OK,

I want to know what you car show pipz use to wash, polish, and protect your black tC(s) and its rims and tires? I also want an opinion from you non car show pipz too...

I currently use Mothers California GOLD which is good and slippery, but it doesn't give that "wet" just washed look... also I don't like the Eagle One Nano Wax, its like it didn't get waxed and just gets dusty the next day!

SO please give me tips on what "show quality" stuff to get available off-the-shelf or if online only, please do tell...


THANKS SHOW MASTERS!!!

 

I'd suggest the Maintenance and Car Care forum... that's where you will find most of the wash/wax info.

 

I didn't know, MODS PLEASE MOVE...

 

go to www.autopia.org and read your heart out on the forums, I do professional detailing and the list of products I have would make your head spin

but just so you know, it's not truthfully the products that make the detail (although they help, a lot lol) it's the elbow grease, time and steps spent on it, that's why even lower-quality "systems" work so well like Zymol and Zaino, it's not the products, it's the steps and care, and they simplify the steps with full instructions so every "average joe" can do it

you should:

wash
clay bar (google it, it's extremely important)
wash
polish (depending on how bad it is, multi-step polish with different levels of abrasiveness if needed until NO swirl marks remain)
seal paint (acrylic sealant like Klasse all-in-one)
then either as many layers of Klasse Acrylic Sealant Glaze you want for exponentially better depth and reflection, or carnuba wax like Pinnacle Souveran or P21S carnuba will really make dark colors have depth - you can even put carnuba over multiple layers of the Klasse sealant glaze for a real show-car finish

either or, you won't find good products at any local shop that doesn't sell specific auto detailing supplies, so you can just stop trying. Meguiars is probably the closest thing I would ever buy in a pinch at a local store, but almost every product in their line is overly harsh.

www.autopia-carcare.com is a great site, their Sonus line is some of the best I've ever used
www.autogeek.net is another, their wolfgang line is great too

oh, and buy microfiber, lots and lots of microfiber cloths from a good online store, not your local store since those are usually shoddy china-made towels

 

Black Velvet

http://www.topoftheline.com/black-wax-carnauba.html

Great Stuff.

 

wow, otocan... dude, another detailer i'm impressed ^^

the best finish i've gotten on my own car was....

wash
clay
Menzerna FPII on a polishing pad via rotary
Menzerna P085RD on a finishing pad via rotary
Clearkote RMG on a finishing pad via PC
Pinnacle Souveran by hand

combine that with windows cleaned with Klasse All-In-One, trim/wheel wells dressed with Poorboy's Bold n Bright, and tires dressed with meguiar's hot shine... the car looked dripping wet That's my usual major show setup (HIN, NOPI, etc)

 

Good, vome do mine. its been awile

 

Zaino/Adams.

 

Good stuff Neo, all that just means you OWE us good pics of your car lol - I still don't like using my rotary, at least not on my OWN car haha - I do almost all my work with my PC7424 and hand wax

Look up a company called Five Star, their tire gel is some really good stuff - also RMG is a good LSP (last step polish) but I prefer Klasse all in one much better because the protection from it can last over 6 months, so I'd recommend giving it a shot

Mine:

 

^ holy crap. looking real good

 

lol that doesn't even really show you anything except for the reflection, but here's a second one, and yes, it is a reflection of my paint, you can see the reflection of the mirror in the upper-right, and I took the 2nd pic (the first one I posted) to prove that yes, it is a pic of my car's paint



these are better for depth though

 

and just an FYI, black and flint are just about the same as far as it goes with detailing and all, it's dark so it reflects surroundings well naturally, and shows flaws very easily, so a good detailing job will be the one with the least flaws (read:polishing) and not necessarily the most reflection or depth

in other words, you notice the flaws on dark colors more than the added reflection or depth, so concentrate your efforts accordingly.

 

Damn! I wish mine will be like that when it gets out of the garage!

I took out my tC out of the garage earlier and checked for micro scratching from the Car wash when I bought the car.

So I was looking at the paint really closely and found out that there are tiny noticeable horizontal scratches on the clear coat everywhere on the C-pillar of the sides and two quite deep scratches at the passenger side door, I got my tC when it only has 2miles when I got in it. (I'll post pics of the damn scratches later...) I hope I get em off with the PC random orbital polisher... and some Poor boys world polish!


I got pretty ____ed also when I heard a somone yell when I was looking at the paint, (What the hell are you looking at you paranoid punk?) actually its my neighbor with his white Integra with nasty swirlies and a nasty JL audio system!

I told him to go buy a random orbital polisher and go to Danase.com to buy stuff for his solar system sized swirls... (he got ____ed and did a E-brake assisted burnout! with his birdy sticking out., and drove off)

Do people really think your weird when you look at your car's paint???

 

Hey pinks what part of LV are you in? I'm over at the base. On topic though, I have not clayed mine yet, going to soon though, but I use just meguiars gold class wash/conditioner, followed by through drying with 60 cent microfiber towels by Walmart. Before you say anything these things are NOT crap! They don't even scratch my paint I swear to God. Once dry, I apply meguiars gold class liquid wax by hand with foam applicator. Don't really buff it in too much, takes too long. Let it sit and haze for at least 50mins while I do the engine area and windows, and then the rims and tires. Then go back over it with meguiars super plushy polish towel twice. Look beautiful for the next two days til too much dust gets on her. Their new NXT line is getting rave reviews but I'm not gonna buy any til I run out of gold class. Any opinions on which is better or just pros and cons about liquid wax versus the paste wax? Isn't it pretty much the same except for the obivious state it is in??? thx

 

I'm in the Henderson area... Thanks for the tip on Meguiars!

I use that Walmart MF cloth too, It's good! BTW: Do you have swirlies on your clear coat?

And for the wax opinion, I prefer the liquid type, or something that you can shake. I don't like the paste because it takes a lot of time to "rub and wipe". (I'm lazy!)

 

LOL same here, too lazy, plus the liq. gold class makes it look sick enough with little work. Nope, no swirlies, I wash her and wax here almost every weekend, and only use those MF towels and super plushy on her. Might see a few stray fine hair scratches here or there but nothing noticable unless your nose to the paint really Cool I live on the base, go to Henderson area often to shop.

 

And it smells like chocolate too, top of the line is very good, darkens your paint alot

 

the best POLISH not wax would be Meguires Number 7 polish.
i sorry about the spelling lol BUT Otocan does have a point and thats the best wax ive ever usd.
CLAY BAR IS IMPORTANT

 

I use all turbo wax products
ck www.turbowax.com

 

I am lazy and use Meguiars one step cleaner/polish/wax