best way to make my x look good cleaning?

[Pemerling]

what exactly should i do to mkae my explorer look the best this summer. i mean i got a buffer but what should the steps be to getting the best shine. how many coats of wax etc? clay bar etc?

 

[Okrazie1]

There are many people on the board (myself included) that are big fans of Zaino. It's a little pricey but worth it. You can find info about Zaino (and how to use it) at www.zainobros.com.

 

[IgotTwo]

It took me a while to appreciate the benefits of those multile step processes "jobbers": clean, polish and wax ..... like metgiers and a lot of others.

There is nothing worst (stupidier) than putting wax on a finish that it not clean. Once you get the rythum down and with a light duty buffer it takes me no time at all.

As for the clay and corn starch thing........it's your call.
I have always been very pleased without em and try to keep it simple.
How pretty can I make? (before it rains)

 

[bigDerk]

Originally posted by Okrazie1
There are many people on the board (myself included) that are big fans of Zaino. It's a little pricey but worth it. You can find info about Zaino (and how to use it) at www.zainobros.com.

I SECOND THAT! Zaino absolutely ROCKS!

 

[Stephen]

Heres what I've always done (got the 18 year old son to help me, he finds some joy in cleaning cars...I'm a lucky man), they look brand new when we're done (in this order). I'll include the products we use that seem to work very well in brackets with each step.

1. Vacuum interior well carpet, under seats, headliner). Clean leather [Hide Food] and Vinyl/dash surfaces [Prolong Super Cleaner]. Clean all interior glass surfaces well [Stoner's Invisible Glass]. Then rent one of those shampooing jobs at the gracery store, and hit it with that. Or if you want get a "Bissel Little Green Clean Machine" they work well for this.

2. Wash well, VERY well paying attention to wheel spokes, grilles, emblems, wheel wells. Scrub the raised white letters VERY well (Explorer). Might be a good idea to rent a power washer for this part. Dry vehicle well. Detail all door jambs now, including wax. Treat the door kickplates [Stoner's Trim Shine] also. After it's dry, treat all the black plastic [Stoner's Trim Shine] the tires [Stoner's More Shine Less Time] and the wheel wells [Stoner's More Shine Less Time].

3. Now get an orbital buffer and take care of swirls [Meguiars No. 9 Swirl Remover], then follow with Zaino as directed as many coats as you want.

That'll be one fine looking truck.

 

[IgotTwo]

You forgot one thing:
The rustolum satin black!

Front suspension, lower front wheel wells and the springs, rear axle, and little around the rear wells..... and on my 94, I hit the leafs. Who wants a rusty leaf spring hanging behind the tire? Less than a spray can will do it. Its becomes a cosmetic touch up only, because every time you take the wheels off and clean the brake dust on the inside of the mags, you took the time to paint it then too .
(borrowing your neighbor's power washing once in while helps prevent painting dirt)

Rust peaking out from that under carriage? I don't think it came like that.

The Reward?
Anyone who has driven through the center of town and has caught the reflection from the picture windows, knows only then, can you say "I did my best!"
(just kidding)

The agony is you have to wait a while before you can crank it up and start "tooling" around to show it off.
Ah......its a small price to pay.