Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

[angeloaa]

Hey guys
how's everyone doing?

I recently bought a Meg's G110v2, it will be my first time using it. Last year I was able to achieve my goal but this year I'm looking for more, should also be easier as well.
Below is a list of the items I have, I'll be working on a black 2000 Honda Prelude, from what I understand the paint on Honda vehicles is very soft.
Anyways here's what I have to work with.

Car Shampoo, Rim Cleaner, etc.
Deep Crystal Car Wash
Hot Rims Aluminum Wheel Cleaner
Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner
All Purpose Cleaner Plus (10-1 and 4-1 dilution)
ONR Wash and Shine

Waxes, Polishes, Tire Dressing, etc.
Deep Crystal Step1 Paint Cleaner
Deep Crystal Step2 Polish
ScratchX2.0
PlastX
ColorX
Ultimate Compound
NXT2.0
Gold Class Wax
Back to Black
Hot Shine Tire Spray
Ultimate Quik Detailer
Quik Interior Detailer
Gold Class Rich Leather

Foam Pads, MF, etc.
2 Yellow Pads W8207
2 Black Pads W9207
2 4" White CCS pads
2 4" Black CCS pads
From what I've been reading Meg's Yellow W8207 would be comparible with the 4" White CCS and Meg's Black W9207 would be comparible with the 4" Black CCS.
washmits, MF towels, clay bar kit, etc.

I have a basic idea what I have to do.
wash
dry
clay
paint correction
pure polish
wax
sealant

My questions are:
1. If I'm using ONR as my clay lube is it necessary to go over the surface with a 50/50 mix of Isopropanol Alcohol/water mixture after the claying is done?

2. With the items I have, the car I'm working on, what would be the next steps up until my LSP?

3. My tires are abit brown in color, what item above can you suggest I wash them with?

4. Ever since I got polish on my side skirt (textured plastic) I haven't been able to get them back to being black again, I tried peanut butter and a toothbrush and didn't work out that great. Do you think I should use a more abrasive brush along with All Purpose cleaner (4-1 dilution)? If not, what would you suggest I use/purchase?

[greg0303]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

From what I've been reading Meg's Yellow W8207 would be comparible with the 4" White CCS and Meg's Black W9207 would be comparible with the 4" Black CCS.

I think Meguiar's yellow polishing pad has slightly more cut than LC white polishing pad (it's between LC's white and orange pads).

I have a basic idea what I have to do.
1. wash/ dry
2. clay
3. paint correction
4. pure polish
5. wax
6. sealant

Step 4 - after paint correction sometimes you may need a more aggressive product to bring paint back to its full gloss, like cleaner polish instead of pure polish.

Steps 5 and 6 should be reverse: synthetic wax (sealant) first and then natural (carnauba) wax on top.

My questions are:
1. If I'm using ONR as my clay lube is it necessary to go over the surface with a 50/50 mix of Isopropanol Alcohol/water mixture after the claying is done?

No. You usually do it after compounding and polishing step before applying your protection to make sure defects were fully removed and not just covered up by cleaner/ polish/ glaze.

2. With the items I have, the car I'm working on, what would be the next steps up until my LSP?

It would depend on level of paint correction needed. If below surface problems exist (swirls, scratches, oxidation, water spots, etc) then Ultimate Compound would be the best choice.

Cleaner polish like SwirlX or Ultimate Polish would be a nice addition to your detailing arsenal.

Deep Crystal Step1 Paint Cleaner - paint cleaner,
Deep Crystal Step2 Polish - pure polish,
ScratchX2.0 - paint cleaner for isolated problems (more aggressive than Deep Crystal Cleaner),
ColorX - mild all in one (AIO) cleaner wax,
Ultimate Compound - paint cleaner (more aggressive than ScratchX 2.0).

3. My tires are abit brown in color, what item above can you suggest I wash them with?

After car wash clean them with All Purpose Cleaner Plus (APC+) and follow with Hot Shine Tire Spray.

4. Ever since I got polish on my side skirt (textured plastic) I haven't been able to get them back to being black again, I tried peanut butter and a toothbrush and didn't work out that great. Do you think I should use a more abrasive brush along with All Purpose cleaner (4-1 dilution)? If not, what would you suggest I use/purchase?

Try All Purpose Cleaner 4:1, agitate the affected areas with soft toothbrush and follow with Ultimate Black. If unsuccessful go with M39 Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner:

http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/product_detail.asp?T1=MEG+M3916

I hope it helps.

[angeloaa]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

Hey Greg
thanks for your help.

When I bought the white CCS pad I thought the same thing but I realized after, that if I applied abit more pressure, and with the pad being only 4", I may be able to get the same level of cut that a Meg's Yellow pad gives me.

As for my steps, my car has minor scratches, cob webs, waterspots. So I was going to hit it with:
1. wash/dry
2. clay
3. paint correction (either Ultimate Compound or ScratchX2.0)
4. If I get hazing what should I use? If I don't get hazing what would be step 4 with the items I have available? I'd like to try and use up what I have.
5. Sealant
6. Carnuba

[greg0303]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

If Ultimate Compound or ScratchX leave some haze/ micro-marring then ColorX would be a good product to clean it up. If paint looks good after correction Deep Crystal Polish is good for gloss boosting.

NxT Tech Wax 2.0 needs 12-hour cure time (for best results) before applying Gold Class Carnauba Plus on top of it.

[angeloaa]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

If Ultimate Compound or ScratchX leave some haze/ micro-marring then ColorX would be a good product to clean it up. If paint looks good after correction Deep Crystal Polish is good for gloss boosting.

NxT Tech Wax 2.0 needs 12-hour cure time (for best results) before applying Gold Class Carnauba Plus on top of it.

If I get haze/marring after using either UC or ScratchX2.0 ColorX would be my next step, would it make sense to then use DC Polish after ColorX?

I've also been reading about Brinkman lights, can you suggest anything else that I can use? I'm guessing that a good car detailers light should have Xenon lights along with 170-200 lumens?

How about using a LED light?
_http://www.walmart.com/ip/Black-and-Decker-Rechargeable-Spotlight/14034168

[greg0303]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

ColorX is a cleaner wax - cleaner/ polish/ wax all in one. No need to use a pure polish like Deep Crystal Polish after.

I use Brinkmann Swirl Finder and I'm very happy with it:

http://www.autogeek.net/brinkmann-xenon-spotlight.html

[angeloaa]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

ColorX is a cleaner wax - cleaner/ polish/ wax all in one. No need to use a pure polish like Deep Crystal Polish after.

I use Brinkmann Swirl Finder and I'm very happy with it:
http://www.autogeek.net/brinkmann-xenon-spotlight.html

Hey Greg
you've been a huge help.
thanks.

[angeloaa]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

I did 2 test spots on my hood a week ago(16"X16"), I didn't take any pictures (didn't have my camrea at the time) I was working in the garage and the lighting isn't all that good, so I recently bought a 500Watt working light which should help me out in the future.

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/Lighting/WorkLights/PRD~0524046P/500W%252BTwin%252BHead%252BHalogen%252BWork%252BLight%252Bon%252BTripod.jsp?locale=en

Below is what I applied to each spot along with type of pad and speed setting. Car was washed, dryed, and area that was worked on was clayed.

Test Spot 1
ScratchX2.0, Yellow W8207 pad, setting 5 (pad was primed before use)
Deep Crystal Step2 Polish, Black W9207 pad, setting 3
Gold Class Wax, 4" Black CCS pad, setting 2

Test Spot 2
Ultimate Compound, Yellow W8207 pad, setting 5
ColorX, Black W9207 pad, setting 3
Gold Class Wax, 4" Black CCS pad, setting 2

After doing both test spots I removed the tape from both areas and waxed half of the hood. I'm not sure what happened but both test spot areas are hazy looking compared to the other area that wasn't machine buffed. I also noticed after buffing with DC Step2 Polish it was abit difficult to remove, while wiping the area with my MF it was making a screaching noise.

When using both UC and ScratchX2.0 medium pressure was applied, when using ColorX and DC Polish no pressure was applied, just the weight of the machine. As for how many passes were done, when I was using UC and ScratchX2.0 I would first spread the product around quickly and then use a up and down motion, 2 passes and then go left to right, 2 passes.
Any advice you guys can give me?

[Murr1525]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

To be honest, would be best if we knew what it was like just after the UC step.

Or posibly a test spot with only ColorX.

[angeloaa]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

To be honest, would be best if we knew what it was like just after the UC step.

Or posibly a test spot with only ColorX.

Thats no problem, I have plans of doing a few more test spots on the other half of the hood tomorrow or Wednesday, I'll have my camera handy.

Would you recommend UC and ColorX using a Yellow or Black pad?

Can you guys explain how to take a nice closeup photo of the paint?

[Murr1525]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

Probably yellow... but playing around could be needed. Its really a matter of seeing if the product is removing swirls/scratches and then causing the haze, or not removing the defects.

One way that can work is to place something on the surface, like a finger for the camera to focus on.

[angeloaa]

Re: Stepping It Up A Notch Compared To Last Year

Probably yellow... but playing around could be needed. Its really a matter of seeing if the product is removing swirls/scratches and then causing the haze, or not removing the defects.

One way that can work is to place something on the surface, like a finger for the camera to focus on.

I'll try using my Meg's Yellow pads (I have 2) with UC and ColorX and then try using my 4" CCS White pads with the same 2 items on a different spots. I'll take a few photos.
I only have 4 pads for paint correction, the other 4 I have are black ones. If I wanted to do a test spot with ScratchX2.0 as well can I simply wash one of the Yellow pads, dry it on a MF and use it? I won't bother applying polish this time, I'll have lots of time in a few weeks when I'm on vacation to do the entire vehicle.