Hello, I’m glad that you have chosen to learn how to properly detail and restore your Malibu to a better than new condition. This is Part 1 of a three part how-to; the first part covering the exterior, the second part covering the engine, and the third part covering the interior. All sections will outline the proper techniques required to detail the vehicle without causing any additional damage, such as micro marring or staining. I have been doing professional detailing for over 10 years now (more heavily in the last 3) and I believe my experience is seen in my work. Because of this, I have accumulated thousands of dollars worth of detailing products, some of which you likely will not have. In light of this, I will attempt to show you alternatives when specialty products are used. I hope you all enjoy this as you may get tips that you have never even thought of.
How can I restore my vehicle to a “better than new condition?”
When a vehicle leaves the lot, often it has been several months since the vehicle was assembled. During this time it sits in holding lots next to industrial plants, gets driven cross country in open trailers, and then sits on a dealers lot where they either hose or pressure wash them followed by a wipe down using a limited set of microfibers, or even worse “rags”. This exposes the vehicles to many airborne contaminants and subjects the paint to abuse before you even purchase it. This abuse continues throughout the life of your Malibu. Through the proper techniques, you can eliminate nearly all flaws caused by improper washing techniques and routine use, restore the paint to a new condition, and then use proper protectants to really bring out the most your Malibu will have to offer.
How do I know what I need to do?
Often, people mistake or misuse the terminology, so before we begin, I will give a run over of the order detailing should be performed in. As you will see, this is a very generalized list, but will explain the location of each step.
- Rinse and Foam vehicle to prepare surface for cleaning. This will remove heavily particles and provide a slick surface to work on, while also loosening the bond between dirt and paint.
- Wash
- Clay (you can perform the baggie test [a technique I will introduce you to soon] to see if claying is necessary). It is always necessary to clay prior to performing any correction, as contaminants embedded within the paint will mar and scratch the paint if not removed first
- If the paint is in need of correction now is when it is performed. Correction is also known as polishing. During correction, you will remove all of the swirls and improve any Random Isolated Deep Scratches (RIDS). It will also remove any of the oxidation that has occurred. Polishing must be done before any waxes or sealants are applied to the vehicle, as the polishes will simply remove all the wax you just put on. This is done best through machine correction, although it can be done by hand, however similar results are near impossible to achieve.
-- Compound or polish (Compounds are heavier grit polishes and should be followed up with a lighter grade polish to eliminate the hazing caused by compounding, this is where the term two-step correction comes from)
- Glaze (optional)
- Apply a sealant, wax, or both (sealant first)
- Quick detailer for added pop
Now that that is out of the way, lets move on to the good part, the cleaning. When washing a vehicle, the first place to start is always the wheels, tires, and wheel wells. This is done so that none of the contaminants on the wheels gets onto the paint through splashing or cross contamination. Additionally, this is done first so that water does not dry on the vehicles paint while you clean the wheels last, causing water spots and mineral deposits to appear where you just washed.
How can I restore my vehicle to a “better than new condition?”
When a vehicle leaves the lot, often it has been several months since the vehicle was assembled. During this time it sits in holding lots next to industrial plants, gets driven cross country in open trailers, and then sits on a dealers lot where they either hose or pressure wash them followed by a wipe down using a limited set of microfibers, or even worse “rags”. This exposes the vehicles to many airborne contaminants and subjects the paint to abuse before you even purchase it. This abuse continues throughout the life of your Malibu. Through the proper techniques, you can eliminate nearly all flaws caused by improper washing techniques and routine use, restore the paint to a new condition, and then use proper protectants to really bring out the most your Malibu will have to offer.
How do I know what I need to do?
Often, people mistake or misuse the terminology, so before we begin, I will give a run over of the order detailing should be performed in. As you will see, this is a very generalized list, but will explain the location of each step.
- Rinse and Foam vehicle to prepare surface for cleaning. This will remove heavily particles and provide a slick surface to work on, while also loosening the bond between dirt and paint.
- Wash
- Clay (you can perform the baggie test [a technique I will introduce you to soon] to see if claying is necessary). It is always necessary to clay prior to performing any correction, as contaminants embedded within the paint will mar and scratch the paint if not removed first
- If the paint is in need of correction now is when it is performed. Correction is also known as polishing. During correction, you will remove all of the swirls and improve any Random Isolated Deep Scratches (RIDS). It will also remove any of the oxidation that has occurred. Polishing must be done before any waxes or sealants are applied to the vehicle, as the polishes will simply remove all the wax you just put on. This is done best through machine correction, although it can be done by hand, however similar results are near impossible to achieve.
-- Compound or polish (Compounds are heavier grit polishes and should be followed up with a lighter grade polish to eliminate the hazing caused by compounding, this is where the term two-step correction comes from)
- Glaze (optional)
- Apply a sealant, wax, or both (sealant first)
- Quick detailer for added pop
Now that that is out of the way, lets move on to the good part, the cleaning. When washing a vehicle, the first place to start is always the wheels, tires, and wheel wells. This is done so that none of the contaminants on the wheels gets onto the paint through splashing or cross contamination. Additionally, this is done first so that water does not dry on the vehicles paint while you clean the wheels last, causing water spots and mineral deposits to appear where you just washed.