Proper way to take care of a new car?

[703]

Hey Guys,

 

I purchased a new car 2 sundays ago. Its a dark blue color and I'd like to take care of it properly.

 

So far i have purchased everything for the 2 bucket wash system, adams waterless wash collection and adam's glass cleaner/sealant combo.

 

My plan is to wash the car using the 2 bucket wash system every sunday and touch it up during the week with the waterless wash. I am new to properly take care of a car and I'm not sure what else i should be doing. I was thinking of buying the adams premium shine kit? which includes (1) Adam's Brilliant Glaze 16 oz, (1) Adam's Americana Premium Carnauba Paste Car Wax 6.9 oz Net WT (1) Adam's Double Soft Microfiber Towel, (2) Adam’s Premium Americana Hex-Grip Wax Applicators

 

Should that be all i need? how often should i be using adams shine kit? total car care newb here, thanks for any help

[TR6speed]

Well you have the basic beginnings, but you will need more to properly care for you new car.

Lets start with your 2 bucket wash. That is fine for teh painted surface, but you will need a third buck for doing the wheels and tires. Never use the same bucket and wash pad that was used on the wheels and tires for the body. Next, you say that you will wash it on Sunday and use the waterless wash during the week. That is ago as long as the car has not been in the rain or heavy dirt is on it. the waterless wash is really designed to remove light dirt and dust.

Washing the car will not be the only thing you will need to do to maintain the shine. I suggest that you order Adams Clay. All new cars need to be clayed before you try and put any wax on them. The finish of a new car is usually contaminated with what is known as rail dust and other contaminates that will affect the shine. If the car has been on the dealers lot for more then a few weeks I will bet it is full of swirls. So you may want to get Swirl and Haze Remover, either Revive polish if doing everything by hand or the Fine Machine Polish if doing it with a PC or Flex polisher. Brilliant Glaze and the Americana to finish it off. I know this sound like a lot, but if you really want to take care of it, these are the essentials.

[703]

thanks for the reply TR6Speed,

 

so basically, i should 2 bucket wash, 3rd bucket for wheels.

 

then clay bar the car - just watched the video

 

then revive polish to help fix any light swirls from the dealer

 

then use the brilliant glaze

 

then finish with americana carnauba wax .

 

 

How about adams quick sealant? is that necessary? Im guessing after i use the clay bar/revive polish this time i shouldn't need to do it again for a long time? I should just use the brilliant glaze and americana after washing the car maybe once a month? does that sound right?

[LightStang]

I'd strongly suggest you try the quick sealant after the polishing. The sealant with the carnauba wax will give you incredible protection. I went through the same phase as you're going through when I got my brand new car a few months ago. Now I own almost every adams product except machine polishing equipment (coming soon im sure lol). The quick sealant is one of my favorite adams products!

[dipolley]

The best thing you can do to proect the finish on your car is to place it in a bubble, don't touch it, and NEVER drive it.

 

If that is not an option, do as Jack mentioned in the second post. I will also add that a Master Blaster will be a great asset, and will allow you to drive you cars without touching them. If the price tag on that is too much, then the Great White Drying Towel is a must. Get both if it is within your budget to do so.

[703]

Thanks guys for the additional info!

 

My revised list:

 

1. 2 bucket wash, 3rd bucket for wheels.

 

2. then clay bar the car - just watched the video

 

3. I have an electric leaf blower i use to dry the car + adams great white drying towel for any spots i miss.

 

4. then revive polish to help fix any light swirls from the dealer

 

5. apply adams quick sealant, dry off with microfiber towel

 

6. then use the brilliant glaze

 

7. then finish with americana carnauba wax .

 

 

If anyone has any input on how often im supposed to do these steps or part of these steps would be great. Im guessing once i do this complete cycle i should be able to just 2 bucket wash + brilliant glaze + Americana wax it every couple months? (I mostly drive the car only on the weekends and a couple times a week only)

[dipolley]

Sealent and wax when you start to see that the water on the finish does not bead up like it should anymore. Probably 4-6 months depending on how the vehicle is stored and how often you wash. Clay every time you get an oil change or when it feels rough. Nose, windshield, and rear will need clay more often than the rest. Polish 6 months.

[TR6speed]

Not knowing what your budget was or is, I tried to keep it to a minimum but still give it good protection. If you don't have a machine polisher, the Quick Sealant is the way to go. If you have or are getting on of the machines (if first time user, you may want to go with the Porta Cable) that also get the Machine Super Sealant.

[So.Chi.Goat]

If money is no object do like I did and get a pc and a flex, 4 inch system, 6 gwdt, 8 sst, 4 dst, Americana, instead of talking in 3 weeks, here's all I got...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tapa Mobile..

[jordan572]

What in the world are those grey roll looking things still in the package in the first picture?

[ArmyAcadia09]

utility microfiber towels...new color less bleeding

[Chase@InsanePaint]

All of these guys make great recommendations. They know their stuff. Your initial process sounds pretty good, and it's a great way to start!! Kudos to you for wanting to take care of it from the beginning!!! Just as a general heads up though........YOU. WILL. WANT. MORE. I'm sure you'll place another order within a month or sooner, lol. You'll see.....

 

But for a little clarification. There's almost no way to gauge "how often" you'll have to clay, wax, seal, etc. It AAAAALLL depends on how often the car is driven, and the conditions it's exposed to. The more miles you drive, the more it will need clayed, because the more road debris that will settle on your surface. The more sun the car is exposed to, the more wax/sealant it will need because UV rays break down protection. The more you wash it, the more it's parked outside, etc......AAAAALLL these things affect how frequently you will need to polish, clay, protect etc. Make sense bro???

It also depends on YOUR EXPECTATIONS & STANDARDS!!! Some people have a lower threshold for scratches than others. Some people have a lower tolerance for surface contamination than others. But I'll give you a guideline for me to maybe put things in perspective......

On my wife's daily driven Cherokee SRT8. It's a garaged vehicle all night every night. Every day it sits in a parking deck. So the only time it's outside is the drive to & from work. Or to run errands when it sits out in a parking lot. And that baby gets clayed & polished with a Flex about every 3-4 months. And a fresh coat of wax/sealant about every 2-3 months. There's no textbook on this topic, but that's what WORKS FOR ME. Hope this helps buddy!!!

Oh, and welcome to the OCD insanity detailer's reform club!!!!

[Mongosg8]

^^ What Chase said.

If your car is exposed to the elements of our climate all the time you will most likely want to maintain it every quarter (3-4) months.

You will be happy you did.

 

As for the products I guarantee you will want more and more.

Its an addiction..especially if your OCD about your car like a majority of us are.