BMWguy206

I had the chance to work on this MONSTER of a car over the weekend.  A friend of mine approached me, said he just bought a new car, was taking it in to have the windows tinted, and wanted me to take care of the paint to get rid of some swirls/scratches.  Of course I obliged, who am I to turn down a big, black car in need of some paint care?!?  
 
The car was pretty clean when it arrived, so a quick Waterless Wash wipedown removed some light dust from driving it. 
 
Once it was clean, it was on to Clay Bar with Detail Spray as the lubricant.  The owner had clayed the hood and front fenders, and I could certainly tell the difference between those and the rest of the body panels that hadn't been clayed yet.  I didn't pull a ton of contamination off, but it definitely needed to be clayed.
 
Here's what it looked like post-clay:
 

 
Looks pretty nice, huh??  However, upon close inspection, there were plenty of paint defects...swirls, RIDS, marring, light water spots, pretty typical stuff:
 

 

 

 
...and one tiny bubble in the paint that I taped over to ensure no tragedies occured while polishing  :
 

 
On to polishing!  I used the Cyclo, Paint Correting Polish, and Orange Foam pads.  This was a quick 50/50 after one pass on the trunk lid:
 

 
And this was after the second pass:
 

 
So on around this massive car I went.  Two passes of Paint Correcting Polish and Orange Foam Pads on all horizontal panels (hood, roof, trunk) and one pass on the vertical panels (fenders, doors.)  The vertical panels didn't have nearly as much damage on them, so one pass was yielding similar results compared to two passes on the horozontal panels.
 
Tough to capture in the picture, but there were some water spots on the front grille.  Revive Polish made quick work of them:
 

 
Once everything was polished, I applied Liquid Paint Sealant with the Cyclo and 4" Grey Pads, and then applied Quick Sealant on all the leading edges (front end, mirrors, and above the windshield) for a little added protection to get through the winter.
 
I also used Quick Sealant on the wheels and Tire Shine on the tires.  Here are the finished pics.  It was dark and gloom when he picked it up, so no full-sun shots unfortunately.
 

 

 

 
 

Shortly after getting my 2014 Ford Raptor, I did a full detail to protect the paint, add some jaw dropping shine, and to make it easier to wash.  Since I was new to serious detailing, I spent a lot of time researching detailing forums, watching how-to videos and asking questions.  This is the process I came up with.  Luckily the truck did not have any dealer-installed swirl marks or other scratches, so no paint correcting was required.  This was also my first time using the Cyclo.
 
Detailing Process without paint correction (machine application):
Clean tires and rims with Deep Wheel Cleaner, wheel wells with All Purpose Cleaner [30 minutes]. Wash vehicle with pressure washer and Car Wash Shampoo 2-bucket method, pressure washer rinse [60 minutes]. If needed, do iron decontamination on body with Deep Wheel Cleaner, rinse within 5 minutes, do not let it dry. Thorough rinse and then apply Detail Spray, do not dry. Clay Bar treatment with Detail Spray (used 1.5 bars or 75% of one pack) [45 minutes] Wash vehicle with Car Wash Shampoo and 2-bucket method [45 minutes]. Dry with Great White Drying Towel, do not use Detail Spray [30 minutes]. SVRT on trim with Block Applicator and Microfiber Utility Towel (used 10%) [50 minutes]. SVRT on tires with Hex Grip Pro Tire Dressing Applicator (used 15%) [10 minutes]. Quick Sealant spray on vinyl graphics, wipe with Double Soft Towel [10 minutes]. Quick Sealant spray on wheels, wipe with Microfiber Utility Towel [10 minutes]. Liquid Paint Sealant with Black Machine Sealant Pad and Double Soft Towel (used 20%) [90 minutes]. Brilliant Glaze with Red Machine Glazing Pad and Double Soft Towel (used 20%) [90 minutes]. Americana Paste Wax with Black Machine Waxing Pad and Double Soft Towel (used about 15%) [120 minutes]. Glass Cleaner on exterior windows with Microfiber Glass Cleaning Towel [10 minutes]. Glass Sealant on exterior windows with Mini Applicator and Microfiber Glass Cleaning Towel (used 10%) [30 minutes]. Invisible Undercarriage Spray in wheel wells. In & Out Spray on front grill. Vacuum interior. Total Interior Detailer on dash and door panels with Microfiber Utility Towel. Glass Cleaner on interior windows with Microfiber Glass Cleaning Towel. Leather & Interior Cleaner on seats with Microfiber Utility Towel. Leather Conditioner on seats with Microfiber Applicator and Microfiber Utility Towel. Here are some pics and comments on the process:
 
Unless you are a pro, watch the videos on the Adam's site before you do each step.

 
Having a rolling seat helps with the lower areas and I also added some padding to the handle of the stool so I don't scratch anything getting too close and it is also nice to rest your knees against when reaching for the center of the roof.

 
Clay baring leaves a lot of residue, so I added a full wash before doing the paint sealant.

 
The clay cleaned off a lot of stuff, even on new paint.

 
For each section, I did around all the trim and other plastic by hand with a mini applicator to reduce the amount of clean-up. I also did the sealant on the graphics by hand.

 
I then did the rest of the large areas with the Cyclo.

 
Use all the good stuff.

 
And have lots of Double Soft Towels.

 
Photos of the results to follow in the next post, as my first attempt to build this thread crashed because the photos were too awesome.
 
Edited on 10/17/14 to update hyperlinks to new website.

Neglected for the last two years. Two day detail job.                                                        Thanks Adams for all your products

my 300zx and my harley are shiny. thank you Adam Pitale.  

Adam and I took a few hours out of the day today to head to Purifoy Chevrolet here in Colorado for a quick shoot on a few products.
 
They had EIGHT C7's in the showroom so we inevitably flooded the place with drool. 
 
Here are some still shots from the shoot. Enjoy! :-)

Featured Adam's Products:
Adam's APC
Adam's Trim & Lug Nut Brush
Adam's Blaster Sidekick Dryer

Car as it came in:  Dirty, salty, and frozen: 















Started off by cleaning up some lazy dealer prep work:





Moving on to cleaning up the wheels, washing and decon:



Taking some measurements before correcting.  The final reading didn't photograph for some reason (it's 122.9 if you look close enough:


Making my way around the car:


A-Pillars corrected:



After polishing & ceramic coating:



















Thanks for looking! 

Nice to meet you all! I live in Orange County, where the weather permits washing every day if I so choose! I've been an obsessive washer for as long as I've owned a car... it's therapeutic for me, so sometimes I will wash 2-3 times a week, even if I haven't driven her in between. Needless to say, those washes are very light and quick... more like a hose off with a tiny bit of soap and a QD wipe-down.
 
I've always been fascinated with paint correction. I hail from QuattroWorld, where we have Phil from DetailersDomain and DetailingBliss constantly posting up jobs. I also have a few friends who own DA polishers, so I've gotten a small taste of it. 
 
It wasn't until recently, however, that I purchased a PC of my own. I had a general concept down from years of following the detailing scene, so all I really needed to do was double-check the product specifics to decide exactly what to buy.
 
Here is my current humble rack of supplies. Eventually, everything will be replaced with Adam's stuff as I finish them off. Before you all go off on how aggressive the Gold Class is , I dilute it twice or three times as much as recommended so as to not strip too much existing wax off of the car... the lubricity of that ratio isn't a major issue either, as my car rarely has more than a thin layer of dust, let alone much dirt (I hardly drive her since I work from home).

 
Here is my first 50/50 ever on my girlfriend's white car. This was after correcting and finishing polishes only:

 
Here are shots after all five steps (Correcting and Finishing Polishes, Super Sealant, Brilliant Glaze, and Buttery Wax v.2)... I am very happy with how everything turned out... I didn't realize white could look so wet!!

 
I'll cross-post these to the appropriate forums once I figure out how everything is laid out here Great to meet you all, and I look forward to learning from everyone!
 

So I picked up some of the new Adams Rinsless wash and I did a side by side test with Optimums NoRinse wash (ONR). The test subject is my 2013 Focus ST that is garage kept and in perfect condition I was it as needed with ONR and with 2 bucket when needed.
 
How does the new Rinseless wash stack up to ONR?
In my opinion both products do a great job of cleaning the car but Adams Rinseless wash felt slicker on the paint and glides across the surface much easier. Adams Rinseless Wash wipes off better and leaves less streaks after wipe off. The best part is that Adams Rinseless Wash leaves a slick finish unlike ONR were you will have to detail spray after to get a slick streak free finish.
 
My opinion: Adams Rinseless all the way

After contemplating if I should do a full paint correction on my 2002 F150, I decided what the heck, I have nothing better to do with 10 hours so I grabbed my waterless wash and went to town. After blowing off Xmass shopping, I locked myself in the garage and here are my results. My truck has never been machined before or had sealant applied in 12 years so I was interested to see how it would come out. I clayed it in late summer and hit it with Brillinat Glaze and then some Buttery wax so it would make it through the rest of the summer months, so it saved me a step on the clay bar this time around. I hit it with Severe Swirl remover (green) then Paint Correcting (orange) Brillint Glaze, and then Machine Super Sealant (gray).I tried the orange paint correcting but could not get all of scratches out so went with the green swirl remover and then back to the orange and it worked out great. Never has it looked this good before and the red paint REALLY pops even after 12 years in the New England weather. I use my truck to pull my 4 wheelers and my snowmobiles all during the winter so it will be interesting to see how the sealant hols up. Shine on !!!! 

Hello Everyone,
 
I have a 2007 M6 Black Saffire color and I've tried a few compounds/polishes to compete with Adam's.  This is only my opinion and what has worked for me.  Please do not misunderstand, I'm not discounting any other products out there.  The following is what I have.
 
Flex 3401
Adam's paint correcting polish and finishing polish
Menzerna F400
Menzerna SI 1500
Blackfire SRC compound
Blackfire Finishing Polish
Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover
Wolfgang uber compound
 
Lake Country CCS yellow cutting foam pad
Cobra Cross Groove Light cutting pad orange 6.5 in
Adam's 6.5 in micro fiber cutting pad
Optimum Microfiber cutting pad 6.25 in
 
Without confusing the heck out of myself, I've narrowed down to the CCS Lake country with Blackfire SRC compound and Adam's correcting polish with the CCG light cutting pad.  I've used Adam's orange foam cutting pad and it worked fine also.  I wanted to try the microfiber pads and both Adam's and Optimum did not work well for me and it was too much of a mess to clean up. 
 
Adam's correcting polish is my favorite because it was easier to clean up and got the job done.  I didn't have to follow up with the finishing polish.   I did use a sealant by Chemical Guys black light hybrid radiant finish.   
and Ultracoat wax
 
I used the last 2 products only because I didn't want to waste them and finish them up.  I have Adams americana which I have yet to try.
 
The Blackfire got the job done as well, and I did use their follow up polish.  I can go with either one but the follow up polish takes more work to take off.
 
Adam's products are awesome.  Yes, they came up on top of the others.  I was kinda skeptical because other forums were mentioning Wolfgang, Meguiars and Pinnacle.  I'm sure they're great products, but I think I've spend enough time and money for what I have now that works. 
 
 
Here are some pics of the before and after for my hood. 
 
Cheers,
 
Alan

I used Adam's Rinseless Wash twice a few weekend's ago - once for an 'inside' wash before a correction, and once for the maintenance wash on our cars.

 

On the Saturday I washed a Corvette in the owners garage (due to the poor weather outside).  I followed that up with an IPA wipe down, then polished the car.

 

On the Sunday I washed both our car and truck with a single mixture of Rinseless wash.  I mixed 1 oz in 2 1/2 gallons of water and started on my truck.  The truck was washed in the full sun, air temp about 75 degrees.  The 'panel wash' method worked great for this - no streaking or residue.

 

My wash order (mitt is 'cleaned' in the rinse bucket and 'reloaded' in the wash bucket after step)  

roof, splitting it in halves - back of roof & rear window, flip mitt, front of roof & windshield
other side of roof  
doors on one side - front door, top to bottom, flip mitt, other door top to bottom
trunk/rear quarter - half of trunk  and one quarter, flip mitt, other side
doors on other side
front end - half of hood & one quarter, flip mitt, other side
My wash technique

Pre-treat areas with Adam's Rinseless Wash pre-mixed in a 1/2 gallon pump-up sprayer


Dunk a premium MF towel in the wash solution and wring it out - I dunk and wring several times until the towel is completely wet.  (I use a quality MF from Detailer's Domain for this)
Do the same with the wash mitt
Load up the wash mitt and clean the first panel (see above for order)
Wipe cleaned panel with damp MF towel from first step
Spritz DS on panel
Dry with Adam's Waterless Wash towel
Clean mitt in rinse bucket
wring out damp towel
load mitt in wash bucket and on to the next panel
I use a 'dreadlock' mitt to do the washing, and used a bug sponge to clean the front of the truck:



 

Here is the rinse bucket after doing the truck:



 

And here is how much wash solution was left after doing the truck:



 

I emptied the rinse bucket (actually had to spray it with some APC to remove the 'ring'), refilled it to just above the Grit Guard, flipped the damp towel & WW towel to the other side, and got started with the car.

 

This is what remained after washing both cars:



 

I used a small wheel brush with this leftover solution to wash the wheels of both cars (rims only, not the tires).  I start on the rear (drum brakes on both) then do the fronts.

 

So this is my method. feel free to ask questions.

This thread will somewhat run in conjunction with my "BEFORE & AFTER PIC THREAD" - but not totally.  I just wanted to create one simple place, where the finished detail could be shown off a bit.  So in this thread, you'll find the "Facemelting" end result, of some of our favorite details!!  Creating a deep, rich, WET shine, is the specialty of the relationship between Adam's Polishes & Insane Paint Auto Detailing.  Remember, I'm readily available for product consultation, via PM or phone call/text.  AS WELL AS, if you'd like to book a detail with me.  So now that the formalities are out of the way.....LET'S SEE SOME SEXY RIDES!!

Here's a 2011 Bentley Mulsanne we completed recently.  These first few pics, are from just when we backed it out to rinse off, after polishing.  No sealant, no wax. -













Then we pulled it back into the owners garage, applied (secret) - did all the final touches with Adam's SVRT, Detail Spray, Double Soft Microfibers, etc.  And here she sits!

Hey Everyone!
 
I wanted to share with you what happens to a Patriot Wax container after it's been filled, but awaiting your order...
 
Keep in mind these beauties are "handled" a few times from the time they are produced until the time they are filled, and then some!  
 
Before I Attack...


 
Metal Polish #1 is used to clean all sides.


 
After getting the sides and bottom cleaned up and polished, I go ahead and hit the top of the lid with Metal Polish #1, Metal Polish #2, and finish with BG.  All on a 4" pad, using an old Porter Cable,


 



 

 

 
Random Shots..


 

 
 
If you haven't purchased yours yet, be sure to soon!
Mook

This is on my 1999 Dodge Durango with 135,000 miles. The paint has never been clayed nor has it been polished and waxed. 
 
Before close up shot on the roof

 
 
After the first wash, I sprayed the paint with Adam's DWC on the roof and other panels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I then used an alternative "clay bar" and Adam's older clay bar on the paint. 
 
After shot - Had to put the towel so that the iphone can focus on something. Sorry for the poor lighting but it was cloudy this morning. 

This is on my 1999 Dodge Durango with 135,000 miles. The paint has never been clayed nor has it been polished and waxed. 
 
Before close up shot on the roof

 
 
After the first wash, I sprayed the paint with Adam's DWC on the roof and other panels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I then used an alternative "clay bar" and Adam's older clay bar on the paint. 
 
After shot - Had to put the towel so that the iphone can focus on something. Sorry for the poor lighting but it was cloudy this morning. 

Took my brother-in-law to pick up his new Pathfinder yesterday and found a gem on the showroom floor.  I've been contemplating getting a new addition lately and trading my '05 Vette in.  I couldn't resist, so I pulled the trigger.  So far it is a blast to drive.  Haven't had a chance to fully open it up due to all the LSU, Florida traffic coming back from Baton Rouge last night, but I'm looking forward to next weekend!
 

These are just some general 50/50 pictures, of various paint corrections we've done. Again, these are shot RAW, after Adam's Correction Polish ONLY. No fillers, glazes, waxes, etc.






























 
Here's a few from a 2009 Honda Accord, with 88k miles, that we have in the shop right now....

It's not in the budget, for this car to get "perfect." But with our Light Polish Revival Service, and Adam's Polishes, here's what we're getting!









Preciate y'all hangin' out with me!

This was a new-to-owner prep.  The car was in pretty good condition when it got to me except for some heavily contaminated paint that felt like 2500 grit sandpaper.  It took two passes with an AutoScrub mitt & a decon product to get the finish right.  Other than that and an obscene amount of wheel weight adhesive it was smooth sailing! 
 
Featured Adam's Products:
Adam's Glass Sealant
Adam's Trim & Lug Nut Brush
Adam's Blaster Sidekick Dryer
 
 
Not Pictured:
Two bucket wash

Security System!:


All interior glass was steamed clean (no streaks!). Door seals treated.  Floor mats were looking a little tired so I extracted those, too:


Tires cleaned:


Cleaned up the lights a bit.  Amazing what a difference 2 minutes of effort can make:


The MBTex was shown no mercy - Deep Cleaned and then steamed.  Turned out perfect!:


The steering wheel was cleaned up, treated, & protected:


Decided to ceramic coat the wheels because, at only 3 years old, they were beginning to pit in some areas:


Adam's Glass Sealant on windscreen & rear window.  What little exterior trim there is on this car was also dressed:


Finished up with sealant and bling wax:


Thanks for looking!

Just something I would like to share with the community. 
 
I emailed the sales/orders department asking a question about their Lifetime Guarantee. Within 2 minutes I got a response back from Mr. Matt Butcher. That is the fastest response time I got from a company. 
 
This past weekend I called a local popular detailing supply company and all I got was an answering machine. I sent an email to them but didn't get a response 2 days later. And yes I called them during their open business hours. 
 
Needless to say, I was very impress by the response time from Matt. I think next time I'm going to ask a tougher question. 
 
By the way, the Adam's Lifetime Guarantee on their Cyclo and Flex polishers, bought through their Amazon store, does apply.

This came directly from the dreaded dealer service wash!
Correction polish, finishing polish on both pads, svrt on engine tires and trim, all paint and wheels as well as glass coated.
First picture is what entire car was like.
Thanks for looking!
And I am still waiting for Adam's call!

Out in the light...
 
Look at the bug shield!

 

 

 

 

 

 
Again, didn't take too many pictures because of time constraints...
 
but THANKS FOR STOPPING IN!

Today I had a chance to try out the new formula of Buttery Wax that I had received off the instagram promo last week (Thanks Adams!)
 
My GTO hasn't been washed in about 2+ months and hasn't been waxed in over 6 months, so it was definitely due for a Wash/Wax. 
 
I've been using the Americana for the past 4 years on the GTO and I haven't yet used my Patriot on it (waiting till after I do paint correction this winter) so I knew the new Buttery had some big shoes to fill since I was so used to the ease of use from Americana. 
 
I did the 3 bucket wash on the car and dried off the car with the Great White Towel, after the car was all dry I started on applying the wax. 
Previously when I had used the old buttery it was still awesome, but no where as easy as Americana to remove. I applied the new formula Buttery over almost the new car, then used some single soft MF towel's to begin wiping off the Buttery. 
 
My first impression was WOW, this wax is just about as easy to remove as Americana. I purposely went over some of the trim with the wax to see how easy it would remove off the trim and it removed very easily using a MF towel. 
 
After I went over the whole car and wiped off the wax, I pulled the car out into the sunlight to see how well the "filling properties" of the new wax is since I had some small micro scratches on the car. I was impressed that most of my micro scratches were hidden by the Buttery, however there were some that you could still see. Almost as if I had applied Brilliant Glaze on the whole car. 
 
Overall the shine of the car after the new Formula Buttery is very impressive, I would say it is very close/same as Americana which is amazing. Did I mention this new stuff smells great as well?
 
Thanks again for another awesome product Adam's! 
 
(Click on pictures below to view larger)

Depends on what you're looking for. If you want the longest lasting protection, QS or MSS. If you want shine Buttery, Americana, or Patriot (in that order from least shine to most shine).
 
If you want both, long protection and shine, go with a sealant topped with a wax.
 
On my DD I go with QS topped with Americana.
 
If you prefer liquid waxes, go with Buttery, especially if you'll be waxing outside in the sun. If you want a little more depth and longevity, go with Americana (or Patriot, but I couldn't justify using that on a DD)

Alright, so questions!  Specifically, a few niggles with the current process I have for working on my car that I feel need improvement.   I'm looking to improve my process, so I submit them to you, Oh Fellow Shine Addicts.
 
Clay and Tape-up
So before I polish, I always ensure the finish is as free of particulates as possible by claying, using Detail Spray as the lubricant.  And before polishing, I tape up some of the rubber and painted trim to ensure that I'm only hitting the surfaces I want polished.
 
Trick is that the painter's tape adhesive isn't that strong, so either the tape loosens with exposure to the copious amounts of detail spray needed for claying, or it won't stick after the fact.
 
So that's the question here, then...
How do you guys move from clay to tape and deal with the effect of detail spray on the tape?
 
Working Across Multiple Days
So I plan to polish my car next weekend.  Wash, clay, light polish - I hope to only need FMP since I haven't driven the car much this year - and then a seal and wax.
 
Trick is that I plan to do it over multiple days.  To try to reduce the amount of dust in my garage, I plan to sweep it out and then give the floor a quick mopping to get up the fine dust so that moving about in the garage doesn't kick stuff up.  But first is the wash and clay, nice and quick.  Next day will be the polish and maybe the seal.  Then I need to let the MSS set for 24 hours.  Then I can put a coat of Americana on.
 
Between days, however, should I try to drape something over the car to protect it?  I'd previously tried using old bedsheets lightly draped over it, but the coverage was rather patchwork.
 
So that's the question here, then...
How would or do you protect the car from dust when doing paint work over multiple days?
 
Thanks, all, for the tips and help!