CanuckG35

I am a complete novice to "detailing" my cars. I wouldn't even call it detailing. Mainly I just wash the car and wax it with mothers carnuba wax. I just purchased my 2011 Ford Edge and I really want to take care of it. As a detailer what products do you suggest I use to detail my car, starting from car wash soap, sealant, claybar and wax and are readily available to an online shopper? Also what tools are best used to apply each ie cloths, power buffers, etc.

 

Another questions is in what order should each be done, Car Wash > Clay Bar > Sealant > Wax?

 

Finally, I wont be picking up my car until very late November, each December and I want to detail it as soon as I get it. I do not have a heated garage or anywhere I can take it to be in a warmer area. What do you recommend I do in cold circumstances?

Take a read through this thread as I've recommended some good products to use to maintain a great looking Edge.

You're right with the proper detailing order. Wash, clay, polish if necessary, sealant (let cure for at least 24 hours), and wax if you choose to.

Detailing products need a temperature of at least 10C or 50F to properly cure. Temperature is just one factor, as humidity is equally important. Without a heated garage of your own or a friends, you'll need to wait until spring until the temps rise.

Here is a a great post by a fellow professional regarding the topic.

Temperature and Product Application

 

Detailing products should be applied to a cool dry surface out of direct sunlight (actual surface temperature of the vehicle) ideal range between 50 (10.oC) and 80.oF (26.oC) the carrier system for waxes is solvents, while polishes (and waxes) use oils for surface lubrication. At higher surface temperatures they evaporate allowing products to dry out and start to solidify

 

The other climate related condition that should be avoided when applying car care products is direct sunlight, as this will dramatically increase the surface temperature compared to ambient temperatures causing the product to dry prematurely and may render it ineffective.

 

These are the temperatures and conditions that are relative to the application of car care products; the most important is the actual surface temperature of the vehicle.

 

• Surface Temperature (actual surface temperature of the vehicle) between 50 (10.oC) and 80.oF (26.oC) products will work well within a much broader temperature range, i.e. 45. °F to 90.° F (4.5-32.oC) but at 45 degrees it will take much longer to dry, perhaps as much as two to three hours) but the best results will be achieved in the 60° to 70° F (15-21.oC) range.

 

• Humidity and dew point saturation temperature (the temperature which water vapour will condense into water) will also affect the application of waxes and sealants. Micro particles of moisture will form on the horizontal panels and due to the oil content in waxes it will inhibit the adhesion process, water will interfere with the cross-linking of a polymer sealant

 

• Excess humidity will also affect ‘how’ a wax or sealant dries (i.e. it may cause hazing or clouding of the surface) and will also prolong fabric / carpet drying times

 

• Most detailing products contain solvents that if used on a hot surface will flash (evaporate) and will negatively affect the product used.

 

• The oils and waxes used in polishes to provide surface lubrication will evaporate, leading to dry buffing and surface scratches

 

• Using cold water on hot metal will cause heat stress, which will lead to the metal deforming, cracking and failure (rotors, engine parts) once they are warped the brakes cannot work, thermal shock could also cause the engine block structurally fail.

 

• The same principle applies to hot water on a cold surface (i.e. defrosting ice from a windscreen)

 

• Cold ambient temperatures (40.°F >) - water- based products (polish, wax, fabric cleaners, etc) will be negatively affected at lower temps i.e. some polishes use wax as a lubricant, which will solidify during lower temp conditions, causing the polish to 'clump' and become unworkable

A couple of important points regarding the use of a clay bar. First off, clay is an abrasive substance, and moving it across your paint even with a proper lubricant will cause marring. Now clay bars vary in abrasivness so how much marring you will incur on your paint (along with methods used) will vary greatly.

So from a detailer's perspective, it's ALWAYS recommended to follow up claying with a fine or finising polish to remove any marring incurred by the clay. At that point you can then proceed with your choice of LSP.

Any other questions, just let me know.

Thanks! We are excited. The car actually was delivered a week ahead of schedule. The dealer "found' some more discount/rebate money because he wanted to get the sale before the end of the month.

 

Tomorrow starts the detailing. Time to go review the Ask A Detailer topic again!

Wow, a week ahead of schedule is always a pleasant surprise!

Let me know if you have any questions about detailing.

^ Nice, that's not too long at all. Congrats!

Is rust proofing your undercarriage a scam? Absolutely not!! Is it as required on today's vehicles as it was 15 years ago? No.

If you turn over your vehicles every few years, I wouldn't say it's needed. But if you keep your vehicles for extended periods of time, I would absolutely get it done annually.

Tony, if you plan on getting it done, Krowne does an excellent job!

So when you say "rinse" do you really mean just "rinse" i.e. don't use the coin wash soap or go through the complete coin wash cycle of rinse-soap-rinse?

Thanks for your help to those of us who want to keep our "Edge" this winter.

Yep, just a rinse only. I am usually in and out within 2-3 minutes to rinse everything off of my paint and undercarriage. Even with ONR, I don't use it all the time. The less things come in direct contact with your paint the better.

Hi Cindy,

Your windshield can most certainly be polished. If you have a local professional detailer in your area, they should have a polish made specifically made for glass. Your detailer will need this particular polish along with glass polishing pad. The difference between an older scratched windshield and a freshly polished one is incredible.

You ordered a 2001 Edge?

Mine was ordered on September 27th. Hoping to take delivery the last week of Novembers. Crossing fingers.

Canuk - I just picked up my 2011 Bordeaux limited and I want to treat this right. So unlike my 2002 Montana which is being hauled away tomorrow there won't be any drive through car washes. Driveway washes during the more temperate climate is okay but what about this winter? How am I going to keep it clean? Hand spray washes? I'm not sure I'm even going to get a warm enough day to properly seal the paint - which is what I see you suggest instead of waxing. So the alternative is to get it detailed? It's pretty slushy here north of Toronto so any tips would help. I did peruse the eshine site so I guess that is a better option to purchase product than Canadian Tire? Any help/hints are appreciated.

What I do to keep my vehicle clean in the winter is to take it to a local coin op and rinse off all of salt, sand, and dirt off of the paint. I simply rinse all of that off without anything actually touching my paint. Then I'll bring it home and do a rinseless wash with Optimum No Rinse. ONR is a fantastic product and comes in really handy in the winter. You can purchase this at www.eshine.ca Let me know if you have any other questions.

Thanks for the info folks. I wonder why the USB sticks that I tried didn't work on the Edge that I had home. Strange.

Your navigation wouldn't work without the SD card in - but I believe it works.

 

I would think the MP3 should work on the USB but I have an old nano I am using for now - so... someone else will have that answer.

 

What is your updated delivery Shane?

 

Carrie

Thanks Carrie. The last time I heard, expected delivery is towards the end of November. Still have another month of waiting!

A couple of questions for those of you who already have your new Edge.

* You can drag and drop MP3s on a USB stick, plug it into one of the USB slots and play music, correct? I remember when I had an Edge home for a couple of days test driving it that I was unable to. I forget what the exact message on the display was, but I wasn't able to play any MP3s from the USB stick.

* If you have a Navigation equipped Edge, can you take out the Navigation SD card and put in an SD card filled with music. I know that you can play MP3s from an SD card in the SD card slot, but I wasn't sure if taking out the Navigation SD card screwed anything up. The tester I had home didn't have Navigation so it wasn't an issue.

TIA.

Shane

Wow, that really bites. I ordered mine with HIDs last month, but I haven't heard of any delays on delivery. Hopefully not.

Great review, thanks for posting!

Zaino. It's the best polish on the market hands down. You won't find it at your local Walmart and it's a little pricey, but take a look at the pic of my Trans Am to see how it makes the paint pop. Keep mind that this car is a 2002, so that paint job is almost 10 years old!

Zaino Z2 and Z5 are not a polish, they are synthetic polymer sealants.

To the OP, you might want to look at the thread below as it will answer most of your questions. Any additional questions, just let me know.

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/index.php?/topic/5535-ask-a-professional-detailer/

+2. I'd most definitely ask for a new Edge. Keep us posted, I hope it works out for you.

Cool vid, thanks for posting!

MERCY!

Those are damn near bath towels!

Thanks for the info.

 

 

Hey, you asked. hahaha. If you don't want to go with the ones I listed above, at least go with these. Using a top quality MF cloth makes all the difference.

http://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Microfiber-M13/Ultra-Plush-Two-Sided-Towel-P105/16-x-16-S1/

I was using S&W on a fairly dusty surface.

Does the quality of MF towels make is difference? I got to thinking that the towels I was using were not the plushest towels out there.

Yes, quality of the towels will definitely play a part in it. The ones below are the ones that I use. Also, when wiping down a dirty surface, go back over it with a clean towel.

http://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Microfiber-M13/reTHICKulous-Towel-P318/16-x-16-S1/#product-description

I've noticed that when I use spray and wipe, I get streaking.

How can I prevent the streaking?

Are you using the S&W on a dirty or clean paint surface?

^ Awesome, thanks Rich!!

^ Good stuff, definitely post pics once it's installed. I plan on ordering mine soon and was thinking of going with the larger size.

Have you got a VIN yet??

Nope, no VIN yet Scott. Hopefully will have that soon.

Tick tock tick tock............and the wait continues!!

^ Thanks Rich. I am always up for trying new products so I would certainly love to give this a try. Where do you typically purchase it at? Also, links to your vids would be great too.

Thanks again.