Please school me on how to detail my Mach correctly

[Andrew03Mach]

I will openly admit I do not have a good idea of the correct way to detail a car. I bought my 03 Mach last May from the original owner. After a good wash at home after getting it, we polished it with Nu Finish (my dad said it was good). This spring, I want to go ahead and detail it correctly. Overall the paint seems to be in pretty good condition given its age. There are several scratches that I would love to try to get rid of. Some are a little deeper than others, but nothing too extreme. I haven't noticed a ton of swirl marks but I am sure there are still some there. What would you recommend that I do to properly polish the car? I have never used clay bars or even a polishing wheel. I have only done polishing with application pads and cloths haha. While I am at it, I would like to go ahead and clean the engine bay (it's reasonably clean after I went over it last year, but could use a full clean). I am also wondering if the polishing products can be used on the mach striping or if something different needs to be used on those items. Any suggestions or recommendations on products would be greatly appreciated in addition to the correct way of going about this. I would much rather learn how to do it and then work on it myself than take it somewhere to have it done. With all of the beautiful cars on this site, I figured this would be a good place to start. Thanks!

 

[efroeh]

Check out some of these videos it helped me lots http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-videos.aspx

 

[hoamskilet]

I wouldn't waste any time trying polish anything without getting a machine like the porter cable or griots buffer (if you wanna stay on the cheaper end with a machine, those are good) and some pads.

 

[hoamskilet]

Do you currently have any detailing products or are you starting from scratch?

 

[Ill_W1N]

Junkman2000 - search on youtube and prepare to spend a lot of time watching his videos

 

[Andrew03Mach]

Do you currently have any detailing products or are you starting from scratch?

I will be starting from scratch.

 

[hoamskilet]

OK, you're gonna get a million opinions on everything. Here's a few basics that I personally like:

Machine (Porter cable, griots, etc...)
Several pads
Quality microfiber towels for paint (lots of good ones out there, I like Pakshak's towels)

Bottle of Optimum No Rinse (can use it for clay lube, quick detailer, and rinseless wash)

Nanoskin fine grade surface prep towel (same idea as clay bar but much faster)

Optimum power clean (good all around APC that can be used in different dilutions)

Stoners invisible glass for glass

For polishes I'm high on HD Carcare's products right now

Optimum Opti-Seal is a super quick/easy sealant.


I'm on my phone, so I'll leave it at that for now and jump in on the conversation later. That should give you a few good products to check out for now

 

[luke1333]

Engine Bay:

Simple Green and a small brush does wonders i will be doing mine again once i get valve covers and using some interior/plastic dressing to dress up all the plastic under the hood.



PAINT:
for the paint you will need probably good $500 to get started i know thats about what i invested couple years back.

Good quality DA is needed though (griots, pc7424 xp etc)

The steps i do for my personal cars and what the mach will recieve once i get valve covers done:

Strip wash (dawn or strong wax cutting soap concentrate)
Clay Bar
Strip wash again

All with porter cable DA

Tape off mirrors, shakers, all plastic trim etc etc (3M green auto tape works great)
Compound with however many passes to remove all swirls/scratches/marring etc (I will use m101, d300 or scholls compounds)
Finer Compound (I use d301 and scholls)
Polish (going to be trying reflect for this)

Now onto sealing in that shine you just created

First let me say these are all strictly personal preference. You will find lots of different opinions on these

First i use blackfire wet diamond paint sealant. I apply a very thin layer of blackfire and let it sit overnight! yes overnight at least 10 hours or so. I remove and do the exact same thing again if you want a super durable sealant. My mach isnt daily driven so i will probably only do one coat of sealant but if daily driven i recommend 2 coats or more. The more the merrier


Topped with Dodo supernatural just a coat or two should do


Now for mach i will be trying Son1c's Protowax and also some Zymol Glasur i picked up over the winter.


the big key though is maintaining the shine. I use lusso soap and only like new drying microfiber (these: http://www.detailersdomain.com/Uber-Super-Drying-Microfiber-Towel_p_516.html)

Only use these for wax removal and detail spray (these: http://www.detailersdomain.com/Uber-Quick-Detail-Microfiber-Towel_p_573.html)

Tire Shine: Black Magic Tire Wet
Spray Wax: Chemical Guys V07
Windows: I hate windows so nothing i use works good LOL i always put windows down haha

here is my old GT vert and a black avalanche i did and achieved mirrors on both

 

[Andrew03Mach]

Thank you both for all of the information! So far I am gathering that I will be going through the clay bar or similar process to start things off, then going into the dual action polisher and top it all off with a sealer. Will the DA polisher take care of some of my scratches or am I looking at having to get more involved to get them removed? Any tips with the polisher as to not cause damage to the paint while using?

Luke, what are you doing with the striping on the mach? is that getting the same polishing treatment or are you doing something else sense its a decal? Also, what about the spoiler since its a flat paint color?

 

[hoamskilet]

The DA will take care of swirls and light scratches. Its a pretty user friendly tool, so there's nothing to really be afraid of. Just don't let it sit and grind away on the same spot for a long time and make sure to tape up your trim

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

dont use the machine polisher on your stripes

if the sealer or wax you use leaves any white residue when it dries then be careful not to get it on the edges of the stripe stickers or there it shall stay

general rule of thumb is if you can feel a scratch with your fingernail it likely cannot be buffed out (you can still make it look better though).

If you buy a porter cable buffing kit that comes with pads and polishes and such it would be pretty difficult to hurt your paint (i was terrified first time doing it, just dont let it sit in one spot for forever and go easy on any hard edges as the paint will likely be thinnest there)

Im gonna have to look into this nano skin surface prep towel stuff

 

[luke1333]

Thank you both for all of the information! So far I am gathering that I will be going through the clay bar or similar process to start things off, then going into the dual action polisher and top it all off with a sealer. Will the DA polisher take care of some of my scratches or am I looking at having to get more involved to get them removed? Any tips with the polisher as to not cause damage to the paint while using?

Luke, what are you doing with the striping on the mach? is that getting the same polishing treatment or are you doing something else sense its a decal? Also, what about the spoiler since its a flat paint color?

DA will take care of everything with proper product and pads. and as others said its hard to cause damaged and you can literally leave the pc7424xp on high to your paint in one spot and it wont hurt it!! trust me i have tried it! the only way a pc7424xp at least can hurt your paint is if you turn it upside down and beat your paint with the back or the handle of it! LOL

and as for my stripes i actually bought brand new oem Ford stripes so i will be pulling them off before i paint correct and reapplying factory stripes hopefully perfect! (If anybody has any advice on how to reapply and make them perfect let me know please)

and as others said andrew dont use anything on the stripes. and i dont know about the spoiler but im pretty sure if you polish black will come off? maybe somebody will chime in there

 

[luke1333]

dont use the machine polisher on your stripes

if the sealer or wax you use leaves any white residue when it dries then be careful not to get it on the edges of the stripe stickers or there it shall stay

general rule of thumb is if you can feel a scratch with your fingernail it likely cannot be buffed out (you can still make it look better though).

If you buy a porter cable buffing kit that comes with pads and polishes and such it would be pretty difficult to hurt your paint (i was terrified first time doing it, just dont let it sit in one spot for forever and go easy on any hard edges as the paint will likely be thinnest there)

Im gonna have to look into this nano skin surface prep towel stuff

my stripes are like this and not from me must have been a previous owner that was another reason to buy a new stripe.

also as DSG2003Mach1 points out if you can feel the scratch you cant get out but touch up paint and some wet sanding you can make it look like it was never even there unless your nose is on it!

 

[Monkeygrits]

Watch this video. It's a great refresher and gives you the basics and steps of paint correction. It will answer all of your questions about proper da use etc. I watch it as a refresher now. It's long but worth the watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmH6Z78JLX8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I started out using meguires 105 and 205 but I'm trying out HD cut and HD polish this year. Heard great things about them. I also recommend Menzerna Power Lock Sealant. It lasts. I did my parents SHO before winter and it is still beading like crazy.

 

[Andrew03Mach]

Some great information in here everyone, I really appreciate it. I will start looking to round up a polisher and other supplies so I can give it a shot. I have a few spots of polish on the sides of my stripes, probably from me last year. It is not too bad and not enough to warrent a full re-stripe job so I guess I can live with it for now.

 

[Andrew03Mach]

OK, you're gonna get a million opinions on everything. Here's a few basics that I personally like:

Machine (Porter cable, griots, etc...)
Several pads
Quality microfiber towels for paint (lots of good ones out there, I like Pakshak's towels)

Bottle of Optimum No Rinse (can use it for clay lube, quick detailer, and rinseless wash)

Nanoskin fine grade surface prep towel (same idea as clay bar but much faster)

Optimum power clean (good all around APC that can be used in different dilutions)

Stoners invisible glass for glass

For polishes I'm high on HD Carcare's products right now

Optimum Opti-Seal is a super quick/easy sealant.


I'm on my phone, so I'll leave it at that for now and jump in on the conversation later. That should give you a few good products to check out for now

If I am using the nanoskin towell rather than a clay bar, would I then still go over everything with the DA after doing the whole car with the nanoskin? I watched a few vids about the towell and it made it looked like it was applying a sealer at the same time as removing contaminents. It seems like the sealer would need to go on after the polishing took place.... Perhaps I am just misunderstanding.

 

[hoamskilet]

Treat the nanskin towel just like you would a clay bar. It does not apply any sealant.

 

[hoamskilet]

At the bare minimum I would apply a sealant after using the towel. Most often if I clay or use the towel on a car I'm going to polish then seal afterwards

 

[Andrew03Mach]

Engine Bay:

Simple Green and a small brush does wonders i will be doing mine again once i get valve covers and using some interior/plastic dressing to dress up all the plastic under the hood.



PAINT:
for the paint you will need probably good $500 to get started i know thats about what i invested couple years back.

Good quality DA is needed though (griots, pc7424 xp etc)

The steps i do for my personal cars and what the mach will recieve once i get valve covers done:

Strip wash (dawn or strong wax cutting soap concentrate)
Clay Bar
Strip wash again

All with porter cable DA

Tape off mirrors, shakers, all plastic trim etc etc (3M green auto tape works great)
Compound with however many passes to remove all swirls/scratches/marring etc (I will use m101, d300 or scholls compounds)
Finer Compound (I use d301 and scholls)
Polish (going to be trying reflect for this)

Dumb question is the compound the same as the polish or are we talking 2 steps with the polisher? Going over it with compound and then going over it a second time with polish?

 

[Andrew03Mach]

At the bare minimum I would apply a sealant after using the towel.

Is this prior to using the DA or if a DA is not being used?