Advice on Detailing

[Simon777]

I'm about to start detailing my 1999 300m and plan on using these steps:

1) Meguiars Clay Kit
2) Ultimate Compound (1 or 2 passes)
3) SwirlX (1 pass)
4) Step 2 DC Polish (1 pass)
5) NXT 2.0 Wax (2 passes) (how long should I wait between layers?)

I really wanted to use meguiar's M205 in between steps 3 and 4, but I've already checked 4 auto stores and no one has it. How much am I missing out on by not using M205?

Oh, and any criticism toward my steps before I start would be apprecited.

[the_invisible]

Re: Advice on Detailing

Instead of using the Deep Crystal 1 and 2 products, try substituing them with a product called SwirlX. It is a cleaner polish that works quite well by hand.


From my personal experience, reinforced by the facts outlined to me by the MOL administrator, you will not maximize the benefits of M205 unless you are using a rotary. If you are applying your products by hand or by the DA, SwirlX is the more ideal choice. I now mainly reserve M205 for jeweling with the rotary and a finishing pad. As an ultra finishing polish, M205 is simply too expensive to be used as a swirl remover with a polishing pad, personally.



I would consider SwirlX in place of Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step 1 and Step 2 products.

[Murr1525]

Re: Advice on Detailing

How are you applying the products?

[Simon777]

Re: Advice on Detailing

Instead of using the Deep Crystal 1 and 2 products, try substituing them with a product called SwirlX. It is a cleaner polish that works quite well by hand.


From my personal experience, reinforced by the facts outlined to me by the MOL administrator, you will not maximize the benefits of M205 unless you are using a rotary. If you are applying your products by hand or by the DA, SwirlX is the more ideal choice. I now mainly reserve M205 for jeweling with the rotary and a finishing pad. As an ultra finishing polish, M205 is simply too expensive to be used as a swirl remover with a polishing pad, personally.



I would consider SwirlX in place of Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step 1 and Step 2 products.

Sorry, I meant to put that, but typed step 1 Paint Cleaner instead(I used to use this). Wouldn't I need a layer of Step 2 polish before waxing? That would give the paint a little more shine right?

I have an orbital buffer.

[Murr1525]

Re: Advice on Detailing

Unless your car is black/dark, or single stage, you likely wont see much change after SwirlX.

[the_invisible]

Re: Advice on Detailing

If you are using an orbital buffer, then SwirlX may be a much better choice than M205, although M205 is listed as a product designed for the orbital buffer.

I once used a 10" 3300OPM orbital buffer that was essentially a Dual Action Polisher (it orbits and rotates at the same time) to correct swirls using a cotton bonnet and SwirlX. The combo removed the swirls fairly well. However that depends on the severity of the defects you are dealing with.

You do not really need a polish prior to applying a wax. Some people like it, but some also theorized otherwise. Personally, I wash off all the polishing oils before applying waxes or sealants, and I still get excellent gloss and shine from my surfaces.

[Andy M.]

Re: Advice on Detailing

Unless your car is black/dark, or single stage, you likely wont see much change after SwirlX.

Not really sure about this Mat. Do you have an example of this?

Andy

[Simon777]

Re: Advice on Detailing

If you are using an orbital buffer, then SwirlX may be a much better choice than M205, although M205 is listed as a product designed for the orbital buffer.

I once used a 10" 3300OPM orbital buffer that was essentially a Dual Action Polisher (it orbits and rotates at the same time) to correct swirls using a cotton bonnet and SwirlX. The combo removed the swirls fairly well. However that depends on the severity of the defects you are dealing with.

You do not really need a polish prior to applying a wax. Some people like it, but some also theorized otherwise. Personally, I wash off all the polishing oils before applying waxes or sealants, and I still get excellent gloss and shine from my surfaces.

I have that same orbital buffer, works great. There are no severe defects on the paint, just swirl scratches. The car is black by the way. I always thought you put polish prior to wax to restore the paint's oils and then trap them with the wax.

[Simon777]

Re: Advice on Detailing

I've never used this, but the worker at O'Reilly's highly recommended this and even showed me a headlight he used it on. Its the 3M Headlight lens restoration system and it prefers a drill with 1200-1600rpm, but I only have a drill capable of 850rpm.

For anyone with experience, is it alright to use my drill?

[the_invisible]

Re: Advice on Detailing

The 3M headlight restoration drill kit is for severely oxidized or scratched headlights. Also I am afraid that a drill capable of only 850rpm may not be capable of removing the scratches adequately.

Simple maintenance with Deep Crystal step 1, SwirlX, or ScratchX will restore the headlight to their clarity.

[Murr1525]

Re: Advice on Detailing

My point was based on SwirlX being a cleaner/polish. As with other cleaner/polishes, they will leave some polishing oils on the surface. Some people may notice a difference on light colors, some may not. But there are oils to keep the paint healthy.

However, not as much as a pure polish of course, and on a dark car, or very neglected car, the extra oils of the pure polish can be noticable.

[Simon777]

Re: Advice on Detailing

My point was based on SwirlX being a cleaner/polish. As with other cleaner/polishes, they will leave some polishing oils on the surface. Some people may notice a difference on light colors, some may not. But there are oils to keep the paint healthy.

However, not as much as a pure polish of course, and on a dark car, or very neglected car, the extra oils of the pure polish can be noticable.

I didn't know it was a polish too, but thanks for all yours and everyone elses help.

[Tim Lingor]

Re: Advice on Detailing

Unless your car is black/dark, or single stage, you likely wont see much change after SwirlX.

Not really sure about this Mat. Do you have an example of this?

Andy

My point was based on SwirlX being a cleaner/polish. As with other cleaner/polishes, they will leave some polishing oils on the surface. Some people may notice a difference on light colors, some may not. But there are oils to keep the paint healthy.

However, not as much as a pure polish of course, and on a dark car, or very neglected car, the extra oils of the pure polish can be noticable.

Hey Andy,

This is another good example where information may be read by newcomers and taken at face value as the detailing gospel when in fact it is based on supposition. On any forum you will find comments where someone has "read" information about a product or item but has no real actual practical experience in using a said product, and in this case, on many different paints. So while Murr1525 (Matt) was only trying to help, and I am not coming down on you Matt as I am sure many appreciate your help ( ), comments on products really need to come from experience from actually using them in various situations. Having used the products on various paints, of differing colors, types (SS or BC/CC) fresh or old paint, hard or soft, under various environmental conditions, then an accurate subjective analysis can be made.

I remember one time, can not remember who it was, but the individual was arguing with me on how to use/apply M105 properly when in fact he/she had not even used the product before! Their argument was based on what they read elsewhere. So if that information which they read was incorrect, which it was, then their post is accidentally misleading as I am sure no malice was intended. So my advice to everyone reading information in forums, do research the topics thoroughly. Then make your decision!

The Internet is a great thing though it has become a victim of its own success.



Tim

[3Fitty]

Re: Advice on Detailing

Tim,

Very good point and something we should all be concerned about. I think those (like me) who are far from being pros have to learn that often things said on detailing forums are just repeated phrases from "what you've read" rather than "what you've done". (I'm not saying that is the case here - but it serves well to make note of it).

I remember when working with D151 and having questions, I ran inside to read Tim's review which was based on real life working experience + x amount of years of professional experience by Tim. In that regard, there is real value in reading such reviews.

I think one of the things the non-pros have to be careful of (God knows I'm guilty of this), is offering advice which might not be based on real world experience or might even be based on "real world INexperience".

Just food for thought.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Advice on Detailing

From my personal experience, reinforced by the facts outlined to me by the MOL administrator, you will not maximize the benefits of M205 unless you are using a rotary. If you are applying your products by hand or by the DA, SwirlX is the more ideal choice. I now mainly reserve M205 for jeweling with the rotary and a finishing pad. As an ultra finishing polish, M205 is simply too expensive to be used as a swirl remover with a polishing pad, personally.

Hang on a second...... we were discussing the overall cutting ability of M205 vs SwirlX, not necessarily "maximizing the benefits", however that might be defined. While it's true that M205 was designed primarily as a rotary applied follow up to M105 it still does a wonderful job when used with a D/A to generate a very high degree of clarity to the finish. Our discussion centered on winter prep, total cut, and which product made more sense in that setting. While both would work, for your particular case SwirlX run at a lower speed on the D/A seemed to make the most sense.

Honestly, for the majority of people who are just looking to eliminate swirls from a daily driver, SwirlX or Ultimate Compound (depending on hardness of paint, level of defect and method of application) are probably the smart choice over M105 and M205. Both are much easier to source, they're less expensive, are based on similar SMAT technology, and in some ways can even be easier to use. Certainly the buffing cycle of Ultimate Compound tends to be much longer than that of M105 on a D/A, again depending on a variety of factors.

3) SwirlX (1 pass)
4) Step 2 DC Polish (1 pass)

I really wanted to use meguiar's M205 in between steps 3 and 4, but I've already checked 4 auto stores and no one has it. How much am I missing out on by not using M205?

Honestly, you probably won't gain much by adding the additional step of M205 between these two. Heck, you may not even need SwirlX as a follow up to Ultimate Compound. Should you decide to do so, try running it at a slower speed and with a bit less pressure, and work it for a longer cycle than you did the UC. That should bring you very close to what M205 would do on it's own anyway. But you're getting to a point where skill, technique, how critical your eye is, what your expectations are, what the overall condition of the paint is.......... you're almost splitting hairs here.