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Ask a professional detailer...

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#1 ·
As a new e46 sponsor specializing in automotive detailing supplies, I thought I would open a thread for people to ask their questions about exterior and interior care of their vehicles. There is so much information out there regarding automotive detailing and we've been in the business for years. I have used a majority of products available on the market and have hand selected the products I stand by for our shop, www.detailedimage.com .

Don't be afraid to post up any questions that you have no matter how simple or complex it is. I'll do my best to give you a timely answer.

Here are a few samples of the work we do at Detailed Image. Once again, please don't hesitate to ask ANY question!



Before:


After:


Great Before and After Pics:
(notice the house faintly thru the swirls and hazing?)




If you'd like to see some more pictures just say the word. We look forward to becoming active members in the e46 community!

Sincerely,

George & Greg
Detailed Image - Owners
www.detailedimage.com
518.429.8435
 
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#1,188 ·
The differences between all these different steps is quite different. There is so much I would have to type here to explain that, that I think you would get a lot more from our site. I highly recommend you read our "How To" page that explains each step in this process and gives you a step by step guide. There is pictures there along with product recommendations to give you all the necessary info. If you have any questions after reading that I'd be happy to answer them for you.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,190 ·
Excellent we're glad to hear the information on our How To page really helped. We have worked hard to provide valuable resources for our readers and customers.

As for the pads I really like foam pads from Lake Country Mfg. These are used very commonly on the Porter Cable 7424. If you want to remove swirls we have a more aggressive pad or if you want to apply a wax there is a nice soft pad, etc. These pads are particularly important for polishing to attain maximum results. In the How To section we explain what pads we recommend for each step, if you need more specefic advice, please let me know. Generic buffers typically use terry cloth bonnets that have several downsides. Terry Cloth can be too harsh for the clear coat and leave micro fine scratches in it. While doing the detail you often don’t notice these marks because the wax is covering them right away. However after detailing for years I’ve come to notice that terry cloths can harm the finish, especially as the bonnet becomes contaminated. Terry cloth is also very thin which can’t absorb contaminates that separate from clear coat during buffing. These contaminates can grind into the clear coat, where as foam pads can absorb contaminates into its 1inch thick pad. The foam pads are durable and can easily be cleaned so you get plenty of uses out of them.

Hope this information helped, sorry if it got a little off the topic. Let me know if you have other questions.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,195 ·
Naz24 said:
mine came with terry cloth, and wool, would the wool be a problem?
Wool is the most cutting material of them all. You would only use that on a medium to heavy cutting polish. Otherwise you may run into marring the finish by using too aggressive of a pad with a less aggressive product.



You can certainly top the cleaner wax with the P21s Concours Carnauba Wax. Just keep in mind, next time you use the Zymol Cleaner Wax you will strip off any protection and will need to reapply the wax.

Let me know if you guys have any other questions.

Sincerely,

George @ Detailed Image
 
#1,194 ·
If my leather is in very very good condition what can you recommend besides the leatherique products (it seems this is more for damaged leather)?
Prestine Clean, from Leatherique, is more of a maintenance product, the Rejuvenator Oil is more for restoring older leather. Lexol Leather Conditioner is a less expensive alternative that will give you great results in preserving your leather.

Let me know if you want me to go more in depth with any of the products.

Sincerely,

George @ Detailed Image
 
#1,196 ·
I'm still rather new at this, peicing two and two together and trying to make sense of some of your bundle packages available.

I don't know if this has been asked ->

If I use Poorboys swirl remover 1.0, is the Professional Polish needed?

If I use Poorboys swirl remover 1.0 and/or Professional Polish, will Klasse AIO on top strip off the swirl remover? Or do you recommend a Glaze (Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze) instead?

I plan on topping either off with some layers of Klasse Sealant. On top of that, that Natty Blue Paste Wax looks to be great since its a dark color (no white dots on my bumper/hood from chips). Is the Poorboys p21s a dark color as well?

I don't need a medium or heavy cutting polish, my paint doesn't have any extreme swirls or any that can be felt by the finger nails. Will Klasse AIO+sealant+Natty Blue Paste Wax be ok instead?

I have my own buffer, but its a single speed.
 
#1,197 ·
If I use Poorboys swirl remover 1.0, is the Professional Polish needed?
Not really, it would be one or the other. SSR 1 has minor abrasives in it to remove light surface imperfections while Pro Polish is a chemical polish and is a non-abrasive formula. Pro Polish would brighten the paint however would not remove imperfections unless used along with a buffer.

If I use Poorboys swirl remover 1.0 and/or Professional Polish, will Klasse AIO on top strip off the swirl remover?
True polishes do not leave anything behind, when you wipe off the SSR 1, all you are looking at is the clear coat. AIO would have nothing to strip off it would provide a base for the sealant you'd put on next.

Or do you recommend a Glaze (Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze) instead?
Depends what you are really going for. If you plan on Klasse AIO don't bother with a glaze. If you don't need to do the AIO step, which can be redundant when you polish with the SSR 1 and then plan on doing a true sealant on top, then a glaze in between would be a good option.

I plan on topping either off with some layers of Klasse Sealant. On top of that, that Natty Blue Paste Wax looks to be great since its a dark color (no white dots on my bumper/hood from chips). Is the Poorboys p21s a dark color as well?
Great combo, just be prepared to put a little elbow grease in removing the Klasse Sealant. It can be a PITA at times to remove. Natty's blue is an excellent option as well as P21s. The major benefit of P21s is it will not stain trim as you apply it.

I have my own buffer, but its a single speed.
Just make sure you are using quality pads to apply and remove by hand with a microfiber towel.

If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

George @ Detailed Image
 
#1,199 · (Edited)
Its really not too effective because its not designed to be a swirl remover. This is a chemical polish that leaves a layer of acrylic protection behind. This means that it will chemically polish the surface (seperate contaminates from clear coat0 and the sealant left behind protects the surface. To effectively remove swirls you really need a cutting polish, which basically means that you need tiny micro abrasives to smooth out the clear coat again. We highly recommend the Menzerna Intensive Polish and Final Polish II with a Porter Cable 7424. If your doing it by hand the Poorboy's World SSR2.5 and SSR1.0 work great and can be used with a buffer as well. If you would like more information about these products and the buffer please let me know. For polishing especailly we recommend the PC 7424 because it provides more consistent heat and pressure, which ultimately gives you better results, using less time and energy. Look forward to hearing from you.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,200 ·
I have some bad waterspots, it rained just recently and wasnt around to wash it after. now i have an amazing amount of waterspots on my car that almost seem baked in. what would you suggest to remove the spots? i took pictures but you cant see too well the amount of spots or to the degree of how bad it is. The only way i can describe all the marks are like " ghosts of the water drops"
There is also some light scratches on my car from lovely people in my area they arent too deep it seems.

waterspots
you can see in this picture that the waterspots didnt show up in the pic, but you can see how the reflection of the tree is distorted - it almost looks blurry,swirly and a bit bumpy. the white dots all over the car is ash, there is a fire pretty close at the moment.

another shot

one of the scratches on the side of my car

thanks for your time
- Dgtl
 
#1,202 ·
Watermarks are caused by mineral deposits in water that etch into the clear coat when the clear coat gets warm (mainly from the sun). Water from sprinklers (or hoses) is the biggest cause of this and the paint only needs a little bit of time in the sun to warm up enough for damage to occur. Rain can cause watermarks too but is less likely because it’s often cloudy when it rains. However if you get a quick sunshine after it rains or you have high levels of acid rain it can happen as well.

Since the watermarks are actually etched into the clear coat it requires a cutting polish. Unless the marks are extremely faint they generally requires a minimum of two coats of polish. Initially we recommend using a medium abrasive polish followed by a light abrasive polish. The first polish is a medium cutting polish that will remove an ultra fine layer of clear coat where the watermarks have etched themselves into. This will also help remove imperfections such as oxidation, fine swirls and light scratches. A medium cutting polish can leave a slight haze behind so we always recommend using a lighter cutting polish after, also known as a finishing polish. These polishes use extremely fine abrasives that will eliminate any haze and make sure the surface is nice and glossy. This two-step process will allow more light to pass through the clear coat so you get a deep reflection from your paint. These steps may sound a little intimidating but it’s really very easy to do and yields some pretty amazing results. Here are the products we recommend you use to permanently remove the watermarks.

By Hand (Recommended Lake Country Hand Applicator Kit)
Poorboy’s World SSR 2.5
Poorboy’s World SSR 1.0


Using a Buffer (Recommend Porter Cable 7424)
Poorboy’s World SSR 2.5orange cutting pad
Poorboy’s World SSR 1.0white polishing pad
or
Menzerna Intensive Polish - orange cutting pad
Menzerna Final Polish IIwhite polishing pad

To prevent watermarks and other imperfections from happening (aside from the obvious of avoiding places with sprinklers, parking inside, etc.) is to layer sealants on your clear coat. Sealants are like waxes but more durable and protect your paint better. Is this method fool proof? Certainly not, but its better than waxing or doing nothing. Additionally if you clay and polish the surface it will be smoother which has two main benefits: 1.) A smoother surface will help moisture roll off easier and form finer beads 2.) The sealant will adhere to the clear coat better. I also personally like to apply at least two coats of sealant to my vehicles for extra strong protection and shine.

In summary I would get the Porter Cable 7424 if you don't already have it and either one of those two step polishes. The PC 7424 is an amazing tool that is super easy and safe to use. If you want more information about how to best use the PC 7424 please read our "How To" section or ask me for some more information. Hope this all helped and we look forward to hearing from you.

I took your steps to polish my car.
1. Menzerna polish II
2. Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze
3. FMJ
I then used Pinnacle Wax
Now that I've done this, can I use any final detail spray such as Meguilars or Zaino?
Thank you for all the great information.
Yes you can use those products. The zaino ones tend to work best with zaino products from what users tell me. You can also just wash and add another quick coat of Pinnacle to the surface. My favorite quick detailer is the Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield that tends to bond well to the surface. Its basically like a liquid fine version of the FMJ that adds a lot more "pop" to the paint.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,203 ·
WOW. I knew Detailing was a long process but i never thought it'd get this complex with clays, polishes sealants whatever. Im the kind of guy who washes, dries and spray details and thats it, done, but have never done such complex detailing like this and to be honest, i dont have the time to be doing all of this. Do all these steps have to be done right afte the other? I guess a job like this will take a good day right? Is there car spa's? Can you get this done with someone else? How much would a detailing job like this cost? The full package?
 
#1,204 ·
The whole process can take up the better part of the day but IMO its so worth it when the paint looks stunning again. However if you just wash/dry, use the SSR 2.5 and SSR 1.0 and seal the paint you should be able to do that very thoroughly in less than 5 hours. Its really rather easy and its fun to learn how to take care of these problems as they occur. The maintenance would just be wash/dry and seal the paint which takes me about 1.5 hours. If you just want a spray on product the Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield is great. Its basically a liquid fine version of the durable Menzerna FMJ. It adds a nice shine to the paint and protection as well.

There are places that can do this kind of detail work for you however the price and most importantly the quality vary tremendously. For wash/dry, two coats of polish and a coat of sealant you can expect to pay anywhere from $100 - $350+. If the offer is $100 its most likely too good to be true, I would expect to pay somewhere in the middle.

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
#1,207 ·
61 pages of reading..wao...spent like 3 hours reading all that..

I have a Titanium Silver Sedan...just repainted...wat's my options?

Was thinking like
1. Clay - Any offers?
2. Paint Cleaner - Still have some Meguiars Paint Cleaner. Is this ok?
3. Klasse AIO - Any offers?
4. Carnauba - Still have some Meguiars Carnauba Wax. Is this ok?

Are these steps good?
 
#1,210 ·
For clay bar I like the ClearKote Kit we have available w/ the 200g bar and Quick Shine Clay Lube.

You certainly can finish up using the Meg's stuff you have already. To be honest, Klasse AIO is a Paint Cleaner w/ Protection so there is no point in doing both the Meg's Paint Cleaner and the Klasse AIO. Klasse will leave behind a layer of protection that will last 3 - 4 months and without knowing about the Meg's one you have I can't give you any feedback on that.

I'd suggest finishing up what you have and when you are ready upgrade to some better products to further enhance your detail.

I received my PC from Detailed Image yesterday. Thanks Greg and George for your service and quick response to my messages.

This is really a lot of work, and I can appreciate what an experienced detailer might charge for swirl removal, glaze, and sealant. It would have been impossible without the PC.

My question is how long should I wait between FMJ coats? Can I just begin again as soon as I have finished a coat? I see you recommend a couple of coats, or should I consider three coats, maybe? (This is the easy part, the swirl removal is what really takes time.)

Do you recommend carnuba or other "wax" after the sealant, or is it good to go? The car looks great already, with one coat of sealant.
Thanks for the positive feedback. If you are trying to apply multiple coats of FMJ I would suggest waiting at least 12 - 24 hrs between coats for the 2nd coat to bond properly. Same goes for the 3rd.

Adding a wax over FMJ can add additional depth and gloss and give it a warmer glow rather than a reflective mirror look from FMJ. It really is preference as far as what you like best. I personally like the look of a natural carnauba wax but that is my own personal preference.

Glad to hear you got good results. Let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.

Sincerely,

George @ Detailed Image
 
#1,209 ·
Now I know what a good detail is worth!

I received my PC from Detailed Image yesterday. Thanks Greg and George for your service and quick response to my messages.

This is really a lot of work, and I can appreciate what an experienced detailer might charge for swirl removal, glaze, and sealant. It would have been impossible without the PC.

My question is how long should I wait between FMJ coats? Can I just begin again as soon as I have finished a coat? I see you recommend a couple of coats, or should I consider three coats, maybe? (This is the easy part, the swirl removal is what really takes time.)

Do you recommend carnuba or other "wax" after the sealant, or is it good to go? The car looks great already, with one coat of sealant.
 
#1,212 ·
Over looked that... thanks...

Beem...

You can wash and dry, claybar, polish and glaze. Call the place who did the work to find out how long it takes to for the paint to cure. Typically you'll have to wait 90 - 120 days. Do not seal or wax your car until the paint has properly cured.

George @ Detailed Image
 
#1,214 ·
Greg,

Super quick question I need a quick reply to..

I puchased my car about 6 weeks ago and since owning it have done this, in this order at different intervals:

Zymol Carbon
Zymol cleaner wax
Poorboy's Sealant (1st time)
Poorboy's Wax (the bubblegum stuff we got from you)
Poorboy's Sealant (2nd time)

The last two I did back to back, the evening I did the wax then the morning I did the sealant. That was about 2 weeks ago.

NOW, my wedding is this saturday and we're driving off into the sunset in my 330i and I want it to sparkle. I don't have a lot of money and I have no time to order any special products.

My question is of the four choices I have which should I use to get the best shine before the wedding. I DO have time to do one coat of something tonight and one coat of something tomorrow morning. The poorboys wax then the sealant you think? Or the zymol carbon? Just the sealant and nevermind the wax? How much is too much?

Also, because rehersal dinner is friday night I can't do any waxing/cleaning that night, I need a quick spit shine sunday morning (cause Baltimore drops a lot of soot on my car even just sitting around). My brother and I were going to give it a once over with zymol detailer.

Thanks!

P.S. That poorboy's wax was harder to get off than I expected. Also, while I was waxing I watched a fly land on the hazed wax, take off and die almost immediately. NOW THAT'S STRONG STUFF! LOL

THANKS!
 
#1,216 ·
For a deeper shine I would just add more coats of the wax and nothing else. This won't last for months but it will look stunning for after the wedding. When I use the Poorboy's Wax I try to make sure that I apply it nice and thin (by lightly working the pad in a circle in the jar). I also remove it after I complete 1 - 3 panels. Then use the quick detailer you mentioned to clean it up on Sunday and it should be fantastic.

Congratulations on the wedding!

Greg @ Detailed Image
 
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