Detailing Questions

[Joyrider564]

Well I got a 4-day weekend coming up, and I am gonna detail my car and just had a few questions for the crowd.

I am gonna do: Wash -> Clay Bar -> Re-Wash -> Polish -> Wax. I have just put some big vinyls on the car, and was wondering what steps in my washing process that I need to avoid the vinyls. Some say it is fine to do those steps, some say not, so I am not really sure about that.

Also, I just picked up a used exhaust, and need to polish the tips of it, and wondering what people use to get them nice any shiny.

I also plan on cleaning the top well, and I have been recommended to use the 303 Vinyl top cleaner and a protectant right afterwards. Any other recommendations for the top?

Hopefully she'll be nice and shiny by the end of the weekend, and I will give pictures to all

[AlxRSPTT]

Adams metal polish works very well IMO. If you want you can just use mothers metal polish. Afterward seal with a synthetic sealant for extra protection/longer lasting shine.

Your wash process is fine for vinyl, but are they fine lines or just large fonts? If you are worried about them tape them off with painters tape, or avoid them completely with a machine polisher and do those sections by hand. A DA polisher most likely will not do anything to them though.

For better results wash after you polish as well. Keeps all the dust completely off the car for a better final result. Must be a thorough dry though as to not create any spots from hard water/dust.

Alex

[Zack]

I use white diamond polish to do the stainless steel, chrome, aluminum on the semi's and it's amazing! I have always bought it in case's of 20 as I use a lot. I doubt you can find it local, and over the web you'll have to buy 5+ bottles. But if you can find it, you'll be amazed by the results.

Zack

[afpreppie04]

I used Adams' Metal Polish on the stainless headers on my bike and they came out great, took all the brown nastiness right off.

[sid112]

clay bar is a bitch time consuming also but the outcome is speechless