yet another newbie needs advice :)

[247christ]

alright people, this site has helped inform me as i have read through alot but i would just like some peronal advice. I recently started getting into polishing and waxing, i was at big lots and saw a bottle of spray wax with teflon by DuPont for $5.00 (i got the spray instead of the squeeze because it had 6 ounces more for the same price and figured i could just spray it onto the applicator in streams) and a bottle of Simoniz Liquid Diamond Polish for $2.50. So i decided to buy them and try them out on our Electric Blue (Metalic Flake) '03 Toyota Matrix and White '95 Camaro. The only experience with detailing ive had is washing (lol ;-)) and vacuuming and using armorall (yet another lol) so yah pretty much no experience..I am just wondering on what you guys advise for these colors as far as polish/wax for the best shine and protection at the best price (trying to stay on the low cost end of things) (i think im going to go with wax instead of a paint sealant but if you advise otherwise then just let me know whats good) and what kind of things i should have for supplies to get the job done. Heres what i have so far:

Bag of microfiber towels Assorted - micotex (walmart)
3 pack of MicroFiber (suede) polishing towels - micotex (walmart)
2 pack of microfiber window towels - micotex (walmart)
6 pack of Lint free 100% Cotton towels (plan on using them for interior prtectants) - micotex (walmart)
1 Microfiber sponge with mesh backing (Tried gloves but sometimes getting things off worked better with the mesh) - micotex (walmart)
1 PVA towel for drying
2 bottles of Armor all and 1 Bottle of STP Protectant
Dupont Wax with Teflon
Simoniz Liquid Diamond Polish
And some cheap Tire dressing i got at the 99c only store(LA's Totally Awesome and Street Appeal)

I am planning to just do this personally for our cars but i got a burst of motivation to do this on the side to make some cash (i looked up starting a detailing besuiness and it seems doble with little to startand also a buddy of mine started his own and now owns a business and just has people work for him) because of how amazing it restored the brand new look to our cash with such little effort and lower end products. So any advice on where i should start, what supplies I need to actually go somewhere if i plan to try to make some side cash (i dont plan on doing the full detail thing as i know a truck/van is needed and water tanks, generators, water reclaimation, shampooers, and soforth is needed as well to do a professional job just a polish and wax job and maybe just interior vacuum/cleanup and interior protectants.). Now back to my personal plans. after about 2 months when i goto wax the cars again i have read about clay barring to get everything off then a fresh round of polishing and waxing, i saw some liquid clay at walmart, is this stuff any good? I saw meguiars scratch x their too, does this stuff work well? Oh by the way i am doing it all by hand with applicators, i havent invested in a orbital polishers but saw a rockford one at walmart for around 25 bux.. Any and all suggestions welcome, thanks.

[budman3]

I'm sorry to say this but you get what you pay for with some things. The $25 orbital won't do squat except make applying a wax easier but even then it's not that great. The DuPont spray wax is probably one of the worst detailing products I've ever used. It wax impossible to apply thinly and even more impossible to remove. I used it twice and thankfully it fell and exploded on the garage floor. I haven't used Simonize so no comment there. The MF towels you have now are OK but I'd never let them touch my paint. You'd know what I mean if you ever buy a quality MF towel. As for the Turtle Wax Liquid Clay, it's actually a paint cleaner and doesn't act like a real clay bar. Also, if the tire dressing you have is see through, it is probably silicone based and that really isn't good for tires, over time it dries them out and cracks them.... If you want the results, it's going to cost a little money. As you probably already know, here is the process of an exterior detail, minus wheel and tire work and windows:

Wash
Clay
Polish
Sealant or Wax

I'm not sure what condition your vehicles are in at this point in time but it's going to be a lot of work to polish the swirls and marring out by hand... A lot of people have the PC7424 and for good reason, it's a great entry level polisher that'll yeild professional results. I can't name off any polishes that work by hand because I don't use them ... scratch X would work but that was designed for small areas, so if you use that be sure to remember that. So unless you are willing to buy a machine, I can't help on the polishes (BTW all buffers are on sale until Monday ). Having a machine is a definite if you are even thinking about going into business.

A great OTC wax would be Meguiar's #26 liquid or paste. But again, there are many other high(er) quality waxes available on Autogeek that are easy to use and look great. Do what you can on your budget now but save up some $$ to place an order ith AG, you won't be disappointed. If you are willing to buy a PC or UDM with necessary pads, I'm sure a lot more people would be able to point you in the right direction concerning polishes and waxes.

[247christ]

thanks for the advice and i figured there was more to doing the right job to make money, lol. Well i know i wont be getting an orbital anytime soon but i for sure will get a PC if i ever do. Well just some last few questions, is it even worth my while to keep the suede polishing cloths? Are they just for shining up your car when needed? or would you actually use them after your car is polished as a finishing touch? Andi was using somewhat of a handkerchief material cloth to apply protectants to the interior but bought those cotton towels as described in my supply list, do you think i need these or is the handkerchief towel suitable just for personal use ( i only bought the cotton cloths and suede MF cloths to supply myself if someone wanted their car done...

[supercharged]