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Detailing the Cobalt...

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Old 02-12-2013, 01:52 PM
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Detailing the Cobalt...

Hey guys figured I would make a thread to kill some time. For about the last week I have been cleaning and detailing the **** out of my car. I had a TON of very small scratches all over the car from the previous owner. After reading and reading I found a method that I think has worked for me.

1) Started off with the two-bucket wash method. Found this method useful by watching the Junkman200 video. I used some Meguires car wash solution..

2) Next I decided that the car could use it so I clay-barred the car

3) Decided to get a Porter Cable 7424XP. When reading and watching videos about how to get out the scratches the census was too do a full cut/polish. I picked up the Meguires Pro Line M105 and 205. Here are a couple of pictures to show the before and after..

Before...

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After...

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As you can see this method of applying the M105, removing, then applying the M205 worked very well!

4) I applied wax to the entire car.

Just wondering some of the methods other use? Any tips or tricks or products that you have used that have worked well for you...

I found that the M105 is VERY dusty, kind of a PITA...and then the M205 is oily. The 205 doesn't bother me cuz I think they do it to sort of make it a filler so no biggie...
Old 02-12-2013, 06:46 PM
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No one cleans their car? lol
Old 02-12-2013, 06:48 PM
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I'm in for shine pics! Lol I plan on doing a FULL detail once mine is off jackstands
Old 02-12-2013, 06:49 PM
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been wanting to pick up a porter cable soon, looks good tho! thats why i could never own a black car lol
Old 02-12-2013, 06:58 PM
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Haha you have no idea how annoying all those swirl marks were getting. They have been there since I got the car last summer I was just way too lazy to **** with it. Black looks sooooo good when it's clean tho, keeps me coming back for more!
Old 02-13-2013, 09:11 PM
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when clean,black looks very good.

usually when i detail the paint on my car,which usually is about 3-4 times a year. i usually use dawn dish soap,it gets all the **** off your car thats been building up. then i clay bar and go from there.

my friend is a auto body guy and before i stored my balt,we clay'd,waxed and compounded it. he pulls out this water bottle with this yellow lookin **** in it and he said its some new stuff a guy from his work mixed together and has been using it on customer cars at his work. well,we tried it out on my car and im not kidding you,ive never felt a car so smooth and i detailed cars for 5 years lol it made me kinda iffy at first but my car turned out perfect when we were done.
Old 02-13-2013, 10:39 PM
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the film your seeing with 205 is a good thing.

a lot of companies have products that will leave the film. main reason is when theres a transparent film it means the product has broken down. also it makes life easy wiping it off and not putting any marks back into the paint.

any cutting compound will normally dust up. its the nature of the beast and anyone that uses a rotary polisher knows how bad it cant really get. thats why i wash my car between setups and air dry it with compressed air(i have a 3 stage dryer system on the air line so no need to worry about compressor water or oil)
Old 02-13-2013, 10:50 PM
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I use a Dewalt DW-P849X with a wool pad and a foam pad. Normally use 3m compound and polish or Ill use wizards products. Either way it will get rid of paint imperfections. I must say if you have no experience with a buffer I wouldnt attempt it. OEM clear coat is very thin.
Old 02-13-2013, 11:06 PM
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I used the Meguires yellow clay bar wet it with the Meguires gold instant detailer, then wax it with Meguires Next Gen teck 2 synthetic wax. looks and feels smooth as hell.
Old 02-13-2013, 11:06 PM
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I use the portercable on mine also. Correct the paint once in the spring and usually late summer. I always foam my car to try and cut down and having to touch it to wash it.

All Adams Polishes here
Old 02-13-2013, 11:15 PM
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DO mine!!!! :/ its been raining for the past week here
Old 02-13-2013, 11:25 PM
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Glad you checked out the junkman videos dude. Your paint definately looks better now. Probably putting a paint sealnt over your freshly.polished paint would be best and then wax.

Either way... Cant wait to get me a 7424xp. My cars always had a million little haze marks and has never been polished. Once its polished ill know for sure that none of those marks are coming from me.
Old 02-14-2013, 10:09 AM
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Oh I also picked up that Garry Deans Infinite use Boost Juice as a quick detail spray. Stuff is great, and its nice that it's a concentrate so I don't have to keep buying it!
Old 02-16-2013, 07:01 PM
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Nice. So was it tough polishing or.pretty straight forward? Is your pain any smoother now?
Old 02-16-2013, 07:32 PM
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looks good
Old 02-16-2013, 08:24 PM
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Originally Posted by riceburner
Nice. So was it tough polishing or.pretty straight forward? Is your pain any smoother now?
It was pretty straight forward. Adam I wouldn't mind planning a day where you came down and I could show you a few tricks and tips. My paint is MUCH smoother and it's nice cuz it's not dull. Paint pops out at you now
Old 02-16-2013, 09:19 PM
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Id be a dope cookie with that. Learn how to do it right then do the rest at home (it would be like an eight hour job)
Old 02-16-2013, 09:33 PM
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Teach me how to dougie!
Old 02-20-2013, 02:33 PM
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well i just ordered the 7424xp... planning to start doing this in march.
Old 02-20-2013, 02:36 PM
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Originally Posted by riceburner
well i just ordered the 7424xp... planning to start doing this in march.
Should have told me, would have went halfzies with ya haha
Old 02-20-2013, 02:40 PM
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you can still go halfsies with me i dont mind, it was $120. but you don't need it anymore, long as you keep washing her right!
Old 02-20-2013, 04:44 PM
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Haha yea. I still have my buddies so I am gonna do a paint corrector on it. Then put down a final really nice wax. Should be good all summer and winter. Then turn around and do the same thing next spring lol
Old 02-20-2013, 09:12 PM
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If it's oily (it's full of silicones and petroleums) then it's really only covering swirls and not correcting them. How do you like the porter cable?

What color pads are you using? wool? Foam?
Old 02-20-2013, 09:15 PM
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I love the porter cable. I use a orange pad for m205, the follow it with a white pad for m105...then black for applying wax
Old 02-20-2013, 09:27 PM
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My portercable is my baby


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