Lots Of General Questions

[jocigar]

my new used lx470 is coming soon and looking for advise on detailing it once I get it.

best product for black paint. I might want to machine buff it out first to remove swirl marks.

Leather cleaning, I read woolite and warm water to clean? To I use lexos conditioner or the clean/cond thereafter.

How do I clean the headliner? woolite carpet cleaner ok?

What is the best armerall type spray for the plastics and dash?

Many thanks! sorry for all the questions.

[Lexus.]

With black paint, two things : 1)LOTS of water 2)don't let anyone else touch it. I would rinse with high pressure spray for a long time, using alot of water to wash away dirt. Dont do it at home - it doesnt provide enough vol. of water to wash away dirt, you will mar your paint in no time. After wash, clean with soap-water, applying very light pressure with clean, soft sponge or cotton towel, starting from top-to-bottom, changing the sponge/cloth frequently. I would rinse it throughly with alot of water (spot free rinse at carwash if poss., home ok).

On black car, whisk away 95% water with cali water blade, dry rest with cotton/MF, being careful to wipe in one direction not circle, very light pressure. Dont do the door jams, bumpers, lower cladding togeather - use separate towels for those - tend to have alot more dirt there even after wash, you dont want to transfer those dirt to the more visible body panels.

Never take to auto car washes, never use the soap brushes, never use dusters.

If you dont have time to do it right, do it later, dont do half a$$ on black paint.

Wax: dont do anymore than you have to, only apply and buff in straight line, never in circles!

avoid using the machines.

Also, dont park next to minivans, junk cars, park far away from other cars if youre at sooper mart, or at 7-11. Also try to not drive in ghettos, and try to not parallel park, try to park at the end so one sides always covered.

Just my opinion, have owned a black car (BMW M6), still looked shiny, deep, lustrous, like black carbon or abyss of oil 10 miles deep after 10 yrs. You will not believe how easy black paint picks up micro-scratches. The kind you really cant notice easily, but accumulation of many of these is what makes black paint look tired.

Interor - love the stuff by Meguiars, smells wonderful. Be sure to apply onto cloth and wipe, dont spray on dash - it will get on glass, a !Removed! to clean! also if it sticks to clear plastic covering gaues, will not come off, leave nasty white spot. For windows, use ammoium free like Stone or Eagle 1, not windex it can ruin your dash

[SW03ES]

Black is a real pain in the neck, but its gorgeous when its cared for properly.

Lexus has most of the bases covered up there but I want to add a couple things:

1. Things you should buy (that Lexus didnt mention, he's right on) a good sheepskin or chanille wash mitt, two 5 gallon buckets.

2. The california duster isn't that bad as long as you're careful with it. I've used it for years and never scratched a car with it. Sometimes you'll get what looks like scratching, but they're actually parafin streaks that wipe off with a QD.

3. Nothing wrong with washing at home. In fact, depending on what type of wax you use the high pressure spray can spray it right off. If you keep the car waxed well, and wash weekly you usually wont encounter anything crusted on so hard that it can't be mostly sprayed off with a garden hose

4. Machine buffing. Since its black and its used it may be worth the $$ to have a good detailer machine buff the surface with a rotary to give you a good starting point. Then you can maintain it by hand or with an orbital polisher.

5. Woolite. Woolite can clean any surface inside the car, headliner, seats, dash, carpet. Just make sure not to soak the headliner or the carpeting.

6. Waxes/sealants I personally feel that carnuabas look best on black, but you have a lot of options here. Best to read around and get some ideas, look through our detailing store, read the how tos.

7. Enjoy it!

[jocigar]

GREAT STUFF GUYS !! thanks for all that info... :)

I have used a rotary buffer on my other cars in the past with a mild abrasive to remove scratches. I think it has a 3m product... microglaze?

Can't wait to get started!

The water blades scare me, I feel that it would cratch the sh__ out of the paint.

I do want that deep black look so I with try a carnuba wax as suggested. To be honest, I do not wash my cars weekly maybe monthly, especially in the winters here in the North East.

[pOLo 67]

Also check out www.autopia.org good place for detailing info. B)

[Lexus.]

dood, youre not going to scratch anything w/ the blade as long as the blades clean

[tansupplyman]

Guys--shouldn't he use a Meguiar's Clay Bar w/ Meguiar's Detail Spray first [ACCORDING to the directions].

He can rub the paint with his fingers and if it feels 'rough' then I think he should clay bar first.

[SW03ES]

I reccomend Clay Magic or Mothers clay over Meguiars but yes, he should clay.

If you're comfortable using a rotary buffer then thats great, lots of different products that should do that job, Meguiars #83 or something from the 3M line. Check out the how tos here and on Autopia (we're partnered with them) to pick whats best for you.

If you only wash monthly, then I reccomend something more durable than a carnuaba to protect the paint.

[Lextech2k3]

if you really want the absolutely right product go back you your dealer...if they are like the i'm at they will use a simonize system or some equivelant...you should see if you can't just buy what there detail guys use.

[acf]

[SW03ES]

Trust me, the dealership hardly has the be all knowledge on detailing. In fact I dont let the dealership touch my car, took me weeks to buff out all the damage they did when they detailed it before I took delivery. I've seen and heard FAR too many dealership detailing horror stories.

Thats another thing, dont EVER let the dealership wash or detail the car. When I get my car serviced I make them sign a paper stating they do not wash the vehicle.

As for Simoniz, there are much better products out there. Simoniz and Turltle Wax are in the same arena ;)

Couple things I wanted to add. Pick up some GOOD microfiber towels. You can buy them here or at www.pakshak.com get at least one waffle weave towel for drying after you swipe with the CWB.

I'm thinking maybe Blackfire or Platium paint protection for your car. Gives you a carnuaba look but a good bit of the polymer protection. Might want to look into Collinite 476 also, check out my posts on it in this forum.

[jocigar]

I am overloaded with info

- I never knew that you should apply wax in straight lines.

- Not familiar with a clay bar?

I have a parts distributor that delivers to our business so I will ask for:

microfiber cloth

Meguiars cleaner

Meguiars #83

Water blade

plexus for the instruments

what kind of soap? the wax included type or the basic stuff.

[acf]

Its basicaly a soap bar sized bar of clay that when applied with a good lube (comes with the bar or even easier use your carwash soap) will remove bonded contaminents (tar, bugs, etc.) as you rub it over them. Basically it buries those into the bar as it picks them up. Because of this, don't make the mistake I did and not cut the bar up into several non-reusable pieces. Even though the bar "absorbs" the gunk, you can still scratch your paint with it so use a new piece each time. You shouldn't have to clay more than a couple times a year depending of course on your paint's condition.

I think any name brand car wash soap is fine.

[SW03ES]

Check out the forum here and look around Autopia, read the how tos in the detailing store that will give you a good basis of HOW to do all of these things.

I'd be careful about your parts distributor giving you microfiber towels. All MF towels aren't created equal and some of lesser quality or some that have tags can scratch. I'd really spend the little bit of $$ and get them somewhere online. I KNOW that the LexusCarCare.com and Pakshak.com towels are high quality and wont scratch because I have them, there are other brands also which are highly regarded that I have not tried.

All carwash soaps are not created equal. Some are better than others, some have more lubricity, some are better at emulsifying dirt and some are harsher than others. I Use Meguiars Gold Class wash, its good and its cheap. Other good washes include Meg's #00 IZ Pearls that we sell is new and is getting rave reviews. Its supposedly a very unique wash. The washes with the wax in them are useless, stay away from them.

What do you mean by meguiars cleaner?

As for the #83 DACP its an excellent product, are you applying with a Rotary, what kind of pads on the rotary?

[jocigar]

Just picked up the truck today !! :D

They waxed it for me, but it is not up to my standards. I use a cotton strand wheel, looks like a double sided carpet... hehe ... amateur.

[loco1216]

Trust me, the dealership hardly has the be all knowledge on detailing. In fact I dont let the dealership touch my car, took me weeks to buff out all the damage they did when they detailed it before I took delivery. I've seen and heard FAR too many dealership detailing horror stories.

.

I'll pick up my es330 next saturday, should I ask then not to touch it in or outside? Can you give me any addtional advice. Mine is Crystal White. Does is make any diferrent?

Thx you

[tansupplyman]

just type 'clay bar' in Google and you will find out all you ever wanted to know about them.

[SW03ES]

Ehhhh....

I think thats probably WAY too much power for what you're looking at, and DEFINATELY too much power for applying a wax. I'd reccomend a normal ordinary yellow foam cutting pad for working the cleaner, a white polishing pad for whatever polish you're looking at using and then apply whatever wax you're using by hand.

[SW03ES]

I'll pick up my es330 next saturday, should I ask then not to touch it in or outside? Can you give me any addtional advice. Mine is Crystal White. Does is make any diferrent?

Thx you

With the white its not THAT big a deal because the pearl white will definately hide most marring and imperfections. Insides not a big deal. If you want to care for the car properly from day one I'd insist that they not detail it.

[acf]

They waxed it for me...

:o

;)

[jocigar]

sorry... one more question: what should I order from www.pakshak.com? they have terry/micro and mits. I want to get it all in one order.

[Lexus.]

micro pak ultra - mitts not needed

[Lextech2k3]

check out this site...this company is what Bently, Rolls Royce, and I personally use.

IBIZ Wax

[SW03ES]

I've never heard of IBIZ myself...I'll ask around.

Couple things make me leery. One is their Waterless Wash and Wax that states you can apply it with a buffer when the car is.....dirty. That statement alone will keep me from trying these products (impossible without scratching) but I will ask around and post the results here.

As for Pakshak I'd order at least one waffle weave for drying, and 3 of each size to start out with. The mitts are actually nice for polishing and removing wax, not so great for washing.

[SW03ES]

I did some looking around. The consensus among hobbyist/pro/concours detailers seems to be that while the IBIZ is an okay one step product, it isn't nearly as good as many of the high quality waxes out there. its more of an "Infomercial" product, you know the kind with the acid and the lasers and the fire. We all know how well those work.

I say use only at your own risk.