First wash a DISASTER. Please help...
 

I got my red Z almost two weeks ago. It's used, but with only 5000k on the clock, barely driven.

Having taken it to LA and back last weekend it picked up a layer of dust and insect guts so I decided to give it a wash. This is the first car I've had that I REALLY wanted to take care of the paint so I did some reading. From various posts on the forum I learned of the two-bucket method, and got a sense that Meguiars' stuff was pretty good, so I went out and grabbed a load of products. Here's what I got:

http://www.the370z.com/members/super...irst-clean.jpg

I tried to follow the best procedure possible:

1) Rinsed with hose.

2) Two bucket method to suds up the whole car using one of those microfiber towels (it says drying towel on the pack but I was told it'll do the same job).

3) Thorough rinse.

4) Dry with chamois cloth using Quik Detail spray as I go.

5) I WAS going to wax but drying was where I ran into problems. It's so f**king streaky. And the swirls that were already there now stand out more. I think maybe it's either the chamois or the detail spray, but all I know is my car looks worse now that before I started...

http://www.the370z.com/members/super...e28615-wtf.jpg

:confused::confused::confused::confused:

Please gimme some tips peeps. I'm really worried about this. I really don't want to wear out the red paint, which I hear is really soft. I just want to get it looking real nice. I want to get out most of the swirls (without using anything too abrasive) and get a good shiny wax coat on it.

Which of the stuff in the pic above should I throw out and replace? What, if anything, am I doing wrong, and will ordering a bunch of Adams cleaners/cloths solve all my issues? Anyone recommend a specific kit? (Nothing over $150, if possible).

DO NOT use the chamois with a quick detailer—its sole purpose is to dry only!

A new chamois always leave a residue after its first use; after several uses the chamois will absorb more and leave less to no residue. Also, never lay your microfiber towels down on something you walk over as they will attract debris that will embed in the microfibers and can scratch your car.

You should really use a clay bar prior to waxing, and the detailer spray between washes and for bird dropping after you've waxed.

Red cars are like black cars = a lot work to keep detailed, but worth it.

Spray some of the detail spray on a small area, use a clean microfiber to wipe it down, once it starts drying, flip the towel and wipe clean.


http://www.the370z.com/detailing-was...tials-kit.html

So the cloths I have are okay? Like it's cool to wash with those towels?

And RE drying, if you just dry with the chamois, then do I even need the detail spray? The videos I watched said it'd help make drying easier with less streaks. Or should I dry with a microfiber towel instead so I can use the spray?

Thanks for the link, Han. I'll need to get on that I guess (just spent $100 on the Meg's stuff, dammit!). :mad:

Could be a few things potentially.

Genuine chamois are impregnated with fish oils, as such they should be soaked in a bowl of warm water for about an hour before it ever gets used on paint.

Also a chamois is not designed to work with detail spray drying agent method... for that you should have gotten yourself a waffle weave microfiber towel.

Here's the best video that I can recommend for washing vehicles. I do not believe this person is in business any longer, but I do believe that even Dylan will agree with me on his methods (sorry, it's a Google video so you have to go to the link):

How to Wash Your Car (ShowCar style!)

If I could avoid it I woudlnt use a chamois. Any time you touch your car your going to scratch it. Any item that is flat will be easier to scratch I suspect. Like a detail cloth vs a chamois at least the cloth is soft and can pick dirt inside of it and less likely to scratch vs a chamois is just gonna rub stuff on your paint.

I could be wrong but I wouldn't use it.

I would either invest in a cheap walmart leaf blower OR Junkmans sheeting technique and a large towel like you use after a shower to clean up any thing else.

The spray is for after the car is dry. Your Meg's stuff is fine go ahead and use it!

Keep it simple. Dry with a waffle weave and finish of with a microfiber cloth and detail spray. The chamois has never worked right for me and is pretty much a waste of money. The megs quick detailer is ok, but the Adams stuff is one of the better ones i've come across. Also, you'll probably say it's clean, but never let rags that touch the floor touch your paint.

Thanks guys, I'll take all of your tips and give it another go tomorrow morning.

Few more questions:

1) Once dry, do I use the detail spray before waxing, or use a specific polishing product?
2) How often do you polish and wax? I see good waxes last six months. So do I just was twice a year, washing over it otherwise?
3) Do I re-polish over wax every time I wash, or do I only polish when waxing, and otherwise ONLY wash the car with soap water and dry?
4) Oh, also, I want to clear out the swirls made by the previous owner. Is SwirlX the one to go for or is there a better, less invasive product (or will polishing it alone do the job anyway)? And should I Clay before getting out swirls, or is that not necessary? I don't want to cause too much stress on the clear coat.

1-Its unnecessary to use detail spray before you apply as so long as the surface is clean. Polish to remove swirls and contaminants. I use detail spray to remove the haze after applying wax or polish.

2. It's good to wax every 3-6 months. The synthetic waxes tend to last on longer side. A good soap that doesnt remove the wax goes a long way.

3. You polish when necessary. To correct paint imperfections like swirls and scratches. Do not make polishing a weekend ruotine. You only have so much clear coat to work with. Just apply a new coat of wax when all you need is protection. Polishing essentially removes a very thin layer of the clear coat to give you that smooth finish. Polish is like ultra fine sandpaper.

4. Swirl x is a polish and works the same as any other polish. There are varying degrees of polishes from coarse to ultra fine. You must apply in stages and use the least amount (finest grit) required to correct the paint. You always end with an ultra fine polish before applying new wax. Clay as much as you want. That wont damage the paint so long as you use plenty of detail spray and a freshly washed surface. Clay bar only removes stuff stuck on the surface and has no abrasives to remove clear coat.

Invaluable information, Cmike, thanks a lot man. :tiphat: As you can tell, I'm new to the more intricate details of paint care. With my previous cars I just washed them. No extra care.

But the Z is my baby. :icon17:

Wipe the polish off before it drys. Roof first-put the polish on, wipe it off before it drys. The do the hood, same as the roof. Do the car in sections. Polish a section --- but wipe off, before it drys(if it drys a little, it's no big deal). Make sure to rotate your cloth. Buff it a little, you'll see the shine. After that wax the whole car.

Thanks, erm... Dad. :tup: I'd have probably done that wrong, too. :rofl2:

EDIT: What's the best cloth to use for polishing?

The ones in the photo look Ok, you'll need maybe 8-10, but thats only because your polishing and/plus waxing.