Polishing/Waxing question

[R8 Pilot]

With all the cars I have owned and if no one minds my humble opinion.. I have tried many ways through trial and error and after many different waxes,sponges and cloths and everything else invented to man..here is what really works and takes away every bit of worry to give you the best shine.

This is what I do and the 986 will receive the same shortly as it IMO is the absolute sure way to protect your paint and get the shine you want.

First get a professional full detail including clay bar and paint correction.

Then get them to apply a 'minimum' of 3 coats of Nano Ceramic Coating.

The shine is jaw dropping and my car now never ever has a sponge or cloth go anywhere near the paint...no no swirls

When it needs a wash simply go through a quality auto brush less car wash that has a blower dryer...and it sparkles.

The Ceramic does not wear off and it protects the actual paint underneath from any of the somewhat harsher car wash detergents.

For some this might sound a definite no no..but the Nano Ceramic is that tough and good the detergents actually never touches the clear coat underneath.

The Nano might need a quick refresh wipe every year or 2 not because the Nano has worn off..but this just brings back the dazzle stronger.

Forget 2 buckets and sponges and cloth as there will always be a little bit of dirt or dust somewhere that will mar the paint as I have learnt.

My R35 had it as well and it was the same outcome.

Only my real life experience with some nice cars I have owned..and in this day and age I just don't believe that a car needs a bucket,sponge and a wax unless of course you get pleasure from personally detailing your own car which can be a passion and reward in itself.

Here's a pic of one of my cars after about 12 months with the Nano Coating that never had a hand wash or wax in that time.

[pony13ca]

Originally Posted by R8 Pilot

With all the cars I have owned and if no one minds my humble opinion.. I have tried many ways through trial and error and after many different waxes,sponges and cloths and everything else invented to man..here is what really works and takes away every bit of worry to give you the best shine.

This is what I do and the 986 will receive the same shortly as it IMO is the absolute sure way to protect your paint and get the shine you want.

First get a professional full detail including clay bar and paint correction.

Then get them to apply a 'minimum' of 3 coats of Nano Ceramic Coating.

The shine is jaw dropping and my car now never ever has a sponge or cloth go anywhere near the paint...no no swirls

When it needs a wash simply go through a quality auto brush less car wash that has a blower dryer...and it sparkles.

The Ceramic does not wear off and it protects the actual paint underneath from any of the somewhat harsher car wash detergents.

For some this might sound a definite no no..but the Nano Ceramic is that tough and good the detergents actually never touches the clear coat underneath.

The Nano might need a quick refresh wipe every year or 2 not because the Nano has worn off..but this just brings back the dazzle stronger.

Forget 2 buckets and sponges and cloth as there will always be a little bit of dirt or dust somewhere that will mar the paint as I have learnt.

My R35 had it as well and it was the same outcome.

Only my real life experience with some nice cars I have owned..and in this day and age I just don't believe that a car needs a bucket,sponge and a wax unless of course you get pleasure from personally detailing your own car which can be a passion and reward in itself.

Here's a pic of one of my cars after about 12 months with the Nano Coating that never had a hand wash or wax in that time.

WOW!!!! Looks awesome!!

[jdraupp]

Originally Posted by pony13ca

WOW!!!! Looks awesome!!

Just a gentle suggestion with your 986? No auto washes. Terrible for the canvas top.

I now use the optimum. First used the turtle wax, can't find it anymore. The optimum is a better product in my opinion.

[R8 Pilot]

Originally Posted by jdraupp

Just a gentle suggestion with your 986? No auto washes. Terrible for the canvas top.

Thanks for the prompt as am still getting use to having a canvas top again.

Should have mentioned that on the last expensive convertible I had...Nano Ceramic was applied to the canvas roof as well as the interior and rims and it provided the same level of hard shell protection as like the paint.

Over 12 months of ownership with that exotic there was not one bit of fade on the canvas.

You could of course apply Nano and hand wash as often as you want with the same outcome..but I find time short.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by R8 Pilot

First get a professional full detail including clay bar and paint correction.

Then get them to apply a 'minimum' of 3 coats of Nano Ceramic Coating.

This is good advice. However it really doesn't require a professional detailer to tackle paint correction if you use an orbital polisher like the Flex, Porter Cable or the small one that Griots Garage sell. It's very difficult to harm the paint with these. It takes all of 10 minutes to get the basic movement down (many DIY videos on YouTube). From there its just a matter of spending a couple of quality hours with your car. An LED light or cheap halogen lamp from Sears that you can shine onto the paint while youre working will let you know right away if you're missing any spots. You can get most of the swirls out yourself and the professional detailer who will likely charge you by the hour, and not on the cheap if he's more than just a guy at the car wash with a buffer, can concentrate on the tougher swirls only. Then you can do your old lady's car. Or you can do your buddies cars and charge half the $500-$600 that an experienced pro is going to bill you. You'll need some advil or a creeper chair at least. LoL.
The trick to paint correction is to move very slowly in overlapping L shape patterns and to be conservative on the amount of polish you dab onto the pad. If you're too liberal with amount of polish the pad will not bite as it spins and will just leave a hazy mess.

[R8 Pilot]

Originally Posted by Perfectlap

This is good advice. However it really doesn't require a professional detailer to tackle paint correction if you use an orbital polisher like the Flex, Porter Cable or the small one that Griots Garage sell. It's very difficult to harm the paint with these. It takes all of 10 minutes to get the basic movement down (many DIY videos on YouTube). From there its just a matter of spending a couple of quality hours with your car. An LED light or cheap halogen lamp from Sears that you can shine onto the paint while youre working will let you know right away if you're missing any spots. You can get most of the swirls out yourself and the professional detailer who will likely charge you by the hour, and not on the cheap if he's more than just a guy at the car wash with a buffer, can concentrate on the tougher swirls only. Then you can do your old lady's car. Or you can do your buddies cars and charge half the $500-$600 that an experienced pro is going to bill you. You'll need some advil or a creeper chair at least. LoL.
The trick to paint correction is to move very slowly in overlapping L shape patterns and to be conservative on the amount of polish you dab onto the pad. If you're too liberal with amount of polish the pad will not bite as it spins and will just leave a hazy mess.

Could not agree more but I personally never trusted myself to try.

I bought all the right gear and it has sat in the cupboard for 4 years.

Without trying to sound like a here I am(sorry)..all my weekend cars have been Lambo,R8's and R35..so I was to scared to put any polisher near the paint and I feel the same about my 986 as the paint work is pretty much immaculate

I will just get my pro detailer in and know that I will not damage anything and will be $700 lighter but gleaming and protected.

I will post some pics of the Nano ceramic when it is done in a few weeks.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by R8 Pilot

Could not agree more but I personally never trusted myself to try.

I bought all the right gear and it has sat in the cupboard for 4 years.

Without trying to sound like a here I am(sorry)..all my weekend cars have been Lambo,R8's and R35..so I was to scared to put any polisher near the paint and I feel the same about my 986 as the paint work is pretty much immaculate

I will just get my pro detailer in and know that I will not damage anything and will be $700 lighter but gleaming and protected.

I will post some pics of the Nano ceramic when it is done in a few weeks.

I'd leave it to a pro too with those types of cars. But why didn't you go for total body clear film? Seems like you kill two birds with one stone. Protection from paint chips as well as swirls.