[white335ispider]

Hey guys, I am looking forward to washing my e92 for the first time tomorrow. I also want to buff the car after washing it and want to make sure this doesn't damage the sealant that protects the clear coat.

Here is what I am planning to do:
-Wash w/ Turtle Wax&wash soap.
-Dry using Eagle1 Dry As You Wax.
-Buff w/ a porter cable buffer @3000 rpm using a Meguiars Mirror Glaze, Fine-cut cleaner, #5 (medium cut) solution.

Please advise me if I missed anything or if anything needs to be done differently.

Thanks for the help!

[CombatNinja]

Um, yeah, buffing your car will remove not only the sealant but also a wee bit of the clear coat itself. Why are you needing to buff a brand new car anyway?

[AlanL]

I would strongly recommend a good long and careful clay bar session. New cars look nice and shiny but in reality the paint is incredibly dirty with the crud from transport. You will also get to go over all of your new car's paint up close and personal while you do the clay bar work so you will get acquainted with minor defects that are otherwise hard to spot in the frenzy of taking delivery.

You actually have very little sealant of note on the new paint job so cleaning the paint and getting a good sealant layer on the car has always been one of my first priorities on a new car.

[white335ispider]

Originally Posted by AlanL

I would strongly recommend a good long and careful clay bar session. New cars look nice and shiny but in reality the paint is incredibly dirty with the crud from transport. You will also get to go over all of your new car's paint up close and personal while you do the clay bar work so you will get acquainted with minor defects that are otherwise hard to spot in the frenzy of taking delivery.

You actually have very little sealant of note on the new paint job so cleaning the paint and getting a good sealant layer on the car has always been one of my first priorities on a new car.

So you'd recommend that I just clay the car and use a sealant? Or clay it then buff it also?

What brand sealant and clay would you recommend?

Thanks man!

[roundle]

As your car is new, you should not need to use an abrasive polish. Clay is debatable as well. Klasse AIO would do a nice job of cleaning and protecting the paint. When my car was new, I used AIO (applied by hand) and was really pleased with the result (flawless!). You could finish it off with some P21S Wax.

[DocVoxel]

Even if you did want to polish, that would be done before you wax, not after. On a new car, you would only need a very mild polish, if any at all. Try speed glaze or something that is similarly minimally abrasive.

[JohnnyT]

Originally Posted by white335ispider

Hey guys, I am looking forward to washing my e92 for the first time tomorrow. I also want to buff the car after washing it and want to make sure this doesn't damage the sealant that protects the clear coat.

Here is what I am planning to do:
-Wash w/ Turtle Wax&wash soap.
-Dry using Eagle1 Dry As You Wax.
-Buff w/ a porter cable buffer @3000 rpm using a Meguiars Mirror Glaze, Fine-cut cleaner, #5 (medium cut) solution.

Please advise me if I missed anything or if anything needs to be done differently.

Thanks for the help!

Assuming this is a new car, what makes you think the finish is sealed? Did the dealer apply a sealant? I find it highly unlikely but not impossible.

I agree with the claying after the wash if you feel ANY grittiness on the paint as you run across it with your naked hand.

[fdriller9]

Originally Posted by JohnnyT

Assuming this is a new car, what makes you think the finish is sealed? Did the dealer apply a sealant? I find it highly unlikely but not impossible.

I agree with the claying after the wash if you feel ANY grittiness on the paint as you run across it with your naked hand.

Most over the counter washes have some type of protection in it. I bet the op has some type of protection on his paint, but that will need to be stripped off first using clay bar.

Then if they're no swirls (shouldn't be on a new car, just wash in HORIZONTAL lines, NOT CIRCULAR!), finish up with a sealant, wax, or combo or both.

[Solonng]

quick question, why would you put cheap over the counter cleaning stuff on a $40k plus car? I used to be cheap with my previous car and it was a disaster..You should email Dominic or other good detailers asking for what to get and get some good stuff for your car

[tibra1]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Um, yeah, buffing your car will remove not only the sealant but also a wee bit of the clear coat itself. Why are you needing to buff a brand new car anyway?

+1 the title of this thread makes no sense..

[tibra1]

Claying should be followed by 1-step polish and then wax..

[AlanL]

Originally Posted by white335ispider

So you'd recommend that I just clay the car and use a sealant? Or clay it then buff it also?

What brand sealant and clay would you recommend?

Thanks man!

For an easy to use good clay bar off the shelf try Clay Magic - nice quality clay bar and easy to find at places like AutoZone. Do use plenty of the lubricant. Most folks would be seriously shocked at what kind of crud comes off your shiny new car straight from the dealer. Judging by the reactions so far that includes a lot of those answering this thread. By the time you make it through about 1/4 of your car you will understand why you wanted to do this. There are better quality clays out there is you have the time to shop around online and wait for delivery but Clay Magic is a good safe alternative.

Buffing after the clay bar work is mostly a question of paint correction where necessary. You will know which areas of your paint need work if any once you have seen it all up close with the clay bar efforts.

A good quality sealant is mandatory after the steps above and will help you keep the nice shine on your new car.

[Envious Eric]

Originally Posted by tibra1

Claying should be followed by 1-step polish and then wax..

THANK you!!!!! Someone gets it!

Clay is an abrasive, plain and simple! It will mar the finish of the car, whether its barely, or noticeable, your finish will not be at its optimal state! Also, if you think your car is shiney now, hit it with a DA and a finishing pad with a polish like menzerna 85rd and you will wonder how you thought the previous condition was the best it gets!!! Just because the car is new doesnt mean its looking its best!!!!

I did one of the first X5M's in the country and the color change from the delivery to after I was done with the paint was night and day! I did it at the dealership and the owner stopped by and made a positive comment about the split shot I showed him. IT DOES GET BETTER THAN NEW!!!!

[zybar]

I just did my initial wash, clay, and wax on my new 335i Xdrive and the car looks very good and is now well protected as well.

I used the following products throughout the process:

Wash: Griot's Garage Car Wash applied with Micro Chenille mitt and dried with a Griot's Garge Micro Fiber towel

Clay: Griot's Garage Paint Cleaning Clay and Griot's Garage Speed Shine

Wax: Prima Epic applied with a Porter Cable 7424XP Dual Action Polisher

Wheels: Giort's Garage Wheel Cleaner and Prima Slick Quick Detail Spray

Windows: Girot's Glass Cleaning Clay and Girot's Window Cleaner

Here are a few pics (not great quality) after I finished:





George

[ceb]

Originally Posted by white335ispider

Hey guys, I am looking forward to washing my e92 for the first time tomorrow. I also want to buff the car after washing it and want to make sure this doesn't damage the sealant that protects the clear coat.

Here is what I am planning to do:
-Wash w/ Turtle Wax&wash soap.
-Dry using Eagle1 Dry As You Wax.
-Buff w/ a porter cable buffer @3000 rpm using a Meguiars Mirror Glaze, Fine-cut cleaner, #5 (medium cut) solution.

Please advise me if I missed anything or if anything needs to be done differently.

Thanks for the help!

Here is what you need to do:

If your car is dirty then wash it.

Spend a few days reading every thread in this detailing section. Pay particular attention to the professionals here on the board.

Here is what many people don't understand;

When the car comes to the dealer it is covered in fallout, rail dust and sorts of other crap. It then sits at the dealer a while collecting more crap.

The dealer then washes the car and pours some sealant on it. The car looks OK but the dealer has sealed in all the crap that they didn't wash off.

The only way to remove that rail dust and other stuff is to use a clay bar. The dealer didn't do that so you should do it.

Like Eric said, you have to polish the car after you've clayed it and then seal and/or wax it.