Good "OTC" detailing products???

[Bob O]

Wash and dry car. I clay it once a year or so, and the directions above are good. Just follow the directions on the box and you'll be fine. (When they say use lots of lubricant they MEAN it) Then...3M swirl mark remover to get out the bigger imperfections that inevitably show up, especially on a black car, followed by.. Menzerna final polish II, then Menzerna glaze to finish the prep work. I use Maguires High Tech Wax, two coats of P21S, and finally a misting of Maguires detail spray. All of this generally takes a couple of days to do. Don't rush through it and you'll be fine. When I finish, WOW it looks brand new...01 with 56K, driven all the time. Unfortunatly, since its a dark car, it only looks that way for a short while. Buy dayummmmm does it look good when its freshly detailed. Most top brands of polishes, glazes and waxes do a pretty good job these days. But just remember, its all the in prep work that goes into it BEFORE you apply these products that makes all the difference.

Have fun with it

Bob

[Perfectlap]

by the way, if you can find them, the Mother's waffle weave towels and microfiber towels are top notch. Just a bit expensive since they are OTC retail and not mail order bulk. Those generic microfiber towels sold at Pepboys and Autozone are nothing more than over-priced rebranded janitorial towels.
Which is the last thing you want to use on your paint. The hooked fibers are overkill for smooth paint. Those towels are meant to clean tile floors not well maintained expensive paint surfaces. Use the short nap side of any microfiber towel as much as possible. The prickly side never really comes clean for me even after two washes with the extra spin cycle. which is why I'm gravitating toward waffle weave for buffing and quick detailing.

[sonvolt10]

Thanks for all the advice gents.

Man, I never knew detailing the car would be this involved and intensive.

Looks like my 8-5 job is going to be a real inconvenience.

Perfectlap, just so I'm clear (no pun intended), are you suggesting that the car should be wet and lubricated with the quick detailing spray as I apply the compound/wax and polish?

Thanks

[rdancd816]

Originally Posted by sonvolt10

Thanks for all the advice gents.

Man, I never knew detailing the car would be this involved and intensive.

Looks my 8-5 job is going to be a real inconvenience.

Perfectlap, just so I'm clear (no pun intended), are you suggesting that the car should be wet and lubricated with the quick detailing spray as I apply the compound/wax and polish?

Thanks

Get a lawn chair and enjoy your work! There are not many things in the world more beautiful than a fully detailed Boxster! Have FUN!!!

[unklekraker]

What blinkwatt and P/L said is exactly what i did....

*Major Wash

Wash with Dawn

Mothers Clay Bar Kit

Mothers 3 Step

*Quick Wash

Wash with Meguiars soap

Spray with Meguiars Quick Detailing while Drying

Wax with Meguiars NXT (one panel at a time)

Spit Shine Process while removing wax

*i still need to buy a second bucket and Griots