[rtjones]

Originally Posted by bartman32

George-
Thanks to you apparently my friends now think I'm this expert detailer. HA! I'm just using your experience! Thank you so much!

I have a friend of mine who has white overspray (probably spray paint) on their black Rav4. I was thinking about claying it and possibly using some 3M rubbing compound it I have to. Any advise here?

While we are at it how many times should one use the same clay bar? I've already used it on two different cars. and what are your thoughts on the Sonus Clay bar system for future washes of my own car. (Obviously not for the overspray issue.)

Thanks George!

Bart, I'll take a shot, and I'm sure George will correct me if I'm wrong.

Re: frequency of clay - 1-2 times per year. I just clayed my 2 cars for the first time, and have decided to go once a year, during my full detail. I'm sure twice a year is fine, and think any more frequency is unnecessary.

I bought Clay Magic, and used about 2/3's a bar for a single car. I break off a good sized piece (cut the bar into 15 pieces, and take one), make a sphere of it, flatten, generously spray lubricant onto the 18"x18" area (my comfort zone in terms of size of area to clay at one time), and clay the entire area. Then I flip the clay over, and use it on the next 18"x18" area. I then throw it away - to be used no more.

Or, you may want to save it for your windows (good idea). But clay is relatively cheap, and why risk using piece of contaminated clay to add new fine scratches to your finish?

Cheers,
Ron

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by bartman32

George-
Thanks to you apparently my friends now think I'm this expert detailer. HA! I'm just using your experience! Thank you so much!

I have a friend of mine who has white overspray (probably spray paint) on their black Rav4. I was thinking about claying it and possibly using some 3M rubbing compound it I have to. Any advise here?

While we are at it how many times should one use the same clay bar? I've already used it on two different cars. and what are your thoughts on the Sonus Clay bar system for future washes of my own car. (Obviously not for the overspray issue.)

Thanks George!

bartman32, Ron offered some great advice. 1 - 4 times a year is a typical range detailers use to clay bar their vehicle. The more accurate answer is clay as needed.

Say you used a clay bar on your vehicle last month and you drive through a construction zone and you pick up tar and other contamination that does not come off with your typical washing and drying procedure, then it would be appropriate to clay even though you did the previous month.

There are very few variations of clay on the market, some are fine grade some are medium grade, but other than that there's not much of a difference.

I recommend Ron's advice on chopping the clay up into ~15 pieces and using them once and throwing them away. I just clayed a new vehicle I picked up and neglected to follow that method and did find some minor imperfections added due to the clay process and using 1 piece of clay continuously over the course of the detail. Ron's method would minimize that, and I plan on following that same method next time I use a clay bar on my vehicle.

Keep up the great work, and let us know how you make out w/ the paint overspray and your own vehicle.

Ron - thanks for chiming in, great advice.

George

[cashey]

Hi George,

I am hoping you can help. You'll see that I posted a message to the board related to this but I wanted to see if you have specifically encountered this before first hand.

Used Meguiar's conditioner / cleaner on the interior this weekend. I wasn't careful enough and the black seatbelts got oily stains on them.

Is there any known way to safely remove the stains?

Thanks!

[bartman32]

Thanks for all the advise George. Turns out that it looked like someone spray painted something about 2 feet from the car. Entire car is coated with white spray. It took more than clay to get it off. I had to go to the 3M rubbing compound. It seems to have gotten the paint off. However the car is in worse shape than just that. It seems that they have a tree sap stains on the hood too. If I spend more time with the rubbing compound will that take it off or can you suggest anything more aggressive if need be.
Thanks again.

[SpecC]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Thank you for the positive feedback Ascension. Best thing for black vehicles is to research and invest in the proper washing and drying tools, products and techniques. This will help minimize adding imperfections and creating more work for you in the future.



Hrm read through the entire post. If it were my vehicle, this would be the course of action I'd take. First I'd try cleaning with isopropyl alcohol and water mixture, if that failed, I'd give it a once over with a distilled vinegar and Water Mixture. Next I'd try claying the paint... followed by a chemical polish like Klasse AIO as picus mentioned. That fails, the next logical approach is to start with a light abrasive polish and move to a more aggressive polish until desired results are achieved. I have seen bird droppings quickly etch through the clear coat and need even more drastic measures taken, like wet sanding, but lets hope it doesn't escalate to that.

For the glass, can you feel the stain to the touch? What have you tried on the glass? You could try a razor blade + some water or quick detailer as lube to see if it budges the stain and if not you know it chemically stained the glass and if that's the case, it is not looking too good for your paint either.

Keep us posted on how you make out, if there is anything else I can try to help answer, please do not hesitate to ask.

George

all right it's been a while lol but i've finally done everything you've said and it's still there. I can probalby scrape the piece off the window with some force, but do you think it's time to sand the paint down up there and polish it over? Also, what would you say is the best solutionto light swirls?

and i recently got scratches on the face of one of my rims. It's a funny story but i'll get right to the point. It looks as though only the clear coat was scratched, but it's a bit dirty in there. How would I clean it out and how would I go about bringing it back to its original state?

thanks in advance for the detailing wisdom george!

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by cashey

Hi George,

I am hoping you can help. You'll see that I posted a message to the board related to this but I wanted to see if you have specifically encountered this before first hand.

Used Meguiar's conditioner / cleaner on the interior this weekend. I wasn't careful enough and the black seatbelts got oily stains on them.

Is there any known way to safely remove the stains?

Thanks!

What have you tried on the area so far. I'd start off with a basic fabric cleaner, such as 303 Cleaner & Spot Remover or locally some Woolite (diluted to the proper ratio) or Folex. The area may need some agitation so a firm bristle brush may be helpful in getting the stain out.

Originally Posted by bartman32

Thanks for all the advise George. Turns out that it looked like someone spray painted something about 2 feet from the car. Entire car is coated with white spray. It took more than clay to get it off. I had to go to the 3M rubbing compound. It seems to have gotten the paint off. However the car is in worse shape than just that. It seems that they have a tree sap stains on the hood too. If I spend more time with the rubbing compound will that take it off or can you suggest anything more aggressive if need be.
Thanks again.

Assuming you've tried lesser aggressive combinations with no luck, then yes continuing with the 3M rubbing compound could help remove the tree sap etchings. There really isn't anything more aggressive than a compound other than wet sanding. Are you tackling this by hand or with a buffer? I would strongly recommend using a buffer with the compound. Let us know how you make out.

Originally Posted by SpecC

all right it's been a while lol but i've finally done everything you've said and it's still there. I can probalby scrape the piece off the window with some force, but do you think it's time to sand the paint down up there and polish it over? Also, what would you say is the best solutionto light swirls?

and i recently got scratches on the face of one of my rims. It's a funny story but i'll get right to the point. It looks as though only the clear coat was scratched, but it's a bit dirty in there. How would I clean it out and how would I go about bringing it back to its original state?

thanks in advance for the detailing wisdom george!

Before you jump into wet sanding, what polishes were used and was it applied by hand or with a buffer? The window shouldn't be much of a problem with the razor blade, did you try that yet?

The best solution to light swirls is investing in a Porter Cable 7424 Buffer along with a finishing polish, such as Menzerna PO106ff (one of the best available) or Final Polish II.

For your wheels, try using something like Mother's Billet Polish (found locally at any automotive store) or consider using something like P21s Finish Restorer, which works great on scuffs and oxidation, due to its chemical cleaners and micro abrasives.

Let us know what you end up using and how you make out with everything.

George

[SpecC]

^i used a klasse AIO applied by a buffer and scratch x by hand. neither had any effect. I'll be trying a razor on the window probably tomorrow.

[normtrum]

"Menzerna PO106ff (one of the best available) "

Hey George, how aggressive is this polish? I picked up some ugly marks on my hood by a glass chip guy, and Griots #4 didn't quite get the job done. I was going to step down to Griots #3, but thought I'd ask about the Menzerna. Thanks.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by SpecC

^i used a klasse AIO applied by a buffer and scratch x by hand. neither had any effect. I'll be trying a razor on the window probably tomorrow.

Consider using an abrasive polish with your buffer to see if that gives you any results. Klasse AIO is a non-abrasive formula with chemical cleaners, so if it etched your clear coat, it will not make much of a difference.

Originally Posted by normtrum

"Menzerna PO106ff (one of the best available) "

Hey George, how aggressive is this polish? I picked up some ugly marks on my hood by a glass chip guy, and Griots #4 didn't quite get the job done. I was going to step down to Griots #3, but thought I'd ask about the Menzerna. Thanks.

This is a very unique product in that it has some cutting characteristics but also finishes down finer than any other polish I've used. On a 1 - 10 scale, I'd rate it on a 4 for cutting power and 10 of 10 for gloss. It falls right around what a medium cutting polish can eliminate, maybe slightly less. You can achieve great results on a PC, but this polish truly excels on a high speed rotary. The major benefit of this polish is that it uses some of the smallest abrasive particles, however they are angled to be sharp, which makes it very effective on removing light to medium defects.

I haven't used the Griots polishes personally to compare the two unfortunately.

George

[Zeiss]

Here are my results with the poorboys EX sealant w/ carnuba








Thank you George and Detailing Image! :rocks:

[Detailed Image]

BNR32, car looks stunning! Lots of depth and gloss. Nice photo work as well

What were your thoughts on Poorboy's EX compared to other products you've used?

Thanks for sharing.

George

[Zeiss]

I've used other waxes and sealants before, but poorboys it's really something else! I'm loving how this sealant incorporates the carnuba compound. This gives my colour a real depth and gloss, which I'm always looking for. Thanks again, you now have a dedicated customer!




:rocks:

[BMXtreme]

BNR32, did u apply by hand or a buffer?

[Zeiss]

Originally Posted by BMXtreme

BNR32, did u apply by hand or a buffer?

Used a damp applicator pad. Buffed it out with mf clothes after it was dry (60mins).

[BMXtreme]

Originally Posted by BNR32

Used a damp applicator pad. Buffed it out with mf clothes after it was dry (60mins).

Awesome! I wonder if the looks can only be gotten w/ a buffer/polisher...

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by BMXtreme

Awesome! I wonder if the looks can only be gotten w/ a buffer/polisher...

Applying your sealant (or wax) really has no difference applying it by hand or with a buffer other than time and energy saved with a buffer. It's correcting paint imperfections where the buffer really excels over hand applications. If your vehicle has swirl marks and other imperfections, then you would want to give more consideration into investing in a quality buffer, such as the PC 7424.

George

[Gen_E92]

Hey George, I'm new to the whole detailing thing. As of now all I got is Meguiar car wash, Zaino AIO, and Zymol liquid wax. If I do them in order is it good enough for a starter? I'll try Zaino detailing for my next time. Thanks for your help.

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by Gen_E92

Hey George, I'm new to the whole detailing thing. As of now all I got is Meguiar car wash, Zaino AIO, and Zymol liquid wax. If I do them in order is it good enough for a starter? I'll try Zaino detailing for my next time. Thanks for your help.

Gen_E92 - Detailing can be as little or as much as you want it to be.

Some things that I think no one should detail without:

- Learning the best washing and drying techniques and investing in high quality tools to do so, ie. quality wash mitts, waffle weave drying towels, quality automotive shampoo, and a Grit Guard Insert. This is important because this is where a majority of swirls and other imperfections stem from.

- Never let your vehicle go without protection. Between the Z-AIO and Zymol Liquid Wax, you'd want to reapply the Z-AIO every 3 - 4 months, and apply the wax once a month. If it's the typical Zymol Cleaner Wax in a the blue bottle found locally, you might as well not use it with Z-AIO. You will strip off any protection the Z-AIO leaves behind and apply a layer of a less durable protection from the Cleaner Wax. Invest in a high quality carnauba paste wax to layer over the Z-AIO or just leave the Z-AIO alone afterwards.

Knowing how long your layer of protection will last is key. If a product says it will last 4 months, I reapply every 3. Durability can vary dramatically based on miles driven, storage, how it is cared for, climate, etc. I always under estimate how long the product says it will last because they often rate them under optimal conditions.

You are off to a good start, let me know if there is anything else I can answer to help take your detail to the next level.

George

[Inuyasha]

What would you recommend to remove a light coat of dust that builds on the car, after detailing?

[Detailed Image]

Originally Posted by DarkAgent

What would you recommend to remove a light coat of dust that builds on the car, after detailing?

I personally use Poorboy's World Spray & Wipe, which is an excellent quick detailer with great cleaning agents, along with a couple of ultra plush microfiber towels (usually 3 or 4 on a mid sized vehicle).

This combination when used correctly, is effective at removing light dustings, while minimizing adding imperfections in the paint. To maximize the usage of the Spray & Wipe, consider a 4oz fine mist bottle, which also makes it convenient to store in your glove box for bird droppings and other forms of unexpected contamination.

George

[Inuyasha]

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

I personally use Poorboy's World Spray & Wipe, which is an excellent quick detailer with great cleaning agents, along with a couple of ultra plush microfiber towels (usually 3 or 4 on a mid sized vehicle).

This combination when used correctly, is effective at removing light dustings, while minimizing adding imperfections in the paint. To maximize the usage of the Spray & Wipe, consider a 4oz fine mist bottle, which also makes it convenient to store in your glove box for bird droppings and other forms of unexpected contamination.

George

Thanks!

[normtrum]

Hey George - ok, I'm ready to pull the trigger on several DI products, but I want to run some things by you first. I've got a black saphire, and I currently have some minor scatches left behind by a glass chip guy (he decided to wipe my hood with what must have been a disgusting towel). I don't need help on the basics, ie car wash/prep, and here's what I'm planning:

1) Fine clay bar with lube......which lube do you suggest?....PB spray and wipe, or something else?
2) SSR2 Medium polish , random orb (I've already tried a light polish, and it didn't get it the job done).
3) SSR1 light polish, random orb
4) Menzerna FMJ, 2 coats, one right after the other, let cure 24 hours. Can I apply this with my orbital?
5) PB Natty Blue (applied by hand). One or 2 coats?

Do you have a machine pad that you'd recommend for steps 2, 3, and if possibly, 4?

Lastly, my new alloy wheels are about to ship, and I would like to protect them as best I can. Would you suggest your wheel wax, or sealant? Thanks!!!