Detailing new vehicle

[GDB]

A few weeks ago I bought a silver '06 Grand Cherokee. I have all ready washed and waxed with Meg's products but that's it. I've been to the beach and I'm ready to clean it up again. Got kind of dirty.

What would you recommend I use and in what order?

[Murr1525]

Did you wash, clay, clean, polish, wax the first time? Or what steps, products did you use?

[GDB]

No, I just washed and waxed. I used Meg's products for washing and waxing. I didn't clay, etc.

[Murr1525]

OK.

Let me give you a little reading, to help expalin the full process a bit more.

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

What it Means to Remove a Scratch

How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

Now, here are two basic processes that will give you great results, one being a 'full' detail and one beigng a 'quick' detail. Since you didnt mention which products you bought, I'll just mention the regular ones, and we'll see how what you bought fits in.

Full:
1. Wash - Gold Class or Nxt Wash are good, or whatever Meguiars wash you picked up.Remember to use the two-bucket system.

2. Clay - Claying is great, even for a new car. Pick up a Smooth Surface Clay kit. After this first time, you'll get a feel for what smooth paint is like, and when it needs done again.

3. Clean - Deep Crystal #1 is a good, easy to use mild cleaner, and then ScratchX is good by hand on swirls, light scratch marks, etc.

4. Polish - Deep Crystal #2 is a good polish t ostart of with.

5. Wax - There are lots of choices here. Gold Class, Nxt, Deep Crystal #3, #21 Synthetic Sealant, etc are all good waxes. Remember 2 thin coats is best.

Quick:

1. Wash - as above

2. Clay - as above

3. ColorX - This is a great cleaner/wax, and a great way to speed things up a little.

4. Wax - Ilike to top ColorX with #21 Synthetic Sealant, but you could use whichever wax you bought previously.

And of course, be sure to be using quality towels, spinges, mits, etc. autodetailingsolutions.com is a good store to order from online, and at the moment they have a nice sale on microfiber drying and buffing towels. You cna slo order any other Meguiars products there as well. Usualy, the savings there are the same or more than shipping, so it is just like going to the store without having to.