[DFWZ28]

time for the spring detail on the SS...even though we did not have a spring this year! texas weather went from mid 50's to a high of 85 one day and bang....summer is here.

i always try to detail my vehicles once in spring and once in the fall. it was time for the 6th gens first detail. after some research i decided to go with Meguiar's M205 Mirror Glaze Ultra Finishing Polish and P21s 100% carnuba wax.

mini review and thoughts for whatever its worth:
wash first then the clay towel. there was not very much residue / grit on the paint so the clay towel procedure was minimal.

Rinsed it off very good then dried it with light spray detailer.

the M205 goes on fairly smoothly. i was not quite sure if the polish stains the black paint on the hood louvers so i taped them off and taped the gasket area around the sunroof. did not want the "white glaze" anywhere so it was worth the 15 min. to just cover those areas. i allowed the polish to lightly haze and removed it with MF towels. I did it all by hand so it was time consuming.

The P21s carnuba wax worked great. it has no sealers, additives, fillers so it goes on very smoothly. The instructions provided are to wax a panel at a time and immediately remove. Since it has not sealers etc. it will not stain plastic trim, rubber etc. so you can just apply the wax over everything. I had the entire car waxed in a little over an hour.

I liked the results, i did look at the reviews and realize the P21s will not last long, but thats OK for a garage car. Next up will be my IOM 5th gen.

I also would like to invest in a orbit polisher....just concerned about "overdoing" with the polisher and burning the paint. what do you guys use (brand, type) and tips that you guys could offer when using one would be appreciated.

[Glen e]

The whole thing about burning the paint with the polisher is an urban myth. The new polishers are random orbital which means they never go in the same direction it twice, and they use Palmer microfiber pads which are very forgiving and don't affect the pain. You could actually hold the power washer in the same spot for 10 minutes and it wouldn't do any damage. Go to auto get to watch the videos on how to use a polisher. If you're not using a polisher, you're getting about 75% of the gloss and coverage that you can get if you use a polisher. The whole thing about burning the paint with a polisher is an urban myth. The new polishers are random orbital which means they never go in the same direction itwice, and they use Foam or microfiber pads which are very forgiving and don't affect the paint. You could actually hold the polisher in the same spot for 10 minutes and it wouldn't do any damage. Go to autogeek and watch the videos on how to use a polisher. If you're not using a polisher, you're getting about 75% of the gloss and uniform coverage that you can get if you use a polisher. The hand cannot move at 1200 RPM.

Cheap polishers weigh a lot , but do the job. A good all-around polisher that's not expensive and not cheap, is the Griots 6 inch polisher. Click on the link below about detailing a car and find the document called "should you use a polisher?" ......more info there....

[ZED SLED]

Over the weekend I washed with Dawn, used my PC polisher to apply Adams Swirl & Haze Remover on the sections needed, then whole thing with Adams Fine Machine Polish. Normally I would apply sealant, glaze, then wax, but this time I went the CarPro route for the first time. Wiped down with Eraser, then applied Reload. This process was much easier and the results look fantastic. Hopefully it holds up well.

[chutoyy]

I personally use a Flex 3401 polisher, w/ Lake Country pads. Rupes branded DA (Dual Action) polishers seem to be the popular go to these days although I've never used one yet. As long as you get a Random Orbit Polisher, NOT a rotary, you'd have to try really hard to 'burn' your paint.

The compounds I use range from Menzerna SF4000 for heavier correction down to Meguiar's Ultimate compound for light swirls.

Couple the machine polish w/ a foam cannon, clay bar, correction, and some DIY C.Quartz ceramic coating...

[GearheadSS]

Get yourself a Porter Cable 7424XP. I've had mine for 8 years now and I love it. Easy to use. Just watch some vids and you'll learn everything you need to know about it.

I just did my Challenger a few weeks ago. Went from this....










To this....












This was with an Adam's Orange Pad and their correcting polish. I went back later in the week and did a full 3 stage correction with heavy correcting compound, correcting polish and finishing polish, followed with a coat of buttery wax.

[DFWZ28]

thanks for the input guys...keep them coming. i did not realize random orbital polishers were that fail proof. i guess the important component is the pad?

those cars look great!

glen, thanks for the helpful links and vids.

[GearheadSS]

Originally Posted by DFWZ28

thanks for the input guys...keep them coming. i did not realize random orbital polishers were that fail proof. i guess the important component is the pad?

those cars look great!

glen, thanks for the helpful links and vids.

The pad and the polish are very important. There are different pads/polishes for different degrees of paint condition. My paint was BAD. Very neglected and being black, it really showed. I had no choice but to start with a heavy compound to help deep swirls and scratches. Your car might not need a full 3 stage correction.

The polisher is important but you don't need to buy the most expensive one out there. If you're only going to use a few times a year, you can get one for under $200, like the PC 7424xp. If you're doing it professionally, you'll want one that's more expensive because those will have less vibration and more speed control.

I use mine maybe 3 times per year on my car and maybe twice on my wife's car. It has performed flawlessly for 8 years. I've only had to replace pads and the backing plate on it.

[redcoats1976]

griots garage offers a 6 inch random orbital that works well,i got a whole kit from autogeek for<250 bucks.

[chutoyy]

For what it's worth...

This was done w/ Meg's Ultimate Compound via PC 7424 w/ Lake Country Orange pad


This was done w/ a Makita Rotary (back before all the DA tech) and Lake Country Orange w/ Menzerna


This was done w/ Flex 3401 that I currently use... LC Orange pad w/ Meg's Ultimate Compound.

[slythetove]

Just a quick heads up to the OP if you are using wax and only waxing once in spring and once in fall you are leaving your paint unprotected most of the year.

Pure carnauba wax will be essentially gone within a few weeks in Texas summer.

You either have to reapply every few weeks or go to a synthetic/polymer that lasts longer.

Either way twice a year is better than nothing but nowhere near fully protected.