HOW-TO Detail your ride

[Shizane2002]

Im well aware that this is an LX Club. And Im REALLY aware of your awesome engines and drivetrains . But detailing is detailing. Posted below is what I do with the products that I use. I hope it helps someone down the line to make their LX nice, clean, and presentable to gain the respect from car enthusiasts, common drivers, and the rivals. Nothing can be more awesome and respected than a clean ride. Inside and out.


The purpose of this thread is to provide the steps necessary to thoroughly and properly clean your vehicle. Adhere to these steps and you will produce beautiful results through effort, patience, and adequate consistency.

In this thread:
- Overall Advice
- Step 1 - The Rinse
- Step 2 - The Dry off
- Step 3 - The Detail
- Step 4 - The Wheels
- Step 5 - Results


Overall Advice
Following the steps below will produce results for your car. However, in my own experience, I have come across the situation where I need to remain consistent with my methods before the true results can be seen. What I mean is, stay patient. Your car wont go from neglect and abuse to show-room worthy after one rinse off and a quick detail. It takes numerous sessions of detailing to get it beautiful. But the most important thing I can say is that you MUST maintain your cars cleanliness and continue to do simple detail jobs in between major detail jobs. If youre serious about your car and want to make it dressed to impress for the masses and for your own sense of satisfaction, follow these steps.




Step 1. The Rinse

- Start with selecting the Rinse/Water option only. NEVER USE THE WAX or SOAP. If you want to keep your paint and its coat of wax solid and pure, DO NOT use anything except water.


- Spray the washer for a few seconds to ensure only water is flowing through.


- Spray the washer so it mists all over the car.


- Spray the washer starting at the roof. Your goal is to wash the contaminants down with gravity. Starting from the highest point and going to the lowest is the best way to ensure all contaminants are washed away without being spread back up on the car.


- Spray down the front and read windows.



- Spray down the hood and trunk.



- Spray down the side windows.


- Spray down the side body panels.


- Spray down the lower side body panels.


- Spray down the wheels and wheel wells.



- Spray down the rear.







Step 2. The Dry-off


- Start drying off on the rear and front windows.



- Lift up on and drop the windshield wipers to get excess water from them. Then lift up on the wiper and dry off the run-off panel.



- Dry off the roof, A and C pillars.


- Dry off the hood and trunk.
- Prop your hood so the heat from the engine bay doesnt prematurely dry the water on your hood.



- Dry off the front fenders and front bumper.
- Be careful when you dry off any panel by the wheel wells. Left over contaminants could still get caught up in your drying towel. You might accidentally spread a rock or sand all over your paint.




- Dry off the side windows.
- Also wipe down the inside windows as well.



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- Dry off the upper side panels.



- Dry off the lower side panels.

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- Dry off the rear of the car.
- Start high and work your way down. Careful to avoid spreading rough contaminants on your paint.










Step 3. The Detail

- Using Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax, and your clean micro-fiber towel and spray one section at a time going from the cleanest section of the car (the roof) to the dirtiest (the back bumper)



- Also lift your hood so the engine heat doesnt prematurely dry the Quik Wax and leave streaks.




Step 4. The wheels.


- Spray Meguiars Quik Detailer on your rims. Wipe off with a micro-fiber towel.


- Spray the tires with Meguiars High Gloss Hot Shine Tire Spray


- This is the initial spray result.


- Wipe down excess with a dirty towel.

[WINNIPEG]

That is an awesome clean and sharp ride. I have the O.C.D. also when it comes to cleaning and driving my car. Another key point you might have mentioned is door jambs and trunk need to be dried as well, I do it every time. Also I like how you do the wheel wells . I clean mine all the time with meguirs tire shine on a microfibre. Anyways awesome right up and 100% the right way to do things...

[Token]

Good job keeping your car clean.

Your write-up of your methods was very well done.

You might find that there are a couple of things that you could do that would improve your results greatly.

The number one thing that comes to mind, that every detailer can make use of to really make the finish pop....

CLAYBAR.

Obviously not done every time, but seeing as we're talking about detailing, then it is as close to the detailer's holy grail as one can find.

Also, you may want to try large microfibre waffle weave towels for drying. They absorb a lot of water, and are far less likely to introduce fine scratches and swirls in the finish.

If you read the detailing/car care forum here you'll see that a lot of our members will use a Dual Action Polisher. This tool will make the job a LOT easier, and does not easily lend itself to damaging your paint. It is very easy to use with great results.
Makes removing fine scratches and swirls a breeze, and can remove even more serious defects that detailing by hand can never accomplish.
Of course with that there is product and pad choices that need to be made, but there are many threads here about that already.

For the worst damage, you'll need to use a rotary buffer. This unit needs a little more technique, because it can damage paint. Again that's another thread.

Choice of product is a highly personal thing. I'm sure you'll see a few posts very soon with many choices and opinions. Megs does make some good stuff, especially their professional line, and sticking with what you like using is not wrong.

Enjoy, and keep polishing.

[cleary524]

Cheers on a great knowledge base write up! Door jambs are always a must and I would only imagine if your car is that clean, you're already doing them. Thanks for the tips on waxing. I do need to change my waxing techniques slightly...and your advice helped. Thanks!

[oldschoolhemiguy]

Great write up.

[SILVR24s]

thanks for the write up, that is one clean car. the engine bay is superb as well.

[Lazy Luna]

When cleaning the engine bay...do you recommend cold or warm engine?

[Coopers_Dad]

When cleaning the engine bay...do you recommend cold or warm engine?

Cold just like wheels.

[Shizane2002]

Thanks alot for the replies and additional tips. I'll edit the how-to to include the suggestions.

[Mymopar]

Clay bar for detailing, twice a year. Just started to clay bar the new Sky last night. Going to have to go more intense and get some mild polish for the scratches because previous owner did not take care of the finish like you have outlined.

BTW, it almost looks like Jesus in this picture if you look quick:

[gooeytek]

Did I read that right? no soap when washing the car?

[Shizane2002]

Soap is absolutely unnecessary if you maintain the level of cleanliness. The wax should do the job of keeping the car clean and easy to work with.

During an initial base coat build....soap is obviously recommended. But if youve got a base coat already established, all you need is to just spray the car off. The drying process will remove the left over contaminants and the detail process will clean it on up properly.

[SUPREME220]

great write up i too u a clay bar and i also use the products as u do just one question where do u buy the hyper dressing?

[Leadfootluke]

great write up i too u a clay bar and i also use the products as u do just one question where do u buy the hyper dressing?

Online! lol.

www.properautocare.com
www.detailedimage.com
www.detailing.com
www.autogeek.net
www.autodetailingsolutions.com

and many more. That last link is a company that has rights to sell Meguiar's products at very low prices. Rick, who runs the place, is very nice and willing to help out anyone. A benefit to his site, is that he, unlike the other websites, can offer sample sizes of products.

Check out this http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/d17001.html

Instead of buying D170 in a gallon size, he offers the smaller sizes for you to try out. It needs to be diluted, so it goes a long ways.

[SUPREME220]

Online! lol.

www.detailedimage.com
www.detailing.com
www.autogeek.net
www.autodetailingsolutions.com

and many more. That last link is a company that has rights to sell Meguiar's products at very low prices. Rick, who runs the place, is very nice and willing to help out anyone. A benefit to his site, is that he, unlike the other websites, can offer sample sizes of products.

Check out this http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/d17001.html

Instead of buying D170 in a gallon size, he offers the smaller sizes for you to try out. It needs to be diluted, so it goes a long ways.

i know online just thought i can go pickup locally that's all lol..by the way thanx !!!