Step 1 Mothers Clay bar
Step 2 Mothers Cleaner Wax
Step 3 Mothers Carnuba Wax

All I can say is smooth as a babys A$$, well worth the time.

Now my freaken shoulder hurts so much I can barely pick my arm up

 

Yep Mothers makes great stuff. I've used it as long as I've had the Max. Tomorrow I am switching though , trying Meguair's The Professional series. I hope it can match the smoothness and durability of Mothers.
-Cyrus

 

Cyrus, I used Meguairs for years as well. The only thing I don't like about that stuff is it doesn't last that long. Great shine, easy to use, but only lasts about a month.

The best stuff I've used so far is the Zaino Bros. Definately lasts the longest with an excellent shine too. I have just enough to put one or two coats on the car. I plan on doing that next weekend now that I've got the finish back to perfection again.

I'm totally happy with the Mothers products. They work well and the shine lasts a while too. If I follow this process with a coat of Zaino, I should be good till mid fall.

 

Now see, that's a great product. Zaino will last for months, and it is a true car enthusiast's wax.

 

Well this is my experience (much like you just stated). BTW I am talking about the companies' top line of products:
EagleOne - decent shine, lasts fairly long.
Meguiar's - Amazing shine and reflection, but as you said doesn't last long.
Mothers - decent shine, but among the longest lasting and great protection.
Zaino - Again great shine and reflection, lasts fairly long but leaves too many swirls.
Zymol - you're paying for the name. Decent shine and very good protection.

-Cyrus

 

If you use the correct curing times and buff correctly, you won't get any haze with Zaino. I haven't used it before, but I know that Zaino fanatics have less problems with streaking than a Klasse user (like myself). I hope you're not talking about swirls, as in swirl marks...that would just be bad

 

The Mothers three step system is this:

1. Pre-wax cleaner
2. Sealer and Glaze
3. Carnuba wax

I believe this system will do a better job of ensuring a (microscopically) smoother surface for application. It will also provide various oils (in the sealer/glaze) that will nourish the paint and also help remove swirls.

 

Well I did get swirls but that could be attributed to the buffer. However when I used the buffer with Mothers I had no problems. Oh well I'll give it another shot, I sitll have the stuff lying around here somewhere. How do you like Klasse? Does it last long and is it a thick coat like Mothers? Also did you get your Souveran yet?
-Cyrus

 

Klasse is great IMO. A few people have had problems with "hazing" but many haven't too. I think it's just technique and prep. Super thinness is key, just like with Zaino. Actually come to think about it, nothing should really be applied "thick" and you're just wasting product....

Give the Z another shot. Most think using a buffer with Z is a waste, but make sure the buffer is clean and you don't use the terry or wool bonnets.

 

Hey dude,

I think it might be your buffer. I think you should try applying Zaino by hand, you might really like the results. If you have the funds, about $115, get a PC (Porter Cable) at Lowe's. And buy the attachment set at CMA (properautocare.com). I hear that a PC is incredible...I would buy one but I'm focusing on performance mods right now.

Klasse is just great. I don't have pics right now, but its seemed like my shine has improved since the last time I've posted. I think Klasse has fully cured, because at the track, I was parked under a tree at around 10pm. I noticed that on my trunk lid, the tree looked so 3-d that I could literally touch it. It was cool. Klass IS prone to hazing though..it just takes some practice to apply and buff.

I'm holding off on Souveran. I would really like to use it, but I just did a complete touch up/sand/buff on practically every chip on the car, and I'd have to say the results are amazing right now. After that, I gotta go through the whole swirl mark remover thing (found some scratches...) and Klasse again.

njmaxseltd, keep using Zaino. That is some great stuff. If I wasn't so pressed on cash, I would definately try that stuff out too. My next post will be pics of Zainoed cars.

 

Zaino pics:

http://autopia.ws/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=140

http://members.roadfly.com/atyclb/detail2.jpg

http://autopia.ws/forums/attachment....&postid=110838

http://home.attbi.com/~busnaina/zaino_6.JPG


and Cyrus, the legendary Souveran for you ...

http://www.heumann.com/images/neon_in_frnt_fndr_640.jpg

http://www.heumann.com/images/pinnac...poiler_640.jpg

http://members.verizon.net/~vze32rrq/souveran.jpg

 

Cyrus,
What exactly do you do with that wool bonnet attachement on a drill? I have seen these in the auto part stores and don't have a clue as to what one does with it? Do you use it dry? Is it for used for applying?

 

Honestly I have no idea what it's for. I used it while buffing some of my polished parts in the engine bay and it works well, but so would the terrycloth one.
-Cyrus

 

This is my kind of detailing bench!

 

I have a detailing business on the side of going to high school and have tryed just about everything. If you want a really nice shine, go to a boat store and buy some fleet wax. I beleive its liek $12 a can, put about 4 coats of that stuff on and you will have trouble trying to get the car dirty. It is great on rain etc since its made to endure a lot for boats etc. I have come to the conclusions:

Zymol= expensive, good shine but nicer on lighter cars then darker
Meguiars= I dont like at all, left swirl marks and not worth the $, only stuff I use from them is the high endurance tire shine
Mothers= love them, the carnauaba wax (in a can) is awesome, along with car wash etc
Stone products= love them also, glass cleaner is amazing and so are other products

Also there are a few products for certain things like never-dull for your chromies etc...I have tryed to stay away from stuff liek eagle one etc because you get what you pay for...hope this helps

 

Did my Max yesterday too.

1. Washed with dishwash soap to remove the old wax
2. Mothers Clay Bar - awesome results, nice smooth paint
3. Washed again to remove any possible leftovers from the bar
4. 3M Swirl Mark Remover
5. Klasse All-in-One (2 coats)
6. Klasse Sealant Glaze (1 coat)

Still need one more Klasse SG coat and I'm done. The whole process took me by hand around 6-7 hrs (with some breaks in between). It was worth it. It looks so good.

 

Shouldnt use dishwasher shoap, it isnt good for the clear coat and the paint...

 

Hehe that's actually my bench. Me likes detailing.

And GimmeTorq, maximaracer28 is right, don't use dishwasher liquid. Even if you use a"no-removing-dishwashing-liquid" soap, just scrub hard and you will be fine.
-Cyrus

 

Haha vyrus i have a bench twice that with more stuff, stoner needs you to open a business account in order to buy stuff ...also I dont use a buffer, always by hand

 

i used the mcguire's cleaner wax on my max, but i switched to MOTHER's carnuba wax. it's more expensive, harder to put on (since it's dryer), and 'seems' harder to take off, but if 'feels' better, like a "thicker" wax protection. kind of hard to describe when my car's smooth w/ either one, but i'd stick w/ mother's (the larger carnuba wax, NOT the CLEANER/WAX combo).

i bought another mcquire's wax cleaner for the wife's civic.

kafene.

 

That sounds like a great car enthusiast detail. I understand wht you use dishwashing soap. It is ok if you use it 1-2 times per year, it wont harm your paint. Try layering 4 coats of SG and see what results you get. I'm sure you'll be impressed (be sure to let the SG cure for at least 24 hours before the next application.)

maximaracer, the reason you use dishwashing soap is to remove any old wax since it has a high alkali content. Especially Dawn Blue, its very popluar in the Autopia community. IMO, I still think dishwashing soap isn't enough, especially if you want to strip off old Klasse on a car. The answer then would be to use d-limonene, which easily strips off old wax with the stregth of natural cleaners. This stuff is found in products like P21S Total Auto Wash.

Somtimes, a machine such as a PC (http://properautocare.com/porcabuldetm.html) is necessary to heat up compounds and polishes to get the results needed. It cannot be achieved by hand. The alternative (which I use) to using a PC to remove swirls is to switch to a higher strength compound. For example, instead of using 3M SMR to remove swirls, I use 3M Fine Cut, and then move down to 3M SMR once the major swirls are removed.

 

I already can't move my shoulder, but I still have the polish and wax to go.

However, clay is

 

Thanks
Believe me, I won't use dishwashing soap or do anything like this more than once a year. Just finished my second layer of Klasse SG.
I will try couple more layers in a week or two. I don't want my neighbors to think I'm crazy...
I will try P21S Total Auto Wash next time (next year ).

Later

 

Haha thats funny cause one of my neighbors I never see except for whem Im washing/waxing my car...like Ill be taking off wax and they roll by, then I wont see them for like a week until Im drying my car etc...lol

 

Zaino and Klasse are by far the best. IMO, Klasse looks better on Darker cars and Zaino looks better on everything else.

 

It's good to see someone else who's a fan of Klasse and Zaino. You're right that Klasse looks much better on darker cars.

Klasse = depth, infinite pool

Zaino = unsurpassed shine, glimmer


I think I've proved to my neighbors I'm crazy. Since its summer break for college and I have a small detailing business, people see me detailing cars (mostly mine at my house) 24-7. Someone even saw me washing my car yesterday at 11pm. (I had to prepare for today since I don't want to wash the car in the sun & I'm using lots of 3M products as we speak.

 

So you do detailing on the side as well? Thats where the $ is, do a good job and people will pay, simply as long as the jobs done right...I will steam the inside etc...$75 a car, knock off a few cars plus work = at the end of the week

 

You guys are smart working on your own I worked for a detailing company and I didn't make nearly as much as you guys. On the other hand I never had to deal with advertising and there was always a car for me to do.
-Cyrus

 

lol, yeah. In my area it's REALLY hard to find clients. I've actually gotten ALL of my clients off of the org, heheh.

It just seems like the business isn't here...no one really cares about their cars enough to actually get it detailed. I haven't sent out any flyers yet but I still feel the market around here is pretty weak.

 

You should advertise more, you never know what customers it will bring. There are many people who are too lazy to wash their own cars, and after a year or so they will just go and get them detailed. On the other hand trust me if you detail 5 cars in a row you're not going to want to move that arm to write.
-Cyrus

 

You guys ain't seen nothing until start off with the 3M products in my sig.

 

Ive used 3m before but I dunno, if your detailing multiple cars in a week mothers I have found is fasted, easiest and best product...like I said on my own car I use fleet wax

 

The 3M Rubbing Compound would take you 5 minutes to rub out all off the scratches from the entire car. It also doesn't take a lot of elbow grease to use 3M's stuff. I love it.

 

I have tonts of swirl marks on my car...
how do I get rid of those?
Clay bar?

 

Clay just removes the small particles of debris from your paint. Rubbing compound will remove swirls marks. The best thing to do if you want them removed is to have a body shop detail the paint for you.

 

Be careful with this attachment. It's basically like a rotary polisher, especially with those twisted wool strands I've seen on them, it'll be a "heavy cut" tool. Use it if you have hardcore polishing to do and you're experienced, or you don't care and are learning rotary skillz on a beater.
Use dishsoap only when you're starting from scratch again, like once or twice a year. It won't successfully remove Klasse or Zaino, btw.

Sexima, if you're relatively new to paintcare it might be best to find a recommended pro to do it for you once. Afterwards just care for it well. To DIY, you'll need to read up on the art of detailing.

Oh yeah: Hi TurDz!
-4dsc

 

Hmm, it's really great to see someone else who knows what they're talking about. 3M IS good stuff...I think it's probably THE best and more versatile "prep" compound out there.

 

Yep. Nothing like 3M to remove scratches. I couldn't imagine life without the stuff.
-Cyrus

 

Just went through the same swirl mark problem yesterday. Used clay to get contaminates off. Used Mother's Sealer and Glaze, then a 3M wax. The Mother's S/G, which has sat unused with my detailing stuff for about a year, really worked great. Wish I had used it earlier. I usually like Meguiar's products overall (may not be the best in any one specific category, but I think they do a fine job overall). The clay does not remove swirls, but the S/G either removes them or "hides" them (says it "hides swirls" on the bottle). Really fantastic stuff for my situation. No more swirls (at all), easy to use, and replenishes the essential oils to the paint. Also, a little tip is to use linear motion, not circular when applying/removing products. Scratches are most visible from a 90 degree angle, and circular motion gives them a 360 degree viewing angle (swirls). Also, be very picky about the cloths, and use LOTS of them. I use 100% cotton terry bath towels. Be sure it is 100% cotton, as most will say they are but in fact aren't. You can test it simply by lighting a corner of it on fire, and if it is clean burning like a candle wick, it is cotton. If it smokes black or melts, it is not and I wouldn't let it touch any part of my car except maybe the glass and rubber tires. If you're married, get wife's permission before testing all of her towels, or buy your own just for the car. Personally, I stay away from rubbing compound products (I know, technically a glaze is a friction type compound, but it is super-fine). I'm just not experienced enough to use a compound in my opinion, and don't want to use my car as a learning tool. BTW, my car is arctic white, and the Mother's worked flawlessly on it. I haven't used it on a darker car, so can't comment on it. I'd be willing to test some rubbing compounds (and gain necessary experience) on someone else's car if you're in my area (NW Louisiana) Hope this helps.

Dave

 

Nice to see there are lots of other detailers out there.

I am very picky about the clothes I use to buff too. I only use microfiber towels, 70/30 blend. They're expensive, but they're well worth it and give me a peace of mind when I detail.

Anyway, Dave Holmes, the Sealer and Glaze most likely hides the swirls. It is very practical and gets the job done quickly. The only downside to "hiding" is the compound that fills in the micro-marrings and small scratches will eventually come out. That's why others use rubbing compounds...esentially it is a liquid sandpaper of around 2500+ grit. I'm trying to be careful not to overuse it...I know that the 4th Gen Maxima's paint is very thin except along the edges.