Need some input

[OilfieldTrash78]

i just picked up a ‘16 Denali in Iridium Metallic. I was going to get it polished and detailed, but I am more of a DIY guy. So, right now I have a foam cannon, a pressure washer and a bunch of cleaning stuff from The Chemical Guys. After the first good wash, noticed some loaf by scratches and stuff like that in the paint, so I would like to give it a good budding job, and then maybe either a wax job, or a ceramic coating. So what do you guys suggest/use that works and isn’t too entailed. I would need a decent buffer that doesn’t break the bank, and a good wax or ceramic coat. Let me know what works for you guys!!

Thanks

 

[XEALOT]

i just picked up a ‘16 Denali in Iridium Metallic. I was going to get it polished and detailed, but I am more of a DIY guy. So, right now I have a foam cannon, a pressure washer and a bunch of cleaning stuff from The Chemical Guys. After the first good wash, noticed some loaf by scratches and stuff like that in the paint, so I would like to give it a good budding job, and then maybe either a wax job, or a ceramic coating. So what do you guys suggest/use that works and isn’t too entailed. I would need a decent buffer that doesn’t break the bank, and a good wax or ceramic coat. Let me know what works for you guys!!

Thanks

Congrats Chris on your new ride!! If you get a chance, we would love to see some pics of your rig. The paint on a 2016 shouldn't be in need of heavy compound.

Here is a link to what I just did to my 2013 Tahoe PPV.

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/thre...ahoe-yukon-today.44151/page-1041#post-1237870

Without seeing your rig, here is what I would recommend to refresh the paint.

#1 Give it a good full wash: 2 or 3 bucket method, foam cannon, microfiber mit, and all

#2 Use a clay bar, or Chem Guys clay wheel on a polisher with plenty of lubrication from a detail spray. You can do that on all painted surfaces and even the glass

#3 Use a polisher with a good polish on a Chem Guys hex pad. I used Chem Guys optical grade final polish.

#4 Use a paint sealer as a base shield for your paint. There are so many varieties of sealers these days, and everyone has a preference. It is my personal opinion that most companies are taking advantage of the hype and charging way too much for their brand. That being said, I've used Pro Car Beauty "Poly Gard" sealer with great success on Land Rovers, Porsche Carreras, Mercedes AMG, and a Ford Raptor.

#5 Top all of that off with your choice of wax coating, Chem Guys has a great variety


As for polishers, there are many great brands. I've used Torq, Flex, and Chicago Electric polishers; Flex has been my favorite so far.

I hope that info helps at least a little.

If you are interested in DIY detailing etc. I would highly recommend the Youtube channel
Ammo NYC https://www.youtube.com/user/AMMONYCdotcom/featured

Larry is an extremely knowledgeable and well connected detailing professional. He has his own product line, but unlike the Chemical Guys channel, he focuses on his passion for teaching proper technique instead of just trying to sell and promote his own products.

I work at a great Yacht and Auto detailing business, and I certainly don't know everything, but I'm happy to answer more questions if you have them.

 

[briarpatch]

Some decent advice in the previous thread....all except for recommending any Chemical Guys polish. The CG line of abrasives is among the worst in the industry. I'd also recommend a panel wipe, using a product like Car Pro Eraser in between your polishing step and application of any LSP, whether a wax, sealant or coating. All will bond better to a clean surface free of the oils the polish will leave behind. As far as polishers go, for the entry level person, you can not beat the Griots new G9 DA polisher. All the power you will need plus a lifetime warranty. If you're going to go with CG pads, get the HexLogic Quantum. The hole in the middle allows heat to dissipate better than the standard pads. The Flex is also a good suggestion...the two biggest differences are the price (Flex much higher) and the fact that the Flex is a forced rotation DA while the Griots is a free spinning DA. You can stall the Griots but the Flex just keeps plugging away. Think of it as a dual action rotary.

Are you certain that a compound step is not necessary? There are a couple of good hybrid polish/compound products on the market.....3D One and the new Turtle Wax One and Done. Have sufficient pads on hand...once a pad gets clogged, the effectiveness of the product and the pad are greatly diminished

 

[DanielYukon]

You especially need a decent DA machine Shinemate EX605. It's a good entry-level DA machine that won't break your wallet. Get a Meguairs 105 and 205 combos with a cutting and polishing pad. Watch how to do paint correction on youtube and you're all set. That's how I started DIY detailing my car. Good luck!!!

 

[Geoffsfas10]

I did my whole truck in october, picked up the Bauer 6" DA polisher from harbor freight, then bought a white honeycomb pad from chemical guys, used the VSS compond as it a mild one, and their synthetic clay bar. I gave it a wash, clayed the whole truck ( which was huge since there was clear coat over spray and some road tar - clay removed it all ) and then I did the whole thing with the white pad and VSS. Basically ever scratch and swirl that was on it came off. After this I coated it all with the Adam's Graphine ceramic spray. The truck felt like wet glass after this. so smooth it was crazy. 3 months later and I've only washed it once, which was spraying it off with the hose and blowing dry with compressed air. That got it back to the same shine it was in October. The Adams coating is working great and I look forward to seeing how it holds up through the winter. This whole ordeal took me about 4-5 hours but was 100% worth it to me.