5th Genhttp://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15603
4th Genhttp://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25843
3rd Genhttp://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25080
New Car Prep:--------------------------One of the most frequently asked questions in my detailing experience is whether or not it is proper to detail a new car. I used to share the common thought that detailing a new car was nonsensical.
But in all honesty, the answer to that question would be a resounding yes. The main reason for this is that cars are assaulted by different things in transit and storage. You have items such as rail dust (small specks of metal that come off of train wheels and bond to a car's finish), industrial fallout (depends on the area), bird droppings, fruit/tree sap....to name a few.
This thread is designed to answer the questions about detailing new cars and outline a procedure that will give you a shiny vehicle for years to come.
The first part of the procedure is NEVER allow the dealer to detail your new car. Many times, dealers will swirl the heck out of a finish because they are using too aggressive a pad or polish (sometimes both).
Items needed for the initial detail
a) 2 Buckets:The reason I suggest using 2 buckets is to reduce swirl marks and/or spiderwebbing. You fill one bucket up with car wash shampoo and water and the other with just plain water. After washing an area with the shampoo, take the mitt and put it in the bucket with the clear water so that all of the dirt particles will sink to the bottom of the rinse bucket and your mitt will be clean for the next application of the car wash shampoo.
b) Chenille Wash Mitts (One for the lower body, One for wheels/fenderwells, One for upper body).The reason for this is also to prevent swirls. The lower regions of the car will have more dirt and tar than the upper regions. It takes one dirt particle to get caught and you can easily have scratches/swirls on your car.
c) Car Wash Shampoo (I personally use Meguiar's Gold Class)
d) Clay Bar
e) Carnuba wax (e.g. Meguiar's #26, P21S, S100)
f) Polymer Sealant (e.g. Klasse, Blackfire, Zaino)Most polymers have a cleaner to allow for easier bonding of the sealant glaze. Bear in mind, these will last up to 6 months or more dependent on environment.
Items needed for the initial interior treatment
a) Vacuum cleaner: I personally have a shop vac I paid $32 bucks for and it's good for general vacuuming of vehicles.
b) Terrycloth wax applicators: Those are excellent when applying leather cleaner and conditioner as well as protectants.
c) Protectant: If you get one, make sure it has a high UV rating to protect the vinyl on the dash. I recommend Lexol's Vinylex for that purpose. I also may use the Vinylex to treat the tires as well.
d) (For Leather Interiors Only) Get a good leather cleaner and conditioner. Recommendations are Lexol, Zaino, Pinnacle, Einszett and Leatherique.
e) Microfiber Towels or newspaper for glass cleaning. You can get Microfibers at Wal-Mart for a reasonable price or order from the links I have listed above.
f) Glass Cleaner: I try to stay away from ammoniated glass cleaners because of tinted windows. Ammonia tends to interact with the mylar in a negative way by ruining the coloration and (sometimes) the material itself. Recommendations: Eagle One 20/20, Stoners Invisible Glass, Sprayway.
g) Plexus Plastic Polish. Use that for the gauge windows and the radio windows. I also recommend that if you have a wood dash kit.
I'll be adding more to this as time goes on.
Modified by PrinzII at 9:11 PM 8/11/2005
Generation Specific Detailing Tips
-
audtatious
- Moderator
- Posts: 25014
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 5:31 pm
- Car: 2017 Q60 Red Sport. Gone: 2014 Q50s, 2008 G37s coupe, 2007 G35s Sedan, 2002 Maxima SE, 2000 Villager Estate (Quest), 1998 Quest, 1996 Sentra GXE
- Location: Stalking You
- Contact:
5th Gen (Copied from Prinz thread):
Considering I own one of these beasts, there are a few quirks to learn when detailing them.
a) Headlight Haze
This is a known problem on '02-'03 Maximas. It seems as though the headlight cover has a haze on the inside of it. The cover is a sealed cover and is extremely difficult to remove.
b) Anniversary Edition Door Sills
These are prone to scratching if you use too harsh a metal polish on them. You might want to consider something like Mother's or Nevr-Dull or Luster Lace.
c) Fuel Filler Door
Nissan, in its infinite wisdom , did not put a splash guard for the fuel filler line in the 5th Gen Maximas. As a result, the fuel door area can accumulate a lot of dirt. If you are washing one of these cars, it would be a good idea to wash this area to get rid of any accumulated dirt. For 2000-2001 model years, there is a TSB for it. For 2002-2003, we have to live with cleaning the crud as the parts for the '00-'01 TSB do not fit ours.
Another thing about the 5th Gen Maxima is the six spoke SE Rims.The design of those rims lends itself to easier cleaning of some parts behind the rim face. I use an old sheepswool mitt to go behind there and clean those areas I can access with my hand.
The tightest area is around the brake caliper and using a flexible brush to get behind the wheel in that spot is a good idea.
Since these wheels are clearcoated, claying them is a very good idea to remove brake dust and contaminants. Also, putting a glaze like Meguiar's #20 or Klasse Sealant Glaze adds a leverl of protection against brake dust.
The seven spoke GLE rims will require a flexible brush since the spaces are tighter (unless you have small hands). These rims are aluminum but are also clearcoated like the SE rims.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's why you need a brush to clean the inside of the wheels around the caliper http://images.cardomain.com/me...=9994
There is a very sharp metal piece that comes from the caliper and it will slice you if you are not careful.
Here's the post that tells the story: http://forums.maxima.org/showt...ber=1
I have been sliced twice (not severely) until I learned to adjust the mit so I don't come in contact with it.
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The grille on the A33s is somewhat of a modified egg crate design. A good tip to clean the areas in between is to find a sponge based wheel brush to clean them thoroughly.
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Considering I own one of these beasts, there are a few quirks to learn when detailing them.
a) Headlight Haze
This is a known problem on '02-'03 Maximas. It seems as though the headlight cover has a haze on the inside of it. The cover is a sealed cover and is extremely difficult to remove.
b) Anniversary Edition Door Sills
These are prone to scratching if you use too harsh a metal polish on them. You might want to consider something like Mother's or Nevr-Dull or Luster Lace.
c) Fuel Filler Door
Nissan, in its infinite wisdom , did not put a splash guard for the fuel filler line in the 5th Gen Maximas. As a result, the fuel door area can accumulate a lot of dirt. If you are washing one of these cars, it would be a good idea to wash this area to get rid of any accumulated dirt. For 2000-2001 model years, there is a TSB for it. For 2002-2003, we have to live with cleaning the crud as the parts for the '00-'01 TSB do not fit ours.
Another thing about the 5th Gen Maxima is the six spoke SE Rims.The design of those rims lends itself to easier cleaning of some parts behind the rim face. I use an old sheepswool mitt to go behind there and clean those areas I can access with my hand.
The tightest area is around the brake caliper and using a flexible brush to get behind the wheel in that spot is a good idea.
Since these wheels are clearcoated, claying them is a very good idea to remove brake dust and contaminants. Also, putting a glaze like Meguiar's #20 or Klasse Sealant Glaze adds a leverl of protection against brake dust.
The seven spoke GLE rims will require a flexible brush since the spaces are tighter (unless you have small hands). These rims are aluminum but are also clearcoated like the SE rims.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's why you need a brush to clean the inside of the wheels around the caliper http://images.cardomain.com/me...=9994
There is a very sharp metal piece that comes from the caliper and it will slice you if you are not careful.
Here's the post that tells the story: http://forums.maxima.org/showt...ber=1
I have been sliced twice (not severely) until I learned to adjust the mit so I don't come in contact with it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The grille on the A33s is somewhat of a modified egg crate design. A good tip to clean the areas in between is to find a sponge based wheel brush to clean them thoroughly.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
One of the most common of all Maxima Generations is the 4th Gen ('95 - '99). There are some particulars to cleaning those as well.
a) Like the 3rd Gens, the grille design is quite difficult to clean (especially on the '95-96). You will need a brush to get into the tighter spaces on the grille. The '97-99 Grille is different but still narrow.
b) '95-'96 SE rims are polished aluminum and clearcoated. You can treat them like the 3rd Gen rims (Clay, Polish, Glaze)
Example of '95-'96 SE rims. Also used on '97-'99 GLE'97-99 5 Spoke SE rims are a slightly different animal. For one, there is a split between the spokes of the rim that can be quite difficult to clean w/o a brush.
Example of '97-'99 rims (Thx, Sarah)
a) Like the 3rd Gens, the grille design is quite difficult to clean (especially on the '95-96). You will need a brush to get into the tighter spaces on the grille. The '97-99 Grille is different but still narrow.
b) '95-'96 SE rims are polished aluminum and clearcoated. You can treat them like the 3rd Gen rims (Clay, Polish, Glaze)
Example of '95-'96 SE rims. Also used on '97-'99 GLE'97-99 5 Spoke SE rims are a slightly different animal. For one, there is a split between the spokes of the rim that can be quite difficult to clean w/o a brush.
Example of '97-'99 rims (Thx, Sarah)
3rd Gen
There are fewer twists to detailing those than the '02 I currently own.
a) Like the 5th Gen, the wheels are clearcoated. However, the wheels are usually polished aluminum. The best way to deal with them is to clay, polish with either Wenol or Mothers, and then follow with Klasse Sealant Glaze.
b) Do Not use EF HI Full strength when cleaning the interior of these vehicles. The lettering on the switches will be destroyed.
c) Periodically Plexus or polish the taillights, reflector, and corner lamps to ensure that the luster remains.Another thing, for 92-94 Maximas, you will need a decent brush to clean the grille because of its design.
Taken from 4DSC's post in the thread on Autopia
And a can of compressed air to blow water out of there! I also use that (or just blow with my breath) the water out from infront of the front turn signal housing in the bumper, which tends to pool quite a bit of water. I also run a (clean!) hand under the lips in the bumper where the air inlet and fog lamps go because they hold lots of water droplets due to its perfectly horizontal design.
Door window trim and rear taillight/valence housings can also hold water in them and lead to annoying drips later so I hold my WW up to the corners to "wick" away water trapped underneath.
I suppose this is a general tip for any spoiler-equipped car, but I have to thread my WW towel through the spoiler and "floss" it to dry under there.
If anyone has some tips on cleaning/vacuuming down inside those wierd interior door pulls I'm all ears... I lost a dandelion fluff down there once!
Oh yeah, one last thing: SE rims suck to clean. GXEs should be a bit easier....
4DSC is correct in that the 3rd Gen SE rims are quite difficult to clean without the use of a small brush.
There are fewer twists to detailing those than the '02 I currently own.
a) Like the 5th Gen, the wheels are clearcoated. However, the wheels are usually polished aluminum. The best way to deal with them is to clay, polish with either Wenol or Mothers, and then follow with Klasse Sealant Glaze.
b) Do Not use EF HI Full strength when cleaning the interior of these vehicles. The lettering on the switches will be destroyed.
c) Periodically Plexus or polish the taillights, reflector, and corner lamps to ensure that the luster remains.Another thing, for 92-94 Maximas, you will need a decent brush to clean the grille because of its design.
Taken from 4DSC's post in the thread on Autopia
And a can of compressed air to blow water out of there! I also use that (or just blow with my breath) the water out from infront of the front turn signal housing in the bumper, which tends to pool quite a bit of water. I also run a (clean!) hand under the lips in the bumper where the air inlet and fog lamps go because they hold lots of water droplets due to its perfectly horizontal design.
Door window trim and rear taillight/valence housings can also hold water in them and lead to annoying drips later so I hold my WW up to the corners to "wick" away water trapped underneath.
I suppose this is a general tip for any spoiler-equipped car, but I have to thread my WW towel through the spoiler and "floss" it to dry under there.
If anyone has some tips on cleaning/vacuuming down inside those wierd interior door pulls I'm all ears... I lost a dandelion fluff down there once!
Oh yeah, one last thing: SE rims suck to clean. GXEs should be a bit easier....
4DSC is correct in that the 3rd Gen SE rims are quite difficult to clean without the use of a small brush.
Claying
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is regarding claying. Many people ask if it's a necessary step and what benefit they get from it.
The best way for me to describe it is by using your own skin as an example. Your skin, like a car's paint is under assault from the elements each and every day. In order to remove the dead skin cells from your skin (exfoliation), you need something to lift the dead skin cells from your skin to expose the new skin underneath.Many people use the "poof" or a loofa to remove dead skin.
Well, the act of claying your car is similar to exfoliating your skin. Claying removes embedded contaminants from the paint surface, making the surface very smooth. The clay bar is the automotive version of a loofa.
To use a clay bar:
a) Wash and dry the car throughlyb) In a 2'x2' section, spray the clay lubricant c) Break off a piece of the clay bar and flatten it into a patty.d) Take the piece of clay and go over the lubricated area using linear motions until you no longer hear a "scraping" sound or the bar starts to feel slippery across the finish.d) Dry off the area you just clayed with a microfiber towel.e) continue to the next section until you complete the car.
Other uses for the clay bar:
a) You can clay the glass on your vehicle. This removes the contamination on the glass.b) You can clay the wheels. Wheels are clearcoated just like the paint on the car is. They are under assault from the elements as well as brake dust. After claying, polish the wheels and then put a glaze or wax over them as an added level of protection. This also makes it much easier to clean the rims in the future since brake dust won't stick to them.
* Time Saving Tip
Instead of using the supplied lubricant, start claying the car immediately after the final rinse. When you finish claying the section, dry the car with the MF. You'll notice that you get the same results as if you used the lubricant.
One of the most frequent questions I get asked is regarding claying. Many people ask if it's a necessary step and what benefit they get from it.
The best way for me to describe it is by using your own skin as an example. Your skin, like a car's paint is under assault from the elements each and every day. In order to remove the dead skin cells from your skin (exfoliation), you need something to lift the dead skin cells from your skin to expose the new skin underneath.Many people use the "poof" or a loofa to remove dead skin.
Well, the act of claying your car is similar to exfoliating your skin. Claying removes embedded contaminants from the paint surface, making the surface very smooth. The clay bar is the automotive version of a loofa.
To use a clay bar:
a) Wash and dry the car throughlyb) In a 2'x2' section, spray the clay lubricant c) Break off a piece of the clay bar and flatten it into a patty.d) Take the piece of clay and go over the lubricated area using linear motions until you no longer hear a "scraping" sound or the bar starts to feel slippery across the finish.d) Dry off the area you just clayed with a microfiber towel.e) continue to the next section until you complete the car.
Other uses for the clay bar:
a) You can clay the glass on your vehicle. This removes the contamination on the glass.b) You can clay the wheels. Wheels are clearcoated just like the paint on the car is. They are under assault from the elements as well as brake dust. After claying, polish the wheels and then put a glaze or wax over them as an added level of protection. This also makes it much easier to clean the rims in the future since brake dust won't stick to them.
* Time Saving Tip
Instead of using the supplied lubricant, start claying the car immediately after the final rinse. When you finish claying the section, dry the car with the MF. You'll notice that you get the same results as if you used the lubricant.
Polishing and Waxing
Many folks use the two terms interchangeably but they are actually two different processes. Polishing refers to the process which removes paint imperfections by use of products that contain abrasives. A good example of a polish is the cleaner wax you purchase at some auto parts stores. When you put some between your fingertips, you will notice that it feels slightly gritty. That grittiness is the abrasiveness that will remove a wide variety of paint imperfections and oxidation. However, most cleaner waxes are very light in abrasiveness and would not be effective on certain other conditions. For that, you would need to move up to something more abrasive.
Warning: Using too aggressive a product can cause damage to your finish if the finish does not warrant it.
Examples of polishes
Klasse All In One, Einszett Paint Polish, Menzerna Intensive Polish
Waxes, on the other hand, do not have any abrasives and are designed to offer a layer of protection for your paint. If you put a true wax between your fingers, you will notice that it does not hve any grittiness. Waxes are a FINAL step in a detailing regimen. Polishes are an integral part of a detailing regimen if your finish has defects.
If you have any questions as to what polish to use on your car, PM me or ask me in here. I'll be glad to point you in the right direction.
Many folks use the two terms interchangeably but they are actually two different processes. Polishing refers to the process which removes paint imperfections by use of products that contain abrasives. A good example of a polish is the cleaner wax you purchase at some auto parts stores. When you put some between your fingertips, you will notice that it feels slightly gritty. That grittiness is the abrasiveness that will remove a wide variety of paint imperfections and oxidation. However, most cleaner waxes are very light in abrasiveness and would not be effective on certain other conditions. For that, you would need to move up to something more abrasive.
Warning: Using too aggressive a product can cause damage to your finish if the finish does not warrant it.
Examples of polishes
Klasse All In One, Einszett Paint Polish, Menzerna Intensive Polish
Waxes, on the other hand, do not have any abrasives and are designed to offer a layer of protection for your paint. If you put a true wax between your fingers, you will notice that it does not hve any grittiness. Waxes are a FINAL step in a detailing regimen. Polishes are an integral part of a detailing regimen if your finish has defects.
If you have any questions as to what polish to use on your car, PM me or ask me in here. I'll be glad to point you in the right direction.
Cleaning of Tires and Wheels
Another thing I run across in my experience is people who have questions on how to clean tires and wheels properly. This thread is designed to address those questions.
Many stock and aftermarket rims are clearcoated like the body of the car is. This clearcoat offers a level of protection against the elements and brake dust. However, if a cleaner is too acidic, it will damage the clearcoat on the rims and the protection will eventually go away and cause the rim to become corroded.
With the plethora of wheel cleaners on the market, it's very easy to make a mistake and pick the wrong cleaner for your wheels. I have heard of people using degreasers such as Simple Green or Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner to clean rims. If these products are diluted (and I mean diluted greatly), no harm. But if the cleaning agent is more concentrated, you will risk damaging the clear. If you go that route, carefully read the instructions so that you do not risk damaging the clear and/or the rim. Also, many rims are made of certain grades of metals that can be damaged if the wrong cleaner is used on them.
There are certain wheel cleaners that will do a good job without damaging the clear. OTC, I would recommend Eagle One A2Z or the Espree Wheel Cleaner (green stuff). These cleaners are strong but gentle on the rim. I use an all-purpose cleaner (Eiman Fabrik's Hi-Intensity) which works excellently for both the tires and rims.
As far as the tires are concerned, you may want to consider using a good tire cleaner so that it will remove all the protectants. Bleche-White is definitely not one of those cleaners. Bleche White is known to cause tires to become a chalky, grayish color. You want the tire to be clean but black. I also recommend the use of an excellent tire brush to thoroughly scrub the dirt from the tires. I personally have a Viking tire brush shaped like an arrowhead. This brush works excellently on blackwalls. I also have a wire tire brush for whitewalls or severely stained blackwalls.
Another thing I run across in my experience is people who have questions on how to clean tires and wheels properly. This thread is designed to address those questions.
Many stock and aftermarket rims are clearcoated like the body of the car is. This clearcoat offers a level of protection against the elements and brake dust. However, if a cleaner is too acidic, it will damage the clearcoat on the rims and the protection will eventually go away and cause the rim to become corroded.
With the plethora of wheel cleaners on the market, it's very easy to make a mistake and pick the wrong cleaner for your wheels. I have heard of people using degreasers such as Simple Green or Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner to clean rims. If these products are diluted (and I mean diluted greatly), no harm. But if the cleaning agent is more concentrated, you will risk damaging the clear. If you go that route, carefully read the instructions so that you do not risk damaging the clear and/or the rim. Also, many rims are made of certain grades of metals that can be damaged if the wrong cleaner is used on them.
There are certain wheel cleaners that will do a good job without damaging the clear. OTC, I would recommend Eagle One A2Z or the Espree Wheel Cleaner (green stuff). These cleaners are strong but gentle on the rim. I use an all-purpose cleaner (Eiman Fabrik's Hi-Intensity) which works excellently for both the tires and rims.
As far as the tires are concerned, you may want to consider using a good tire cleaner so that it will remove all the protectants. Bleche-White is definitely not one of those cleaners. Bleche White is known to cause tires to become a chalky, grayish color. You want the tire to be clean but black. I also recommend the use of an excellent tire brush to thoroughly scrub the dirt from the tires. I personally have a Viking tire brush shaped like an arrowhead. This brush works excellently on blackwalls. I also have a wire tire brush for whitewalls or severely stained blackwalls.
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Maxima-Ness
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:02 am
- Car: 2002 Maxima SE 6-spd
Wheel Wax from http://www.properautocare.com will get rid of those nasty black flecks on the insides of your rims, or any other dirt your cleaner left behind. And guess what......its NOT gen specific!
Re: Generation Specific Detailing Tips (PrinzII)
None of the Links are working up top.
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audtatious
- Moderator
- Posts: 25014
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 5:31 pm
- Car: 2017 Q60 Red Sport. Gone: 2014 Q50s, 2008 G37s coupe, 2007 G35s Sedan, 2002 Maxima SE, 2000 Villager Estate (Quest), 1998 Quest, 1996 Sentra GXE
- Location: Stalking You
- Contact:
Re: Generation Specific Detailing Tips (BOBCAT)
Thanks, I'll let him know so he can fix them...
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Grand Moff Joseph
- Posts: 31
- Joined: Tue Jul 04, 2006 4:11 pm
- Car: 2004 Infiniti I35
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Re: Generation Specific Detailing Tips (audtatious)
A tip regarding the faux wood trim in our vehicles:
I have found that spraying a microfiber cloth lightly with Stoner Invisible Glass will gently and quickly wipe finger prints and smudges off of any wood trim.
I have found that spraying a microfiber cloth lightly with Stoner Invisible Glass will gently and quickly wipe finger prints and smudges off of any wood trim.
-
audtatious
- Moderator
- Posts: 25014
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 5:31 pm
- Car: 2017 Q60 Red Sport. Gone: 2014 Q50s, 2008 G37s coupe, 2007 G35s Sedan, 2002 Maxima SE, 2000 Villager Estate (Quest), 1998 Quest, 1996 Sentra GXE
- Location: Stalking You
- Contact:
Re: (maxhopper97)
I thought it was already linked?
Hmmmm
Hmmmm
Re: Generation Specific Detailing Tips (BOBCAT)
I'll take a peek at them.BOBCAT wrote:None of the Links are working up top.
Re: Generation Specific Detailing Tips (PrinzII)
Waxes, while labeled differently, can have the same basic chemical makeup. For instance, you can get a tub of P21S and a Tub of S100 and you will not see any appreciable difference in gloss.
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audtatious
- Moderator
- Posts: 25014
- Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2002 5:31 pm
- Car: 2017 Q60 Red Sport. Gone: 2014 Q50s, 2008 G37s coupe, 2007 G35s Sedan, 2002 Maxima SE, 2000 Villager Estate (Quest), 1998 Quest, 1996 Sentra GXE
- Location: Stalking You
- Contact:
Re: Generation Specific Detailing Tips (PrinzII)
Call me or IM me so we can get the ball rollin