project.dwnshft

iTrader: (2)

very very silly question but here in new orleans its been raining on and off for the past few weeks so i havent taken the time to wash the car. now ive accumulated ALOT of love bug luv juice allover the front of the car, that has baked on over the course of the 3 weeks if not more. what would u suggest the best way to get this junk off the car...looking for products i can purchase locally cause i plan on doing this in the next day or so. thanks

mw9

iTrader: (51)

Alot too read and looks like good info. I will have to try to get to read the rest later. Zaino is a big product on this site, what do you think of it and compared to products you suggest.

trodis

I recently purchased my Z in March. Its an 07 PPW. I travel every week and my car sits in the driveway, until I return on the weekend. It is also my daily driver(When I am home, and on off weeks). As you can see I dont have as much time to dedicate to detailing as I would like.

My question is, with the winter fast approaching what would be best to protect my car through the harsh MA weather? I am assuming I should purchase some kind of cover, since it cannot be stored, but what method or materials should be used to keep it in the best condition possible when its out plowing through the elements(snow, rain, ice, sun, ect)? Should I have it professionally done? Is it too early to even think about waxing(being that the car is relatively new)?

2nd Q.
Since I have a white car, does Waxing really make a difference in shine. I understand it protects. If so what products do you recommend for a PPW color?

3rd Q.
The Z's door handles are made of some sort of plastic. What would be best for removing finger prints and cleaning them up?

Sorry for all the Questions. Thanks in advance!

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

Removing bug smear can be done with a good degreaser/pre-wash spray. I typically recommend the Poorboy's World Bug Squash but I'm not sure what would be available locally. You may be able to use simple green if you dilute it a lot. This will help loosen and soften the bug smear and make it much easier to remove. Spray the area and let the product site for about 1 - 2 minutes and then wash the affected area. Rinse your mitt very frequently so you don't have contaminates lodged in your mitt that could later add fine scratches to the paint. Also in the future I recommend removing any bug smear immediately. The love bug can start to dissolve the clear coat, which can leave a light etching in the clear coat. Typically this is accelerated with pro-longed sun exposure. I keep a quick detailer and microfiber towel in my ride just for these type of occasions. The same goes for bird droppings, etc.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

I hope you find the information informative and furthers your detailing knowledge. Zaino is a great brand that has many quality products. I've used it several times and overall liked my experience. I feel the products and brands we have selected will offer comparable levels of performance. I don't think any brand has the best products. To me detailing is all about finding the products that work best for you. Everyone's goals and perception is different so just find out what makes you happy. I often times will provide recommendations for the products we carry but there are usually many different products that can achieve the desired results. Let me know if you'd like any recommendations.

Greg @ Detailed Image

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

Question 1 + 2
Congrats on the new Z. Protecting your vehicle in the winter months can certainly be challenging. It's never too early to protect your vehicle, unless it has fresh paint. I would suggest applying a good coat(s) of sealant before the winter months. Natural carnauba waxes look outstanding and protect the paint well. However they typically only last about 2 - 8 weeks. Synthetic sealants don't give off quite as deep gloss, but they last 3 - 6 months on average. Ideally I like to put on 2+ coats of a sealant and then top it off with a coat of wax for extra protection and shine. Applying this protection can be done by you or a professional. Unless you know of a high quality detailer I typically recommend doing it yourself. Doing it yourself is less expensive, more thorough and you can apply a high quality sealant that will protect longer than a wax. A good quality sealant that is affordable is the Poorboy's World EX-P. This is a pure sealant that will give you a highly reflective shine and long lasting protection. I also really like the Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket (FMJ) and the Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze (HGSG). The FMJ is extremely easy to apply and remove and looks outstanding. The Klasse HGSG is probably the strongest sealant I know of to protect your paint but it's a little finicky to work with. Even though your paint is white this will certainly enhance the depth and gloss of the shine. The paint should look noticeably better and it makes future cleanings much easier.

As for a car cover this is a personal decision. I can see how it helps keep the snow and ice off your vehicle and it has major advantages. However covers will also move and shift due to wind etc. If there is any dirt on the vehicle or trapped underneath the cover it can add fine scratches. Leaving your vehicle exposed to the elements is also dangerous so there is no right answer here. If you do get a car cover I recommend washing your paint right before you put it on and make sure you have a coat of wax or sealant on the paint.

3.) You can remove the fingerprints with a basic wash, quick detailer, degreaser or interior cleaner. I hate how the fingerprints look on that kind of plastic after just one time. I typically close my door with one finger on the edge just for that reason.

Let me know if you have any questions about my advice or anything else related to detailing.

Greg @ Detailed Image

BornSlippyZ

iTrader: (1)

Hello Greg, I need some help getting out some pesky water spots and some swirl marks. I own a 05 SuperBlack. I looked on your website to purchase some SSR but I want to know what else I need to fix the problem.

Many thanks

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

Sorry for my slow response I was out of town Friday through Sunday. To remove light swirls, light watermarks and more you’ll most likely want to use at least two polishes for best results. First we recommend you apply a medium cutting polish like the Menzerna Intensive Polish or Menzerna Super Intensive Polish and follow it up with a lighter polish like the Menzerna Final Polish II or Menzerna PO106FF. The SSRs are good but I find the Menzerna polishes to have more cutting power. This will help eliminate the swirls permanently, not just hide them. After applying any medium cutting polish you should always follow it up with a lighter polish to buff out any haze that may be left behind and restore surface gloss. I recommend using the light polish next to get a very smooth clear coat that looks clean and crisp. After applying this product the surface should be optically clear so you can get the deepest reflection possible. I highly recommend applying these polishes with the Porter Cable 7424 because it gives much more even coverage of product and heat. This ultimately means that the product will break down better and buff out much more imperfections in the clear. When you do these applications by hand it's difficult to give your paint constant pressure all the way around and throughout the entire detail (especially with multiple coats). Also the buffer has different textured pads which allow it to work in to the surface better. I apply the medium cutting polish with an orange light cutting pad and a light polish with the white polishing pad.

If you have any questions about these products or how to use the buffer please let me know. We also have a step by step guide for applying the polishes by hand or with a buffer. I look forward to helping you get rid of those marks and get the paint looking clean and vibrant again.

Greg @ Detailed Image

trodis

Thanks for all the great info Greg!

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

No problem at all, let me know if you have any other questions.

Greg @ Detailed Image

BornSlippyZ

iTrader: (1)

Thankyou Greg!

aloh

iTrader: (26)

hey greg! Your website is so awesome! Its got alot of great information.

I first heard about you last year on e46fanatics.com. Its nice to see you on my350z now too.

One quick detailing question, is it okay to use newspaper instead of microfiber with Stoner's Invisible Glass to clean windows?

BriA5

iTrader: (3)

Do you have access to Menz. PO85RD?

I have been using this for a while and LOVE it. I have a relatively local source, but he doesn't always have it in stock.

Thanks.

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

Thanks for checking out our new site. I'm excited about our redesigned site and I'm even more excited to implement some new features in the coming months.

Yes newspaper can work with the Stoner Invisible Glass. However I typically follow up with a microfiber towel to help further remove streaks. I also highly recommend you clean your hands right after. You don't want the ink to transfer from your hands to the leather, dashboard, etc.



We don't carry the PO85RD at this time, but it is a great polish. However we do carry the Menzerna PO106FF which is very similar to the PO85RD. According to Menzerna both polishes are designed to remove 2500 grit sand paper. However in their rating system they rate the cutting power of the PO85RD just slightly ahead of the PO106FF. The PO106FF finishes down smoother and produce more gloss though according to their chart. If you'd like to read more about this please check out the Menzerna Polishing Chart on Detail University.

I typically prefer the PO106FF as my finishing polish because I want the maximum gloss when I'm done polishing. Since this is the last polish I'm going to use I really don't want to follow up with another finishing polish to improve the gloss. If I need more cutting power I will normally add another coat of polish to my routine that is more aggressive like the Super Intensive Polish with a more aggressive pad. This is what works best for me but each person's routine will vary to meet their own goals.

In summary I'm sorry we don't have that polish but I hope you'll try the PO106FF some time. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Greg @ Detailed Image

BriA5

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for the info.

Anomaly

iTrader: (7)

Would you share some insight on using blue painters masking tape for detailing, please?!

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

Anything in specific you'd like to know about it? I typically put the tape on trim, mirrors, grills, etc. that are difficult to operate a buffer around. This saves you from getting any product on the trim and having to clean them in the future. When I just put a coat of wax or sealant on the paint I typically won't use the tape and I'll just go slow and be careful. However if I'm doing a multiple step process I typically put the tape on. Let me know if you'd like more insight on any particular part about using the tape, I'd be happy to elaborate.

Greg @ Detailed Image

wlises

Have you ever heard of 5 Star Shine? And if you have what do you think of it? Supposedly its the stuff the Navy uses on their ships.

Anomaly

iTrader: (7)

Perfect, thank you!

One last question regarding the blue tape:
I'm assuming that you would go over the areas that the tape covered by hand?

I'm asking because I'm tired of digging out wax build up from the emblems and crevices such as by the headlights and window trim!

Detailed Image

iTrader: (27)

I've heard of them but I don't honestly know that much about the brand from personal experience. However any product that claims up to five years of protection I'm extremely skeptical of. The most durable sealants I know of last up to a year in ideal conditions. If it worked as well they claimed on their site I have to believe I would have heard more from the detailing community. Sorry I can't provide more specific details.

Greg @ Detailed Image