The rain stopped....

[tcm4950]

The rain stopped long enough today for me to hand wash my new truck. (Diamond black crystal pearl) in my book, no better way to get to know your truck
A couple of surprises, but nothing I can't correct. Some.people say it's wrong to.love things. They never seen my truck LoL

 

[IceStormz]

Today in Toronto, it was above freezing with no snow which was a nice surprise. While I would've loved to detail it, my pressure washer, mitts, buckets and other supplies are sitting at the top in my attic! With that being said, I did take it through a Esso touch-less car wash and with the Ceramic coating, it cleaned up nicely!

 

[tcm4950]

Today in Toronto, it was above freezing with no snow which was a nice surprise. While I would've loved to detail it, my pressure washer, mitts, buckets and other supplies are sitting at the top in my attic! With that being said, I did take it through a Esso touch-less car wash and with the Ceramic coating, it cleaned up nicely!

Good deal @! Curious what did your ceramic coating run or did you do it yourself?

 

[IceStormz]

Good deal @! Curious what did your ceramic coating run or did you do it yourself?

Got it done at Komodo Motorsports in Mississauga, Ontario. I opted for the "Gold Package" which retails for $1899 for our massive vehicles but it's a lifetime warranty. They have the silver package but the warranty is 5 years which is probably the smarter move as that's when my warranty expires for the vehicle but I hope to keep it till it's no longer feasible maintenance. If you end up going there, DM me and I'll give you my name and they'll hook you up with a discount!

 

[z0n3]

I’ve discovered some things that really pissed me off when hand washing my truck such as scratches and stuff. But at least it got discovered and I could fix them.

 

[mark-e-mark]

So, maybe you guys can help me. I would like to take care of my own truck. My confusion comes with all the different products and names. Especially if you look at chemical guys.. So I have 2 Bucket/Foam cannon wash down. What are the next steps? Spray/paste Wax? When do I polish? When do I put sealant, or even DIY ceramic spray on.

SO these are the steps as I understand it. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
1) Wash Car - 2 bucket and/or foam cannon
2) Dry Car - towel dry and/or blow dry
3) Clay bar - not always needed (optional)
4a) Compound - paint correction step for older cars - not needed in new (optional)
4b) Polish - less abrasive paint correction, use after compound - not needed in new car (optional)
5) Wax - paste wax 2x year- spray wax more often? any recommendations?
6) Sealent (ceramic) - no clue how often to apply- any recommendations?

Just looking to take care of my black truck finish.

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

So, maybe you guys can help me. I would like to take care of my own truck. My confusion comes with all the different products and names. Especially if you look at chemical guys.. So I have 2 Bucket/Foam cannon wash down. What are the next steps? Spray/paste Wax? When do I polish? When do I put sealant, or even DIY ceramic spray on.

SO these are the steps as I understand it. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
1) Wash Car - 2 bucket and/or foam cannon
2) Dry Car - towel dry and/or blow dry
3) Clay bar - not always needed (optional)
4a) Compound - paint correction step for older cars - not needed in new (optional)
4b) Polish - less abrasive paint correction, use after compound - not needed in new car (optional)
5) Wax - paste wax 2x year- spray wax more often? any recommendations?
6) Sealent (ceramic) - no clue how often to apply- any recommendations?

Just looking to take care of my black truck finish.

You’re pretty close. I would really try not to use actual compound on your truck, you shouldn’t need it.... unless you get some really heavy swirl marks. Just stick to polishing. Do this after you clay bar if you want, and do it as often as you need to depending on how scratched you’re paint gets. I polish twice a year. After that, do paint sealant. That should last for months. Then after that, wax, then detail spray/whichever product you like that you think looks good to really make it shine (if you want).
most washes, you’re not going to do all of this.
my maintenance wash (anywhere from once a week to one a month) consists of just a wash, then dry using a drying agent. I love Adams’s H2O guard & gloss. This offers months of protection and it’s super easy to use when drying. You can use it on everything and it keeps it really looking good. See attached picture

the importance of a clay bar is removing all of the embedded contaminants to ensure that the paint sealant/wax actually bonds with the paint. If there’s something on the paint (iron, sap, fallout etc), the wax won’t actually bond. Paint care is truly an art and there’s so much to learn and I’m still learning lol
Oh and also, don’t forget about your trim and plastic pieces. Find a product (like Adams VRT) that offers UV protection to ensure they don’t fade out over time. Do this on things like gaskets, plastic bed rails, and any other plastic you have

 

[rrjjpp74]

I agree with 5th gen, I use all Adams stuff and they even have instructional videos and tell you the order on how to do the items. Take a look at there forums for detailing. I did a full paint correction on mine this yr along with doing the ceramic coating myself. I had about 30+ hrs wrapped up in everything.

 

[mark-e-mark]

Question about interior. What product for the interior? Is the Dash leather should I use a leather conditioner on the dash, what about door and the center arm rests? LOL, im just used to my last car that had vinyl, so it was easy to pick an spray.

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

Question about interior. What product for the interior? Is the Dash leather should I use a leather conditioner on the dash, what about door and the center arm rests? LOL, im just used to my last car that had vinyl, so it was easy to pick an spray.

There are products that make interior details that clean and protect on all of your surface, I’d stick with Adams or Griots, that’s what I use. For leather, I would get an actual leather conditioner from a top company. I would use an interior cleaner that has UV protectant in it for everything else. You’ll find what you like. Some will leave different finishes (glossy, matte etc) and some will smell different and leave a scent as well

 

[mark-e-mark]

There are products that make interior details that clean and protect on all of your surface, I’d stick with Adams or Griots, that’s what I use. For leather, I would get an actual leather conditioner from a top company. I would use an interior cleaner that has UV protectant in it for everything else. You’ll find what you like. Some will leave different finishes (glossy, matte etc) and some will smell different and leave a scent as well

Ill probably look for something that leaves a Matte finish. Probably something from Adam's Polishes

Adam's Interior Detailer

Adam's Interior Detailer is perfect for modern car interiors that combine real leather, vinyl, plastics, and wood veneers. With our total interior detailer, you can handle all these materials without adding too much shine. Plus, Interior Detailer adds UV blocking protection to protect against...

adamspolishes.com

 

[5thGenRebel_AMK]

Ill probably look for something that leaves a Matte finish. Probably something from Adam's Polishes

Adam's Interior Detailer

Adam's Interior Detailer is perfect for modern car interiors that combine real leather, vinyl, plastics, and wood veneers. With our total interior detailer, you can handle all these materials without adding too much shine. Plus, Interior Detailer adds UV blocking protection to protect against...

adamspolishes.com

Nice that’s exactly what I use lol. I like that Adams has the microban in it as well

 

[rrjjpp74]

Same here I have used all Adam's products for the past 5 yrs.

 

[tcm4950]

And the rain finally stopped again....good lord, feel like I live in Seattle....but
What's a boy to do on a sunny day?