Dealership has a "crew" wash all lot cars, and it basically consists of two guys, a power washer, and some overly used shammies...

Grr... lots of small swirls and surface scratches... really effing annoying considering the car was brand new...

Anyway, picked up a new Flex DA and some BlackFire products from ProperAutoCare... I don't have any "finished" pictures, as it was too dark, too little sunlight, and I was running late for work this morning... but I've got some "freshly washed" and "just polished" pictures to offer up... Washed ones are just that, just washed and dried, with tire dressing nothing else. Polished pictures are after I also Clay Barred, and Polished the entire car with the Flex DA. I didn't realize until after I'd finished that my other pad that came with the Flex DA was actually a little more abrasive than the one I'd been using... wish I'd known, as I still have a few fine scratches I couldn't get out... but I got most of the major ones at least less obvious than they were... on to the shots...

Just washed...


Hood reflection all nice and clean...


Just polished...


Hood reflection after polish... oooooohhhhh... aaaahhhhh....


Anyway, I'll post some Protectant and Waxed pictures after lunch... Hopefully it will really bring the purple metallic out of the Navy Blue Paint.

 

Looks like you did a great job with your ride, I had to do the same the other day when the weather finally got better with a little bit of sunshine, I had to take a pic as well.

LETS KEEP EM CLEAN!!!!!

 

A few shots in the sun... this is with only one coat of wax... Product Manufacturer recommends a minimum of two coats... =/ We'll see...

 

very nice. the blue looks nice! what do people think about car washes?? do they really scratch up the car that much??? ive had my maxima for a little over a month and am very hesitant on going to the car wash.

 

I always hand wash my car... previously the only other place I'd go to wash it was the Infiniti dealership when I'd take my G in for an oil change, but then it was Ivory Pearl... and doesn't really show scratches... Personally, I wouldn't let anyone was my Maxima... =( But a thats just me..

 

DO NOT run your maxima through a machined car wash, maybe a touchless car is ok. Although it's fast and easy you do not want your car to develop the swirls and scrathes that car washes can put in. I don't even take it to get hand washed by car wash businesses, you just never know honestly. Do it yourself so you know exactly what is going on your car and what it's doing. I used to work at a car wash and the rags we used to wipe and dry, we would re-use a couple times on different cars before throwing it in the dirty bin.

 

I LOVE that color. WOW. I like my charcoal grey but that blue looks incredible.

 

I agree about not using a machine car wash or a hand wash by anyone other than myself. I like to know that all the products being used are clean and free of debri and don't pose a threat of scratching my baby! My new MAX is much smaller than my old Quad Cab truck so washing it seems like a small job in comparrison.

I even restocked up on my waterless car wash products because it to cold to wash my car outside of the garage, I just close the door and clean in the warm comfort inside!!!

 

Thank you! I seriously considered the Slate, but they didn't have any at the dealership at the time I was considering the purchase!

Its definitely a beautiful color, but I know its going to be nothing but frustration trying to keep it this way... going to have to wash and apply additional coats of wax this weekend... I used the BlackFire line of products from ProperAutoCare.com and Flex XC3401VRG Dual Action Polisher. Very pleased... just sore and exhausted... I "wanted" to put on another coat of wax last night, but other events precluded that, and I don't think I'd have survived... the wax application and removal is actually quite easy (product is described as being "like butter" to apply and remove, which is seriously is!) but the physical process is just too much after spending all weekend detailing the car... lol

I'll try and get some shots out in the open next weekend so I don't have anything "reflecting" on the paint (like the rock wall, lol!) to show off the true brilliance of the blue metallic! Its just gorgeous!

 

The detailing is incredible. The last three pics the car seems transparent, looks like it's going on stealth mode. Depending on how the light hits it or your viewing angle the car could be mistaken for a black Max

 

I've tried using a variety of synthetic polishes and sealants on my 350Z and have to say Blackfire is the best. After claying, the polish goes down easy and a few coats of Blackfire sealant have great lasting power. Over the past six years, my Redline paint has simply glowed, even in the harsh Colorado climate I live in. That A36 also looks great and is well on the way to remaining that way for years to come!

 

A few more shots...

 

Went a little crazy... sorry... Just love the various tones of the color!!





These two ( /\ & \/ ) were just taken at slightly different heights... and yet the car looks longer in one versus the other... lol...

 

Last three... from the darker side...

 

KaZ why you trying to show off lol

 

Hard not too, especially after all that work... LOL... sorry! ^_^ I'll refrain from posting any more pictures until next week!

 

nah man im just teasin you haha, keep it up dude

 

Glad to see some sick 7th gens rollin deep!

very nice

 

Couldn't you at least park in between the parking space lines? Very nice!!!

 

There was another thread on this I think...most of your co-workers park like that in the far lot, and you get ticked off when people do it in the front lot? If I remember correctly...But anyway, car looks super clean

 

Yeah, there are people that do it right up front and center... in really crappy cars... Ford Fusions, Highlanders, etc... crazy stuff.

Yeah, I park at the far end of the lot... so no one gives me any crap about it. At least I don't park at an angle or some other crazy way...

 

Blue looks awful nice! how did u wax the car? urself? it's been 3 weeks since i got my maxima from dealer, i wonder if they already waxed it or not. it looked shiny when i got it. and since i live in Toronto, Canada. we are expecting tons of snow pretty soon, would it be better to wax now or after snow season?

 

Are you serious? Hell no they didn't wax your car.

Hells yes it would be better to wax it now, before the snow season.

 

Yes, I did it all myself... and no the dealership most definitely didn't put any product on the car for you! I would definitely recommend getting a coat or two of wax on your Maxima at a MINIMUM before the snow and salt get on the car... You'll have a LOT more detailing work to do if you don't get a few coats of wax on the car before winter. =( A little work now will save you a lot of work later.

 

The coat of wax we put on just ahead of the blasts of winter is more to protect the car from the ravages of winter than for showroom shine, so just get that important coat of wax on without worrying too much about getting it perfect.

While a normal wax job is best done in the good outdoor light (but not in direct sunlight), I find the 'winter coat' is often more easily done inside a garage or other enclosure.

 

There's also a sizable difference between wax and poly sealants, like the Blackfire pictured above. Even the finest Carnuba wax will bead and remain effective in protecting the car's finish for a relatively short period, 30-45 days. The synthetic sealants have been criticized for having an artificial shine, but their durability is unquestioned. From my standpoint, the Blackfire products seem to last between three to six months if applied correctly on a good finish.

Our Colorado winters can also be harsh, but poly sealants like Blackfire seem to be the way to go, IMHO.

 

what'd you use? looks great.

 

Proper Auto Care's BlackFire line.

http://www.properautocare.com/blaccarcarki.html

 

Very Nice! Great job and obviously well worth it!!

 

You ought to look into Optimum No Rinse Wash. Not waterless, but rinseless. Works very well and extremely economical. A gallon is $35 or so and you can wash your car 128 times with it (1 oz per 2 gallons of water for a wash). I have a link to a video of how to use it in my sig.

KaZ-now that you put all that time into your finish (love the color btw), from now on, make sure you put a huge sign in your car that says "DO NOT WASH" and that it is also written on the work order when you take your car in for servicing. Otherwise you will be doing all that polishing all over again.

Everyone-absolutely do not allow the dealer to do any prep to your new car other than taking the plastic off. 99% of the dealerships have poorly trained detailers using dirty, old pads and nasty towels. I have a G35 to detail next Sunday that was trashed by a detailer at the Infiniti dealer. Same deal with a Porsche Carrera I looked at a couple weeks ago. Buffer trails all over the car. If a Porsche dealer doesn't hire and train competent detailers, there is no way your Nissan dealer is either.

 

Man you sure do love that stuff. I've watched all of your detailing videos and thats all you use for basically everything. It works well though and I see why you use that stuff like your sponsored by it.

 

Good carnaubas can last as long as sealant, some even longer. Collinite 915 is nearly bullet proof!

Durability and protection are not the same thing either. Yes, sealants tend to last longer on average (meaning they bead and retain slickness longer) but carnaubas tend to protect better (less chance of etching from bird bombs, etc). Whatever you use though, just because it lasts 6 months doesn't mean you wait 6 months to apply it again. By then the protection is going to be minimal. Whatever the typical durability of the product is, use it again at the halfway point for maximum protection.

 

Not sponsored by it...that would be nice though. Maybe Meguiars, Clearkote and Optimum can get together. 3M too, I love using Ultrafina as my final polis with the rotary.

As a mobile detailer, it is the most cost and time effective way to wash cars and be in full compliance with all the new ground water regulations. Plus, I can wash cars at office complexes and not worry about a pressure washer getting other cars wet-which is a pretty big problem on the typically very windy days here in Dallas.