Detailing Advice Needed

[chillip]

I just got my first car as a hand me down from my parents. While its nothing great, I am starting to take better (proper) care of it and have been lurking around on the forums for a while now. I hardly have any funds, so doing a complete overhaul right now is out of the question. I'm trying to slowly add more products over time to fully detail my car. Here's what I'm currently using

Washing: Duragloss
Interior Cleaning: Optimum APC
Interior Protection: Meguair's M40

I was looking at the detailing flowchart from autogeek and using a clay bar seems like the next step for me. I was thinking about buying the Meguair's Clay Bar Kit for this, as it seems like a lot of people suggest it as a quality all in one clay kit.

I was also going to purchase some Ultima Waterless Wash to spray on after washes to add some shine and to touch it up between washes. Would this be a good idea? I was also looking at FK 425 for shine, but it seems like the UWW+ would give me both shine and cleaning between washes.

I would really appreciate it if anyone had any tips to steer me in the right direction or tell me if using a clay bar and QD as the next step is not the right choice.

[Colinpd137]

UWW+ will work as waterless wash & your clay lube. Its very cost effective & I use it daily

Meguiar's Clay Bar Kit is decent & will do the job, plus it can be found locally.

As far as FK425, Do you have any protection on the paint? (Wax or Sealant) if yes then FK425 is a great QD that brings back the shine. If not I would invest in a durable sealant,wax, or hybrid. Collinite 845 is a the best bang for the buck right now in my opinion.

[chillip]

I'm driving in a 04 car that hasnt had any real maintenance done to it. The only things I have started to do are car washes with DG. After I clay bar the car, will I be able to use any kind of wax or sealant or is it advised that I do more work on it before sealing in anything unwanted? I don't have the funds to buy a polisher with pads or anything like that so is there any way around this?

If UWW+ works as my clay lube, would you suggest a higher quality clay bar? I've read good things about blue magic clay, but it is quite expensive.

[Washburn]

How about WW, clay, (then wash again), and DG501 polish by hand, then seal with sealant of choice?

[beamerstrumpet]

like all ^ have said. you need some kind of wax on there after clay. being youn and tight on $$ I am sure you are looking at wll mart or somewhere to get best bang for your buck. look for PM from me.

[chillip]

I'm going to pick up the clay bar kit today. Would it not make sense to polish my car by hand if I can't purchase a sealant to protect the surface after polishing? Should I not clay bar the car until I get all of these products at once?

[TopThatDetail]

You should clay before you put a polish on you want the surface to be clean and smooth

[chillip]

I understand that I have to clay before the polish but I was asking if its even worth getting polish or even using a clay bar if I don't have the funds to buy a sealant and wax at the moment. From what I understand, polishing your car will take off a little of the clear coat along with any minor swirls and you want to use a sealant to fill in the rest of the really minor swirls and act as a buffer until your next wash when you can add more wax on. So if I polished without a sealant than would I be doing all that work to just rexpose my car to more scratches again?

[jamesalanb]

You've got the right idea... Polish should be done in a deepening or corrective means, which can be difficult, near impossible, by an untrained hand. Wax or sealant on an uncorrected car is wayyy better than no protectant at all. So yeah, get your clay bar kit and get a good feel for that, then top it with a Meguiars wax that you can get at walmart. keep the wax up every few months while you save money for a DA polisher. By that time, you may be able to acquire a few produts and a better working knowledge of what you want to achieve on this car. So get wax now, before polish. What city are you in?

[Washburn]

How about just wash, clay and an AIO product like Klasse AIO? skips the polishing step, and adds decent shine and protection....and you can layer for added longevity...

[goodinblack]

I suggest a cleaner wax like Meguirs if nothing else was being done.

[jamesalanb]

I haven't used Klasse, but in reading about it over and over, it's a tremendous product.

[goodinblack]

How about just wash, clay and an AIO product like Klasse AIO? skips the polishing step, and adds decent shine and protection....and you can layer for added longevity...

Klasse is a chemical cleaner . It is very hard to clear up hard water marks with it IMO.

Hard on the hands to clear up that without a DA

[chillip]

I've decided to go this route, but still need some advice. UWW+ as a cleaner and as a clay lubricant. Pick up either a mothers or megs clay bar. After clay bar go back with a sealant or wax. This is temporary while I can save up funds to polish the car.

Most of you guys said to use megs ultimate wax after clay bar. I've also read a lot of good things about optimum car wax and megs d156. What's the difference and which one should I buy to follow up after claying if I can only get one at the moment?

[BlackHawk]

Listen. Get yourself a product like Colinite 845. Don't get any other waxes. After you wash and clay bar, put on the 845. You will be set for many months. You don't need any spray waxes like OCW or D156. Your main thing right now would be to get a quality sealant/wax that will last you a couple good months.