New car detailing

[Quickstep]

Hi everyone. I'm a relative newbie to car detailing so I feel a bit overwhelmed by all the great posts and videos I've seen here. OK, so I just realized a bucket list item and took delivery of a 2018 corvette stingray coupe at the National Corvette Museum up in Bowling Green, KY. One of the things that was included with the car was some samples of Adam's products. That got my attention right away and led me to the website. Long story short we got the car home safe and sound. I ordered a bunch of product and tried it out on our daily drivers first. All I can say is wow! The cars never looked better. I'm wondering what tips or advice anyone has on detailing a brand new car. I don't drive it every day and when not in use it's garaged and under an indoor car cover. Thanks!

[mc2hill]

Welcome Eric, and congrats on the new car! 

Since you picked up the car from the manufacturing site you may be able to skip some steps that are needed for cars that are shipped.  Try the 'baggie' to determine if the surface (paint and windows) needs to be clayed.  Feel a clean surface (the hood works great) with your bare hand.  Now place your hand in a plastic bag and feel the area again.  The bag magnifies the contaminates on the paint, but if it feels smooth you can skip that step.  

 

If you have not already done so, I recommend picking up some Brilliant Glaze.  It can be applied under Americana, Patriot, or Butter waxes, or over any wax or sealant.  This product really makes paint and chrome 'pop', and is great for putting on before a show.  

Edited January 31, 2018 by mc2hill

[falcaineer]

Now that's what I'm talking about! Very nice!!!

[shane@detailedreflections]

First of all, congrats on the new car.  That's a beautiful car and on my radar for vehicles to own in my life.  What color did you get?

 

Anyway, on to your questions.  A new car doesn't negate the need for a detail.  New vehicles aren't exempt from contamination and damage, although they typically don't need as much in the way or restoration typically (there are exceptions).  The other thing you want to do is protect your new car. 

 

Our new vehicle prep workflow looks something like this:

 

-Strip wash

-Wheels

-Iron decontamination

-Clay

-Polish any areas that need polishing.  This is typically accomplished with a finishing polish as it's the least aggressive of the abrasives and smooths everything for some extra gloss

 

And here's where there's a bunch of options...

 

You can seal, glaze and wax.  You can ceramic coat.  You can have paint protection film installed and then do any of those steps over it.

 

The PPF will be the most durable of all, but it also comes at a price that's not small.  Ceramic coatings are a similar story.  The ideal perfect world is PPF and ceramic.

 

Traditional sealants and waxes wear significantly faster than the other other options and need to be reapplied to have them continue to work.  If you enjoy detailing your car, it's not such a big deal.  We have a number of clients that prefer to drive their car over having it in the shop being detailed or doing it themselves.  For some, they like to maintain their finish themselves.  It comes down to what type of owner you are.  There is NO wrong answer to that question. 

 

If you have specific questions on any of the steps, don't hesitate to ask.

 

Again, congrats on the new ride!

[Quickstep]

Thanks for the help. The car is admiral blue metallic and it really pops so I want to maximize and maintain that shine. What about the interior? Right now it's mint but I want to keep it looking it's best also.

[shane@detailedreflections]

I'm sure it does pop, but it will pop even more if you take the time to give it a good detailing despite being brand new.  You'll be amazed at the difference.

 

As for the interior, it depends on what you're trying to do?  I'd at the bare minimum use the Leather Conditioner on the leather surfaces.  Or if you want to go to the next step, there are companies that offer fabric/leather coatings/protection.  There's a couple we use with good results.

 

It all comes down to how much effort (and money) you want to put in.

[Quickstep]

I purchased your leather conditioner so I will use that right away as well as your glass cleaner on the windows. I watched the video on cleaning and sealing the windshield and tried it out on my wife's car. The glass certainly looks better than it ever has.

[falcaineer]

 

 

[Quickstep]

Ok,here are some photos after two bucket wash, clay bar, and buttery wax application. Used Adam’s glaze after that. 

[Rich]

Welcome to the forum and that's a beautiful Stingray!  Not a fan of the GS with all the white and red stripes, so that makes  yours all the better in my eyes.  My Vettes all like the Patriot wax and Brilliant Glaze.  The glass sealant is really nice, and the Leather Conditioner is all you'll need for the interior. You won't need the leather cleaner for a long, long time.  The conditioner has mild cleaning properties in it, so that will handle any dust or dirt you get into. I use it on my seats, dash, doors, and shift boot.  My last Vette was 11 years old when I traded it in and the ONLY thing that ever touched that interior was Adam's LC.  It still looked brand new.   I use the Adam's Metal Polish on my tailpipes to keep them looking good, and the VRT on the tires.   Not sure what part of the world you're in, but a lot of us head to Carlisle come August and get together on Friday night.  Thanks for posting pics of your ride.  Mine's been under wraps and on life support since November.  Seeing another one out in the wild did me a lot of good today since we got 5" of snow last night.  Yours is a beauty!!

[Quickstep]

Thanks again everyone for all the help. If I start using Patriot wax what is the best way to polish it after applying the wax?

[Rich]

Patriot is super easy to use.  You can polish it by hand or with a machine. I've done both with excellent results.  And if Patriot isn't in the budget right now, you'll get fabulous results with the Americana as well.  Both are long lasting and give deep shine.

[falcaineer]

1 hour ago, Quickstep said:

Thanks again everyone for all the help. If I start using Patriot wax what is the best way to polish it after applying the wax?

 

I may be misunderstanding your question, but you should be polishing and then applying the wax. Or am I missing something?

[Quickstep]

I was wondering the best way to buff it down after applying the wax, by hand or machine?

[shane@detailedreflections]

Are you asking about removing wax residue?  If you are, by hand with a soft microfiber is the best way. If you have any stubborn residue, you can use a small spray of detail spray to loosen it.

 

Machines serve their purpose, but I’m not convinced applying/removing waxes is one of them. 

[hot_h2o]

Quickstep- How did you like the Buttery Wax?

[Quickstep]

It went on really nice and easy just like the name suggests. It was also very easy to buff off the residue with a polishing cloth. After that I applied the brilliant glaze which really made it pop. From what I've seen on the videos here it won't last as long as the Patriot Wax. I may try that next time. I think if your time is limited and you want to make the car really shine go with the Buttery Wax.

[Chris@Adams]

Welcome Eric......nice car!

[hot_h2o]

I need some wax but I may hold off to see if Adams has some new wax coming out soon. The instagram pics sure do look like a new metal tin of wax. 

[Naylor649]

Man that’s a nice car! Congrats ? 

[tomsch63]

Very nice! This weekend I'll be detailing my wife's MB E350 for the first time with Adam's products. Your results look amazing!

[Quickstep]

Thanks so much. Post pics of your car!