Help a Noob - "Detailing a car"

[jEnkinsX]

The sun is out and I want to clean my car to give it a nice shine. Ive had the car a lil over a year (2008 Honda Civic LX-Sunroof Black). Ive washed the car alot but I want to do more next time I do. I checked the Canadian Tire website, and they offer soo many things! I don't know which ones to get. What is a detailer? How to apply wax properly? So many questions. What's a good brand?

Well from what I've read, I shouldn't apply wax under direct sunlight coz it'll get "baked on". I have to wash my car thoroughly and dry it thoroughly as well. So after drying what do I do next? I dont understand steps like "polishing" "waxing" etc

I want to fully clean it, in an OUT. I want the "black-ness" to be nice again. Interior, I think I have a good idea. Its just the outside that scares me coz I dont want to mess up the paint.

Please help!

[Jucius Maximus]

On RFD you probably want to start at this thread (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=609563).

Most of the automotive appearance products at Canadian Tire are consumer level stuff, I would stay away from 95% of them. Try www.eshine.ca for the #1 Canadian source of real detailing supplies.

The height of detailing obsession can be reached at www.autopia.org. Enter and ye shall never be the same again...

Caution, if you really want to get serious about this stuff, it is really easy to suddenly find your place filled with hundreds of dollars of polish, sealant, claybar, detailing spray, etc and multiple power buffers, etc... The list goes on an on! This subject can be very addictive! :cheesygri

[overboost]

If you want to get hardcore and get into detailing has a hobby, then invest in the tools and products. Just be warned that it'll cost you a grip to get started and buying products will seem endless.

It's pointless to purchase $50 tins of wax or polish when you don't even have a highspeed polisher or porter cable. Results by hand will never be as good as what you get with a polisher.

For the regular consumer, most Meguiar's products from Canadian Tire will do the job. Pick up their 3 step products and you'll be able to get your car looking good.

For starters, get the following products, and do one after the other.

- paint cleaner product
- a polish
- and a wax
- wash mitt, microfiber drying towel or the Absorber, or good towels, and car wash shampoo.



The sun is out and I want to clean my car to give it a nice shine. Ive had the car a lil over a year (2008 Honda Civic LX-Sunroof Black). Ive washed the car alot but I want to do more next time I do. I checked the Canadian Tire website, and they offer soo many things! I don't know which ones to get. What is a detailer? How to apply wax properly? So many questions. What's a good brand?

Well from what I've read, I shouldn't apply wax under direct sunlight coz it'll get "baked on". I have to wash my car thoroughly and dry it thoroughly as well. So after drying what do I do next? I dont understand steps like "polishing" "waxing" etc

I want to fully clean it, in an OUT. I want the "black-ness" to be nice again. Interior, I think I have a good idea. Its just the outside that scares me coz I dont want to mess up the paint.

Please help!

[jEnkinsX]

If you want to get hardcore and get into detailing has a hobby, then invest in the tools and products. Just be warned that it'll cost you a grip to get started and buying products will seem endless.

It's pointless to purchase $50 tins of wax or polish when you don't even have a highspeed polisher or porter cable. Results by hand will never be as good as what you get with a polisher.

For the regular consumer, most Meguiar's products from Canadian Tire will do the job. Pick up their 3 step products and you'll be able to get your car looking good.

For starters, get the following products, and do one after the other.

- paint cleaner product
- a polish
- and a wax
- wash mitt, microfiber drying towel or the Absorber, or good towels, and car wash shampoo.

Oh mercy addicting eh?

Ok so from the list, I have a wash mitt thats it LOL

So im gioing to my CT this friday and purchase the following.. kindly tell me if its not good or if im missing something..

-Armor All Car Wash & Shine
-Mothers® Pre Wax Cleaner [Step 1]
-Mothers® Sealer And Glaze [Step 2]
-Mothers® Liquid Cleaner Wax [this isn't step 3. the step 3 is this Mothers® Pure Carnauba Liquid Wax - will this make a big difference? its just that the actual step 3 is like $22! the one i chose is < $10 :( ]
-Mothers® Scratch Remover [for swirl marks / light scratches - when do i actually apply this? before and after what?]
-Detailing Essentials 6-in. Bonnet Value Pack
-Microfibre Polishing Towels
-Simoniz® Terry Towels, 12-Pack
-Simoniz Premium Finishing Towels

too many towels? I have chamois that i use to dry my car. and a mitt for when i wash it. do i need anymore towels? wat a listed overboard?

oh and do scratch removers actually work?

[overboost]

From your list I would not buy Step 2, the sealer and glaze, skip the Scratch remover, 6inch bonnets. Why?? Your 6inch random orbit buffer isn't gonna do squat with removing swirls. You need either a porter cable or a highspeed rotary to remove swirls. Throw away that Sears or Simoniz random orbit buffer. It's useless.

For the average joe, buy:

1. a paint cleaner
2. a polish
3. a wax.

Meguair's has a 3step system which has all of those products. Done deal. No need to buy any other "sealers, glazes, etc." They won't do you good if you don't have the equipment or haven't done the other steps before hand.

As for towels, if you have a Costco membership, they sell a 12 pak of yellow microfiber towels for relatively cheap. They are decent quality and good for multipurpose use. Forget those Simoniz terry towels. Go to a department store and stock up on towels.

Scratch Removers do work, but you need a highspeed polisher with appropriate foam pads. The products you see advertised won't give you much results. If you have a black car with lots of swirls, maybe it is in your best interest to either get a professional detail job, or invest in the tools and products and learn how to do things right.



Oh mercy addicting eh?

Ok so from the list, I have a wash mitt thats it LOL

So im gioing to my CT this friday and purchase the following.. kindly tell me if its not good or if im missing something..

-Armor All Car Wash & Shine
-Mothers® Pre Wax Cleaner [Step 1]
-Mothers® Sealer And Glaze [Step 2]
-Mothers® Liquid Cleaner Wax [this isn't step 3. the step 3 is this Mothers® Pure Carnauba Liquid Wax - will this make a big difference? its just that the actual step 3 is like $22! the one i chose is < $10 :( ]
-Mothers® Scratch Remover [for swirl marks / light scratches - when do i actually apply this? before and after what?]
-Detailing Essentials 6-in. Bonnet Value Pack
-Microfibre Polishing Towels
-Simoniz® Terry Towels, 12-Pack
-Simoniz Premium Finishing Towels

too many towels? I have chamois that i use to dry my car. and a mitt for when i wash it. do i need anymore towels? wat a listed overboard?

oh and do scratch removers actually work?

[sumrandomguy]

Oh mercy addicting eh?

Ok so from the list, I have a wash mitt thats it LOL

So im gioing to my CT this friday and purchase the following.. kindly tell me if its not good or if im missing something..

-Armor All Car Wash & Shine
-Mothers® Pre Wax Cleaner [Step 1]
-Mothers® Sealer And Glaze [Step 2]
-Mothers® Liquid Cleaner Wax [this isn't step 3. the step 3 is this Mothers® Pure Carnauba Liquid Wax - will this make a big difference? its just that the actual step 3 is like $22! the one i chose is < $10 :( ]
-Mothers® Scratch Remover [for swirl marks / light scratches - when do i actually apply this? before and after what?]
-Detailing Essentials 6-in. Bonnet Value Pack
-Microfibre Polishing Towels
-Simoniz® Terry Towels, 12-Pack
-Simoniz Premium Finishing Towels

too many towels? I have chamois that i use to dry my car. and a mitt for when i wash it. do i need anymore towels? wat a listed overboard?

oh and do scratch removers actually work?

dont get the liquid cleaner wax...cleaner waxes are meant to be 1 step products (clean and waxes at the same time). the cleaning agents will remove your step 2 (sealer/glaze), and is a redunant since u have step 1. the scratch remover will help somewhat, depending on how deep your scratches are. dont get the terry towels, u wont need them as they've very rough and will scratch your paint easily.

[jEnkinsX]

how much do detailing jobs usually cost?

for that polisher thing.. does it have to be "high-end" meaning expensive?

or something like this do the job?
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CarWashingCleaning/CarPolishers/PRD~0399002P/Jobmate%2B6-in.%2BPolisher.jsp

[funky_monkey_99]

how much do detailing jobs usually cost?

for that polisher thing.. does it have to be "high-end" meaning expensive?

or something like this do the job?
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CarWashingCleaning/CarPolishers/PRD~0399002P/Jobmate%2B6-in.%2BPolisher.jsp

that thing is pure crap! if you want to get a good job on polishing and scratch removing i would invest in one of these (http://www.eshine.ca/1_porter_cable_polisher_7424-3180.php)..and definitely check out eshine for detailing products!

[Jucius Maximus]

how much do detailing jobs usually cost?

for that polisher thing.. does it have to be "high-end" meaning expensive?

or something like this do the job?
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CarWashingCleaning/CarPolishers/PRD~0399002P/Jobmate%2B6-in.%2BPolisher.jsp

If you are a n00b, there is no decent polisher available at Canadian Tire. The PC 7424 which was also linked in this thread is a good starter polisher.

It is relatively low powered and it's quite hard to mess up your car or burn the paint with it. Though this is a weakness because it's a lot less powerful and slower versus a lot of other pro polishers.

[fleabaggs]

i think i saw porter cables at canadian tire. Yea it's been too cold/windy these past weekends for me to detail my car. It will definitely take the majority of the day if you want a job well done.
Hopefully this weekend is nice.

[alex_d10]

If you're going for Canadian Tire stuff, I would go with Meguiar's 3 step system. And stay away from any Simoniz stuff unless it's a brush or something.

[MS MSP]

It's pointless to purchase $50 tins of wax or polish when you don't even have a highspeed polisher or porter cable.

You do realize that "Porter Cable" is a brand and not an item correct?

I just wanted to clarify.

Also to the OP, I would be very careful "practicing" detailing, especially on a newish car, especially a black one.

If you don't know what you're doing, let a professional do it.

[sumrandomguy]

how much do detailing jobs usually cost?

for that polisher thing.. does it have to be "high-end" meaning expensive?

or something like this do the job?
http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/4/Auto/CarWashingCleaning/CarPolishers/PRD~0399002P/Jobmate%2B6-in.%2BPolisher.jsp

full details (interior and exterior) usually start at around the $200 mark for something decent. paint reconditioning alone (exterior only) is usually cheaper, depending on what is required (1 step for light scratches vs multi-step for deep scratches, spiderwebbing, swirls, etc)

any polisher sold at CT, other than the PC 7424, is not powerful enough to remove defects in paint

[subagear]

Autogeek is a good place to see which product is right for you.
http://www.autogeek.net

Don't buy Pinnacle polishing formulas. They turn into watery crap after a year.

[overboost]

Of course I know a porter cable is a dual action polisher. In the detailing world everyone knows it's a D/A polisher.

You do realize that "Porter Cable" is a brand and not an item correct?

I just wanted to clarify.

Also to the OP, I would be very careful "practicing" detailing, especially on a newish car, especially a black one.

If you don't know what you're doing, let a professional do it.

[corrswitch]

Oh mercy addicting eh?

Ok so from the list, I have a wash mitt thats it LOL

So im gioing to my CT this friday and purchase the following.. kindly tell me if its not good or if im missing something..

-Armor All Car Wash & Shine
-Mothers® Pre Wax Cleaner [Step 1]
-Mothers® Sealer And Glaze [Step 2]
-Mothers® Liquid Cleaner Wax [this isn't step 3. the step 3 is this Mothers® Pure Carnauba Liquid Wax - will this make a big difference? its just that the actual step 3 is like $22! the one i chose is < $10 :( ]
-Mothers® Scratch Remover [for swirl marks / light scratches - when do i actually apply this? before and after what?]
-Detailing Essentials 6-in. Bonnet Value Pack
-Microfibre Polishing Towels
-Simoniz® Terry Towels, 12-Pack
-Simoniz Premium Finishing Towels

too many towels? I have chamois that i use to dry my car. and a mitt for when i wash it. do i need anymore towels? wat a listed overboard?

oh and do scratch removers actually work?

============
Looks like we got you hooked :)

I bet its exciting.

There's lots to buy and lots of experimentation.

How about providing your latest list and we'll have another round of suggestions since there we so many so far.

Take it nice and slow so you don't overwhelm yourself.

[Vladimir]

just be careful. don't go overboard, it is easy to all of a sudden have $600 worth of "car cleaning" products. I fell into this trap.
For the average joe, I would just recommend picking up some car soap, a wash mitt, some microfiber towels, and some wax. It's all you really need.
I went overboard with some of the other stuff, but then I still get lazy and only wash my car every 2 weeks, meanwhile during those 2 weeks bird crap, dust from gravel roads, mud, all gather on it and the car looks disgusting. Im lucky to have maybe 2 days of the car actually looking nice. Even if I did do it once a week, it would still look bad after a couple days.

[vincent-poon]

I use the mothers 3 step system, and i dont find the second step to do much. I still use it, but i dont see an actual difference (as in a deep wet shine).
Next time I will probably buy the meguairs system.

Does the maguairs 3 step system have an actual polish? or is it just some thing similar to the sealer and glaze.
I need something simple and cheap to remove swirl marks...

[JAGpilot]

Go out and buy

-a microfiber mit
-1 or 2 plastic buckets
-megiuar's gold class or purple wash soap
-microfiber cloths
-Meguiar's clay kit (comes with clay, quik detail spray, microfibre and sample of cleaner wax)
-wax applicator pads (simonize)
-some sort of meguiars or mother's wax product.
-Meguiar's quick interior detailer or similar product

Spend the $70-80 at CTC or WalMart and start building a collection of cleaning products. You don't need the EShine.ca products unless you want to start getting into hardcore detailing.