It's Spring!.........damn.....

[LarryR]

So I start my first detail of the new year with the usual foam cannon, two bucket wash and claying.  I've got a carport so it's no "inside" job.  It's a little breezy but nothing to bad.  I get done with the clay job and go back with the "baggie test" and it feels like I've done nothing!  I get the clay back out and do a small area and test again......Bingo!  There's that smooooooth feel we all like!  I give it a few minutes and it feels like back to square one.........I'm thinking pollen and dust that's in the wind.  Was going to do a polishing, waxing and sealant but am not real thrilled at the prospect of trying that with all this "invisible" crud flying around.  Anyone else in the same boat?

[Rich]

Yep. That's exactly what it is. Not much you can do except find an enclosed space to work in. 

[GerryC]

My recommendation for this situation would be to wash the entire vehicle, and then do the entire clay/polish/seal steps to one panel at a time. This is how I corrected my G8 last year. I clayed a whole door, two-step polished the door, and then sealed the door before moving on to the next door, etc. Do NOT strip wash the entire car to start. You don't want to expose the entire surface of the car all at once - only as you begin each panel. This way the only unprotected paint at any given time will be the paint you are currently working on. Another bonus to this method is you can take breaks between completing panels.

 

It is obviously going to take more time to do your car this way (I did 3 panels a day over the course of 4 days) especially with the frequent product/pad switching, but it is the most feasible I have come up with for correcting a car outdoors. 

[mtnbiker326]

So I start my first detail of the new year with the usual foam cannon, two bucket wash and claying.  I've got a carport so it's no "inside" job.  It's a little breezy but nothing to bad.  I get done with the clay job and go back with the "baggie test" and it feels like I've done nothing!  I get the clay back out and do a small area and test again......Bingo!  There's that smooooooth feel we all like!  I give it a few minutes and it feels like back to square one.........I'm thinking pollen and dust that's in the wind.  Was going to do a polishing, waxing and sealant but am not real thrilled at the prospect of trying that with all this "invisible" crud flying around.  Anyone else in the same boat?

 

I was in the same boat last weekend with my Jeep.  Had EVERYTHING laid out in the driveway to get the whole thing knocked out (wash, clay, correct with flex, sealant (only as clearcoat failure doesn't really deserve Americana)), and the same thing happened to me.  After claying the jeep, I found the surface still too rough to really correct yet.  There was about 15-20 mph gusts with dirt and dust (micro particles) all the time that day (I am in a desert).  I had to resort to just settling for a complete wash, clay and wash again to get all the detail spray off (new kwazar sprayers really put the product down).

[LarryR]

My recommendation for this situation would be to wash the entire vehicle, and then do the entire clay/polish/seal steps to one panel at a time. This is how I corrected my G8 last year. I clayed a whole door, two-step polished the door, and then sealed the door before moving on to the next door, etc. Do NOT strip wash the entire car to start. You don't want to expose the entire surface of the car all at once - only as you begin each panel. This way the only unprotected paint at any given time will be the paint you are currently working on. Another bonus to this method is you can take breaks between completing panels.

 

It is obviously going to take more time to do your car this way (I did 3 panels a day over the course of 4 days) especially with the frequent product/pad switching, but it is the most feasible I have come up with for correcting a car outdoors. 

Hey Gerry!  If by "strip wash" you mean claying after a two bucket wash I'm afraid I'm already past that.  Other wise what do you mean by strip wash and how is that done?

[Chewy]

Hey Gerry!  If by "strip wash" you mean claying after a two bucket wash I'm afraid I'm already past that.  Other wise what do you mean by strip wash and how is that done?

A strip wash is as easy as using Dawn dish washing detergent as your car wash, or using a couple of ounces of Adams APC in a wash bucket with Adams shampoo and washing the vehicle.  I personally like using a 50/50 IPA/water mixture with a waterless wash towel after I've washed the car.  

 

Clay also removes the LSP, but can reduce the effectiveness of the clay over time.  It's better to strip, then clay, then polish.  

 

Chris

[GerryC]

Hey Gerry!  If by "strip wash" you mean claying after a two bucket wash I'm afraid I'm already past that.  Other wise what do you mean by strip wash and how is that done?

Strip washing involves simply adding APC to your foam gun and/or wash bucket to remove the old wax/sealant. I figured you were already past that stage, but the advice is there for next time or for anyone else who needs it.

 

I actually strip washed my G8 yesterday, clayed the whole car, and put on a temporary coat of BW until I have time next week to polish and seal for the season. That's another alternative approach. Now I can proceed with the method I described in my earlier post of doing one panel at a time, and can start with polish since everything's already been clayed.

 

You go long enough without a garage and you start to figure out your own tricks to dealing with the outdoors