Getting a good shine...

[95Mustang302]

Ok, so I see all these pictures of your cars, and I want to know how you get them to shine so well like they do. I've tried a lot of different wax's and techniques, and I can't get that show quality shine from my paint no matter what I do...

So if anyone has some advice for me that would be great!!! and very much appreciated!

Derek

 

[wytstang]

It all in the prep work, you can put a great wax or sealant on a car with poor prep work and it won't shine or last like it should. Here's what i do/use when I give my car a complete detail
1. wash with a quality car wash soap.
2. Claybar it if it's been 6 months since the last time.
3. Paint cleaner, I use klasse all-in-one
4. Then a wax or use a paint sealant of my choice.

 

[5.0_GT_kid]

I got that Meguries 3 step system and was very pleased with it.

But like Wytstang, it's all in the prep work. Might wanna invest in buffer as well.

 

[dstanggt50]

I think it would also depend on your cond of paint. I just wash, every once and a while will use some meguires polish (#6), and finish it with megures #26, I just bought some of that meguires tech wax stuff, gonna try it out.

 

[Mustangless]

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html

you could read some of that.

I got a porter cable polisher and meguiars #83, #80 for my car. After using that I waxed it with nxt tech wax. I could not get most of the swirls out of my car. The paint is really bad, I think its what you would call "hard" also. I should have clayed before I did all of that but I did not.

<--- You can see my car to the left, it looks pretty good there. It looks good in person except for a few scratches, as long as its not in the sun. Then it looks bad.

oh yea, you got any pics?

 

[urban96]

if you have a darker colored car definatly use some polish brings out a nice deep shine. i use the meguirs step 2 polish.



my steps...

1)meguiars NXT car wash
2)clay bar (if needed)
3)meguiars step 2 polish
4)meguiars gold class wax

 

[extremetrek]

As far as pictures go, PHOTOSHOP works nicely!!!

But, no seriously I too use the Meguiars three step along with the Meguiars quick clay and have recieved great results on both my stang and my mothers poor abandoned chevy..

 

[LoudToy958]

If you really want a deep shine, prep work and money. I use a zaino polish. Not a wax. It will outlast anything you can buy off the shelf. I have not washed my car in almost a year now. I just dust it, use the Zaino quick detailer, then apply a coat of swirl reducer once a month, and at least two coats of polish twice a month. Easy to use, and leaves a KY gel on an ice cube feel. I do show my car a lot though.

Feel free to take a look at the site in my sig. Not to put down anything the other guys use, I use a three step mothers system on my daily cars, but it does not come close to the Zaino. I just can't afford to do all my cars with it.

www.zainostore.com/

 

[94GTLaserRC]

The Claybar is :worship:
RC

 

[LoudToy958]

The Claybar is :worship:
RC

Agreed, that is the best place to start. Hold onto that thing though. It gets kinda slick.....

 

[Killercanary]

I got that Meguries 3 step system and was very pleased with it.

I too use the three step and I am VERY VERY impressed with the results. I just did my wife's MR2 Spyder with the step one paint cleaner, the step two polish (applied with an orbital polisher), and finished it off with the new NXT wax. The results were very impressive.

Her car...

My car...

 

[5.0_GT_kid]

Looking good Paul

 

[95Mustang302]

seems like everyone likes the meguiars stuff... I am wondering where to buy the three step stuff, is it in a kit?? or do you buy it all seperately, if so, what am I exactly looking for. I know the zoneless auto near us doesn't have it, but I think the checker does..

Thanks again for the advice. I just want it to look as best as it can for the summer, because the car must've been painted in parts at some time, or the paint was never taken care of, so i'm hoping to get the bodywork on the fender, and some of the little rust taken care of, and get it all painted up again this winter....

The door jambs are not in great shape, the paint is all faded... so I just want to get the car looking decent!

Thanks again!!!

 

[urban96]

pep boys, autozone, advanced auto, i think walmart carries it too i dont think they sell the 3 step as a kit but theyll have all the different steps there to buy so if you wanted something different u can mix and match

 

[95Mustang302]

sorry this is probably stupid, but is it labeled 1,2,3...

 

[WhiteHeat306]

If you really want a deep shine, prep work and money. I use a zaino polish. Not a wax. It will outlast anything you can buy off the shelf. I have not washed my car in almost a year now. I just dust it, use the Zaino quick detailer, then apply a coat of swirl reducer once a month, and at least two coats of polish twice a month. Easy to use, and leaves a KY gel on an ice cube feel. I do show my car a lot though.

Feel free to take a look at the site in my sig. Not to put down anything the other guys use, I use a three step mothers system on my daily cars, but it does not come close to the Zaino. I just can't afford to do all my cars with it.

www.zainostore.com/

Zaino is incredible.

 

[LoudToy958]

Zaino is incredible.

Yeah, just a little pricy. They just came out with an amazing super slick high shine quick detailer and a new much better swirl reducer. I got it all on order now. Better be worth it. I have yet to be dissapointed in any of their products. Still, almost $125 for the whole kit.


DIDN'T MEAN TO JACK YOUR THREAD.

You will have great results with the three step Mqs. Its good stuff. Try out a clay bar kit. You will be surprised at how well it works if you've never used it. Post the results after you finish whatever you do........

 

[super302]

sorry this is probably stupid, but is it labeled 1,2,3...

yes they are, red bottles too

 

[1slow95]

Zaino is very time consuming, but man does it shine! I havn't used it for about 8-10 months and it still shines like I just waxed it.

 

[DFG 5OH]

theres lots of stuff out there other than meg's 3 step, although its a good OTS product. For a good off the shelf combo, pick yourself up some microfiber rags. The plusher the better, and the more the better. Then pick up some meg's scratch X. It will take a while but is you scratch x the whole car its gonna remove lots of scratches and swirls, and help clean up the paint. Then do 2 coats of Meg's Color X. This stuff is the 3 step in one bottle. it works good, and 2 coats will look great. Top that off with one coat of Meg's NXT, then wait 24 hours, and top that off with meg's #26. Stand back and be amazed.

So heres the steps:

Wash: Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo
Clay: Claymagic/Mothers/Meguiars
Polish: Meguiar's Scratch X
Cleaner: Meguiars Color X
Sealant: Meguiar's NXT
Carnuabu: Meguiar's #26