HFX Detailing

great write up, thanks.

Very nice write up!  Thanks for taking the time to do this and post it up!  Great work, that car looks very nice!

Hey guys. This here is a 2012 Red Lancer, GT model. It has seen roughly 70,000 KM's and was improperly washed via Dish Soap, bad techniques, and Dealer Washes. The swirl marks were pretty bad and the customer wanted the car looking new again. I used a big range of products to achieve great results. You will see the list of products below, followed by a detailed step-by-step guide on what I did. Lastly I will post some money-shots.
 
 
The Products*
 
Flex Polisher - Could not locate on website
2 step polishing system - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-738-adams-basic-7-foam-pad-machine-polishing-kit.aspx
Double Soft MF - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-494-adams-double-soft-microfiber-towel.aspx
2 Bucket kit - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-523-adams-complete-2-bucket-wash-kit.aspx
Glaze and Americana Wax - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-566-adams-premium-shine-kit.aspx
Super V.R.T - Could not locate on website
Machine Super Sealant - Could not locate on website
All Purpose Cleaner (APC) - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-121-adams-all-purpose-cleaner.aspx
Wheel Brush - Could not locate on website
Clay and Detail Spray - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-1005-new-adams-made-in-the-usa-detailing-clay-combo.aspx
 
*note: to make things simpler, if products I used are available in a bundle, I bundled them
 
The Process
 
Inspection
I always inspect a vehicle before starting. I like to take lots of pictures so there is:
1) Proof of pre existing damage
2) I know what I need to clean and fix
 
The car was not too bad from far as you can see below. However, once you get close you notice all the defects. In the light you can see some serious swirls built up too.
 
The car pre-wash looks decent here:

  Once you get closer, you see the dirt:   At the right angles and light, you can see the damage (swirls):   The wash - Wheels I always start with the wheels. You do not want to wash them with the rest of the car as mixing dirty wheel water is a no-no. Take a look below as this was the water after one tire.   These tires were pretty dull looking:   I sprayed the tires down with water to loosen up the dirt. I then sprayed All Purpose Cleaner on the tires, using the foam setting. I find the foam setting clings to the tires better and you can literally see the dirt lifting up and drip off. Below, you will see what the All Purpose Cleaner is lifting up after agitating with a Wheel Brush   After agitating the wheel I spray the dirt off. I spray it good and aim the spray along the rim where it meets the tire as the dirt and APC can really get stuck in there good. I usually repeat this process until you no longer get dirt lifting up but the cleaner is whitish.   Next I used a Micro Fiber towel with some soapy water (Adams Shampoo) to clean the rims. The rims cleaned easily, so not much effort was required.    The wash - Two-bucket method I always use a two bucket method when washing a vehicle. This involves having two buckets, both with grit guards. You take one bucket and fill it with soap and water, this is your wash bucket. The next one you fill with just water, this is your rinse bucket.  While washing the vehicle you would dip your wash pad in the wash bucket and scrub on the grit guard. This will release dirt from the pad and trap it at the bottom of the bucket. Once you use the pad on the vehicle, you dip it in the rinse bucket, scrubbing again. This will make sure most of the contaminants and dirt you picked up will be in a separate bucket. This will reduce the chances of damaging the paint and causing swirls.   You want to wash from top down. Stop at the bottom 1/3 and do this last. Use your second pad for it. The reason for this is the bottom 1/3 is the dirtiest and you really want to prevent cross-contamination as much as possible. Depending on the dirt, you may need to change your water or go rinse your pad multiple times per panel. On a decent car, such as this one, I usually go to the bucket once per panel.   The wash - drying and sheeting To rinse the soap off, I simply hose it down. I like to spray it good to get rid of all the water. After, I take the spray off of the hose and slowly work the hose from side-to-side while moving down the vehicle. This allows the water to sheet off and take a lot of the water with it. Then, you can blot-dry or dry the whole vehicle.   I typically just dry the whole vehicle if it is not clean enough to sheet properly. In order to sheet good, the vehicle needs to have little embedded dirt (claying removes this) and/or a good wax.   To get rid of the rest of the water (we don't want water spots!) I spray crevices with compressed air. Otherwise, you might have water drip down later on a dry spot you are about to work on.    Lastly, I spray a bit of Detail Spray and gently wipe with a Great White Drying Towel. I check the towel frequently to make sure no dirt was missed during the was and ended up on the towel. I fold as needed (due to dirt, or being too wet). One towel is enough for me to dry a whole truck with lots more to give. I never have needed to wring out the towel.   The Wash - clay   Once the vehicle is washed, rinsed, and dried I clay it. Depending on the conditions, I sometimes clay while washing...but that is something for another write-up. Since this car did not have too bad of a contamination on the paint, the clay process was simple and fast.    Working in small sections, I take about 1/3 of a piece of clay and knead it until it is a good size for me. If you drop the clay on the ground, throw it out (this is why we break the clay up instead of using one big chunk). You want to spray a small section with detail spray and gently rub with the clay up-down, side-to-side and I even do circles. I find tough spots that won't come off in one direction, will in another. Some spots can be stubborn and just need more rubbing. I never use a lot of pressure. If you think you need more pressure, try rubbing more first. If that does not work, re-work the clay and rub some more.    Once I am done my section, I clean it up with a microfiber towel. If the car was pretty bad, some people wash the car after . . . but this vehicle did not need it.   Swirl Huntin' - A tale of the flex I use a flex polisher. For this vehicle I used mostly the white pad with fine finishing polisher. You need to try a small spot to test and see what the vehicle needs. You do not want to go aggressive at first, so try the fine polish and if you need more, move up to the Paint Correcting Polish. I used a White Pad with the Finishing Polish, and Orange Pad with the Paint Correcting Polish. You also need to get a feel for what speed to use.    Below is the test spot I had on the hood, marked off with tape. For the hood, I needed to use the full 2 step process (Orange Pad with Paint Correcting Polish, then White pad with Finishing Polish. However, I found the rest of the car only needed the single step (White pad with Finishing Polish). The Mitsubishi has some pretty soft paint, but it seemed the hood was harder.    To start, I prime the pad with a product making an X. Once the product is worked into the pad, you only need a few drops of product or even just a shot of Detail Spray to keep it going. You will also want to use the Pad Cleaning Brush every panel, or even in-between the same panel. Anytime I would see dust build up I would give a quick shot of  Detail Spray and the problem was usually solved. If it was not, I used the cleaning brush over a garbage can on the lowest speed to clean it. You will see a ton of dust release when you do this.   While working the Flex Polisher I move slowly and in a smooth motion. If it is your first time, the polisher likes to run away on you if you do not hold it right. It takes some getting use to. You will also want to mark on your pad with marker a line. This line you should see spinning. If it is not spinning, you are using too much pressure.   After polishing a section, I wipe the residue away with my Double Soft Microfiber.    You can see below the side skirt. It was seriously scratched, probably due to rocks kicking up from the tires.   After a quick polish, the skirt came out looking extremely wet and smooth:   You can see some nice swirls on the trunk here:   And after a quick polish, again, only using the White Pad with Paint Finishing Polish:   I was pretty happy with how the car turned out after polishing it fully. Below you can see one of many scratched 95+% removed:   Post-Polish finishing touches   Once the car was fully polished it was time to do some finishing touches. Firstly, I applied Machine Super Sealant which takes 12+ hours to cure. So once I applied it, I applied Super V.R.T to the tires and headed home to finish up the next day. Below are the tires, remember how dull they looked before?   Post-Polish Sealant and Waxing   Once the Sealant cured, I removed it with a Microfiber. I then took my Americana Wax for added protection and got to work. Using small amounts I gently waxed the vehicle. It cures quick and usually by the time I waxed the next panel, it was time to remove the previous panel. After my wax I applied a layer of Glaze using the same method as the Americana. Lastly, I put another coat of wax to seal in the glaze for that ultimate shine and protection (note: Glaze offers no protection, just the OMG look).   V.R.T is for more than tires   What some people are not aware of is V.R.T can be used on plastics and trim. Here is a 50/50 shot of the front grill with V.R.T applied to it. It looks a LOT better with the V.R.T and it brings the plastic back to life. No more dullness here!
 
Money-Shots
It is the time!! Here is what you have all been waiting for. The end result:
 
Amazing shine, depth, and clarity:

Can you spot the Adams products in the reflection?

 
I love this shot. It looks like the road goes on forever through the car.

 
Look at those clouds in the hood!

 
That's one hot ride

 
No more dull front-end.

 
Chrome-like finish: Achieved!

 
Most of the swirls are gone. I did not get 100% (you almost never can). But, this was a huge difference.

 
You can see my car in this reflection

 
She's all done! Time to pack up and go home:

 
Bonus shot: My Arsenal

 
 
Questions? Comments? Don't be shy, I won't bite!

Hey guys. This here is a 2012 Red Lancer, GT model. It has seen roughly 70,000 KM's and was improperly washed via Dish Soap, bad techniques, and Dealer Washes. The swirl marks were pretty bad and the customer wanted the car looking new again. I used a big range of products to achieve great results. You will see the list of products below, followed by a detailed step-by-step guide on what I did. Lastly I will post some money-shots.
 
 
The Products*
 
Flex Polisher - Could not locate on website
2 step polishing system - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-738-adams-basic-7-foam-pad-machine-polishing-kit.aspx
Double Soft MF - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-494-adams-double-soft-microfiber-towel.aspx
2 Bucket kit - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-523-adams-complete-2-bucket-wash-kit.aspx
Glaze and Americana Wax - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-566-adams-premium-shine-kit.aspx
Super V.R.T - Could not locate on website
Machine Super Sealant - Could not locate on website
All Purpose Cleaner (APC) - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-121-adams-all-purpose-cleaner.aspx
Wheel Brush - Could not locate on website
Clay and Detail Spray - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-1005-new-adams-made-in-the-usa-detailing-clay-combo.aspx
 
*note: to make things simpler, if products I used are available in a bundle, I bundled them
 
The Process
 
Inspection
I always inspect a vehicle before starting. I like to take lots of pictures so there is:
1) Proof of pre existing damage
2) I know what I need to clean and fix
 
The car was not too bad from far as you can see below. However, once you get close you notice all the defects. In the light you can see some serious swirls built up too.
 
The car pre-wash looks decent here:

  Once you get closer, you see the dirt:   At the right angles and light, you can see the damage (swirls):   The wash - Wheels I always start with the wheels. You do not want to wash them with the rest of the car as mixing dirty wheel water is a no-no. Take a look below as this was the water after one tire.   These tires were pretty dull looking:   I sprayed the tires down with water to loosen up the dirt. I then sprayed All Purpose Cleaner on the tires, using the foam setting. I find the foam setting clings to the tires better and you can literally see the dirt lifting up and drip off. Below, you will see what the All Purpose Cleaner is lifting up after agitating with a Wheel Brush   After agitating the wheel I spray the dirt off. I spray it good and aim the spray along the rim where it meets the tire as the dirt and APC can really get stuck in there good. I usually repeat this process until you no longer get dirt lifting up but the cleaner is whitish.   Next I used a Micro Fiber towel with some soapy water (Adams Shampoo) to clean the rims. The rims cleaned easily, so not much effort was required.    The wash - Two-bucket method I always use a two bucket method when washing a vehicle. This involves having two buckets, both with grit guards. You take one bucket and fill it with soap and water, this is your wash bucket. The next one you fill with just water, this is your rinse bucket.  While washing the vehicle you would dip your wash pad in the wash bucket and scrub on the grit guard. This will release dirt from the pad and trap it at the bottom of the bucket. Once you use the pad on the vehicle, you dip it in the rinse bucket, scrubbing again. This will make sure most of the contaminants and dirt you picked up will be in a separate bucket. This will reduce the chances of damaging the paint and causing swirls.   You want to wash from top down. Stop at the bottom 1/3 and do this last. Use your second pad for it. The reason for this is the bottom 1/3 is the dirtiest and you really want to prevent cross-contamination as much as possible. Depending on the dirt, you may need to change your water or go rinse your pad multiple times per panel. On a decent car, such as this one, I usually go to the bucket once per panel.   The wash - drying and sheeting To rinse the soap off, I simply hose it down. I like to spray it good to get rid of all the water. After, I take the spray off of the hose and slowly work the hose from side-to-side while moving down the vehicle. This allows the water to sheet off and take a lot of the water with it. Then, you can blot-dry or dry the whole vehicle.   I typically just dry the whole vehicle if it is not clean enough to sheet properly. In order to sheet good, the vehicle needs to have little embedded dirt (claying removes this) and/or a good wax.   To get rid of the rest of the water (we don't want water spots!) I spray crevices with compressed air. Otherwise, you might have water drip down later on a dry spot you are about to work on.    Lastly, I spray a bit of Detail Spray and gently wipe with a Great White Drying Towel. I check the towel frequently to make sure no dirt was missed during the was and ended up on the towel. I fold as needed (due to dirt, or being too wet). One towel is enough for me to dry a whole truck with lots more to give. I never have needed to wring out the towel.   The Wash - clay   Once the vehicle is washed, rinsed, and dried I clay it. Depending on the conditions, I sometimes clay while washing...but that is something for another write-up. Since this car did not have too bad of a contamination on the paint, the clay process was simple and fast.    Working in small sections, I take about 1/3 of a piece of clay and knead it until it is a good size for me. If you drop the clay on the ground, throw it out (this is why we break the clay up instead of using one big chunk). You want to spray a small section with detail spray and gently rub with the clay up-down, side-to-side and I even do circles. I find tough spots that won't come off in one direction, will in another. Some spots can be stubborn and just need more rubbing. I never use a lot of pressure. If you think you need more pressure, try rubbing more first. If that does not work, re-work the clay and rub some more.    Once I am done my section, I clean it up with a microfiber towel. If the car was pretty bad, some people wash the car after . . . but this vehicle did not need it.   Swirl Huntin' - A tale of the flex I use a flex polisher. For this vehicle I used mostly the white pad with fine finishing polisher. You need to try a small spot to test and see what the vehicle needs. You do not want to go aggressive at first, so try the fine polish and if you need more, move up to the Paint Correcting Polish. I used a White Pad with the Finishing Polish, and Orange Pad with the Paint Correcting Polish. You also need to get a feel for what speed to use.    Below is the test spot I had on the hood, marked off with tape. For the hood, I needed to use the full 2 step process (Orange Pad with Paint Correcting Polish, then White pad with Finishing Polish. However, I found the rest of the car only needed the single step (White pad with Finishing Polish). The Mitsubishi has some pretty soft paint, but it seemed the hood was harder.    To start, I prime the pad with a product making an X. Once the product is worked into the pad, you only need a few drops of product or even just a shot of Detail Spray to keep it going. You will also want to use the Pad Cleaning Brush every panel, or even in-between the same panel. Anytime I would see dust build up I would give a quick shot of  Detail Spray and the problem was usually solved. If it was not, I used the cleaning brush over a garbage can on the lowest speed to clean it. You will see a ton of dust release when you do this.   While working the Flex Polisher I move slowly and in a smooth motion. If it is your first time, the polisher likes to run away on you if you do not hold it right. It takes some getting use to. You will also want to mark on your pad with marker a line. This line you should see spinning. If it is not spinning, you are using too much pressure.   After polishing a section, I wipe the residue away with my Double Soft Microfiber.    You can see below the side skirt. It was seriously scratched, probably due to rocks kicking up from the tires.   After a quick polish, the skirt came out looking extremely wet and smooth:   You can see some nice swirls on the trunk here:   And after a quick polish, again, only using the White Pad with Paint Finishing Polish:   I was pretty happy with how the car turned out after polishing it fully. Below you can see one of many scratched 95+% removed:   Post-Polish finishing touches   Once the car was fully polished it was time to do some finishing touches. Firstly, I applied Machine Super Sealant which takes 12+ hours to cure. So once I applied it, I applied Super V.R.T to the tires and headed home to finish up the next day. Below are the tires, remember how dull they looked before?   Post-Polish Sealant and Waxing   Once the Sealant cured, I removed it with a Microfiber. I then took my Americana Wax for added protection and got to work. Using small amounts I gently waxed the vehicle. It cures quick and usually by the time I waxed the next panel, it was time to remove the previous panel. After my wax I applied a layer of Glaze using the same method as the Americana. Lastly, I put another coat of wax to seal in the glaze for that ultimate shine and protection (note: Glaze offers no protection, just the OMG look).   V.R.T is for more than tires   What some people are not aware of is V.R.T can be used on plastics and trim. Here is a 50/50 shot of the front grill with V.R.T applied to it. It looks a LOT better with the V.R.T and it brings the plastic back to life. No more dullness here!
 
Money-Shots
It is the time!! Here is what you have all been waiting for. The end result:
 
Amazing shine, depth, and clarity:

Can you spot the Adams products in the reflection?

 
I love this shot. It looks like the road goes on forever through the car.

 
Look at those clouds in the hood!

 
That's one hot ride

 
No more dull front-end.

 
Chrome-like finish: Achieved!

 
Most of the swirls are gone. I did not get 100% (you almost never can). But, this was a huge difference.

 
You can see my car in this reflection

 
She's all done! Time to pack up and go home:

 
Bonus shot: My Arsenal

 
 
Questions? Comments? Don't be shy, I won't bite!

Hey guys. This here is a 2012 Red Lancer, GT model. It has seen roughly 70,000 KM's and was improperly washed via Dish Soap, bad techniques, and Dealer Washes. The swirl marks were pretty bad and the customer wanted the car looking new again. I used a big range of products to achieve great results. You will see the list of products below, followed by a detailed step-by-step guide on what I did. Lastly I will post some money-shots.
 
 
The Products*
 
Flex Polisher - Could not locate on website
2 step polishing system - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-738-adams-basic-7-foam-pad-machine-polishing-kit.aspx
Double Soft MF - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-494-adams-double-soft-microfiber-towel.aspx
2 Bucket kit - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-523-adams-complete-2-bucket-wash-kit.aspx
Glaze and Americana Wax - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-566-adams-premium-shine-kit.aspx
Super V.R.T - Could not locate on website
Machine Super Sealant - Could not locate on website
All Purpose Cleaner (APC) - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-121-adams-all-purpose-cleaner.aspx
Wheel Brush - Could not locate on website
Clay and Detail Spray - http://www.adamspolishes.com/p-1005-new-adams-made-in-the-usa-detailing-clay-combo.aspx
 
*note: to make things simpler, if products I used are available in a bundle, I bundled them
 
The Process
 
Inspection
I always inspect a vehicle before starting. I like to take lots of pictures so there is:
1) Proof of pre existing damage
2) I know what I need to clean and fix
 
The car was not too bad from far as you can see below. However, once you get close you notice all the defects. In the light you can see some serious swirls built up too.
 
The car pre-wash looks decent here:

  Once you get closer, you see the dirt:   At the right angles and light, you can see the damage (swirls):   The wash - Wheels I always start with the wheels. You do not want to wash them with the rest of the car as mixing dirty wheel water is a no-no. Take a look below as this was the water after one tire.   These tires were pretty dull looking:   I sprayed the tires down with water to loosen up the dirt. I then sprayed All Purpose Cleaner on the tires, using the foam setting. I find the foam setting clings to the tires better and you can literally see the dirt lifting up and drip off. Below, you will see what the All Purpose Cleaner is lifting up after agitating with a Wheel Brush   After agitating the wheel I spray the dirt off. I spray it good and aim the spray along the rim where it meets the tire as the dirt and APC can really get stuck in there good. I usually repeat this process until you no longer get dirt lifting up but the cleaner is whitish.   Next I used a Micro Fiber towel with some soapy water (Adams Shampoo) to clean the rims. The rims cleaned easily, so not much effort was required.    The wash - Two-bucket method I always use a two bucket method when washing a vehicle. This involves having two buckets, both with grit guards. You take one bucket and fill it with soap and water, this is your wash bucket. The next one you fill with just water, this is your rinse bucket.  While washing the vehicle you would dip your wash pad in the wash bucket and scrub on the grit guard. This will release dirt from the pad and trap it at the bottom of the bucket. Once you use the pad on the vehicle, you dip it in the rinse bucket, scrubbing again. This will make sure most of the contaminants and dirt you picked up will be in a separate bucket. This will reduce the chances of damaging the paint and causing swirls.   You want to wash from top down. Stop at the bottom 1/3 and do this last. Use your second pad for it. The reason for this is the bottom 1/3 is the dirtiest and you really want to prevent cross-contamination as much as possible. Depending on the dirt, you may need to change your water or go rinse your pad multiple times per panel. On a decent car, such as this one, I usually go to the bucket once per panel.   The wash - drying and sheeting To rinse the soap off, I simply hose it down. I like to spray it good to get rid of all the water. After, I take the spray off of the hose and slowly work the hose from side-to-side while moving down the vehicle. This allows the water to sheet off and take a lot of the water with it. Then, you can blot-dry or dry the whole vehicle.   I typically just dry the whole vehicle if it is not clean enough to sheet properly. In order to sheet good, the vehicle needs to have little embedded dirt (claying removes this) and/or a good wax.   To get rid of the rest of the water (we don't want water spots!) I spray crevices with compressed air. Otherwise, you might have water drip down later on a dry spot you are about to work on.    Lastly, I spray a bit of Detail Spray and gently wipe with a Great White Drying Towel. I check the towel frequently to make sure no dirt was missed during the was and ended up on the towel. I fold as needed (due to dirt, or being too wet). One towel is enough for me to dry a whole truck with lots more to give. I never have needed to wring out the towel.   The Wash - clay   Once the vehicle is washed, rinsed, and dried I clay it. Depending on the conditions, I sometimes clay while washing...but that is something for another write-up. Since this car did not have too bad of a contamination on the paint, the clay process was simple and fast.    Working in small sections, I take about 1/3 of a piece of clay and knead it until it is a good size for me. If you drop the clay on the ground, throw it out (this is why we break the clay up instead of using one big chunk). You want to spray a small section with detail spray and gently rub with the clay up-down, side-to-side and I even do circles. I find tough spots that won't come off in one direction, will in another. Some spots can be stubborn and just need more rubbing. I never use a lot of pressure. If you think you need more pressure, try rubbing more first. If that does not work, re-work the clay and rub some more.    Once I am done my section, I clean it up with a microfiber towel. If the car was pretty bad, some people wash the car after . . . but this vehicle did not need it.   Swirl Huntin' - A tale of the flex I use a flex polisher. For this vehicle I used mostly the white pad with fine finishing polisher. You need to try a small spot to test and see what the vehicle needs. You do not want to go aggressive at first, so try the fine polish and if you need more, move up to the Paint Correcting Polish. I used a White Pad with the Finishing Polish, and Orange Pad with the Paint Correcting Polish. You also need to get a feel for what speed to use.    Below is the test spot I had on the hood, marked off with tape. For the hood, I needed to use the full 2 step process (Orange Pad with Paint Correcting Polish, then White pad with Finishing Polish. However, I found the rest of the car only needed the single step (White pad with Finishing Polish). The Mitsubishi has some pretty soft paint, but it seemed the hood was harder.    To start, I prime the pad with a product making an X. Once the product is worked into the pad, you only need a few drops of product or even just a shot of Detail Spray to keep it going. You will also want to use the Pad Cleaning Brush every panel, or even in-between the same panel. Anytime I would see dust build up I would give a quick shot of  Detail Spray and the problem was usually solved. If it was not, I used the cleaning brush over a garbage can on the lowest speed to clean it. You will see a ton of dust release when you do this.   While working the Flex Polisher I move slowly and in a smooth motion. If it is your first time, the polisher likes to run away on you if you do not hold it right. It takes some getting use to. You will also want to mark on your pad with marker a line. This line you should see spinning. If it is not spinning, you are using too much pressure.   After polishing a section, I wipe the residue away with my Double Soft Microfiber.    You can see below the side skirt. It was seriously scratched, probably due to rocks kicking up from the tires.   After a quick polish, the skirt came out looking extremely wet and smooth:   You can see some nice swirls on the trunk here:   And after a quick polish, again, only using the White Pad with Paint Finishing Polish:   I was pretty happy with how the car turned out after polishing it fully. Below you can see one of many scratched 95+% removed:   Post-Polish finishing touches   Once the car was fully polished it was time to do some finishing touches. Firstly, I applied Machine Super Sealant which takes 12+ hours to cure. So once I applied it, I applied Super V.R.T to the tires and headed home to finish up the next day. Below are the tires, remember how dull they looked before?   Post-Polish Sealant and Waxing   Once the Sealant cured, I removed it with a Microfiber. I then took my Americana Wax for added protection and got to work. Using small amounts I gently waxed the vehicle. It cures quick and usually by the time I waxed the next panel, it was time to remove the previous panel. After my wax I applied a layer of Glaze using the same method as the Americana. Lastly, I put another coat of wax to seal in the glaze for that ultimate shine and protection (note: Glaze offers no protection, just the OMG look).   V.R.T is for more than tires   What some people are not aware of is V.R.T can be used on plastics and trim. Here is a 50/50 shot of the front grill with V.R.T applied to it. It looks a LOT better with the V.R.T and it brings the plastic back to life. No more dullness here!
 
Money-Shots
It is the time!! Here is what you have all been waiting for. The end result:
 
Amazing shine, depth, and clarity:

Can you spot the Adams products in the reflection?

 
I love this shot. It looks like the road goes on forever through the car.

 
Look at those clouds in the hood!

 
That's one hot ride

 
No more dull front-end.

 
Chrome-like finish: Achieved!

 
Most of the swirls are gone. I did not get 100% (you almost never can). But, this was a huge difference.

 
You can see my car in this reflection

 
She's all done! Time to pack up and go home:

 
Bonus shot: My Arsenal

 
 
Questions? Comments? Don't be shy, I won't bite!

wow! great results. cannot wait to try it

the canadian site has them xD
  http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-359-adams-all-purpose-cleaner-travel-size.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-869-adams-travel-size-detail-spray-new-formula.aspx

Start with the least aggressive method first. So start with the white pad and paint finishing polish. If that's not enough try the orange pad.
 
With a Lancer I did (mitsubishi not lexus) the paint was so soft I removed all scratched with the white pad and paint finishing polish.
 
 

due to me being in canada...adams had the best rate and supplies I could find in canada.
 
there are places which I won't mention, but most of their stock is always unavailable whereas with adams I can usually get everything I need in one convenient order.
 
Once I tried my first order, I was hooked. The products are amazing and work.
 
I have dealt with different reps from Adams and they are all great. The customer interaction is amazing too. Constant updates, these forums, and even Adam himself makes appearances.
 
Overall it is a great company.

looks good! 

Twist! The red place card was dirty and stained your dash.

Great write-up and photos Jerome!

Start with the least aggressive method first. So start with the white pad and paint finishing polish. If that's not enough try the orange pad.
 
With a Lancer I did (mitsubishi not lexus) the paint was so soft I removed all scratched with the white pad and paint finishing polish.
 
 

Thanks you guys!
 
I didn't realize how bad it was until I looked at the before and after photos. 
 
All thanks to Adams!

Overview:
 
Recently detailed the exterior of an Acura. The paint was absolutely hammered. There was embedded dirt everywhere, even in the window. The paint felt like sandpaper. There was zero shine in the vehicle. The customer wanted his shine back on a decent budget. I believe this was accomplished and he was very happy. The following post will list some products used, followed by  the process with pictures and finish with some before/after pictures. To see the magic without the hassle, just skip to the end.
 
The products (from adamspolishes.ca):
http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-1004-new-adams-made-in-the-usa-detailing-clay-bar.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-121-adams-all-purpose-cleaner.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-870-adams-detail-spray.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-106-adams-great-white-microfiber-drying-towel.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-56-adams-grit-guard-insert.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-31-adams-car-wash-shampoo.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-448-adams-hex-grip-pro-tire-dressing-applicator.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-884-adams-deep-wheel-cleaner-new-price.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-512-adams-super-vrt-tire-trim-dressing.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-498-adams-glass-sealant.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-423-adams-americana-premium-carnauba-paste-car-wax.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-992-adams-buttery-wax-new-formula.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-525-adams-brilliant-glaze.aspx
 
The Process:
 
 
 
The car paint was pretty bad. This is going to take some work.

 
Lets start with the wheels. A couple shots of Adams Deep Wheel Cleaner and then we wait. After a few moments I rinse the tires off. Almost all of the stuck on grime was gone. The customer was more concerned about the paint so I moved on from the tires pretty quickly as I could have spent all day on them. Some minor spots I wiped away with a MicroFibre Towel.

 
 
Before washing the vehicle I got my buckets ready. I have 2 buckets, each has a Grit Guard on the bottom to help trap dirt. You also rub your mitt on the grit guard to help remove dirt before it touches the paint. You use one bucket for soap, and the other for rinsing your mitt. You would use the first bucket, wipe your car, then go to the rinse bucket. Once the mitt is clean, you go into the wash bucket and repeat.

 
You can spray your hose directly onto the wash pad so your Adams Shampoo has long lasting suds. Once your bucket is ready rinse your car plenty. This will help loosen dirt and make cleaning easier.

 
When you are washing your vehicle check your pad often. If you see dirt on the pad, it is time to hit the rinse bucket. If your water in your bucket gets dirty, empty it and get fresh water.
(no picture for this one...sorry, I value my camera )
 
Time to dry this bad boy! Spraying some Adams Detail Spray on the area before wiping helps lubricate and soak up water. Normally I use the sheeting method, but the embedded dirt was so thick it was grabbing my towel. Sheeting method was a no go. I did use it later, stay tuned.

 
 
After my rinse, I did the baggy test. Take a sandwich bag and put your hand in it. Gently drag it on the paint, if you feel bumps you need to clay. After claying the paint is glass smooth and shines like nothing you have seen before. This car, needed a lot of clay.

 
 
Spray some Detail Spray on a small section then bring out the clay. You should inspect the clay before each use and constantly re-work the clay. You can see from the picture below this car had some serious embedded dirt. The results were amazing.

 
You wipe after clay barring a section. Here is what the clay looked like after doing the heavy contaminated area on the left side. This was after a small pass.

 
I typically only use half a piece of clay (if that) on a whole vehicle. This car took 1.5 pieces and they were toast after.
After doing my second wash, the sheeting method worked very well. You want to run your water in a way that it drags the water evenly leaving little to no drops behind. This works well on very clean cars and ones nicely waxed.
 

 
Below is a bunch of water on the hood before using the sheeting method. At first glance this could be tough to dry and would use a lot of towel.

 
After sheeting there is a lot less water. This should be easy to dry! Sheeting works best on cars that have a good wax coating and do not have a lot of embedded dirt.

 
Now that the vehicle is dry. I applied Adams Americana Wax which I am super SMRT and did not take a picture of. I layered this with Adams Brilliant Glaze as this is good at hiding imperfections. Brilliant Glaze goes on smoothly and required very little product (less is more!). 

 
 
I wanted to make sure my hard work lasted and the customer had a nice looking vehicle for as long as possible. I decided to finish with some Adams Buttery Wax. 

 
Now we have 1 layer of protection, 1 layer of oh-my-god-look-at-that-car and 1 layer of extra protection. This car is almost ready!
 
I applied some Adams V.R.T to the tires to give them a bit of an extra kick. This goes on easy. Repels water. And best of all, keeps the tires looking new for a long time.

 
The last thing I did was added some Adams Glass Sealant as the customer drives a lot and this stuff is amazing. Glass Sealant improves visibility greatly, water just repels right off on the highway instead of sticking to your glass. Like the rest of Adams products, putting this on is a breeze and it comes off easy.

 
 
 
 
Thats it, the car is done! Now, for the money shots.
 
Before and afters:
 
Who knew, the wheels were not black!

 
After claybarring the chrome (you can clay almost anything) it came out shining so bright.

 
There were multiple areas with yellow paint transfer. I got most of it out.

 
 
It is amazing what clay can do. 

 
Wow. Look at that window.

 
Another spot of paint transfer tackled.

 
Money Shot #1!

 
Money Shot #2!

 
That is all folks! That was one very happy customer.
Questions? Comments? 
 
 
Bonus Shot
My burnt feet!

 
 
More bonus shots
I am pretty happy with this reflection

 
A reflection made for a king.

 
 
More reflections! 

 
Try and spot the car!

 
EDIT 1: Some of the pictures are auto rotating when I upload them. Does anyone know how to fix this?
EDIT 2: Added some bonus shots. Fixed some of the images that were rotated 

Beautiful! How in the world do people let their cars get so bad in the first place?!?

Wow! Nice save!  That car was hammered.  Came out so much better.  Good work. 

Great job!
Polish that sucker!

Geez that car has had better days. Nice turnaround on it!!

Overview:
 
Recently detailed the exterior of an Acura. The paint was absolutely hammered. There was embedded dirt everywhere, even in the window. The paint felt like sandpaper. There was zero shine in the vehicle. The customer wanted his shine back on a decent budget. I believe this was accomplished and he was very happy. The following post will list some products used, followed by  the process with pictures and finish with some before/after pictures. To see the magic without the hassle, just skip to the end.
 
The products (from adamspolishes.ca):
http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-1004-new-adams-made-in-the-usa-detailing-clay-bar.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-121-adams-all-purpose-cleaner.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-870-adams-detail-spray.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-106-adams-great-white-microfiber-drying-towel.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-56-adams-grit-guard-insert.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-31-adams-car-wash-shampoo.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-448-adams-hex-grip-pro-tire-dressing-applicator.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-884-adams-deep-wheel-cleaner-new-price.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-512-adams-super-vrt-tire-trim-dressing.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-498-adams-glass-sealant.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-423-adams-americana-premium-carnauba-paste-car-wax.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-992-adams-buttery-wax-new-formula.aspx http://www.adamspolishes.ca/p-525-adams-brilliant-glaze.aspx
 
The Process:
 
 
 
The car paint was pretty bad. This is going to take some work.

 
Lets start with the wheels. A couple shots of Adams Deep Wheel Cleaner and then we wait. After a few moments I rinse the tires off. Almost all of the stuck on grime was gone. The customer was more concerned about the paint so I moved on from the tires pretty quickly as I could have spent all day on them. Some minor spots I wiped away with a MicroFibre Towel.

 
 
Before washing the vehicle I got my buckets ready. I have 2 buckets, each has a Grit Guard on the bottom to help trap dirt. You also rub your mitt on the grit guard to help remove dirt before it touches the paint. You use one bucket for soap, and the other for rinsing your mitt. You would use the first bucket, wipe your car, then go to the rinse bucket. Once the mitt is clean, you go into the wash bucket and repeat.

 
You can spray your hose directly onto the wash pad so your Adams Shampoo has long lasting suds. Once your bucket is ready rinse your car plenty. This will help loosen dirt and make cleaning easier.

 
When you are washing your vehicle check your pad often. If you see dirt on the pad, it is time to hit the rinse bucket. If your water in your bucket gets dirty, empty it and get fresh water.
(no picture for this one...sorry, I value my camera )
 
Time to dry this bad boy! Spraying some Adams Detail Spray on the area before wiping helps lubricate and soak up water. Normally I use the sheeting method, but the embedded dirt was so thick it was grabbing my towel. Sheeting method was a no go. I did use it later, stay tuned.

 
 
After my rinse, I did the baggy test. Take a sandwich bag and put your hand in it. Gently drag it on the paint, if you feel bumps you need to clay. After claying the paint is glass smooth and shines like nothing you have seen before. This car, needed a lot of clay.

 
 
Spray some Detail Spray on a small section then bring out the clay. You should inspect the clay before each use and constantly re-work the clay. You can see from the picture below this car had some serious embedded dirt. The results were amazing.

 
You wipe after clay barring a section. Here is what the clay looked like after doing the heavy contaminated area on the left side. This was after a small pass.

 
I typically only use half a piece of clay (if that) on a whole vehicle. This car took 1.5 pieces and they were toast after.
After doing my second wash, the sheeting method worked very well. You want to run your water in a way that it drags the water evenly leaving little to no drops behind. This works well on very clean cars and ones nicely waxed.
 

 
Below is a bunch of water on the hood before using the sheeting method. At first glance this could be tough to dry and would use a lot of towel.

 
After sheeting there is a lot less water. This should be easy to dry! Sheeting works best on cars that have a good wax coating and do not have a lot of embedded dirt.

 
Now that the vehicle is dry. I applied Adams Americana Wax which I am super SMRT and did not take a picture of. I layered this with Adams Brilliant Glaze as this is good at hiding imperfections. Brilliant Glaze goes on smoothly and required very little product (less is more!). 

 
 
I wanted to make sure my hard work lasted and the customer had a nice looking vehicle for as long as possible. I decided to finish with some Adams Buttery Wax. 

 
Now we have 1 layer of protection, 1 layer of oh-my-god-look-at-that-car and 1 layer of extra protection. This car is almost ready!
 
I applied some Adams V.R.T to the tires to give them a bit of an extra kick. This goes on easy. Repels water. And best of all, keeps the tires looking new for a long time.

 
The last thing I did was added some Adams Glass Sealant as the customer drives a lot and this stuff is amazing. Glass Sealant improves visibility greatly, water just repels right off on the highway instead of sticking to your glass. Like the rest of Adams products, putting this on is a breeze and it comes off easy.

 
 
 
 
Thats it, the car is done! Now, for the money shots.
 
Before and afters:
 
Who knew, the wheels were not black!

 
After claybarring the chrome (you can clay almost anything) it came out shining so bright.

 
There were multiple areas with yellow paint transfer. I got most of it out.

 
 
It is amazing what clay can do. 

 
Wow. Look at that window.

 
Another spot of paint transfer tackled.

 
Money Shot #1!

 
Money Shot #2!

 
That is all folks! That was one very happy customer.
Questions? Comments? 
 
 
Bonus Shot
My burnt feet!

 
 
More bonus shots
I am pretty happy with this reflection

 
A reflection made for a king.

 
 
More reflections! 

 
Try and spot the car!

 
EDIT 1: Some of the pictures are auto rotating when I upload them. Does anyone know how to fix this?
EDIT 2: Added some bonus shots. Fixed some of the images that were rotated 

now...why did'nt I screen shot it...now I just look crazy
 
that was fast! thanks

Wow! Even though I am in Canada and I don't think this effects me you guys ROCK. Too often company's leave you in the dark. I admire the truth in your post and appreciate letting us know what is going on. 
 
A+++++ WOULD BUY AGAIN

As others said, try again.
 
One side note, what type of windshield wash do you use? What kind of wipers?
I noticed rain-x wipers would leave a residue but my new Michelins do not.
 
When I put the glass sealant on, I could not see it going on, but if you wait a few seconds usually it will start to haze. As always, less is more. Correct me if I am wrong someone, but you could do a second coat of glass sealant if you missed a spot.

Update : tried the actual new clay today.
Oh. My. God. Huge difference. Like a million times better. One pass would get more stuff than the old stuff.
 
Just to make sure I wasn't crazy, I tried both old and new on the same vehicle and wow it is a huge difference.
 
Amazing. Simply amazing.

Chewy, shhhh...do not fill my head with such crazy things. I do not need a PC or Cyclo...I do not need a PC or Cyclo...I need a...darn....
 
I am aware you need more for a full correction. I am still surprised with what I got for my first try.