Car polishing kits? Update first post with pics of finished job.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Car polishing kits? Update first post with pics of finished job.

Posted: 8/3/2005 8:43:12 AM EDT

OK. I did the rest of the job today at work since it wasnt busy. Last night I washed and clayed the car and then it rained so I had toy re-wash it today and clay off some more water spots.

I bought a 10" orbital buffer at China Mart for $20 and some McGuires polish/glaze and wax. The whole polish/wax job took me about four hours and I poured sweat the whole time even though I was in the shade and had the buffer doing most of the work.
The hardest part was the polishing because you can let it dry and I removed the residue by hand with terry towels. I worked in small patches and saw an immediate difference each time I removed the polish. It looked pretty good after just the polish.
The waxing was much easier. I applied it with the buffer, let it dry then did an initial light wipe with terry towels to get most of the wax off so the buffing pad wouldnt load up. Then I buffed the wax with a terry buffing pad.

Here's some pics:

If you look close here, that's a reflection out the hangar door behind me. The detail in the reflection is amazing in the hi-rez pic, but may not be obvious in this pic. The treeline is about three hundred yards behind me.

Overall, I'm very impressed with the McGuires products I used but it does take a lot of hard work even with a buffer. I have at least eight hours into it.

Posted: 8/3/2005 1:34:55 PM EDT

[#1]

Doesnt anybody polish and wax their vehicles? I been googleing this for a while and am only a bit more informed/less confused.

McGuires? Mothers? ???

Posted: 8/3/2005 1:48:26 PM EDT

[#2]

Two words. Zaino Brothers. Best waxes, polishes, etc. you can buy.
www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

Posted: 8/3/2005 1:49:16 PM EDT

[#3]

The best IMO: Zaino

Posted: 8/3/2005 4:18:42 PM EDT

[#4]

Beat you to it

Posted: 8/3/2005 4:27:00 PM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Two words. Zaino Brothers. Best waxes, polishes, etc. you can buy.
www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc

I've heard that it is a process and a half. Is that true?

How long does it take to wax a car ( truck in my case).

I've been using Meguires NXT with good results.

Posted: 8/3/2005 4:39:02 PM EDT

[#6]

Doing a several process detail job is always a job and a half no matter what you use. You can always just do a good wash and polish job and the car will look good but to do it right it is like a days work. I am anal though. I have been known to spend a good 3-4 hours just washing and drying a vehicle. I have owned a bunch of black vehicles though. No more black for me. Except my rifles

Posted: 8/3/2005 6:51:17 PM EDT

[#7]

It doesn't take long if the weather is decent (cold or really humid = slow goings). Maybe a couple of hours.

I helped my dad put it on his black 04 Corvette. It took out all the swirls and the paint always looks wet. Super smooth to the touch too.

Yeah Yellowv by 40 seconds!

Posted: 8/3/2005 7:37:35 PM EDT

[#8]

It's pretty humid here but with that new accelerator and the right day it might be ok. Or I wait for the fall.

Posted: 8/4/2005 6:16:29 AM EDT

[#9]

Griot's garage has the stuff, with an awesome porter cable occilating polisher.

Posted: 8/4/2005 10:05:44 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
Griot's garage has the stuff, with an awesome porter cable occilating polisher.

That Zaino stuff is best applied by hand, so he says. I might try one of thos cheapy palm buffers from China Mart. I dont want to spend the dough for the PC buffer.

Posted: 8/4/2005 10:08:32 AM EDT

[#11]

I get my stuff here: AutoGeek

Posted: 8/4/2005 11:01:27 AM EDT

[#12]

If you apply Zaino with a buffer you will waste about 4 times more than you should use. A little goes a long way.

Posted: 8/4/2005 11:46:35 AM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
If you apply Zaino with a buffer you will waste about 4 times more than you should use. A little goes a long way.

+1. I always do it by hand.

Posted: 8/4/2005 5:06:15 PM EDT

[#14]

How much better is the Zaino than Mothers or Mecguirs? I'd love to use it but I'm going Mecguirs because of the humidity thing. I dont want this to be a week long process.
I washed it with Dawn to remove the wax and clayed the car tonite, save the hood, because it started to rain. Interesting thing happened, even after being washed to remove wax, after the clay job, all the rain beads up on the finish. That says smooth!

Polish tomorrow, I got an orbital buffer for 20 bucks at China Mart.

Monday I'll do the wax and post pics.

Posted: 8/4/2005 5:14:15 PM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
How much better is the Zaino than Mothers or Mecguirs? I'm going Mecguirs because of the humidity thing.
I washed it with Dawn to remove the wax and clayed the car tonite, save the hood, because it started to rain. Interesting thing happened, after being washed to remove wax, after the clay job, all the rain beads up on the finish. That says smooth!
Polish tomorrow, I got an orbital buffer for 20 bucks at China Mart.

That's tough to say. Both Mothers and Mequires are good products. Car polishing is more an art and a matter of personal preference than it is an absolute. The best product, if improperly applied, will yield results no better than the worst products. What works on dark colored cars does not necessarily work on light ones. That said, Zaino (to me) is more of a cult following than it is an absolute. I prefer Klauss and Pinnacle products and have compared my work with friends who use Zaino and found little (if any) appreciable difference. Certainly not enough to justify the cost of Zaino.....In short, to each his own....

Posted: 8/4/2005 5:23:29 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Quoted:
How much better is the Zaino than Mothers or Mecguirs? I'm going Mecguirs because of the humidity thing.
I washed it with Dawn to remove the wax and clayed the car tonite, save the hood, because it started to rain. Interesting thing happened, after being washed to remove wax, after the clay job, all the rain beads up on the finish. That says smooth!
Polish tomorrow, I got an orbital buffer for 20 bucks at China Mart.

That's tough to say. Both Mothers and Mequires are good products. Car polishing is more an art and a matter of personal preference than it is an absolute. The best product, if improperly applied, will yield results no better than the worst products. What works on dark colored cars does not necessarily work on light ones. That said, Zaino (to me) is more of a cult following than it is an absolute. I prefer Klauss and Pinnacle products and have compared my work with friends who use Zaino and found little (if any) appreciable difference. Certainly not enough to justify the cost of Zaino.....In short, to each his own....

IIRC You do this for a living right? Any tips for step #2?

I'll post a pic of the beast in a minute so you can see what I'm dealing with. One side, the nose and the tail is new paint from repairs. The driver's side is still pretty nice paint. BRB

Here's a pic:

Posted: 8/4/2005 5:38:31 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
How much better is the Zaino than Mothers or Mecguirs? I'm going Mecguirs because of the humidity thing.
I washed it with Dawn to remove the wax and clayed the car tonite, save the hood, because it started to rain. Interesting thing happened, after being washed to remove wax, after the clay job, all the rain beads up on the finish. That says smooth!
Polish tomorrow, I got an orbital buffer for 20 bucks at China Mart.

That's tough to say. Both Mothers and Mequires are good products. Car polishing is more an art and a matter of personal preference than it is an absolute. The best product, if improperly applied, will yield results no better than the worst products. What works on dark colored cars does not necessarily work on light ones. That said, Zaino (to me) is more of a cult following than it is an absolute. I prefer Klauss and Pinnacle products and have compared my work with friends who use Zaino and found little (if any) appreciable difference. Certainly not enough to justify the cost of Zaino.....In short, to each his own....

IIRC You do this for a living right? Any tips for step #2?

I'll post a pic of the beast in a minute so you can see what I'm dealing with. One side, the nose and the tail is new paint from repairs. The driver's side is still pretty nice paint. BRB

Here's a pic:

photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?sAccountUnq=12631&iGalleryUnq=2072&iImageUnq=40439

Nope. I do not do this for a living. I'm an FDNY Paramedic by trade, but I do enjoy restoring old cars and keeping my babies nice and clean.....Lets just say I'm anal retentive about keeping my cars in perfect condition. (2004 ZO6 Corvette, 1994 TT Mazda RX7, 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1, and 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback)...Go to this site and read the tutorials and the forums. Everything you need to know (and then some) is there..www.autopia.org/ I'd add to this post but I'm off to work as we speak....

EAT: Nice ride.

Posted: 8/4/2005 5:52:42 PM EDT

[#18]

Well, thank you for your service. You must have posted the link to the detailing forum that got me on this kick then.

By the way, the car is all stock except for the crap on the floor in the backseat.
'95 3.4 V6 I paid 4K for it 2 years ago with 78k on the odo. It's my third bird, I love 'em.

Posted: 8/4/2005 9:11:20 PM EDT

[#19]

I had a 99 WS.6 I sold a couple of years ago. Dumbest thing I ever did. I miss that car

Posted: 8/5/2005 6:40:00 PM EDT

[#20]

If I put more wax on will the shine get even deeper?

Posted: 8/5/2005 7:30:47 PM EDT

[#21]

Looks good.

Posted: 8/5/2005 8:49:28 PM EDT

[#22]

Looks great!

Posted: 8/6/2005 12:17:12 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
If I put more wax on will the shine get even deeper?

If you use Zaino products, then yes.

Posted: 8/6/2005 9:39:51 AM EDT

[#24]

CP..is that a couple of dents below the drivers side hood scoop or a reflection of something?
PS..that bra is gonna beat the paint of your fenders..

Posted: 8/6/2005 11:44:19 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
CP..is that a couple of dents below the drivers side hood scoop or a reflection of something?
PS..that bra is gonna beat the paint of your fenders..

Yes, two dent are on the hood, they were there when I bought it and I'm too cheep to fix 'em.
The bra Has already caused some gnorly scratches on the nose cone. I think I'll leave it off untill my next trip or the love bugs come back.

Posted: 8/6/2005 12:43:49 PM EDT

[#26]

LOL..well maybe you will luck out and someone will back into you and fix both problems. The scratches and dent. Hello insurance company.
Worked for a friend of mine...twice.

Posted: 8/6/2005 4:43:03 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
LOL..well maybe you will luck out and someone will back into you and fix both problems. The scratches and dent. Hello insurance company.
Worked for a friend of mine...twice.

Thats funny because its been hit twice...both on the right side but no hood damage? First one got the beak painted and the second got the tail painted. I need someone to hit me on the front drivers side.

Posted: 8/6/2005 6:00:54 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
Quoted:
LOL..well maybe you will luck out and someone will back into you and fix both problems. The scratches and dent. Hello insurance company.
Worked for a friend of mine...twice.

Thats funny because its been hit twice...both on the right side but no hood damage? First one got the beak painted and the second got the tail painted. I need someone to hit me on the front drivers side.

Wait till this winter. I'm sure some blue haired snow bird will accomodate you!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Car polishing kits? Update first post with pics of finished job.

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