Basic Detailing questions - Please assist a n00b

[Tebow]

I wanted to get people's opinions as I'm about to detail my 2009 E92 M3 for the first time...

Before doing anything else, I'm going to address the wheels w/ P21. I want to use wheel wax afterwards. Obviously it is probably easier to take the wheels off, but can applying the wheel wax be done effectively by leaving the wheels on?

Next I'm going to polish. For washing the car before the polish, do I need to use Dawn (I don't have CG Citrus) or can I use the Adam's car wash soap?

Then I need to clay, rinse, and start to polish. My car is garage kept at home and work and I only have a few areas of very fine swirls on the hood that are barely visible. I have Menzerna Super Finish PO106FA. Do I take a pass using a green pad first and then go back for another pass with the blue? Or can I just take one pass using green on the areas that have the fine swirls and the rest with blue?

Then I will rinse, dry, and begin waxing.

Am I missing anything?

[JH M3]

Use the car wash soap. The polish should remove any residual wax that is already on the car, plus as a general rule I would only use products made specifically for cars. I also don't think it's necessary to rinse the car off after each step. I polish with the clay residue still on. The only time it is necessary to buff off the residue is before waxing.

[808MGuy]

Originally Posted by Tebow

I wanted to get people's opinions as I'm about to detail my 2009 E92 M3 for the first time...

Before doing anything else, I'm going to address the wheels w/ P21. I want to use wheel wax afterwards. Obviously it is probably easier to take the wheels off, but can applying the wheel wax be done effectively by leaving the wheels on?

Next I'm going to polish. For washing the car before the polish, do I need to use Dawn (I don't have CG Citrus) or can I use the Adam's car wash soap?

Then I need to clay, rinse, and start to polish. My car is garage kept at home and work and I only have a few areas of very fine swirls on the hood that are barely visible. I have Menzerna Super Finish PO106FA. Do I take a pass using a green pad first and then go back for another pass with the blue? Or can I just take one pass using green on the areas that have the fine swirls and the rest with blue?

Then I will rinse, dry, and begin waxing.

Am I missing anything?

You can use the Adam's soap and then clay if necessary. Claying is not an absolute must. Only do it if you feel contaminants on the surface of the paint after you've washed. My experience over the years is that Dawn is pretty good at taking off surface contaminants. I do a full detail about 4 times a year and will clay maybe once out of those 4 times. Of course, it goes without saying, you shouldn't use Dawn to wash your car on a regular basis.

[ScheerSpeed]

i wouldnt wash the car with dawn because it will dry all or your rubber seals all over the car, which could lead to them degrading later down the line.

as far as polishing goes, you want to finish the whole car with the same polish/pad combo all around. if say you used a green pad with 106FA on 1/2 the car and used a blue pad for the other 1/2 you might notice a slight difference. my recommendation would be to just go with the green pad and 106FA all around the whole car, the blue pad has VERY little pite, and will barely do anything, the only time i pull out the blue pads is if i am doing a 2 step process on a car.

instead of rinsing the car after claying, give it a wipedown with Isopropyl Alcohol (91%). that will make sure that the surface is completely clean and the protection on the paint (if there was any before starting to detail it) will be removed. make sure you spray the alcohol onto the towel and not directly to the paint surface.

the final rinse afte polishing is also unnecessary. just make sure you tape off any areas you wouldnt want too much dust getting into, for instance tape off all the rubber/plastic seals, and the cracks between door panels.

let me know if i can help you any more.

Dom

[808MGuy]

Originally Posted by ScheerSpeed

i wouldnt wash the car with dawn because it will dry all or your rubber seals all over the car, which could lead to them degrading later down the line.

as far as polishing goes, you want to finish the whole car with the same polish/pad combo all around. if say you used a green pad with 106FA on 1/2 the car and used a blue pad for the other 1/2 you might notice a slight difference. my recommendation would be to just go with the green pad and 106FA all around the whole car, the blue pad has VERY little pite, and will barely do anything, the only time i pull out the blue pads is if i am doing a 2 step process on a car.

instead of rinsing the car after claying, give it a wipedown with Isopropyl Alcohol (91%). that will make sure that the surface is completely clean and the protection on the paint (if there was any before starting to detail it) will be removed. make sure you spray the alcohol onto the towel and not directly to the paint surface.

the final rinse afte polishing is also unnecessary. just make sure you tape off any areas you wouldnt want too much dust getting into, for instance tape off all the rubber/plastic seals, and the cracks between door panels.

let me know if i can help you any more.

Dom

Oops! That was a typo. It should have said you shouldn't wash your car with Dawn on a regular basis.