detailing a new vehicle....

[mtbnole]

which just so happens to not be a 4runner, but our new MDX.

When i got the 4runner, within a month i used a clay bar, and waxed it. i continued to wax the truck at least every 4-6 months, and compound/clay bar once a year. the truck looked good. however...

I would like to do even better with the MDX. It's been just over a week, and i've honestly not had much time to see it in bright daylight to inspect the paint well. I think in general it is 99% as it was from the factory.

anyway, my question is, what would you do to start things off right with a new SUV? will using the clay bar, and waxing it be enough? or should I clay bar, compound, fill, polish, wax, etc.?

i'd post this in detialing, but honestly, i think the responses in the 5th gen section are better, and more likely people on here have a "new" ride.

 

[chetJ]

When I got the 4R back in 2011, I used NO-RINSE to clean it and then clay-bared it followed by a wax and a sealant. Of course, given the fact that the 4R is such a big beast, my hands and arms were about to fall off the next day...but I believe that it was worth the effort. My wife of course heaved curses at me the entire time and the neighbors jeered and cheered (some threw little rocks at me I believe) at the crazy bald man cleaning his new car- hey but who cares? Especially in your case since it looks like you just have two feet (from the picture).

 

[AQH4Runner]

I completely understand wanting to have your new vehicle look as good as possible. Of course everyone has their own process and products they like to use and amount of time they want to spend. Sounds like you know what you're doing so for what it's worth here is mine with particular products I like to use in ().
1) Thorough wash
2) Clay bar
3) Swirl Remover (Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 & Meguiars SCRATCH X 2.0)
4) Polish (Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer & Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish)
5) Sealant (Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 & Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection
6) Let the sealant cure for 12 hours then apply a carnauba wax top coat for extra depth & shine (Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax)

I use a Porter Cable 7424XP dual action orbital polisher with Lake County Kompressor pads to do the swirl remover (orange light cutting pad) , polish (white polishing pad), & sealant (red finishing pad).

For a quick detailer I like Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine.

Always use good microfiber towels during each step to avoid introducing swirls.

This process, while it takes the better part of a full day, is totally worth it in my opinion. In between usually just a good washing will keep things looking great. I do this spring & fall here in the Midwest. In the fall I skip the carnauba though and use Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax #845 to get better protection against the snow & salt.

Good luck with your MDX.

 

[weeeee]

I completely understand wanting to have your new vehicle look as good as possible. Of course everyone has their own process and products they like to use and amount of time they want to spend. Sounds like you know what you're doing so for what it's worth here is mine with particular products I like to use in ().
1) Thorough wash
2) Clay bar
3) Swirl Remover (Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 & Meguiars SCRATCH X 2.0)
4) Polish (Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer & Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish)
5) Sealant (Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 & Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection
6) Let the sealant cure for 12 hours then apply a carnauba wax top coat for extra depth & shine (Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax)

I use a Porter Cable 7424XP dual action orbital polisher with Lake County Kompressor pads to do the swirl remover (orange light cutting pad) , polish (white polishing pad), & sealant (red finishing pad).

For a quick detailer I like Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine.

Always use good microfiber towels during each step to avoid introducing swirls.

This process, while it takes the better part of a full day, is totally worth it in my opinion. In between usually just a good washing will keep things looking great. I do this spring & fall here in the Midwest. In the fall I skip the carnauba though and use Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax #845 to get better protection against the snow & salt.

Good luck with your MDX.

As a professional detailer, I'd say this is spot on.

When taking delivery of the car, make sure they DO NOT PREP IT! Typically they'll instill swirls and holograms during the prep process by using their rotary units. I'd rather take delivery of a factory fresh but dirty car than fix dealer issues.

 

[NoVa4R]

Opticoat

The first thing I did to my 2013 was to have Opticoat applied. It's a semi-permanent sealant that acts as a much harder and durable protectant then your factory clear coat. In addition to the protection from the elements it makes cleaning the vehicle much easier and also means I won't need to wax or seal the vehicle for 5+ years, which is great for a DD that is parked outside all day.

Depending on the condition of your car there's generally some prep work involved before applying Opticoat, this includes some of the steps mentioned by others. A quick search on Google or through the autopia.org (detailing) forums should answer any questions.

 

[mtbnole]

so i am looking to buy a blackfire kit including wash, polish and sealer today. i'm going to clay as well, and will cross my fingers on the swirl removal, as i havent seen any on the car yet. i'll post some pictures when i am done.

 

[JohnnyT]

so i am looking to buy a blackfire kit including wash, polish and sealer today. i'm going to clay as well, and will cross my fingers on the swirl removal, as i havent seen any on the car yet. i'll post some pictures when i am done.

Excellent product choice.

Be patient. The hard work pays off.

 

[shadow247]

Zaino all the way!

Wash
Clay
Z-5 Swirl Remover with accelerator (2x)
Z-2 Clearcoat Polish with accelerator (2x)
Z-16 to finish it off

This will give you a mile deep shine that repels dust and dirt. I have done a handful of vehicles with this system, and just 1 coat of Z-5 never fails to impress. You can layer as much Zaino as you want and the shine gets deeper and deeper. I have used it on a new black car to make the paint look "mile" deep according to the customer. The best part is you only need to do it once a year, with touch-ups in between polish coats with the Z-16.

There is no reason to go attacking a brand new vehicle with anything else besides the products I have listed above. Zaino has a full line of proven products that are big on the show car circuit. I am NOT a salesman for Zaino, just someone who has used it for the past 10 years and been completely impressed with the results. I have used almost everything you can buy over the counter, plus some stuff that only dealers and body shops can get, and the absolute deepest, slickest, wettest looking result has been achieved with Zaino.

www.zainobros.com

 

[MpJustice]

You need to search for a website named autogeek. You can learn everything you need to know about detailing a car.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

I stand strong by Meguiars.

For the total pros, what is a good DA or Orbital polisher & pads for a beginner? I've been doing everything by hand & I need to compound my 4R and tried earlier, too much effort for my tired arms. I need it at a decent price too, so hit me with your best shot please!

 

[Shogun]

How about the interior ? Any tips/tricks on what to use and how? I haven't cleaned my interior since I purchased it 3 months ago.

 

[JohnnyT]

How about the interior ? Any tips/tricks on what to use and how? I haven't cleaned my interior since I purchased it 3 months ago.

Einszett Cockpit Premium. Find it. Get it. You'll be glad you did.

Get some good microfiber also.

Detailed Image - Premium Auto Detailing and Car Care Products

We Are Car Care -- Car Wax, Car Polish, Auto Detailing Supplies, Car Buffers & Car Accessories Store

Have fun!

 

[mtbnole]

You need to search for a website named autogeek. You can learn everything you need to know about detailing a car.

this is where i bought the Blackfire products. i spoke to someone there who was really helpful gave me a couple options, and some great direction.

they are here in FL, so i will have everything tomorrow. It's going to be a long day on saturday!

 

[J.A.]

which just so happens to not be a 4runner, but our new MDX.

When i got the 4runner, within a month i used a clay bar, and waxed it. i continued to wax the truck at least every 4-6 months, and compound/clay bar once a year. the truck looked good. however...

I would like to do even better with the MDX. It's been just over a week, and i've honestly not had much time to see it in bright daylight to inspect the paint well. I think in general it is 99% as it was from the factory.

anyway, my question is, what would you do to start things off right with a new SUV? will using the clay bar, and waxing it be enough? or should I clay bar, compound, fill, polish, wax, etc.?

i'd post this in detialing, but honestly, i think the responses in the 5th gen section are better, and more likely people on here have a "new" ride.

This page details out what I did to "detail" my 4Runner when it was new. Glad I did it and would do it again.
Toyota 4Runner Detailing

 

[shadow247]

How about the interior ? Any tips/tricks on what to use and how? I haven't cleaned my interior since I purchased it 3 months ago.

For the interior, its hard to beat an air compressor and pen nozzle. I give all my vehicles a thorough cleaning once a year, a can of glass cleaner and the air blower go a long way to remove embedded dust, dirt, and even take care of some stains. I was able to remove a 3 year build up of coffee in the passenger floorboard of my father in laws Nissan, with nothing more than glass cleaner, and scrub brush, and an air blower.

 

[mtbnole]

This page details out what I did to "detail" my 4Runner when it was new. Glad I did it and would do it again.
Toyota 4Runner Detailing

wow, great link. i'll be sitting down to read this before i get started saturday. thanks!

 

[mtbnole]

So I did the "Baggie test", and realized my one month old MDX really needs the clay bar before anything else. I was amazed at how I could feel the little bits on the paint that I could not feel at all without it.

Should I be concerned about the quick detailed on the unpainted parts when I do the clay bar?

 

[Ukie]

Should I be concerned about the quick detailed on the unpainted parts when I do the clay bar?

Not sure if I understand your question/concern. What "unpainted parts" do you mean: trim, glass, headlights?

In general, it's OK to clay bar glass, headlights, painted plastic. I would stay away from unpainted trim/plastic, especially if your clay bar grade is rather mild (it might leave some residue on unpainted trim).

 

[mtbnole]

I won't be claying the unpainted plastic, I wasjustvworried about the overspray from the detailer.

 

[terra4r]

1) Thorough wash
2) Clay bar
3) Swirl Remover (Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover 3.0 & Meguiars SCRATCH X 2.0)
4) Polish (Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer & Blackfire Gloss Enhancing Polish)
5) Sealant (Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 & Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection
6) Let the sealant cure for 12 hours then apply a carnauba wax top coat for extra depth & shine (Blackfire Midnight Sun Ivory Carnauba Paste Wax)

I use a Porter Cable 7424XP dual action orbital polisher with Lake County Kompressor pads to do the swirl remover (orange light cutting pad) , polish (white polishing pad), & sealant (red finishing pad).

Always use good microfiber towels during each step to avoid introducing swirls.

In the fall I skip the carnauba though and use Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax #845 to get better protection against the snow & salt.

Good luck with your MDX.

[MENTION=86116]AQH4Runner[/MENTION] - have you been snoopin in my garage? This is exactly what I use. WG3.0 is some good stuff. Collinite in the off cycle. I also keep a can of Boeshield T-9 around for underside and engine coating.