What Machine, and which products for a 1st time full detail/correction on new CTSV

[AaronC]

Make it easy on yourself for the first few times anyway.
Forget about all the products they offer, keep it simple.

Machine of your choice.
Orange and white pads.
Clay
Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and polish.
Meguiar's NXT wax/sealer
A few MF towels.

Wash
Clay
Compound if you have defects.
Polish
Wax

Enjoy.

If you want to play around with sealants start out with Griot's paint sealant, it doesn't cost much but will give you much protection.
Keeping it simple will make the entire job simple.

Question, why only white and orange pads? Im in the process of and order and as well Im new with the whole process. Thanks for the help.

[Mike Phillips]

How long after I apply and buff this out do I have to wait to apply the pinnacle Carnauba wax that I purchased?

Good question and common question...

The answer is... in a perfect world you wait for a window of time for about 12 hours before topping the sealant with a Carnauba wax and this is for pretty much any synthetic paint sealant.

The idea being...

To allow enough time for the protection ingredients, whatever they are, to do their magic in the way of,

• Drying
• Curing
• Crosslinking
• Bonding
• Adhering
• Polymerizing
• Etc., etc., etc.

Since "we" can't shrink ourselves down to the molecular level and have a walk around on the surface of the car to see if all the magic is over, "we" pick an arbitrary number of hours to let pass for good measure. And that's the science behind the 12 hour recommendation.

I know the bottle says it needs to cure for 12 hours, so does that mean I cannot wax the car for 12 hours, or don't get the car wet for 12 hours?

Both.

When I detailed cars full time, and I was topping synthetic sealants with Carnauba waxes, (back then it was M20 topped with M16), I didn't wait the 12 hours because most of my work was "mobile detailing" and I didn't have the luxury of time to wait 12 hours.


Most of my customers have and had what I call SIVs or Special Interest Vehicles, not daily drivers. People that own SIVs, whether it's a streetrod or classic car, won't drive them very far to get them detailed so by default, I and anyone that details cars like this will "tend" to have to drive to the car.

To leave after a day's work and then drive back the next day to top the sealant with a Carnauba wax would remove too much of the profit from the job so I would wait about a 1/2 hour by edging the car or cleaning up or some other task like dressing the tires, etc. and then apply my topper.

That's the approach that worked for me but again, I didn't have the luxury of time.

If you the reader, (reading this), are working on your own car and time is not an issue then if you are going to top a sealant with a wax I would recommend waiting till the next day.

So detail your car on Saturday all the way up to the sealant, and then Sunday after church, apply your topper. Plenty of time for all the magic to happen.


The idea behind NOT applying a wax over a sealant too soon is because anytime you "touch the surface of the sealant" before it's full set-up... you're disturbing it. You're moving it around and often time moving it off the paint.

Make sense?

Don't want to disturb your polymers and such...

[WRAPT C5Z06]

RUPES DUETTO. If that's too expensive, go with the GG 6".

[MarkD51]

Just ordered this kit

Wolfgang Porter Cable 7424xp Ultimate Polishing Kit

I guess I will start with the tangerine pad and the uber 3.0 on a test and see what results I achieve there?

I also did get a free trial of their total swirl remover...

If I use the uber 3.0 is it best to then go to the finishing glaze or go straight to the paint sealant? Should the sealant be applied via machine or by hand? I also went with the pinnacle sovergian wax as it was recommended to me by another individual, so should htat be applied by hand or machine?

I am pretty much looking to make a process out of this to achieve the best results possible. Anyone's input is greatly appreciated and welcome. Again the imperfections on the car are minimal. (small haze, light surface scratches and a few small water spots)

I will however start by properly washing the car, then I will also clay the car.

Sounds like you're on your way! The kit IMO seems to lack in quantity in Pads. You might want to consider another additional order? Now might be a good time, I think AG has 15% off, and Autopia 20% off. Either will honor the other's promotions.

You don't want to overwork a pad, heat is their biggest enemy, and as well, you may only want to do a couple panels, then pop that pad, set it aside, and install a fresh clean pad. Regardless of cleaning on the fly, pads do come to a point where they should be swapped out for better results.

As for hand versus machine applications of either final LSP Wax, or Sealant, I prefer hand application. Some like the use of machine, I've read that Mike Phillips does. Perhaps the advantages are time, and also less wear and tear on hands? Some might say more even application, and perhaps the machine might have the ability to better "massage" the product to the paint.

As for these white spots you say you are seeing on some trim? Perhaps if you can post some closeup pics, this might be a help, where others can tell you what they think it is, and how will be the best way to address them.

Consider using a good long lasting trim sealant, or coating.

Masking Tape (to protect-cover trim pieces-lenses, rubber from products or polishing damage), hand applicators, MF towels, maybe a decent work light, a small stool, others like maybe a small piece of carpet so you can be comfortable sitting getting lower panels, etc, these little things to have on hand will compliment the process, and make things easier on yourself.

Such "going through" a new vehicle can take some good time. One thing often leads to another. Such as the detailing of door jambs, under hood, trunk areas, carpeting, glass, rubber treatment, trim, interior panels. Not mere hours, but multiple days of hard work can seem to turn to weeks! ;-)

The entire Wolfgang, and Pinnacle lines are totally outstanding, as all the products produced are top flight, much much better than most average goods you can get off the shelves at stores, with maybe limited exceptions, like the Meguiars, and Duragloss lines.

Best of luck with your new ride! Mark

[jankerson]

As for hand versus machine applications of either final LSP Wax, or Sealant, I prefer hand application. Some like the use of machine, I've read that Mike Phillips does. Perhaps the advantages are time, and also less wear and tear on hands? Some might say more even application, and perhaps the machine might have the ability to better "massage" the product to the paint.

I do both, 1st and sometimes the 2nd application is by machine then I usually do at least one hand application also.

But that's just me.

[MarkD51]

Well the kit I purchased came with the Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. How long after I apply and buff this out do I have to wait to apply the pinnacle carnuba wax that I purchased?

I know the bottle says it needs to cure for 12 hours, so does that mean I cannot wax the car for 12 hours, or dont get the car wet for 12 hours?

Mike, and others have covered the technical reasons of letting such sealants fully cure.

There's also a nice surprise in hand that I and others note with such great Sealants, and you'll no doubt see this too.

That is after initial application and removal, you'll of course be wowed by the glasslike candy apple like shell of protection you've just given your vehicle. But it doesn't end there. That as this product cures to the paint, it then will actually look even better some hours later.

Some might call it "whiplash", like they say about the Blackfire Line of products, but you will find it hard to take your eyes away from your paint! Words such as holy cow, wow, dayum, awesome, killer, sweet, etc will most likely be the words you'll be muttering.

[steveiguess]

Sounds like you're on your way! The kit IMO seems to lack in quantity in Pads. You might want to consider another additional order? Now might be a good time, I think AG has 15% off, and Autopia 20% off. Either will honor the other's promotions.

You don't want to overwork a pad, heat is their biggest enemy, and as well, you may only want to do a couple panels, then pop that pad, set it aside, and install a fresh clean pad. Regardless of cleaning on the fly, pads do come to a point where they should be swapped out for better results.

As for hand versus machine applications of either final LSP Wax, or Sealant, I prefer hand application. Some like the use of machine, I've read that Mike Phillips does. Perhaps the advantages are time, and also less wear and tear on hands? Some might say more even application, and perhaps the machine might have the ability to better "massage" the product to the paint.

As for these white spots you say you are seeing on some trim? Perhaps if you can post some closeup pics, this might be a help, where others can tell you what they think it is, and how will be the best way to address them.

Consider using a good long lasting trim sealant, or coating.

Masking Tape (to protect-cover trim pieces-lenses, rubber from products or polishing damage), hand applicators, MF towels, maybe a decent work light, a small stool, others like maybe a small piece of carpet so you can be comfortable sitting getting lower panels, etc, these little things to have on hand will compliment the process, and make things easier on yourself.

Such "going through" a new vehicle can take some good time. One thing often leads to another. Such as the detailing of door jambs, under hood, trunk areas, carpeting, glass, rubber treatment, trim, interior panels. Not mere hours, but multiple days of hard work can seem to turn to weeks! ;-)

The entire Wolfgang, and Pinnacle lines are totally outstanding, as all the products produced are top flight, much much better than most average goods you can get off the shelves at stores, with maybe limited exceptions, like the Meguiars, and Duragloss lines.

Best of luck with your new ride! Mark

What additional pads would you recommend purchasing?

[MarkD51]

What additional pads would you recommend purchasing?

As folks like Mike Phillips have often recommended, and also others like a good forum member Bobby G once also suggested to me, the standard Lake County 5-1/2" thin flat pads are a very good choice. (with the 5" LC Backing Plate)

I do like these Pads, they hold up very well, and have a beveled-curved outer edge which I like also.

I would say like others would probably agree on, the Flat LC Orange, and White Flat Pads should basically cover the vast majority of polishing tasks one would encounter. The yellow pads would only ever be needed for severe correction purposes.

The Blue or Black Pads in this particular line are much softer, and while they could hypothetically be used for polishing purposes, they are generally used for applying waxes, or sealants.
Mark

[steveiguess]

Ordered the additional pads. Got a 6 pack. 2 orange, 2 white, 1 red, and a grey I believe.

Looking forward to starting tomorrow when my package arrives. Probably going to do a test spot with the tangerine pad and the uber compound to see what results I yeild.

I will watch the DVD first.

I have fully washed the car this afternoon ( 2 bucket wash) and stripped everything off of it with a quality soap. (citrus from chemical guys)

I will clay the car and dry in the morning then get to work when everything arrives.

I will take before and after shots, etc.

[Chicago Tommy]

Good choice. I looked at an 09 Thunder Grey Chromaflair a few years ago, but waited for a coupe. Forget the detailing nonsense, get some pullies on that bad boy.