okay, i have a superblack max and the paint is in fair condition. I've kept wax on it to keep it protected... and the previous owner kept very good care of the paint. For the year+ that i've had the car, i've never polished it.. yeah, i'm a

Now that my car is out of the bodyshop, I am tempted to do a full detail. I've read almost all the articles on autopia.org, and I've browsed almost all the articles in this forum to get a better idea of what I'll need. Here's what I've come up w/ so far on my car.. the main problem is swirl marks...

#1. Get Meguires Gold washing fluid from Target
#2. Get sheepskin mitts from Walmart
#3. Get microfiber towels from Walmart
#4. Get 3M Swirl Remover for Dark Colored Cars from (??? dunno!)
#5. Get Klasse All-In-One from klassedirect.com
#6. Get Klasse Sealant/Glaze from klassedirect.com
#7. Use Zymol that I already have to wax it


Okay, well, that's what I had in mind. I didn't wanna get too hardcore about it... as my car is a daily driver and gets dirty very quickly. Not to mention, I have a billion chipmarks up front. I wanted to try Klasse because so many people use it, and the fact that it actually reduces/cleans up the oxidation... i wanted to see if it would make a difference. Is the Klasse Sealant/Glaze really necessary? I was goin to get it anyways because that's what gives it the gloss/depth look... might as well try it. I'm assuming it's applied the same way as polish and wax.

I didn't know what to do about the wax... if I were to use Zymol, would it kill the quality of the polish or something? I only ask that because Zymol is one of those common brands... I didn't know if I should spend the money to buy Zaino since everything else was gonna be costly.

What kind of applicator pads would I need, and where's the best place to buy em? I want to get 1 kind for polishing, glazing, and waxing... just to keep it simple.

I'm going to order the Klasse soon... maybe there's a cheaper place to buy it? I was thinking of getting this set: http://klassedirect.com/noname.html

Any feedback, ideas, advise, and whatnot would be greatly appreciated. I am a no0b, help me!

 

Heres the answers to all of your questions

#1) Gold class is awesome, go for it
#2) As long as its genuine sheepskin, thats good too
#3) Walmart ones are alright, but pakshak ones are definately worth it, my wallmart ones have been banished to wheels/dirty work
#4) You may want something a little more powerful, as 3m SMR won't get rid of most of your problems. Meguiar's DACP or the menzerna polishes come to mind, but theres always other solutions.
#5) Klasse AIO is AWESOME, no going wrong there
#6) Many like Klasse SG, but I was slightly dissapointed with it. I prefer either poorboys EX or platinum UPP(my fav) topped with S100
#7) Zymol won't be needed if you have these products.

I don't know how often you plan on detailing, but a porter cable buffer is a great investment and will product astonishing results.

As for the steps, start out by washing obviously, then after that clay it if you plan on it which I would suggest if you haven't dont it in a while. Then use DACP, work it in real well because it breaks down to a finer polish which gets rid of the need for a SMR usually. Then follow with Klasse AIO, then platinum UPP, let it cure for a while, then top with S100 and you'll have a spankin new finish. I find that foam applicators are the easiest to work with, but some prefer microfiber, both work equally well its all preference.

 

...taking the sgard approach.....

#1. Get Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo from Target
Excellent choice. I use that as well and you will not regret it.

#2. Get sheepskin mitts from Walmart
An alternative is chenille mitts by Viking. Make sure they say 100% cotton on the label.

#3. Get microfiber towels from Walmart
I would try the PakShaks

#4. Get 3M Swirl Remover for Dark Colored Cars from (??? dunno!)
Pep Boys. However, Sgard's post on this subject is spot on. DACP is an excellent choice along with Menzerna.

#5. Get Klasse All-In-One from klassedirect.com
Excellent

#6. Get Klasse Sealant/Glaze from klassedirect.com
Excellent. Just don't apply too much at one time or you will get hazing.

#7. Use Zymol that I already have to wax it.
Try S100 to top the Klasse. Make sure you let the Klasse cure at least 24-48 hrs before putting on a second coat. After the final coat, top it with the wax.

What do you intend on drying with?

 

Prinz, have you had better success with Klasse SG than Platinum UPP or poorboys EX? I've only tried it a few times before I stopped using it, maybe i wasnt putting it on thinly enough, but it may be worth a shot if you think its better than these two. Also, I was thinking of trying blackfire II, do you think that its worth trying or should I stick with what I have?

 

THANKS ALOT guys.

I think i will go ahead and make the klasse order.

Hmm... perhaps I should look into DACP. Is that available anywhere local? Perhaps Pepboys?


As for drying after washing the car, I already have the cali water blade and the absorber... I know the absorber microbeads, but after polishing/waxing, I don't think it should matter, right?

One more thing I forgot... claybar. I will probably go w/ mothers since I have experience w/ it.

 

meguiars is the ****, but if your in a hurry and want a good detail, i use 1 coat black colored turtle wax(kiss my ***, it works well). it dosent last very long but it will make all of those chip marks almost invisible for about a week or two.

but if you have the time and energy i highly recommend meguirs and the 4? step process, it lasts a long time and on our black cars, its amazing starring into the paint,

your eyes will dialate and youll start to drool

 

My local pep boys doesnt carry DACP, never seen it in a store, but it is Meguiar's so maybe there is some chance that it can be found. If you look online, theres lots of places that carry DACP along with Klasse so save you on some shipping(www.premiumautocare.com, autogeek.net, properautocare.com) DACP seems to be going for around 18-20 dollars for a bottle which seems like a lot, it may be worth getting a gallon for 20 from www.thetoolwarehouse.com and just paying the extra for shipping, around 5 dollars or so. Water blade works fine as long as its clean, I have no experiences with the absorber, but if you're making an order at pakshak, you can pick up a giant waffle weave from there which works amazing.

 

This is my bin at home:

http://www.nissanx.com/f0rums/thread...id=3&styleid=2

 

DACP would be a good idea.

What Zymol are you talking about? The cheap **** from Autozone (the liquid cleaner wax)? Ditch it. Their upper echelon waxes are good but don't last long enough for a daily driver.

You do want something more than just the SG...and personally I don't trust Zaino...I think they mislead their customers and are just not all that great of a company. Maybe they make decent stuff in the end but that's no excuse for mislabeling products and not answering consumers concerns. In any case get some S100, One Grand Blitz, or I think even one of the Meguiars waxes is good. I'm currently using One Grand Blitz Wax and am very satisfied.

 

I agree about that black turtle wax stuff. I used it on my last black car. I also tried putting down a layer of harder wax on top of it too. Like Nu Finish or Meguires Gold Class. Made it last longer.

Its still a really really soft wax. Doesn't last long. Good for around door handles where the finish gets scratched easily. Makes one hell of a mess of your hands and towels.

CM.

 

What was happening when you tried to use SG? Did you get the infamous "Klasse Haze" or streaking? if so, your initial assumption is correct. You used too much SG. Do not use larger than a dime sized portion.

 

Yeesh, sorry for coming into this thread so late, but here are my thoughts:

4) What polish to use depends on the condition of the paint, but it sounds like you have a lot of swirls? SMR by hand will really only be able to take out the lightest of them really. If that's not enough step up to DACP or if you have a lot of trouble finding that, a Fine Cut compound/cleaner (I think Wallyworld sells this by 3M with the auto paints). You may or may not have to follow that up with SMR if you get some minor hazing from either. Be sure to really work these products in though, and try to get the finish perfect in this step(s) so you don't have to rely on Klasse to correct or cover up imperfections (it'll only make a difference on the most minor ones anyway). Yes, this is the hard part - bring Gatorade.
6) Definitely use the Klasse SG. It's not as forgiving to use as AIO, but it is really the "meat" of the Klasse system. Just lay it on gently. I'm not sure how much you have read over at Autopia about applying Klasse, but there are lots of good usage intructions and hints there. Be sure to check them out carefully, and remember: thin, thin, thin!
7) If this is the blue, creamy Zymol cleaner wax, don't use it over your Klasse because it will strip it off. Save this for waxing other cars or your doorjams or give it to a friend.

If you just want one type of applicator to use, get the round 4" disc shaped foam hand applicators - it'll work for everything including polishing. For more polishing "bite" I've heard a tip about using a quality cotton terry cloth as well.

 

Thanks ALOT for the replies guys


Well so far I'm going to be ordering the Klasse no matter what... I'm having a difficult time finding a place that would sell AIO, SG, and DACP for a good price. I'm looking at klassedirect.com and their deal for both AIO and SG is pretty good.


I read that i'd need a cutting pad for DACP. What's a cutting pad? Can I find it locally?

Also, please confirm this... I get a foam pad (is there any specific?) for applying klasse AIO and SG ... and I buff them off w/ a MF towel. What more would I need?

Ok... i've been reading and reading posts on autopia and some on here about S100. It seems to be best for dark cars, in my case perfect. Can I top SG w/ a wax? Or would I lose some shine that I'd get from the SG?

This is what I've got down so far in terms of detailing this order:

wash w/ dawn
clay
wash w/ gold class
DACP w/ cutting pad, buff w/ MF
AIO w/ foam pad, buff w/ MF
SG w/ foam pad, buff w/ MF
then maybe S100 w/ MF pad, buff w/ MF

Look ok? I plan to use MF towels from walmart too.

 

You will probably have to source DACP locally or contact the site about it. Sometimes places will sell you unadvertised items like that. Or you could just get one of the products I mentioned right above your post too.

A cutting pad is for machine polishing. Sorry, but there's no such animal for hand applicators.

You might want to get some detailing spray (that doesn't say "carnauba" on it) if you haven't already. You'll need some for regular car and maintenance anyway. Also I like to keep a spray bottle of water handy and have stopped using detail spray with my Klasse application/buffing.

 

Yes, top the Klasse with wax. Tons of people do it and I think it will probably greatly enhance the depth of the shine once you get a few layers on.

Actually there ARE foam pads for hand polishing. They're the same size as the little terry pads a lot of people use to wax by hand, they're just made of foam instead.

You're going to have a rough time getting out swirls by hand...good luck!

 

I've used alot of products, and did alot of research on these type of thing, and I found that Zaino products works the best especially their polish. I have a black car myself and their polish works best with it. The first time I used it, I was absolutely shocked at the quality of the deep deep shine that was on my car. Goto www.zainostore.com to buy those. They have a full detailing guide on their site on how to apply their products. They recommend using a cotton towel, but I stil think using microfibre towels work the best.