Awesome thanks Junkman! So, it is ok to wax it as soon as it's delivered? Sorry, but I've always heard that the paint is to soft right after it's build, but hey, you're the man and I trust your opinion!

Allow me to explain why the paint is fine to wax as soon as you receive a new car. I would hate for you to pass this info on unless you can explain your answer. "Because The Junkman said so!" is NOT a good answer. ;)

When a car is assembled at the factory, all of the parts to be painted are painted with nothing on them. That means that all the body panels have NO plastic, rubber or anything else on them. Because of this, these painted parts can be cured in a paint booth at temperatures that are much higher than can be used if the car was fully assembled. The temperatures used will fully cure the paint. You do not have to wait any amount of time to wax a car when dealing with a car that is coming from the factory. An aftermarket paint job is a totally different story.

That's why it is safe to wax it right away. Now you know too. :tup:

Once again Thank you so much for all your help Junkman. It's nice to know that I can detail my car to the fullest degree once it's in my hands, oh, and I'll be sure to tell the dealer not to detail it themselves! Man, I'm SO GLAD I found this site before I got my new Z!!!

You really have to stress that point with them. Some dealers will wash and wax the car anyway. The hacks that they will have prep your car usually have no clue about proper car care.

I just finished watching all the videos and WOW. Thank you very much for taking the time and sharing all the knowledge. I was hoping you'd let me know what u think about what I am planning on doing.

1.Rinse it
2.Foam Gun --> DP Xtreme Foam Formula Auto Shampoo
3.Wash it--> with Meguiars NXT Generation Car Wash, 2 bucket technique, 2 grit guards and 2 sheepmits.
4.Clay it--> Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Pinnacle Clay Lubricant
5.Wash it again
6.Dry it--> Cobra Guzzler HD Waffle Weave Drying Towel
7.Wax it--> Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0

I am starting from scratch and I don't have any of products nor a PC and I kinda need to keep cost down. Do I need a PC in order to apply the wax on step 7 or is that something that can be done by hand?
You mentioned that “Wax is what protects the paint. Polishing is what makes the paint shine” Do I need anything after/before the wax to get this shine without using a PC? If so, what should I get?


Thanks again for all the great info, it has def. changed the way I think about car washing and detailing. I saw it just in time since I have yet to wash my Z for the first time and this way I can start with the right foot.

Ron.

Here's what I would do using your steps above. My input will be in red.

1.Rinse it.
2.Foam Gun --> DP Xtreme Foam Formula Auto Shampoo
3.Wash it--> with Meguiars NXT Generation Car Wash, 2 bucket technique, 2 grit guards and 2 sheepmits. - At this point, I would use Dawn for my 2-bucket wash so that any chemicals that are protecting the paint would be washed away.
4.Clay it--> Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Pinnacle Clay Lubricant - You should realize that all clay in America is made by one company (Clay Magic), so the brand of clay means nothing, only the grit.
5.Wash it again - Using a soap made for cars.
6.Dry it--> Cobra Guzzler HD Waffle Weave Drying Towel - I don't dry my car with a towel, I use a leaf blower. The less you touch the paint, the less opportunity there is for you to damage the paint.
7.Wax it--> Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 - After claying the paint, you need to polish it. I don't understand how guys go from clay, directly to wax when claying leaves the paint so dull looking. Polishing brings the shine back to the paint, at which time it is now ready for wax.

You can work without a polisher all you want but there is no way that you can get the same shine by hand that you will get from using a polisher, with a lot less effort. I have seen these polishers for less than a hundred bucks new and even more discounted when used. If you cherish the condition of your paint and plan to keep your car for years, I would jump on getting a polisher. For me, it's a no brainer but then I know the advantage of having one. I'm passing that knowledge on to you.

Now for the polishes and wax that you choose to use. I used Adam's products in these videos. I have no experience with the Pinnacle line, nor do I use any of the over the counter Meguiar's products. If I use anything from Meguiar's, it's going to be from their professional line (Mirror Glaze). If you have no product as of now, I would highly suggest that you buy what I used so that you can mimic what I do. You saw the pictures of that hood I fixed so you know the products work as advertised. The second set of videos in my initial post address the polishing aspect in lot more detail. They show the simplicity of the Adam's line. I highly suggest you watch those if you haven't already.

One thing to note, the Adam's line comes with a 110% money back guarantee. If you don't like it, you can send it back for all of your money back. Pinnacle ain't gonna do that. Lastly, you can use my discount code (The Junkman) and receive a 10% discount on the cost of the products. I even have a kit that includes everything you need minus the phone gun, which you can get on eBay, Amazon or at Autogeek.

Here's another video series that concentrates on the wash process. You should check it out too. There are even more tips and tricks concerning washing that you need to see. There is a lot more to car care than most people realize. You'll notice that once you sit down and think about it, nothing I do is rocket science. It is simply common sense. ;)

Thanks for watching.

Thank you for taking the time and answering my question in such detail. I saw the videos on washing techniques u linked and they were very helpful (and funny).

I will definitely get a PC in the near future, but the car can't wait until then for its first wash :icon17: So based on what you told me, and what I can do atm, how does this sound:

1.Rinse
2.Foam Gun
3.Wash --> with Dawn, 2 bucket technique, 2 grit guards and 2 sheepmits.
4.Clay
5.Wash --> with Adam's Shampoo, 2 bucket technique, 2 grit guards and 2 sheepmits.
6.Dry --> Water Sheeting and Electric Blower
7.Hand Polish --> Adam's Revive Fine Hand Polish
8.Wax it--> Adam's Buttery Car Wax

I figured I don't need SHR since I see no swirls whatsoever, car is brand new and has been garaged ever since I got it 2 weeks ago.

So, do I get The Junkman approval? hehe

Ron.

That is definitely a better route to go, given the condition of your paint and the equipment involved. I'll give it :tup: :tup:

Ok I purchased all the stuff, will let u know how it comes out..Thanks again!!

Junkman2008, thank you for those excellent videos. I actually learned a lot and may now do some of the work myself. I was curious what your relationship is with Adams since you are using only Adams products and they are not exactly cheap. Are you being paid by Adams to make these videos and are you recieving those products free from Adams?

I only use Adam's products in those videos and post those videos here because Adam's is a site sponsor. I don't use Adam's exclusively, just most of the time because it addresses most of what I encounter and and probably all of the issues that you will ever have with your car's paint. Sometimes I get into more advanced, body shop type work which requires more advanced equipment and products, all of which I would never do videos of because of the complicity of the repair. It would be like watching a video on how to fly a plane and then trying it yourself. Not a good idea.

I make these videos absolutely free because I like helping guys out. If you search my You Tube channel, you will see me using everything from Zaino to Meguiar's Mirror Glaze products. I do get free products from quite a few different manufacturers as they do find my videos entertaining and send me stuff to find out what my opinion of their product is. However, this is the guy who pays my salary. He's a taskmaster but the pay is good!

I appreciate your efforts and your attention to detail. These seem like very complete videos and you left us not guessing anything. I can't imaging how I've been abusing my paint over the years! I just bought a new 2011 370Z and have had it for a month with less than 500 miles on it. Do you recommend I clay this and give it a good wax job? I have no idea what kind of wax pretection (If any) these have from the factory. Also I was curious what your opinion is of the clearbra type protection that people are using?

Claying paint is not something that you do because you think your paint needs it, claying is done when you test the paint and FEEL that it is necessary. Only by testing the paint can you say when or if it is necessary. I go into detail on this in my videos. Do you remember the method I used to test the paint? This is why I always tell folks to watch my videos more than once. There's so much info in there that you can't possibly catch it all the first time through.

The factory doesn't usually put any significant wax on your car so you want to do that as soon as possible.

The clear bra is an excellent investment if you take care when working around it. You never buff up next to it and never treat it with anything that is not recommended by the installer.

Paint protection
 

Hi Junkman2008,

Speaking of paint protection, do you use a clear bra or leather/nylon bra on your Corvette? Brother, your vehicle is beautiful and well taken care of!

Do you try to semi-detail the bottom (undercarriage) areas of your vehicle as well as the wheel wells? If so, do you use your own jack or drive-up ramping system to get under it?

Do you like Corvette convertibles? Do you see yourself purchasing one in the future?

Lastly, money is no object. But, what microfiber cloth brands or types do you recommend for washing, drying, and hand buffing/removing wax from any vehicle for minimum scratches, swirl marks, simulated spider webs, etcetera.

Thank you and sorry for asking alot of specific questions.

Samuel

Thank you and welcome to the forum Samuel. :tup:

I use a leather custom bra when I go to the track. Other than that, I don't as of this time, but that may change.

I don't sweat the undercarriage of my car all that much. The only thing that I make sure of is that no fluids from the motor are staining the undercarriage. Other than the wheel wells, I leave the rest alone until I roll up under the car.

Jacking a Corvette up is quite an undertaking without a lift. In order to raise my car in the garage, I have to go through the lifting steps you see in this thread. It takes about 15 minutes to get it up off the ground. You can only lift a C5 Corvette in 8 spots.

Convertibles are nice but I don't see myself ever purchasing one. The coupe give me the option of a convertible and a hard top all in one. Plus it offers shade when the top is off.

Number 1, if you are using the correct technique AND a quality towel, you won't create any scratches. Right now, most of the best microfiber is made in Korea. You will not find them in any auto stores, you have to order them online or from a product line distributor. Right now, Adam's and Zaino have the best microfiber that I have used. You don't use one towel for everything. There are towels specifically for drying and towels specifically for removing polish and wax. Use the right towel for the job you're doing.