Show Car Paint Maintenance

[mback12000]

I'm looking for guidance on a paint maintenance process for a show car. It's a high end rotisserie restoration with modern blue metallic paint I would characterize as soft-medium hardness. Driven occasionally, but garaged and pampered. Car is waterless washed very gingerly before shows (rolling a super deep microfiber method).


I thought to use M210 followed by M26 for minor paint issues, but M210 before each event seems like needless work and clear coat abuse and M26 seems like it should be used only after a polish like M210. So for normal maintenance after wash, when there is no M210 used, wouldn't simply a conventional wax like Gold Class make sense since it has some cleaner in it, kind of like a half-assed M210+M26? Or is my thinking off? Is there a downside to Gold Class vs M26 (quality of shine)?


Gotta admit, I'm a bit confused between all the other product choices that seem to overlap. Cost isn't a factor, so if there is something better, I'm all ears and have an DA polisher.

[Old Bear]

Re: Show Car Paint Maintenance

I do not have what I call a Show Car, yet I do have what I call a truck that takes me to Car Shows.

The truck stays in the garage unless being worked on or taken to a car show or club meeting.
I avoid water washes on this 51 year old vehicle. This will freak some others out, yet I consider water to be "Rust Juice".

Primary maintenance is Meguiar's D115 Detailer Rinse Free Express Wash & Wax gallon concentrate using a 5:1 dilution ratio.
I use a technique shown by Jason Rose to roll the microfiber towel. This picks up the dirt while moving the towel to reduce pushing dirt into the paint.
I follow each section with a clean microfiber buffing towel folded in eighths.
I put Meguiar's Ultimate Fast Finish on one section at a time immediately after the wash.
We did some paint correction on it in 2015. It might benefit from M210 today, yet not required yet.

I try to use this as this same process on my daily driver.
With the returning drought in SoCal, I want to stay/go waterless if possible
I hear the new Ceramic/SIO2 products work well when you wash with water.
So they do not fit my approaches.





The daily driver.

[Old Bear]

Re: Show Car Paint Maintenance

Let's encourage others who take care of "high end" show car finishes to add their thoughts.