Deanski

For fine hairline or swirl marks, a fine polish such as Menzerna P085RD (if you can find it) or Menzerna Final Polish II with a "PC" (Porter-Cable random orbital) and a polish pad (lake/Sonas,Edge,Meguiars etc) on a 6"" backing plate. Set PC on 4 and polish until it powders, wipe off excess with a high quality microfiber (pakshak.com) and not those from Wal-Mart etc. Use a good "QD" (Quick Detailer) to clean the area damp.

Finish with a high quality wax (Souveran, P21S,Poorboys etc) or sealent (Klasse, Wolfgang, Jeff Werkstat, Zaino) etc.

Always keep some QD in the car with you and a microfiber towel to clean between washes. I use Poorboys Spray & Wipe for light cleaning.

Deanski

Dro

Question for OCBen or anyone thats has an answer:

So when i wash the P-car I always wash the wheels first. By the time I am done with the whole car the rotors turn an "orangish" color. When I drive away after a wash all this "orange/brown" crap flings all over the inside of the wheel and sometimes onto the body of the car.

What the hell is this stuff and how do I minimize/stop it from happening?

Thanks for you help as it really pisses me off!!

Jerry Fisher

its rust...its gone as soon as you apply the brakes a couple of times. No way that I have found to avoid it.

Dro

hhhmmmm...thats what i figured. guess I will have to live with it.
thanks.

Jerry Fisher

You can probably get similar results by hand or with an orb buffer (PC or the like that take foam pads) BUT the labor difference is substntial. IMHO the machine does a better job with alot less work.

I have tried alot of products but settled on the Menzerna line as my favorite. Polish first to remove, fill the swirls and then top off with the glaze and then the FMJ or any high quality wax. I used to use P12S wax over the polishes but the FMJ actually looks better and lasts a long time.

If you go to properautocare.com under Menzerna FMJ you can actually see my MINI after using FMJ.

OCBen

Sounds like you didn't read this thread in it's entirety.

See Post # 64.

Dro

Ooops

Hey at least I didn't start a new thread!

OCBen

Alright!

You definitely scored some points there.

Bestleo

Keep them coming Ben. For those of us with "lower IQs", the reminders are always welcome. Let the high IQ guys get the scratches.
I've followed your suggestions, and my P-car looks incredible.

axel6

I'm a big fan of microfiber towels and mitts. My previous vehicles were all babied with microfiber with excellent results. No swirl marks, even on dark colors.

Edgy01

Ditto for the microfiber. They are also excellent to use on Cabriolet tops as they leave no lint.

uzj100

Invariably you will get some of this rust "gunk" on your wheels. One solution, if you've just washed and done the best you can to wipe or blow dry the area and you're going to park the car for a while (like overnight), is to just put a rag of some sort inside the bottom of each wheel to catch those stray drops that happen. Just remember to remove them before you drive the car

I find that Vanilla Moose is a nice, easy to apply product to protect the wheels and it has a very mild cleaning action.

HTH

Deanski

Wheels, due to the heat generated by braking, most waxes or glazes do not stand a chance.

Sealants have a higher heat fail rate level than any wax. For wheel protection, use any high quality sealant and you'll find that brake dust will wash right off.

Washing, the newer way to wash for those limited to water etc, you'll find that "ONR" works very well. This is a no rinse product. Always use a high quality sheepskin mitt and wash in one direction only. For normal washing, several mitts, one for panels and others for wheels along with buckets and rinse water buckets as well.

Drying, I find that as long as the area is wet, the use of a hand-held leaf blower works very well as long as a filter is used, then follow-up with a waffel-weave MF towel. The leaf blower gets in tight areas to force water out. Very critical when washing and prep for a concourse event.

Do NOT use air compressors as all produce oil in th air, that's unless you have the same amount of dryers and conditioners used in body shop paint booths to prevent this.

As for MF towels, each has it's use and type of fiber or plush level. Use high/dense plush ones for QD work. Shorter fiber for wax or sealant removal.

Some sealants have a higher threshold to micro-marring as opposed to waxes. Waxes will mostly fill micro-marring as well as most glazes as that's what a glaze is really used in filling micro-marring and leave the finish perfect for wax.

As for polishing, always go with a paint cleanser first after you clay the finish. Some clays are very fine and some are very aggressive. Use an ultra-fine clay and lube, then evaluate if polishing is needed. Use a random orbital polisher such as a Porter-Cable 7424, which has many backing plates and pads to choose from. DO NOT USE A ROTARY unless you have experience. Although quicker, they can damage paint in a very short time.

Best practice is to always seek out professional help from a qualified detailer. They can assist you in keeping the finishing looking new.

Regards,
Deanski

erv

Deanski and Ben great thread on car care. Deanski, I bought a leaf blower and was wondering what type of filter you use and whether you put it on the intake or at the exhaust end of the blower. Thx.

Deanski

On the intake side. There is no known filter made for this, so it's just cutting and putting it between the handle/intake attachment. It's simple spun fiberglass, waiting to make-up one to fit a small square paper pleated filter.

As long as the area is really wet and you don't point it down to the pavement, you're good. It's great to get water out of tight areas.

Regards,
Deanski