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Roast me - my beginner paint care plan

caleb.mk7

caleb.mk7

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Denver
Car(s)
2016 DSG
Brand new to auto detailing. I'm a little overwhelmed, but I think I'm ready to start.

My plan is to wash, decon, wash, clay, and finally seal.


- Wash - Meguiar's G7101FFP Gold Class Car Wash - 1 gallon

- Decon - CarPro Iron X Lemon Scent - 500ml

- Wash again

- Clay - Meguiar's G10240 Smooth Surface XL Clay Kit, 240 grams

- Seal - Jescar Power Lock Polymer Paint Sealant 16 oz


I've decided to not get into polishing right now. I do have some scratches and blemishes that I'm trying to ignore for now. Can I address these down the road or will I be making a mistake by sealing before polishing?

I know of a good polisher, there are just so many choices for cutting/polishing solutions and pads that I want to avoid polishing for now.

Please tell me where I'm wrong/what I can do to improve.

Thanks!
 
J

JS82

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
PA
Looks like you are doing the right steps. A sealant won’t be an issue if you decide to polish your car down the road.
FYI, the use of CarPro IronX and the use of a clay bar are both decontamination steps. IronX = chemical decon and clay bar = mechanical decon.
 
caleb.mk7

caleb.mk7

Go Kart Newbie
Location
Denver
Car(s)
2016 DSG
JS82 said:
Looks like you are doing the right steps. A sealant won’t be an issue if you decide to polish your car down the road.
FYI, the use of CarPro IronX and the use of a clay bar are both decontamination steps. IronX = chemical decon and clay bar = mechanical decon.
Click to expand...


Sweet thanks! I'm gonna go ahead and order my products.
 
sandmangti

sandmangti

Autocross Newbie
Chemical Guys Snow Foam Honeydew also good for wash and foaming.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I

IceBerg4k1

Ready to race!
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
2015 GTI
Personally I would go straight to clay after the Ironx. I would agitate the iron x with a damp microfiber towel or mitt after letting it sit a few minutes then let sit a bit more. It rinses off fairly cleanly so I would go straight to clay and skip the second wash at that point. You could wash again after the clay. I would also use the leftover soapy water from the wash as clay lube and rinse off, yet another way to skip a second wash. Isopropyl alcohol or panel prep wipe down before the power lock application will give you the best chance for longevity.

Recap:
-Wash
-Ironx
-Rinse
-Clay with leftover soapy wash water as lube
-Rinse
-Wash(optional)
-IPA(isopropyl alcohol) or panel prep wipe down
-Power Lock

Just my thoughts/process.
 
C

c72k

Go Kart Champion
Location
CA
Car(s)
BMW
I’d consider a different clay. I’ve worked with that kit before and it was very hard to use. For entry level, mothers kit (same thing, different brand) was much better
 
I

IceBerg4k1

Ready to race!
Location
Chicago, IL
Car(s)
2015 GTI
c72k said:
I’d consider a different clay. I’ve worked with that kit before and it was very hard to use. For entry level, mothers kit (same thing, different brand) was much better
Click to expand...

Agreed. Mothers is great for novices. Might also explore clay mitts. Can be had on amazon for $12-15 and are even more dummy proof than clay bar and will last a home detailer for years.
 
eajr

eajr

Go Kart Champion
Location
Chicago, IL
I like to use the Speed Clay 2.0 by Mothers. Very easy to use and also very ergonomic. Its about $15 on Amazon.
 
Z

zimmie2652

Ready to race!
Location
Frederick, MD
For claying, I’d recommend getting a nanoskin pad and some swift wipe/pad lube from chemical guys.
 
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