[JWahlsten]

I finally got a chance to do a little detailing this weekend... As my wife stick her head out into the garage and says "Are you done with the cars yet?"



My new to me 968, and my 330i. I must be a glutton for punishment. Two black cars...



   



Before and after shots of my weekend of many polishing compunds and pads...



    then    



One more for good measure



   



I love the 3/4 view on these cars.

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[porsche]

nice.



I love the RUF RCT wheels. What size and offset are they front and rear?



Alos, which tires and tire sizes?



Car looks fab-u-lous!



Porsche

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[944/84]

Looks great! What products did you use? And did you do by hand, or with a buffer? I've got a black car also, and the paint needs some attention.

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[JWahlsten]

Gents,



Thanks for the compliments.



Porsche: The wheels are 17x8 (ET ~56) and 17x9 (ET ~46). I am going by memory as the car is in Delaware and I am in Kansas. I really like the looks, but I really hate the spacers. I removed the spacers off of the rear, but still have 7mm spacers up front to clear the brakes. I plan on getting some 3mm spacers from FVD to lessen the spacing. I'm thinking of changing to a wheel I don't need spacers. The tires are brand new (less than 50 miles) BF Goodridge KDW2s in 225/45 and 255/40 zr 17. Cool tread pattern, and are supposed to have excellent grip. We'll see at the next auto-x.



944/84: This was an all day Saturday affair, and Sunday early too ... I started with a good washing then clayed the entire car. I used PoorBoys SSR2 and SSR1 polishes with orange (semi aggressive) and green (mild) excel detail pads. Then I used a blue pad to put on some Klasse All-In-One, and followed it up with 2 coats of Klasse Sealant Glaze. All of the polishing was completed with a Porter-Cable DA polisher. I have both 6" and 4" pads. The little ones work great for tight spots. I usually do the AIO and SG by hand, but since I already had the polisher out I used it to apply the products. Everything is always removed by hand. Have a good assortment of microfiber towels since polishes gum them up pretty fast. The plan is to add two more coats of SG to make it really shine. I use Aerospace 303 protectant on the seals to bring them back and protect them. The SG is supposed to dry for 24 hours prior to removal. I let it go overnight as I didn't have time to wait.



Well, that was a long answer to a short question.

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[944/84]

Joel --



Thanks for the detailed (no pun intended!) reply. That's exactly the sort of info I was looking for.



Bill

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[rhudeboye]

[quote name='JWahlsten' date='Oct 23 2006, 06:19 PM']Everything is always removed by hand.  [right][post="27174"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



I first learned how to properly detail a car 2 years ago. It's significantly more time consuming but the end result is far superior. and that Klasse AIO is great stuff and does wonders for your windows as well as your paint.



As to your quote above. Do U feel that removing by hand works better or is that just personal preference?

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[JWahlsten]

[quote name='rhudeboye' date='Oct 23 2006, 10:30 PM']As to your quote above. Do U feel that removing by hand works better or is that just personal preference?

[right][post="27183"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



From personal experience and the experts at Autopia.org, IMHO I think it works better. The hats for the polishers can create more swirls than they remove, and can hold small granuals in them creating scratches. I usually do the AIO and SG application and removal by hand. You end up using less, and it's easier to remove.



Have you found that using pads and covers for removal works well? If so, how do you do it? I'd like to use the mechanical advantage on my Tahoe...

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[rhudeboye]

[quote name='JWahlsten' date='Oct 24 2006, 06:20 AM']Have you found that using pads and covers for removal works well?  If so, how do you do it?  I'd like to use the mechanical advantage on my Tahoe...

[right][post="27188"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



My arms become fatigue while removing the wax, which I do by hand. (see my process below) So to conserve my energy I started using my buffer set around 3.5 to buff out the polish. This also speeds things up.



I slightly lean the pad to one side and move slowly as I buff each section. I've been just as pleased with the results of the buffer as by hand. But then again the last time I didn’t use the buffer my arms were pretty weak. That may have contributed to me not getting the best results.



My process-



Wash car -hand

dry car -hand/sun

Clean tires, rims, door sills -hand

Windows / mirrors, lights-hand

clay bar -hand

apply polish -buffer but still works your hand and arm.

buff polish -buffer

apply wax -buffer

remove wax -hand

BEER!

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[ether_joe]

hey guys this is a really great thread . . . I will have to give my car this treatment next spring when the weather turns back.



Kewl! thanks for the info!

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[JWahlsten]

My process-



Wash car -hand

dry car -hand/sun

Clean tires, rims, door sills -hand

Windows / mirrors, lights-hand

clay bar -hand

apply polish -buffer but still works your hand and arm.

buff polish -buffer

apply wax -buffer

remove wax -hand

BEER!

Good process. I get the best feeling from the last step. I've found it helps to repeat it once or twice... <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[rhudeboye]

[quote name='JWahlsten' date='Nov 3 2006, 07:26 PM']Good process.  I get the best feeling from the last step.  I've found it helps to repeat it once or twice... <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

[right][post="27538"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



Yeah, I'll try squeezing that in around step 3 next time <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[apex]

here's a question for the detailers in the group:



is there any wax or sealer that will prevent bird poop from etching the paint? i seem to be surrounded by malicious left-over dinosaurs who love to express their opinion of my car out their backside.



in spite of my vigilance - it seems that no matter how quickly I remove the offending splotch - most of the time the paint is damaged and I'm in for a long session of rubbing compound, polish, etc.



at the moment I just use a carbonara wax.

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[JWahlsten]

[quote name='apex' date='Nov 4 2006, 09:45 AM']here's a question for the detailers in the group:



is there any wax or sealer that will prevent bird poop from etching the paint? i seem to be surrounded by malicious left-over dinosaurs who love to express their opinion of my car out their backside.



in spite of my vigilance - it seems that no matter how quickly I remove the offending splotch - most of the time the paint is damaged and I'm in for a long session of rubbing compound, polish, etc.



at the moment I just use a carbonara wax.

[right][post="27553"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]





Great question. I have the best luck using sealants instead of waxes. Some guys will put a few coats of sealant on the car and finish up with a carnuba wax. This will really make the paint pop, but you won't be able to extend the life of the sealant anymore.



What are you using to wash your car? If you're using too harsh of a soap or leaving it on the surface too long you may be removing your wax. No wax = quick bird poop damage... This is especially true when dealing with that nasty purple whooha. I'm not sure you can do anything about the seriously acidic stuff unless you catch it immediately...

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[apex]

[quote name='JWahlsten' date='Nov 4 2006, 10:14 AM']that nasty purple whooha

[right][post="27554"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



it's time to get some klasse AIO I think. the rejex fad seems to have died down... I continue to hear good stuff about AIO but not so much about rejex.

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[Mark]

I never tried the rejex stuff but I have used Klasse for long time. I use AIO for all sorts of stuff, from the car to cds to shower stall to my monitors. I use AIO as a base coat for any car stuff I do. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[rhudeboye]

[quote name='Mark' date='Nov 5 2006, 10:02 AM']I use AIO for all sorts of stuff, from the car to cds to shower stall to my monitors. I use AIO as a base coat for any car stuff I do. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

[right][post="27572"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



Talk about getting your moneys worth <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[JWahlsten]

[quote name='Mark' date='Nov 5 2006, 11:02 AM']I never tried the rejex stuff but I have used Klasse for long time. I use AIO for all sorts of stuff, from the car to cds to shower stall to my monitors. I use AIO as a base coat for any car stuff I do. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

[right][post="27572"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



I thought about using it on my shower. How does it work?



BTW: you most certainly get your money's worth.

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[Mark]

I use it on the glass and tile walls and it works great, stuff just sheets off. I figured it works great on my vehicle windows so why not try it on that. The reason I use it on my monitors is it is a chemical cleaner and not abrasive. I did my whole laptop case once-oops that was slippery. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[apex]

[quote name='Mark' date='Nov 5 2006, 11:02 AM']I use AIO for all sorts of stuff

[right][post="27572"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



wow! dessert topping, floor wax, breath mint, deodorant.... one-stop shopping! <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/smile.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



kan't wait to try klasse.

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