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How do you detail your car?

GreyGti1990

Ready to race!
I'm just getting into car detailing but my full exterior detail will include:

1. Cleaning the rims and tires. Use a pressure washer to start and then use a dedicated microfiber mitt and bucket to hand wash the rims. Any some rim brushes.

2. Prewash with electric power washer and foam cannon. Let the foam sit on the car for 5-10 minutes then wash off with the power washer

3. Wash the car using the 2 step bucket system and microfiber mitt (not the same mitt that was used on the rims). Then dry using microfiber towels.

4. IronX the car and microfiber off.

5. Clay bar the entire car with a quick detailer and microfiber towels.

6. Depending on how bad the paint is infested with swirls and scratches either do a 2 step paint correction (compound and polish) or just polish the entire car. Use a DA polisher and the correct cutting pads.

7. Spray car with some IPA formula to remove the excess polish/compound for a better seal on the wax/sealant/ceramic coat.

8. After getting the paint as perfect as I possibly can, seal the entire car with either wax, sealant, or Ceramic coat.

9. Shine up the tires with tire dressing.
 

zef

Drag Racing Champion
I refer to chemical guys flow chart.



Interior first, then wheels, then the wash. 2 bucket method of course.

Car gets clayed twice a year (spring/fall), I use a mix of AMMONYC/Chemical Guys/Meguiars.

For any questions or tips related to detailing I highly recommend AMMONYC's videos on youtube. He covers just about everything on there.
 

GreyGti1990

Ready to race!
I refer to chemical guys flow chart.



Interior first, then wheels, then the wash. 2 bucket method of course.

Car gets clayed twice a year (spring/fall), I use a mix of AMMONYC/Chemical Guys/Meguiars.

For any questions or tips related to detailing I highly recommend AMMONYC's videos on youtube. He covers just about everything on there.

AMMONYC makes some good detailing vids for sure. I also recently stumbled on a youtube channel called "Pan the Organizer" who is a detailer with over 20 years experience and does very good youtube vids and lists all products that he uses.
 

aj_law

Go Kart Champion
1Z deep plastic cleaner. Works GREAT on steering wheel. Mine still has a matte finish even at 100k+ miles.

1Z cockpit premium for stuff like the dash, nav screen, doors, etc.

Lexol cleaner and conditioner for the leather. You can also use the deep plastic cleaner to clean the leather, just make sure you condition it afterwards.
 

chip1

Ready to race!
I'm just getting into car detailing but my full exterior detail will include:

1. Cleaning the rims and tires. Use a pressure washer to start and then use a dedicated microfiber mitt and bucket to hand wash the rims. Any some rim brushes.

2. Prewash with electric power washer and foam cannon. Let the foam sit on the car for 5-10 minutes then wash off with the power washer

3. Wash the car using the 2 step bucket system and microfiber mitt (not the same mitt that was used on the rims). Then dry using microfiber towels.

4. IronX the car and microfiber off.

5. Clay bar the entire car with a quick detailer and microfiber towels.

6. Depending on how bad the paint is infested with swirls and scratches either do a 2 step paint correction (compound and polish) or just polish the entire car. Use a DA polisher and the correct cutting pads.

7. Spray car with some IPA formula to remove the excess polish/compound for a better seal on the wax/sealant/ceramic coat.

8. After getting the paint as perfect as I possibly can, seal the entire car with either wax, sealant, or Ceramic coat.

9. Shine up the tires with tire dressing.

Yeah I just did this with the GTI to prep it for fall season.
 

GreyGti1990

Ready to race!
Yeah I just did this with the GTI to prep it for fall season.

Nice! I think next year I am going to get more into car detailing and see what I can really do
 

zef

Drag Racing Champion
Nice! I think next year I am going to get more into car detailing and see what I can really do

You'd be amazed what you can do with a basic DA (dual action) polisher. I had a nasty scratch on my rear quarter and with a bit of loving and some compound/polish it buffed right out. Saved me almost $700 at the body shop.

Buffed the rest of the car out and it's literally perfect. Not a swirl mark to be found anywhere. Some glaze, wax, and sealant and you're good for at least 6 months.
 

chip1

Ready to race!
Nice! I think next year I am going to get more into car detailing and see what I can really do

It can be time consuming that's for sure.

Here is my recent wash on the GTI for winter prep:
Rinse/Wash Meguiar's G7164 Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner
CarPro Iron X spray & rinse
Clay with Nanoskin Autoscrub Speedy Prep Sponge & Spray
Rinse/Dry
Hand wax with Jescar Power Lock Polymer Paint

My normal wash on both cars -
Exterior:
Rinse/Wash Meguiar's G7164 Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner two bucket method. Thinking of something like this down the line -Using a Foam Cannon (Lance) with an Electric Pressure Washer
Clean wheels with soap/water and wheel woolies brushes.
Dry with leaf blower and dry off with Meguiar's Water Magnet Drying Towel.
Use Meguiar's D170 Hyper Dressing for tires and trim.
Wipe car down with Meguiar's D155 Last Touch Spray Detail.
At random I will use Detailer's Pro Series Wheel Glaze on the wheels to help with brake dust.

Interior: :
Vacuum
Clean interior with Meguiar's D149 Quik Interior Detailer but will be going back to 303 Aerospace Protectant!
Clean windows with Meguiar's D120 Glass Cleaner Concentrate.
Lexol leather for steering wheel
 
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GreyGti1990

Ready to race!
You'd be amazed what you can do with a basic DA (dual action) polisher. I had a nasty scratch on my rear quarter and with a bit of loving and some compound/polish it buffed right out. Saved me almost $700 at the body shop.

Buffed the rest of the car out and it's literally perfect. Not a swirl mark to be found anywhere. Some glaze, wax, and sealant and you're good for at least 6 months.

Slowly learning the power of the DA right now! I'm learning that my paint is extremely hard. I spent a good 8 hours a couple weekends back just compounding and polishing the car. Still havent gotten all of the swirls out... and some scratches are still there. I was using a microfiber pad with megs ultimate compound, followed by another microfiber pad and carpro essence. Then I sealed it with Pinnacle's liquid souveran wax.

Its really shiny now but there are some scratches that i want to hit again... and a bit of wet sanding I should try but am hesitant on doing so.

Trying to work on some of my friends cars to gain more experience with different cars and paint thickness.
 
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