Write-Up: How to Detail your Riviera

I've never had that problem, but I live in the city where there isn't a lot of dust. If my tires get dusty, it's already time to wash the car again.

AA wrote:

Quote :

Do you use that same technique picking up ladies at the grocery store?

Absolutely!

Btw, Meguiars tire shine works great, and smells good too!

alright i wrote down some notes

It's finally getting warm in NY, highs of around 45-50 this coming week, and to me that means it's almost time to give the Riv her first wash. On Friday, it was warm enough out that I cleaned the alloy rims with the wheel cleaner and went over the dash, doors, and seats with the leather/vinyl/rubber protectant, and I am impressed at the quality of stuff this guy left me. I sprayed the l/v/r stuff on my tires today and they have a dull, slightly wet finish now that is a lot better than the previous, dirty brown hue.

I have a couple of rags, a green one and a blue one, which are for wiping up excess stuff. I try to keep the green one for the wheels where it's nice and grimy and the blue one for wiping excess protectant off the seats. I went to WalMart last night to pick up some axle grease for my squeaky door, and remembered that I need a couple of other things. I got an Armorall wash/scrub mitt, and the +6 sq. ft. quilted drying cloth, along with some air fresheners(vanilla is a great smell for the Riv, imo).

I wanted to check with you guys before buying anything else, so I have a question. Do I have everything I need to wash my car?

Here's what the guy left me:
-SIMONIZ Wheel Cleaner (I recommend it for alloy wheels, works like a charm!)
-Turtle Wax Velour Protectant (Not sure if he used it for the carpets, or the headliner, or the rear deck, or whatever)
-Teflon Car Wax
-Gliptone Paint Sealant (Has its own circular applicator sponge)
-SIMONIZ UV-Blocking Leather/Vynil/Rubber Protectant (Works great on seats, dash, NOT TIRE SHINER)

And anything else in there I bought, except the clublock.

So let's have a look, shall we?



Am I missing anything? Like a soap or something? If I'm missing something needed for a car wash, please tell me what you suggest I buy. I'm pretty sure I need a soap of some kind.

Also, does it go soap, rinse, wax, seal, or soap, rinse, seal, wax? Seal or wax first? Sorry for being such a

dont forget the naked blonde to do the washing while u sit back and toss down a cold one!

Would a brunette work just as well? All the blondes around here are, well, blondes, when it comes to doing anything.

IBx1 wrote:

Would a brunette work just as well? All the blondes around here are, well, blondes, when it comes to doing anything.

Hehe, I like the brunettes myself too . Have a favorite?

AA, care to shed some light?

CarGo Blue Magic liquid metal polish. It's a light blue paste that comes in a can or bottle. Get the can - the bottle becomes clogged easily, is messy, and can break over time. You just put some on a rag and wipe in on, then wipe it off to a shine; kind of like waxing paint, but you don't need to let it dry. Don't use this stuff on paint though. It will strip your clear coat in a hurry!

rinse, wash, rinse, clay, wax, seal. you can skip the clay if the paint is clean. and make sure the wax is synthetic if you are putting sealent over it. sealent isnt really nessisary if you have a good wax btw. unless you are going to a car show

you will need to buy a soap for washing. see my original post.
eagle one, meguires, mothers, blue coral <- all respectably names that carry washes at almost any store. if you want something a little more special then look online somewhere like autogeek.net

Ok. That Eagle1 spray soap, 'bucketless soap' as they call it, do you just spray it over the car like windex or something, or do you put it into a rag or mitt, then wash the car? The spray stuff seems easier to work with, I'm just not sure how to use it.

i havent been able to find it anymore in stores, but it is easiest to spray on the wet mitt and then scrub. i would not spray it directly on the car b/c it is very concentrated and may not all rinse off.

Alright, I'll keep my eyes peeled for it, which may hurt come to think of it, so I'll just look for it next time I go to Wal*Mart.

Sorry, just realized you probably don't have chrome wheels. Don't worry about the BlueMagic metal polish.

Nah, I don't have the chrome wheels, but I read what you said earlier about the BlueMagic, so I was confused when you suggested it here.

I wish I had the 12 spoke chromes, but I noticed that after cleaning the alloys they have a faint bluish hue which matches my car. Not a reflection, just that steel blue glow. You know what I mean.

I just picked up a 64oz jug of TurtleWax's ICE brand carwash soap. It says it's safe for all finishes, won't leave swirl marks, beads the water to help it from drying on the car, and leaves an icy clean finish. I couldn't find 'bucketless' soap, but using a bucket will be a humbling experience with my Riv.



Is that stuff good, btw? I already bought it, so whatever.

IBx1 wrote:

Nah, I don't have the chrome wheels, but I read what you said earlier about the BlueMagic, so I was confused when you suggested it here.

I wish I had the 12 spoke chromes, but I noticed that after cleaning the alloys they have a faint bluish hue which matches my car. Not a reflection, just that steel blue glow. You know what I mean.

Weird, I just washed the wifes 99 Riv and the wheels have a faint hue to them that matches the pearl color of the paint. I had noticed it before but though nothing of it...

I thought maybe it was overspray.

That wash concentrate you bought should be fine.

Bert

IIan thats the stuff my dad uses, im more of a meguiars NXT fan but to each there own

palermocorey90 wrote:

IIan thats the stuff my dad uses, im more of a meguiars NXT fan but to each there own

nu finish scratch remover OWNS all...................... and meguirs wax...... all day

I was gonna buy Meguiar's Gold Class but it didn't say it was safe for all finishes on the jug anywhere, while the ICE said it was safe, and helped in other areas.

home depot sells a RYOBI buffer for $25.00 bucks. why dont you liquid compound your car after washing,to get all the fine swirls out? im doing it as soon as i get the time. i am now a fan of MEGUIRS GOLD CLASS carnuba wax. super stuff! not cheap but worth it!

for $25 i'm guessing it is not a random orbital. buffing is not easy and doing it wrong WILL mess up the paint.
a good cleaning, claying, and waxing can look just as good unless the paint is really oxidized.
do not go out and buy a buffer if this is your first car. i work at a detail shop and i dont even buff my car...ever!

I let a professional detailer buff my paint one time an another car of mine. burnt right through to the primer. Never again.

AA wrote:

I let a professional detailer buff my paint one time an another car of mine. burnt right through to the primer. Never again.

technically i am a professional detailer, but i never use the buffer at work. i wouldnt even ffel comfotable buffing someone elses car b/c i know i dont have the skills. i do however spot treat areas with compound an a pad, but i do it by hand.
out of the 50+ people at our shop there are only 2 or 3 of them capable buffing, and they have been doing it for 10+ years.
good thing is all new cars have a clear coat so the need to buff is very rare.

no,its a random orbital with very slow revs. it does not have alot of power,so chances of getting under the clear coat are slim to none. when buffing one must use a light hand,and start out with 1500 or higher. i start out by giving her a thorough wash,then i follow it up by doing one panel at a time. i first spritz down the panel with water,then i apply the 1500 liquid compound,just a little,i work very lightly going over the entire panel staying away from the edges. i follow up with 2000 or higher compound. afterwards i rinse completly,then i wax her up. liquid compound can only be done a couple times. just enough to remove 1500 or higher,swirl marks . the kind you get from the car wash (every body is guilty of that one). thereafter only hand washing is recomened and regular waxing. allways carry a california duster with you and remove all dust daily or it will work its way into the wax. buffing your car can really make the finish pop! but once the finish is smooth to the touch ,you should not have to buff again. if you do ,stay away from the edges.only if you have swirl marks should this be done. if you dont then youre cool. but if the marks are there,removing them will make all the difference in the finish!

I wax my car twice a year with Zymol. I only hand polish. In the spring, my first detail is with a clay bar. Not a trace of peeling paint yet, and the car really shines, imo.