SamRothstein
04-27-2015, 10:45 PM
Hi all, new guy from just outside of Chicago in Northwest Indiana here.
Here's my long first post: Before recently, all the attention I'd ever give my vehicle was a random hand (brush) wash or drive through car wash systems. With the acquisition of a 2015 Subaru Outback, I decided to change that bad habit and put a little effort into maintaining the family vehicles. I have a 2010 Corolla, 2011 Triumph Speedmaster motorcycle, and the Outback. To start I picked up some Meguiar's Ultimate Wash & Wax, along with NXT wax, and Meguiar's Clay kit. I washed and waxed the Outback by hand, and the results were good, or so I thought at the time. Then I washed, clayed and waxed the bike, and the results were ok, but I knew they could be better since there are still some scuffs and swirls in there. Then came the scuffed and oxidized and generally neglected Rolla. I decided I needed some help, so I picked up the Harbor Freight DA, and the only pads readily available which were crap HF foam pieces of trash. I washed and clayed the car, then I decided to use Meguiar's Ultimate Compound on an oragne cutting pad, followed by Ultimate Polish on a blue polishing pad, finished off the the NXT on a blue finishing pad. The results were that the paint on the doors, hood, roof and trunk gleams like brand new, but all the tiny rock chips and accumulated grit on the front bumper REALLY stands out now!
I'm considering having the bumper repainted - my neighbor has a friend that does paintwork professionally and will do it for $150. I've seen his work, and it's quality. He just repainted the front end on my neighbors Lexus, and took it from paint, to bare metal in spots back to brand new looking paint in a couple hours.
Now comes the time to rewax the car, maybe hit the bike with some polish, and more importantly, order some quality pads for the DA! I'm thinking some 5.5" for general usuage, and 3" for getting into the nooks and crannies of the bumpers?
Here's my long first post: Before recently, all the attention I'd ever give my vehicle was a random hand (brush) wash or drive through car wash systems. With the acquisition of a 2015 Subaru Outback, I decided to change that bad habit and put a little effort into maintaining the family vehicles. I have a 2010 Corolla, 2011 Triumph Speedmaster motorcycle, and the Outback. To start I picked up some Meguiar's Ultimate Wash & Wax, along with NXT wax, and Meguiar's Clay kit. I washed and waxed the Outback by hand, and the results were good, or so I thought at the time. Then I washed, clayed and waxed the bike, and the results were ok, but I knew they could be better since there are still some scuffs and swirls in there. Then came the scuffed and oxidized and generally neglected Rolla. I decided I needed some help, so I picked up the Harbor Freight DA, and the only pads readily available which were crap HF foam pieces of trash. I washed and clayed the car, then I decided to use Meguiar's Ultimate Compound on an oragne cutting pad, followed by Ultimate Polish on a blue polishing pad, finished off the the NXT on a blue finishing pad. The results were that the paint on the doors, hood, roof and trunk gleams like brand new, but all the tiny rock chips and accumulated grit on the front bumper REALLY stands out now!
I'm considering having the bumper repainted - my neighbor has a friend that does paintwork professionally and will do it for $150. I've seen his work, and it's quality. He just repainted the front end on my neighbors Lexus, and took it from paint, to bare metal in spots back to brand new looking paint in a couple hours.
Now comes the time to rewax the car, maybe hit the bike with some polish, and more importantly, order some quality pads for the DA! I'm thinking some 5.5" for general usuage, and 3" for getting into the nooks and crannies of the bumpers?