Need to spruce up the car - 4 months after DC 3 step

[ahujadaddy]

Hey guys, I first got into detailing about four months ago with the help of friend who introduced me to meguiars. Ever since then I've been HOOKED! So anyway...

I did a full detail to my 2002 Honda Accord a few months ago: wash -> clay -> DC Step 1, 2 -> NXT. I was thinking to spruce it up next month with more wax for the winter months. I have the DC step 3 Carnuba wax, and would like to see what it looks like on the car (even though I have NXT sitting around too).

My question is, can I just wash -> Quick Detailer Spray and Wipe -> Step 3 wax? The surface should be good from the step 1 and step 2. I don't think I need to clay again, but even if i wanted to wouldn't that strip the wax?

What do you guys think? Thanks!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Need to spruce up the car - 4 months after DC 3 step

My question is, can I just wash -> Quick Detailer Spray and Wipe -> Step 3 wax? The surface should be good from the step 1 and step 2. I don't think I need to clay again, but even if i wanted to wouldn't that strip the wax?

What do you guys think? Thanks!

Meguiar's always teaches people to evaluate the paint and let the results of your surface evaluation be your guide as to what products and what steps to perform. After washing your car, feel the paint with the palm of your clean hand and if your paint feels smooth like brand new glass then you can go ahead with your above plan.

Read this,

How often do I need to clay my car's finish?

The question is often asked,

"How often do I need to clay my car's finish?"


The answer is,

"It depends on where you park your car and what's floating in the air"



If you spent one day detailing your car including claying it and applying a coating of wax, and the next day your car was parked in a parking lot like this,



And about 100 yards away is a painter elevated into the sky spraying paint onto a building like this...



Then because the wind will tend to carry the overspray through the air until it finds a place to touch down and come to rest, you may very well need to clay your car the next day.

"How often you need to clay your car's finish depends on what's floating in the air where you park your car"


As I drove down the road from where this building is being sprayed, I stopped to take a photograph of this Corvette sitting behind a fence in the owners front yard while he was doing some upgrades to the house that required access to the garage.




It's completely possible the paint overspray being sprayed into the air just a few blocks down the road could come to rest on this Corvette's finish as well as everything else, including the window glass and the convertible top.






What Meguiar's teaches is that in order to know whether or not you need to clay, or re-clay your car's finish, you need to evaluate the condition of the finish, with both your eyes and your sense of touch.


So the answer to,

"How often do I need to clay my car's finish?"

Is as often as necessary and the way you determine if claying is necessary is to evaluate the condition of the finish, with both your eyes and your sense of touch.

[ahujadaddy]

Re: Need to spruce up the car - 4 months after DC 3 step

Gotcha, thanks Mike!