First Major Detail Planned this Weekend - Question about Wolfgang Products

[Mike Phillips]

do I need to tape up all of the black trim on the truck?

If it were me? Yes. Easier, safer and faster to tape plastic trim off then to try to clean it to look like new after the fact. Been there done that, don't ever want to do it again.

Similarly, what about the glossy black B-Pillars that show every swirl/scratch imaginable (literally the only thing I dislike about my truck)?

No machine polish these with a fine cut polish and a soft foam polsihing pad. Then moving forward - WASH CAREFULLY. This is called Piano Plastic. It's thin. If you buff to hard on the edges or buff too many times - over time - you will buff through the black layer and expose white plastic. (Don't ask me how I know)

Here's my plan: 2-Bucket wash and dry, then use a DA polisher to apply Wolfgang Paint Polish Enhancer. After the PPE I plan to do an IPA wipedown (I already have Mothers CMX Panel Prep so using that) just to make sure everything is clean, then apply the Wolfgang SiO2 Paint Sealant followed by Wolfgang SiO2 Silica Spray as my last step product. Is there anything that I'm missing there?

You're wasting time, energy and doing a lot of work for nothing. The Wolfgang Paint Polish Enhancer is a chemical cleaner ONLY. It will not remove any defects.

Now follow me - for all the time, work and energy you have to exert to run a buffer over a car, instead of using a NON-cleaning paint cleaner, nor NON-abrasive paint cleaner, might as well use a REAL polish and get ALL the benefits of a paint cleaner PLUS all the benefits of a true polish. I feel so bad for all the people that go down the paint cleaner road due to confusion or lack of knowledge that I wrote an article to try to help...

A paint cleaner is an either/or product - The difference between a paint cleaner and a paint polish by Mike Phillips

Which of these products can I use on my wheels (if any)? Should I tackle that with a small foam pad or try to use the DA machine?

Most DA polishers are too large and bulky to use on wheels. Just hand polish and seal with something. Again - a true polish will do more than a non-abrasive paint cleaner.

Lastly, I do have Xpel PPF on the front of my truck (front bumpers and first 6" of hood); I'm guessing I can skip the polish enhancer here but OK to use the SiO2 sealant and spray?

I would skip the paint polish enhancer but if it ever gets swirls and scratches, or oxidizes, I would use any of the true polishes in the Wolfgang line to machine polish and restore. Either the Wolfgang Swirl Remover or Finishing Glaze.

Note the Finishing Glaze is NOT a glaze. The wrong words are used to describe this product. It's a fine cut polish.

Thanks for any input/advice: kind of nervous but excited as this is my first time doing anything other than wash & wax on any vehicle.

Wolfgang compound and the two polishes are "Best in Class" as far as abrasive technology goes. They are expensive but you cannot make a mistake with them.

The Wolfgang Four





Sorry for the late reply, I've been offline working and traveling and then I took a day off to recharge the batteries.

Who's going? Southern Detailer's Conference - June 5th & 6th - Lexington, Kentucky