A basic home detail

[SurfRaptor]

Without turning this thread into a rabbit hole of opinions and ending up on a bingo card.....I'd just like to wax my truck for the first time since I purchased it new. It's never been really washed besides the power washer at the self serve car wash in 2 years 36k. Since this is the first time do you think I should also include the clay bar? I'm looking for a wax that will last a long time since I really only want to do this once a year in the summer. Can someone recommend the easy products and procedures? What is everyone using for the hood vents and side vents since they are black plastic?

Just the basics please. I'm not going to spend 15 hours doing it in my driveway but want to get a good coat on it before it gets lost in Baja for 5 weeks

 

[Gumby]

I will vouch for Adims graphene. A clay will not hurt. You could do the graphene advanced if you want a long time protection. but the graphene (regular) works really well also. IMO

 

[Gumby]

Without turning this thread into a rabbit hole of opinions and ending up on a bingo card.....I'd just like to wax my truck for the first time since I purchased it new. It's never been really washed besides the power washer at the self serve car wash in 2 years 36k. Since this is the first time do you think I should also include the clay bar? I'm looking for a wax that will last a long time since I really only want to do this once a year in the summer. Can someone recommend the easy products and procedures? What is everyone using for the hood vents and side vents since they are black plastic?

Just the basics please. I'm not going to spend 15 hours doing it in my driveway but want to get a good coat on it before it gets lost in Baja for 5 weeks

worth the watch. His style can be tough for some. but good unbiased info.

 

[smurfslayer]

I will vouch for Adims graphene. A clay will not hurt. You could do the graphene advanced if you want a long time protection. but the graphene (regular) works really well also. IMO

+1
If you don’t have spots / imperfections then probably clay bar is going overboard. My best time for washing and waxing the truck was just a tick under 3 hours and that was long enough. well, actually it was about 2 hours too long for me, but YMMV.

 

[tcm glx]

Clay bar, Iron Remover then Adam’s (or any other brand) Spray ceramic….

 

[SurfRaptor]

OK, thanks. I'm going to look into these. I don't mind spending the 3–4 hours to get this done, but I'm not spending the money for a professional before a trip. Maybe when I get back from the summer but for now, just hoping to slide the branches off the sides of this truck. lol

 

[cfmistry]

Sounds like you’re the perfect candidate for a DIY ceramic coating.

 

[SurfRaptor]

If there happens to be a small amount of pin stripe what would I be looking for to fix that? Or would the ceramic coating be enough to buff out any marks?

 

[rp2024]

If there happens to be a small amount of pin stripe what would I be looking for to fix that? Or would the ceramic coating be enough to buff out any marks?

When you say pin stripe do you mean scratches? Ceramic coating does not buff any "marks" it will also not hide any swirls/scratches. If you want to get rid of any marks you'd have to do some level of paint correction no way around it.

Independent of using a wax or ceramic coat if you want the results to last it would be good to decontaminate it first. The process should be iron remover then clay. The more contaminate on your truck the less the wax or ceramic coating will last. Doing a paint correction even if a light polish would be my next step, but based on your original post this might start putting you on the 5+ hours mark and maybe something you might not consider.

I used to be a big fan of the carpro Cquartz brand of coating, but honestly for their price even the DYI version I no longer feel the brand is worth the price. The one product I do like and will continue to use is their reload it is a spray on sealant. I've tested a few spray on ceramic coatings and from experience reload while not a "ceramic spray on" gives better results that to me last longer. Reload will give you a nice gloss and make the paint really slick which will make washing it after off-roading a lot easier.

There is really no wax or spray on that will last you a full year. Even if the cars have actual paint correction and cermic coating you generally have to top it with a product. Applying the reload very 2-3 months would probably give you what you are looking for and very easy to apply you can do the raptor in 10 min or less. Don't believe the marketing of any spray on product, none of them will last a year even more so if you do not at minimum decontaminate your truck first.

I personally like detailing but when done correctly it will take you 15+ hours. On my truck I did one coat of DQuartz, one coat for CQuartz SIC, and on the first wash I used reload. If you only saw how easy dirt comes off.


Try the reload and best of all you can use it the trim/vents.

 

[Littlefx4]

When you say pin stripe do you mean scratches? Ceramic coating does not buff any "marks" it will also not hide any swirls/scratches. If you want to get rid of any marks you'd have to do some level of paint correction no way around it.

Independent of using a wax or ceramic coat if you want the results to last it would be good to decontaminate it first. The process should be iron remover then clay. The more contaminate on your truck the less the wax or ceramic coating will last. Doing a paint correction even if a light polish would be my next step, but based on your original post this might start putting you on the 5+ hours mark and maybe something you might not consider.

I used to be a big fan of the carpro Cquartz brand of coating, but honestly for their price even the DYI version I no longer feel the brand is worth the price. The one product I do like and will continue to use is their reload it is a spray on sealant. I've tested a few spray on ceramic coatings and from experience reload while not a "ceramic spray on" gives better results that to me last longer. Reload will give you a nice gloss and make the paint really slick which will make washing it after off-roading a lot easier.

There is really no wax or spray on that will last you a full year. Even if the cars have actual paint correction and cermic coating you generally have to top it with a product. Applying the reload very 2-3 months would probably give you what you are looking for and very easy to apply you can do the raptor in 10 min or less. Don't believe the marketing of any spray on product, none of them will last a year even more so if you do not at minimum decontaminate your truck first.

I personally like detailing but when done correctly it will take you 15+ hours. On my truck I did one coat of DQuartz, one coat for CQuartz SIC, and on the first wash I used reload. If you only saw how easy dirt comes off.


Try the reload and best of all you can use it the trim/vents.

Lol, I’m right down the road. How much are you charging?