1999 Black 35th GT

I just posted this in response to another thread but I would like to place it here too. I see a lot of repeated questions that this may help answer.

Wash

A. I highly suggest a 2 bucket method, one for soapy water and one for clean water so you can rinse out your mitt between sections. Get two 5 gallon buckets from your local Home Depot, Lowes, etc.

B. Invest in 2 Grit Guards. For the price they can save you some costly swirl marks from dirt and debris in accruing in the bottom of your buckets.

C. Use a microfiber or lambs wool wash mitt. Avoid sponges since they trap dirt yet don't release it very easily.

D. Use the least invasive method. This meaning don't scrub hard!!! Just glide the wash mitt GENTLY across the surface to removing the surface contaminants. The hidden stuff will come off when claying.

E. Now this is just my personal opinion but I have better experience using a microfiber towel to dry my vehicle rather than a chamois. The point is to dry GENTLY again. NO HARD RUBBING. I see so many people doing this.

F. A few no-no's:
-Never use dish soap to wash your car!!! You wouldn't use it to take a shower so don't use it on your baby. Use a quality car wash soap. I personally use Meg's Gold Class. The reason is that dish soap strips wax/sealant, can damage and dry out trim and can inhibit clear coat failure () in the future.

-Never use a wash mitt that has fallen on the ground or anywhere else that can contaminate it. It's just not worth the minimal cost to risk damaging your paint.

Check out this video for a great how-to for washing. Mike really is a great guy and has taught me a lot:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...6069207401372#



Paint Cleaning and Correction

A. After your car is dry you should tape off the trim and other areas you do not want to get product on. I use the blue 3M painter's tape. It has an orange core and is low tack so it leaves less residue.

B. Clay your vehicle to remove surface contaminants. Meg's Smooth Surface Kit is a great kit to start off with and only costs about $15. I has everything you will need, a container of 2 bars of clay, Quik Detailer as a lubricant and a microfiber towel. Here is another great how-to video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfEfLGL59GI

C. Clean your paint. I use Meg's 105 and 205 but a beginner should start out with the over the counter products. They would be Meg's Ultimate Compound and SwirlX. You want to start out with the least aggressive product which would be SwirlX. If you can get out the defects (swirls, holograms, and random isolated deep scratches) with the less aggressive product then your ready for the next step. If not then you can go to the Ultimate Compound. Just make sure that you do a test spot!!!! You don't want to do your entire car and realize that the product isn't strong enough or your paint is very soft and the product is too aggressive. If you do have to use Ultimate Compound I would suggest following it up with SwirlX to make sure you remove any holograms that could be found from the compounding. And yet another great video:

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ad.php?t=36523

Note: All of these products can be used by hand but you will get better results with much less effort if you have a dual action (random orbital) polisher and the appropriate cutting pads. Auto Detailing Solutions http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/ has a great assortment of what you would need at great prices.

Nourishing the Paint

A. Use a quality product such as Deep Crystal Polish. It is very easy to use and can be found in almost any auto parts store. It is a misconception that clear coats don't need polished like single stage paints. Yes, it's true that you may not notice the effect as much on a clear coat but it does need it. This step nourishes your paint and is necessary.

Protecting the Paint

A. This is the crucial and final step. Again as always use a quality sealant or wax. What's the difference you may ask? Well, a sealant contains no natural wax but is made up of synthetic polymers while a wax contains some level of natural carnauba wax that can be mixed with man made polymers. A lot of products that are sealants are marketed as a "wax" in order not to confuse the customer. Typically, a sealant last longer than a wax and is probably more ideal for a daily driver but the choice is really up to you. My personal favorites are NXT 2.0 (sealant) and Meg's 16 (wax).

B. Apply a THIN layer over the entire vehicle and allow it to dry to the proper point. Use the swipe test by swiping one finger along a spot on the paint. If it removes the LSP (last step product) cleanly without smearing then you're ready to remove it. If you apply too thick of a layer it will be much harder to remove the product yet it WILL NOT add any additional protection than a thin layer. You'll only be wasting product. Temperature can also have an effect on how easily it is to remove.

C. Use a microfiber towel to remove the LSP. I personally have recently found and fallen in love with Meg's Ultimate Wipes.

D. Follow your path. This means wipe the product off the section you applied it too first and so on.

E. Allow the product to properly cure between coats. My personal method is to apply a coat of NXT 2.0, allow it to cure for 12 hours (this is after I remove the excess, some people get confused by this and let the sealant sit for 12 hours which is not what I mean) apply a second coat of NXT 2.0 and again allow to cure, apply a coat of Meg's 16 and allow to cure for 12 hours and finally go over entire vehicle with Meg's Ultimate Quick Detailer. Granted, there is no proof that topping a sealant with a wax increases protection but it's just personal preference.

Maintain

A. Wash your car often and apply LSP's as needed. A great booster is Meg's Ultimate Quik Wax which is very easy and like the label says quick. Here is a great article on maintenance:

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23388

B. Avoid using car washes as the soaps that they use (even the touchless laser washes) can and will strip waxes and sealants. Use a product such as Optimum No Rinse (frequently referred to as ONR and found on ADS a great price) to maintain your finish in the winter.


On a final note, this is by no means everything that there is to washing, cleaning, protecting and maintaining your paint. There is just simple too much and we are all learning new things everyday. Also, new products are always hitting the shelves and what may be the best one season may not the next. I hope this helps anyone who wants to become car crazy like me and I would like to thank Michael Stoops, Michael Phillips and Meguiar's for all of the things they have patiently taught me. I would invite anyone who is interested in these products to join the Meguiar's forums. I'm on there as Garage Troll and look forward to seeing you soon.

Phew, I'm tired and I'm going to bed now!!!

Thanks for reading,

Andy