is clean then junk from up high will rinse down over the clean sections of paint.
02 WRX Sport Wagon
Washing from top to bottom prevents you from knowing what has been washed and what hasn't because of all the run-off covering what you haven't washed yet...almost always guaranteed to have a missed spot or two, you know those little dirty triangles only discovered once the car is dry.
If the car was properly washed then everything will be removed with the rinse anyways.
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