Lucky...

I'm guessing then that you have no holes in your front bumper cover.

 

Actually I have places where the holes SHOULD go. But there is no hole that I could put anything through. I forgot to add that I did a debadge on the Outtie that day, and I am liking it!

 

Yeah, those back badges came off in like 5 seconds. Easiest debadge I've ever done. It took DAYS to get the badges off of my wife's Vue.

 

The holes in the front bumper need to be drilled out where the little dimple is. Then you put the black ancor thing that comes with the outlander in there and screw the plate to it. The black thing will suck in and get fat as you are screwing the plate on.

 

No front plate here, until I get a ticket for it.

 

Hey abrcrombe,

Wow, I wonder if I can get the same job done by paying places that do detailing to do as good job as you did (they want around 150 to 250 Cad dollars last time I checked.

I was wondering, can you break down the process of how and what brand/cleaners/tools you used to do the detailing you did? Also, do you consider yourself quite an experienced "detailer"? I'm pretty amateur when it comes to proper detailing knowledge, and I would like to know the following.

1. Is it better to buy a motorized buffer/polisher...if so, don't they leave swirly marks?
2. What brand wax do you use and how do you avoid the wax getting on the lights and other parts that aren't suppose to be waxed..just diligent work or you use masking tape? e.g. sunroof
3. I have a hood deflector on my Outie, so I guess it's gonna be a bitch to wax underneath the hood deflector?
4. Have you ever used a scratch remover? I have a few minor sctraches already...not sure what product is the best to use without damaging my paint job.

Any other advice would be awesome, and thanks in advance to all who can chip in with detailed advice too.

 

No problem. I have been detailing for a while now, so I am not a pro by any means, but better than the average person. You can get a job done from pros, but its a lot cheaper if you do it yourself.

1. I think a polisher is key if you want to remove swirls. Only Superman will get good results by hand. Orbital polishers can leave swirly marks, also called holograms if not used correctly. This is why I recommend a random orbital polisher. It doesn't cause holograms and is 99.9% safe. I have found that .1% though, so... yeah.
2. When I first got the car I put on some Jeff's Werkstatt Acrylic Jett Trigger. It is a sealant and will last many months. The last detail I used Chemical Guy's 5050 wax. A premium wax at about 50 dollars (US) for a can. If it is only for your car, it will last years though. The great thing about 5050 is it does not make the plastic parts white! You can put the wax on it, and it actually darkens the plastic. If you feel more comfortable taping, you can use the blue painter's tape as it comes off quite easily.
3. I don't have any experience with a hood deflector, so I can't really say anything on it. If it is not too difficult to remove, it may be worth it since you really only need to wax a couple times a year, or less if you use a sealant.
4. I have used many scratch removers, by hand and by machine. With a machine you will get the best results, and with a lot of work you can minimize the scratches. If the scratch is deep enough that your nail gets caught in it when you run your finger over it, it is going to take some serious work to be removed. You may want to consider a glaze which almost hides swirls and scratches. It acts as a filler and can reduce the appearance, and with a high quality wax over it, the effects are sealed in.

My process was:
Spray down the wheels and wheel wells with water.
Spray Simple green all purpose cleaner solution into the wells, Armor all tire foam onto the tires, and DP Xtreme foam formula onto the wheels. Scrub if necessary.
Wash it down with water.
Spray car with water, and make 2 buckets for washing. One for just water to rinse out your mitt, and another for your soap. This occasion I used Adam's Car Soap.
Lightly glide the mitt over the paint until you have done the whole car. I break it into sections. Front, Top, Right side, Left side, Back. Rinse clean.
Take off the nozzle and turn the water to a very low setting and slowly go over the car. This will sheet a lot of the water off and make drying simple. Works best on waxed cars.
Dry with a patting motion. Try not to rub the towel on the surface, for this causes swirls. Swirls are going to happen, its all about keeping them at bay.
Once dry, apply the wax with a foam applicator. Follow directions for removal. Some you remove right away, others you wait 15-30 minutes.
Clean the glass, and I used DP Krystal Vision Glass Cleaner.

I learned most of my knowledge from the Detailing Section sponsor, autogeek.net
The detailing section is dead here, so if you have any other questions, reply or PM me. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.

 

Hey, abrcrombe, I performed my first detailling job not too long ago, but its time for another good one and hopefully a better job. I've also been reading the sponsored site and the detailling section, but like you said, its pretty much dead. Thank you for that brief but to the point write up, my only question is, and this might be a dumb one so just hang on to your seat, what car wash solution can I use to remove all of the old wax, or do I need to buy a speciall wax remover? can you tell me wich ones you recomend?

 

Thanks abrcrombe!!

Dam, didn't know there was a sealant that I could have put on when I got my Outie 34 days ago, is it really worth it or can I still get it done now 34 days and a few minor scratches later? Duh, what does a sealant do? This is the first time I heard of a sealant...I'll do some research later on the web however.....

 

Right now, I've got JW's Prime:Strong with a coat of Duragloss AW on top. Shines like new money!

I went over the hood when I got it with the PC and some Blackfire SRCFP.. The paint seems to be fairly hard