Auto detailing thread. Any questions regarding paint care/correction and interior upkeep? Ask away

[BlackArtemis]

oooh one more thing, I forgot my mustang has had some sap on her side for a few months (yeah I am a really bad owner). But since she is off insurance, has an idle problem and a deal battery and I am unemployeed, I really haven't cared to put any kind of $ into her. Once I get a job (recent college grad... again) and settle, my first big gift is a respray for her. Too many rock chips, bug gut etching, and scrapes on both sides to be worth it to salvage her paint.

 

[2vNotch]

I would purchase a wool ball. You can find one that attaches to your drill and use a light polish. Top it off with a wheel sealant. Poorboys Pro Polish would do the trick.

THANKS and where can this poorboys brand b purchased? I dont recall having seen it in parts stores......

 

[crzyhrse99]

THANKS and where can this poorboys brand b purchased? I dont recall having seen it in parts stores......

http://www.autogeek.net/poorboysworld.html

 

[txredgt]

oooh one more thing, I forgot my mustang has had some sap on her side for a few months (yeah I am a really bad owner). But since she is off insurance, has an idle problem and a deal battery and I am unemployeed, I really haven't cared to put any kind of $ into her. Once I get a job (recent college grad... again) and settle, my first big gift is a respray for her. Too many rock chips, bug gut etching, and scrapes on both sides to be worth it to salvage her paint.

When you do get her painted again don't go out and put wax on the paint. The paint will still need cure time and you will need a new paint job again due to the paint not curing. In the meantime I would suggest getting a clay bar setup with the lubricant and see how far that goes. It might just surprise you how much it will work.

 

[BlackArtemis]

The front end has maybe 20+ rock chips, I scraped one side on the garage after forgetting how to properly drive a LHD car... My Gr. mother got the other side. Both right at the scoops. If it was only the front end I would get it blended.

 

[slayerripkdc]

Here are a few distributors. I would choose one close to your location for fastest shipping.

FLORIDA
Palm Beach Motoring AccessoriesMASTER DISTRIBUTOR
Web: www.autogeek.net
Contact: Jason or Bob
Phone: 800-869-3011

NEW YORK
Poorboy's World Headquarters
Location: West Nyack, NY
Contact: Steve
Web: www.poorboysworld.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 845-215-9700


Detailed Image Contact: Greg or GeorgeEmail: [email protected]
Web: www.DetailedImage.com

OREGON
Poorboys North West
Location: Troutdale, OR
Contact: Bob
Web: www.Poorboysnw.com
Email: [email protected]

 

[apats77]

Can you explain the clay bar to me?

Is this something that can be used on my front end? The guy that had it before me put 130k miles of hard driving and abuse. There is about 50-70 rock marks on it. I used the black box on it and it did a great job of blending it all in from ten feet away you couldn't even tell but up close it looks like a cheese grader

The story behind the car before I got it from a dealer is crazy. The guy was a prick

 

[slayerripkdc]

Yes it can be used on your front end. It can be used on wheels, paint and even glass. You will need quality microfiber towels, clay lubrication and of course the detail clay. Unfortunately it won't do anything about those rocks chips. It sounds like you might need a good 2 step buff on your finish. Its hard to tell with out seeing pics or seeing it in person. When you clay your car you want to wash your vehicle DO NOT DRY, clay and re-wash. You want to work on 1 foot panel at a time. For example: Your hood would be broken up into about 4 sections. For the procedure you want to spray the lubricant and go in a back and forth motion over the selected area. Keep the area well lubricated. Use very light pressure and overlap your passes until it glides smoothly. You must constantly kneed the clay in your hand and find a nice clean part of the clay. It sounds like a dangerous process but it is actually very safe as long as you take your time and work in small sections. Claying your car would make the paint almost feel like glass. It would remove any surface contamination that is on your finish. The clay glides on the lubrication and pulls any particles off the paint and into the clay with out it scratching. After you are done claying the next process would be to correct the paint. Either wetsand, componding, polishing. Who knows you might need all 3. For the average do it yourself detailer you can still achieve great results by just polishing and using a wax that has some fillers to hide some imperfections.

 

[PULMEOVR]

Wheels can be a pain and they can also be very easy to maintain with proper technique. You will need a wheel detailing brush. You can purchase one from your auto parts store. A wheel cleaner. I really like Poorboys World spray and rinse wheel cleaner. Another one of my favorites is Wolfgang tire and wheel cleaner. For over the counter Meguiars sells a couple nice products. Megs hot rims and I forgot the other one. Finally you will need a wheel wax. It will make cleans ups a breeze, especially if you don't feel like cleaning them every week. For treating them here is my procedure.
Work on one wheel at a time. Wet wheel. Cover the tire and wheel with a fine mist of wheel cleaner. Let cleaner sit for about 30 seconds. Agitate the brake dust with your wheel brush. Rinse thoroughly. If you still have some baked on brake dust you might need to use a wheel polish with a terry cloth applicator. Wash wheel with an old mitt and car soap. Apply Your wheel wax. Take your time and have fun with it. Try different products and find what you like. Any more questions just let me know?

Thats fantastic! Thank you!

 

[03_TrueBlue_GT]

Thanks Slayer I will definitely buy some quality microfiber towels for the car now. I have been using all Meguairs products with great results with the cotton terry towels that I told you about, I never really thought about the cotton being too abrasive. I guess that explains why I can see the scratches and swirl marks on it at night especially when its parked under parking lot lights at the car shows...

One more question, do you feel the over the counter waxes, and polishes at the auto stores are any good or would I be better off buying more $ wax online to get better results?

And I will pm you a picture of the headlights when I can.

 

[slayerripkdc]

Thanks Slayer I will definitely buy some quality microfiber towels for the car now. I have been using all Meguairs products with great results with the cotton terry towels that I told you about, I never really thought about the cotton being too abrasive. I guess that explains why I can see the scratches and swirl marks on it at night especially when its parked under parking lot lights at the car shows...

One more question, do you feel the over the counter waxes, and polishes at the auto stores are any good or would I be better off buying more $ wax online to get better results?

And I will pm you a picture of the headlights when I can.

I have to say once I started ordering quality products online, that is when I became addicted! . So many great products for detailing. Certain products smell so good that you want to eat them!!! As I stated in previous post. My favorite is Poorboys World. So user friendly, smell great, can use in sun or shade, 0 degrees up to 110 degree doesn't make much difference and the customer service is top notch. You can give them a call and they would walk you step by step on how to achieve the results you want. Tell them Walter sent ya .

 

[JoeDaddy]

I'm looking to see how to clean up the leather seats on my 04 Grand Marquis. It has light color leather, and the drivers side especially is really starting to look bad. I put some of the mequires leather cleaner on the leather every now an again, but it doesn't seem to help. Any way to make it look any better?

Thanks

View attachment 145396

 

[slayerripkdc]

I'm looking to see how to clean up the leather seats on my 04 Grand Marquis. It has light color leather, and the drivers side especially is really starting to look bad. I put some of the mequires leather cleaner on the leather every now an again, but it doesn't seem to help. Any way to make it look any better?

Thanks

View attachment 145393

Hi JD. So you used a leather cleaner already? Did you use a leather condition after you used the cleaner? If not. I highly suggest you treat them with a conditioner. Take some pics of the seats and shoot them on over.

 

[JoeDaddy]

I'll have to look at the bottle of stuff I use to see what it is. Might be a cleaner/conditioner. I know its mequiers. Something I picked up from the zone. I had the car in the garage when I took that picture, so the pictures of the whole seat didn't come out good because it was too dark. I'll try and get a picture of the seat outside in the sun in the next day or two.

Are there any leather cleaners / conditioners that you recomend?

Thanks

 

[JoeDaddy]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009IQXG8/?tag=stangnet-20

I think thats the stuff I used. (Too lazy on a sunday night to walk 50ft to the garage to check...)

 

[txredgt]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009IQXG8/?tag=stangnet-20

I think thats the stuff I used. (Too lazy on a sunday night to walk 50ft to the garage to check...)

I think I would get some different stuff if you are really worried or concerned about the car. All in 1 stuff usually never is worth a flip and I would say that is the same in this case. How can it clean as well as condition as these are two completely different aspects of leather care?

 

[JoeDaddy]

Got a link of products I should be using?

 

[slayerripkdc]

Got a link of products I should be using?

My go to products of choice is Poorboys World.

 

[JoeDaddy]

So this then?

http://www.poorboysworld.com/leatherstuff.htm

This looks like it is a cleaner / conditioner in 1?

All in 1 stuff usually never is worth a flip and I would say that is the same in this case. How can it clean as well as condition as these are two completely different aspects of leather care?

What would you recomend?

Not trying to be a jerk. Just trying to learn.

Thanks for the info

 

[slayerripkdc]

Poorboys "Natural Look" and Leather Stuff are both very good products and easy to use.