A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

[CBLW]

Hi all, I'm trying to get answers quickly to a couple of remaining detailing questions that I have (FYI -- i tried searching and was not able to conclusively solve these mysteries on my own).

First, two Scratch X related questions:

1. When using Scratch X, is it necessary to "remove" the Scratch X (as indicated on the bottle) with a microfiber or terry cloth if I've literally worked ALL of the product into the paint (to the point where this is no haze, residue, etc.)? I ask because I'd honestly prefer not to touch the paint work with those materials, if possible, and when I finish my detailing, there never seems to be any Scratch X left over. Which is good, right?

2. Car nut advice aside, is there anything REQUIRED to complete a Scratch X application besides Scatch X and a Megs Foam Applicator Pad? I know that waxing and polishing are recommended afterwards, but are they NECESSARY?

Second, one unrelated question:

Can someone please give me a VERY simplied step by step guide to car washing with Megs products? Were talking for someone with almost no time to do this, and no desire to use 500 products. Like 5 or 6 steps, at most. If my car is generally in good shape (it's brand new right now), are steps like claying really necessary, or can I just wax after a wash? Anyway, I'm looking for a reeeeeeally easy to use guide. I honestly won't be able to do this more than a few times a year, and in between, I'm just going to try to keep the car as clean as possible. By the time I get around to the car's first full scale wash, it will probably be about six months old...

Thanks everyone!!

[Murr1525]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

1. Well, you dont want to work to a dry-buff. If there is actualy nothing left, then you are dragging a dry applicator across the paint. So you do want there to be a little left, and then remove it with the towel.

Are you using ScratchX every time you detail?

2. Well, ScratchX has no protective ingrediants, so if you wanted to protect the paint, then a wax would be needed after.

3. Here is how to wash a car:

How to Wash Your Car (ShowCar style!)

After the wash, you can use something like the Ultimate Quick Detailer to get a fresh gloss back quickly. And if you are confident that the paint is clean, not much in the way of bonded contaminants, etc, then you could apply a fresh coat of wax if you wanted after washing.

Claying is only needed when the surface starts to get rough, or someone has been painting nearby, etc. Otherwise, you dont need to do it everytime. Of course a daily driver parked outside under trees could use claying more often than a once-in-a-while driver in a garage.

On the quick detailing note, here is a quick detail I like:

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. ColorX
4. Wax

[CBLW]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Murr1525, thanks for helping man... when you say that there should be a "little left" on the paint... what does that mean exactly? I have a black car, and it certainly appears that it's all getting rubbed in, but I'm not certain how I'd know for sure. Also, what I often do is just turn the foam pad over to a clean portion and swipe the affected area with the clean pad as a finishing touch. Do I really need to swipe the spot with a microfiber afterwards as well? What is the benefit to doing that, and how would I even know if there was still prodcut there to be swiped? Because if there isn't, aren't I just rubbing a microfiber against my dry paint?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

1. When using Scratch X, is it necessary to "remove" the Scratch X (as indicated on the bottle) with a microfiber or terry cloth if I've literally worked ALL of the product into the paint (to the point where this is no haze, residue, etc.)?

I ask because I'd honestly prefer not to touch the paint work with those materials, if possible, and when I finish my detailing, there never seems to be any Scratch X left over. Which is good, right?

2. Car nut advice aside, is there anything REQUIRED to complete a Scratch X application besides Scratch X and a Megs Foam Applicator Pad? I know that waxing and polishing are recommended afterwards, but are they NECESSARY?

This should answer both questions...

ScratchX is an intelligent replacement for an old fashioned rubbing or polishing compound and just like you would follow a rubbing or polishing compound with polishing and waxing you need to follow ANY compound, paint cleaner, (that's what ScratchX is), or cleaner/polish with a protective coating of wax you your paint is left unprotected.

There are no protection or lasting ingredients in a paint cleaner, that's not the job of a paint cleaner. A paint cleaner is a dedicated product for removing defects. A wax or paint sealant is a dedicated product for protecting and preserving your paint as well as taking the finish results to a higher level.

Also you don't work any product till it's gone. As a product dissipates you lose lubricity or slip and the potential for instilling scratches from your application material, dried residue and pressure increases.

Take a moment to read through this thread,

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

This puts the "process" in perspective and polishing paint is a process, not a single product.

Hope this helps...

[Murr1525]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Here is part of a video of Mike using ScratchX... might help a little as well, though not sure what it shows about removing product:

How to correctly apply ScratchX to remove swirls and scratches

[CBLW]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Now you guys are scaring me a bit though... are you suggesting that it's actually quite harmful to use Scratch X when you don't have the time to fully wash and wax a car? I live on a busy city street, so while I'd love to have that kind of flexability, it's really not possible space/time wise. Is it actually BAD that I'm removing scratches whenever I should see one? I'm just trying to keep the car tip top as I can given the circumstances.

[Murr1525]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Granted, it sounds like you have gotten good results so far your way.. so if it works for your car, ok. Its one of those things that may or may not work on every car, so if you wanted to be sure you were working properly on every car, you might want to change things up a little.

One of the keys might be that the smooth foam pad isnt really that smooth when dry, and of course a MF isnt either. But when you are holding a foam pad to work with a product, all of the pressure is transfered directly under 4 fingers. When you have a MF towel, and have it folded in 1/4's or so, you have the pressure of your palm spread over a few million fibers on an 8inch or so square.

As far as knowing if there was product left, it should be visible as kind of a film.

How much time do you tend to spend working the product in?

[CBLW]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

If a scratch is still visible, I might spend up to 15 minutes working a spot with several hits of Scratch X. I've tried to follow the philosophy of intense pressure at first, then light buffing afterwards. Speaking of which... if I go back and re-visit a spot that's not COMPLETELY gone, should I follow that formula again, or just keep buffing lightly? (meaning, should i go back to hard, then soft pressure, or should i just start with soft pressure?)

[Mike Phillips]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Now you guys are scaring me a bit though... are you suggesting that it's actually quite harmful to use Scratch X when you don't have the time to fully wash and wax a car? I live on a busy city street, so while I'd love to have that kind of flexibility, it's really not possible space/time wise. Is it actually BAD that I'm removing scratches whenever I should see one? I'm just trying to keep the car tip top as I can given the circumstances.

You can use ScratchX and remove scratches an not wax until you have more time as long as you understand that using a paint cleaner removes all previously applied wax and without adding some kind of wax protection after using a paint cleaner your car's paint will not have any protection and it probably won't look as good as if it had a coating of wax.

Personal preference.

Clear coat paints are pretty durable, they'll last a long time but that doesn't mean they'll look good a long time.

If you're just dong "Spot Repair" it doesn't take that much longer to apply a thin layer of any kind of wax, let it dry and wipe it off. For example, a cleaner/wax like A12 Cleaner/Wax dries very quickly, so you could apply ScratchX, then follow it with some A12 and you'll have a clean and protected finish with little time.

[Murr1525]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Now you guys are scaring me a bit though... are you suggesting that it's actually quite harmful to use Scratch X when you don't have the time to fully wash and wax a car? I live on a busy city street, so while I'd love to have that kind of flexability, it's really not possible space/time wise. Is it actually BAD that I'm removing scratches whenever I should see one? I'm just trying to keep the car tip top as I can given the circumstances.

Are you washing or QDing the area before using ScratchX?

ScratchX will remove the wax, so there would be none left over the areas you used it on. You would at least want to try to put some cleaner/wax or wax on that spot that you ScratchXed if you want to protect the paint.

The other option of course is to let a couple scratches build up a little, and deal with them all at once.

[CBLW]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

I'm cleaning the spots with water, then water and with car shampoo, then water again, then drying, then applying Scratch X. I guess what I don't understand is, are you guys saying that without the follow up wax treatment, the paint is simply more susceptible to scratches, or are you saying that the paint will ACTUALLY become damaged in some uncontrollable, natural fashion even without scratches?

I definitely understand that waxing would be best... Mike, I guess you're saying that even "spot waxing" is a good alternative to nothing?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

I'm cleaning the spots with water, then water and with car shampoo, then water again, then drying, then applying Scratch X. I guess what I don't understand is, are you guys saying that without the follow up wax treatment, the paint is simply more susceptible to scratches, or are you saying that the paint will ACTUALLY become damaged in some uncontrollable, natural fashion even without scratches?

Well it's mostly about having a layer of protection to protect the paint from degrading when it's exposed to the environment, water, sun, dirt, dust, airborne contaminants, etc.

A sacrificial barrier coating of wax is better than naked paint, (so to speak), and again it will also help to make the paint look better.

I definitely understand that waxing would be best... Mike, I guess you're saying that even "spot waxing" is a good alternative to nothing?

Yes.

[CBLW]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Guys, I assume ColorX and seelant is optional? I don't think I'm going to have the patience to apply anything more than wax, not unless I switch jobs and move to a nice big house anyway!!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

ColorX is a sealant, it's a cleaner/wax, it will clean, polish and wax in one step and if your scratches are not too deep it may remove them and leave the paint protected in one step.

Good price for a great product and easy to find at any auto parts store.

[CBLW]

Re: A Couple of Pressing Questions for Mike (or others)

Ooooooooh, the other poster wrote, "ColorX, then wax, so I was confused..." so ColorX is the wax that you'd recommend for the simplied job I'm doing Mike? And I'm good to go?