Also when claying each panel, feel the panel whilst doing it to ensure you have removed all the fallout/grime. And after each panel, have a look at your clay. If it looks dirty, roll it around on itself and use a clean bit on the next panel. Using a tar remover will also help increase the life of your clay.

Was also talking to a painter today about crystal wash or something along those lines. Is a special wash designed to remove all old the wax and polish. Any of the seasoned pros know anything about it or mind elaborating?

Yea I read up on folding it back into itself! I'll make sure the cars fairly clean before I use it. After this time the car should never get too bad but yea thanks for the tip of feeling the paint! I'll get some good quality before and after photos to see how it goes. Just hope my mates as good as she reckons with a polisher lol

Polishing your car or your end? Lol

Make sure she masks up your belt moulds, turret moulds and any other rubbers. Nothing worse then buff scuff on plastics on a nice clean car. For 5 minutes work, makes the job a lot nicer

http://news.carcareproducts.com.au/2012/11/20/special_summer_offers

hmm trying to remember what I have to mention to you guys?....

only thing I can remember is that depending when your due to re apply your wax, maybe after 1-3 months depending how good a product you got and what conditions your car is put through. you do not need to clay bar again.

if you have applied wax/sealant well and regular the paint will be fine.

just use detergent I think from memory and that strips all remaining sealant off. then you just need to wash carefully and re apply again.

oh

and be careful what soap you wash your car with, most will strip your sealant/wax off your car. lol

esp anything from a self serve car wash!

Edited November 21, 201213 yr by Ford Freak

Yea I'm gonna tape everything myself.

I bought the naviwax dark n I intend to reapply every 6 months but will do sooner if need be. I normally wash with either car wash (amorall or the like) or dish washing liquid if iv run out lol.

Didn't think about the wax being taken off! Yea I don't use car wash's, don't they use like a truck wash because it's more heavy duty? If I stick to just normal car wash I should be right yea?

this is only an example

read this product, it says it doesnt remove your selant. in this case wax.

http://www.waxit.com...emart&Itemid=1

from memory it needs to be ph - neutral??

maybe someone can confirm

Edited November 21, 201213 yr by Ford Freak

Don't go swissvax if you're just starting out especially as a wash. Get some Megs Gold Class car wash. It holds it's own against the others, and not an area I'd suggest spending more dollars on.

I have a paint thickness gauge (aka PTG) but in all honesty you don't need one. They're really used by pros to tell whether a cars had paint work done, and are extremely difficult to use on a factory paint job because your paint thickness varies over your car so much. Remember they measure in "microns". Again - don't spend your dollars in this area either.

As someone said before you don't need to clay after you've polished. The claying removes larger surface contaminants so you're not polishing them into your paint inducing more damage. That being said you will induce "some" marring simply by claying but that's ok because your polish will take them out. Beware of any shop that uses a one step process to wax and polish your car (one at Bowen hills Brisbane). They will damage your paint and you won't notice until the wax breaks down and you can see it. Very deceitful...

In my mind detailing is all about preparation, so don't be in a rush to get to the LSP (last stage product) stage. Also, researching what you're doing can be the best part. I'm about to do another detail on my car and I've been planning it for around 4 weeks...

Beware it's very addictive,

this is only an example

read this product, it says it doesnt remove your selant. in this case wax.

http://www.waxit.com...emart&Itemid=1

from memory it needs to be ph - neutral??

maybe someone can confirm

Sealant and wax are completely different (eg. Durability, finish appearance, application, etc).

I'd suggest using an IPA like product like CarPro Eraser to completely remove any other products and cleanse the paint.

I'd suggest that you polish every year at the most but more like every 2. Then in between use a filler or glaze about every 3-6 months to fill in any small swirl marks that appear. This will be more manageable, not to mention save your paint from premature burn-through.

I typically top (LSP) with a sealant and then top that with a wax, because I like the durability of the sealant but the look of a wax.