Hey all,
this weekend if all goes well and the weather is right i hope to do my first detail on my car. i have been doing a lot of research and have goten some good ideas on what to get and how to keep my car looking its best. i have put together a list of things i hope to do and what i am thinking to use, any revisions and recomendations would be greatly appreciated. i plan to clay bar my car then do the polish and wax deal. i also wanted to put scatch x on some of my scatches, and i was wondering when the best time would be to do that, after clay bar, or after polishing, or after a coat of wax then put on a second coat.

List:
Wax
-Tech Wax
or
-Gold Class?
Polish
- ?? (what could i get for a polish that can be purchased at advanced auto parts or pepboys? i need something for hand application.)
Clay Bar
-Clay Magic

*Also should i buy the Tech Wax booster spray for every few washes?

Thanks guys, sorry if i sound like a no0b but i kind of am when it comes to detailing.

-Tom

 

Wax selection is up to you. If you want to try something new, then NXT would be it. Durability unknown, but GC isn't known for that anyway, and people seem to like NXT's appearance so far. It's also newer technology than GC is.

Clay is fine.

Use Scratch-X on scratches after claying. If you have moderate to a lot of swirling in your car you could also use Scratch-X as a general polish all over. Just be sure to work it in thoroughly but don't rub too hard.

If you want something a tad gentler and still (somewhat) suitable for hand use, see if those places sell #9 Swirl Remover (Meguiar's pro line in beige bottles). Same rules as above apply. Any polish with some ability to actually correct anything is going to be a bit of a workout to use by hand though, so be sure to budget lots of time and don't rush.

Make sure the applicators you are using are safe (waxing sponges, quality bath/hand towels, some terry pads) and that you have taken the time to make sure that your wash methods and materials are okay, as well as your buffing towels. No sense in doing all this work if you're slowly causing damage to the paint....

Anyway, good luck!

 

I would recommend everything Meguiar's. They have treated me and my cars well over the years.

Meguiar's even makes clay bars.

They make a three step system that you can use to really bring out the shine of your car. It takes a while to do it, but then you don't have to do anything for like 4 or 5 months, because you have put a good coat of wax over a nicely polished finish. Trust me, it is awesome.

 

so if the auto parts stores near me dont carry the Meguiar’s #9 Swirl Remover i can just use Scratch X right?

 

never tried it.
Couldn't say.

 

Yes, absolutely. Its slightly greater strength might be better for hand application anyway, since polishes are usually less effective that way. Just be sure to thoroughly work it in, or you won't get the best results from it.

 

well i went out and bought all the supplies i plan to use for this detailing. now i just gota hope for good weather this weekend. btw i did find the #9 swirl remover at pepboys.