best order to do things in then?

[brakedust]

I waxed my Cerbera last month with auto balm, it looked great but i want to polish is as there are some swrily bits (she is 11 years old now!)

So how do I start from scratch (ie get the wax off)

So far a have

Bilt Hamber soft clay bar

Some final finish polish (as the paint is good, just very surface swirls)

I will get a machine and practice first

Bilt hamber auto balm

and Auto glym shampoo

Am i right in thinkng - wash, clay, wash, polish, wax? and whats this lime juce stuff? is that worth using?

Brett

Edited by brakedust on Sunday 17th May 17:33

[belleair302]

Brett if you want to start from scratch, you need to remove your LSP (Last Stage Product)..usually wax. Most people will use washing up liquid and rinse down the car really thoroughly, this removes wax....or buy a special wax removal wash.

Clay the car, wash again and then use the autobalm. At this point use the lime prime and then wax....lime prime prepares the surface for the wax and will mask any small marks left on the bodywork.

Autoglym SRP is possibly the best 'filler' available but the Bilt Hamber has a longer lifespan.

Most enthuasists lke to add a couple of layers of wax to finish off the car and add depth or wetness to the paint....

[brakedust]

belleair302 said:

Brett if you want to start from scratch, you need to remove your LSP (Last Stage Product)..usually wax. Most people will use washing up liquid and rinse down the car really thoroughly, this removes wax....or buy a special wax removal wash.

Clay the car, wash again and then use the autobalm. At this point use the lime prime and then wax....lime prime prepares the surface for the wax and will mask any small marks left on the bodywork.

Autoglym SRP is possibly the best 'filler' available but the Bilt Hamber has a longer lifespan.

Most enthuasists lke to add a couple of layers of wax to finish off the car and add depth or wetness to the paint....

Hay Fella, cheersa for that, although my auto balm is a wax, so surely i want to use that last?

[Balmoral Green]

Wash
Clay
Scratch/swirl remove with a light compoundy type stuff if required
Paint Cleanse
Polish
Wax

[PJ S]

Balmoral Green said:

Wash
Clay
Scratch/swirl remove with a light compoundy type stuff if required
Paint Cleanse
Polish
Wax

No BG - polish is what Scratch X is.

Wash, Clay, Polish, (Glaze/Cleanser), Wax/Sealant - the glaze is optional for wax users, not advised for sealant users. A paint cleaner like IPA (Isopropyl Alcohol) or Panel Wipe is suitable for all LSP's (last stage/step products - wax or sealant).

[PJ S]

Brett, if you're going to clay the car, the AB will come off with it, but if you preferred to remove it at the wash stage, then a strong solution (15%) of their Surfex HD sprayed on with the pressurised garden sprayer and left to dwell for 2-3 mins (out of direct sunlight), then rinsed thoroughly before washing, will see it stripped off.

Clay the car, dry it, then use your Menzerna FF polish with a soft-medium firm pad.
Once done, then AB it with 2 layers at 30 mins interval, and that's you done.
Well it will be once you get the tyres dressed with some Mark V California Dressing - no you can't put it on your salad!

Dodo Juice Lime Prime is their take on AG SRP, only for waxes - since it has some glazing oils which doesn't play nicely with sealants.

[brakedust]

PJ S said:

Brett, if you're going to clay the car, the AB will come off with it, but if you preferred to remove it at the wash stage, then a strong solution (15%) of their Surfex HD sprayed on with the pressurised garden sprayer and left to dwell for 2-3 mins (out of direct sunlight), then rinsed thoroughly before washing, will see it stripped off.

Clay the car, dry it, then use your Menzerna FF polish with a soft-medium firm pad.
Once done, then AB it with 2 layers at 30 mins interval, and that's you done.
Well it will be once you get the tyres dressed with some Mark V California Dressing - no you can't put it on your salad!

Dodo Juice Lime Prime is their take on AG SRP, only for waxes - since it has some glazing oils which doesn't play nicely with sealants.

Cheers PJ, once again top info.... will get a machine this week and crack on this weekend, will put some pics up later

[Balmoral Green]

PJ S said:

No BG - polish is what Scratch X is.

Oh, right. So presumably all those Scratch X, Swirl X, cutting compounds (mild or strong) etc are all polishes of sorts, so no need to use what would be thought of and labelled as polish? I can miss a duplicated step out?

[PJ S]

Balmoral Green said:

PJ S said:

No BG - polish is what Scratch X is.

Oh, right. So presumably all those Scratch X, Swirl X, cutting compounds (mild or strong) etc are all polishes of sorts, so no need to use what would be thought of and labelled as polish? I can miss a duplicated step out?

Yes, the term polish in detailing circles refers to an abrasive held in suspension, otherwise it's a wax or sealant that protects the paintwork from the elements.
So your Mer, AG SRP, DJ LP, etc are all polishes designed to remove light scratches and dead oxidised singlestage paint.
In the case of the latter, chemical cleaners exist in the likes of Auto-balm which does a similar thing, but won't touch the scratches - it can only fill them to mask their existence. Being a pasted based sealant though, it is the LSP too, which is where the term AIO (all in one) comes from.
Therefore, if you used SRP for the abrasives aspect to hit the scratches with, then its fillers would be removed somewhat by the chemical cleaning aspect of AB, and replaced with its own.

Most of those are considered hand polishes, whereas the ones often mentioned - Menzerna, 3M, Meguiar's, etc are "trade" grade aimed primarily at machine polishing.
You can hand use them, but generally only the light ones.