Detailing Question

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'mk4-Turbo

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I'm looking to do a deatiling job to my car.

Now i wanna do the meguiars clay bar, then the 3 step polish and wax.
has anyone used the clay bar.

what are the proper steps i need to do and use

Thanks
 
I tried the claybar and the 3 step, its pretty good, but if you want just to do the paint, i would also recommend looking into detailing shops, your mostlikly gonna pay like 60$ for all the equipment and do it yourself, when you can get it done professionally for arouond the same price like 80-100$
 
I tried the claybar and the 3 step, its pretty good, but if you want just to do the paint, i would also recommend looking into detailing shops, your mostlikly gonna pay like 60$ for all the equipment and do it yourself, when you can get it done professionally for arouond the same price like 80-100$

you sure about this??

If you go to a shop who hire students who know how to wash a car then I agree on the 80-100$

so... I'll give you an idea of the time consuming is a full paint detail.. and this is for a 4 door sedan. Remember.. 1st time is always longer

Clay bar: 45mins Clay bar plus detail spray $30
Swirl + Haze removal: 1.5 hrs (I like Poorboy or Adams swirl remover) $17
Polish: 1.5 hrs ( I use Klasse AIO) $30 brings back the color depth and brightness
Wax: 1hr (P21S pure carnuba wax) $30 the final step.. protects your paint.
Plus Microfiber cloths .. I usually spend around 4-5 and 2 MF applicators if done by hand.

So this job.. can take you 5-7hrs. A shop can do it in 3 hrs with 2 persons. Now to charge you $100 they'll charge $33/hr but have to pay 2 salaries, equipment, location, and taxes.. no doubt the owner will be in bankrupcy very soon.

For a professional job expect to pay $250-$500
 
I tried the claybar and the 3 step, its pretty good, but if you want just to do the paint, i would also recommend looking into detailing shops, your mostlikly gonna pay like 60$ for all the equipment and do it yourself, when you can get it done professionally for arouond the same price like 80-100$


That was the price back in 1975 !

I don't even consider doing a detail under $250, most dealers will charge $350 for f**king up your paint, I charge $350 for daily beaters that got swirled up by dealer preps !

Polishing alone takes 3-5 hours depending on the condition of the paint with a D/A or rotary
 
what do you guys use for the waxing and buffing as far as the apllicator pads and cloths?

oh and btw i saw the cly bars, whats the difference of this and this one(which is better to use)

0392846_450_CC_2f635.jpg


or

Mothers® Clay Bar System

0392869_160_CC_319f.jpg
 
which clay bar did you use and what cloths and apllicators did you use

I did this last summer and eben posted up a thread about it.

After some research, I found a site that compared clay bars. Between the more affordable ones (which include Mother's and Meguiar's) the best clay bar was the Mother's one. That's the one I used and it did an awesome job. Left my paint super smooth.

I then did the 3 step meguiars. Car looked good. Did it with a cheap simoniz buffer. If you can get your hand on a Porter Cable 7224, you're job will look a lot better (it's on my list of tools to get!).

I still have to do research on which pads to use with the Porter Cable...
 
what pads should i use to apply the polish, wax and paint cleaner?

The funny thing is I've always heard and read on some site that you shouldn't apply polish/wax in circular motions... But then I see videos of professionals applying polish/wax with their buffers... Isn't that in circular motion?

I aplied my polish/wax by hand then removed it with the buffer.
 
i guess cotton is good to apply the plosh/wax/paint cleaner

to remove it do you use the same or something else

i'm asking so many questions but i wanna do it right
 
i guess cotton is good to apply the plosh/wax/paint cleaner

to remove it do you use the same or something else

i'm asking so many questions but i wanna do it right

Do not use cotton cloth.

Apply and polish with microfiber and also remove with microfiber. If you need any pro line polishes from Meguiar's or Optimum PM me.

VW4life, I'am impress you invested in a PC, will be the best investment you ever made for your car. Try to get LC or Sonus pads.
 
i guess cotton is good to apply the plosh/wax/paint cleaner

to remove it do you use the same or something else

i'm asking so many questions but i wanna do it right

I'd recommend microfiber too. My car is kinda old so I can't get the paint to look "that" good anyways.
 
My car is kinda old so I can't get the paint to look "that" good anyways.


If you know what you are doing with the right products and equipment, I guarantee you that your car will look better than when it was new !

99.9% of all new cars will already look crap because of dealer preps when you take delivery of your new car, because dealers have no idea on how to prep the paint, you initailly pay them $400 to screw up your paint on the $1200 you pay them for transport and preparation (dealer installed swirls for $400 ...wow what a bargain !)
 
VW4life, I'am impress you invested in a PC, will be the best investment you ever made for your car. Try to get LC or Sonus pads.

Thanks for the tip. So LC or Sonus... But can you tell me which ones excatly? There's different colour for different cutting right? What's the best for paint cleaner? For polish? For wax?

Once I start reading they give so many options that I don't know anymore what to get! Since you do lots of work on cars, what do you recommend?
 
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