Nick.

I've always dabbled in "cleaning" my car myself. this usually consisted of washing it and adding tire shine. I realized today how dirty my S actually is and i need to do something about it, i have thought about taking the car to a detailer but i would rather do it on my own for my own satisfaction.

my question is:

What do i need? What are some of your favorite products? I pretty much just have soap and an old sponge. I would like to mainly pick up the stuff at Pep Boys or one of those places as they are local and i feel i can get the best deal there.

My S is loaded with swirls and the paint is pretty rough. While im doing this major detail im going to fix a few rock chips and what not.

Thank you for your help

-Nick.

G

Where are you located?

Many of the members on here will be willing to teach / help you detail your car if you provide food or beer.

First thing to do is toss that old sponge.

Nick.

im in NY.

the sponge is getting tossed in the can tomorrow.

shamusodoofus

There are a few things that you will absolutely NEED and some that you can probably do without.

Things that should be on your need list:

-Microfiber Towels
-Microfiber/Sheepskin wash mitt (or some variant to use while washing your car)
-Decent car shampoo, Meguiar's Gold Class seems to be a preferred readily available car shampoo people prefer
-Wash Bucket with a Grit Guard
-303 Aerospace/Raggtopp

The above should be all you need to ensure that you do not do further damage to your paint while washing and to maintain your soft top after the wash.

If you plan on removing some swirls yourself, I would recommend the following:

-Clay bar Kit (Meguiar's or Mothers clay bar kit seem to be available in most places)
-Porter Cable 7424 Polisher - I recommend this over other polishers because it is PERFECT for a beginner. Not only is it easy to use, but there are also countless many guides all over the web about how to use it.

As for polishes; if you just have swirls, I would recommend using Meguiar's Mirror Glaze 9 (Swirl Remover). It is a very mild abrasive and is perfect for a beginner and gets the job done fairly well. As for waxes, I personally use Meguiar's NXT, but I will be switching to Zaino after I'm finished with my bottle of wax.

Nick.

thanks for the list shamus!
as of right now money is a little tight, could i get away with hand polishing? i know it wont do as good a job on the swirls but it will be cheaper..

Vi37573r

swirls will be close to impossible to remove by hand unless you really like you hurt yourself.

Once you learn to use a porter cable, it ends up paying for itself. I've done multiple minor jobs like clearing up headlights and spot polishing scratches and I have made enough to get two and that doesn't include actual detail jobs.

akimel

You're working by hand and you want to use over-the-counter products, right? Okay, here's what you need:

1) Good quality microfiber towels
2) Microfiber wash mitt
3) Microfiber or foam applicators
4) Car shampoo: Meguiar's Gold Class or Duragloss 901 would be fine.
5) Meguiar's or Mother's claybar kit
6) Meguiar's SwirlX
7) Wax: Meguiar's NXT, Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba Plus, Mother's Reflections, Duragloss 105 (your choice)

After you wash your car, you will want to clay it. Just follow the instructions. You'll be surprised by how much crud the claybar will remove.

The SwirlX is a mildpolish that will remove some swirls. It's hard work hand polishing an entire car. If you'd like to just get the car cleaned up nice, substitute Meguiar's ColorX. ColorX is a cleaner wax. It will clean the paint and provide an initial layer of protection.

Check out this article and adapt the method to suit your needs: Your Daily Driver. Be sure to check out the linked videos. PM if you have any questions.

Al

08YellowCR

Every ones list is good on here i just want to add get some waffle weave drying towels 2 is perfered. But i would shop online u can get some good gear for cheap trust me. I use to be in the same boat as u. Im still a newbie i need to get a PC soon just don't have the cash lately.
1. sheap skin wash mit
2.waffle weave drying towels
3.Claykit can get it at wal-mart for $20
4.shampoo (detailers domain has some good ones or chemical guy)
5.wax and paint sealent. The paint sealent will make the shine last much longer great stuff.
Micro fiber towels not cheap ones about 10.

Now if i was u i would save up and slowly get every thing u need. Dont cheap out and buy crap that will put more scratches on ur car

vtec ftw

You may want to check in your local forum to see if there is someone who could help you out. I asked in mine and found a memeber who was very generous with his time and supplies. He even let me borrow his Porter Cable to work on the car at my house.

Nick.

im hitting the store tomorrow, are the polishers they sell decent enough to get swirls out?