I have the water part covered (naturally soft rain water).

So I need to know what's next, and I'd like to keep it simple.

Current idea:

Step 1: Foam cannon

Step 2: Two bucket method with microfiber pads

Step 3: Sheeting method with water hose

Step 4: Ceramic 3 in 1 spray on wax (Griots)

Step 5: Wait for it to rain since I just washed


Any input? Would you clay bar a new truck?

I've never done a rinse less wash, so curious about that for times when the exterior is dirty, but not dirty dirty.

Quote:

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Would you clay bar a new truck?

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Some folks say to clay bar it to remove contaminants from shipping. They call it 'rail dust' but probably anything that accumulates rom being in transit.

Just did this with my new car. I did clay bar it totally. There really wasn't much on it, but its an easy step. Add it between your step 3 and 4.

Using a foam cannon and good, quality soap & microfiber are important. I've had black vehicles really go to crap using bad soap and cheap sponges.

I have a new black vehicle. I use Chemical Guys Hydro Slick "ceramic" wax. I put two coatings on in back-to-back washes back in February/March. It's worked very well. I also use CG Butter Wet Wax on occasion. My car still looks new and the bugs and grime don't stick at all.

I think it's really, really important to use good microfiber applicators, cloths, and wash mitts. I only use Chemical Guys, but recognize there are others out there that are high quality. I don't use anything that's cheap for exterior paint work. The bulk microfibers from Walmart are fine for interior detailing...not paint work.

It's been my experience that to reduce/eliminate swirls in black paint, you have to keep up with the wax. So, a good spray wax used after each wash really goes a long, long way to keeping your paint and clear coat in good condition.

My dad and I both use a Meguiar's waterless wash spray for quick cleans in between. It works well to knock off dust, bugs, and bird poop. But it doesn't go far and can be expensive to use frequently.

I didn't clay bar my new car. It didn't need it. You can kind of tell a finish that needs clay, so YMMV. I agree that running a clay bar over the surface is a simple thing to do. There are now clay rags/mitts that make the job even easier and quicker.

None of the above.

Pay a detail shop to make it perfect and get full body PPF and ceramic coat it if you like the black look. Life is too short to deal with keeping a black car clean as a daily (coming from an owner of 5 black cars) unless you're paying someone to maintain it.

I'm in the middle of wrapping one of my black cars myself bc I'm so tired of dealing with soft black paint maintenance.

dodger02 said:

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Using a foam cannon and good, quality soap & microfiber are important. I've had black vehicles really go to crap using bad soap and cheap sponges.

I have a new black vehicle. I use Chemical Guys Hydro Slick "ceramic" wax. I put two coatings on in back-to-back washes back in February/March. It's worked very well. I also use CG Butter Wet Wax on occasion. My car still looks new and the bugs and grime don't stick at all.

I think it's really, really important to use good microfiber applicators, cloths, and wash mitts. I only use Chemical Guys, but recognize there are others out there that are high quality. I don't use anything that's cheap for exterior paint work. The bulk microfibers from Walmart are fine for interior detailing...not paint work.

It's been my experience that to reduce/eliminate swirls in black paint, you have to keep up with the wax. So, a good spray wax used after each wash really goes a long, long way to keeping your paint and clear coat in good condition.

My dad and I both use a Meguiar's waterless wash spray for quick cleans in between. It works well to knock off dust, bugs, and bird poop. But it doesn't go far and can be expensive to use frequently.

I didn't clay bar my new car. It didn't need it. You can kind of tell a finish that needs clay, so YMMV. I agree that running a clay bar over the surface is a simple thing to do. There are now clay rags/mitts that make the job even easier and quicker.

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So if I am looking right you used only spray wax from chemical guys? Did you ever consider their Carnuba? Or just a time issue? I use chemical guys products on my new black car (well wife's) and want to do a good wax over the next few weeks.

No. I only use CG microfibers.

I use their slick hydro ceramic wax (it's like a blue gel) and their butter wet wax. I just picked up a can of Mothers carnauba cleaner wax and used it on my dark gray Miata. I like it a lot, too.

But I do really like the CG hydro. The butter wet is more of a glaze.

Thanks.

I may try the chemical guys carnuba and see how it performs. I use almost all their products exclusively the only one I have not loved is the tire cleaner as I like a bit of a shinier look and can't get that with the CG one no matter how many applications.

I use a Turtle Wax iron remover on the wheels and just whatever is in my foam cannon on the tires. Dress with CG's VRP(?). Their Diablo tire cleaner is garbage.

1. Clean wheels
2. Snow foam car
3. Rinse snow foam
4. Re-apply snow foam
5. Hand agitate with microfiber mitt
6. Spray Iron remover on car (don't let dry)
7. Rinse iron remover
8a. Geyon wet coat, spray and rinse - easy 3 months protection; IMO better than griots 3-1 and easier.
8b. Dry car then apply ceramic coating

Watch some Pan the Organizer on YouTube.

That is helpful.

Preferred ceramic coating product?

Do you bother with carnuba type wax ever? I remember doing my parents car with it as a kid but maybe not necessary with current products?

I don't, no. Carnauba wax is used for warm showroom glow. It's nice but the protection doesn't last.

If you live in Texas and plan to DIY, I would choose an easy to apply ceramic coating when the weather gets better. I applied Geyon MOHS EVO and
Skin. I like it a lot but should have waited to apply when it was less humid. I found I was sweating through the towel when wiping off, I would smear it. Also looking back I don't think I'd choose a 2 layer product.

I'd recommend try the Geyon Wetcoat spray on, rinse off for now and research another month or so to find what you want. It's a great product and protects well.

I can't recommend Pan the Organizer YouTube channel enough.

planoaggie123 said:

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That is helpful.

Preferred ceramic coating product?

Do you bother with carnuba type wax ever? I remember doing my parents car with it as a kid but maybe not necessary with current products?

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I used Gyeon MOHS to ceramic coat my TLX and Ethos EZPZ on my boat. They were both simple to apply and use. Much much easier than applying a wax or wax hybrid. The benefit of the EZPZ is that it has a longer flash time so you can work bigger areas at a time.

For black and darker colored cars, its important to wash it outside of direct sunlight or at twilight. Or, get a product sold at O'Reillys behind the counter (they won't have them in stock; will have to order) from Superior Products called Formula 4 Spray Wax. You'll dilute it and spray it on the car after you wash and rinse. This will buy you time on water spots.

While you're buying SP stuff at the big O, go ahead and get the car wash soap, Dirt Buster. It is a higher pH soap that will strip OLD wax (contrary to popular belief, these higher pH products won't totally remove quality synthetic waxes completely, but more on that later), but the key benefit is it cleans FAR better than the typical OTC "pH neutral" soap. All that is marketing jazz that is designed to take advantage of people's ignorance. I still use Purple Power Vehicle and Boat Wash from Walmart, a little cheaper than DB, but DB dilutes a little better. PPVBW can be used effectively as a pre-wash.

If by two-bucket, you mean clean wash mitts stay in one and used mitts are thrown in the other then yes, use that method. If you mean what most people mean by rinsing the mitt in a water bucket and then dipping it back into the soap bucket, no. You never remove enough dirt plus you dilute the soap further. There are better ways to put soap on the car including foam canons and sprayers.

Once the vehicle is clean and dry, I apply a spray wax to it. I use Meguiars Fast Finish, but that may have been discontinued. I have 6-8 cans left, so I'm good for a while. Meguiars and other OEMs have a similar product labeled quick ceramic coating. Pretty similar stuff, basically. Apply this after each wash. Its easy -- at least on a car -- and if you wash it like I suggested above, you'll be applying a great finish to a clean car. Worrying about keeping a wax on a car is beyond old school. When I still had my Maxima, it took me 7-8 minutes total to effectively apply Fast Finish. Longer now with my F150 and a full size SUV might take half an hour with the roof, but nowhere near the hours long wax job of decades ago.

Anyway, that's what I do and recommend. People always complement me on my vehicles and how clean they are inside and out. I've found so many supposedly knowledgable car folks treat their cars like its the 1980s with respect to wash/wax, except maybe for the Ceramic thing -- which they'll pay big bucks for. I've never gone the ceramic route, but pretty soon, that's all that's going to be available. But the rest of it has evolved tremendously.

OP will surely be back

Silvy said:

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OP will surely be back

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Surely

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