Auto Detailing Quiz

Dogliness · Jan 18, 2007

I prepared an auto detailing quiz just for the fun of it. If any of you are interesting in detailing the exterior of your car, I thought it might be of interest. I will post the quiz here, and the answers in post #2 tonight or tomorrow.

1. Detail in
a. The sun
b. The shade
c. The sun or shade, it makes no difference

2. When Detailing
a. Wear lots of jewelry, a big belt buckle, and metal buttons
b. Avoid wearing abrasive objects
c. Wear real expensive clothing to look your best

3. How many buckets should be used for washing?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three

4. When washing
a. Wash from the top down
b. Wash from the bottom up
c. The part of the car washed first makes no difference
d. Wash complete sections top to bottom before moving to the next section

5. When rinsing
a. Wash entire car before rinsing
b. Rinse areas washed periodically during the wash phase
c. Rinse with the windows open to clean the interior and exterior in one step

6. After the washing is completed
a. Rinse each panel again one at a time
b. Rinse the entire car with vertical strokes
c. Rinse from the top down with horizontal strokes

7. Drying
a. Sun dry
b. Dry with a beach towel
c. Blot-dry pooled water and then dry car with a microfiber drying towel
d. Dry with a microfiber towel, drying pooled water last
e. Drive car to wind dry

8. Claying
a. Use large piece of clay
b. Use clay to remove etch marks from water deposits
c. Use clay to remove contaminants
d. Two of the above are correct
e. All of the above

9. More on claying
a. Use plenty of clay lube
b. Work in the sun
c. Do not reshape the clay while claying
d. None of the above

10. Polishing
a. Use polish to remove contaminants
b. Use polish to remove etch marks from water deposits
c. Use polish to remove swirl marks and lights scratches
d. Use polish to remove oxidation
e. Three of the above are correct.
f. All of the above

11. More on Polishing
a. Always polish as the last step
b. Go from a less abrasive polish to a more abrasive polish
c. Polish will remove sealant
d. Polish will remove wax
e. Two of the above are correct
f. Three of the above are correct

12. Glaze
a. Glaze and sealant protect the paint equally well
b. Glaze helps hide imperfections
c. Glaze helps remove imperfections
d. Two of the above are correct

13. Sealant
a. Sealants make it easier to remove contaminants
b. Sealants last up to two months
c. A good sealant can last six months or more
d. Sealants tend to be more labor intensive to apply than wax
e. a and b are correct
f. a and c are correct

14. Wax
a. Wax absorbs light
b. Wax protects against oxidation
c. Wax protects against contaminates
d. Too much wax will dull the finish
f. Two of the above are correct
g. None of the above are correct

15. Detailing order
a. Detail in the order that the above questions address detailing steps
b. Clay after polishing
c. Glaze after using sealant
d. Use sealant after waxing

Dogliness · Jan 18, 2007

I am not an expert in detailing. Consider my answers suggested answers.

Quiz Followed by Answers

1. Detail in
a. The sun
b. The shade
c. The sun or shade, it makes no difference

Answer is b. Detailing in the sun can result in water deposits or etchings that need to be removed.

2. When Detailing
a. Wear lots of jewelry, a big belt buckle, and metal buttons
b. Avoid wearing abrasive objects
c. Wear real expensive clothing to look your best

Answer is b. Do not wear objects that can scratch the paint.

3. How many buckets should be used for washing?
a. One
b. Two
c. Three

Answer is b. One bucket contains soapy water and the other clean water. Rinse the wash mitt in a bucket of clean water each time before applying more soapy water.

4. When washing
a. Wash from the top down
b. Wash from the bottom up
c. The part of the car washed first makes no difference
d. Wash complete sections top to bottom before moving to the next section

Answer is a. The bottom of the car tends to be the dirtiest, and should be cleaned last. Washing complete sections top to bottom before moving to the next section would violate this rule.

5. When rinsing
a. Wash entire car before rinsing
b. Rinse areas washed periodically during the wash phase
c. Rinse with the windows open to clean the interior and exterior in one step

Answer is b so air drying does not occur, which can result in etch marks.

6. After the washing is completed
a. Rinse each panel again one at a time
b. Rinse the entire car with vertical strokes
c. Rinse from the top down with horizontal strokes

Answer is c. This results in less water on the car that needs to be dried.

7. Drying
a. Sun dry
b. Dry with a beach towel
c. Blot-dry pooled water and then dry car with a microfiber drying towel
d. Dry with a microfiber towel, drying pooled water last
e. Drive car to wind dry

Answer is c, preferably with waffle weave towels, which absorb more moisture.

8. Claying
a. Use large piece of clay
b. Use clay to remove etch marks from water deposits
c. Use clay to remove contaminants
d. Two of the above are correct
e. All of the above

Answer is c. Using a large piece of clay is a bad idea because clay is expensive, and if dropped on the ground it needs to be tossed. Polishing, not claying, is needed to remove etch marks.

9. More on claying
a. Use plenty of clay lube
b. Work in the sun
c. Do not reshape the clay while claying
d. None of the above

Answer is a. Claying on a dry surface can mar the surface. Use plenty of lube. Reshape the clay periodically so contaminates it picks up do not scratch the surface.

10. Polishing
a. Use polish to remove contaminants
b. Use polish to remove etch marks from water deposits
c. Use polish to remove swirl marks and lights scratches
d. Use polish to remove oxidation
e. Three of the above are correct.
f. All of the above

Answer is e or f, as b, c and d are correct and a is correct in certain respects.

Polishing removes oxidation, etch marks, swirls, and scratches. The best results from a polish are produced if there is no contamination on the surface (i.e. clay first). However, polish can be used to remove small particles of contamination. The contamination broken down by the polish may create further minor imperfections in the clear coat but the polish would then remove the newly created imperfections. Larger particles of contamination may be more problematic. Also, contamination on the buffing pad could cause damage if not removed. A Porter Cable 7424 variable speed random orbital buffer is generally recommended and widely used to apply polish. Rotary buffers should be avoided unless you really know what you are doing to avoid burning the paint. Hand applicator kits can be purchased to apply polish by hand, but it is very labor intensive if used for other than spot polishing, and will not produce results comparable to use of a PC if used on the entire car.

11. More on Polishing
a. Always polish as the last step
b. Go from a less abrasive polish to a more abrasive polish
c. Polish will remove sealant
d. Polish will remove wax
e. Two of the above are correct
f. Three of the above are correct

Answer is e, as c and d are correct. Polishing as the last step would be counter productive because it would remove the glaze, sealant and wax. A more abrasive polish can leave a haze, which a finer polish is needed to remove. It is accepted practice that the sequence is to go from a more abrasive to a finer polish, except when testing to determine whether a less abrasive polish does the job so a more abrasive polish is not needed. Note that Zaino uses the term polish for sealant. Here, the term polish is used in accordance with the customary use of the term in the detailing trade.

12. Glaze
a. Glaze and sealant protect the paint equally well
b. Glaze helps hide imperfections
c. Glaze helps remove imperfections
d. Two of the above are correct

Answer is b. A glaze contains oils that can hide or make less apparent swirls, etches and scratches not removed from polishing, and give the car a more reflective deeper finish. Polish, not glaze, is needed to remove imperfections.

13. Sealant
a. Sealants make it easier to remove contaminants
b. Sealants last up to two months
c. A good sealant can last six months or more
d. Sealants tend to be more labor intensive to apply than wax
e. a and b are correct
f. a and c are correct

This is not a particularly good question. It is a good idea to apply sealants every three months or so, which is more than two months but less then six months. A better question would have been, a good quality sealant can last 3 to 4 months or more.

14. Wax
a. Wax absorbs light
b. Wax protects against oxidation
c. Wax protects against contaminates
d. Too much wax will dull the finish
f. Two of the above are correct
g. None of the above are correct

Answer is f, as b and c are correct.

Wax reflects light, which helps give the car its shine. However, d arguably is correct because the question could be better worded. Multiple layers of wax properly applied and buffed should not result in yellowing that would dull the finish. However, using gobs and gobs of cheap wax might have that result.

15. Detailing order
a. Detail in the order that the above questions address detailing steps
b. Clay after polishing
c. Glaze after using sealant
d. Use sealant after waxing

Answer is a.

Bugs and tar should be removed in the wash phase. After washing and rinsing, dry the car. It can be a good idea to dry windows and ponded areas first. A blower can be used on areas hard to dry by hand, such as the front grill.

After drying, use clay to remove contaminants to create a clean, smooth surface.

Then polish to remove oxidation, swirls, etchings and scratches. Polishes can come in deep, medium and light formulas. Generally, a deeper cutting pad is used with a more abrasive polish. Use the least abrasive polish that does the job. Use of a more abrasive polish can be limited to problem areas if not needed on the entire car. Use of a more abrasive polish generally needs to be followed by a fine or finishing polish to remove haze left by the more abrasive polish.

Glaze then helps hide swirl marks, etchings and scratches not removed by the polish, and contributes to a deep wet look.

Sealant is the best long-term protection for the clear coat, protects against oxidation, etching and swirls, and provides a shine.

Wax provides further protection, and contributes to a wet look and deep shine.

All in-one products combine two or more steps in one. For example, Klasse All-in-One contains both a light polish and sealant. Zanio Z5 contains both a glaze and a sealant (note that Zanio refers to the sealant as polish).

A quick detailer applied with a microfiber cloth removes dust and provides gloss between washes. Some quick detailers also add protection.

Pydpiper · Jan 18, 2007

Way out my my league..
1. wet car
2. give kids sponges
3. hope they don't use the dirty side of sponge after repeated droppings on gravel driveway
4. rinse the parts they could actually reach.

I wish I had the time to look after my cars the way I once did..

nifreaky · Jan 18, 2007

1. Detail in
b. The shade

2. When Detailing
b. Avoid wearing abrasive objects

3. How many buckets should be used for washing?
b. Two

4. When washing
d. Wash complete sections top to bottom before moving to the next section

5. When rinsing
b. Rinse areas washed periodically during the wash phase

6. After the washing is completed
c. Rinse from the top down with horizontal strokes

7. Drying
c. Blot-dry pooled water and then dry car with a microfiber drying towel

8. Claying
c. Use clay to remove contaminants

9. More on claying
a. Use plenty of clay lube

10. Polishing
a. Use polish to remove contaminants
b. Use polish to remove etch marks from water deposits
c. Use polish to remove swirl marks and lights scratches
d. Use polish to remove oxidation
f. All of the above

11. More on Polishing
b. Go from a less abrasive polish to a more abrasive polish
c. Polish will remove sealant
d. Polish will remove wax
e. Two of the above are correct
f. Three of the above are correct
This one is a bit vague. You should only use the most abrasive polish to get the job done. i.e. Start by using a light polish, stepping up to a heavier polish until the defect is removed. But then go the opposite way to remove any marks/micro-marring left by the heavier polishes.

12. Glaze
b. Glaze helps hide imperfections

13. Sealant
c. A good sealant can last six months or more (or so some manufacturers claim!)

14. Wax
b. Wax protects against oxidation
c. Wax protects against contaminates
d. Too much wax will dull the finish (causes "yellowing")

15. Detailing order
a. Detail in the order that the above questions address detailing steps

It's good to see I'm not the only one here that likes to put time and effort into the finish of their vehicle.

Pydpiper · Jan 18, 2007

I need to get my son to read this thread..
On my vehicle he uses the garage broom, on his he chose the one bucket technique..
My vehicles are always spotless. :sssh:

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Manzerick · Jan 18, 2007

I love detailing my car and wash it every week minimum.

My new favorite wax is NXT as I swear it is the first "Wax like shine, sealant like protection" not named Zaino

Aaron1100us · Jan 18, 2007

1. b Shade
2. b avoid abrasives
3. b Two
4. a top down
5. b. rinse often
6. c top down
7. d. Dry with a microfiber towel, drying pooled water last
8. c. Use clay to remove contaminants
9. d. None of the above
10. f. All of the above
11. d. Polish will remove wax
12. b. Glaze helps hide imperfections
13. f. a and c are correct
14. f. Two of the above are correct
15. a. Detail in the order that the above questions address detailing steps

Arkayne · Jan 18, 2007

I see dish soap! Isn't dish soap too strong for car paint? I've read somewhere that you should use a more mild soap for car washing.

bitslammer · Jan 18, 2007

What brand of beer do you recommend for a young tike that age. I can't read the label

Dogliness · Jan 18, 2007

Dish soap can remove the protection applied to the paint (i.e. the sealant and wax). It can also dry out rubber trim and windshield wipers. There is actually auto shampoo, which is not very expensive.

Arkayne said:
I see dish soap! Isn't dish soap too strong for car paint? I've read somewhere that you should use a more mild soap for car washing.

Dogliness · Jan 18, 2007

Manzerick said:
I love detailing my car and wash it every week minimum.

My new favorite wax is NXT as I swear it is the first "Wax like shine, sealant like protection" not named Zaino

I use Menzerna Full Molecular Jack for the sealant and Concours P21S Carnuba Wax. The wax is fairly expensive, but a 6 oz jar is good for many, many layers of wax and is very easy to buff, making it a whole lot less work to apply than most waxes.

Mike Painter · Jan 18, 2007

I didn't even know cars had tails. I guess mine was detailed before it was given to me. (How many of you have ha a woman give you an excellent car after you have broken up with her?)
As for the rest, I wash my car in the rain when I get a chance.

Directions:
Wait for it to rain a while so the big stuff gets off.
Wash.
Go back in the house and let the rain rinse and dry it spotless.

nifreaky · Jan 19, 2007

My current favourite "go-to" products are Jeffs Werkstatt Prime Acrylic, Jeffs Werkstatt Acrylic Jett Trigger followed by Chemical Guys 50/50 wax (2 or more layers). Although at the minute, over the winter months, I use Collinite 476s as it just lasts forever!!

As for the washing and polishing stages I use Meguiars HyperWash in a Gilmour Foam Gun followed by Hyperwash 2 bucket method with GritGuard. I also use Blackfire Polishes with the PC 7424 as previously mentioned.

I am from the UK and the forum that I use is www.detailingworld.co.uk

Norm · Jan 19, 2007

Dogliness said:
I prepared an auto detailing quiz just for the fun of it. If any of you are interesting in detailing the exterior of your car, I thought it might be of interest. I will post the quiz here, and the answers in post #2 tonight or tomorrow.

1. Detail in

b. The shade

2. When Detailing

b. Avoid wearing abrasive objects

3. How many buckets should be used for washing?

b. Two

4. When washing
a. Wash from the top down

5. When rinsing
a. Wash entire car before rinsing

6. After the washing is completed

c. Rinse from the top down with horizontal strokes

7. Drying

c. Blot-dry pooled water and then dry car with a microfiber drying towel

8. Claying

c. Use clay to remove contaminants

9. More on claying

c. Do not reshape the clay while claying

10. Polishing

e. Three of the above are correct.

11. More on Polishing
a. Always polish as the last step

12. Glaze

d. Two of the above are correct

13. Sealant
a. Sealants make it easier to remove contaminants
wax

14. Wax

f. Two of the above are correct

15. Detailing order
a. Detail in the order that the above questions address detailing steps

Pydpiper · Jan 19, 2007

The beer is mine.. He's not much of a drinker..
The dish soap was being used inside the cargo area to remove the unwanted presence of animal byproducts. It's just a work truck, used to transport animals during the week, and fishing stuff on the weekend.
I don't keep vehicles long enough to worry about cracking plastic, but I treated it anyways, with a product called Armadillo.. Quite amazing if fading plastic is an issue.

icecube · Jan 20, 2007

First rule of cars: Never get tough colors—like black and red, blue and green, etc.

White, followed by silver and light beige, are best. With white, you can see more dirt on the paint, but it comes off. Swirl marks, scratches, buffing irregularities, water spots, etc are very hard to see from even a modest distance.

Regarding the "sealant", some of you may refer to Xzilon, PermaPlate, etc. They're alright, but my opinion having applied the former and felt the paint on some '06 models still sitting in the lot that had Xzilon applied last year—it doesn't last long enough to be worth it.

Use a good wax instead. Wax regularly and often. Its hard work but worth it. Do not use a power wax buffer. BTW Xzilon is most expressly not recommended for plastics and rubber—apparently some cars had that applied to the headlights (the X-people said it's ok "It works great on everything!!" ...yeah) and shortly thereafter all were back with cracked headlights.

Use wax. It's safer and doesn't consitute a hazard if spilled. If the Xzilon sits on the paint for a little too long it could eat down to the paint and you're busted—a repaint is in order.

65535 · Jan 20, 2007

My mom does-

water only elbow grease cleaning no suds no nothing just H2O and the occasional turtle wax job.

analogguy · Jan 20, 2007

Just bought a Porter Cable 7424 random orbit polisher...makes the job a whole lot easier. Started using Wolfgang products...easy to apply and a good shine. I've been doing the full detail every 3 to 4 months. The kids next door mentioned the word anal when they see me at it.

Dogliness · Jan 20, 2007

icecube said:
Regarding the "sealant", some of you may refer to Xzilon, PermaPlate, etc. They're alright, but my opinion having applied the former and felt the paint on some '06 models still sitting in the lot that had Xzilon applied last year—it doesn't last long enough to be worth it.

I agree that dealer applied sealants do not last long enough to be worth it. They are very expensive, and no better than a sealant you can apply yourself. This is a list of some of the sealants you can apply yourself:

Sealants

Blackfire Wet Diamond
Chemical Guys M-Seal or FS Sealant
Griot's Garage Paint Sealant
Jeff Werkstatt Acrylic Jett
Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze
Meguiars 20 Polymer Sealant
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
Poorboys EX Sealant
Sonus Acrylic Glanz
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
Zaino Z2

All-in-One Sealants
Klasse All-in-One (light polish and sealant)
Menzerna Acrylic Jacket (light polish and sealant)
Zaino Z5 (glaze and sealant)

analogguy said:
Just bought a Porter Cable 7424 random orbit polisher...makes the job a whole lot easier. Started using Wolfgang products...easy to apply and a good shine. I've been doing the full detail every 3 to 4 months. The kids next door mentioned the word anal when they see me at it.

I think the PC 7424 is essential equipment for anyone who wants to use polish to detail their car (using the term polish in the sense described in post #2, an abrasive compound used to remove oxidation, swirls and scratches), unless you go for a rotary polisher like the DeWalt 849. I have no interest in a rotary polisher, because I think the Porter Cable does a great job and I do not want to risk damaging the paint. I also use the PC to apply glaze and sealant. You will love the Porter Cable. I think some of my neighbors think I am a little anal as well.

Dogliness · Jan 20, 2007

Thank you nifreaky, Aaron1100us, and norm for taking the quiz. I wrote the quiz one morning before going to work, and it turned out that it took longer to write the answers, which I did later, than to make the quiz.

Auto Detailing Quiz

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