Hey guys, for a while now I have just used the Meg's three step process by hand with fantastic results. Now I have a G110 DA and am looking to up the arsenal to some better products to use with the DA. Most of my searches on this forum has resulted in alot of #'s for certain waxes/polishes/cleaners and the dictionary helps alot, but this is a subject i do not know much about.

Here is what I currently do as a detail:

Wash with meg's gold class soap
Dry with meg's water magnet towel
Mild Meg's clay with original QD for lube
Meg's three step process by hand
finish with wipe down of original QD
Scrub undercarriage and dress w/ hyperdressing
Wash front/back of rims with gold class soap (never waxed)
Dress tires w/ hyperdressing
Clean glass w/ stoners

What would you guys recommend without spending a fortune? and without having to detail for days on end? Should i just keep using the Meg's three step but with the DA? The paint is in fair condition with plenty of minor scratches and some water spots since its been a year since my last major detail. Also what do yall recommend on the chrome Incubus rims and billet badges?

 

Are you planning on buying a DA? That is quite a big detailing investment but it is completely worth it. How much are you looking to spend? How severe are you swirls and scratches and water spots. Maybe you could post a few pictures of your paint in the sunlight and we could give a recommendation.

Right off the bat though, I would suggest using a different LSP (last step product) rather than the deep crystal wax. I'd suggest getting either M21/NXT or M26, or you could do a combo of both.

Sounds like your current process is a pretty good consumer line detail, but if you wanted to take it a step further, getting a DA and a few other products would make a noticeable difference. Depending on your paint condition, getting some M205 could help ya out and if it is severe maybe some M105. It will be easier to tell with pictures.


With the Chrome Rims, they shouldn't need to be polished, but I recommend cleaning them thoroughly and waxing them with a synthetic wax (it can withstand the heat) such as NXT or M21

 

I do have the G110 DA already. As far as spending I would say 200-300 bucks. Scratches are only really noticeable close up or in direct sun and the water spots are probably most noticeable on the passenger side, but not all over or really terrible imo just irritating

these are my results with the three step by hand:



Ill have to get some pics of the paint close up when i get home since i dont seem to have any real recent pics that would show.

 

water spots? What kind? Are they etched in? Do you see the whole spot or only the outline of the spot or both?


do they look like this by chance?

 

Before committing to any particular kind of product, I would look at the Tropi-Care line of car products and email Steve the owner and talk to him about your needs. He will talk your ear off at the very least

If you go with their Deluxe Detailing Kit you will get everything needed and then some to get that truck as clean as the day it rolled off the assembly line. And all for less than $150 bucks. http://www.tropi-care.com/category_s/4.htm

I have used nothing but their products on all of my near 500 exterior details done in the last 2 years. Not one complaint and they have used several chemists to allow usage of fewer products to achieve better results. A simple use of theirs or another Clay Bar, their Swirl Cutter, which will get 90% of all swirls and 99% of all water spots out, and then the final Polish/Wax, you will have a near perfect finish.

I have nothing against any of the Meguiars products or really anyone elses for that matter, but for a very nice balance of simplicity and effectiveness, it doesn't get much better than this. Hey at the very least you could just email them and see what they have to say. You will not be disappointed

 

Well the truck looks good inside, it is all just a matter of some shots of the reflection of the sun on your paint. It looks so far like you don't really need too much paint correction, but it all depends on the outside shots. I'd suggest getting a new LSP for sure though.

 

I've seen it in person and I don't believe they're etched.

Bout damn time you finally got that DA.

A cleaner product i.e. Meg's #9 or #80 should cure them with a DA handily.

Knowing you and your truck I'd suggest the following

Get some APC+ (if you haven't already gotten some since we talked last)
You're already using H.D.
Meg's M105 for your trouble spots
Meg's #83
Meg's #80
Meg's #7
Meg's #26, or Natty's Red, or Meg's #16 for LSP

Personal oppinion that you should stay away from NXT. It's going to give a reflective (saran wrap) look that you're not going to be please with at shows.

Oh yeah and a pnumatic cherry picker to reach your hood.

If you need any help figguring out the DA just shoot me a call.



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Ill get some pics of the spots and scratchs in the sunlight asap, but it is true jjg has seen my paint. He even one time refered to it as "clifford the big red spotted dog"

I know i know.... I couldnt pass up the deals that ADS had around christmas on the g110. So the things youv listed, would that also be the order i would use them in? im unfamiliar with the "pro" stuff as you know.. the three step has numbers on the bottle so i know which one to use when on my toyota

 

haha your truck looks fun to clean, its so damn big! looks good though, real good. prolly my favorite truck on this site

 

I was going to suggest clay but I see that you already have it. I would look at getting the desinated sprayers from Megs for the HD and APC+ because they have a mixing scale on the side.

 

What all do you guys use the APC for?

 

JGG is right that if you are showing it, it will be very reflective if you use 21 or NXT. 26 is something you could order from ADS and it will look great, but not last as long as a synthetic. I would suggest that you pick up some m205 rather than m80, they are said to have the same correcting abilities, but m205 is less aggressive so thus a better approach for your paint. All the stuff JGG listed sounds great.

You can use APC+ on interior carpeting and upholstery but i gotta run real quick there are other uses, someone else will chime in.

 

Use the synthetic for protection and the fillers, then top it with #16 or #26.

 

Got any pictures of some of these 500 details?

 

if you havn't been on before try www.meguiarsonline.com its the meguiars forum. Lots of good help there. I just received some m105, m205, and synthetic sealer 2.0. A lot of people on their suggest this combo with the DA.