Advice for a Newbie

[MiWolverine]

Hello all. Obviously my first post here and I am looking for some advice on how to approach this detailing. Way back in the day, I used to work for an auto detailer. Though, some of the things I learned and still remember from that job are probably worthless now. I have been browsing this website and reading/watching video and I must say that I am overwhelmed.

In March, I purchased a new '17 Altima. I have been hand washing and drying it since new. I want to keep the car in great condition, as I try to with all cars I have purchased, since I live in Michigan and the car is my daily driver, I am looking for advice on how I can go about this. The car is parked in a garage while at home, and while at work it is parked in a parking garage.

My plan is to purchase a DA polisher, get some 5.5" pads, and polish/wax/sealant. This is the part that overwhelms and confuses me. What pads and what polish/wax/sealant would I need? This is where I am seeking advice. The paint, while nice, probably isn't perfect. I do plan on claying, but after that is where I need advice on which way is the best for me to go so I am not spending money on products I don't need. I would greatly appreciate feedback on this and would like to thank those in advance who do offer some.

[AKT]

For my daily driver, my plan (it is still a plan because order has yet to arrive) is to use ONR wash and wax for washing, and then as clay lube for claying, then optimum car wax after drying.

I thought of buying a polisher as well but i think it would not be feasible for me long term because my daily driver usually encounters flying stones in the freeway so even i am too careful in maintaining the paint, stone chips would just ruin it in an instant

[VISITOR]

Here's what you need to get into machine polishing - Recommendations for a beginner by Mike Phillips

[Rsurfer]

What to protect your paint? Coat it!

[JTS]

Years ago when rotary's had one speed and compound course enough to take the bark off a tree.

[rajon]

I am almost literally in the same boat but a few years into this. I traverse I-275 and I-696 basically daily and I like to keep my little ATS super shiny because I park in a sea of Cadillacs.

That said I have tried lots but I have gotten to the point where I got up a little early today and my car was a little dusty so I pulled out my foam gun and did a quick wash and dry before I left for work. Maybe 15 minutes. (I have Wolfgang PP3.0 topped by Fuzion on it at present)

I eventually, after much agonizing, chose the Griot's polisher primarily because it is red and was on sale at the time. I do not regret this.

You could be like me and just drop $200 every time Autogeek sends out those evil little 20% off coupons or you can plan better. I have not found anything sold here to be of anything less than professional quality.

So, what I found.

1. Look at all of Mike Phillip's articles. Read them twice.
2. Do an aggressive wash
3. Paint correct
4. Get the car looking the way you want and then coat it. I am a bit of a sadomasochist so I wax my black car frequently and put a sealant on my white car.
5. Gentle wash frequently. A well sealed car is trivial to wash.

In winter I found that going to a coin wash and spraying off the salt and then doing a waterless or rinseless in my garage.


Good luck!

[Mike Phillips]

Hello all. Obviously my first post here and I am looking for some advice on how to approach this detailing. Way back in the day, I used to work for an auto detailer. Though, some of the things I learned and still remember from that job are probably worthless now. I have been browsing this website and reading/watching video and I must say that I am overwhelmed.

In March, I purchased a new '17 Altima. I have been hand washing and drying it since new. I want to keep the car in great condition, as I try to with all cars I have purchased, since I live in Michigan and the car is my daily driver, I am looking for advice on how I can go about this. The car is parked in a garage while at home, and while at work it is parked in a parking garage.

My plan is to purchase a DA polisher, get some 5.5" pads, and polish/wax/sealant. This is the part that overwhelms and confuses me. What pads and what polish/wax/sealant would I need? This is where I am seeking advice. The paint, while nice, probably isn't perfect. I do plan on claying, but after that is where I need advice on which way is the best for me to go so I am not spending money on products I don't need. I would greatly appreciate feedback on this and would like to thank those in advance who do offer some.

First - Welcome to AutogeekOnline!

Second, I'd click the link that VISITOR shared,

Here's what you need to get into machine polishing - Recommendations for a beginner by Mike Phillips

I cover everything a person just getting into machine polishing needs to know including the links to get everything a person needs.

As for which brand of products to get and which type of pads?


What do you have already for any compounds, polishes and waxes?

To me, the most important factor when working on car paint is the abrasive technology used in the compounds, polishes and cleaner/waxes. Most guys say it's their technique but that's ego-driven. Their technique does not "touch" the paint first the abrasive do. Followed by the pad and then the tool and then the person.

These brands all use great abrasive technology,

Wolfgang
Pinnacle
Menzerna
Jescar
SONAX
Optimum
Meguiar's
GYEON

The above list is just off the top of my head there are others too...


As for pads, if you get the Griot's Garage 6" DA orbital polisher like I share in the article shared, then keep it simple and get some foam cutting pads, foam polishing pads and if you're going to use a wax or a sealant then get one foam wax pad.

If the car is in great shape right now you probably don't even need foam cutting pads and can get away with just foam polishing pads.

If the car is a daily driver then consider getting a great one-step cleaner/wax and do like I do, dial in your process to where you can buzz around your car quickly and then every once in a while wash and wax your car. Most people never pay attention to the body lines of my truck. If they did they would notice it has large, flat panels an no trim. This makes it fast and easy to run a polisher over. I'm lazy but I like a shiny truck.

For the wife's car I use the Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating. You have to get the paint perfect before you coat a car but after you coat the car the paint looks amazing and the car will wash and dry fast.


There's a million ways to skin a cat...

I am almost literally in the same boat but a few years into this. I traverse I-275 and I-696 basically daily and I like to keep my little ATS super shiny because I park in a sea of Cadillacs.

That said I have tried lots but I have gotten to the point where I got up a little early today and my car was a little dusty so I pulled out my foam gun and did a quick wash and dry before I left for work. Maybe 15 minutes. (I have Wolfgang PP3.0 topped by Fuzion on it at present)

I eventually, after much agonizing, chose the Griot's polisher primarily because it is red and was on sale at the time. I do not regret this.

You could be like me and just drop $200 every time Autogeek sends out those evil little 20% off coupons or you can plan better. I have not found anything sold here to be of anything less than professional quality.

So, what I found.

1. Look at all of Mike Phillip's articles. Read them twice.
2. Do an aggressive wash
3. Paint correct
4. Get the car looking the way you want and then coat it. I am a bit of a sadomasochist so I wax my black car frequently and put a sealant on my white car.
5. Gentle wash frequently. A well sealed car is trivial to wash.

In winter I found that going to a coin wash and spraying off the salt and then doing a waterless or rinseless in my garage.


Good luck!

That is a very nice reply with great suggestions. Thank you for taking the time to chime in and share with this new members.

I'll bet your cars looks GREAT!

[MiWolverine]

First - Welcome to AutogeekOnline!

Second, I'd click the link that VISITOR shared,






I cover everything a person just getting into machine polishing needs to know including the links to get everything a person needs.

As for which brand of products to get and which type of pads?


What do you have already for any compounds, polishes and waxes?

To me, the most important factor when working on car paint is the abrasive technology used in the compounds, polishes and cleaner/waxes. Most guys say it's their technique but that's ego-driven. Their technique does not "touch" the paint first the abrasive do. Followed by the pad and then the tool and then the person.

These brands all use great abrasive technology,

Wolfgang
Pinnacle
Menzerna
Jescar
SONAX
Optimum
Meguiar's
GYEON

The above list is just off the top of my head there are others too...


As for pads, if you get the Griot's Garage 6" DA orbital polisher like I share in the article shared, then keep it simple and get some foam cutting pads, foam polishing pads and if you're going to use a wax or a sealant then get one foam wax pad.

If the car is in great shape right now you probably don't even need foam cutting pads and can get away with just foam polishing pads.

If the car is a daily driver then consider getting a great one-step cleaner/wax and do like I do, dial in your process to where you can buzz around your car quickly and then every once in a while wash and wax your car. Most people never pay attention to the body lines of my truck. If they did they would notice it has large, flat panels an no trim. This makes it fast and easy to run a polisher over. I'm lazy but I like a shiny truck.

For the wife's car I use the Pinnacle Black Label Surface Coating. You have to get the paint perfect before you coat a car but after you coat the car the paint looks amazing and the car will wash and dry fast.


There's a million ways to skin a cat...










That is a very nice reply with great suggestions. Thank you for taking the time to chime in and share with this new members.

I'll bet your cars looks GREAT!

Thanks, all, and thank you for the welcome, Mike. To be honest, I really don't have much of anything in regard to compounds or polishes. I do have a brand name carnauba wax I purchased last year for my previous car. I also have wax pads and MF towels and wash mitts. However, I would like to simply start out fresh with everything. I don't have a DA polisher, yet. Though, it is on my list of items to buy.

The paint looks to be in great shape (car is silver, if that matters), though, it does have light swirls in the finish. As I mentioned, the car is mostly parked indoors both at home and work. Commute is less than 5 miles round trip. We do travel to northern Michigan several times every year. In the 5 months I have owned the car, I have only put just over 3,000 miles on it.

So, based on the information I gave given, I would want to clay the car, remove the swirls, polish and seal the finish, and possibly throw a wax on top. Question is, what will last long enough to make it through a Michigan winter?

[Hammer77]

I used Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant winter of 15-16, it lasted and looked damn fine doing so!

[Kamakaz1961]

Welcome to AGO and listen to what Mike Phillips said. Sound advice. He is the Master of car detailing. We are all his little grasshoppers!....LOL