I've had my 05' MC for nearly 4 years now and have never claybared it before. In fact the only polish that I have ever used is TR3 resin glaze. My question is (after reading similar threads) is After years of using TR3 will a good washing with Dawn and then claybaring the surface be enough preperation for NXT 2.0? Also I had seen on TV and remember a discussion on a forum about polishing the windshield, does Mcguiers make a product to do this? Also how will the NXT 2.0 affect the bonnet stripes if I use it on them (I have never put any polish on them before)?

 

Let's work on your terminology a little

Polish is what you use to buff out swirls, scratches, haze, etc. I don't know what TR3 is but it sounds like a wax/sealant (?). And clay is clay. Neither clay nor wax is a polish!

Now that we've got that out of the way (just to keep things clear so everyone knows what everyone else is talking about)...

If TR3 is a synthetic sealant (not a natural wax, like carnauba), then Dawn *may* not get it off. But if you plan on claying, that will take care of anything that might be left.

But yes, Dawn wash, then clay. If you see any paint imperfections (swirls, haze, etc) you may decide you want to polish, which we can get into if you decide to go that route. Then you'll be prepped to seal/wax with the NXT. You can NXT right over the stripes, just be careful not to jam anything up under the edges. Aside from watching the edges, I treat my stripes just like the rest of the paint.

 

TR3 is neither a wax or a polish. It's a polymer resin that cleans durring application then is left on to cure then buffed off with a DA or hand. I figured the clay would remove this resin but I wanted a nice and clean surface before I did this. I have never "polished" the paint so how does one know if it needs to be done?

This is what it is http://bluemagicusa.com/index.php/bl...ic/products/91

 

You'll be able to tell after you clay and all the current TR3 is gone. If you park the car in the sun (and depending on the color - I have PW and can almost never see any imperfections) and see swirls or hazing in the paint, you can polish to remove them.

 

My Mini is PS/B with swirl marks on the black. One other question....is there a minimum temperature that I can do this at? The high temps lately have been between 40-45 deg.

 

I've got a PS and Black and have used Nxt 2.0. In order to get the full shine I feel you need more prep than just Dawn wash and claybar. If you are looking at over the counter you could get Meguiars Color x (inexpensive chemical type cleaner) then top it with Nxt 2.0. So, dawn wash, claybar, color x, then Nxt 2.0. It's an easy combo that yields great results. If you want to get the scratches out of your black bits that's a whole nother lesson that you can learn on this forum. Do a test spot on your stripes, but I've never had any problems. For the windshield , the claybar helps clean it really well, but leave it at that. If its really pitted you need a new windshield.

 

Check out the MSDS for TR3. 10-15% Kerosene and 15-25% Petroleum Distillates....uhm...I don't think I'll want this on my paint. The product description mentions nothing about polymers. This might be fine for old single stage paint jobs that readily oxidize, but I wouldn't be putting this on any modern paint.

As for swirls on the PS--I'm certain they are there, you just can't see them as easily as on your black roof.

Waxing stripes is fine----but watch out for wax buildup along the edges as it looks ugly.

Other than TR3...NXT 2.0 is a fine product. Also since we are clarifying things...it's Meguiar's.

Richard

 

Who is this OctaneGuy anyway? Never heard of him or perhaps just a long, long time ago.
I have a question, if you have a product that will clean the paint and then you are supposed to leave it on to cure, where did all the stuff it cleaned from the paint go?

 

OctaneGuy is from a galaxy far, far away. He only comes around for a visit when all the black swirls are in alignment. He only seeks truth, justice and a shiny paint job. He is able to leap tall SUVs in a single bound. He can stop a speeding grocery cart and more powerful than a Hummer. So Beware.

YD

 

Haha you guys are funny.

Well here are some hints of what I'm up to in Taiwan right now...yes I'm holding a paint spray gun here...and yes I am wearing a short sleeved shirt while the camera guy is wearing a parka and gloves..and yes I've been in bed for the past two days recovering from it, lol.



Demoing Prima to a local detail shop..showing them how much better Prima was over their "favorite" Megs polishes. They were very impressed.

 

Looks like fun! Was it really that cold??

 

As long as I moving around it wasn't bad...plus I had an inner shirt under my polo for a bit of warmth..but it was probably high 30's to low 40's and the front of the car was facing out of the bay door into the cold.

Between takes I had a wool jacket and scarf that helped, lol.

 

+1 on the Dawn, clay, color-x, NXT2.0 process. After 4 years of neglect, and 1 weekend (in the 40 deg temps) I am truely amazed at the results!!! I spent most of the time with the clay bar, going over and over the areas until I felt nothing but smooooooth finish with a plastic bag on the hand (took me about 6 hours to clay but this was where I felt if I did it well, it would give better results to the rest of the detail). I couldn't keep from laughing and smiling as I was claying the car (went through 2 bars of clay) I was simply amazed at how well the clay worked.

Before this detail I had never used any of Meguiars detailing products, after you will find nothing but Meguiars!!!!

Dawn..$1.50, Clay kit..$25, Color-x..$10, NXT2.0..$15 Labor..$0 (14hrs)

Clean "wet" finish...A beautiful thing!!!!

 

Pictures! But yes, clay is a marvelously simple tool that yields incredible results. You wouldn't think so, but it is proven!

Glad to know you found your technique. I just finished detailing my MINI last night... polish and wax, and NERO in the engine bay. Looks mighty fine on this end too!

Still need some pictures. Hopefully before and afters!

 

If you like Meguiar's, wait till you try Prima...having used Meguiar's consumer and professional products for years, Prima produces better results and soon you'll understand that it's just not the wet look that's important, but clarity and depth of your finish that makes all the difference.

Richard