rodH

I have always tried to take pretty good care of my cars, but lately I have been working so much that the time it takes to do a good job has be simply taking my car to a brushless car wash and leaving it at that.

When I was doing a decent job taking care of my cars, it seems like just in those few years ago and the procedure was typically much more basic, even for the multistep processes compared to what we are seeing now doing a few searches. Seems like now guys are doing 5, 10 or even up to 15 steps to get the car detailed. To me, I am not going to have time for 15 steps.

What I use to do was (my most in depth detailing):
1. wash with a fairly strong detergent (to clean paint)
2. Claybar
3. Compound/rubbing compound or swirl remover
4. Polish
5. Wax

So guys that are familiar with the paint on the 997 (I have a Guards red 997.1 C2S if that matters), what is a fairly good system that is protective and leaves a good shine that is durable but isn't going to take 15 steps or cost $500 for the product? I hear of so many different types of sealers now, and I am sure there are associated products that go along with those sealers as well.

What do you guys recommend?

Car is only driven about $5-6k miles year, always garaged unless I take it to work, at most 2-3 days a week. Living in south Orange County Calif (so not super hot, not super humid or dry)

TIA

Harry Da Hamster

-Any car wash soap, preferably with no wax for the major detail jobs.
-Nanoskin Auto Scrub instead of traditional clay
-CarPro IronX for further iron particle decontamination on paint (esp wheels)
-Using a Flex 3401 and Rupes Nano, compound with Menzerna FG400 compound (pads depend on paint condition)
-Menzerna SF3800 polish with finishing pad
-Since my car is almost never parked in the sun, i use Pinnacle Souveran paste wax.

911PCarFun

^ that sounds like a good process and products.

I simply use griots garage products for soap, clay, compound, and polish....but I wax with chemical guys products.

awfilms

Chemical guys everything. My car doesn't leave garage so it's been washed once in a year :/

OKB

i'd say your clay/compound/polish is a little redundant , taking into account youve already done this once, the normal should be;
wash, try mequires crystal car wash
polish, dont know what you are using but a good quality polish should be fine
wax, like meguires 26

unless theres some spot or area thats got some odd material on it since the last wax job, youre not getting anything else off the paint and theres not any reason to re strip it

vern1

Go here and be prepared to be overwhelmed with suggestions: http://www.autopia.org/forums/forum.php

But as others have suggested I find it simpler to pick a good polisher like a Flex and then go with one line of polishes/selants etc

I use Menzerna but Chemicals guys etc you really cant go wrong

Only compound if you have some bad paint defects but its really more an art than a science and no substitution for experience

Have fun!!

ronvanr

I think these three things are as important as the soap you pick.


1: use wash mitts and cleaning/drying clothes you can wash between car washes
2: Two buckets, one with water, one with your soap, rinse the mitt out (in the water bucket) before you dip it back into your soap bucket. You will be surprised how much cleaner you soap bucket stays.
3: this might depend on were you live, but I always take a shop vac around the car and suck up debris so it doesn't get washed down the cowls and other drain ports.

rodH

Great info guys!!! I purchased the car in Jan 2016, and the paint appears in decent shape, but I think I can make it better, so I will probably be starting from the ground up.

I do like the idea with staying with a particular brand/product, so all the processes and products are compatible and complement each other.

Is everyone using a rotary polishers? RPM recommendations? (I use to just do it by hand, but it appears that people aren't afraid to use modern methods now)

Ynot

I only wax/sealant once a year. The trick is to not touch the paint that much and you will not have swirls or scratches to remove.

I washed it once every other week.

1. Blue Clean AR383 pressure washer to spray off all the dirt and dust off the car.
2. Foam with Chemical Guy's Honeydew Snow foam car wash
3. Microfiber sponge to wash the car, use a water bucket to rinse sponge, use a different sponge for the wheels.
4. Rinse with pressure washer
5. Use California sqeegee to remove water
6. Use Toro electric leaf blower to dry the car.
7. Use microfiber cloth to dry hard to reach spots

This whole process takes 35-40 minutes, I do most of my drying with a leaf blower, this helps with swirls.

Once a year, I do all the above but

8. Claybar
9. Rinse with pressure washer
10. Swirl remover with orbital polisher
11. Seal with Klasse auto sealant by hand

Before the leaf blower method, I used to dry with a huge microfiber cloth and I would have to remove swirls twice a year. I also think it's important to invest in a pressure washer. Your normal hose and a nozzle isn't enough pressure to blast all the dirt and grime off the car. And when you go to wash it, that dirt will cause swirls. I've been able to keep swirls off my car for the last couple of years. It used to drive me crazy.

PelicanParts.com

I've used all sorts of different brand car care products and ended up being a big fan of Adam's Polishes products. I typically clay/wax my vehicle every 6 months. For in between washes I use their Detail Spray to help protect the paint and give it a really nice shine. It's super easy because when the vehicle is done being washed, and before you dry it, you spray each panel while it's wet and then take their great white towel and wipe it dry. I'd also look into their Liquid Paint Sealant as it provides months of protection, especially for vehicles that see harsh elements.

Adam's products here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/Porsche/...m-car-care.htm

Double_J

I play around with different products but my general routine is:

1.) clay one time per year, iron X one or two times per year as maintenance.

2.) wheels with pinnacle all purpose cleaner

3.) two bucket wash with whatever the soap flavor of the month may be (to be honest, they're all kind of interchangeable unless you're using a foam cannon/gun). I use one of those mitts that look like a Wookie hand.

4.) dry with green cobra waffle cloths

5.) seal with meguiars ultimate liquid wax. I know it's not high end fancy sealant but it's super easy to use, readily available at local stores, and the quality of the finish is still pretty great/durable. I've used Klasse and some others before and found that they quality of the end result didn't necessarily make up for the additional difficulty in use over the meguiars product. I use hydropro2 (spray on/rinse off sealant) on my DD crossover because it's fairly durable, very easy to use, and I don't care about having a showroom perfect finish on that one.

6.) Meguires ultimate quick detail for touch ups in between washes or to remove bird poop, etc. Meguire's scratch X to take care of minor mishaps along the way.

All in all, I can wash and seal my car in about 2-2.5 hours doing everything by hand and including time to clean up after myself. I'll take it to a professional when it needs a real polishing but if you follow the right washing procedures that should only be something you need to think about every 2-3 years.

jhbrennan

For washing, I use the two bucket approach but instead of soap, I use Optimum No Rinse - great stuff. Can wash in the garage not using any hose.

http://www.optimumcarcare.com/onrwns.php?li=2

Iceter

I won't get into suggestions on particular detailing products as that can turn threads sideways in a heartbeat.

I will, however, comment on one item you listed in your original post. You mentioned washing with a strong detergent to "clean the paint".

The only time you want to wash with a strong detergent is when you are stripping the paint of all contaminants and prior wax/sealant products. For this, most detailers recommend Dawn liquid dishwashing soap. It strips most waxes and polishes and cuts through grease better than any other soap I've ever tried.

BUT, once you do that, clay bar and then seal your paint, you DO NOT want to use a strong detergent to wash the car regularly. For regular washes, use a mild soap that is specifically made for cars.

Because, like you, I like to use only one brand of product on my car at a time, I don't use car washing soaps that say they contain wax ("Washes and Waxes in One Step!"). I just use a mild soap that foams well and will lift the dirt up and lubricate the paint as I wash. A mild soap like this will not strip the wax or sealant you worked so hard to apply. Once your wax or sealant base is applied, as long as it's in good shape, it won't take much detergent action to clean dirt and grime off of the car.

HTH, James.

911PCarFun

I use the griots garage rotary, which I think is just a rebranded porter cable (could be wrong). When you buy griots garage products they tell you the speeds to use on the rotary which is nice.

Iceter

I wouldn't use a 911 as the first car I ever used an electric polisher on.

Practice on your wife's car. Play it off like you're doing her a favor.