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Detailing my 01 ZX3

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Jonnotron 
#1 ·
When I bought my first ZX3 last year, the paint was shot! It's a black car so I can see every blemish. I can even faintly see where someone wrote their name or something on the hood! At first i didn't care since I bought the car mainly for it's practicality, but now I appreciate everything about this little "black bubble". I'm saving for a tune at FS Werks and then for an exhaust and/or header and CAI.

In the meantime I want to work on the cars appearance. The question is... what products do you recommend (compounds/waxes, etc.) I use to hopefully buff out most of the shallow scratches and to bring the paint back to life as much as possible (and then to protect it). Also, what do you recommend I use on the dash, steering wheel, console, etc.?

Thanks as always fellow Fanatics [driving]
 
#2 ·
firs things first u said u want a tune? get the exhaust and cai (cold air intake) and then get the tune.

1 before you start buffing and polishing wash your car and clay bar it you can get clay bar at any auto parts.

2 now for the swirls and scratches blemishes u need a d/a buffer i use a griots garage d/a buffer

3 then a compounding buffing pad and cutting compound i use meguires swirl remover.

4 then polish the surface with a polishing pad and polish i also use meguires for that.

and last is a paint sealant i use griots paint sealant i get really good results with that stuff and that is a good starting point for you.. im sure some other guys will chime in!!


look up mike phillips on youtube watch the vids he shows u everything u need to know..

http://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garage...qid=1363049062&sr=1-1&keywords=griot's+garage this is the buffer i use

http://www.amazon.com/Dual-Action-D...63049322&sr=1-13&keywords=country+buffing+padthis is a good set of what u need for pads..

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G172...632&sr=1-1&keywords=meguires+cutting+compound this is what i use for compound

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Ulti...id=1363049671&sr=1-1&keywords=meguires+polish heres the polish
 
#5 ·
My preference has always been the Optimum Polishes and Compounds.

Optimum polish with a orange pad will do some serious paint correction and if you hit it a second time with a white pad you''ll get a mirror finish ready to be waxed.

http://www.optimumcarcare.com/opolish.php?li=3
 
#6 ·
Not sure how deep you want to get into detailing, but I wanted to get a decent paint finish with minimal work (dont we all). Anyways, if you have a D/A Polisher (I just picked up the Porter Cable 7424) i find Meguiars Ultimate Compund works pretty well. Ive only used it once, but after using it I didnt have to polish, I just went right to waxing. So the process was this:

1)Wash
2)Clay
3) Ultimate Compund
4) Seal/Wax

Im going to be doing my black focus soon, so I will post pictures and do the old tape line to see the comparison.
 
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