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Clay bar, polish and wax, in that order. I use the Meguliars stuff
mokylim
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I read that the best way to polish is doing it with a rotary machine if not then better try not to. Is that true? Or can you polish a car using nothing but your hands.
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I just use a pad and do it by hand. The machine is better, faster but only in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing or a professional. For home use where you do it twice a year and wash your car regularly anyway, its fine. You're better off anyway than someone who just doesn't give a shit at all...
NorthernEX-T
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Yes, twice a year; spring and fall. Meguiars & Mothers for me. By hand.
cycledrum
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Claybar (ing) is great for removing bonded particles before waxing. Put a clear sandwich bag on fingers. If you feel tiny bumps on surface after washing, better to clay finish before wax.
Don't some waxes and sealants have a bit of polish in them and are called 'cleaner wax or one step sealant' etc?
Be careful with polish. Some are mild and some are aggressive.
Don't some waxes and sealants have a bit of polish in them and are called 'cleaner wax or one step sealant' etc?
Be careful with polish. Some are mild and some are aggressive.
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Tsturbo
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Is it worth it - YES, it is called pride of ownership
I love Zaino products, expensive, but nothing better IMO and super long lasting. I would not recommend unless you are an enthusiast as there is also a time commitment, multiple super thin layers with bonding time for each layer and I do it by hand.
If you are not willing to invest the time and effort, there are other products which will get the job done but will not look as good or last as long in between details. I do my vehicles 2-3 times per year, but I love the deep wet glossy look Zaino provides.
I love Zaino products, expensive, but nothing better IMO and super long lasting. I would not recommend unless you are an enthusiast as there is also a time commitment, multiple super thin layers with bonding time for each layer and I do it by hand.
If you are not willing to invest the time and effort, there are other products which will get the job done but will not look as good or last as long in between details. I do my vehicles 2-3 times per year, but I love the deep wet glossy look Zaino provides.
syncro87
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Clay bar. Meguiar's Tech Wax and/or Collinite 845 Insulator Wax, by hand, depending on my mood. Quick touch ups between major waxing, use Griot's Garage Spray on Wax and/or Speed Shine.
This is what I use and I get a lot of compliments on how my car always looks clean and new, for what it's worth.
If you use the Collinite, remember that you use a VERY sparing amount of it. If you don't over apply, it comes off very easily by hand.
The Tech Wax is great stuff IMO, very easy to apply and remove. You can probably do better but for return on your time invested, I haven't found anything superior.
Let's face it, your car is a tool, not a museum piece. We have Civics, not one of a kind rare classic cars here. It makes total sense to have pride in your car and maintain it well, but less sense to me to treat it like it's some Concours de Elegance item, which it is not, frankly. I'm pretty anal retentive about my car, but at the same time, 10 years from now nobody is going to care whether you used some exotic pricey wax or some Meguiars stuff from WalMart. I'm old, though, relative to many on the forum. As you age, time spent waxing cars seems less interesting than it does when you are 20 and the time in front of you seems infinite. You eventually come around to where time is better spent elsewhere to some extent.
This is what I use and I get a lot of compliments on how my car always looks clean and new, for what it's worth.
If you use the Collinite, remember that you use a VERY sparing amount of it. If you don't over apply, it comes off very easily by hand.
The Tech Wax is great stuff IMO, very easy to apply and remove. You can probably do better but for return on your time invested, I haven't found anything superior.
Let's face it, your car is a tool, not a museum piece. We have Civics, not one of a kind rare classic cars here. It makes total sense to have pride in your car and maintain it well, but less sense to me to treat it like it's some Concours de Elegance item, which it is not, frankly. I'm pretty anal retentive about my car, but at the same time, 10 years from now nobody is going to care whether you used some exotic pricey wax or some Meguiars stuff from WalMart. I'm old, though, relative to many on the forum. As you age, time spent waxing cars seems less interesting than it does when you are 20 and the time in front of you seems infinite. You eventually come around to where time is better spent elsewhere to some extent.
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Pearl
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My Civic is always garaged so all I do is wash it once in awhile. After hearing about how thin the metal is, I'm afraid that clay barring it would leave it a total loss by insurance standards.
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Wtf dude
mokylim
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do you spray the whole car with the V7 right after using butter wet wax? or do you use it as a quick detailer?
Budgetplan1
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Picked up a Civic Coupe LX-P last Friday, it's gonna have a hard life living outside so next weekend it's gonna get:
1. Wash
2. Iron-X decon: http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-iron-x-cleaner.html
3. Claybar using Nanoskin clay mitt - http://www.detailedimage.com/NanoSkin-M54/AutoScrub-Fine-Wash-Mitt-P701/
4. Paint corrected using Griot Gargage 6" Random Orbital DA, Lake Country Foam Pads, Menzerna 3500 and/or 3800 depending on how swirls/imperfections work out
- http://www.detailedimage.com/Griots-M56/Random-Orbital-Polisher-P671/25-cord-S2/
- http://www.detailedimage.com/Menzerna-M10/PO106FA-Nano-Polish-Super-Finish-P228/16-oz-S1/
- http://www.detailedimage.com/Menzerna-M10/PO85RD-Polish-P217/32-oz-S1/
5. (2) Layers Kamikaze Miyabi Coat - http://www.esotericcarcare.com/kamikaze-miyabi-coat/
6. (1) Layer Kamikaze ISM Coat - http://www.esotericcarcare.com/kamikaze-ism-coat/
7. Wheels done w/ Tuf Shine Tire Clearcoat - http://www.detailedimage.com/TUF-SHINE-M50/Tire-Appearance-Kit-P545/
8. Rims done w/ Geyon Q2 Rim - http://www.autogeek.net/gyeon-rim.html
9. Plastic/trim done with Gyeon Q2 Trim - http://www.autogeek.net/gyeon-trim.html
10. Exterior Glass done with Griots Glass Sealant - http://www.autogeek.net/griots-glass-care-kit.html
Generally about a 25hr process over 3 days...
Is it overkill? Absolutely...but it's gonne give me a chance to try this stuff on a car that will receive less than ideal attention. If it all pans out and stays solid thru the Northeast Ohio winter, I'll be switching our other cars to these products.
We currently have a 2004 black Corvette and a 2016 black Subaru WRX coated in Wolfgang Uber Ceramic ( http://www.detailedimage.com/Wolfgang-M85/Uber-Ceramic-Coating-P1274/30-cc-S1/ ), Gyeon Rim and Tuf Shine and the results this past summer have been fantastic. For the most part, very little maint is required, occasional quick wash but that's about it. No need for sealing/waxing, tire dressings, wheel cleaners, etc. Even after a few rainstorms the cars look fairly clean and shiny, wheels tires just hosed down to keep clean. Quick 15-20 minute wash every now and again and back to looking freshly polished.
A more reasonable Ceramic Coating is McKees ( http://www.autogeek.net/nano-paint-sealant.html ) which I've put on a few cars and it's holding up pretty well. Coatings make maint so much easier.
1. Wash
2. Iron-X decon: http://www.autogeek.net/carpro-iron-x-cleaner.html
3. Claybar using Nanoskin clay mitt - http://www.detailedimage.com/NanoSkin-M54/AutoScrub-Fine-Wash-Mitt-P701/
4. Paint corrected using Griot Gargage 6" Random Orbital DA, Lake Country Foam Pads, Menzerna 3500 and/or 3800 depending on how swirls/imperfections work out
- http://www.detailedimage.com/Griots-M56/Random-Orbital-Polisher-P671/25-cord-S2/
- http://www.detailedimage.com/Menzerna-M10/PO106FA-Nano-Polish-Super-Finish-P228/16-oz-S1/
- http://www.detailedimage.com/Menzerna-M10/PO85RD-Polish-P217/32-oz-S1/
5. (2) Layers Kamikaze Miyabi Coat - http://www.esotericcarcare.com/kamikaze-miyabi-coat/
6. (1) Layer Kamikaze ISM Coat - http://www.esotericcarcare.com/kamikaze-ism-coat/
7. Wheels done w/ Tuf Shine Tire Clearcoat - http://www.detailedimage.com/TUF-SHINE-M50/Tire-Appearance-Kit-P545/
8. Rims done w/ Geyon Q2 Rim - http://www.autogeek.net/gyeon-rim.html
9. Plastic/trim done with Gyeon Q2 Trim - http://www.autogeek.net/gyeon-trim.html
10. Exterior Glass done with Griots Glass Sealant - http://www.autogeek.net/griots-glass-care-kit.html
Generally about a 25hr process over 3 days...
Is it overkill? Absolutely...but it's gonne give me a chance to try this stuff on a car that will receive less than ideal attention. If it all pans out and stays solid thru the Northeast Ohio winter, I'll be switching our other cars to these products.
We currently have a 2004 black Corvette and a 2016 black Subaru WRX coated in Wolfgang Uber Ceramic ( http://www.detailedimage.com/Wolfgang-M85/Uber-Ceramic-Coating-P1274/30-cc-S1/ ), Gyeon Rim and Tuf Shine and the results this past summer have been fantastic. For the most part, very little maint is required, occasional quick wash but that's about it. No need for sealing/waxing, tire dressings, wheel cleaners, etc. Even after a few rainstorms the cars look fairly clean and shiny, wheels tires just hosed down to keep clean. Quick 15-20 minute wash every now and again and back to looking freshly polished.
A more reasonable Ceramic Coating is McKees ( http://www.autogeek.net/nano-paint-sealant.html ) which I've put on a few cars and it's holding up pretty well. Coatings make maint so much easier.
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