Detailing an Infiniti Black Obisidian Car

[AlabamaDan]

Hi everyone!

I started detailing cars about 40 years ago, but back then it was a simple wash, dry, apply some Turtle Wax or something in the shade, let it dry, and polish it off. Do this weekly and that was enough to win car shows back then. Fast forward to about 2000 and I cheated and took my car to a professional detailer (Slick Finish in Birmingham) annually which I could touch up with washes and some simple liquid wax. I don't live in Birmingham any more and even if I did Leonard Slick has passed.

So, consider me a newbie who has a 3 year old black car that looks great and I want to make it better and stay that way for many years to come. There are so many different products on the market I'm overwhelmed on where to start.

Thanks ahead of time.

[Kompresshun]

I'll throw a few out there for you. I'm a professional detailer, but these are the products I use for my personal vehicles and big shocker here - I want something as easy as possible for my own vehicles. The last thing I want to do after working all week is to spend my weekend trying to clean the cars. The one thing I will tell you is that it is near impossible to buy good products at your local shops.

If you're wanting simple and easy maintenance, use Optimum No Rinse(not the Wash and Wax version) to wash with. If you follow their process it will leave you with a perfect scratch and swirl free wash every single time. It's super easy to use, requires no hose other than filling up your bucket, and best of all you can wash wherever you want. I wash all of my customers vehicles with this product right in my garage, which allows me to detail year round. 1 32 oz bottle will give you about 16 washes. They also sell it in a Gallon. Even better - it can also be mixed in spray bottles to be used as a Waterless Wash and an Instant Detailer. You can purchase it on Amazon, or directly from various detailing websites such as AutoGeek.com or DetailedImage.com. Trust me, it's worth going out of your way to get.

Once it's washed, McKees37 makes excellent user friendly products to care for your vehicle with. They make your vehicle look great and they offer a wide variety of products for whatever you're trying to accomplish. They also have outstanding customer service and stand behind their products very well. Their pricing is also very reasonable. I highly recommend their HydroBlue coating and Spray Wax. It is easy to get overwhelmed with how many products they offer, but they also offer a lot of kits as well. Their founder is the same person who came up with Wolfgang, Pinnacle, and Blackfire branded products.

Between Optimum Polymer Technologies(Makers of Optimum No Rinse) and McKees37, they are the best DIY products out there IMHO that aren't insanely overpriced. I spent months researching before getting back into detailing full time and some of these products that cost 2-3 times as much do not even come close to producing the same results.

I will leave you with one last recommendation. If you want a great sealant and wax combination that will make your black car look unbelievably deep, grab a bottle of Jescar Powerlock Plus and Collinite 845 Insulator Wax. Apply the Jescar Powerlock first, then follow it with the Collinite after it has cured. That combination will make your car look like a show car and will last a minimum of 6 months. Some have seen it last 8-9 months and still bead like it was just applied.

I apologize if that was a little much, but i'm more than happy to help if you have any questions.

[AlabamaDan]

Thanks Kompresshun. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'll read it a few more times, look at the products and then can I come back and ask questions? By the way, I lover your signature pic. That's G50 right?

[AlabamaDan]

So first I wash with this no-rinse, but which one?


Then use this spray on wax? This seems way to easy.


Step 3 is to use this?


Final step is to use this? This looks like the old fashioned wax I'm familiar with.


What about a clay bar? Is there value to going over the car with a clay bar even when he paint looks good? Is that just for restoring paint or would it help get that really really slick finish? Here's where I'm at now.


That's $100 bucks in supplies. Are those bottles big enough? I really want to get this to look deep and wet. I want people to look at it and say "ooooh"!

[AlabamaDan]

This is an interesting blog? What do you think about this Kompresshum? It's this similar to what you said as well just with different products?

http://guidetodetailing.com/detailing-f ... ect-shine/

[Kompresshun]

You want the blue Optimum No Rinse. The green bottle is wash and wax - it's a good product, but the blue stuff is the best.

I would clay bar it, just for good measure and to decontaminate the paint. You'll be surprised how contaminated the finish is once you do it and how slick it will make it.

So wash with ONR, clay bar, and the top with the Jescar PowerLock and Collinite 845. Make sure when you apply the Collinite that you apply it super thin. One bottle can literally do 30+ vehicles. Make sure it's good and warm when applied and use just 3-4 drops max to apply per panel. It doesn't need to cure at all either. It will be ready to wipe fairly quick.

Honestly you can just skip the HydroBlue for now. I would use it or their spray wax as an in between to boost the wax and keep it looking good. Maybe apply it when you've washed it 3-4 times after all of this is done.

The beauty of the HydroBlue is that it can be sprayed on everything - Paint, Trim, Glass, and Wheels. It goes a long way too. Spray the body with water after washed(in the shade and body panels can't be hot), one mist per panel(2 for the hood and roof because they're considered 2 panels) then immediately spray off the panel with the hose to spread it. Literally as soon as you mist it, you want to have your sprayer in the other hand because you don't want it to sit. That's it. The water will bead off, then dry the panel and move to the next. It will last a few weeks before needing to be reapplied. It's an excellent product that makes protecting your vehicle super simple. The only warning is if you don't apply it correctly, you'll know it because it'll streak and it's a little annoying to clean up if it does. It will only do that though if you use too much product(one spray is really all you need per panel), let it sit too long on the panel, or the panel is too hot. As long you follow the directions though and those things, it's near impossible to mess up.

You can go further by doing a paint correction, but that requires a good buffer and purchasing a bunch of items that you'll rarely use. I think you'll be satisfied with the combination above without having to go that far.

[AlabamaDan]

Then there's this page, specifically discussing a black paint job. It doesn't have the details but talks about some products specifically for black paint. Overwhelming.

[Kompresshun]

This is an interesting blog? What do you think about this Kompresshum? It's this similar to what you said as well just with different products?

http://guidetodetailing.com/detailing-f ... ect-shine/

That is actually a great step by step process. Those are just some older products, but still perfectly fine to use. There are quite an abundance of options as you've already seen. Jescar Powerlock and Collinite are one of the very popular combinations currently, but there are a ton of other products that protect just as well. I like them because they last 6 months minimum and are very durable, compared to older Carnuba waxes that only last 2-3 months.

The buffer/polisher he mentions in that blog - Porter Cable 7424 - is an excellent DIY polisher to purchase. It was what I started with and it does a great job. It's near impossible to damage your paint with it too as it's not overpowered at all, but still has enough to make corrections very well. If you have any swirl marks or imperfections, then that is the best way to go to get rid of them. You will want to grab a good polish if you decide to go that route, but you don't necessarily need the glaze. I don't use glaze myself as most products these days don't need it before topping with a paint sealant and/or wax.

[Kompresshun]

Then there's this page, specifically discussing a black paint job. It doesn't have the details but talks about some products specifically for black paint. Overwhelming.

Yes it can get extremely overwhelming. I had to figure out myself what was best for me, because you will get a million different opinions on products you should use. I follow a few detailing pages and they are littered daily with people posting new stuff that is new and amazing that really isn't. I myself like products that are user friendly and are easy to apply. That way it saves me time, so I can save my customers money and also I can recommend those products and brands to my customers to help them take care of their vehicles in between. These days there is no reason you should have to spend a whole weekend working on your paint. Products and the protection they offer have come so far in the past 5 years that it's amazing. I started out using Meguiars and Mothers products years ago. I still have some of that stuff now, but it collects dust because it doesn't even hold a candle to what you can buy now.

[AlabamaDan]

If you're really a geek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtILoTKSXq8

[AlabamaDan]

Kompressor, What kind of Applicator pad do you recommend? Please post link? Are all microfiber towels equal?

[AlabamaDan]

So the steps for paint detailing are:

1. Wash with blue Optimum No Rinse
2. Clay with Meguiars G1016 Smooth Surface Clay Kit
3. Wash with blue Optimum No Rinse
4. Treat with McKee's 37 Hydro Blue
5. Seal with Jescar Power Lock Blue
6. Wax with Collinite 845

I park in a garage at home and work so it should last well. Hopefully this should last six months. In between I may just use steps 3 and 4 to maintain the shine. If I have a special occasion I could repeat 3-6.

Sound like a plan?

[Kompresshun]

I prefer a soft foam applicator pad but microfiber is fine as well. Just find something locally that is soft and you like.

As far as Microfiber towels go, I buy mine in bulk from Costco or Sams Club. If you don't have a membership, I also like the ones they sell at Autozone or Advance Auto Parts. They make better ones, but for DIY there really isn't a need for expensive ones. You just want something soft. Just keep them clean and if you drop it on the ground, don't use it on the paint again. It will pick up stuff from the ground that will scratch your finish. It's still safe to use for wheels or interior use though.

Also grab yourself a grit guard for your bucket while you're ordering stuff. It will help keep the dirt and grime in the bottom of the bucket so it doesn't get in your wash mitts and sponges and scratch your paint. That is where most swirl marks come from.

As for the wash steps above skip step 4. Don't use HydroBlue until you've sealed and waxed. Your sealant and wax won't adhere to the paint finish if you do. It's meant to use in between. So after it's sealed and waxed, the next time just use ONR blue, then the following time use ONR and Hydro Blue. So Hydro Blue every other time.

[AlabamaDan]

Perfect! Thanks for all your help. I'll post the results.

[AlabamaDan]

So, I'm still saving money for the full kit of supplies for the Kompresshun detailing treatment, but I couldn't just let the new Q stay dirty. At the risk of sounding like a Maguiare's commercial I had some of their wash, detailing spray, clay bar, and carnauba liquid wax. So, I spent Sunday afternoon bonding with the new Q. I'm pretty pleased with the results, but can't wait for the Kompresshun treatment to see how it looks! What cha think?

[darylzero]

Looks good! I know having a black car is tough. They show dirt and dust so quickly.

[AlabamaDan]

Thanks.

[AlabamaDan]

I'm not crazy about leaving my baby outside in the rain, but look at that water bead up! Love a good wax job.

[Larz]

If you guys wanna see just how anal we can get with detailing, you have to watch a channel on youtube called "white details". A fellow englishman who is extremely sought after for his miracle cures / results. In fact, when my dad bought his 2009 Bentley Brooklands Coupe last spring, part of the deal was that they send it to Jim for a detail / correction and it's in his video log somewhere. People actually ship cars to Jim and his partner where they remain for days of work. This is a great example of what can be done. Amazing results! Just look what he did with this totally worn down Range Rover. If you click on YOU TUBE at the bottom of the player, you can see the list of products and machines he used.

[AlabamaDan]

@Kompresshun - Finally saved and ordered some supplies! A few were on sale for PrimeDay.

1. Blue Optimum No Rinse
2. McKee's 37 Hydro Blue
3. Jescar Power Lock Blue
4. Collinite 845

I've been using some Maguires stuff I had on hand. I can't wait to see the difference!

[Kompresshun]

You'll love the Power Lock and Collinite combo. I use Collinite alone on a lot of the vehicles I detail and it's an outstanding product even by itself, but with Powerlock you get amazing longevity out of it if cared for properly. I've been seeing some guys getting up to 8-9 months protection from one application of Powerlock and Collinite. Good luck! Let us know how it turns out!

[AlabamaDan]

@Kompresshun Finally home from traveling for work and vacation. I was hoping to do my big wash and detail today, but turns out I have to work on my overgrown yard. Tomorrow I guess. Should I wash with dawn and start fresh?

[AlabamaDan]

...The beauty of the HydroBlue is that it can be sprayed on everything - Paint, Trim, Glass, and Wheels. It goes a long way too. Spray the body with water after washed(in the shade and body panels can't be hot), one mist per panel(2 for the hood and roof because they're considered 2 panels) then immediately spray off the panel with the hose to spread it. Literally as soon as you mist it, you want to have your sprayer in the other hand because you don't want it to sit. That's it...

uhhhh.... I think I got carried away. I used an entire bottle the first time.... I need to reread my instructions. I guess it's really hydro protected?

[Kompresshun]

Don't worry. I got carried away the first time I did it too and used almost the whole bottle. One bottle will do multiple applications. They mean it when they say 2 sprays per panel - it really does go that far. It's an excellent product.

[AlabamaDan]

I really like the power lock!

[AlabamaDan]

I finally finished the Collinite 845 today and all I can say is WOW! Photos don't really do it justice, but it looks so good. I can't thank y'all enough for this routine for the paint detailing. It looks great and feels wonderful.

Now, what do y'all use for tires and wheels?

[audtatious]

I hate my Obsidian black Q50 paint with a passion.

[AlabamaDan]

I hate my Obsidian black Q50 paint with a passion.

Not sure what to say. Since I used the above routine mine looks like a mirror and feels like - well it's the smoothest thing ever. That red color of yours however is just WOW!

[AlabamaDan]

Still looking for a tire dressing. I'd like a satin finish.

[AlabamaDan]

I used the optimum blue today and all I can say is wow. That is so cool. I was skeptical to wash my car with so little water and no suds, but you guys didn't steer me wrong with the other products so I gave it a shot and it's very impressive. Barely takes any water at all and looks so good. Is it safe to assume that it goes along with all the other polymers, complimenting them.

As for a complimentary tire dressing, what about this?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B9W4IHY/?c ... _lig_dp_it