Our latest auto detailing article was put together was designed to take you through an entire detail from start to finish while trying to explain the mindset of one of the top detailers in the industry. The detail was performed on a 2006 Acura TL in Nighthawk Black Pearl, some of the softest black paint out there. With nearly 150 photos and 8 pages of explanation, we broke this article up into multiple sections so it would load faster and be better organized to find the information you are looking for quickly and easily.

Here's an overview of what is covered:

Page 1: Overview, Pre-Detail Prep, Washing and Drying
An overview of the detail to be performed
Assessing the easily damaged Acura paint
Starting the detail
Wash the wheels, tires, and wheel wells first
Properly washing soft black paint
Cleaning and washing your exhaust tips
Engine bay detailing
Drying black paint without adding swirls

Page 2: Clay Bar, Polishing, Protecting
Using a clay bar to properly prep the surface
Polishing your paint to a swirl free finish
Measuring the paint's thickness
Properly taping your vehicle prior to polishing
Choosing the right polish
Using the proper amount of polish
Results after one pass of Menzerna Power Finish on an orange pad
Polishing lower panels with problem areas
Removing deep etchings from the paint
Safely polishing the trunk lid
Removing scrapes, scratches and other deep imperfections
Safely polishing pillars
Alcohol wipe down after polishing
Post-polish clean up with ONR
Protecting your paint with a sealant

Page 3: Finishing Touches and Interior
Dressing your wheel wells and tires
Detailing the interior
Start your interior by dusting
Dressing and protecting the interior
Comparing Optimum Protectant Plus to 303 Aerospace Protectant
Caring for your leather
Streak free glass
Don't forget the sunroof

Page 4: After shots of the Acura TL detail

We hope this article improves your detailing knowledge and translates into a better finish for your vehicles.

If you have any questions on anything, please do not hesitate to ask. Let us know what you think!

Enjoy,

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Thanks for sharing. Will check it all out when I get home tonight.

 

purely amazing, good work

 

thanks a mill

 

Please post "Training your 9year old" DIY Does it work for other ages? . Great write up, results, and reminder to for me to order some tire gel. Thanks!

 

I'm thrilled to hear the article has been helpful.

Greg @ DI

 

Damn amazing as usual, I pickEd up plenty of small tips that will make the difference. When i am polishing my Z, I am only using a minimal amount of polish 3 samll dots of polish & they can cover a complete panel. In the write and tips for polishing you are using a so much more polish than myself, I was under the impression that I am only using a minute amount of polish to reduce the un-necessary waste, I am getting nice results & the buffing is minimal. Realistically how much polish should I be using & how often shoulfd I be adding more polish to the foam pad??

 

Thanks everybody for the compliments on the work and the article. I'm happy to hear that you're finding it helpful.

Training the 9 year old was easy...it's the adults that I have a problem with!

Thank you!

3 to 4 small dots for most polishes is typically all you need...some require more, and some polishes require less. In the photo that you're referring to, please keep in mind that it was a fresh pad. I'll typically use a little more on the first few passes before the pad is primed. After that the amount can be reduced as you have residual polish built up on the pad. For a door panel for instance, I typically break it up into 2 or 3 workable sections (depending on the size of the door).

For polishes like Menzerna and Optimum, a little goes a long way. For something like Megs 105 however, I will go through a lot more to achieve the desired results.

I hope this helps!

Todd Cooperider

 

Wow, awesome write up! I'm definitely looking into ditching the PC Random Orbital and picking up a rotary. Because I've been using the orange pad and Menzerna Power Finish and to achieve the best results I had to do a few passes, which is super time consuming. Do you suggest the Makita?

 

Thank you!

Yes, the Makita is the standard in the business...a real workhorse! It has good ergonomics, and the variable speed trigger is a plus as well.

 

I personally would definitely recommend the Makita 9227C-X3 Rotary Buffer. You can start at a very low RPM and relatively safely work it in. I'm pretty sure Todd would make the same recommendation but he can let you know his thoughts. Also don't forget to check out our DI Packages Makita 9227C-X3 Starter Kit where you get a great set of pads at a discounted rate.

Greg @ DI

 

Thanks for the input, hopefully I can order one sometime soon! I actually have the backing pad and 2-3 of every color of pad from Lake Country, so I should be set!

Now all I need is an air conditioned garage....

 

Awesome write up as usual. I'll be placing another order with DI hopefully in a few weeks. I too am using a flex orbital but thinking about picking up a Makita to get the job done faster. Thanks DI!!

 

Glad to help and I'm happy to hear you have a lot of the products you need.

Thank you for the support I'm confident you will aboslutely love the Flex. It's an amazing tool that you are going to love.

Greg @ DI

 

wow...simply wow...so the problem with my shine is not my technique but my car!!!I need an Acura TL. Great job such detail

 

Excellent write-up with amazing results!

 

nice write up

 

Nice write up and a great company. Always answers every question I have. Thanks again.