Ask a professional detailer...

Originally Posted by fisher_330ci

Greg,

I had a Mtech II bumper painted last week. They painted it Monday, I was able to pick it up Tuesday. How long do I need to wait to apply Menzerna Power Lock Sealant. The guy at the paint shop told me they wait two weeks to apply a clear sealant. I think he was talking about the "lifetime" dealer stuff they charge you ten grand for. Do I need to wait this long to put the Menzerna on there? I want to get it protected as soon as I can.

You can usually wash and polish fresh paint (not baked dry) within a few days, however you should not protect it usually for 30 - 90 days because it must fully cure. If you seal it to quick you can trap in gasses that need to evaporate. If they baked it dry you can seal it usually within a few days but the body shop should know best. I know you want to protect it but trust me waiting is critical too.

Greg @ DI

What's the best product to get rid of a light smoke smell?

Hi! I just discovered this thread, great thread!

I have a 2001 330ci with the original Titanium silver I've owned since new. I've never polished it. Just clay bar and Meguiars carnuba wax about once a year. Less in recent years. It's always garaged at night. Until recently, I had to park it outside at work.

The paint still looks new and is very shiny. Though this past weekend I noticed it could use a polish to bring it back to factory fresh.

I have a Meguiars Porter Cable G100 dual polisher from the late 1990's or early 2000 I'd like some advise from you guys since I'm behind the times a bit. I still have the polishing pad from back then for the PC polisher. But I see from a quick view of this section of the forum that Meguiars has newer pads and compounds. I used the number 9 and number 7 polish with great results on my older black car. I like Meguiars products and have always had good results.

I saw something about a new product called 205. So what I am interested in learning more about the 205 and the new pads I can use with my PC polisher. I don't need to use anything very strong. The paint has no scratches. The gloss is good, not dull, but if I put some wax on, it does improve the gloss a little. So I am looking for a very fine polish. But maybe you guys, or Greg, could recommend what I can start with. I'm conservative, I like to go with the lightest polish first and go stronger if needed. Then finish with #26 Carnuba wax. Perhaps there are newer Mequiars waxes to try.

The only defect I can't fix yet is a tree dropping on the hood. Very small dull spot I cant remove by hand buffing. So maybe the polish can help that. I tried alcohol and bug and sap remover.

I look forward to your insights! Thanks. Nelson

Hi, I was hoping there might be some feedback of my post above. Was the post too vague or not clear? I know it might have sounded that way. I'm looking for insights for appropriate new pads I could use with the Porter Cable G100 i have. I see there are all new systems with backing plates and removable pads.

I like Meguiars, but I'm open to learning new things for a fine polish just to get the gloss level from it's current very good shape with no swirls to look brand new.

Thanks! Nelson

@sun3301: http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ction-Polisher

is it better to apply a sealant with a dual action than hand application ?

Originally Posted by e46hellrot

is it better to apply a sealant with a dual action than hand application ?

Hand application has always worked for me.

how do i get dried on wax off my car, iv washed it multiple time and regular stuff doesnt work. should i try a degreaser or cleaner wax?

I'm going to post this here as well, even though I've got a thread about it: Looking for a solution for mysterious stains on leather seats

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=879143

if any of you pros have some advice I'd reallllly appreciate it

Originally Posted by vinnybones

how do i get dried on wax off my car, iv washed it multiple time and regular stuff doesnt work. should i try a degreaser or cleaner wax?

Degreaser or clay bar should work. If that doesn't work, you can try a light polish or cleaner wax.

Hi
I have water spots on my glass surfaces. They are faint but visible. There is nothing you can feel with you finger. I have used a clay bar, a Griots glass polish, and an electric machine to polish the glass. Nothing seems to remove the ghost image from the glass.

A search of the internet has turned up some suggestions but I am too cautious about my paint to put a harsh chemical on the glass and then rinse it off.

Suggestions?

I have a few questions, should be easy questions to answer:

• How do you remove old waxes before a detail? I've read that Dawn dish soap works pretty well, and I've used it before with no ill effects
• I have a certain 'cloudiness' in my hood & roof, I've been told it could be old wax that wasn't remove before paint correction. How do I remove that?
• I have LIGHT buffing trails that I noticed only 2 weeks ago in DIRECT sunlight...and I'm a clean freak for my car. How do I get those out without adding more?
  - (note) I've taken a white pad w/ M205 I think and I THINK I removed it off of the rear drivers side bottom pannel below the black trim
• I have very minor swirls, what is a recommended pad & polish recommendation? I have a variety of pads for my PC, and M105 & M205

Thanks in advance for any help!

I've got a quick question...

What's the best cure for a sticky button? My little brother thought it would be a great idea to leave a monsterous Sprite on my sunroof and I opened it... The drink fell through and filled up my shift boot with pop and got my DSC button as well as a few other buttons. Is there a good way to get rid of the "sticky" button?

Thank you guys for your patience and sending in the questions. I bought a house last month and between the nightmare of dealing with the banks, closing, packing, moving (in an October snow storm), cleaning, painting, etc. I haven't been around to provide more timely assistance but I'm back now and I'll be checking the forum every couple of days minimum and as always you can e-mail (see signature) us for the fastest response (usually within 12hrs). I know it may be a bit too late for some of these but I'll get in to answering your questions now!

Greg @ DI

Originally Posted by SaY

What's the best product to get rid of a light smoke smell?

Removing the smell and residue from a smoker can be challenging but it's definitely possible. First off you have to plan on cleaning virtually everything and doing it right the first time. Give a quick vacuum picking up the most obvious and heavy debris. Wiping down all the interior pieces with the 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover will remove smoke residue that has built up everywhere in the car no matter how hard it is to see. It's a great formula that is very gentle and easy to work with. Take your time and do every section of the dashboard, console, trim, doors, arm rest, etc. working the product and towel into every crevice, corner, etc. Now remove the mats and spray down the mats and the carpets with the 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover and agitate them with a medium to firm bristle brush. The brush is critical here because you need to get in between the fibers, so work it in multiple different directions. If you are getting a lot of debris up work it in one direction to be vacuumed up. If you have fabric seats repeat the process there working top down. If you have leather seats clean them as well, we recommend the Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil and Prestine Clean. Don't forget to thoroughly clean the glass, I generally like the Stoner Invisible Glass or the Chemical Guys Window Clean. Use at least 2 - 4 microfiber towels (DI Microfiber All Purpose Towel) for a thorough job. I generally clean with one towel and just buff off any residue with a separate clean towel. If they are streaking replace the towels with fresh ones for best results. Now I start spraying the Chemical Guys Sofast Odor Eater on the carpets and wiping down the interior with it. It helps kill any remaining bacteria that can cause the bad smell. It has a pleasant smell that it leaves behind for a couple of days as well. Lastly I use the Einszett Klima Cleaner AC Odor Remover to remove odors trapped in the AC filter and vents. Simply spray it in the vents and the formula penetrates the entire system leaving it odor free. Many people will skip this step and the first time you turn on the AC you get that smoke smell again. It's well worth doing as it really makes a difference and it's the perfect finishing touch.

Greg @ DI

Originally Posted by sun3301

Hi! I just discovered this thread, great thread!

I have a 2001 330ci with the original Titanium silver I've owned since new. I've never polished it. Just clay bar and Meguiars carnuba wax about once a year. Less in recent years. It's always garaged at night. Until recently, I had to park it outside at work.

The paint still looks new and is very shiny. Though this past weekend I noticed it could use a polish to bring it back to factory fresh.

I have a Meguiars Porter Cable G100 dual polisher from the late 1990's or early 2000 I'd like some advise from you guys since I'm behind the times a bit. I still have the polishing pad from back then for the PC polisher. But I see from a quick view of this section of the forum that Meguiars has newer pads and compounds. I used the number 9 and number 7 polish with great results on my older black car. I like Meguiars products and have always had good results.

I saw something about a new product called 205. So what I am interested in learning more about the 205 and the new pads I can use with my PC polisher. I don't need to use anything very strong. The paint has no scratches. The gloss is good, not dull, but if I put some wax on, it does improve the gloss a little. So I am looking for a very fine polish. But maybe you guys, or Greg, could recommend what I can start with. I'm conservative, I like to go with the lightest polish first and go stronger if needed. Then finish with #26 Carnuba wax. Perhaps there are newer Mequiars waxes to try.

The only defect I can't fix yet is a tree dropping on the hood. Very small dull spot I cant remove by hand buffing. So maybe the polish can help that. I tried alcohol and bug and sap remover.

I look forward to your insights! Thanks. Nelson

Nelson,

Thank you for the e-mail I'd be happy to help. It sounds like you have a lot of the basics and just need a few items to fill in the gaps. Washing and drying is where most swirls come from so please make sure you have good products and techniques here. Check out our detailing guide if you need some directions and if you need any product recommendations just let me know.

Next use the clay bar as you have done in the past just make sure the bar is clean and you have a good clay lube to pair it with.

Your buffer should still be fine to use with some new pads, I assume you have a hook and loop (aka Velcro) backing plate. After that I'd recommend a good set of polishes like the Meguiar's Ultra-Cut Compound M105 and the Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish M205. I use the M105 first as it's a stronger polish with about two orange pads (switch them midway through the detail) and follow up with the M205 and two white pads. This should remove the majority of swirls, oxidation and light surface imperfections that detract from the shine. The surface will feel smoother and be much more vibrant.

Now apply a sealant or wax for protection. The product you referenced is good but I think you would enjoy the results of the Blackfire Wet Diamond with Polycharger as it has a lot more gloss and very strong protection. This can be applied by hand with a clean foam applicator or a blue pad.

I hand remove all of these products with about 6x - 12x DI Microfiber All Purpose Towel. These towels are paint safe and highly effective at grabbing the left over product.

If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Greg @ DI

Originally Posted by e46hellrot

is it better to apply a sealant with a dual action than hand application ?

Polishes need a lot of pressure and multiple passes for best results so a buffer is distinctly better. However sealants and waxes just need to be spread nice and thin from a soft applicator. Therefore both a buffer and hand applications work just fine as long as the pad is clean. A hand application gets in the corners better but a buffer can work a bit faster and spread the sealant more uniformly and thoroughly. I personally use a buffer with a blue pad but there truly is no one right answer.

Greg @ DI

Originally Posted by vinnybones

how do i get dried on wax off my car, iv washed it multiple time and regular stuff doesnt work. should i try a degreaser or cleaner wax?

Try using a stronger degreaser and if that doesn't work a clay bar should help as well. If that doesn't work post up some pics and I'll provide some further advice.

Greg @ Di

Originally Posted by dishwab

I'm going to post this here as well, even though I've got a thread about it: Looking for a solution for mysterious stains on leather seats

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=879143

if any of you pros have some advice I'd reallllly appreciate it

I honestly don't know what that is, seems a bit bizarre because of it's location. The seams almost look like they are bleeding through somehow. Did you ever have any leather repair work, accidentally leave a sunroof open, wear a brand new shirt or jacket around the time they appeared, used a leather care product on it? In any case I'm not honestly 100% sure what to do, you may want to contact www.leatherique.com directly and seek out there expert opinion. Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Greg @ DI

Originally Posted by mousemaster

Hi
I have water spots on my glass surfaces. They are faint but visible. There is nothing you can feel with you finger. I have used a clay bar, a Griots glass polish, and an electric machine to polish the glass. Nothing seems to remove the ghost image from the glass.

A search of the internet has turned up some suggestions but I am too cautious about my paint to put a harsh chemical on the glass and then rinse it off.

Suggestions?

The Glass Science Glass Scrub is a great product that I use to remove watermarks. Pick up a clean yellow foam applicator, soak it in water and buff it on with medium pressure to wet glass and rinse thoroughly when you are done.

Greg @ DI