BillK

After a good wash I do this about twice a year:

1) Clay Bar/Speed Shine

2) One Step Sealant w/6" Random Orbital

3) Sometimes I'll also use Griots Best In Show Carnuba Wax with the orbital rather than the Spray On Wax (which is more of a touch up thing between good waxings).

GF7PE

I agree on the Adams. I purchased a porter-cable kit from them a few years ago and havent looked back. This cell phone pic was my first detail with it and the car had a bunch of etched water spots in the paint.

DJM12PLAT

I agree with the Adam's Polishes, and even more with the two bucket system. If you wanna go a step further along with the 2bucket is a foam gun.

A foam gun will break down the dirt before you get on your truck with a mit (or whatever you use). You basically spray down the entire vehicle with soap/foam/suds....from the roof down of course. Some think this is a waste of product. I can see if you detailed daily but if you dont and have pride in the finish of your car/truck it might be something to try.

jjam

that is the guide to go over.

Personally since mine is tuxedo black and i cant stand swirls or spider webbing i touch mine as little as possible and have 4 shelfs on a metro rack full of detailing stuff. From simple wash to full on polishing and correcting paint.


I personally like these:

Sheepskin wash mit
Optimum car wash - Soak
Optimum no rinse - wash
Black Fire Wet Diamond Sealer
Duragloss Aquawax #951


Lots of good microfiber towels and microfiber waffle weave drying towel

magblue10

I'm not arguing just curious about this. My truck was just built so therefor just painted. I kno that each truck I buy I put a cap on them and every manufacturer of these toppers say wait 90 days to wax or take tru a car was w brushes. Now this could be because of them being fiberglass. As far as products I use McGuires xt car wash xt wax and several McGuire interior detail products. Microfiber towels for interior cleaning wool mitt for outside. I do use an absorber but make sure it is clean. For my glass I use invisible glass.

Lozzman

This is my method:

- First two bucket method is BEST
- Start with your running boards and wheels FIRST! These two hold most of the crap off your boots and will scratch your paint if you use your paint wash mitt so I use a hard brush for wheels and boards
- I use a sheep wool mitt for the body
-Turtle wax wash or Armor All wash and wax soap
- I use a Shamwow to dry and I must say it works really well!
- if I do wax I use Meguiars 2.0 wax probably once a month
- I also use Rain-X on my windsheild and that helps repel water it will last a while on your windshield...you'll notice when it starts to wear off

Overall, just take your time and wash up and down not in circles

Good Luck

Just 5

Twice a year for me, this way:

-Wash TWICE using a sheep's wool mit with dish soap to remove all residues and waxes
EDIT - Forgot to add the Clay Bar Step
-Dry thoroughly
-Tape off plastic parts
-Using a Porter Cable buffer and some SONUS pads apply:
1) Sonus SFX-2 Cleaner/Polish
2) Klasse All-In-One Sealant
3) 2 coats of Meguiars "Gold Class" Wax

Rider

+1

I saw this link on a previous thread and checked it out. I thought I knew a lot about washing and detailing from my car show days, but I learned a lot.

Now I use the two-bucket method, have a ton of microfiber cloths(that are great for everything inside the house as well as on/in your truck) and my cars look excellent. The Collinite wax is good(lots of detail shops use it), but I also use Meguiar's and Mothers cleaners, wash and wax products. There are other great products out there, and people get religious about their brand, but these are two long-time mainstay brands.

Become familiar with the different products(that web link will help) and you'll know just hat to do to wash and wax, as well as remove or minimize the inevitable scratches and dings you'll accumulate as you drive the heck out of your truck.

08Darkness

I use all meguiar's products. I would clay bar and seal ASAP. There can be a lot of grime from the shipping process that the dealers "detail" won't even touch.

Here's my BFM after its first clay bar and deep clean

DJM12PLAT

I was under the impression that new cars cannot be wax for 60 days after they've been painted for the first time ever(factory). I heard this from a bodyshop mgr. at the BMW dealership I worked at. Not sure if this is a bmw thing or just new cars in general. not sure how valid this is, but the guy had been there for 20+yrs, so i just assumed it to be the case. he said after 60 days wax away