So I own a 2001 Beige QX4 right? So far for the past 4 years I've washed it every week, to every other week. I usually do this with brand name car wash, until recently with Rain-x. So far every three to four weeks I do what I initially called a full detail. This included dish soap, car wash, then caruba wax applied with an orbital buffer. The car is almost 9 years old and is starting to form those "spiderwebs" and is covered in small scratches. The black trim is fading, and its loosing its gloss. I want to do a full detail and I came up with this plan. The car is my DD but always garaged. The questions:Is this plan correct?How can I keep the car clean if it rains?For every different polish, do I need a new pad? Example. Can I apply polish with applicator pad X, then continue to use pad X to apply wax? Or after I apply polish do I need to use the polish pad, switch to a new applicator pad, and apply the wax?Can I apply claybar using water instead of instant detailer to prevent friction?

Plan:1. Wash2. Clay bar 3. Meguiars Colorx polish4. Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax5. Optional Caruba wax?6. Meguiars Plastx to headlights7. Meguiars exterior trim coating8. Tire spray9. Glass cleaner

Thanks7. Glass cleaner

Should look better but won't fix the scratches without a water sanding or something similar. Don't see a reason to use Carnuba after the NXT was either.

The thing you want to do is reduce the possibility of scratching your paint. Check out this link, it has a lot of good information (video's) about washing/waxing and polishing.

In short, you need multiple pads and multiple compounds in order to polish. Then you need a different pad for applying wax IF you want to apply it with a polisher and you need a microfiber pad cover to put over the pad in order to apply the wax.

BTW, quality microfiber is your friend! I just bought some 700g 16x16 MF towels for <$6/ea and they work great! Kind of expensive, but for a black car, it's a must.

naladude911 wrote:Plan:1. Wash2. Clay bar 3. Meguiars Colorx polish4. Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax5. Optional Caruba wax?6. Meguiars Plastx to headlights7. Meguiars exterior trim coating8. Tire spray9. Glass cleaner

Thanks7. Glass cleaner

1. Wash2. clay3. Wash (including plastic cleaner) & dry.4. Tires (wipe on, don't spray)5. Polish6. Sealer (or first stage wax)7. Wax (or second stage wax for color depth)8. Plastic treatment with 3039. Windows

Yesterday I clayed and waxed. Autoparts store was closed