[alanra]

well, i did my first serious detailing today. here's a quick review of the stuff i used:

wash: P21S shampoo --> this stuff is great, nice suds, good smell. recommended.

dry: P21S drying towel --> i've never used one of these before, and i couldn't really figure out what to do with it. are you supposed to lay it flat on the car, and sop up water that way? or do you use it like a traditional towel, running it across the finish? anyway, i gave up and ended up using some towels.

clean: meguiar's clear coat body scrub paint cleaner --> i didn't really see any effect from this. not recommended.

polish: 3M imperial hand glaze --> it wasn't the revelation that i thought it would be, but it gave a nice shine and a clear improvement from the previous step. recommended.

wax: meguiar's gold class clear coat wax --> pretty easy to apply, and forgiving if i slipped and got it on the black moulding. recommended.

vacuum: sears craftsman 2-gallon shop vac --> this was the first time i used this in the car, and it was perfect; small enough to maneuver in the back seat (you can hold the vacuum in one hand while you're working the nozzle with the other), but enough suction to get the job done. recommended.

vinyl: vinylex --> pretty similar to meguiar's #40, but less, um, pungent. recommended.

glass: invisible glass spray --> now this stuff is great... maybe too great... i could see every little hairline scratch in my glass. recommended.

 

[alee]

dry: P21S drying towel --> i've never used one of these before, and i couldn't really figure out what to do with it. are you supposed to lay it flat on the car, and sop up water that way? or do you use it like a traditional towel, running it across the finish? anyway, i gave up and ended up using some towels.
[/B]

The P21S drying towel is excellent.

Take it out, and wash it out good with warm water. Make sure the weird soapy stuff it comes packed in is all washed out.

Then fold it in half twice, and just wipe it across your paint. When it stops absorbing, flip it over, and do it again.

Once both sides are fully saturated, wring it out.

I unfold it and fold it in a different direction, and continue drying.

-Al

 

[31st330i]

clean: meguiar's clear coat body scrub paint cleaner --> i didn't really see any effect from this. not recommended.

polish: 3M imperial hand glaze --> it wasn't the revelation that i thought it would be, but it gave a nice shine and a clear improvement from the previous step. recommended.

vinyl: vinylex --> pretty similar to meguiar's #40, but less, um, pungent. recommended.

your paint is probably too new for the paint cleaner to have done anything. all it does is strip old wax and remove stains from the paint. I think it also adds some nutrients back in as well.

the IHG is good, very highly recommended by many. it is supposed to be fairly equal to meguiar's show car glaze with is similarly respected.

I tried vinylex and found that it still had too much of a sheen for me. I since tried 303 aerospace and like it much better. it also has UV protection which I believe vinylex does NOT have.

I may try the P21S towel. I've read a lot of good things about it.

 

[Dr. Phil]

Re: Re: a saturday detailing

The P21S drying towel is excellent.

Take it out, and wash it out good with warm water. Make sure the weird soapy stuff it comes packed in is all washed out.

Then fold it in half twice, and just wipe it across your paint. When it stops absorbing, flip it over, and do it again.

Once both sides are fully saturated, wring it out.

I unfold it and fold it in a different direction, and continue drying.

-Al

Text book answer Al:thumb:

From experience, make sure the original soapy stuff is completely gone. Guess who didn't That right, had do rewash car to get rid of the streaks it created.

Since then works like a charm

 

[alee]

Re: Re: Re: a saturday detailing

From experience, make sure the original soapy stuff is completely gone. Guess who didn't That right, had do rewash car to get rid of the streaks it created.

RTFM!

 

[Dr. Phil]

Re: Re: Re: Re: a saturday detailing

RTFM!

I did just didn't wash it out enough, plus I was so excited about getting my order I was in an Alee fog:yikes:

MUST CLEAN NOW chop chop

 

[SteelGray02ci]

The P21S drying towel is excellent.

How is this towel compared to a chamoix? Every time I wash my car I have problems getting it really dry. I use the California Water Blade to get most of the water off, but when I use a chamoix to finish up it actually smears the remaining water. I feel like I'm constantly going over the same areas trying to dry the darn thing off without any smears. Washing the car takes no time at all, but drying it is a total pain in the neck. I can clean my wheels faster than I can dry the car off.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[Intermezzo]

A chamois (synthetic & natural) actually works poorly as a follow-up to make your surface completely dry. It works well when absorbing globs of water because it is highly absorbant and can be easily wrung. However, because it is always wet, it has a tendency to leave a very fine trail of water when swiped across a panel. A large MF towel or soft 100% cotton towel works better as a final pass to dry your car.

My suggestion would be to use either the CWB or a synthetic chamois to take the bulk of the water off a panel and then dry the panel to a high gloss using an MF or cotton towel.