|
|
SUPPORT ZPOST BY DOING YOUR TIRERACK SHOPPING FROM THIS BANNER, THANKS! |
Post Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
12-03-2012, 01:34 PM | #24 | |
Private First Class
16
Rep 175
Posts |
Quote:
Dont get me wrong, Im not arguing against learning, just learn from experience. Polishing is a finess job and has a certain feel rather than something you can write down onto paper. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 02:33 PM | #25 | |
Captain
63
Rep 862
Posts |
Quote:
No, a DIY'er isn't going to be taking a step 3 abrasive on a DA to their brand new, $15,000 Mercedes SLS liquid silver paintjob. If you can afford the SLS with a $15,000 paintjob, you're hiring a detailing professional anyways. Just like for brake jobs. I'm no mechanical guru, but I could get through a brake job. Unfortunately I have to hire someone because I don't have the time or the space in my garage to do it. Just like detailing. I enjoy detailing my car and do a good job at it. Sometimes it lasts the whole weekend. When you start talking about "feeling" of a detail and waxing, then you're not talking about a detail job for our cars. No one is going to be dropping $2,000 - $5,000 for a high end professional detail job for a Z4 or Z4M. In the opposite, no one is going to be DIY detailing their 458 Italia with Turtle Wax from the Dollar Store. Autogeek is your #1 source for detailing. Everything you need, and need to know, is contained right there. Just follow directions, take it slow, and start off small. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 03:30 PM | #26 |
Brigadier General
463
Rep 4,531
Posts |
With a PC and DIYer will be fine.
With a rotary, things can go wrong quick. It's not a step-by-step guide. Polishes act differently under conditions. There isn't a guide that says, work the polish for x amount. You need to know how long to work it, and make sure you're not working it too much. Same goes for anything else with polishing. Anyone can do it, but I've seen ALOT of hack jobs where people thought they did it right. It takes alot of time to read up and get good results |
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 04:03 PM | #27 | |
Megatron
5
Rep 207
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 05:25 PM | #28 | |
Private First Class
16
Rep 175
Posts |
Quote:
If you do end up doing it yourself with a safe Dual Action polisher then you still have to be sure to mask off trim, spend tons of time polishing, otherwise you'll think its working but its really not if you move too fast, paint surfaces are different, some hard, some softer. And if you dont already have everything you need its not going to necessarily be cheap to do it yourself. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 07:10 PM | #29 | |
First Lieutenant
25
Rep 325
Posts |
Quote:
For all I know he just started at Meguiars that morning, who knows. As for whether or not a rookie can do it, my vote would be yes. I've always taken good care of my cars by washing them regularly, often by hand. But I wouldn't say I'm "anal" about them. But since buying the Z4 MR I've been a little more anal. I spent a full day washing, claying (a word?!), taking the swirls out, waxing, etc. The dual action polisher makes the work a lot easier. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 08:51 PM | #31 | |
Brigadier General
463
Rep 4,531
Posts |
Quote:
Yes, it doesn't add additional shine, but it adds depth! Sealant will add gloss, wax will add depth. Combine the two and |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-03-2012, 09:41 PM | #32 | |
Captain
63
Rep 862
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-04-2012, 12:20 AM | #33 |
Private First Class
16
Rep 175
Posts |
if youre going to tackle it yourself id say grab a safe dual action polisher (porter cable, etc.), white lake country flat 5.5 inch pads, a good single step polish (menzerna power finish) and wax it with collinite 845. you wont be satisfied with any old carnauba, it will look great... for about a week or two... make sure you tape off trim and rubber when you polish or youll have fun removing product from it later. take necessary steps between applications, and prep prep prep.
clean wheels and tires FIRST degrease all bottom panels. bug/tar removal. wash with a good citrus wash using wash pad that is soft and has plenty of nap so dirt gets trapped in it and doesnt add additional swirls. make sure you wash from top to bottom, it doesnt make sense to bring dirt up from the bottom panels and scratch the top surfaces use a grit guard in your TWO buckets, one with the wash and one clean for rinse you can get a good idea youve removed most of any old product by spraying water onto the car and making sure the water doesnt bead up. between polishing and waxing you may want to use a pre wax cleaner to make sure all of the polilshing oils are removed from the surface, this could cause the wax or sealant to not adhere as well to the painted surface. use good quality microfiber towels to remove polish and wax if you want an even easier product you can use something like xmt 360 or alike. it is a single step polish and sealant. decent product for a beginner. apply it with a dual action as well |
Appreciate
0
|
12-04-2012, 06:18 AM | #34 |
Colonel
190
Rep 2,138
Posts
Drives: Me
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Virginia Beach
|
Back on topic to the OP (Simpleman).
From my experience, there is no 'perfect wax'. They all have different strengths and weaknesses. Some have great longevity but lack the ‘shine’ or ‘pop’. Some are just the opposite. Some look great on dark colors and just ‘ho hum’ on lighter colors. It really comes down to what you want to do, how much time you are willing to invest and how much money you want to spend. I find detailing my cars therapeutic. Sorta ‘me’ time. Bonding with myself, since I do not have to think about anything while I am working on the cars. I can’t wait for the comebacks on that statement…. On all the cars, after prepping,,,, I seal the car with Wolfgane DGPS 3.0. This stuff lasts a long time and looks great. The Wolfgane needs a minimum of eight hours to cure in the garage. Then, on the ///M, I apply DodoJuice Diamond White Hard wax. I find that this stuff really makes a white car ‘POP’. On the Roadster, after applying the DGPS, I apply Pinnacle Sovereign or Pinnacle Signature Series II wax. I have used Wolfgane Fuzion but it is too expensive for my tastes….. I reapply the DodoJuice and Pinnacle almost monthly. Every six months, I strip everything off the car and reapply the sealer and wax, normally in the fall and in the spring. In the fall, I change wax’s. In the fall, I switch both cars to Collinite 845. With Collinite, I am not looking for the best shine, but the best protection. This stuff rocks… Autogeek is where I buy most of my products. Always check their BOGO (Buy One, Get One free) section… I will not avocate any brand over any other. YOU must do your own research and make up your own mind. We here, do not know what your goals are, we can only suspect.... But think of it this way. After doing all this research and with knowledge you acquire, you decide to take your car to have it ‘Professionally Detailed’, you will know if the guys are trying to shine you on and take you for a ride with inferior products…. Knowledge is power. I am not saying that will happen, but there are always a$$holes out there. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-04-2012, 07:14 AM | #35 | |
Lieutenant General
2444
Rep 11,667
Posts |
Quote:
I've seen a few cars where the detailer used filler products that look great when you get your car back. & then the owners wonder why the swirls come back so soon.
__________________
'21 M2C Hockenheim Silver
'18 718 Cayman S Lava Orange (sold) '13 E92 M3 Santorini Blue (sold) '07 Z4 M Coupe Alpine White (sold) |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-04-2012, 08:12 AM | #36 |
Megatron
5
Rep 207
Posts |
Question on polishing: how do you deal with the small detail areas of the car, with a big 5.5" pad (i.e. around the doors)? That's what's always prevented me from taking the plunge on polishing.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-04-2012, 12:29 PM | #37 | |
Private First Class
16
Rep 175
Posts |
Quote:
or... do it by hand |
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-07-2012, 06:15 PM | #39 |
M = Midlife Crisis
67
Rep 2,006
Posts |
My car was clayed, compounded, sealed etc. and then had Swissvax applied rubbed in by hand - looks spectacular!
http://www.swissvax.us/merchant.mvc?...ory_Code=WAXES
__________________
2006 Z4MC - #LL93158
SS Race Cans, RE X Pipe, DKF Sec 1, Fabspeed Headers, OE STB, AS Shifter, Dave Z CDV, GC Coil Overs, Stoptech lines, Hawk DTC Pads, RE Clutch Stop, RE Transmission Mounts, Vibra-Technics Engine Mounts, Poly FCAB & RTAB, LeatherZ M Shift Boot, Tekarbon Rear Spoiler, CF Grills, Advan RS DGM Last edited by Caddyshk; 12-07-2012 at 06:21 PM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
12-07-2012, 08:24 PM | #41 |
M = Midlife Crisis
67
Rep 2,006
Posts |
No - $350 for the full detail from a friend in the business!
__________________
2006 Z4MC - #LL93158
SS Race Cans, RE X Pipe, DKF Sec 1, Fabspeed Headers, OE STB, AS Shifter, Dave Z CDV, GC Coil Overs, Stoptech lines, Hawk DTC Pads, RE Clutch Stop, RE Transmission Mounts, Vibra-Technics Engine Mounts, Poly FCAB & RTAB, LeatherZ M Shift Boot, Tekarbon Rear Spoiler, CF Grills, Advan RS DGM |
Appreciate
0
|
12-09-2012, 07:23 AM | #43 |
Captain
132
Rep 832
Posts |
Shipkiller...pretty sure you mean Wolfgang products. That's what I use...swirl remover, per wax, then sealant. I use Ricardo clay as well.
I am wondering about waxing after sealing though. I know you can layer the sealer coats but have never tried wax afterwards. Anyone else done wax after Wolfgang sealer? Anyone else switched from Wolfgang to something like Klasse? Thought about trying that next year. |
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|