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So much detailing information out there, and products to boot. After too much research, here's the direction I'm taking:
Griot's 6" Orbital Polisher
Griot's Black foam finishing pads
Griot's Red waxing pads
With that equipment, my first real detail will be (Meguiar's):
Gold Class Car Wash, and may use Dawn first as a wax remover first
Clay Bar
M205 Mirror Glaze Ultra Finishing Polish (use Orbital)
M21 Mirror Glaze Synthetic Sealant 2.0 (use Orbital)
Meguiar's Gold Class Car Carnauba Plus Paste Wax (use Orbital)*
*I was going to use the NXT 2.0 Tech Wax, but being it's a synthetic product and the fact I'll be polishing first, I believe the Carnauba is a better final step.
Detailing may have many meanings.
I have never detailed my vehicles as they have always kept cleaned on a regular basis. So some could say that I detail the car on a regular basis.
Others let the vehicle go for a year - then attempt to clean all grime by detailing.
I have multiple shop vacs. And access to electrical plug. Some apartment owners may have some difficulties. When I lived at/in an apartment - I went to a relatives home.
For cleaning old wax I use the following products. One is a cleaner and the other is a premium wax.
Collinite 840 Pre-Wax Cleaner & 476S Super Doublecoat Paste Wax.
It's a good plan. I find I like different things for different color cars, so you may want to play around a little and see what you like.
A few notes:
M205 is a finishing polish. Great to use if you have minor swirls or similar items. If you have bigger paint issues, you'll need something a little more aggressive.
The NXT 2.0 is basically the same thing as M21 2.0. M21 can stand a little more heat, so is better to use if using the orbital, but otherwise they are about the same.
The M21 should leave a nice finish and will be the main protectant making the Carnuba optional. If you have a dark car, putting that on over top might give you a deeper look. On a lighter color car, I would probably skip it.
The products you list should do a good job for you. There are a lot of good waxes and polishes out there, Car Care Specialties are my go-to guys: Car Care Specialties - Quality Car Care Products they have Sonax, P21s, Zymol, Meguiars, etc.
I have never seen a "shoot-out" where various wax brands would be used side by side, and then judged for shine, for UV resistance, etc. Depends on how your paint is now, your goal for how you want it to look, and your budget both for money and effort/time. Also are you more interested in a "show car" look even if it does not last that long, or for more rugged paint protection that will stand up to being outdoors a lot?
Be careful around any sharp creases in the body with that power buffer, it's damn easy to "cut through" to primer or even bare metal.
I bought the 2014 Ram 1500 Crew Cab used, black. It came with scratches and swirl marks. My focus is not on the scratches, as some of them are deep. I just want the overall look to be "glass" despite however the scratches look once done, and most especially want the swirl marks gone.
Once I learned about the M205 I figured that was my swirl remover. I've never sealed my cars before, and once I got into that many suggested the wax as the final step after the polish cures for 24 hours.
I will say, it's detailing shock going from my silver 300 for the past 9+ years to black. I don't want to be OCD nor am I looking for a show car finish. But I have in the past always hand detailed my 300 twice a year, and never did it see a car wash. This will also be the first time I use an Orbital. It was a toss-up between the Griot's and Porter Cable polishers.
I don't know if this is still available, but 30 years ago I used "Liquid Ebony" sealer, the first overall lacquer paint job I did was a 1974 Firebird originally black. If you have ever shot lacquer, you know it goes on with little gloss, you color sand it (600, 800, even 1000 grit paper with water) and then polish with an orbital or rotary polisher. The polishing gives a shiny but swirl infested finish. The sealer fills in the swirls. The car looked rough till that final sealing step, somewhere I have an old photo of me sealing the car, and the car is shining like a big lump of molten glass.
Giving your truck a good polish and wax will make it look better, for sure. If you are not satisfied with first efforts, you can do it many times, although, you want to watch using a power buffer with any sort of even fine abrasive, since, mastering the obvious, this removes some of the paint. Remove a little paint many times and you are down to the primer showing through.
It's satisfying to read your accounts of doing upgrades to your truck. So many schlubs buy a car, or a truck, and it just gets worse with every day they own it. While a real car guy can not only minimize wear, and just by being careful about where you park it minimize "urban rash" type dents and scratches, but also do some tasteful and cost-effective upgrades such that the car gets better, not worse.
I don't know if this is still available, but 30 years ago I used "Liquid Ebony" sealer, the first overall lacquer paint job I did was a 1974 Firebird originally black. If you have ever shot lacquer, you know it goes on with little gloss, you color sand it (600, 800, even 1000 grit paper with water) and then polish with an orbital or rotary polisher. The polishing gives a shiny but swirl infested finish. The sealer fills in the swirls. The car looked rough till that final sealing step, somewhere I have an old photo of me sealing the car, and the car is shining like a big lump of molten glass.
Giving your truck a good polish and wax will make it look better, for sure. If you are not satisfied with first efforts, you can do it many times, although, you want to watch using a power buffer with any sort of even fine abrasive, since, mastering the obvious, this removes some of the paint. Remove a little paint many times and you are down to the primer showing through.
It's satisfying to read your accounts of doing upgrades to your truck. So many schlubs buy a car, or a truck, and it just gets worse with every day they own it. While a real car guy can not only minimize wear, and just by being careful about where you park it minimize "urban rash" type dents and scratches, but also do some tasteful and cost-effective upgrades such that the car gets better, not worse.
Thank you. A vehicle is the 2nd most expensive thing I'll own besides my house, and I treat it as such. It took me 5+ hours each time to hand detail my 300 over the past decade, even with silver covering up many of the imperfections naturally. When I detail it with the orbiter I plan on using the blue masking tape around the trim to protect it. Plus, I drive 20,000+ miles in my car each year, which is a lot of quality time in my car. I want it to look as nice as possible, balancing that need with time. Again, not being a perfectionist, but not being a schlub either (love that word ).
Don't care what you clean it with. But if you want the finish to look like it's still wet or better, you'll use Blackfire sealant and then top it out with Blackfire Carnuba wax. For the color black, it will literally radiate the black and to say it looks like a glass finish isn't near enough. It's a shine that screams at you and looks several feet deep. The Carnuba will last about 4-6 months before you need to top it again. The sealant will last a year easy. I'd also add after washing and before sealant to wipe the truck down with 70% isopropyl alcohol. You can get it cheap at Walmart. It will remove any grease, oil, anything that would interfere with the finish. The alcohol also makes a great window cleaner but don't use it on tint film.
I would, by hand,
wash, then go over the entire car with a mole skin wash mitt (just like clay bar) and soapy water
Then go for the compound, with small circular motion. Followed by a wax, then seal.
By hand should take you 1 1/2 hours. Hit the glass, headlight as well.
You can also clay and wax the plastic interior parts, and wax the leather/vinyl . the heat helps while doing the seats, it helps soften the leather.
Dont forget to get the carpets with arm and hammer nuetraliith and let it sit.
As for tires , brillo works very good!
You have a good plan, kind of over kill, but its ok.
The spray detailer shop be something you keep in the trunk, between washes. Try to avoid the car wash.
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