My first "proper detail" - plan of attack

Well, this Friday I'm being paid properly to do a detail, here is the list of steps I plan on doing, comments and critiques would be appreciated.

1. Wash tires with Megs APC+ diluted @ 3:1 and brush
2. Pre-soak rims with P21s wheel gel, let it dwell for a few minutes, and cleaning it with brush.
3. Clean wheel well with Megs APC+ diluted @ 3:1 with brush, dress with CG F2B.
4. Pre-soak suspension (Whatever I can with wheels attached to the car) and brake calipers with P21s TAW, let it dwell for a few minutes, and clean it with my brushes.
5. Pre-soak lower panels with P21s TAW, let it dwell for a few minutes, then rinse it.
6. Wash the car with Optimum car soap mixed with ONR via 2 bucket method/grit guard.
7. Use my "envy brushes" to clean around crack, crevice, emblems, and inside the gap cap.
8. Rinse the car, pull inside the garage, and clay with Pinnacle Clay + Dodo Juice Clay lube. Dry the car as I clay.
9. Tape off trims and emblems.
10. 1 step polishing via my GG6 with LC orange pads and Prima Swirl. Smaller spaces will be done with my GG3 and GG's own 3 inch orange pads.
Pull the car outside for another wash with Dawn with get rid of polishing oil and dust.
11. Put Menz PL, let it cure for 45 minutes, then buff it off the car.

Projected time is 8 hours, thoughts?

On a side note, the owner of this car actually owns a bodyshop, yet he still contacted me for a detail. His reason? He knows his workers will f!ck it up, lol.

 

after # 8 there should be a IPA wipe-down to ensure masking tape will stick. if you have a foam gun, foam the car before rinsing it. thats all I can think of now....

 

Will do IPA wipe down on trim! I wonder if prewow will work the same?
And I don't have a pressure washer to use with my cheapy home depot foam gun
I found out the karcher is not good so I sold it locally, lol.

 

List looks good. It may be an overkill, but I normally do an IPA wipe down after claying. Just to make sure the surface is perfectly clean.

 

Really? I've always thought it's safe to just wipe it clean....... Anyone have any thought on doing an IPA wipe down after clay?

 

You probably don't need 45 minutes to let the Power Lock cure...

 

Well weather's been weird in So Cal, doesn't the heat affects how long/short PL will cure?
45 minutes is just a rough estimate.
How long do you recommend I let the PL to cure?

 

Goodluck! sounds like you got it nailed in your process.

 

Oh and I'll give the 10 EuroW Shags a pre-wash tomorrow, gonna give it a "spin" on Firday, lol.

 

The only thing I could think of would be to sub a white or green pad for the orange depending on whether or not the orange pad leaves marring of its own. That will depend on the paint itself, so bring some just in case. GL!:thumb:

 

I always bring blk pads with me, not to mention red pads for PL.
But I've been doing quite a bit of Acuras (Since I own one myself), here are a few after shots of another car (Basically the same car, different owners of course) that was done with LC CCS Orange pads and Prima Swirl:

 

BTW when working on softer paint, DSMS found lower dilution of IPA works better. let say 3:1...3 part water and 1 part IPA.

 

I always use IPA directly after claying a panel to clean up any residue and leave the surface clear for polishing.

 

Damn, that looks really good for an orange pad on that soft Honda paint! Prima Swirl looks like it does a great job for a 1-step as well, but I need to buy more polishes like I need a 3rd butthole.

 

Thanks! Do you know if he used 73% or 91% IPA for the mixture? I feel like a mad scientist mixing and diluting stuff lol.

 

ahhhh, you are going through the buy every polish you see phase. I went through that early last year lol. You'll eventually find a polish you really like and settle down, that's what happened to me. These days the only polishes I keep around are M105, Prima Swirl, and Menz PO85RD.
I've been using Prima Swirl for a while now, so I'm able to get it finish down pretty good. I use the "zenith point technique" meant for rotary on my DA, finishes down damn near perfect everytime.

 

LOL, that "buy every polish" stage was last year for me too, but now I have to stare at a bunch of 95%full bottles and wonder if I'll ever use half of them. And I'm too OCD/paranoid to ever get rid of them, just in case a special need comes up. It's one of the pitfalls of this hobby.:shakehead:

 

Most likely not, sell them sell them!
I just went through the buying all waxes in sight phase. I've calmed down now though, I found Victoria's, lol.

 

i use 91% bottle IPA, I assume he uses the same.

 

Thanks, I am gonna go mix up a batch right now.