First Full Detail - Jeep Cherokee

[mxman]

Just got inside after a full day and a half of detailing. We are finally getting some decent weather. Good enough to attempt my first full detail. High temp here in the Upper Peninsula was 35-40 cooling down to about 20 °F. Now considering I am really new at this I thought I would type and print out the essentials of my process to use on my detail. Maybe this might help someone else? This is almost exactly what I did, until my foam pad fell on dirty ground and I couldn't find a new pad.

Take off spare tire and used wheel/tire cleaner spray on tires/wheels/wheel wells (Let Sit 30 sec.)
Spray all cleaner off
Spray with tire/wheel cleaner and let sit 1-3 minutes (max)
Spray tire/wheels/spare and wheel wells (Same cleaner)
Spray again with wheel/tire cleaner spray on tires/wheels/wheel wells
Scrub tires/wheels, wheel wells and spare with tire and wheel brushes
Remove floor mats, doorplate guards
Spray tires/wheels, wheel wells and spare
Spray vehicle from top down to bottom
Spray bucket with 1oz. NXT Wash and a gallon of water
Spray door jams while doors closed
Spray door jams while doors half open
Scrub vehicle with NXT Wash from top down to bottom with Chenille Sponge
Scrub lower panel of vehicle with car brush
Scrub wheels with car brush or Terry cloth
Possibly scrub half vehicle then rinse
Scrub open door jams with Terry cloth
Spray vehicle from top to down
Spray door jams while doors closed
Spray door jams while doors half open
Extra Time: Spray underside of vehicle & Floor mats
Dry vehicle from top to down
Straight-line motions only
Partially dry windows/wheels/tires with Terry cloth
Spray and wipe vehicle with Quick Detailer and blue MF towel
Spray vehicle with Quick Detailer and clay with Overspray Clay
Clay wheels with separate piece
Spray vehicle from top to down
Extra Time: Spray underside of vehicle & Floor mats
Dry vehicle from top to down
Straight-line motions only
Dry windows/wheels/tires/door jams with Terry cloth thoroughly
Tape off plastic trim on body with 3m Automotive tape
Use Clear Coat Body Scrub
Apply with dedicated foam pad and remove with MF
ONE SECTION AT A TIME
Straight-line motions only
Use Swirl Remover #9 with dedicated foam pad
Work until product has almost dried
Remove with Terry and MF
ONE SECTION AT A TIME
Straight-line motions only
Use NXT Wax
Apply thin coat with dedicated foam pad
ONE SECTION AT A TIME
Back-and-forth straight-line motions only
Let cure for 10-15 min.
Remove with white MF
Apply thin coat with dedicated foam pad to wheels
Apply tire dressing and let penetrate 30 min. then wipe with foam applicator
Clean excess of body with Quick Detailer
Apply second coat with foam pad 12 hours later and remove with fresh white MF
Use Quick Detailer to maintain shine


Before/After Pictures, Praises, Complaints, and Comments Tommarow.

[mxman]

So I was running late this morning and didn't have time to apply a second coat of NXT. This evening I took out the quick detailer and went over the Jeep about 5 times until I got all the dust off. Was it a bad idea to apply another coat after this? I did it anyways and just got back inside. The 'Before' pictures didn't turn out and the 'After' pictures look pretty bad too. It started raining and I had to pull it in garage but here are the pictures. The surface has a lot less swirl marks but there is still a lot of odd super tiny marks on the paint. It was a good experience and I learned quit a bit. My arms and back hurt so bad I almost want to call right now for a PC. I'll upload better pictures if it ever gets nice. (Expected 20 Degrees, Snow/Rain all week)

3 minutes before it rained on me. One coat of NXT.


Before picture. Clay bar got a lot of stuff like this out! I LOVE the clay bar. The best investment out of all the Meguiar's products I bought. Some of it didn't come off because it was stained heavy into paint or embedded in a 'nick' in the paint.


Good experience, but never again will I apply in temps below 50!

[mxman]

Here is my Jeep last summer. Meguiar's Gold Class Wash/Wax and dressings. That's all I did.

I sold my clears, but plan on buying a new set and seal them correctly with silicone. I miss the clear lights!

[FlaresideLariat]

Looks good. How long did it take you?

[rusty bumper]

Good job mxman!

That was a very detailed writeup too! (No pun intended )

[mxman]

It took me hours and hours. I washed an clayed it Saturday 4-9. Washed again and did everything else Saturday 12-8. Never, ever will I polish in such cold conditions again. (35-40)

I really learned my lesson. Everything was too hard to spread/remove and made it not too enjoyable. This stuff is also just way too hard to apply and remove by hand.

Did I miss Mike's deal on a PC or is that this Friday?

Oh and why the heck did my Clear Coat Body Scrub come out so dirty after wiping it off? Some came off clean, but most was brownish. Is that the cleaner or contamination because I had already clayed the whole thing twice.

My next detail in a '01 Dark Red Ford Focus
(Hardley any swirls, some bird **** stains and some small etching and scratches!)
Waiting for warmer weather on that one!