This isn't really a Tech problem but i was wondering if anyone out there knows much about car detailing?

I just wanted what is the best way to really make your baby shine? Wax vs Polish? Who uses what and what do you think of it

Cheers People

I have the best article on this. Courtesy of the Detailling section of the ASOG Message boards

Waxes:

Waxes are primarily to seal and protect the paint. They will add some shine, but not as much as a polish will.
Meguairs High Tech Yellow wax #26, Meguiars Polymer Sealant #20, 3Ms Perfect it Show Car Wax (paste only), Mother's Carnuba Wax, Wax Shop's Super Glaze (desspite the name, it is a wax). Zymol is a good wax, but it is a bitch to use and leaves blue residue in the cracks and emblems. The other waxes listed won't.

Polishes and Glazes:

Polishes and glazes are used to add oils to the paint for more shine and smooth the surface for more reflection.
Meguairs Hand Polish (Pro Body Shop) and Meguairs Show Car Glaze or Machine Glaze (Mirror Glaze line), Wax Shops's Safe Cut and 3Ms Imperial Hand Glaze. None of these will dry white or haze the rubber or plastic. All will add shine and clarity to the paint surface, but will not remove serious paint defects-that is not their purpose.


Cleaners/Compounds and Swirl Removers

Cleaners and compounds are made to remove serious paint defects, like oxidation, scratches, etc, and swirl removers are used to smooth the surface after using a cleaner/compound and to remove any swirl or scratch marks made by the cleaner/compounds. Always start with the lightest cleaner or compound, and use a stronger one only when necessary. Try any of the following:
Meguairs Dual Action cleaner/polish and Diamond Cut cleaner (Pro Body Shop), Meguiars Fine, Medium or Heavy Cut cleaners (Mirror Glaze line), or any of 3Ms or Wax Shops cleaners and compounds.

For swirl removers, there is Meguairs Swirl Removal Polish and Swirl Remover or 3Ms swirl remover.

Spray Detailers

These are used to clean your car when it is only dusty (after dusting with you car duster), or after washing or waxing to make sure no residue is left on the paint. Meguiars Final Inspection, Quick Detailer, or Wax Shops Slick Stuff all work very well. Generally I use Final Inspection as show preperation and keep Quick Detailer in my trunk for everyday use & touch-up's.


Glass Cleaners

Eagle's 20/20 Glass cleaner. Works great, is cheap, and repels water almost as well as Rain X. It does seem to be rather hard to find though, as a substitute I use and reccomend 'Invisible Glass'. Most Pep Boys carry it.

Interior Cleaners

Woolite, the same Woolite used to gently wash sweaters and stuff like that. Mix it in a spray bottle at 6 parts water and 1 part Woolite. Spray liberally on the surface, use a small plastic brush, scrub the surface and dry with a cloth towel. It works great on all fabrics, carpets, vinyl and yes, leather-in fact, it will leave the leather very soft after using.

Vinyl, Rubber and Leather dressings

Vinyl and Rubber can use the same products; Meguairs Rubber and Vinyl cleaner and conditioner, Meguairs W-Dressing (PBS), STP's Son of a Gun, Armor All-I would discourage using the real shiny and greasy stuff on the interior-it attracts dust and makes the sun reflect the dash into the windshield while driving towards the sun.

For leather, use a dedicated leather conditioner, like Meguairs Gold Class for Leather, Tanners Preserves, Lexol or Eagles leather conditioner.

Clay Bars

Detailing clay is used to remove imbedded dirt, grime, overspray, etc from the paint without the use of abrasives. If after washing and waxing, you run your hand over the paint and it has a gritty feel, you need to use a clay bar. Meguiars, Mothers and Clay Magic all make good systems, and they come with everything you need except a towel to dry the paint after claying. Just follow the package directions and wax after finishing. Your paint will be super slick and smooth like glass.

Tires

I always prefered tire gel's to sprays and foam's. Sprays go on uneven, & foams often have a nasty overspray. Meguiars high endurance is the only thing i'd reccomend. There is the Natural Shine version, and the High Gloss version, depending on your taste's. But both are VERY long lasting, and its quite easy to spin your tires with some of it on the tread

Wheel's

I've tried many different products...never really found much difference between the meguiars and motheres. Just use whats appropriate for you...depending if you have chrome, or alloy, or steel, or whatever. I also reccomend taking your wheels off the car atleast once's a month to give a good and thorough clean to the inside.

Miscellaneous

When using Meguiars products, only use the Mirror Glaze or Pro Body Shop lines, not the burgandy bottle stuff like the deep crystal system or Cleaner wax. They are for the casual user, not someone who wants the ultimate in shine.

You do not have to glob on a bunch of wax or polish-a blob the size of a quarter should be enough to cover your entire hood-a 16 oz bottle of wax is enough to wax your car at least 30 times-use just enough to lightly cover the surface of the paint.

When using a polish or glaze, rub into the paint until it looks almost clear, and let sit for 20-30 minutes so the oils can soak in and it is easier to remove.

You do not need a buffer, especially one with a wool pad. The swirl marks are not worth it-and you can do just as good a job by hand without risking swirl marks, burnt paint and the mess the buffers make by slinging wax all over the place.

Do not waste your money on any wax that claims to have Teflon® in it. Unless you are able to apply the wax at 600+ degrees, the telfon is not a viable ingredient-and this is straight from Dupont.

_________________
-Distance
ASOG BoOsT jUnKiE crew

Abd this extra bit from another post in that thread:

Quote:

On 2001-10-17 15:40, 96SebringLXi wrote:
Hey can you add to that what order to do everything?



sure. although usually it has that info on the back of the bottles, i think.
washing is obviously the first step. & waxing is usually the last, wax being the selant.

wash
compound or scratch remover (if necessary)
glaze
swirl remover (if you compound)OR swirl free polish.
or regular polish if you don't compound or swirl remove
wax
then detail if you'd like with quick detailer, mothers showtime , or megiars final inspection.

i give my car a full cleaning weekly...
wash, glaze, wax, detail, wheels, interior.
once a month i polish & take the wheels off the car to clean the inside's.
every morning i use the california car duster to clean off the car & then use quick detailer to touch it up.

for drying the car i use the california wiper blade, then the absorber to get the excess off. don't use it like a towel. just lay it flat on the car, pull the end, & slide it.

for applying wax/glaze/polish i use wax aplicators. for removal use 100% cotton terry cloths. i don't reccomen the cheese cloths because they tend to flake yellow crap.

MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS TOTALLY DRY AFTER WASHING!
cause when you do other stuff if theres any water at all its going to leave nasty streaks. i have that problem bad because of watter comming out of my hood scoop..

i can't think of anything else extremly important at this time, but i'll add if i do

these are just what i found work best. opinions vary of course. but i'm pretty proud of my paint. i wish i had some of the professional pictures from carlisle that are hanging in my room scanned but i don't. just as an example of the reflectivity...

Blardy hell... Will give it a shot!

heheh while my answer is nothing like killbillys i have a simple step by step and my car always looks like new , here's the things you need

1 a couple of chamos ( for different purposes)
2 a good car wash i use meguaires
3 a good intererior polish i use meguires vinal polish
4 a good wheel and exterior vinal polish i use Eagle one wheel polish or somthing

just wash your car as per normal Ie , from the roof and work your way down, then chamis the car down then you can start on the inside plish the dash and down desides the seats n that vacuum the carpet polish all the doors and plastic bits, then use Qtips to clean the vents and hard to get at places, then use another chamos to clean all the doors and door sills of dust dirt and grease , then move on and polish the door sills. then polish the wheels , mudflaps and all trimmings with the eagle one polish , then with kitten window wash i wash all the outside windows ( you dont use a cleaning agent inside since you will harm your nice tinting ) then since i really like a nice clean car and i like spending time with my car i take another chamis and with a small bucket of water i polish the engine bay so it looks like new , you dont really need degreaser. and that's all i do takes less then a few hours and you get a nice looking car. I dont really like using Wax or any of that crap one because i dont need to and ive heard bad things about waxing if you dont do it exactly right n that.

I lurve waxing my car, nothing more satisfying that standing back in the late arvo admiring how shinny your sexy ride is. Bloody hell yes!

Widow im gonna try that eagle one tyre gel stuff.

i use the turtle wax stuff, the coloured ones!! its good
but im gonna try something for the scratches n swirl marks.

i had some blue stuff from my old car, and dad put it on his white car..
it stains!

had to re pollish it twice to get it off!