I like cleaning my car, so much so that the wife yells at me for it. But, if I'm gonna continue along this path of marriage destruction, I want to be doing it right and with the right stuff. My car has low miles (about 10K) and I've always kept it clean, clay barred and waxed. What else should I do to bring out her best? I'm not in a position to purchase the buffer, so what hand-applied products should I look into and what processes should I follow? The more detailed the better. I have some light abrasions (almost a clouded effect) on the pass side from an unknown source. Drew (Strecth) loves the Tropicare products and bought the buffer, so I might be able to get him to help if needed.
First off... you get a lot less scratches if you have Ryan and Rick put you in the back seat instead of on the hood, trunk and up against the sides of the car! Bring her by sometime and we'll buff those ugly little "eye sores" right out... then we'll work on your car!
There are many one step polishes that will work great on silver. Luckily silver is a forgiving color. Find a good one-step and a spray detailer and you should be fine. Don't use rags or old bath towels from the house either. Buy a few microfiber towels and applicators.
:shok: Jason, what the hell are you talking about bro........................You are going through some serious Rick withdrawals:mouth::hypno::sweat: I knew something was wrong when you starting saying Rick's name when you inhailed that round meat for lunch!
Drew: It sounds like you'll be able to help Jason save detailing time and his marriage all with one machine.
momo - at least you do not have black!!!! my car has so many scratches and spider webs that whenever the sun hits it just right i get sick!!!!!! mine has never been polished with a buffer like some of the folks have posted pics of here. i may be looking into a buffer myself. just worried that i will burn the paint or leave more swirls than already exist!!!!!
actually, never thought of this!!! i am DEADLY serious about that!!! if i have not taken care of things by then, or if the car is a total disastor (which is likely) from the drive, i will need the help!!!! good call buddy!!! way to offer up drews services!!!! i guess you are paying him back for all the times he offered you up huh?!?!?! hahahaha
Get a random orbital buffer. They're not as effective as a rotary, but it also takes a lot more effort to wreck the paint. You have to really try to burn paint with a random orbital. I have the Meguiar's G100 that came in a kit, but there are a lot of models available.
For just the paint as a minimum, I would recommend the Clay Bar after washing to remove surface contaminants, Swirl Cutter to remove fine lines and holograms, and the TC-3 Polish/Sealant xP for the last step protection and durability. Hand use can be done with this process but will be time consuming. Once you have established your process for regular maintenance, check your wash mitts and towels to make sure they will not inflict any scratches on the finish after going through all the work of restoration. In addition, keep a dedicated wash concentrate such as our TC-6 on hand for cleaning without stripping protection. Use the detail spray(TC-5) for quick touch ups to remove light dust and dirt or after washing. This will restore a slick glossy surface as well as becoming anti-static. The detail spray will help restore surface quality slickness and gloss but should not be looked at as a replacement for regular surface protection applications.
