Gonna try waxing the ride for the first time...

There is wealth of information on detailing your F car. If you really have no time to go through every little detail than just make sure you have washed the car and dried it preferably with a blower or synthetic chami. You shoild have a perfect clear coat if you want the best results from your wax. That means you should clay polish the car first to remove any contaminants till the clear coat is slippery smooth to touch( once dry the paint coat will allow anything from towels to an envelop to simply glide off your car's hood). You can than either use carnauba wax or a polymer. I personaly prefer polymers for the ease of application and longevity. They also attract less dust. The depth of polymers is different than carnauba but by no means inferior. I have used Techshine which is amazingly easy to apply and renders a piano finish to a well preped clear coat. PM me if you want to know about Techshine and I can give you the contact where you can find it. Happy waxing. Adil.
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It's pretty easy to mess the finish up on a car by washing it and waxing it improperly. There is a wealth of information about it. Just do a search.

 

I don't want to throw a huge amount of information at you all at once, so I will try and break it up as much as I can.

If you don't have any experience in waxing a car, then I would venture that you don't have a lot of experience in washing a car either. So, I will just try and give as accurate a rundown as possible as easily as possible.

The best way to have a really great finish on your car, is to start with a really solid foundation. The prep that goes into the job really determines the end result more than any other single component. You want to get the car as clean, and as contaminant free as you can before you apply anything over the bare surface.

Before you do anything, make sure to remove all rings, jewelry, and clothing that has any exposed zippers or buckles or metal. Remember that technically you are an abrasive surface, so wear something that is as unlikely to scratch your car as the towels that you use. This isn't a fashion show...so an old pair of sweats or shorts and a t-shirt is all you need here.

First you want to start with a car soap. Automotive washes are far different than other soaps because they typically are pH neutral. This is important because it helps to protect the finish from harsh detergents that can strip away previous coatings like waxes, as well as prevents premature drying of moldings and other seals. Since you seem to be new to this, I won't start throwing boutique products at you. Meguiars makes some good car soaps, I would probably recommend their "Gold Class" soap, which should be available at Target, Wal-Mart, Auto Zone, Kragen, etc.

Next you want to have a nice wash mit. Many different professionals use many different types of wash mediums, so I can't say with any manner of certainty that one is particular better than another. The key with any wash medium is that it is as clean as possible when you begin. Remember that anything that is on your mitt, is going to be rubbed against your car, which is obviously bad. So keep it as clean as you can. Just a standard wool wash mitt will work well, this can be obtained at any of the stores that would sell the shampoo I already mentioned. Wash it in your washing machine before you use it. Use very little detergent, Woolite would be the best, NO FABRIC SOFTENER, and wash on the Hot cycle. You can dry it in the dryer, although I would probably select low heat just to retain as many of the wool fibers as you can.

Get two wash buckets, one for your soap and water mixture, and one just for clean water. Follow the directions on the car soap to see how much to use. Using more than directed actually makes your job harder rather than easier, so stick to the directions. Try and wash the car in a shaded area to slow down the drying process on the car. Washing very first thing in the morning, or in the evening is very good for this as soap drying on the car, or even water drying on the car isn't a good thing.

When you rinse the car first, you want to do so with the intention of knocking off as much of the dirty and grime that you can. The more that you can remove with just water in this stage, the less that you will remove, and thus drag across your paint, with your mitt while you wash.

Soak your wool mitt in the soapy solution, and start at the very top of the car. Do the roof, windshield, rear window, side windows etc. first. Every time that you feel you don't have a really solid amount of soap in your mitt, first dip your mitt in the clean water and squeeze it out multiple times. You want to make sure that as you squeeze it out you are getting rid of as much of the dirt that came off the car as possible. Then once again soak in the soapy solution and continue. Hood, rear decklid, front quater panel top, rear quarter panel top, top of doors, then down to the bottom of the car obviously.

Wheel cleaning can be done with any of these products, so I left that step out because I want this to be a simple tutorial. I would avoid harsh wheel cleaners because they have a lot of potential to damage wheels with expensive finishes. Simple soap and water is totally fine for a beginner to get their wheels looking really awesome. Keep in mind that you only want to work on them while they are cool, so don't jump into cleaning them right after a jaunt on the local roads. Also, obviously, don't use the same water and soap solution on your wheels that you did on the car, or vice versa. It should always be separate, same goes for the towels used to clean them, and any other products like brushes etc. Having a set for wheels, and another set for the rest of your car is a good idea. I personally clean the wheels first, then wash the car, but that is just me. I do the wheels first so I don't get the whole car washed, and wet, and then have to take a long time cleaning the wheels while the water dries on the car. If you wash the car first, dry it completely then do the wheels, with extra care to not get water on the car again while wheel cleaning.

Rinse often to prevent the soapy solution from drying on the car. If you want to rinse every time that you have to reload your mitt with soapy solution, that is totally fine. Being cautious isn't bad. You are doing this for yourself, not professionally, so take your time and seriously find some real joy in taking care of your own car, it is supposed to be fun right? Once the whole car is rinsed, you should take the nozzle off of the hose and simply run the water over the surface of the car. The sheeting action of the water over the paint, combined with water's natural surface tension will actually pull a great deal of water off of the car for you, making your drying job much easier.

Once you have washed and rinsed the whole car, pull it into your garage or other shady location to dry. I know Todd mentioned using a leaf blower or other device during the drying stage, and that is totally awesome if you have access to one. Not only does it get all the water out of all the crevices that are extremely annoying, like vents, mirrors, grills, etc. It speeds up the drying process a great deal by removing as much water from the car in a short period of time as possible. If you don't have a leaf blower, you can simply proceed to your towel drying.

For this I recommend finding some specific "waffle weave microfiber drying towels." Oddly enough, out of the whole process already listed, the drying process is the one most likely to inflict damage to your cars finish. This is because it is the step that is the most reactive with the finish itself, dragging the towel over the cars surface again and again without any type of lubricating medium. So rather than drag it across the surface, you want to take your specific drying towel, and simply blot the surface. This reduces the possibility of inflicting damage to the surface because you aren't potentially dragging any contaminants across it. Don't worry about making sure that you get it 100% spot free, this isn't the last time that you are going over the paint of the car, so those spots will easily be removed by later steps. You want to get the water off the surface so it doesn't dry there, that is all you should be primarily concerned with at this stage.

Do however take the time to clean your glass really well, this is important. Glass is very hard to scratch, especially with small contaminants, so use a plain microfiber towel and wipe them down very well in the drying stage so you eliminate as many streaks as possible. This simply makes your job easier later.

A previous poster mentioned claying the car, and this is honestly a really great step before a wax. But claying isn't really something for someone who isn't intimately familiar with the wash and cleaning process. There is a lot of potential to do surface damage in claying a car, so if you are just starting out, that isn't a step that you should really be concerned with. Waxing a car is pretty simple, and a good way to get acclimated with the car and the processes involved in taking care of it, so that is a really good place to start. If everyone wants me to run down the claying process, I can do that later, no problem.

Now that you have the car clean and dry, you can go about waxing the car. There are a myriad of choices here, organic or inorganic methods of paint sealing. Since he talked about waxing, I will stick with the organic carnuba based waxes. If you choose wisely they are very easy to use and can give a good amount of protection and a good enhancement to the finish of the car.

http://www.autogeek.net/carnauba-wax.html

There are tons and tons to choose from. Any would be ok in doing the job, although I have specific experience with a few of them from this list so I will talk about those specifically.

I have two favorites from this, Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax, and P21S 100% Carnuba Paste wax. I won't go into the compositional specifics of these, I will keep it simple and say that either will do the job very well. Souveran is great for any dark colors, reds, blacks, dark blues, gunmetals, etc and it really has a tendency to give a lot of depth and solid gloss to those dark colors; it does tend to give a little bit of a muting effect when it comes to some silvers and metallics. P21S is great for all colors, and it is a very sharp wax, giving crisp clear reflections on any colors. I know Todd is a huge fan of this wax, rating it as the best that he uses right now.

With either of these waxes, you will get the wax and an applicator. Make sure to keep this applicator as clean as possible, just like your towels, because you are going to be touching this directly to your paints surface and you don't want any contaminants on it to scratch or harm the surface. Apply some wax to the applicator by rubbing it over the surface of the wax, then apply to the surface of the car. More isn't better in this case, just put enough on the applicator that you get an even coating as you move the applicator pad over the paint; globbing it on here just makes the wax harder to remove later without providing any more protection whatsoever. Some guys like to only move in straight lines, others like to use swirling motions, either way the most important factor when it comes to this process is laying the wax down evenly. AVOID THE EDGES OF ALL PANELS. Wax buildup on edges looks bad, so do the center of the panel you are working on first, then go back and carefully do the edges so you don't get that buildup in all your panel gaps. With either of these waxes I tend to do two or three panels at a time, so do the hood, and then a front quarter panel, then stop. Get a clean microfiber towel and proceed to buff the wax off the surface of the hood where you started. Don't be afraid to use a few towels, you want to take off the bulk of the remaining wax, then flip the towel over and buff to a shine. If you notice that you aren't buffing it off all the way, get another clean towel and continue. Removing all the wax is important. Once again, take care around all your edges to make sure you get everything. This doesn't need to be a rushed process, take your time and really revel in the finish that you get, enjoy it.

Work your way around the car, doing a few panels at a time. Keep in mind that you aren't in a hurry at this stage, it is all about making the coats even and consistent, and then removing that wax just as consistently. After you finish the waxing stage, you are just about done except for your final once over. Check your wheels first to make sure they are clean. You can clean them with something as simple as window cleaner and a microfiber. Then dress your tires, remember to spray the dressing onto a towel or applicator away from the car, then lay it on. Don't spray it directly on the tires because that dressing is very likely to end up on your paint, and you just spent all that time waxing the car, so you don't want that. Then clean your windows with that same window cleaner, and a fresh microfiber towel. Clean wheels and clean glass are the first things that people see when they look at your car, so make sure you do a thorough job here. If you have to use a completely dry microfiber to ensure you have a streak free finish, that is ok. Lastly, you can mist some quick detailer on another microfiber and go over your paint one more time. This ensures that you removed all the wax you applied, and that you are getting the best shine possible. It is just that final inspection to make sure that you got everything.

Afterwards crack open a cold one and simply admire your handiwork. The finished product is always going to be satisfying, and knowing that you did it yourself is really invigorating. Just remember that looking at this process like it is a chore isn't the best way to get a good result. It is your car, and if you are passionate about it, you should be passionate about everything that comes with it. Washing it and waxing it and caring for it are ways to connect to the car in a different manner than just driving it. Ferraris especially are gorgeous, the sweeping lines, the elegance absolutely infused into every panel, the insinuations of power that seem to radiate from within it. It isn't just about the drive, it is a feast for all your senses, including your eyes. Getting intimately involved with the process of making it beautiful really helps you to appreciate that by getting up close and personal with it, seeing it from every angle. So feast...

Jonathan - who probably just lost some clients because they want to do it themselves now...

 

Amen. One of the great joys of ownership, in my opinion, is to clean your Ferrari yourself. I find it relaxing to wash and detail my 360 Spider. I look forward to it. I am certain that you will find that to be true the more you do this.

 

"Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don't forget to breathe, very important".

 

Jonathan... really great writeup on the basics. I always enjoy reading such writeups as there is always something new to learn.

You have my interest piqued now regarding claying. I have never been brave enough to do this on my own. Can you explain the process and recommend some products?

Thanks!
Rick

 

Jonathan, that is a good and simple write up. I ran into an autopia product called Ultima. Any experience with this?
Polymers like Techshine, Zaino and Ultima appear to be gaining ground but hardcore detailers like yourself and Moe Mistry still prefer natural carnuba wax. Why? Adil.

 

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Adil,

Honestly I think that it simply comes down to preference. There are positives to either polymers, or more organic compounds like carnubas, and negatives. What you choose is really going to come down simply to what you like out of that selection of positives.

Organic compounds like carnubas have specific properties. They are compounds formed primarily of carnuba wax, which in its natural state is actually harder than concrete, and other solvents which basically serve as softening agents. These solvents differ from one wax manufacturer to the next, but generally include different combinations of oils to keep the wax in a useable state. As you apply these waxes to a car, and you see the wax "haze," meaning that it gets lighter in color, what is happening on a chemical level is those solvents are evaporating, thus reducing the wax's ability to stay soft. This means that it is going to return to its natural state, being a very hard compound, as it bonds to your paint.

The benefits of carnuba are that, in general, most people already know what to expect. Although there are huge differences in composition from one wax manufacturer to the next, as you apply it, work with it, and look for results from it, you generally know what you are going to get. Carnubas obviously enhance shine, and due to their composition, they actually start to diffuse some of the reflective properties of the clearcoat of the car, causing the color to take on a deeper appearance. I personally view this as a huge benefit, especially on dark colors.

In my opinion, a cars finish should have sharp reflections due to a flawless clearcoat surface, a great deal of shine due to a clean clearcoat surface, and a lot of color depth to enhance that gloss and reflectivity. You want to look at a black car like you are simply looking into a darker colored mirror, and when done correctly, judging by the reflection alone, it should be very difficult to even tell what color you are looking into.

Now two of these three criteria are always achievable, the third, color depth, isn't possible on colors such as white, silver, pewter, etc. Because of this, on these colors, depending on the client of course, I will sometimes rely on a polymer rather than a carnuba wax. Polymers have some unique properties of their own, just as waxes do. They are inorganic compounds, meaning that they are man made, so they can be tailored to have properties that are beyond organic compounds. Polymers are going to really shine in areas such as longevity and gloss. They are going to last far longer than a simple wax due to their increased bond to the clearcoat of the car, and they also typically provide a lot sharper reflection and higher gloss than a carnuba.

On light colors, these are awesome properties. Since color depth isn't really perceivable, you want to bring out as much shine as possible in the finish, and refine the reflection as much as possible. Polymers are perfect for this. Now am I saying that you can't use these on dark colors? Of course not. If you are looking for as much protection as possible, as some of my clients are, then they are obviously the way to go. You can still achieve amazing finishes with them on all colors. I know that Todd uses Zaino on a large majority of his vehicles, and I don't know anyone that would even think twice to question the quality of the finishes that he achieves.

Like I said, it honestly comes down to preference. That's it. With the advanced polymers that we have today, previous issues like ease of application and ease of removal are gone. So it is a matter of give and take, do you want the gloss with a slight decrease in protection longevity or do you want that increased gloss level and higher level of protection? It is really up to you. It is a tough choice, which is why I typically leave it up to the client and the color of the car in order to make up my mind, I decide on a case by case basis.

Rick,

Claying isn't something to be afraid of as it is a very simple process, but it is one that needs to be done correctly every time otherwise it can damage a cars finish. If done correctly it can remove all bonded surface contaminants from the paints surface, greatly improving its ability to cleanly reflect light and even to stay clean due to a lack of texture.

Clay is basically the equivalent to 20000 grit sandpaper. Maybe even higher than that. It is a compound that when rubbed over the surface of a car, is able to lift bonded contaminants like fallout, rail dust, etc. from the surface and hold on to it. It does this with the aid of a lubricating medium that keeps it sliding gently along the surface without bonding to it.

There are tons of clays out there, all that claim they are vastly different. In reality, there are really only one company in Japan holds the patent on clay, and therefore is the sole manufacturer. Now there are different levels of "cut" in each different clay type, thus making them slightly different, but in reality they are all basically the same.

Where you are going to see differences are in the lubricating mediums. These are very important because they are what protect the finish of your car from marring due to the almost sandpaper like qualities of the clay.

If you are just getting started, I would choose a simple consumer level clay like Mothers or Megiuars. Either are going to come with clay, and the required lubricating medium. Both will also be fairly sufficient to remove any bonded surface contaminants from the paint surface of your car. In some extreme cases they might be inadequate, but considering the amount of drive time and time spent parked outside of most Fcars, I somehow doubt that gnarly surface contaminants will be present.

First off, depending on the size of the bar that you get, you need to break it up into smaller pieces. When you piece it out, you want to aim for enough clay to be layed flat, and form a 2-3in square. Obviously the size of this isn't super important, you just want to choose a piece that is going to be easily manageable. You are going to want to knead the clay a great deal to get it to be pretty soft. One trick of the trade in this instance is to first soak it in hot water, which will make it very easy to get shaped into the size you want.

Obviously the car should already be washed and clean before starting the claying process.

Once you get it laid out into your small square, spray the piece down with the lubricating medium, then spray down the section of the car that you want to do, I typically don't ever go beyond a 2ft square at one time. Be liberal with the spray, too much is totally ok in this instance, too little is bad. You don't want there to be too little on the surface because the clay will grab, and leave marring on the surface of the paint. It does not take a great deal of pressure, if any pressure at all, for the clay to do its job. Simply glide it along the surface of the lubricating medium until you feel a decrease in paint texture. As you start you will likely be able to feel, and even hear, the clay moving along the surface due to its impact with bonded contaminants. As you move it along in the exact same place, you will feel that texture decrease and it will cease to make any noise. The difference from the clayed surface to the un-clayed surface should be very apparent, unless your car has been clayed recently, believe me you will notice the difference. Once you figure out what this difference is, simply work your way around the rest of the car until 100% of the paints surface is texture free.

Just remember to work in small areas, keep the area well lubricated, and don't apply a lot of pressure to the clay. As you finish each small section check out the side of the clay you just used. If you pulled off tons of bonded contaminants you will clearly see them on the clays surface. If it is dirty, simply fold the clay on itself (after soaking it in the hot water to make it soft if you wish) until you have a clean clay surface to work with again. On some cars I have used two whole clay bars due to the extreme amount of contamination, on others I haven't ever had to knead the clay even once. So you will have to judge for yourself. If it looks dirty or sounds like it is dragging anything against the paint, knead it and get a clean section.

After I finish claying a car I typically re-wash the car to remove all the dried lubricant from the surface. Simply do the wash process the same as you did before, with different water than your first wash, and dry carefully. Your car should have a drastically different paint texture, which will aid greatly in keeping it clean due to other contaminants inability to hold onto the surface.

Hope that helps guys, if you have any other questions feel free. I am picking up a car in Florida tomorrow and driving it back across the country, so if I don't respond to the thread after tonight and until around Monday morning or so, that's why.

I forgot to mention, this is supposed to be fun. Don't look at it like a chore, enjoy what you are doing with a beer on the side and some good music, and not only will it make the process seem to go faster, but you will enjoy the time spent with your car that much more.