detaildoc

1)Absoutely the Flex. It has better correction capabilities (which will come in handy at some point or another, trust me), it does not vibrate your hands to death as the Porter Cable and UDM do (huge factor here, after polishing a whole car with the PC or UDM, your hands will be numb and in pain for days), less annoying noise, and still fool proof. 2)acc? what do you mean? For pads I recommend the Lake Country CCS Pads or the DAS Pads. 3)For your Lexus, I recommend Sonus SFX 2 and 3. These are mild polishes that are pretty safe to use, but do the job on any Lexus because of their ultra soft paint. If you get the DAS Pads, I would start with the green pad with SFX2, if that does not work then move up to the Orange Pad, then finish off with SFX 3 and the blue pad (these two are more for increase gloss, they don't really polish) If you get the Lake Country Pad I would start with SFX 2 and the white pad, if that does not work then with the orange pad then finish with SFX 3 and the gray or blue pad. 4)For polishing that is all you will need for your Lexus Forget the G110.

There you go.

Lol ! It will only get worst, trust me.

I have not detailed yet, I have the Carnuba but not the PG+. I don't know if I want to use the combination of both or just try with the wax first. I washed it on Sunday and the paint still looks great, but the AZ sun soon will start scorching it, so I better find time to protect it! Rain hah. No excuse man, time to get yourself some sweet ONR, so you can ONR in your garage (if available). Before ONR though, I like to hose down the car at full pressure to get rid of all the dirt.

Yes, I do wax sometimes without the sealant underneath as it is a different look. Depending on the wax though, if you do wax only, you might have to do it more often as durability is less (except for waxes like Collinite #845, Clearcoat Carnauba Moose Wax, and others that last 2 -3 months). You don't have to seal every month, I just like to do it just to make the car more reflective and since UPGP is so easy to apply, it is no big deal, but 3-4 times/year is fine. You can also add a fresh coat of wax every month without adding a sealant. If you want to do wax only, you would have to strip off the UPGP by cleaning with with the Sonus Paintwork Cleanser, although I am not so confident that doing it by hand would strip off the UPGP. A great wax for black car is Pinnacle Souveran Paste. Lol! No problem. 1) No, I only add one fresh coat each month, but again, just for the fun of it, not because it needs it. 2)Yes, I have done just wax, but if I have the UPGP under it and I want to do just wax, I have to strip off the Ultima with the Sonus Paintwork Cleanser first. There are also times when I don't add a fresh coat of UPGP monthly, instead, I'll add a fresh coat of wax. 3)Definitely, it will protect, bead, and last longer than probably any wax. There are some waxes that will bead more, but this is also due to the oils in the wax. Beading is a sign of protection, but not exclusively. 4) You can probably get away with simply hosing it down with full pressure without having to do a full wash then drying it, unless of course you get a bird bomb, then after hosing it down you can hit it with the QD. I just would not do the QD if it has collected dust without hosing it down first.

I have not detailed yet, I have the Carnuba but not the PG+. I don't know if I want to use the combination of both or just try with the wax first. I washed it on Sunday and the paint still looks great, but the AZ sun soon will start scorching it, so I better find time to protect it! You should be fine with just the wax, but you will have to put a fresh coat each month.

No clue about those wheels.

Yes, I do wax sometimes without the sealant underneath as it is a different look. Depending on the wax though, if you do wax only, you might have to do it more often as durability is less (except for waxes like Collinite #845, Clearcoat Carnauba Moose Wax, and others that last 2 -3 months). You don't have to seal every month, I just like to do it just to make the car more reflective and since UPGP is so easy to apply, it is no big deal, but 3-4 times/year is fine. You can also add a fresh coat of wax every month without adding a sealant. If you want to do wax only, you would have to strip off the UPGP by cleaning with with the Sonus Paintwork Cleanser, although I am not so confident that doing it by hand would strip off the UPGP. A great wax for black car is Pinnacle Souveran Paste. Hey ddoc, a couple of things. I think I am going to try the Ultima wheel & tire products next time even though the Pinnacle works good (it is alot of money though). UPGP is really easy to apply....however, I waited 12 hrs for the cure and then started to lightly buff out with a MF but their must have been some dirt on it and I made a small scratch in it (hardly noticeable but I saw it close up). How do you buff after 12 hrs when there might be dirt on it? Do you go over it with quick detailing spray first? Still a little nervous about all this of course...but it looks good! Also, on my next detail, I am going to try the P21s-100% that I bought to see how it looks. ddoc, is there something special I should know about this wax that you can provide advice on? I believe that I should still use a light coat but I have to wipe it off with a MF towel when it just begins to haze...right? If your car is kept in a garage, it should be ok, unless your garage collects a lot of dust, in which case, the safest thing to do is to hose down the car (should not take long, no soap needed). You don't have to get the Ultima Tire products, if what you have right now works for you, stay with that. P21s100% is applied very thin. To save time, just do the entire car, then buff off with an MF.

Yes, I do wax sometimes without the sealant underneath as it is a different look. Depending on the wax though, if you do wax only, you might have to do it more often as durability is less (except for waxes like Collinite #845, Clearcoat Carnauba Moose Wax, and others that last 2 -3 months). You don't have to seal every month, I just like to do it just to make the car more reflective and since UPGP is so easy to apply, it is no big deal, but 3-4 times/year is fine. You can also add a fresh coat of wax every month without adding a sealant. If you want to do wax only, you would have to strip off the UPGP by cleaning with with the Sonus Paintwork Cleanser, although I am not so confident that doing it by hand would strip off the UPGP. A great wax for black car is Pinnacle Souveran Paste.

Well said, I agree 100%.

Collinite Insulator Wax, also known as #845 is a favorite amongst professional detailers because of the protection it affords and its durability. It is one of the longest lasting waxes out there. Also, in regards to the containers, many professional detailers if not most, buy their products by the gallon, so they pour their products into plastic dispensers/bottles because it makes it easier to pour out rather than trying to do so out of a gallon. One of my favorite "pink" products is Fk 425, which is a Quick Detailer that adds incredible gloss to the paint. My favorite "blue" liquid is ONR (Optimun No Rinse Wash).

I think you meant Ultima, if you are referring to the little plastic cap inside the Ultima Paint Guard Wash. Yes, that little sucker is annoying. The same thing happened to me with my first bottle. Not sure why they even put it in there.

yes, I used the Ultima detailing spray before I used the Ultima paint guard plus. It was right after washing and I saw some of the nasty up close and personal stuff you see when you do things by hand. Didn't wax yet....plan on doing 1 more paint guard +, let it cure, and then I plan to wax with P21S-100. I am hoping the paint guard plus works as advertised so I can just wash/dry/wax from here until the next year when I may Paint Guard Plus it again. The cars look great, it is really starting to take shape, reflective and deep. Just wait til you put the second coat of UPGP. It will blow you away. I recommend that after the second coat has cured, you buff the car with a MF towel, this will remove any streaking and will really bring out the gloss. Take a pic of your car before you apply the P21s100% so you can remember what the car looked like for comparison; you might end up liking the look of just the UPGP. Also take some pics after the P21s100% and post them so we can see the difference. Why wait so long to apply another coat of UPGP, it is super easy to apply. I always apply one coat 1 x month, just for the fun and the look. I would recommend 2-3 coats at least every 4 months, especially if your car is exposed to some harsh elements. Regarding your question in your PM about the paint chips my best advise is leave them alone and try not to look at them, just gotta learn to live with them. Fixing one requires a very tricky and complicated process involving wetsanding and if you have that many, it is not even worth it. I don't even like trying to hide them with those little pens with paint from the dealer as they are not any good. They won't match your paint exactly and they leave horrible blobs.

You might try www.griotsgarage.com I have a silver RX350 and an obsidian ES350 and use their products exclusively. I use several of the products, including the polishes, waxes, car wash, rubber cleaner, vinyl & rubber dressing, interior cleaner, and products for applying and removing waxes, etc. The vinyl & rubber dressing is very nice for exterior and interior use as it is not oily. The interior cleaner is good both for vehicles and home. They have a couple more products that are extremely helpful in use between washes and waxes - Speed Shine and Spray-On-Wax. I like the cotton cloths they sell because even the edging contains nothing other than cotton - thus less chance of scratches. Their catalogs are nice because they give helpful hints as to product use and their service is excellent. I am not associated with them in any way other than using their products. I simply chanced upon them and have become a true believer. Careful with the cotton towels they are likely to swirl the paint. Stick to high quality Microfiber towels instead.

I hear you. Though she seems to know a lot about leather care and I do appreciate her advise, she still refuses to recommend products while putting down others. I did PM her twice and finally she recommended a leather cleaner, guess which one she recommended? Yeap, the one from her company. However, I did read a post in which she praised Leather Master. Her company used to be a reseller for Leather Master's product's until they produced a 'superior line' My preferred leather care products are water-based; manufactured by Leather Master's, they have been supplying leather care products since 1985, and they are the benchmark for other leather products. Leather Master’s trade mark was created and the development of product and techniques for care, protection and repair of leather There are a few water-based leather care product that do what they say they do, Sonus, Iz, etc Interesting! Yeah, I never use anything other than the Sonus and Leather Master Products. I am very happy with both.

The OCD will only get worse as you add more supplies, trust me. That's not Pinnacle Souveran wax, that's P21s. This is Pinnacle Souveran: http://www.autogeek.net/pinsouvwax.html. Also, the P21S wax that I have been referring to is the P21s100%, which is the newer version of the P21S you have and it lasts a bit longer and it gives a brighter and clearer look, here it is: http://www.autogeek.net/p21s-100--carnauba-wax.html. But don't worry, your P21s is still a great wax.

Nice. A really nice start. I can predict that collection is going to grow larger.

Yes, it does have a clearcoat. My car is a smoky granite. Love that color. Follow the same recommendations you have read in this thread. Thanks, I have been quietly reading these. I am sure after I go through a whole detailing session it will not be as overwhelming. Right now, to start, it seems like a lot! Just got my first order from Autopia today, so this weekend I will do my first attempt! Nice! What did you order? I got the PS21 and a foam applicator (which will not fit in the wax container, haven't tried it yet to see if it will be a problem), the Sonus wash kit which has the shampoo, drying towels and other towels, and the wash mit. So, $80 later, I figured I wait for the rest. In reading the directions from the shampoo bottle, it says I should seal or polish first, so I guess I should order the Ultima Paint Guard Plus and applicator before I do the wax. I do not plan to get any machines for a while, so I want to make sure that whatever I get and use is safe to be done by hand. This may have been asked, but is applying the Paint Guard by hand safe? The Ps21 (at least the 100%) comes with a foam applicator that fits. If it did not, you can always take it out of the jar (making sure you wear some plastic gloves, or a sandwich bag, or you can just squeeze the foam applicator inside the jar. You don't need much of it to apply it, in fact, you are supposed to apply it lightly. The back of the bottle of the Sonus Gloss Shampoo reads that it is mild so it won't remove the wax or sealant off your car (if it has been applied), not that you should seal or polish first. You can apply a wax without the sealant. My preference is to apply 2 -3 coats of the sealant and then a wax, or just leave the sealant by itself. The reason why I always apply the sealant first is because the sealant will last several months, hence keeping the paint protected, while the wax will only last a few weeks. Ultima Paint Guard Plus is meant for hand application with the included Microfiber applicator, not by machine, it is not a polish so yes it is safe.

I always love doing those comparisons and seeing how mine outshines the others. B) I would not recommend using the detailing spray if the car has dust on it, you might scratch the paint.

P21s100% lasts about 4 weeks, so I would just wait until after then. They are two different looks and they are both great, so just enjoy the P21s100% for now and try Souveran later. See which one you like more.

One very important thing to know about claying if any of you ever decide to do this, if you drop the clay (which can happen easily), it is done, you have to throw it away. Never pick it up, try to clean it and mold it again thinking it will be ok. These things pick up contaminants easily, and if you drop it, it will do just that, then you will be marring the heck out of your paint. Also, mist both the car and the clay with the lube, plenty of it.

Yes, it does have a clearcoat. My car is a smoky granite. Love that color. Follow the same recommendations you have read in this thread. Thanks, I have been quietly reading these. I am sure after I go through a whole detailing session it will not be as overwhelming. Right now, to start, it seems like a lot! Just got my first order from Autopia today, so this weekend I will do my first attempt! Nice! What did you order?

RJT, great pics, the car looks great, very reflective and great depth. For your black car I would also recommend Pinnacle Souveran Paste, you will love it.

Lol! I use those extension cords too much to worry about storing them neatly. :D