Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

[LOBO]

THIS IS MY FIRST POST.... I AM NEW ON THIS AND ALL I WANT IS JUST GET AN ADVISE FROM EVERYBODY....SORRY IF I ASK TOO MUCH
I have been reading a lot of the postings here and the more I read the more I am confused on what product I need to do the
job. Reading some products information shows me almost the same so I dont know how to start. I know every product has
differents performance but need to know which to use before start.
I like this forum and cant believe how all this information is available and shared.
I like to wash my cars every weekend......its my hobby but I want to enjoy more about this incredible detailing world.
I will get my PC next week and want to detail my cars and some family cars.
Getting my PC, which you recommend me to start? normal PAds or doble pads ( edge 2000 ) ?

I live in California, in the desert ; high temperatures and lows also, lot of dust, windy DAYS and mostly of the time cars are outside.

Now, all I want to know is what kind of product ( number, name or specific product so I can just go and buy it ) or steps use to my followings :

1. Ford F150 FX4 Black color model 2006 ; washed weekends and waxed twice only......have swirls due to the fact I have not used proper products I guees and because everyday I use the Duster cleaner to remove dust from my car......
2. Dodge Durango 2005 Gray color; washed weekends and never waxed ......
3. Altima 2003 Black color; washed weekends. Never waxed or polished....Need good work on it.
4. Dodge Neon 2003 Red color ; oops!. rarely washed and i dont think waxed or polished since NEW ... Need work also..
5. Ford Grand Marquis 1999 White color; washed weekends and i dont think waxed or polished since NEW ... Need work also..

I know i will enjoy this once finished and I want to start ASAP ...... of course getting the right products.......I just want to avoid confusions getting righjt product among 1000......
Since I am starting with this, I want start inmediatelly and leave these cars as NEW ; My car is the F150 which is the one I use to clean frequently. All others are from my wife, parents, etc..I want to leave them like a Rock.....very shine and of course with a protection because the climate and dust around here.....AND FINALLY ... TO ENJOY THIS
I hope everybody can help me out so I can start to buy all products I will need this week......

[Graeme]

Re: Newbie demanding HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

Well if you want help, may I suggest you edit your title to ask and not demand.
You may find people here will be a little more obliging.

[TH0001]

Re: Newbie demanding HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

Califorina people, sheesh....

As for the right products, I recommed you pick up the following....

Meguiars #21
Meguiars #26
Meguiars #81
Meguiars #7
Meguiars #85
Meguiars #84
Meguiars #83
Meguiars #80
Meguiars #09 or #82
Meguiars G100 D/A or Portercable 7336
Hitachi SPV or Makita 9227 polish with backing plate
Meguiars 9006 pad x 3
Meguiars 8006 pad x 6
Meguiars 7006 pad x 3
Meguiars mircofibers x30 or so....
Meguiars NXT Windowcleaner
Meguiars GoldGlass Metal Polish or Meguiars NXT All Metal Polysh
Meguiars Hyperwash with approiate dispenser
2 5 gallon buckets
2 Gritguards
several highquality wash mitts
Meguiars #38
Meguiars #39
Meguiars Detailer Exterior Trim Detailer
Meguiars Detailer Wheel Brighter and apporiate spray bottle
Meguiars Detailer Hyperdressing and 3 apportiate spray bottles for different solutions
Meguiars Detailer APC and 3 approperiate spray bottles fro different solutions
Meguiars All Wheel Cleaner
Meguiars ScratchX
Meguiars Plastix
Meguiars Quik Out
Meguiasrs Detailer Last Touch Detailer and approperiate bottle
Meguiars NXT Speed Detailer
Meguiars Quik Detailer
Meguiars Quik Wheel Detailer
Meguiars NXT Extreme shine tire spray
Meguiars Gold Glass Endurance gel
Meguiars Detailer All Season Dressing and 3 spray bottles for for different solutions
an assortment of brushes for cleaning tires/wheelwells/carpets
Meguiars Gold Glass foam applicator pads x30 +-5

that should be enough to get you started and cover the basics for the cars...

I also recommend you try to pick up some Meguiars #16 is you can, its discountined however....

I can give you good products from other companies if you wish....

[TH0001]

Re: Newbie demanding HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

ps, there is no right product, there is only opinions and options, sorry but its not like mathmatics. I'm sure Murr will post his list of links for you (he's a good guy) if you ASK nicely

Your best bet to is to educate yourself so you fully realize the options offered to you.

[TrufflePig]

Re: Newbie demanding HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

I don't have much time right now. so i'll post as much as i can as quickly as i can.

first, remember, its all personal perference in terms of product choice.

in terms of PC.

here is a cheat sheet for PAD USE.

Purple Pad #7006 - This is only used to remove wax with a bonnet as I described.
Yellow Pad #W8006 - For paint cleaners and cleaner/polishes #80 #83 #9
Tan Pad #W9006 - For Polishes, and waxes. #3 #7 GC Wax NXT Wax


Which pads and how many to buy.

3 -8006
2 -9006
1 -7006

Great starting mix.

Products you'll use with PC.

M80 is a great base to any job. it won't marr the finish either.
M83 if M80 can't remove swirls.
M21 is a really nice LSP (last step product). this is usually applied by hand though. some guys apply with machine but have troubles with streaks due to humid temperatures.

Wax - NXT is a really nice wax. leaves a wet look and lasts a while as well.
Soap - NXT Car wash is my choice.

Supreme Shine Microfibres for removing polish/wax.

can't gotta go. back to teaching. sorry.

if Murr is around please finish. if not i'll finish this all later.

IN THE MEANTIME READ THE FOLLOWING.

The 5-Step Paint Care Cycle.

Meguiar's 5-Step Paint Care Cycle

Step 1 Wash

Step 2 Clean

Step 3 Polish

Step 4 Protect

Step 5 Maintain

NXT Cure Time
NXT Tech Wax Cure Time

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

Suggested Products for Taking Care of a New Car

PC + 83 not "Cutting" it! - The Limits of the Dual Action Polisher

PC + #83 not "Cutting" it! - The Limits of the Dual Action Polisher

Recommended Products - G100a Dual Action Polisher

Recommended Products - G100a Dual Action Polisher

Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer

Rotary vs. PC vs. Regular Orbital Buffer

How to Remove Swirls by Hand
How To Remove Swirls By Hand

How to Wash Your Car Using the Two Bucket Method
How To Wash Your Car using the Two Bucket
Method

How to Clay Paint
How To Clay Paint
Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line
Using the G-100 to remove swirls with the Professional Line

How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX
How to remove a defect by hand with ScratchX

The Swipe Test
How to tell when a Meguiar's wax is ready to remove - The Swipe Test


cheers. gotta run. reading time.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Newbie demanding HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

I live in California, in the desert ; high temperatures and lows also, lot of dust, windy DAYS and mostly of the time cars are outside.

Where in the SoCal desert do you live?

p.s.

No need to "demand" on this forum, we'll help you willingly...

[LOBO]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

Sorry if I wrote the wrong word. I am form Mexico and my english sometimes is not properly. I never wanted to force provide me info, just wanted some help. Sorry to everybody. I edited the tittle.
I am located in Calexico, CA 92231 ( NOT LIVING THERE BUT IN MEXICALI ) border with Mexicali, Bc Mexico ( in la BAJA ) .... High temperature is about 125 oF and low about 33oF .... WINDY CITY AND LOT OF POLLUTION IF THAT MENAS DUST.
Thank you everybody for replies and sorry again. Need to imporove my english to avoid future misunderstandings.

Sorry guys

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

If you want to start a detailing business, we can show you the minimum products and tools you'll need to get started and then you can add more as you grow or we can give you a list of everthing it's nice to have, it kind of depends upon your budget and how much you want to spend to get started.
[LIST][*]Are you going to have a fixed location as in a detail shop?
[*]Are you going to be a Mobil Detailer driving to your customer's house?/LIST]

Either way we can help you.

[LOBO]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

Thanx mike, got it and understood...
I dont want to start new business just detail cars I have now. when?. Dont know when , probably every saturday...I like to wash cars and more detail but I never have detailed anyone until now that i found this place. Lot of products is so confused to me ( SORRY ); I have read a lot here and know about cycle ( wash, clean, polish, wax and maintein ) but dont know how to start. I want to ge tone product for every step according to every card because lot of products just confuse me. I will get my Porter Cable or the Meguiars; are both the same?...Also, which pads are good or better ?....EDGE 2000 OR normal pads?...

Sorry, I know I asked too much....

[TrufflePig]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

sitck with MEGUIARS pads.

great results from me on these.

Get a G-100 and a MEGUIARS backing plate and some pads and you'll be off to the races.

if you buy the Porter Cable one, then its not ready to use out of the box. but if you score a MEGUIARS one (check autodetailingsolutions) then you're ready to use right from the box. the main differences you ask? the MEGUIARS one comes with the MEGS backing plate and LIFETIME WARRANTY. a bonus for the extra buck and so worth it.

here is a cheat sheet for PAD USE.

Purple Pad #7006 - This is only used to remove wax with a bonnet as I described.
Yellow Pad #W8006 - For paint cleaners and cleaner/polishes #80 #83 #9
Tan Pad #W9006 - For Polishes, and waxes. #3 #7 GC Wax NXT Wax


Which pads and how many to buy.

3 -8006
2 -9006
1 -7006

Great starting mix.

wrote this above. check it out.

If you're going to be using machine.

then i recommend the following.

Wash - NXT Soap
Clay - Quik Clay Kit
Paint Clean - M80, M83
Paint Polish - if you're using M80 that has enough oils so you're good. but if you wanna add to the shine, #6, #7 are nice.
Wax - NXT is awesome
Polymer Sealant - M21

MUST HAVES:

Microfibre Towels. these are so important when removing polishes/cleaners and waxes if you don't have the bonnet for the W-7006 Pad

people use M80 to help clear their car of swirls. if its heavily swirled you will probably have to use M83, followed by M80 if the M83 left any streaks. that sound confusing.

usually you use the LEAST AGRESSIVE PRODUCT FIRST which would be M80. but if M80 doesn't work to get the swirls out of your finish, you need to use M83 and then follow that with M80 to get rid of any streaks or hazing marks it might have left behind. not always the case though.

but another great product that works well for light swirls is the DEEP CRYSTAL SYSTEM.

Wash
Clay
Deep Crystal #1
Deep Crystal #2
Wax of your Choice x 2

but sometimes if you just wanna do a quick job.

Wash
Clay
Colour-X (its a cleaner/wax all in one)
wax of your choice x 2

[LOBO]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

Thank You Trofflepig, it helped me so much and will start getting all.
Just some additional questions :
Is it possible use all same products to the same card models? I mean, will try to detail 2 recent cars ( 2006 and 2007 ) and other ones are oldest ( 199-2003 ) .....
Also, Here locally, we have a tremendous problem with DUST. You can wash, wax and whatever a car and you can see 5 hours later that DUST is on the car already. I use to remove dust with a CAR DUSTER ( not the califonia carduster but thosae ones are for sale in wal-mart). I see how dust particules are like an edge and rub my paint. When car is waxed i can feel how dust is removed easily but when car is not wax it is more difficult. What you recommned me to use or to do to remove dust every day to avoid DUST from 2 or 3 days can acumulate in my car?

Thank You very much

[TrufflePig]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

Thank You Trofflepig, it helped me so much and will start getting all....

Thank You very much

hey its trUfflepig...haaaaaaaaaaaa...jokes...

Is it possible use all same products to the same card models? I mean, will try to detail 2 recent cars ( 2006 and 2007 ) and other ones are oldest ( 199-2003 ) .....

from my understanding you're asking, is it possible to use the same products for different cars/models? is that corrrect?

if so my answer to that could be a yes and could be a no. it all depends on the car's finish. no two cars will have the same finish. that's the no part. the yes part would that sometimes all a car would need is m80 followed by a polish and or wax and thats it. i know this past summer i did two cars as the following.

Wash --- Clay --- M80 --- M83 --- NXT and they both turned out with great resutls.

was i lucky. possibly. did the same products do the job for both vechiles. YUPE. will that always be the case. NOPE.

it all depends on the car's finish. that's why its good to have an arsenal of weapons on you so that you're not stuck with just two or three products to choose from.

i mean sometimes, all it'll take to restore it will be

Wash --- Clay --- Colour-X or M#66 ---- Wax

whereas other cars may take a lot longer and the use or rotary and PC.

Also, Here locally, we have a tremendous problem with DUST. You can wash, wax and whatever a car and you can see 5 hours later that DUST is on the car already. I use to remove dust with a CAR DUSTER ( not the califonia carduster but thosae ones are for sale in wal-mart). I see how dust particules are like an edge and rub my paint. When car is waxed i can feel how dust is removed easily but when car is not wax it is more difficult. What you recommned me to use or to do to remove dust every day to avoid DUST from 2 or 3 days can acumulate in my car?

you can't realy avoid dust. that's the thing. and that's another reason why i say to clay the car. it builds up.

you can reduce it though by where you park your car during the day, storing in a garage at night, and if you can't, perhaps investing in a cover might be your best bet.

in between your waxes you can use Quick Detailer and a Supreme Shine microfibre to clean up the car and or Spray Wax for that fresh wax look.

dust is something we can't really avoid. i'm sorry. but by maintaining a clean vechile and regular wax jobs if possible, you make it sooooooooooo much easier on yourself when you have to clean it up.

hope that helps...

[LOBO]

Re: Newbie ASKING FOR HELP to start DETAILING and to choose the right PRODUCT

I have read not recommended to use NXT and M21 BOTH
Is there any problem with that?
M21 is last procedure right? Do I have to use M21 first or at the end?..
I just read this ......
What exactly M21 does?


"You can top #21 with NXT! Looks great! But really #21 gives a good enough look to be used by itself. If you top #21 with NXT, use the paste version. It hazes over more quickly and is less likely to streak than the NXT liquid."