1EdgeKilla
07-18-2015, 03:05 PM
Hello Mike & Everyone else,
First and foremost I'll start off by saying I'm new as a member to the forum and I want to apologize upfront if this is the incorrect place for this thread. If so would a mod please move it.
Anyhow, for some time now I've been reading across the internet (a lot on this site) about detailing and have tried to familiarize myself with as much as possible up unto this point. I'm at the point where some things are not as cut and dry as I originally thought and I'm getting kind of antsy. That said, I have some questions/concerns regarding my daily drive and a pull out detail on it.
A little background... as the title states its a White 2014 Chevy Cruze LT (all stock paint, lights, windshield to my knowledge) with roughly 35,000 miles on it. I bought it back in January with approx. 26,000 on it. To my knowledge the car has never been detailed or had anything but the typical local car wash and dealer inventory wash job done. I've done a Gold Class two bucket wash and dry on it almost weekly since getting it. Needless to say its due for an all out detail.
The first thing I'm trying to address after having read through you're article on what white paint teaches us is how to go about compounding, cleaning, or polishing. There are no major scratches (some chips) to the primer/metal but some hairline ones that I believe could be compounded and/or polished out. The rest are the basic swirl marks and scratches from the day to day life of being a daily drive. While I was initially set on grabbing some M105 and M205 to polish, your comments about white paint being very hard make me question whether or not I'd be wasting my time as that wouldn't be abrasive enough to tackle the job. Perhaps its going to be a matter of trial and error for me. Then there's the sealing aspect. I recall a white car is best sealed for shine and protection and im looking for the best I can get when it comes to both of those aspects. Whether or not I wax over-top I guess can be determined later. Just curious on what you or anyone elses recommendations might be on the matter.
Secondly is the headlights and windshield. I'm from central Pennsylvania and the winter cinders and stone roads have taken a bit of a toll on the front headlights and my front windshield. Granted theres no major cracks or chunks taken out of either, there is still minor knicks in both and wanted to get you or anyone elses opinions on addressing these. Should they be compounded, polished, sealed, etc... will this effect any current coating on them (headlights) especially.
Again, I've read quite a few articles up to this point but they are not straight-forward enough for me to go and dive headfirst and do anything as my OCD will not permit me to doing anything without first being sure haha. I'll continue reading through the site and forum hoping to get clearer answers to some of my questions as I don't want to be perceived as the lazy guy who just wants it all laid out for him because I by all means am not.
Also, just a heads up for what I have to work with right now although moneys not really an issue so I can pick up just about whatever whenever...
Wash/Dry:
-Two Bucket
-Megs Gold Class
-Megs White MF Mitt
-Megs Water Magnet
Decontaminate:
-Fine Nanoskin Wash Mitt
-Chemical Guys Clay Luber
-(looking into a clay to use for the knooks and crannys... was considering clay magic?)
Compound/Polish:
-(looking into Megs M105 and M205)
Polisher/Pads:
-Porter Cable DA Polisher
-Chemical Guys Hex Logic Pads
Sealent:
-(Chemical Guys Jet Seal)
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this ridiculously long post and provide me with any feedback and/or helps point me in the right direction.
Stay blessed!
First and foremost I'll start off by saying I'm new as a member to the forum and I want to apologize upfront if this is the incorrect place for this thread. If so would a mod please move it.
Anyhow, for some time now I've been reading across the internet (a lot on this site) about detailing and have tried to familiarize myself with as much as possible up unto this point. I'm at the point where some things are not as cut and dry as I originally thought and I'm getting kind of antsy. That said, I have some questions/concerns regarding my daily drive and a pull out detail on it.
A little background... as the title states its a White 2014 Chevy Cruze LT (all stock paint, lights, windshield to my knowledge) with roughly 35,000 miles on it. I bought it back in January with approx. 26,000 on it. To my knowledge the car has never been detailed or had anything but the typical local car wash and dealer inventory wash job done. I've done a Gold Class two bucket wash and dry on it almost weekly since getting it. Needless to say its due for an all out detail.
The first thing I'm trying to address after having read through you're article on what white paint teaches us is how to go about compounding, cleaning, or polishing. There are no major scratches (some chips) to the primer/metal but some hairline ones that I believe could be compounded and/or polished out. The rest are the basic swirl marks and scratches from the day to day life of being a daily drive. While I was initially set on grabbing some M105 and M205 to polish, your comments about white paint being very hard make me question whether or not I'd be wasting my time as that wouldn't be abrasive enough to tackle the job. Perhaps its going to be a matter of trial and error for me. Then there's the sealing aspect. I recall a white car is best sealed for shine and protection and im looking for the best I can get when it comes to both of those aspects. Whether or not I wax over-top I guess can be determined later. Just curious on what you or anyone elses recommendations might be on the matter.
Secondly is the headlights and windshield. I'm from central Pennsylvania and the winter cinders and stone roads have taken a bit of a toll on the front headlights and my front windshield. Granted theres no major cracks or chunks taken out of either, there is still minor knicks in both and wanted to get you or anyone elses opinions on addressing these. Should they be compounded, polished, sealed, etc... will this effect any current coating on them (headlights) especially.
Again, I've read quite a few articles up to this point but they are not straight-forward enough for me to go and dive headfirst and do anything as my OCD will not permit me to doing anything without first being sure haha. I'll continue reading through the site and forum hoping to get clearer answers to some of my questions as I don't want to be perceived as the lazy guy who just wants it all laid out for him because I by all means am not.
Also, just a heads up for what I have to work with right now although moneys not really an issue so I can pick up just about whatever whenever...
Wash/Dry:
-Two Bucket
-Megs Gold Class
-Megs White MF Mitt
-Megs Water Magnet
Decontaminate:
-Fine Nanoskin Wash Mitt
-Chemical Guys Clay Luber
-(looking into a clay to use for the knooks and crannys... was considering clay magic?)
Compound/Polish:
-(looking into Megs M105 and M205)
Polisher/Pads:
-Porter Cable DA Polisher
-Chemical Guys Hex Logic Pads
Sealent:
-(Chemical Guys Jet Seal)
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read this ridiculously long post and provide me with any feedback and/or helps point me in the right direction.
Stay blessed!