Wash/Decon/Polish steps/products?

[ClintIsKING]

First off, good afternoon to everyone as this is my first post!

After many times of visiting the site looking for answers to questions I've decided to sign up.

In 2018 I bought a new Chevy Colorado and being lazy, I decided to run it through the car wash a couple times during the first few months of owning it. Now, I'm left with the effects, light swirls and minor scratches. Since then, I've started to build up my arsenal with cleaning products from all different companies based on what I've read here and elsewhere.

Within the next week or two I plan to do a complete detail now that the weather has cooled down here in NJ. I want to wash, decon, clay, polish, and wax the whole truck for the winter than continue with regular washes weekly or bi-weekly. I'm looking for advice on my plan of attack and any recommendations on changes and or products.

Pre wash:
- rinse
- foam cannon with CG honeydew let sit for a few minutes
- rinse

Wash:
- wheels/wheel wells
- truck wash with Purple Power Boat & RV to strip previous wax

Decon:
- Iron-X
- rinse
- clay with nanoskin fine mitt w/ ONR

My main questions are:

1)After claying, should I use an LSP then proceed to polishing? Or should I do another wash then LSP?

2) Also, I've researched many hours on all this and am stuck on what I should use for the polishing/paint correction stage. I'll be using a TorqX but product wise? I've looked into CG V36/V38 combo, CG VSS, Meguiars 105/205 combo?

3) Anything you would change in my approach? Whether its something I should or shouldn't do? Or use?
I everything listed aside from Iron-X and the polishes that I'll end up using based on responses.

Thank you all in advance!

[vobro]

1- The LSP goes after polishing
2- I never cared for the CG polishes, I’d recommend looking into the Griot Garage Boss line, very easy to work with and they perform.
3- everybody has their own prep wash routine, if it were me I’d wash, Iron-X(rinse) then use your Nanoskin mitt with car soap and call it a day. Any old wax will be removed during the polishing stage

[The Guz]

As far as polishes to use I would look into M110 over M105. M105 will give you a headache to where you will hate the product. Not to mention the amount of dust generated.

M110 and M210 are the newest polishes from Meguiar's and are designed to be used with either other. M205 is nice to have as well as it does work well for one step polishes. Although not the best at finishing on soft paints but this is where M210 comes into play. These are SMAT (non-diminishing abrasive polishes).

You may also want to consider these others:

Sonax Cut Max, Sonax Perfect Finish or Sonax EX 04-06 (these are diminishing abrasives)
3D ACA compound, 3D One compounding polish
Optimum Hyper Polish with one of the above mentioned compounds

What LSP are you going with? Wax, sealant or coating?

[ClintIsKING]

Thanks for the info. LSP I was undecided. I was thinking on Turtle Wax Seal N Shine which I have on now and love it.

[PaulMys]

Welcome to AGO Clint.

Do you own a polisher?

[ClintIsKING]

Welcome to AGO Clint.

Do you own a polisher?

I do. I have a torqx.

[PaulMys]

Nice.

Just to complicate your life even further, (because that's what we do here.....LOL) I would also look into the Griot's creams.

They work very well, have almost zero dusting, are sun friendly (maybe not a black car in Florida....), and remove very easily.

[ClintIsKING]

Nice.

Just to complicate your life even further, (because that's what we do here.....LOL) I would also look into the Griot's creams.

They work very well, have almost zero dusting, are sun friendly (maybe not a black car in Florida....), and remove very easily.

My one regret is getting the truck in black. I should have got the gray one I test drove before hand lol.

Any recommendations in the Griots line specifically?

[PaulMys]

My one regret is getting the truck in black. I should have got the gray one I test drove before hand lol.

Any recommendations in the Griots line specifically?

Lol.

As you see in my avatar, I went with the grey one.

I have the Griot's Fast Correcting Cream (a compound, but finishes off so nicely you'd swear it was a polish on most surfaces).

And the Griot's Correcting Cream. (Just a great all-around polish that finishes with a brilliant shine).

[ClintIsKING]

Lol.

As you see in my avatar, I went with the grey one.

I have the Griot's Fast correcting Cream (a compound, but finishes off so nicely you'd swear it was a polish on most surfaces).

And the Griot's Correcting Cream. (Just a great all-around polish that finishes with a brilliant shine).

Awesome. I will look into them.