Hey all.

So here is the deal. I am about to start up high school again, which means that my Mini is going to be sitting the hot sun of the parking lot for about 6 hours a day. Of course there is more to sitting in a parking lot than just sun, there is also dirt, bird dropping, rain and probably things i am forgetting. The thing is i dont wont my car to end up looking like my families 94 GMC Suburban (fading, oxidizing and speccing).

However there is a problem, i have absolutly none of the stuff needed to do a good wax and wash and havent ever done a proper waxing before (done plenty of washes). I am not to keen on having this job done by a bunch of "pro's" because the last time i let my car get washed it wound up with a couple of nice big scratches (this was a regular old car wash though, not a detailer).

Basically i have come up with two possibilities

1. Have the "pro's" do the outside and then just buy some hydro and the required stuff to apply it from detailers paradise (i actually rather like this method, probably the least expensive at this point).

2. Buy one of the Detailer's paridise starter bundles (probably number 1) and do it myself.

If it hasnt been implied already i have heard a lot of good stuff about the Prima products so either way that will probably end up being the product of choice.

 

Do #2.

Nobody will treat your MINI better than yourself--well except maybe me, lol.

Sitting in the "hot sun" isn't a problem for your paint. The only way it's going to look like the suburban is by neglect.

Neglect your MINI paint and it will look like that.

How do you not neglect it?

Wash it often. Clay the paint atleast once a year, then wax it. Or better yet, polish the paint with Swirl and an Orange pad, then Epic it. Then Hydro everytime you wash. Use good washing techniques.

 

I am sure you will get a lot of "suggestions" but I would just start with good ole Turtle Wax. Don't wax in the sun. Use some good clean towels, an old clean t-shirt to put the wax on. Be careful that you don't get the wax on any of the plastic, rubber, etc. Make sure car is clean/clean before you start.

 

Uhm...sorry no offense but I'd have to say this is one of the "bad" suggestions. Don't use a t-shirt to put the wax on. For paint that you don't care about like the suburban--sure go right ahead.

"Good clean towels" means what? Bath towels??

And since when has Turtle Wax ever been "good"? LOL.

 

I agree with OG. Get the stuff to do it. Maybe get your parents to help with $$ by offering to shine up the Suburban too. It will cost you just as much (maybe more) to have a pro do a GOOD job as it will for you to get all the required stuff to do it yourself.

 

EVERY pro job, besides Richard (octaneguy) on here sux ***.

At least in NY area. They make MORE Swirls in your paint, they screw it all up bad. EVERYONE of them sux. they all charge between 200-500 dollars too.

My friend's gf spent last year... 1800 dollars on one of the best "pro" shops for her lexus.

She has massive swirls in the paint. It isnt even shiney. The guy gets the occaisonal polish or wax in the grill area stuck or behind a light.

read stuff on here like i did and you cant go wrong.

 

You make a good point. I am getting paid tommorow so i should have the money to spend on it. ~100 for a peice of mind (and results!) is worth it in my opinion.

Anybody know a place where i can read up on doing a proper job of washing (ie: not damaging the paint). I guess as long as i follow the directions on the bottles and use proper stuff to wash and dry (microfiber and the like) i should be ok right?

About the Suburban, that was sold about 4 months ago. Great car while we had it but it was starting to get kinda tired (replaced with 07 YukonXL). I am sure all the scratches it got from off roading didnt do much to help the paint either. That car was really neglected (like washed maybe once every 3 months). As it stands i try to wash the Mini at least once a month (during the summer). During the winter it gets bumped to every 1 or 2 weeks (depending on rad and weather conditions).



Edit: Thanks for the advice El-Jefe, i have never really been pleased with the jobs that people do in south west CT either. I am sure there are one or two gems, but i am not going to spend gobs and reisk damage looking for one.

 

If you message Octaneguy, he has THE BEST video on washing a car ever. He made it with his buddy. It gives you like the proper though process in how to keep paint perfect. THe only time a car fanatic hurts their car is during the wash process. (or ice and snow :( )

 

There isn't enough space on a label to tell you how to use the product properly, there surely isn't enough info to tell you also how to wash properly.

Watch this 30 minute video to get you started.

I'm working on a new updated video but for now, watch this one.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...arch&plindex=0

The basics are here--in terms of what to be careful of. You can choose to get as **** or more **** if you want--but this was one method of washing your MINI.

Richard

 

Sorry jasper2222, I have to disagree with this. I did precisely this with my last car. I thought I was doing a good job and spent about 2 days solid 'detailing' my car with the stuff I bought at Walmart, including Turtle Wax. Hey, the bottle says it is the finest wax available or something. I was very careful and even used new applicators, wash mitt and microfiber towels. The shiny-ness lasted less than 2 months, but the swirls lasted 2 years.

I am now buying all new stuff and throwing out or donating the other stuff.

Some Guy, I think in some cases you can be penny wise and pound foolish. IMO buying good quality basics will serve you best.

 

Turtle Wax regular towels a t-shirt wax applicator oh my

 

The Queen of the Smilies strikes again! Be warned Some Guy - she has oh so many more where those came from. (my own feeble attempt).

 

Well as T-Pod mentioned i tend to try to save money but it tends to come at the expense of what i am using. That said if building computer has taught me anything it is that if you do your research and dont immediately go straight to the top end you can find yourself some killer deals.

However i find myself in an interesting position in that i am going to have to start from the ground, i litteraly have zero car cleaning supplies that are of any use, everything cleanin related i have is for boats (fairly abrasive or fairly harsh).

Hence my choice on the Prima Bundle. I will probably add things as i go along but that should be enough to get started. Right?

 

I agree...the best thing you can do to avoid swirling is watching Octane Guy's video highlighting the 2 bucket method and washing techniques. The other night we went out to the movies and at our local megaplex the parking garage is under lots of fluorescent lighting and it really highlighted the swirls in almost every car, some were horrendous...mine was great!

 

Not to mention, they want to make it sound like no work is involved. I think you should know up front what is involved, so you allow time, don't get impatient, or think you are doing wrong because there's more to it than the bottle implies.

 

Shake bottle, open bottle, apply a small about to applicator, spread evenly and thinly onto paint, wait until dry, buff off, enjoy shine.
What could be simpler?

 

Shake bottle --- how long? Applicator --- what kind? What's a small amount??? How thin???? Wait ---- how long? Buff ---- with what & for how long??? Not trying to be funny, but these are things that go through the uninitiated's minds. Especially when you learn of all the choices and different opinions. Point is, the bottles make it sound like you can do it all in 10 minutes without breaking a sweat. That just ain't so and you are better off knowing it ahead of time.

 

1 min, thin blue, nickle sized, transparently, 2 hours, Monster Fluffy, till gone.

Any other questions?

 

My questions were rhetorical. I know how to do it. But, your answers lead to one of my points: There are differences of opinion. My bottle says to wait 1/2 hour. Octane Guy recommends the "finger swipe" approach, rather than a set or prolonged time. I personally find his method makes sense. I have several different fonster muffy's and am still deciding which I like best.

 

Well LynnEL, your questions were like asking how fast do you drive. My point is that people tend to make things more difficult than they really are. What if you put it on too thick - will your paint fall off? No. What if you wait too long - will your paint fall off? No. What if you use an old T-shirt to apply - will your paint fall off? No. What if you use Hydrochloric acid to remove - will your paint fall off? um ... yes.
Point is that this is not brain surgery - just do it. If you do it wrong, learn and do it again, or don't. Think a little, read a little and learn a little. You won't get better if you are in analysis paralysis or afraid to just try.

 

Very true. My only point was that one should know, as is always the case, there is some effort, if you want decent results. Also, reading some of the more OCD posts, what you said could consitute blasphamy.

 

While I tend to agree with this, the problem of writing labels--which I've done many--is how to communicate to ANY "Joe" OCD or not about how to use the product--and still get maximum effectiveness. For my BW label, there just wasn't enough space to put detailed instructions on there as well as have the mandatory cautionary statements. And of course often the copy gets changed over time. I suggest a foam pad in my instructions, but now I'm using a MF Skinny applicator. The point being was to use a non absorbent material--but that takes up way too much space on the label.

For example on Meguiar's ScratchX label, I'd say the majority of people who bought this product misused it. Heck I did too when I first got it. I put it on the paint, waited for it to dry, then wiped it off--and it didn't do a bit of good. It didn't say I had to put it on, rub it till my fingers fell off, then wipe off before it dried and repeat until the scratch is gone. If I had only known that polishes were abrasive and needed a physical action to work and didn't need to dry like waxes, it would have made more sense I think.

Finally, I remember at a detailing clinic there were two guys putting on NXT Tech Wax. One guy poured it on, and another guy immediately wiped it up. I asked them what they were doing. They said that Tech Wax was too hard to wipe up if they let it dry too long, so they just apply it wet and wipe it off!

They looked like fairly intelligent guys--but they were obviously lacking something. Once I showed them that if you apply it in thin amounts, and actually let it dry, it becomes easy to wipe off--and then it will protect and do its job. These are probably the same guys that would post on a public forum that they tried NXT and it didn't last more than a day--not admitting or realizing they used it wrong.

While using car care products may not be rocket science, technique is everything, and IMO, labels just provide enough info to get you started.

Had the original poster followed the advice of using a "an old clean t-shirt" to apply a wax--what "bad" would have come from it? Well, he might see a great shine, but wonder why he's got so many swirls. He might blame it on the seller. Or maybe he would have used the "softest" bath towels his mom had---yet couldn't figure out why his finish still looked hazy.

Good technique begins from the very beginning. Use an applicator not a t-shirt--might cost a dollar to do that. Get a pack of MF towels and dedicate it to the MINI.

 

I have found a diaper cloth rag/towel to be my preferred method of application for Black Wow. I have always used them to apply 303 to my interior bits & I used one last time I applied the WOW & it worked very nicely

 

This is a good point...why is it so hard to find a shop that actually knows what they're doing!?!?! And if you ask too many questions they get an attitude!!

 

Alraight.

You guys have been a ton of help. I obviously still have a lot more reading to do but i am starting to get the idea.

My car has some swirling on it but from what i read the only real way to tackle it is with power tools and elbow grease. I dont mind the elbow grease but i do not want to spend the money on a Porter Cable right now.

I do have a question about waxing. I understand that you only need to use 1 or two tablespoons(?) but how does that end up covering the whole car? That just seems like to little to me.