dberladyn

I was kind of hoping I would get up at 5:30 am, wash the truck, run to the store when it opened and beat the heat... start waxing the truck. Actually, it was good day for it because it was fairly cool I think (or was that yesterday?). Anyways, maybe by 8:00pm I was at home with the required goods. I washed the hood and fenders. Gave it a go. I have never waxed or polished a vehicle and I have no idea what I am doing. It's probably more simple that I have always thought of in my head. I'll see in the morning with day light in how I did. I amazed at the rock chips that I have. Polishing seems to have brought them out. Perhaps the paint was loose, or weak, and the polish just dislodged it. Tiny chips. Some of them turned out not to be chips just stubborn polish but none the less. I wish I waxed my truck when I bought it. I thought the paint was too new, but it say on the lot for a year, that was long enough. I say I wish I did because I am under the impression that wax gives some physical protection to the paint.

Ok, so now I have a question. In order to save my truck I had to park it out of sight a few years ago. I ended up parking it under these very large trees which dripped sap. My truck was covered in so much thick sap I literally wanted to break down and cry. Globs all over it. I have removed nearly all of it now. It was best to let it dry out so that it literally flaked off. With the series of events, that is literally what happened as the next year it was parked in a farmers field for nearly a year. So I have a question.. how I do I remove the very slight paint stains where the sap dripped. It is a real shame because the hood looks nice.. except for those spots. It is not noticeable unless a person is looking at the smooth reflection of the pain. If you are looking across the hood and marveling at it. Then you see it. I see it.

How do I remove that? I will try to take a picture, but I have lost my good camera. I was almost going to ask Joe over for a wax party. You wax yours, I'll wax mine. We can share tips. I some how do not thing you are as interested in doing such though. White just doesn't clean up no matter what you do.

mountainmanjoe

Hahaha. I was actually thinking as I started reading this ... you can do mine next . You're somewhat right. I don't need my bush van to be gleaming, however I plan to own it a long time so I do want to the paint to last.

Did you try isopropyl alcohol on the sap? There's also this thing called a clay bar. My brother who used to work at a detail shop showed it to me. It works well for removing all the tiny little particles of brake dust and whatnot embedded in the paint. You can feel the difference in smoothness with your hand afterward. Takes bloody forever though.

With all the square footage on a van, I'm thinking a power tool will be the way to go if you don't want spend all day waxing it. I don't have a power buffer, but maybe there's some kind of drill attachment out there.

dberladyn

That's right clay bar. I forgot about that. I think the paint might actually be "stained" though. The same thing happened to my silverado right after I bought it. Only one spot, but it drove me nuts as it was perfect before that. I will try the alcohol. Thank you for the idea. I might have already but I'll try again. So far buffing by hand has not been bad at all. Maybe I am not getting the same pressure, but then I am not damaging anything either. I swear the kids at the dealership wrecked my paint when they detailed upon purchase. There is strange marks in it. Even the manager of the dealership (who sold me the truck) thought it was weird when I brought it back. They were going to redetail it and polish the hell out of it for me, but I didn't have time to leave them the truck. Working full tilt then.

I shouldn't state this, but my brother has worked all his life in dealerships. I wondered if he didn't do something just to **** me off. That's low of me to say though. I shouldn't do that. (I have major issues with my family. For the most part I do not, I wish them no harm, but they did try to kill me whether they realise it or not).

Beau Oszman

If clay bar or alcohol don't take the sap off. Alcohol should I would think. Rubbing compound should to the trick. light application or say goodbye to the clear coat.

Rednucleus

Maybe spends the bucks for a professional detailing job, then regular maintenance by you in the future

dberladyn

I was thinking the same, I should go to a detail shop and make them an offer show them cash. Tell them the happier I am with the result the more I will pay after seeing the results. However, here's the reality: I have been to detail shops and they pissed me off. All flash and dash. They silicone'd everything, the dash was ruined with a slipperly gloss. Even the wheel was slippery. I am the kid of person that is picky. Really picky. If you want a job done right you have to do it yourself. Not only that, but I screw something up then I can blame myself and not the fact that I trusted someone else. No one has standards anymore. There is no pride. Next this is something I need to learn to do for myself anyways. I've only been driving for thirty years. It's about time I learn how to wax a vehicle. Anyone watch Karate Kidd? He learned to wax before he drove. Wax on. Wax off. Seems simple enough.

Lastly, it is a work truck. It is not a show piece. I'll move a lot faster with projects if I drop the stupidity and just continually hack and change instead of trying to come up with the ultimate plans (and costs).

What I am noticing, is that there seems to be microscopic blemises. Road grime, asphalt, or something raised up on the paint here and there. Just little tiny grains of sand or something about that size. The polish catches around it and makes it look white like a paint chip. There are lot of them, especially lower down. My eyes are not as good as they used to be. Maybe I need a clay bar for that kind of stuff? I would just get a piece of sandpaper and smooth it out but, but that's going to turn out. I try picking it with finger nails or rubbing it out harder with the cloth to mixed effect. If I can get rid of those easily I will be happy.

Panel by panel, I can go around the vehicle and polish it. Who cares if I do two panels a night? When I have gone around the entire vehicle I will do it again. Maybe even again once I work out a system and learn to see what I should be looking for and fixing. After that I will wax it. Same thing. Panel by panel. The part I have done already bead water really nicely where the rest of the body does not. It just streaks off. It doesn't really look any different but it does. It reflects better. I think it is clearer, much less haze. I guess I could always see myself in the reflection, but on the polished panels which not look different, it just catches the eye so much more for some reason. I also bought tire cleaner. It looks better. The truck needs a thorough detail. All the trim all the rubber all the paint. It all needs to be restored to what it looked brand new. Seems easy enough to do, it's just getting out there and putting the work into it. It's just doing it period.

mountainmanjoe

Yeah I think that's exactly the kind of stuff the clay bar is meant for. Don't use sandpaper! lol.

Beau Oszman

As a rider also, we typically swear by mothers and nev-r-dul for chrome treatment.

mountainmanjoe

Top 11 secrets of auto detailers

Secret #1: Use two buckets to wash

Detailers know that the two bucket method is the best way to get your exterior clean. Use one bucket to hold your clean suds, and another bucket to hold clean water. Before you dip your cleaning mitt into the clean suds, rinse it off in the clean water bucket and wring it dry.

Then, you're always putting a clean mitt into the clean suds that will go on your car. If you only use one bucket, you're just moving dirt off of your car, into your suds and back onto your car.

Some pros have started using the Grit Guard insert, a $9.99 tray that helps sediment settle to the bottom of your wash bucket, instead of getting stirred up in the water and recollected on your wash mitt. AOL Autos: Hybrids that will save you the most

Secret #2: Join the microfiber revolution

We're living the microfiber revolution. Pro detailers use color-coded, task-specific microfiber cloths and towels for greater efficiency, lower friction and scratching and easier washing, rinsing and drying. Mike Pennington, director of training and consumer relations for Meguiars, emphasizes that it's important to wash your microfiber as a separate load, not mixed in with the regular laundry and rags.

Microfiber will trap the lint from cotton towels, defeating the purpose of the wash. Use very little detergent and skip the fabric softener, which will coat the fibers and inhibit microfiber's qualities. Double up on the rinse cycle, and your microfiber will perform at its best. Remove any labels and stitching before you use your towels to avoid scratching.

And remember, you get what you pay for -- those cheapo packs of microfiber from the warehouse store are not nearly as good as the ones you can find at online specialty stores.

Secret #3: Detail your trim first

This tip comes from Jim Dvorak, a product specialist at Mothers Polish. He suggests using a trim protectant/restorer like Mothers' Back to Black before waxing your paint. Wash and dry your vehicle, then apply the trim protectant.

The product will repel polish and wax that might otherwise stain your trim. Some pro detailers use masking tape to protect the trim during waxing -- this application can help save time and cleanup.

Secret #4: Use a buffer to apply product, a towel to remove

Consumers sometimes get confused by the name of the tool, and use a power buffer to remove wax or polish from the painted surfaces of their cars. A buffer can leave erratic swirl marks in your clear coat and paint if used to remove product, that's not what it's for.

Use the buffer to apply wax, and then use a soft, dry cloth to remove it. You'll avoid burning the paint or damaging the clear coat, and you'll wind up with a thin, even coat of wax.

Secret #5: Get a dual action polisher

For just a little bit more than you'd spend on a good direct drive polisher and an orbital polisher, you can get the perfect blend of both tools with a dual action polisher like the Flex XC 3401 VRG, which retails for around $280.

Based in Stuttgart, Germany, Flex has been making tools since 1922, and has been building dedicated auto finish polishers since 1988. The XC 3401 VRG is detailer Randy Lowe's favorite tool for exterior finishes. He says that it will handle 90% of the polishing chores you will encounter.

Meguiars' Dual Action Polisher ($149) is a little more consumer friendly, and a little less expensive than the Flex. It doesn't have the forced rotation, which keeps the tool moving even under a heavy load. Forced rotation is a great feature for an expert who knows how to use it; in inexperienced hands, it can do more harm than good.

Secret #6: Use a clay bar system

This secret may be out of the bag already, but it's such a good one that it bears repeating. There's no better way to remove surface contaminants from paint than with a good clay bar system. Pros have been using clay for years, and consumer versions have been on the market for at least a decade.

A good clay bar system includes a spray lubricant, usually a detailing spray, an 80 - 100 gram clay bar, and a towel. According to Mike Pennington from Meguiars, after washing and drying your car, you rub the clay bar on the paint to remove "bonded environmental contaminants" without removing paint thickness.

The smoother paint surface takes polishing and wax better, and extends the life of subsequent treatments. Meguiars' Smooth Surface Clay Kit retails for $19.99; Mothers' California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System is $19.95.

Secret #7: Use a plastic grocery bag to check the paint surface

Hers's another tip from Jim Dvorak at Mothers. Once you have cleaned your paint's surface of contaminants with a clay bar system or other cleaner, it's important to make sure that you've really removed all the dirt before you seal the surface with wax.

Put your hand in an ordinary thin plastic grocery bag, and run it over the surface of the paint. The plastic bag will amplify any bumps and imperfections, so that you can go back and detail again. Keep rechecking until the surface is totally smooth, then polish (if necessary) and apply protective wax.

Secret #8: Dry your glass in two directions

Here's a great tip from Meguiars' Pennington: Dry your glass in two directions. Get into the habit of doing your final wipe of interior glass in a horizontal direction, and the final wipe on the exterior in a vertical direction.

Then, when you find the inevitable streak, you'll instantly know whether it's on the inside (horizontal) or the outside (vertical) of the glass. You'll get perfectly clear glass without jumping in and out of the vehicle chasing that streak.

Secret #9: Brush it first

Pennington says that when it comes to cleaning interiors, mechanical agitation is always better than chemical intervention. That means that your first line of attack is a good brush.

For instance, before vacuuming your carpeting, de-mat the fibers by using a stiff nylon brush. Then, when you vacuum, the dirt will be free in the carpet, and will be much easier to extract. The same goes for door panels, though you'll want to use a gentler brush. If more aggressive cleaning is necessary, start gently, use a gentle solution of fabric cleaner, and dry with a soft cotton cloth.

Secret #10: Make static electricity your friend

To remove stubborn pet hair from your car's carpets, put on a pair of latex gloves (readily available in boxes of 100 from any home improvement store) and then rub your hand over the carpet. The static electricity caused by the latex glove will help bring the pet hair up to the surface of the carpet for easy removal by hand or vacuum.

Secret #11: Leave the headliner alone

According to Pennington, there's one part of the car that detailers avoid if at all possible: the headliner. Even a little bit of agitation can cause the glue in a headliner to fail, causing way more problems than it is worth. Keep your ministrations to a minimum when it comes to cleaning, brushing and tending to the headliner fabric.

If you positively must clean your headliner, use very little moisture, and never allow it to soak through the outer fabric.

Auto detailing can be a great way to bond with your car, and to make your automotive investment go farther, last longer and look better. Hopefully these top secrets will help you and your ride along the way.

(stolen from Top 11 secrets of auto detailers - CNN.com)

Beau Oszman

Didn't know the top of the fiberglass roof was white until I hit it with a power washer. Swear I get better gas mileage now.