quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

But I'll bet you $20 that neither Zaino, 'or' a couple of the products I use are going to be the right solution for maddy345 given what he shared in his original post. If he ever posts back into this thread we might find out whether I'm right or not.

you're probably right about that, but any wax that's easy (or easier) than turtle wax isn't going to be worth the time or money

I was going to take everyone's advice and spend all day Saturday on the prep and waxing process but it was just too cold and windy.

The next nice weekend we have I will be getting it done.

I'll be sure to post before and after pictures.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

But I'll bet you $20 that neither Zaino, 'or' a couple of the products I use are going to be the right solution for maddy345 given what he shared in his original post. If he ever posts back into this thread we might find out whether I'm right or not.

you're probably right about that, but any wax that's easy (or easier) than turtle wax isn't going to be worth the time or money

Yep.

quote:

Originally posted by maddy345:
I was going to take everyone's advice and spend all day Saturday on the prep and waxing process but it was just too cold and windy.

The next nice weekend we have I will be getting it done.

I'll be sure to post before and after pictures.

Not trying to be difficult, but...

• Have you ever used a clay bar before?
• How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?
• Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?
• Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it?
• Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?

I could simply throw you product recommendations, but without knowing the answer to these questions, any suggestion I provide could border on worthless.

quote:

Have you ever used a clay bar before?
How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?
Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?
Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it?
Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?

Have you ever used a clay bar before? Yes

How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?Yes

Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?Yes but I prefer not to as you have to be very good with them

Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it? Right now I just have a car port

Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?Both. I want it to look good and am willing to put in the time to properly prep it but I would rather not go through all this every six months. I would like a product that is easy to maintain once a good base layer has been applied

I have a lot more experience with fiberglass and gel coats than I do with PPG paint.

quote:

Originally posted by maddy345:

quote:

Have you ever used a clay bar before?
How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?
Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?
Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it?
Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?

Have you ever used a clay bar before? Yes

How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?Yes

Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?Yes but I prefer not to as you have to be very good with them

Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it? Right now I just have a car port

Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?Both. I want it to look good and am willing to put in the time to properly prep it but I would rather not go through all this every six months. I would like a product that is easy to maintain once a good base layer has been applied

I have a lot more experience with fiberglass and gel coats than I do with PPG paint.

a ceramic coat is your best bet for longevity

Given your responses, this is what I’d recommend. This is an off take of ‘my’ process using products ‘I’ typically use. These are very good products at a reasonable price point. Bear in mind, if you go with something like Zaino, the process will change somewhat per the requirements of that product.

Wash – Do this in the shade (i.e. stay out of the sun). I prefer the two bucket approach with a cotton wash mitt. Soap suds in one bucket, clean water in the other, grit guards in the bottom of both. Meguiars Ultimate Wash & Wax is readily available and a very good car shampoo product. Into the soapy bucket, wash the car, rinse the mitt in in the clean water, back into the soapy bucket, and repeat until finished. Start at the top, work to the bottom of the car. Wheels and tires are done last.

Clay Bar - While the car is still wet and in the shade, clay the surface. I use a clean bucket of Ultimate Wash & Wax suds as lubricant and half a clay bar. Most important rule, if the clay touches the ground for any reason, throw is out and get another piece. When finished, wash the surface one last time and rinse well.

Initial Prep – Move the car into the carport and dry. I use a Stihl handheld gas blower inside my two car garage to address most of the water and to blow out all the seams and corners, but given you’re working in a carport, you may want to avoid this process so as not to stir up dirt and grime. Dry the car well with a couple Waffle weave drying towels. The car needs to be completely dry before moving forward.

Paint correction – Evaluate the surface of the paint. Are there ‘swirls’ or minor scratching (likely)? You’ll need to address them. If you have a ‘dual action buffer’ (‘not’ a rotary, which was an error in my original questions), use it and the right pads and product to remove/hide those imperfections. I can’t tell you which product(s) to use as I have no idea the severity of what you’ll need to address. A bit of reading on the Autogeek.net website (or call Nick in customer support) should aide you in choosing the right product(s) to use to get the finish ready for a final sealer. I’ve spent a few hours several times on this one step given how much ‘correction’ was needed. Use the least aggressive product and pads possible to meet your needs, and remove all dried product with good microfiber towels.

Final coat – At this point the surface should be totally smooth and all inflections addressed. The product I’m using on my vehicles right now is Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. It’s very easy to apply and remove, and will last six months or so in ‘most’ conditions. It has a real carnauba look to it once dry which is an added benefit. They recommend doing one panel at a time, and let dry for 15 minutes before removing. That’s in ‘optimal’ conditions. I prefer to just coat the entire vehicle (light coat is recommended), let it sit for an hour or so, and then wipe down the entire vehicle. Doesn’t matter if it sits on the paint for a long time as once its dry, if will come right off. And only a good ‘thick’ microfiber towel should be used to remove the dried sealant. You want to try and avoid putting micro scratches back in the paint at the end of the process.

Maintenance – Immediately remove bird droppings or other contaminants that get on the paint. A microfiber cloth and some quick detailer should take care of this. After washing the car and between sealant applications, you can use Optimum spray wax, which is a synthetic product as well, and a thin microfiber towel to restore a nice shine to the car and add a bit of extra protection. This product is easy to use, and lasts quite well.

What I’ve offered above only addresses the paint. You’ll also need to treat the tires and wheels, glass, and interior surfaces which are entire writeups themselves. Good luck, and post some pics of your car in this thread when you’re finished with it.

quote:

Originally posted by cmr076:

quote:

Originally posted by maddy345:

quote:

Have you ever used a clay bar before?
How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?
Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?
Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it?
Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?

Have you ever used a clay bar before? Yes

How about a light compound to remove blemishes or scratches?Yes

Do you have and/or know how to use a rotary buffer?Yes but I prefer not to as you have to be very good with them

Do you have a garage to work in to stay away from the sun/rain and to minimize anything getting on the surface while you're working on it? Right now I just have a car port

Is it shine you're after or longevity of paint protection?Both. I want it to look good and am willing to put in the time to properly prep it but I would rather not go through all this every six months. I would like a product that is easy to maintain once a good base layer has been applied

I have a lot more experience with fiberglass and gel coats than I do with PPG paint.

a ceramic coat is your best bet for longevity

Absolutely correct, but they 'can' be finicky in terms of application, and many are very pricey. I've had good results with CarPro CQuartz in the past.

Thank you BigDeal!!!!

The paint isn't bad on it at all. I purchased the car this time last year and it only had 1,200 miles on it.

It was a one owner and had been garage kept since new.

The front end was painted last summer as I forgot to set the parking brake and it kissed another car in the parking lot.

Here is a pic of what I'm starting with. It was taken right after I got it.

quote:

Rejex

Just ordered a bottle 16 oz on Amazon, free shipping, no tax for $22.95, will give it a shot on the Harley, with all the bugs we get crossing the lake jessup bridge (fl no seeums, well you seeum all over yer friggin bike) hopefully it will help with removal.

quote:

Originally posted by HRK:

quote:

Rejex

Just ordered a bottle 16 oz on Amazon, free shipping, no tax for $22.95, will give it a shot on the Harley, with all the bugs we get crossing the lake jessup bridge (fl no seeums, well you seeum all over yer friggin bike) hopefully it will help with removal.

Rejex is good stuff. My yacht detailers are some of the best in the business and swear by it. They do some of the yachts I manage with it. You don't need a lot, just a thin coat of it.

Just passing along my recommendation to let a pro do the hard part for you. Then you can follow up on your own with hand washes and touch ups, re apply wax as needed. We just bought a black Lexus GS F Sport that looked good to the common eye, but I knew it could be much better. I paid (handsomely) for a detail with paint correction, etc. The detail shop put pics of our car on their FB page when they finished. It looks like night and day. Now that the back breaking part is done, I should be able to maintain it. Good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:
Just passing along my recommendation to let a pro do the hard part for you. Then you can follow up on your own with hand washes and touch ups, re apply wax as needed. We just bought a black Lexus GS F Sport that looked good to the common eye, but I knew it could be much better. I paid (handsomely) for a detail with paint correction, etc. The detail shop put pics of our car on their FB page when they finished. It looks like night and day. Now that the back breaking part is done, I should be able to maintain it. Good luck!

Sorry, but the back breaking part is never done when you're talking about a black car. I have a love/hate relationship with that color. Absolutely 'love' it when its detailed to the max and looking its best (which usually lasts about an hour post detailing), and 'hate' it after its been driven for a while given the amount of correction that's always required to keep the paint looking its best. When we bought my wife a new car a year ago, she got some simple restrictions on color...No Black, Hunter Green, or Midnight Blue.

My Dad always swore by Collinite and I used it for many years and liked it too.

http://www.collinite.com/automotive-wax/

Zymol but not the walmart stuff the real stuff.

I second what bigdeal said, Wolfgang is freaking awesome. I've been using it for (can't remember) years now. I had a maroon '03 Yukon I bought new, treated it 3-4 times a year, and traded it in '11. The paint still graded out at 98%, the dealer couldn't believe it. That alone net'd me more $. That's the only sealant I use and it works equally well on light or dark colors. Blackfire claims to be better on black and very dark colors, but for me Wolfgang is the only one you would need for the sealant.

I use Adams. Brilliant Glaze, Buttery Wax looks great. Then the glass cleaner and glass sealant, VRT on trim, tire shine. Touch up with detail spray. Plus there products smell great.

quote:

Originally posted by maddy345:
I have a 2012 Camaro (red) that hasn't been waxed since I bought it last year.

The last wax I bought was the regular old Turtle Wax paste. Its of course easy on but a pain to get all the way buffed out.

Can I please get a recommendation for a good wax that may be a little easier to use?

I see that you're not too far away from my son who has a mobile detailing business. Give him a call and let him help you out.
There is a lot more to waxing a car than just waxing it if you want a great job..He's a vet too currently in the reserves...

https://www.facebook.com/WickedWaxDetailing/

In the spirit of combining this thread with the Haiku thread...

To make my car gleam
Car wax recommendation
Come to Sig Forum

Sorry...