questions about detailing

[Biggi_e]

ive detailed my car and many other cars before but i was wondering are they any tricks that people know out there? any new productS? i manly use meguiars inside and out but just wondering what else can i do? i do not use buffers, all by hand and elbow grease. any suggestions or comments? Thanks!

[screeber]

Hmmm - that's a wide open question.... Here's a few things:

1. Read Pb's detailing sticky
2. Join autopia.org, and check out all the great information on that site, including product reviews.

As for products, there are two that I've been using the last couple of years with great results:

FourStar (the paint cleanser and UPP)
http://www.detailersparadise.com/_sy...20060425132540

Prima (relatively new product. I like the Slick, Swirl and Epic.

http://www.detailersparadise.com/_sy...20060425132512

[ToyS4me]

i use compressed air.. this make the detail time for me cut in half...i also use degreaser to take out most of the dirt embedded in the upholstry then blow it out with air then dress it....

i would also recommend an orbital buffer or something it cuts the time in half..and claybar

[PaintPolisher]

Hi,


Here is one device which saves me time … for me time is money. It not only saves me time it also doubles as a knuckle saver for those hard to clean areas when you would normally use a toothbrush.

Google Sonic Scrubber which is a battery operated brush with some stones compared to doing this task by hand or with a normal battery operated toothbrush.
Long enough and slender enough that I can clean the inside part of the wheel from the outside without having to take the wheel off the car.
Using the different additional brush heads [separate package] this baby will get into the hex head bolts on wheels/rims and quickly takes care of lugs and badging when used properly.

I purchased mine at the grocery store in the household section and I also bought the additional brush head set because it has the tip I need the most for getting into corners.
Total cost was about $20 bucks and has paid for itself many times over.

Al

[Pb]

Originally Posted by Biggi_e

i do not use buffers, all by hand and elbow grease. any suggestions or comments? Thanks!

There's your problem right there. If you really want to take your car detailing to the next level then you need to get a good buffer. You can only do so much by hand. A buffer can do in a couple hours what it would take me days to do by hand. When it comes to polishing it takes some heat and speed to really make the polish break-down and do it's job. This is where a buffer excels.

It used to be cool to say that "I polish/wax my car by hand", but your arms/hands simply cannot compete with a buffer when it comes to polishing. Waxing doesn't matter if you use a machine or do it by hand. Wax just needs to be wiped on and wiped off. Polish is a different animal.

Polishing is what really makes or breaks a good detail job. Polishing repairs swirls, marks, and slight defects in the paint. Wax only covers and protects the paint.

Check out the Porter Cable 7424 video links in the middle of this AutoGeek page to see what a buffer can do for your paint. http://www.autogeek.net/po.html

[PaintPolisher]

What Pb says is right on the money [he is the Master] as this tool does not get tired and you can do a better and faster product performance to the finish than I can by hand.

There is another thread here where he has arraigned a special group buy that you should check into purchasing if you have the funds.

I have 2 PC 7424’s with all the pads needed to work on a car. I originally purchased the second PC as a backup in case my PC failed during a process. Now I use it when the client wants to learn how to use the tool before purchasing or when I teach a class everybody get a chance to use a PC. With the correct pads, products and speed settings you can tackle just about any paint issue that comes along.

Good Luck,

Al