what would any recomend for detail a 2003 corolla. as of right now i have ice, and turtle compound.
is there anything else i can get to make it realyy shine and get out scratches??
thanks
What color is the paint, and more specifically, does it have a clearcoat?
Is it original paint? What's the overall condition?
What kind of scratches are we talking about? Full-on spiderwebbing? Or some light scratches here and there, like around the doorhandles?
What are the products you're currently using not doing for you?
Likely Ice won't do anything for you until you get it polished, and rubbing compound will likely cause damage -- it's really for older paints without clearcoats.
Do you have a buffer? If yes, what model and what kind of pads?
The more information you give us, the more we can help.
Basically a good wash, a trim detail, a clay, a polish and a wax would be the general idea, but depending on the answers to the above might influence what approach you take.
it is ink blue metallic, original paint, light scratches here and there, , i have a buffer, but a old 1, ill get the model it is an post it ltr and i have the pads that look like towels. not sure the name, my friend just gave them to me. it does have a clear coat. the paint is in great condition. there are small white dots on all the doors and the hood, and i am not sure where they came from. they have been there nice i got the car. i have been trying to get them off but it is not working. but any way back to the details.
a hand wash is the best way to go right?? and is it true that a car wash wears away at your paint??
Always hand wash when possible. I use a sheepskin mitt most of the time. In real cold weather I will use a boars hair brush, because mitt washing in cold weather is not fun. Use two buckets to wash. One with just clean rinse water and the other bucket with soapy water. Use plenty of soap. Lubrication is the key to preventing swirls and marring. A soap gun is a great washing tool that you should look into buying. I use mine ALL the time. It foams up and spreads the soap evenly over the paint, which helps prevent marring and microscratches from your brush or mitt. http://www.autogeek.net/auqufofogun.html
There is also another way to wash. If it's cold outside you can wash your vehicle in the garage with just two buckets of water. I use Detailers Paradise 4 in 1 when using this washing technique. It will grab the dirt and make it release from your paint and allow you to safely wash your vehicle with a small amount of water.
You can't fix scratches with any kind of wax. You need to polish your paint. Polish is like liquid sand paper. It will smooth out the scratches. Don't get this confused with rubbing compound. A light polish and buffer should do the job. Look for a local auto body paint supply store. They will have different kinds of polish. Read the DIY sticky for some polish recommendations.
I like pretty much everything by Mothers, no secret there... wash, clay, wax, etc. Don't be afraid to try other brands, but sometimes you get what you pay for. Get a quality brand. I mean, don't break the bank by ordering european-sounding stuff online, but stay away from the gallon-for-for-a-buck stuff.
The white spots on the door... if they are on the surface, and you can knock them off with a gentle rub of a fingernail, I'd definitely hit the entire car with a clay bar. Most any car will benefit from claying twice a year regardless. Sounds like you've got some basic house paint overspray.
I'd probably start with the cleaner wax in the Mothers Clay Bar kit and see how the paint responds... it's got some good polishes in it and if it doesn't take care of the scratches in the problem spots (it might take a little work), I'd get a scratch remover for those areas. That's the "try the least-aggressive method first" that they profess over at waxforum.com).
Once you get it shined up, use a sheepskin wash mitt as Pb suggested. If it's cold (it was 65F here the other day), you can also get a small bucket of hot water from the kitchen to mix with your regular wash water so your hand doesn't freeze so bad.
ok, since im new to all this detailing stuff, i clay it first, then wash, then wax?
is there anything specific i should get to clean the hub caps?? like an all wheel cleaner or something like that?
i tried to remove those white spots a few times with my finger nail, before and after washing but they wont come off. im just gunna try what you guys said and post pics to show you how much you've help.
If hand inspection fails you, inspect the white spots with a magnifying glass to see if they're in the clearcoat or if it's a chip in the clearcoat.
You're not going to hurt anything by claying, but knowing if they're in the clearcoat (permanent -- likely caused by contaminants damaing it over time) will help tell you if you can do anything about them or not. If it's a chip, you'll need to fill it with touch-up paint (do that before you wax; either now, or the next time).
That said, I'd do this:
- Clean the tires/wheels/hubcaps -- use an all-wheel cleaner if you have heavy build-up o brake dust.
- Wash with a quality car wash and a sheepskin or other quality mitt.
- Dry with microfiber drying towel or plush cotton terry.
- Dress your trim with a protectant; I like Back-to-Black if it's oxidized/damaged.
- Clay.
- Polish/Wax.
You might like to peruse the Detail Guide or other car care resources.
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