Wax

[ces63ss]

do you plan on using it by machine like a d.a. or are you going to hand polish?

d.a.

[1BAD2K]

d.a.

i would recommend going one of two ways: Meguiars "Paint Reconditioning Cream" with a yellow meguiars pad then followed with a pass waith the same product on a tan pad, or Meguiars #105 on a yellow pad followed by a pass of Meguiars #205 on a tan pad. any of that can be bought at meguiars.com and either way would yield greats results. personally i would go with the later choice followed by some of their non abrasive wax like the NXT tech wax 2.0. lmk if you need links to find the stuff.

Edited March 11, 2009 by 1BAD2K (see edit history)

[slammedbowtie]

i only mentioned dylan cuz he is who turned me on to the adams. so i was just answering the question. i use adams and i think it is amazing stuff. and yes i use a da.

[Dylan06SS]

Gonna post dig this since my name was tossed around... I knew my ears were burning

 

For the record the product I was recommending was DER Stuff. Great product for novices and those who wanted a simple 2 step program for maintaining their paint, it didn't have a ton in the way of polishing ability as it was only slightly abrasive, but if used in conjunction with a machine (rotary or DA) it could get paint looking really good. DER was actually forced to close down due to VOC regulations (something I just recently learned)

 

Zaino isn't a bad product, not something I personally use, but its good stuff. 1BAD2K was right when he stated the Zaino product line is more about hiding imperfections than about removing them, IMO thats not really the correct way to go about caring for your paint. Thats not to say Zaino can't be used AFTER a car has been corrected to give it shine and gloss, but I wouldn't rely on Zaino for a swirl removal tool. I think the ONLY actual "polish" they offer is Z-PC, everything else in their line is a means of hiding swirls or enhancing gloss... not a bad thing, just not the way I approach things.

 

In reality to rely solely on ONE company for all your products is insane. Nobody has the best solutions to all the problems, and to be honest there is no one right solution. In my supplies right now I have MOSTLY Adams products, but I also have stuff from Optimum, Mezerna, Poorboys, Mothers, Chemical Guys, Migliore, etc, etc, etc. There is no one be all end all company for every step in the process, for every paint condition, for every end user. Blind brand loyalty is for people who don't make their own decisions and let a salesperson tell them whats right.

 

Now, that being said my personal preference for most of my paint care is Adams. I firmly believe they offer some of the best products for paint care, not to mention customer service that is unmatched, support that you won't get from any other supplier, and a finish that never ceases to make me smile. Have there been cases for me when Adams hasn't been the right choice? Yep... I've needed more aggressive compounds than Adams offers for some customers, I've needed longer durability out of a sealant than Adams had to offer for certain conditions, and for those I've gone to other companies to meet my need.

 

There is nothing that says if you choose Company XYZ that you have to use all their products and only their products. Part of the joy in detailing is experimenting with process and product to find combinations that meet your goals. In the end I guess all that matters is that you're happy with the end result, but keep an open mind when it comes to choosing products. One company might have swirl correcting products and waxes down, but have crappy car wash and leather conditioner. Another company may have the ultimate wax but couldn't get a swirl out to save its life.... its the nature of the business.

 

I'll close on a little example of what Adams products specifically designed for correction via DA polisher can do:

 

BEFORE:

 

 

 

PROCESS:

Washed, clayed, & dried

2 passes orange pad w/ Adams Swirl & Haze Remover

1 pass white pad w/ Adams Fine Machine Polish

1 pass gray pad w/ Adams Machine Superwax

 

 

AFTER:

 

 

 

THE FINISHED PRODUCT:

Edited May 18, 2009 by Dylan06SS (see edit history)

[slammedbowtie]

end of debate! lol