Please break it down for me.

[chadmiha]

Hey everyone, been browsing the forum for a bit and thought I'd try to get your expert opinions for getting my car back into shape. I've tried to search, but am still confused on the steps I need to take to restore my car's finish. I have a 2002 Altima, polished pewter, and have neglected it(outside apperance) for a while. I washed it probably every 3-5 months for the past 3 years and have never waxed/polished it. Now, what exactly do I have to do after washing it and taking a clay bar to it? I have a craftsman polisher/buffer (bought it, just never used it) if that helps any. I dont really need any specific brands, just the actual product names and steps to use them. Thank you for any advice that you guys could offer me.

[Sevenrd]

As far as process after claying, I'd inspect the paint under direct sunlight or halogen lighting to determine the degree of micromarring/swirlling in the paint then go from there.

I'm not familiar with the craftsman polisher. The most common polishers you'll read of here and on other detail forums are the Porter Cable (PC), Cyclo and various rotary buffers. I'd start by considering purchasing a PC, or if your wallet permits a Cyclo. Both are random orbital buffers, so potential for damage is minimal. A rotary can do some serious damage if not used correctly, so I'd avoid that for now.

After claying, the usual steps would be to polish the surface until swirl-free then seal/wax. Polishing with a random orbital can take some time if the finish is heavily swirlled, so be prepared to set aside some time.

Patience is key. When I first started polishing with the PC I simply went too quickly. Don't be afraid to spend some time on small areas of the car. You want to make sure the polish breaks down and does its work. After each pass, inspect under direct sun or other sufficient lighting. Once you've removed the swirls, finish the vehicle by doing another pass with a finish polish. That will remove any hazing left by the more aggresive polish that removed the swirls.

This is just a very brief description of the process. For a more thorough walk-through of the process, I'd suggest taking a look at AG's tips then, when done, following-up back here on the forums with anything that you're not sure of: Detailing Facts and Tips: How-to Guides from the Car Care Experts at AutoGeek (http://autogeek.net/detailingtips.html)

I hope some of this helped. It's late. I'm tired. :)

[supercharged]

Hey everyone, been browsing the forum for a bit and thought I'd try to get your expert opinions for getting my car back into shape. I've tried to search, but am still confused on the steps I need to take to restore my car's finish. I have a 2002 Altima, polished pewter, and have neglected it(outside apperance) for a while. I washed it probably every 3-5 months for the past 3 years and have never waxed/polished it. Now, what exactly do I have to do after washing it and taking a clay bar to it? I have a craftsman polisher/buffer (bought it, just never used it) if that helps any. I dont really need any specific brands, just the actual product names and steps to use them. Thank you for any advice that you guys could offer me.
Washed every 3-5 months? I gotta have mine washed once a week, sometimes even twice a week.

[bambo2888]

sevenrd said it good. Im with supercharged, its every sunday with multple QD's during the week. which reminds me, brb. lol

[Nuke33]

Welcome to the forum... you will learn so much here

[chadmiha]

Thanks to everyone for their input. I guess I neglected my car because I always thought I was "going to trade it in anyways", and now I'm just going to pay it off and get it back in shape. I'll post some of the products that I'm going to use and in the order I'll use them and if I'm doing something wrong please let me know. Again, thanks for the replys.

[chadmiha]

Okay, I'm going to leave out the products brand name because I can always research what is good, but here are the steps that I'm going to do.
1. Wash and dry
2. Clay
3. polish
4. wax

I guess I was always confused on the difference between waxing and polishing. Does this look right? I know that I'm overthinking this, but I just want to do it right the first time. Thanks again.

[ScottB]

Wash --- Clay --- Paint Polish --- Protection

If that buffer is a big 10 inch round head, then return it. It will never help in anything but wax removal. Because your car has not been done in so long, I might also add a paint cleaner (oxidation remover) between clay and polish. Why ?? Because you want each step to specialize and do their best. Yes, the polish will remove oxidation thru abrasion versus chemically.

Polishing -- abrasive polish used to abrade the surface for repairs and allowing oxidized paint removal (clearcoat usually)

Waxing -- Protection, the ability to protect the finish (and work you did) from the elements. You can use a wax or a paint sealant. Based upon your past cleaning efforts, a paint sealant is likely the best choice as needs to be done less often. You should still at least wash biweekly and consider using a good quick detailer with some added protection.

[chadmiha]

The buffer/polisher is a 7in model, is that okay for me to use? I know that a Porter Cable is better, but will the Craftsman 7in do the job?

[chadmiha]

Also, can I use and pads that are 7in with the craftsman? What should I look for when choosing?