PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - View Single Post

Hatterasguy · #15 09-03-2007, 02:01 AM

I prefer Meguiars and Griots products. Its amazing how good paint can look when its taken care of properly. Sadly to do it properly takes a ton of time and an ample amount of money as well.

So I cheat, more so since my paint is shot. One fast coat of NXT wax per month on the SDL seems to keep it looking decent. Once it get some fresh paint on it and a decent surface to work with, I will get it on the Griots system. The downside of the Griots natural wax is it takes FOREVER to apply, you can cheat with the modern synthetic waxes like NXT and move real quick. But I think the natural stuff looks better, and allows you to build better. NXT's biggest problem is it streaks if you build it to much. But its a good wax for 95% of the time.

As for washing the car it starts with the proper soap. I like Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo. You need three mitts, preferable made of natural fiber to prevent scratching. One is for all the upper paint surfaces, the second is for the lower 1/3 of the body work. The third is strickly for the wheels and underside. Don't mix them, mark them. Never mix them in the bucket either use one at a time, and lay them out to dry.

Then I prefer to dry it with a synthetic chamois to speed the process up. But you really should use perfectly clean microfiber towls. This will prevent all those light scratch's you can see in the light.

Taking proper care of the paint work is extremly labor intensive, its nearly impossible on a daily driver.

But one area that people miss a lot on these old cars which really makes a difference are the wheel wells. You can eat out of mine and it only takes a few seconds to get them this way, well after you get them clean. If yours are nasty you have to take off the wheel and go nuts with Simple Green and some little brush's. But once they are clean, here is what you do: After you clean your wheels hit them really fast with the mitt. They will stay perfectly clean and very presentable. Takes no extra time.