detail pros

Ok guys i have a new black truck and i been on top of it every day which i knew i signed up for it before i bought the truck it dont bother me i love it. But i went to this professional detail guy that seemed to know alot of good info for criss sakes he had nothing but expensive car in his shop. And apparently i do it all wrong I do use the meguiars gold wash and double bucket setup which he said is fine. But i also use those drying chamoys that your suppose to keep moist come to find out those are the worst. And i been using a quick detailer come to find out is bad along with the dusters which i been doing everyday once i get home. He said eather wash it are dont and never buy anything from the local parts store. He said to buy meguiars pro grade productss they are key and not to costly. Finally for bird droppings remove asap with a spray wax due to birds having those little rocks in there stomachs and just dab it never wipe. But i want to wipe down my truck everyday any suggestions on a product are do i just wash it.

Onr

I've had good results with this if the truck isn't really dirty:
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine 128 oz.

As an owner of two black vehicles...welcome to your new job. I'm the same way you are about wanting to touch and clean them daily, however I learned the hard way not too. Your detailed is correct, a duster and detail spray is not good to use daily. The big thing is that unless you are washing it daily also, you'll be putting in swirls and scratches. The dusters leave swirls easily since there is no lubrication to pull dirt or dust from the paint. The detail spray daily also will swirl since it really isn't meant to wash/clean the vehicle but to add shine or mini layer of wax. As for drying, microfiber towels are the safest easiest things to use. Drying towels for washing can be waffle weave since you're using them with lubrication (water, and better yet use some detail spray while drying). Buy quality towels though, get them from Adam's or The Rag Company. The guy is right, most stuff from auto stores are junk and not worth the money. The #1 rule to keeping black paint looking good...touch it as little as possible, and when you do, be sure there is some type of lubrication. I just wrapped my truck since I hated seeing swirls in it and there's only so much clear coat you can compound and polish. One thing that will help is to have a liquid paint sealant or ceramic coating put on...won't totally clear you of swirls and scratches, butit will greatly help.

PS if you really want to clean it daily if it's not too dirty, use a waterless wash. Not a rinseless, but waterless. However be careful that it's only dust and it's not truly dirty with stuff that can be dragged and scratch or swirl the paint.

Best thing I did to my black Chrysler 300 was coat it. If you can do it your self or with a buddy youll save a ton of money. Way easier to take care of when I did it and less chances of minor scratches from wiping it down almost every day. Black is such a beautiful color when taken care of properly and so easily noticed when dirty it's a love hate relationship lol.

Thanks guys yes i am considering a ceramic coating. My estimate was 1200 for a reg cab without paint touched up is that about right.

BlueRT said:

I've had good results with this if the truck isn't really dirty:
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine 128 oz.

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Optimum also has another variation on the No Rinse Wash & Shine. It's called No Rinse Wash & Wax. I've got both in my arsenal. Both are awesome products.

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax, no rinse car wash, rinse free car wash, optimum no rinse

Griots Garage PFM Drying towels are hands down the best drying towels I have ever used. They're expensive but damn they work so well.

IMHO--If you have any question as to whether to wash or use a detailer daily I would recommend that you wash your truck. With the 2 bucket method I think you will have less chance in scratching the surface. Anytime to touch the surface with a dry rag, towel, or even your hand, you are going to leave scratches. I agree that Opti makes some great products.
Jay

Yes i do have my washing method down but i believe i have to get a way better microfiber drying towel as stated. After using my microfiber for drying had water spots everywhere still. And whats killing me now is the bug guts do i leave them there until i wash again or will it etch the paint. Thanks for all input im just ocd and want to stay on top of my paint the right way. Never had a car with a nice paint job lol.

12vrunner said:

Yes i do have my washing method down but i believe i have to get a way better microfiber drying towel as stated. After using my microfiber for drying had water spots everywhere still. And whats killing me now is the bug guts do i leave them there until i wash again or will it etch the paint. Thanks for all input im just ocd and want to stay on top of my paint the right way. Never had a car with a nice paint job lol.

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Your water spot problem could be due to hard water or it's too hot outside to wash. Ideal wash temps is 60-70, so go for shady areas to help. You can buy filters to soften the water on Autogeek. You should also try drying by spraying detail spray while drying, that helps too. Also always dry the side with the least amount of shade or direct sunlight first. You can easily remove water spots with the claybar if you're still having issues with them. Try Adam's H2O Guard and Gloss for drying too since it is a method that uses paint sealant that is hydrophobic so you can actually use 2 small towels to dry the entire truck.

Ok sweet yes i was playing around today put some meguiars gold in my two little powerwash solvent tanks. Worked good just to do a non touch wash for everyday but the fact that you have to dry it. Now my problem is the drying process, im to scared to rub with rag i need to get some good mircofiber drying towels i think im going to get this Griots Garage PFM Drying towels. And also the no rinse and wash maybe what i need you just spray and go but the waterspots is what i need to lose. But you guys say to put detail spray while drying thats cool with me would work better then a soaked microfiber which is what im doing is soaking rag for lube before touching paint. And also inform me on some good everyuse microfibers to buy besides the drying one. And all help is appreciated

12vrunner said:

Ok sweet yes i was playing around today put some meguiars gold in my two little powerwash solvent tanks. Worked good just to do a non touch wash for everyday but the fact that you have to dry it. Now my problem is the drying process, im to scared to rub with rag i need to get some good mircofiber drying towels i think im going to get this Griots Garage PFM Drying towels. And also the no rinse and wash maybe what i need you just spray and go but the waterspots is what i need to lose. But you guys say to put detail spray while drying thats cool with me would work better then a soaked microfiber which is what im doing is soaking rag for lube before touching paint. And also inform me on some good everyuse microfibers to buy besides the drying one. And all help is appreciated

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I only buy towels from Adam's Polishes. I have their grey borderless, double soft, triple soft, glass towel, drying towel, waterless wash towel, and interior towels. All of them work great and are super safe for the paint as long as you're doing your part. It's always easy to use two towels when drying...one to get majority of water off and a second to buff and make sure it's totally dry. When doing the buffing and it's just a lil wet, that's when to use the detail spray.

ok kool ima do what you say then thanks bro. Curious though what car wash you using.

12vrunner said:

ok kool ima do what you say then thanks bro. Curious though what car wash you using.

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I only use Adam's products. I use their wash & wax, car shampoo, and waterless wash. I've used it on all my vehicles and customers (I detail part-time).

Get a quote for paint correction and sealed with c quartz. Truck can go longer with wash and not get dirty as easily. Just my 2 cents

Second the drying with detail spray idea. Learned that awhile back from a buddy that details. Light mist on your microfiber drying towel, light mist on the vehicle, and pull your towel one direction to dry. It'll come out nice and dry, and it'll also help clean the surface, and provide a layer of protection as well.

If you want to keep your black vehicle clean in between washes a good thing to have is a California Car Duster. It helps to get light surface dust and pollen off of your vehicle in between washes to help that clean finish last a little longer. Just be careful using a duster, the California Duster has a waxeous substance on the duster part that helps it pick up dust, but be sure to only use the very tips of the duster for dusting, and never push it down into your paint. Shake it out periodically as well, and be sure to dust in one direction, never swirl it around or go back and forth.

As for bug guts, those come off a helluva lot easier when your vehicle has been washed, clayed, polished, and waxed. Think of it as adding layers of protection to your vehicle's paint finish. When you have a layer of wax on there, bug guts, dirt, and particulates cannot stick as easily as they're on top of the wax, and not sticking directly to your clear coat.

Or if money isn't an object, you can go with a ceramic coating for your vehicle. Ceramic coating is awesome, but it's pricey. You have to have your paint corrected prior to it being done as it's a semi-permanent solution. It will basically make most dirt and liquids fall off of your vehicle. It's a pretty amazing product, it makes washing your car much easier and keeps your paint finishing looking nice and glossy but you have to maintain it and most detailers seem to charge about $800 or more to get it done. You might talk to Jeremy who owns Retro Shop here on the forums if you're interested in that to get an opinion from someone who has had it done. He has that done to his Scat Pack Charger, and it's awesome.

Depending on how serious you are about preventing scratches, and how deep your pockets are you might want to look into one of these to help with the drying process.
The Metro Master Blaster is Metro's most powerful blower/dryer at 8hp! Blow dry your motorcycle & your vehicle with this big blower.

Jay

Pull Ya said:

Depending on how serious you are about preventing scratches, and how deep your pockets are you might want to look into one of these to help with the drying process.
The Metro Master Blaster is Metro's most powerful blower/dryer at 8hp! Blow dry your motorcycle & your vehicle with this big blower.

Jay

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Air is always the way to go...just stinks that it comes with a $300-400 price tag haha. I have the sidekick for my mirrors, handles and other small areas and it works great. Nice to not have water dripping on the first drive or door slam.

not leaving swirls is to easy, don't do anything to the paint in a circular motion. My black GT500 and black SRT8 Challenger never ever had any swirls etc. My toys never see anything but dust and to date my rides have never been pooped on. I always take my time when detailing and any one toy can take me 6+ hours to finish. A chair with some tunes and a few cans of Coke = heaven on earth.