Detailed Image

As a new H-A.net sponsor specializing in automotive detailing supplies, I thought I would open a thread for people to ask their questions about exterior, interior, wheel and engine care of their vehicles. There is so much information out there regarding automotive detailing and we've been in the business for years. I have used a majority of products available on the market and have hand selected the products I stand by for our shop, www.detailedimage.com .

Don't be afraid to post up any questions that you have no matter how simple or complex it is. I'll do my best to give you a timely answer.

We really turned some things around with another forum we are active in, feel free to check out how our "Ask a Professional Detailer ..." thread on another one of our sponsored sites to see what we can help with. e46 Ask a Detailer We have over 800 posts and over 26,000 page views in just a matter of months. We hope to bring the same level of service and commitment to H-A.net.

Feel free to check out our website at www.detailedimage.com for some helpful how-to's, before and after pictures of cars we detailed, and full in depth descriptions of products we carry. Our new website is due to launch in May so keep your eyes peels for a new look and a lot of new features.

Once again we're excited to be here and ask any question you may have about automotive detailing.

Sincerely,

George Dushensky
Detailed Image - Owner
george@detailedimage.com
DetailedImage4u - AIM
518.429.8435

F22B Prelude

Ok....My 1992 Honda Prelude has some killer rust in the rear corner panels (by the wheel well)...I was quoted by a shop in my town that they would do both sides for 300 (without paint). Should i take this project up on my own or should i have a professional do it.

Basically i just want to bondo the rust up and prime it...Im not tryin to do anything fancy.

Detailed Image

To be completely honest with you, I'm not sure how involved the process is. That is more of a body shop question, we deal strictly with detailing, two totally different businesses that people commonly get confused. I'm sure you can dig up some articles online and tackle the job yourself if you aren't looking for anything fancy. Sorry I could not be of more assistance on this question.

George @ Detailed Image

F22B Prelude

Darnit......Well how do i get out scratches lol

Detailed Image

Now that's a question I can handle.

To really tackle scratches and swirls in any color paint, I feel that a Porter Cable 7424 Buffer is a must. Reasons why: a) You can only apply so much constant pressure by hand, b) You can generate more heat to correct the paint with the buffer, c) the job gets done faster with better results and d) You can easily switch to the proper pad, whether it is cutting, finishing, or polishing to tackle your detail. Once you have the proper tools, and don't get me wrong, you can do this by hand but you will wish you hadn't afterwards. If you are trying to tackle this by hand, I would strongly suggest looking into this hand held kit.

Products needed:
To tackle scratches and swirls, you will need an abrasive polish. Now depending on how bad the condition of the paint is will determine what level of aggressiveness you will need for the polishes. The most common two step applications are: Poorboys Super Swirl Remover 2.5 followed by Poorboys Super Swirl Remover 1. This would be my suggestion if you are planning to tackle the job by hand or with a PC 7424. Another great option would be Menzerna Intensive Polish followed by Menzerna Final Polish II. I would suggest only using the Menzerna if you are going to use a buffer.

Why do you need an abrasive polish?
Many people cringe when they hear the word abrasive, or think they will have no clear coat left or something of that nature. To actually remove the swirls, you have to understand that your clear coat has many imperfections and the dips and valleys in the clear coat are what you are seeing when you are in direct sunlight or under florescent light. What you are doing with the abrasive polishes is evening out those dips and valleys so your clear coat is one continuous surface, hence eliminating the swirls.

After polishing, you may opt to use a glaze next. A glaze, like Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze, will help fill in the dips and valleys of your clear so that optically your paint looks like it doesn't have swirls in those areas.

After the glaze, you will want to seal in the paint and glaze with an acrylic or polymer sealant. This will ensure you get durable protection on your paint. Our favorites are Menzerna Full Mollecular Jacket and Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze. The difference between the two is that the Menzerna will apply and remove much easier than the Klasse. Both will provide excellent durability, and initially the Menzerna leaves you with a slicker surface.

To top things off, you may consider putting a wax on top of everything after that. This will give you the maximum depth and gloss for your paint. Our two favorites are P21s Concours Carnauba and Natty's Blue Paste Wax.

Those are the main steps in a detail other than possibly clay baring your paint prior to polishing.

The most important thing to minimize more scratches and swirls from coming onto your paint is to ensure you are using proper wash and dry techniques. 80% or more of swirls come from the wash / dry phase.

First thing you want to do is get a good lubricating shampoo such as P21s Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo or Poorboy's Super Slick & Suds.

Next will be to have the proper wash mitt that touchs your paint. We suggest either the Sheepskin Wash Mitt as an ideal choice or a Microfiber Wash Mitt as a slightly more durable choice. Both are paint safe, but the Sheepskin Mitt has a thicker pile which pulls contamination away from the surface more so than the microfiber mitt. The microfiber mitt will last longer though.

Last item needed is the proper drying towel. We suggest using a Waffle Weave Microfiber Drying Towel. The one we selected is about 2' x 3' in size and is thirsty enough to dry a whole vehicle.

Two last tips when washing and drying. 1) Use the two bucket wash system. Set up 1 bucket full of suds and another half full of water. After you wash a panel, dunk the wash mitt into the bucket half full of water and rinse out any loose debris. This way when you redunk into the suds, you will not be bringing any contamination back onto the surface. 2) Right after hosing down the car prior to drying, remove the spray nozzle and let the water sheet itself off. You can self dry the car with water almost 70-80%. This makes drying a lot easier and you will not need multiple towels.

Hope this helps, here is an example (with pictures) of a member of another forum that had great success with our packages:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=281767

I know it sounds like a lot of money and products initially, but they will last longer than common off the shelf products as well as being a long term investment with the buffer.

Feel free to ask any questions regarding anything I just posted. Keep in mind the process is the most important. If you already have products you plan on working with than let me know and I'll let you know what order to use them in and what to do.

Sincerely,

George @ Detailed Image

TaekOne

wow, so much info. seems good though, i'll have to take a look at this later.

F22B Prelude

I'll definitely take your advice.....I think im gonna fix that rust first and then get started on the swirls and scratches.

shivers

Great info, George. Glad to have you on board.

Detailed Image

Thanks for the warm welcome gang. We really plan on helping educate everyone on the process and techniques rather than shove products down your throat. There is a lot to learn and even I learn new stuff every day. I'll be doing my best to share as much information as possible.

Glad to be aboard.

Sincerely,

George @ Detailed Image

AcuraFanatic

Hit me up on AIM and I'll tell you what's involved on removing the rust.