Best way to get my car lookin new? I want that "wet" look but my clear coat is crap.?

Question

I have a 95 accord, and I want to detail it, right now it has some swirls and minor scratches, I am looking to make it look really nice so I can sell it soon.

Any suggestions?

My friend said Claybar, Wax, and Polish?

Answer 1

After 12 years, I'd bet the paint is probably in poor condition. However, you can make it look almost new by:

1. Claying the paint to remove embedded contaminants after a thorough car wash. You can get a clay bar kit at many local auto parts stores. They even sell them at my local Orchard Supply Hardware. Plan to spend several hours claying, especially if your paint has a lot of embedded particles. If the paint is rough to the touch like light sandpaper, then you're in for a long cleaning process with the clay.

2. Polish. This removes most scratches and swirls. If there are scratches that you can feel with your fingernail then those can't be easily removed with simple polishing. Now most detailers use a rotary polisher or a "Porter Cable" polisher to remove scratches and swirls. A Porter Cable costs about $110 plus roughly another $50 for pads. You CAN polish the entire car by hand but it's a MAJOR amount of work - not something I would recommend.

3. Wax. What kind of wax (or sealant) you use is up to you. Since you're going to sell your car, just about any wax will be fine. Meguires and Mothers both make good waxes, are easy to find, and pretty inexpensive.

Realistically, unless you're planning to invest in a polisher like a "Porter Cable", I would recommend you bring your car to a detailer and let him/her do the work. The cheapest route would be to skip the polishing - just wash, clay, then wax. I'd bet 95% of people wouldn't notice the difference by not polishing, especially if your car is a light color like white or silver.

Check out these articles on claying and polishing:
http://guidetodetailing.com/articles.php?articleId=14
http://guidetodetailing.com/articles.php?articleId=47

Good luck!

Answer 2

i'm gonna tell you to spend about $300, but in the end, it will be worth it.

first off get this kit.
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-daspol-kit.html

best buffer you can buy. with about a days work it can transform your paint.

first thing is first. wash it very very well.

claybar entire car

use your cutting pad (the yellow one) with Meguiars #83. also put the buffer speed between 5 and 6

next use your medium cutting pad (green) with Megs #80. this will bring back your clear coat, and remove and mild scratchs and swirls. buffer speed 3-4

then use the blue pad with Megs #82. this will take out any light sractchs. buffer speed 1-2

sinse i dont know the color of your car, i'm going to suggest you seal it all up with 2 coats of Megs Tech wax, or Mothers Reflections. again this is going to cost you about $300, and about a day 8-10 hours or hard work. but its less then a paint job, and your car will look better then new after you do this. oh also i should say that after you do this if you take your car through a car wash, your just going to put swirls back in it. car washs are bad.

if you cant justify spending $300 on a car your going to sell, i understand. however this buffer and what i have told you can be used on any car you wont. not just your current car. think of it as a investment, and about any car you do this process to, will bring the paint back like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

hope it helps, and questions e-mail me [e-mail]
good luck

Answer 3

I would just use a good orbital buffer with some eagle one or mothers wax and that should take out the swirls and minor scratches if there not into the paint and your car should look real good.

Answer 4

turtle wax is the best, period.

get an electronic wax buffer to apply the wax too. my dad has one, and everytime he waxes my car with it (my car's a 97) it looks brand new! no spider webs or anything.

get some turtle wax wet shine for the tires too, and it will make them have that wet shine as well. it works way better than armor all, and stays on longer.

Answer 5

the major purpose quite, is to operate some gloss to the motor vehicle some autos dont have sparkling coats on the prompt even, quite often whites, reason they dont have a lot gloss to them. or any flat coloration i for my section like them and for the fellow who says they flake, etc it takes yeeeears for them to flake/peel it takes longer than 2 years and in case you wax your motor vehicle, and quite seem after it, it wont flake/peel/ or oxidize, so theres a answer and for rubbing compounds/polishes we also make sparkling coat secure products for those.. and prefer others stated, you dont blend it in, you position it on excellent..