Just Waxed
 

Hi Guys and gals,

Well, I just waxed my Box S and the wife's BMW X3 here are my conclusions:

Boxster:

Step #1: washed

Step #2: (Blue) CLAY BAR...smoothed out the paint...nothing new.

Step #3: Meguairs Show Car Glaze #7

Step #4: Meguiares Hi Tech Yellow Wax (carnuba based) #26

DEEP shine, and very slick finish. VERY satisfied with the results, I love my Porter Cable machine 7424


BLACK BMW X3:

Step #1: Clay Bar

Step #2: Meguairs Polymer Sealant #20 (Cleaner/Glaze/Wax in one). It's long lasting, plus it's a great 1-step process (didn't want to take too much time on this one)

Had to bust out some additional Medallion Paint cleaner on some spots with a Cutting pad...worked out good.

Reminds me how hard black is to care for properly...but in the end the X3 looked brand new.

What is the conclusion for my efforts? If you don't have a Porter Cable 7424, your missing out.

KRZ

Pics Taco pics.

I need a porter cable to save me time... where should I get one? Ebay? What kinda pads will I need? Easy to use or will I screw something up if I don't know how to use it?

I am retarded. No before pics....it rained all weekend. I can take some after pics soon, but there is no benchmark.

BTW the best time to wax a Black car is in the Garage when its raining.

KRZ

Very easy to use, just need to incorporate the right polishing/finishing pads with the correct polish/wax etc. It would be best to say, the Porter Cable allowed more time to be deticated towards a better, deeper, more shine.

KRZ

Ebay was actually not very good price-wise on PC's. I got mine from an online tool shop, which I found on froogle.

Do a google search on the model number and Porter Cable and then click on froogle and see what pops up. Mine was $125 with a second counter balance weight for the larger pads and free shipping. Retails for over $200 if I'm not mistaken.

You can get this one for $149 from www.autopia.org:




"Machine polish your car, truck or SUV like a pro with the Porter Cable 7424 dual action, auto polisher!

Using the Porter Cable 7424 Polisher is like speeding your hand polishing to 1,000 times normal speed!

Free bottle of car polish with every machine!


To all intents and purposes, the Porter Cable 7424 Car Polisher is the industry standard car polisher. No other dual-action polisher even comes close in power, effectiveness or ease of use.

The Porter Cable 7424 comes equipped with a single polishing pad which is permanently attached to a backing plate. The single white pad works well with a bonnet for removing polish and wax film, but is not up to the task of serious polishing. For best polishing and waxing results, select our flexible Velcro backing plate and advanced polishing pads.

The Porter Cable 7424 car polisher features a random orbit (dual-action) polishing action for a swirl-free finish. While powerful, the 7424 will not scratch or burn even the most delicate clear coat paint finish. The 3.7 amp motor delivers plenty of torque, and the electronic variable speed control allows you to vary operating speed from 2,500 to 6,000 oscillations per minutes (OPM). For comfort, the hand grip can be attached to either side.

Porter Cable engineered the 7424 polisher to safely apply polish and wax in a manner similar to hand application. In a matter minutes, it creates a mirror-like finish and shine that would not be possible by hand. Unlike a conventional rotary buffer, the pad on the Porter Cable 7424 does not rotate, it oscillates. The "dual-action" (around + back and forth) motion occurs at such a high rate that the eye can not see the orbiting pad movement."

I got that beat easily. $119!!

http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/welcome.pl?ref=froogle+page=/a/port/7424_car_buffer.htm

This is where I bought mine.

I bought mine from there too......love it.

KRZ

How would you guys clean up a deep paint scratch? 2 inches long and 1/32 in wide. But its down to the white primer.

Thanks
- Xavier

there's no fixing a scratch that gets to the base layer. Time to take it to the paint shop.

I've been using Finish Kare FX100 and #425 which from what Ive noticed so far, seems to work with every detailing product on the planet. And the prices are great for the quantity you get. I've been detailing a looong time this stuff is a god send for time efficiency. With autocross/track season coming up I'll be using it plenty. Nothing more I hate then spending two hours to clean the car and then doing it all over again Sunday night after an event.

http://986forum.com/forums/finishkareusa.com

Just Ordered my Porter Cable.....Now heres the question....What products to use with it???? How many coats???

Oh no.....here we go.(I say that because everyone has their own opinion for waxing)

Very basic instructions:

Step #1: Wash

Step #2: Clay bar or use a Paint Cleaner (I used a clay bar then Meguiars Medallion Paint Cleaner with a Meguiars "Polishing" yellow pad..really work the polish in with this step I put the setting at 3 then up to 4 on the PC)

Step #3: Apply your glaze ( I applied Meguairs Show Car Glaze #7 with a "Finishing" Pad)

Step #4: Apply your Carnuba Wax (I used Meguiars Hi-Tech Yellow Carnuba wax #21 with a Meguiars "yellow" Polishing Pad.


Step#5: Applied some Final Inspection


Real simple steps:

1) Cleaner 2) Glaze 3) Wax

KRZ

Well.....I'd bust out a Meguiars "Cutting" pad.

1) Clay bar first

2) Load the pad with some Meguiars Medallion Paint cleaner and apply working the buffer on setting 1-2 max (Cutting Pad).

3) Apply some Show car Glaze (finishing pad)

4) Apply some Hi Tech yellow wax and work that in (Polishing pad set the PC to 4)


If that doesn't work.....then it's time for the touch up paint and wet-sand process.

KRZ

Products for buffing, cleaning and waxing? You opened a can of worms...

I use Menzerna and Klasse All in One. Others use Zaino products. I bet there's at least a half dozen additional and very excellent products out there people swear by and to which they are fiercely loyal.

My opinion? The PC is as much a factor as anything. So you're 90% there in my experience. My old, beat up paint job was simply transformed with its use. Even my wife could clearly see the difference... and she could care less about the level of shine and lack of swirl marks on a car. (Yes, I still love her more than the air I breathe despite this obvious character flaw).

TriGem, you can use your PC to clay the car too. Autogeek.net sell a pad with a hole that you stuff the clay into and use a low speed setting. Sonus makes the green clay that will be a little less potent for more frequent use so you don't strip off your sealant.

here' my new formula for lowest effort shine using the pc

1. Optimum No-Rinse (add it to your car wash soap, rinse water or for claying)
2. Clay using the PC
3. Klasse All In One (the undisputed king of polishes) use a foam pad, like blue.
3. Poor Boys EX with Carnauba. From what I hear this the only sealant that gives depth. Not just a glassy finishy like Klasse SG and so many other synthetics. Must be the Carnauba additive.
Put away the PC.

4. Finish Kare FX 100 Sealant
5. Finish Kare 425 (the my new required last stage)

If you are a real show off you can add step 3.(A)
S100 Carnauba Wax. Yes the FX100 will actually seal Carnauba!

by the way this is gaining popularity when used with the Optimum No Rinse (and get a sea songe!)
http://autogeek.net/fofowagunhag.html
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/autogeek/foama.jpg

I'm soo confused....

1. Wash/Dry
2. Clay
3. Polish
4. Wax

Is that the right order of things?

[QUOTE=Perfectlap]
3. Klasse All In One (the undisputed king of polishes) use a foam pad, like blue.
5. Finish Kare 425 (the my new required last stage)
[QUOTE]


Those are classic statements, especially your #5...hahahaha

:cheers:

1) Wash/Dry
2) Clay Bar
3) Paint Cleaner Wax
4) Glaze
5) Carnuba Wax
6) Any quick detailing product (FK1 #425, meguiars, etc.)


KRZ

Ok I think im getting it...

What is Paint Cleaner Wax? and isnt Glaze basically Polish?

I use the PC for the Paint Cleaner Wax, Glaze and Carnuba Wax??

Paint Cleaner is a more "Abrasive" wax designed to get finite scratches/swirls out of the paint. You can also say Polishing Compound, Paint Cleaner Wax, are the same thing.

The PC is for the applications of ALL waxes and glaze listed.

KRZ

Hey KRZ dont be suprised if you a call from me this weekend askin a whole lot of questions :D . But no worries I shall test my skills on the Lexus first :cheers:

Polish= cleans the paint and add some protection
like Klasse All in One (liquid form)
Swirl removers like Poorboys SSR, 3M rubbing Compound, Sonus FX
are often put into the polish category as well.
Paint cleaners like P21s paint work cleanser and 1Z are also polishes.


Sealant= is synthetic and forms the barrier between the paint
and the elements. Like Klasse SG, Poorboys EX with carnauba
and FK FX100. the big drawback of most sealants is that it gives it
a glassy reflection and not the typical "pool of water' show car reflection.

"Waxes" refer to dressings and often come in paste form. These don't usually protect the paint and usually give it a little more 'bling' like on show cars the drawback with these is that they attract dust. They're mostly Carnaubas which are not synthetic or some like FK Pink Wax are a mixture of synthetic dust repelling ingredients and naturaly derived carnauba wax. The other minus with using these is that you can't add sealant over wax. But Finish Kare makes a "sealant Glaze" FX100 that will allow you seal carnauaba layers.
Synthetic waxes can last for months, Carnaubas (without FX100) only a couple of weeks without rain.

425 is a product in its own category. Its like putting a clear bra over the whole car giving it a slippery feel and letting dust blow off.

In what order does everything go in is what i need to know.
Polish
Wax
Sealant

or

Polish
Sealant
Wax
??????

well this is what I do.

1-wash and clay
2-removing swirls and scratches
3-polishing (to remove the swirl remover :D and leave the paint CLEAN)
4-sealing (usually requires a few hours curing time before waxing)
5-wax (no curing necessary)
**optional** 5-.1 Seal the wax with FX100 sealant Glaze
6-425 (I think it works better with FX100) I can't really think of another product
that performs the 425 function.

Thanks...i Think I Got It All Down....only Saturday/sunday Will We Know...