OK, have my new PC and the DP polish bundle. Paint still looks pretty good so I figure Amigo is all I need to really bring out the shine. Finish maybe?

I suspect the order is:

Wash...clay...wash, dry and tape (tape won't stick to a dry car?)...Amigo...Epic (Does Finish go in here somewhere?)

Question about my stripes. I have the OEM stripes with pin-striping. I've been cautioned that while clay can help clean the stripes it can remove the Pin-striping, so I suspect that polishing will as well. Does polish hurt the stripe itself? Do I tape the edges and avoid the stripes altogether? Do I put epic on right after the Amigo or do I need to wash (again) between?

 

You can drop the second wash if you wish since you're wiping as you go along with the clay. I say no to tape in favor of trim dressing. There are still a few areas I tape but I just dress the trim and don't have to worry about getting polish on it. I've never had an issue with clay and pin-stripes but I do tape them before polishing since I have erased part of my old pins before with Swirl. Polish will really brighten up your white stripes without issue.
If you got good paint you can probably skip the Finish part and go straight to Amigo - it does have cleaners as well as fillers. Then wipe off the Amigo (doesn't need to cure) and go right to Epic and let it cure for 30 - 45 minutes before wiping off. I've even left Epic on overnight if I'm tired and its late.

 

^ MiniMaybee is good, MiniMaybee is wise.

Exactly.

First year I had my car I only used Swirl on the boot and A-pillars that got really swirly - the rest of the car just got Amigo. Looked fantastic.

Now the whole thing is pretty swirly... so I'm gonna Swirl and Amigo everything.

 

Don't I need to tape the edges of the stripes? I thought that was a given...

Also figured the edge of the clear bra as well...

Now I'm confused...

 

It all depends on your vehicle's condition and your OCD level. I had swirl marks on my new 09 Clubman at delivery. Even after using Swirl, there's still some(we're talking about some stray swirls) that gets me going. So, in the 5 months I've had the car, I've PC with swirl twice(once after delivery and once a few days ago after winter abuse) and Finished+Amigo after the 2nd detail.

I don't wipe after I clay. Generally clay an area and quickly hose it off. If some contaminants got loose but not picked up by the clay, wiping would risk scratching the surface. After the whole vehicle is clayed and hose, I rewash. Yes, OCD but I'd rather double wash and remove everything before polishing or waxing.

Edit: Yes, tape the edges of decals/vinyl/clear bra. You can get wax at the edges and removing them will be a PITA and I know some who have accidentally worked it under the edges of the decal/vinyl/clear bra and slowly peeled edges off.

 

I would have to agree I would tape the decals and vinyl and clear bra.

make sure you get the blue or the green 3m body shop masking tape.

the green don't leave as much residue as the blue.

 

So taping then would require the car to be dry. Can't air dry here in Vegas cuz of the dust and other crap in the air. If I'm going to use my waffle weave, I need the car to be clean or I sctatch the paint. So it would appear that I would have to I go back to needng to do a full wash both before and after the clay job. Never seen or heard anyone else do this. Want to do this in the mimimum number of steps I can't (within reason).

What am I missing?

 

Well.....in my experience, using a SOFT microfiber (like a Monster Fluffy or Starfish Mitt) to wipe the lube and clay schmutz off each area as I'm claying doesn't swirl/scratch anything, and leaves a clean dry surface ready for taping and/or polishing. I've never seen a reason to wash after I clay. If a spot is too dry, I give it a spritz of clay lube or QD.

 

I wash before and after claying but I'm crazy like that. :P However, what you can also do is spray down an area after it is clayed. That way, any loosened debris not picked up by the clay will be sprayed off. In addition, you can always touch each panel after you're done to make sure it's smooth as glass. If it is, there's no reason to wash a second time.

 

Wash, clay & wipe dry as you go along. Feel the paint, check for smoothness, reclay as necessary. I wouldn't worry about the clay removing any pinstriping, however I would worry about clay residue getting stuck along the edges of the stripes.

Here is an excellent alternative to clay when claying around decals and clearbra. I call it Rubber Claybar.

http://www.showcarsupplies.com/shopexd.asp?id=163&bc=no

It doesn't leave any clay particles behind on the edges. In fact it works as a great clay alternative though it has a tendency to mar the paint a bit..not quite as safe as traditional claybar.

As for all these questions about washing...not sure who you are talking to, but I think you need to stop listening to them. Who gave you the idea to wash through so many steps?

Think of the steps necessary to detail your paint.

PREP (WASH and CLAY)
POLISH (remove swirls, defects, add shine/gloss)
WAX (protect)

You will never get your car wet after the PREP stage..so throw that thinking out.

Richard

 

Thanks Richard!

 

Richard,

So you tape the vinyl bonnet stripes before claying or do you just make sure there is no clay residue along edge of stripes?

Also when you clay are you using detailer spritz wax or a dilution of car wash and water or ?

It would appear your confident that wiping clay residue and going straight to polish without wash. Aren't you worried about leftover abrasiveness from clay residue and/or what the clay bar has lifted off the paint?

 

I don't tape before claying because the lube often causes the tape to come off. Instead I clay very carefully. Getting clay stuck to the edges isn't fun though with more work you can often remove any clay that gets stuck. I pretty much only use my rubber claybar anywhere near graphics. Lube for that is just a bucket of soap water. For clay I use lube since the clay I use has a tendency to crumble in wash water.

As far as abrasives? I work by feel and I'm not done claying if the paint isn't perfectly smooth. Besides what do you think are in polishes like Swirl? Diminishing abrasives. Any contaminants in the paint will affect the polishing process and thats plainly visible. Polish on a clean clayed surface with a clean foam pad and proper techniques and this worry is a non issue.

Richard

 

thanks for your experience

I'm working on becoming a real OCD case.......