MLC35 Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 As usual there are so many forums and threads i am lost with what to do! I have a 54 plate gunmetal grey 350, but its lost its shine. What do i do? Do i buy a clay bar and wax - if so what is best? Do i use a power tool polisher - if so what about the fiddly bits? Do i pay the quoted cost for getting it machine polished - but then how do i look after it? I would actually enjoy polishing the car - but only if i did it right first time. Any gunmetal owners that know how to get the best out of the colour? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 I usually clay once a year but wax every couple of weeks using Dodo Juice, I started off with purple haze but have now switched to Blue velvet & seem to get a much deeper shine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martinmac Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Its not cheap but I would consider getting it pro detailed and spending a day with the guy doing it. Its amazing what you pick up and once its been done its a lot easier to keep looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLC35 Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 I am desperatley trying not to appear thick here - but how do i get a day with a pro-detailer? Am i just going to a body shop and asking, or will i get a local dealer in my yellow paegs? Note to Ian - thats some shine, but how long am i looking at to clay and polish the car? Can it be done by an amatuer like me in 5 hours? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEADPHONES Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 www.detailingworld.com has lots of info and pro detailers all over the country to help you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 i'd clay the car once or twice a year, like after winter, to get all the muck embedded in the paint off. whenever the weathers nice and you have time, wash, polish then use a hard wax on it out of a tin, maybe once a month in the summer. I'd try my best to give it a wash once a week if its my daily driver, even if its raining and you dont get the chance to use any wax its still better than leaving it mucky. use something like this to give it protection: Or this aqua wax which i find the best product ive used to date, very very quick and easy to put on and looks amazing. You can go way way way more into this but it just gets confusing when your starting out, just buy a nice woolly mit to wash and build up your collection of bits as you go. EDIT: clay, as long as it takes || wash polish wax, a few hours || quick wash 45 mins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLC35 Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 Headphones - Will try there. Cheers, J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLC35 Posted February 28, 2010 Author Share Posted February 28, 2010 Husky - Dodo juice is something i am hearing a lot about. Good advice on the collection build up. I think i am probably just impatient. Cheers, J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GIXXERUK Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 this stuff works great on gunmetal then after put some dodo over the top if you want it to last ClearKote Vanilla Moose Wax Hand Glaze does a little bit of everything by cleaning your paint and enhancing the shine. It helps remove ultra fine surface imperfections first so the paint is cleaner and glossier. The coating of glaze helps fill in imperfections and adds a dramatic layer of gloss and shine! Vanilla Moose Wax Hand Glaze can be applied by hand or with a buffer and should be hand removed with a quality microfiber towel. Be sure to shake the product vigorously prior to using. After applying VMWHG, be sure to protect your paint with your favorite sealant or wax. Very easy to use and gives the best result of any polish on gunmetal ( i've tried many different polishes ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLC35 Posted March 1, 2010 Author Share Posted March 1, 2010 GIXXERUK - nice. Cheers, J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 If you've lost the shine then you have to polish the paint. Even polishing by hand will get great results. If it were me I'd - Wash (two bucket method) Clay Wash Dry (drying towel not chamois) Polish Dust down Sealant (optional) Wax That'd get the shine back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris`I Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 MLC35 where are you based? Theres so much info for you to learn, I suggest the same as Martin and get a pro to do it if you can. If you want to do it yourself, dont tackle it with a rotary polisher as the Zed paint is thin and soft and can be destroyed if you dont know what you are doing. http://www.detailingworld.com/ is a great place to start whether you want to find a pro, or learn to do it yourself. Far too much for us to tell you to do on here, each step has its own section over there! Normally, I would suggest learning each step properly, first learn to wash and dry, then how to polish and wax, then how to clay and put it all together - wash, clay, polish, wax. But only clay and polish twice a year. Wash every week and apply wax every 2-4 weeks (or maybe less often if you have a good wax). Read up on DW, they explain it better than us and in much more detail. You will learn most of it sitting with a pro for a day though if you can afford, and also the biggest difference to the finish on your car is preperation - not last stage products (wax/sealant), so this would kill 2 birds with 1 stone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Which dodo juice wax to GM owners tend to use? I've got a pot of Diamond white in the garage from my ST ownership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Which dodo juice wax to GM owners tend to use? I've got a pot of Diamond white in the garage from my ST ownership. I use purple haze & blue velvet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kris Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Which dodo juice wax to GM owners tend to use? I've got a pot of Diamond white in the garage from my ST ownership. I use purple haze & blue velvet The shine on yours looks good. I think I'll go for light fantastic. Its so difficult to get a good shine on silvers and gunmetals! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zStephen Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 MLC35 where are you based? Theres so much info for you to learn, I suggest the same as Martin and get a pro to do it if you can. If you want to do it yourself, dont tackle it with a rotary polisher as the Zed paint is thin and soft and can be destroyed if you dont know what you are doing. http://www.detailingworld.com/ is a great place to start whether you want to find a pro, or learn to do it yourself. Far too much for us to tell you to do on here, each step has its own section over there! Normally, I would suggest learning each step properly, first learn to wash and dry, then how to polish and wax, then how to clay and put it all together - wash, clay, polish, wax. But only clay and polish twice a year. Wash every week and apply wax every 2-4 weeks (or maybe less often if you have a good wax). Read up on DW, they explain it better than us and in much more detail. You will learn most of it sitting with a pro for a day though if you can afford, and also the biggest difference to the finish on your car is preperation - not last stage products (wax/sealant), so this would kill 2 birds with 1 stone +1 I machine polished my last car, and tbh it was hard work. I would not recommended machine polishing the zed due to the thin paint, it would be all too easy to go through to the plastic/metal. Look at my thread I recently posted. I clay barred mines today using a Maguires detailing kit (£25) and I also used Autoglym HD wax (£40) and the car looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLC35 Posted March 3, 2010 Author Share Posted March 3, 2010 Thanks for all the advice and info. I have had a look at the Detailing World web site and found some local contractors that i will get in touch with. I knew it was all a bit of a science - but not realised just how much of a science cleaning your car can be Definitly going to get help before i set too with anything. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stew Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 The guides on DW are great. I still have the 'garage guides' in my arsenal to show people that ask what I'm up to. I have them laminated in one (of my many) boxes of products. DW guides forum clicky Great info on wash technique - http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/s ... php?t=4637 Remember you can ask any question here too. There are a number of keen amateur and pro detailers that'd be happy to answer questions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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