NEED FEEDBACK on products I've acquired for a project. PLEASE HELP!!

[DoinitWright]

This is my first post, so thanks in advance for your patience. Sorry it's so long, but theres alot of info that I need to supply in order to ask my questions. I want to also say thank you to the great number of folks on here who are so helpful and willing to share and help out. I've been a fan of the whole franchise for many years, so I feel like part of the family.

I own a 2015 Durango R/T. It's never been clayed, or anything else other than washed. At times its been neglected and not washed for months, but usually washed once a month. I intend to finally do right by it, so I began reading those internets (mainly here) and running up my Amazon bill. Basically, I want to tell you guys what i've put together and pose the question: "is there anything else I NEED (or have absolutely purchased the worst version of, and should return and get the right one while it's still new and unopened, and I can?).

First a quick bit more about the condition of the car. It is WHITE. It has never seen the inside of a garage, but always washed with a two bucket system, and rag company micro chenille mitts, and megs brand car wash soap. I can hardly see ANY swirls at all, and I have to look real hard. NO scratches. It also, surprisingly, NEARLY passes the baggie test in most spots after a good wash. So ... Not a bonded contaminate mess with paint that needs much correcting. On the contrary, it is pretty good off and doesn't need compounding or heavy cut style polishing. Not sure if this points to a hard clear coat to have stood up so well, or not? Can't find much about the hardness of this vehicles paint like you can a Toyota or Nissan on the boards. So maybe someone can answer that for me too?

Second a little about me. I am not an idiot ( that should save you all SOME time ;-) ). I have never washed my car with dawn, and a dirty dish rag cuz I was in a pinch. I have been a mechanic for many years and respect, and understand tools. And I have never let the INTERIOR of this vehicle look anything other than completely clean and vacuumed with every plastic surface detailed, and every crack and crevice clean ... for more than a few days before fixing it. Sometimes I have spent days detailing the inside of my car, so the point is ... I have patience.

So.. without further ado ... with the intent here to be that I believe it to only need a wash, clay, light polish, and wax .... I have put together the following. I have tried to group them somewhat.

WASH:
2 chemical guys cyclone dirt traps different colors
2 grit guards color coded to match the cyclones so they always get used together in sets in my 2 buckets.(sorry ... OCD)
-I have heard stacking these gets best results.
My usual rag company micro chenille mitts (1 for dirtier areas. The other: cleaner)
10 Rag company 365 GSM MF towels for whatever

CLAY:
Meguire's c2000 Clay Bar
Meguires M34 mirror glaze detailing spray
Rag company 800 GSM MF towels for wiping excess spray

MACHINE:
Porter Cable 7424xp
Lake country 5 inch velcro backing plate

POLISH:
Meguire's ultimate polish
Lake country White CCS pad
Lake country Black CCS pad
-(because Ive read that the UP will cut less or more by using white or black, so I'll be able to adjust as needed)
Rag company 1100 GSM MF towels for washing after polish so as not to introduce any swirls.

WAX:
Meguire's Ultimate Liquid Wax
Lake country Red CCS pad
6 inch lambs wool leveling pad
Microfiber high shine buffing bonnets
I figured the 1100 GSM towels might come in handy here also for any hand buffing needed.

Well ... that's it. A whole lot of writing and room taken up to supply info so that i could ask 3 simple questions:
1. Have I really gone with a bad choice anywhere?
2. Have i forgotten anything essential?
3. Will what I have put together do the very light correction, and nice shine that im after?

Also ... one additional question... I also purchased some Meguires Mirror Glaze #7 after reading about how much it can enhance shine. But then after (of course) I came across the posts saying that it's too oily, hard to work with, pointless on a white car ... etc. I had planned on slipping a glaze in in between the polish i planned to do and the wax ... But I'd like some opinions. Is it really not worth the effort on a white car?, and is there any trick to using it?, or is it actually horrible to work with?

Thank you very much in advance to all of those who will spend time reading this, and answering my 3 questions. (plus the one about the hardness of that vehicles paint, plus the opinion on the glaze) ;-) Sorry for the lengthy post, especially for my first time.

[ronkh57]

I am an idiot......

That said.

You need more white & black pads, mebbe 2- red ones as well Use the red to apply wax/sealant after correction. Take the wool pad and hang it on the wall so you know you have one. You shouldn't need the Megs 7 for this project.

As far as 4 grit guards, that's over kill even by over kill standards.

[PaulMys]

^^Ron isn't really an idiot. He just plays one on TV^^


Welcome to AGO, man.

Sounds like you have a good set up. Everyone starts somewhere. As you gain more experience, and try different products/combos, you will find you have favorites, and may even dislike some things after you try new products.
It's all in the game of detailing. But as Ron stated, get more pads. LC orange are good to have too. And just me, but ditch the Megs ultimate polish. Works ok, but man is it a bear to remove.

Welcome to the addiction.

[RZJZA80]

Further to what Ronkh57 said, skip the glaze entirely, and I'd recommend GG vented 5" backing plate over the Lake Country one but what you have will still work. You definitely will want at least 4 of each pad color for a Durango, and that's to get through one polishing session. I agree the lambs wool pad is unnecessary since you're using a polish and don't have a compound. I'd also skip the bonnets and buff off wax by hand but that's just me. There are a lot better options than CCS pads but for a beginner they will get the job done.

[DoinitWright]

Further to what Ronkh57 said, skip the glaze entirely, and I'd recommend GG vented 5" backing plate over the Lake Country one but what you have will still work. You definitely will want at least 4 of each pad color for a Durango, and that's to get through one polishing session. I agree the lambs wool pad is unnecessary since you're using a polish and don't have a compound. I'd also skip the bonnets and buff off wax by hand but that's just me. There are a lot better options than CCS pads but for a beginner they will get the job done.

Thanks for the good info. Guess I'll start out with the lake country pads and plate and move on with time and experience. Which pads would you recommend to move up from the ccs? Still lake country, just a different line? Or different company all together?

As for the lambs wool ... I should have been specific. I don't intend to use it on the finish. Only as a "LEVELING" PAD BETWEEN a foam pad, and MF bonnet. From what I've read, that's supposedly the best way to get the highest shine buffing a liquid wax? Anyone wanna chime in if I've been misled?

[MarkD51]

I have it, but never used Meg's UP to comment how it works. I do know Meg's #205 is a very good finishing Polish. Yep, skip the glaze, an unneeded step.

About all I might've added after the wash, and before claying is a spray and wipe down with Carpro Iron-X, or another brand Iron Remover to de-ass the vehicle of Iron prior to claying.

Never been much a lover of Meguiars Waxes. Probably would've went with one of Duragloss's Sealants (105-111) or Collinite #845.

[RZJZA80]

Never been much a lover of Meguiars Waxes. Probably would've went with one of Duragloss's Sealants (105-111) or Collinite #845.

Yup, definitely would go with DG 105/601 mix over anything else.

[DoinitWright]

Anyone out there have any experience buffing the way I described? With the lambs wool for a "leveling" pad only to be used on top of a foam pad, and with microfiber bonnet on top? Or, should I just stick to buffing the wax by hand with one of those 1100 GSM towels I got?

[RZJZA80]

Anyone out there have any experience buffing the way I described? With the lambs wool for a "leveling" pad only to be used on top of a foam pad, and with microfiber bonnet on top? Or, should I just stick to buffing the wax by hand with one of those 1100 GSM towels I got?

Wax I'd apply by hand and make sure it's on thin, and buff off by hand as well. However I'd go with a sealant like Duragloss 105 over any wax out there.

[Sharply Dressed]

I like clay for seeing the contamination being pulled off. I'd recommend a clay mitt (nano skin mitt, sponge, etc) as it's much faster. Also, if you drop the clay, toss it. Not so with the mitt.