help me i feel so sad and bad

[dalli]

Hey guys!

I park my car on the streets and everyday I get new scratches(people trying to parallel park aka hitting bumpers). I also get people writing on my car with paint(thankfully on windows)(already removed it with razor), people kicking and denting my side fenders and have a dent above my passenger door. Haters gona hate.

I feel so sad and feel so bad about my car whenever i look at it. I thought I would overcome it. Im a bad owner to let this happen to my car and not do a thing about it.

I never detailed my car, I have had it for almost 3 winters(including the upcoming winter). Fall is here and I think its best time to do something for my car before the harsh winter comes.

I am thinking of buying an automotive buffer machine so I can polish my car and then wax it.

Ok where i need help is simple/complex advice on what kind of polish to use and wax. Do I use different kinds of pads? Do i use 1 pad for polish and other for waxing?

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-7424XP-6-Inch-Variable-Speed-Polisher/dp/B002654I46"]PORTER-CABLE 7424XP 6-Inch Variable-Speed Polisher - Power Polishing Tools - Amazon.com[/ame]

After car washing, should I do for example : Polish the hood and right away wax the hood? and then go on to next panel doing samething? Or should i buff/polish(is it the same?) the whole car and then apply wax to it?

I am pretty OCD when it comes to paying attention so I know for sure I can teach myself to polish/wax the car. (just like creating circuits/using micro controllers and making sure not to blow a fuse or short circuit something)

oh and I have a World rally blue paint.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

I know you should use different cutting pads for different things. I do everything by hand, so I don't know too much about the pads. However, you should clay bar the car before doing any paint correction and waxing.

[why?]

you should install cameras to catch the people destroying your car. With separate rechargeable batteries to run them all the time you are not in the car.

I know nothing about detailing cars. Oh wait, it takes a long time. There, I know something about detailing cars.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

I just detailed my car today actually. I didn't polish it since it's white, but I clay barred and waxed it. I do it annually, and this is what came off of a "clean" rear bumper from an 8"x3" section.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

And after everything:

[aegisdrgn]

You should watch @Junkman2008 videos, they are very informative!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP-eAddv2sk"]How To for Novice to Machine Polishing - Part 1 - YouTube[/ame]

[dalli]

time to do some diggin'


Keep the posts coming guys!

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by dalli

Hey guys!

I park my car on the streets and everyday I get new scratches(

Well, dalli, that's a shame your car gets messed with, out on the street.

To clean up a car is not rocket science.

Wash it with a dish soap (like liquid joy). This will remove the old wax.

Clay bar the car. This will pull bad stuff out/off of the clear coat.

Wash again (optional).

Wax with a good wax.

You don't need any electric buffers ...... just a pile of microfiber towels and some elbow grease.

Now how to keep it all nice while you're parked on the street. I like @why? s idea of a cam recording events when you can't be present.

Personally, I've found the below techniques very effective:


humfrz

[MonoRaven]

Check out Autogeek forums, everything you could ever want to know about paint correction and detailing.

[Packofcrows]

Night dashcam x2, car cover, bumper guard for front and rear, wax your windows but not windshield. You can do a combination of things to try and fix a few issues. Get a real loud car alarm might help so people are deterred a bit from touching your car.


Then again its New York.... /thread



Shrug..

[kch]

Larry @AmmoNYC has lots of great videos.

https://www.youtube.com/user/AMMONYCdotcom/videos

[Jfheisenberg]

One of the things i definitely thought before buying my car, was where i was going to leave it at night. I live in Garfield NJ and although its not that bad, i always leave my car in the drive way and then close the gates. People are assholes and it only takes 1 person to fuck with your car and mess it up.

I think you should definitely do a full detail and try to use touch up paint to cover any rock chips or scratches. Also consider renting a parking spot or somewhere to leave your car overnight. I see you live in nyc so im not sure how easy is that.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Packofcrows

Night dashcam x2, car cover, bumper guard for front and rear, wax your windows but not windshield. You can do a combination of things to try and fix a few issues. Get a real loud car alarm might help so people are deterred a bit from touching your car.


Then again its New York.... /thread



Shrug..

Why not the windshield? I wax my windshield all the time. I also wax my headlight and taillights. Shoot, when I had my VS-XX, I waxed those too.

I've actually never used my wipers in the 1.5 years I have had my car, except maybe once to wipe off some mist that collected on my car. Waxing your windshield is just like using Rain-x, but the wax does a better job of beading/sheeting water off, and lasts WAY longer.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

..............

I've actually never used my wipers in the 1.5 years I have had my car, except maybe once to wipe off some mist that collected on my car.

Maybe ...... because ...... it hasn't rained in California for the past 1.5 years ....??.......

Sorry ....... bad joke ......


humfrz