some detailing tips

[M.Bailey]

well to start off always dry your car after washing, but i know there is a thread on here about clay washing with a clay bar. For all of you living in the past there is a new way to clay bar your car in like a quarter of the time. (first off clay baring is the use of a clay like abrasive on your paint that removes impurities therefore makeing your paint look good, it requires alot of elbo greasy and time because the clay bar is like half the size of a bar of soap.) There is a liquid clay bar made by turtle wax it works geat i have used it on lots of cars and it takes way less time.
Next, windows they get to the point that windex and scrubbing just dont bring them back, so instead of living with it (you are going to call me crazy but please just try it and if you are that nervous try it on your neighbors car first) go get some steal or bronze wool the finest there is in size of the wire stuff. I think 4 ot is the finest, and either use window cleaner or do it while you wash your car just make sure the window stays wet and rub the sh*t out of it. It kinda acts like the clay bar on paint it removes impurities and hides pitting which is nice.
Finally wax, I use the turtle wax ICE polish which works as a wax too. It gives a great shine and you can use it on plastic, windows (if you wipe it of almost right after you put it on it will act like rain ex but better and makes you windows look great) and obviously your paint, and if you miss wiping some off it wont turn white like other waxes it is really easy to use as well. I wipe my whole car down with it and then go back and wipe my whole car off an its done and protected. I hope this helps out and please dont be afraid of the steal wool just make sure you get the really fine stuff and i prefer bronze wool so it doesnt rust good luck

long live the MR2
(because it cost to damn much to have one repainted)

[tech2]

Punctuation please, so your post will be a lot easier to read.

[M.Bailey]

done

[MR2 Drifter]

I steel wool windows because it gets everything off the window, just spray some windex and scrub away

[AmpliFyre]

Originally Posted by MR2 Drifter

I steel wool windows because it gets everything off the window, just spray some windex and scrub away

be careful what steel wool u use..... the ones for the kitchen will scratch up ur windows. i believe u need like 0000 rating steel wool.

[baileyncreme]

Greetings.

I use the Meguiar's clay bar method. Very easy with beautiful results.

A recommendation I would also make would be utilizing a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
I use this little sponge with the Meguiar's quick detailing spray.

This little eraser is nothing short of amazing. It has proven to be very safe
and effective on my vehicle windows.

These are available @ Wally World and cost effective. Here's a link to their website.
Clean Walls and Erase Set-In Dirt with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.

[MGalo]

Originally Posted by baileyncreme

Greetings.

A recommendation I would also make would be utilizing a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.
I use this little sponge with the Meguiar's quick detailing spray.

This little eraser is nothing short of amazing. It has proven to be very safe
and effective on my vehicle windows.
]

Are you just using this on the windows or the body too?

Thank you!

[jholder]

First off, this isn't meant to be a negative post, I appreciate the fact that you took the time out to post this, most people wouldn't spend the time.

Originally Posted by M.Bailey

(first off clay baring is the use of a clay like abrasive on your paint that removes impurities therefore makeing your paint look good, it requires alot of elbo greasy and time because the clay bar is like half the size of a bar of soap.) There is a liquid clay bar made by turtle wax it works geat i have used it on lots of cars and it takes way less time.

Clay, in and of itself, is not an abrasive. It doesn't remove paint or polish paint, what it does do is act like a big "sponge" for contaminants that have become embedded in your paint. (i.e. it actually picks them up from the surface of the paint)

That being said, since its a physical transference, I can't imagine a liquid (of any type) doing the same job as effectively. From reading up on the liquid clay bar, it actually *is* an abrasive. As such, good for polishing things out, not as good for getting contaminants out.

Next, windows they get to the point that windex and scrubbing just dont bring them back, so instead of living with it (you are going to call me crazy but please just try it and if you are that nervous try it on your neighbors car first) go get some steal or bronze wool the finest there is in size of the wire stuff. I think 4 ot is the finest, and either use window cleaner or do it while you wash your car just make sure the window stays wet and rub the sh*t out of it. It kinda acts like the clay bar on paint it removes impurities and hides pitting which is nice.

Steel wool on glass? Probably safe, on acrylic or poly I'd have to go with a plastic polish.

Finally wax, I use the turtle wax ICE polish which works as a wax too. It gives a great shine and you can use it on plastic, windows (if you wipe it of almost right after you put it on it will act like rain ex but better and makes you windows look great) and obviously your paint, and if you miss wiping some off it wont turn white like other waxes it is really easy to use as well. I wipe my whole car down with it and then go back and wipe my whole car off an its done and protected. I hope this helps out and please dont be afraid of the steal wool just make sure you get the really fine stuff and i prefer bronze wool so it doesnt rust good luck

I've seen acrylics (i.e. non-waxes... ICE, nxt,klasse, etc.) used on winshields before. It lasts longer than rain-x, but it never seems to be as effective as the first few days right after you put rainx on.

Just to throw this out there, if you wanted to try a few other products... my personal favorite finish is basically gotten using...

Wash (mothers soap)
clay bar
megauir stage 1 paint cleaner
meguair stage 2 paint polish ( i skip 3 for some better waxes).
wolfgang/pinnacle/klasse acrylic paint sealer (basically, any of the "specialty" sealants)
Pinnacle liquid souverain carnuba wax

My car after that makes me want to put on a terry cloth robe and slide my but down the side


Klass is probably the best, all around, easy to use sealant. I love the wolfgang products, but the pinnacle souverain series.... especially their carnuba, is phenomenal.

If you dont want to order specialty waxes...

I think zymol is my favorite of the autozone waxes, probably followed by megauirs line of produts, and then ICE and nxt. Then the old school classics.

Just my two cents.

[Timon]

Originally Posted by M.Bailey

Next, windows they get to the point that windex and scrubbing just dont bring them back, so instead of living with it (you are going to call me crazy but please just try it and if you are that nervous try it on your neighbors car first) go get some steal or bronze wool the finest there is in size of the wire stuff. I think 4 ot is the finest, and either use window cleaner or do it while you wash your car just make sure the window stays wet and rub the sh*t out of it. It kinda acts like the clay bar on paint it removes impurities and hides pitting which is nice.

Personally, I'm not a fan of steel wool on anything vehicle related. Why? I've heard of people having unseen pieces embedded into their paint and then begin to rust. If you do this, be very careful.

[MR2 Drifter]

Originally Posted by AmpliFyre

be careful what steel wool u use..... the ones for the kitchen will scratch up ur windows. i believe u need like 0000 rating steel wool.

I clean windows at work and whenever I take stickers off all that glue is left behind so we use windex and steel wool and the glue comes off

i don't know the exact rating but its very very thin small bundles wrapped together

[GR8MR2]

Several newer vehicles have a coating applied to the windows from the manufacturer that helps them stay cleans and shed water. Kind of like a permanent RainX. If you use steel wool on them you will remove this coating. Probably not an issue for our older MR2's but don't think you can use this approach on other vehicles with out risk.

Clay is a better option. It is safe and effective.

For general windshield cleaning a 3M multipurpose or delicate scrubbing pad is also a good option.