Washing using clay bar? NOOB ALERT
 

All I use is soap, and air dry. Im buying a black car and would like to make it shine. I dont have an orbitor polisher thingy. What are some simple steps I can take to make the car look its best. Is there a simple spray and wipe for shine on the market? if so , then what do you recomend. Just point me in the right direction and what products I should get.

from,

Noob.

Claybar, then wax... good to go... unless u got sht loads a swirls, get a pro to cut polish it..

As phucmang said, wash, clay(to remove any bonded contaminats-the stuff you feel when you run your hand over your clean paint ) and wax. We carry Werkstat Acrylic Jett Trigger, Optimum Car Wax and a few other spray and wipe products that are very easy to use.

Good things have been said about Optimum Car Wax spray. Another good spray wax is Meguiars Ultimate spray wax which you can get at Walmart and Canadian Tire.

Be prepared to wash frequently and wax often to keep the black shiney.

it is possible to to have a pro cut polish out swirls and than through proper washing technique + frequent claybar + spray waxing keep a black car completely swirl free without going back to a detailer every year?

My car is a year old and I use the 2 bucket wash method since day one and optimum spray wax every second wash. I still have swirl... Today I just clay bar it for the first time and thanks to my noobiness create some more new swirl that I can't possibly remove with hand + poli seal.

Asking becuase i'm debating on whether to spent a few bills on a proffessional detail, but if it just a temporal solution and there is no way to avoid swirl i might just invest the money into getting a PC with all the proper polish and pads.

Swirls are inevitable, in order to minimize swirls you must wash your car extremely meticulously.

Are you using a grit guard in your 2 bucket technique? I began using 2 grit guards for both soap and water, but now I only use the grit in the water bucket. From experience, I am able to remove 99% of the debris in my rinse bucket while saving myself 1 gallon of soap each wash (grit guard occupies about 1 gallon in your bucket)

Here's a tip that I've come across from experience. I use a microfiber wash mitt and when I reach the lower panels (lower doors, side skirts, rear bumper, dirty section), I lightly drag sections of my mitt to remove dirt, then flip over and use the fresh side for more pressure. Refer to my picture:

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/n0izz/washing.jpg

The red line is where you want the mitt to touch the panel. You want to drag the mitt across the panel only on the red line by making a "gun" with your index fingers. I don't put my hand in the mitt, I just hold it. Angle/half-fold the mitt so you don't get the fresh sections of the mitt dirty. You don't need to use pressure in this step! You just want to gently wipe away the debris that the hose didn't get rid of. After you've done all 3 steps, flip the mitt over and now you can use pressure and thoroughly clean the panel. Then, rub the dirty side of the mitt against your grit guard to clean out the debris. If done right, you should not see any color change (dirt) on the pressure side of the mitt. 95% of the dirt should be on the side where you 3 sectioned the mitt.

If you want to take it up a notch, invest in a pressure washer and use a foam cannon to help get the debris off before using a mitt. The 3 section mitt technique I used has minimized swirling for me when I never had a pressure washer. I still use this technique regardless.

Are you using a premium microfiber when you apply Opt spray wax? Did you wash off all the debris before? Turning the microfiber cloth frequently will minimize swirls from leftover debris.

If you don't plan to correct swirls after claying, again you must be very meticulous about your process. The dirt embedded in the clay can swirl up your paint if you use too much pressure, worse on a black car. Go slow; use a softer clay like Riccardo Yellow, and use light pressure on a surface treated with a generous amount of clay lube. Fold the clay frequently, less dirt = less swirls. Resist the urge to start going buck wild claying large portions at a time quickly unless you plan to polish after.

Investing in a PC and pads would be a wise choice for the long-term. It'll pay for itself very quickly if you baby your car.

I think you should just get the PC with the pads and everything and do it yourself. It will save you alot more money in the long run than finding someone to do it for you, plus, its a good skill to have

i use high quality mf for the spray waxing, one i got from ken and i do use a grit guard in my water bucket. i'm using the optimum clay bar is it better to wet the whole bar first? is there suh thing as too much lubrication? I try spraying so much lube that the clay just glades but i feel its not doing it job. After claying i still see some embedded material on the paint i guess that i can ony get those off with polish?

Can i use a PC to fix deeap scratches and rock chips?

After claying i still see some embedded material on the paint i guess that i can ony get those off with polish?
Depends what it is. If its sticky tar/bugs, use tar/bug remover.

Can i use a PC to fix deeap scratches and rock chips?
If you see primer or metal, no.

As stated, if you are really fussy about your car, invest in the PC and supplies. Its easy to use and the whole kit is less than having your car polished. If you get it from me, come by the shop to pick it up and I'll show you how to use it. :)

Noizz's lightly drag the mitt across technique sounds interesting. I've never tried doing that before