Exterior: 

Begin by washing the car.  I use a sheepskin wash mitt and Turtle Wax "Zip Wax" car wash.  I add about 5 ounces of the car wash to a single gallon bucket and cut it with hot water.  Start with the hood and roof and work your way, top to bottom.  Rinse the mitt often to ensure that no debris will remain which will scratch your car.  Rinse off the soapy water often and ensure that it does not dry on the car. 

Use a fender brush to scrub the matte-black trim, wheel wells and any visible undercarriage components (new cars don't have dirty wheel wells!).  Spray each well thoroughly with water to ensure that all road salt, mud and muck is removed and that the wells are clean. 

Scrub the wheels with a separate mitt.  I use a microfibre mitt for washing the wheels.  I scrub every aspect of the wheel, including inside the rim, where the brake rotor sits.  This gives the wheel a very clean/new appearance.  At the same time, clean the tires with a tire cleaner; I use Wesley's Bleach White tire cleaner.  I scrub each tire with the cleaner and fender brush. 

Finish the wash with a final rinse and then dry the vehicle with a chamois.  I prefer synthetic chamois' to sheepskin as they tend to hold up to use better.  Both will do the trick equally as well. 

Once the car is clean, I apply touch-up paint.  You can purchase color-specific touch-up paint from SAAB via EEuroparts, for under $10.  For a quick rundown on applying touch up paint, visit the scratch repair section of this site.  Work your way around the car and touch-up all damage that you can't buff out. 

Now on to detailing:  If it's been a while since the car has been waxed, I begin with a fine-cut rubbing compound (buffing compound). I use 3M's Fine-cut rubbing compound; the one that's advertised to remove 1500-grit or finer scratches.  This compound is available at your local Wal-Mart, in the automotive section.  You can also purchase it at any of the large chain auto stores. 

To buff the car, apply the compound to a clean microfibre cloth and massage it onto the surface, as you would with a wax.  Continue to rub it onto the surface until it dries.  At this point, buff the compound from the surface using a second microfibre.  The point is to "scrub" out scratches, haze and contaminants with the compound.  An electric buffer will also help with this; use two separate pads, an applicator and a sheepskin buffer.  Move around the car, a panel at a time, and buff each section to a high-gloss shine.

With each panel clean and buffed, it's time for wax.  I prefer Meguiller's Deep Crystal system. It's a 3-part system: cleaner, polish and wax. I use steps 2 and 3, the polish and the wax.  Begin with the polish.  Apply this with a clean microfibre, let it haze and then buff it from the surface with a second microfibre.  Do the car, a panel at a time, until it shines.  I like to apply to coats of polish with about 30 minutes between coats (or about the time it takes me to polish the entire car once).  With the polish done, repeat the step using the wax.  To apply the wax, use a fresh microfibre.  Rub the wax into the surface and let it haze.  Buff the surface clean with a fresh microfibre. 

External trim:  Once the body is waxed, turn your attention to the trim.  I treat all exterior black trim with Black Magic's "Tire Shine".  I spray tire shine onto a sock and massage it into the trim.  For door trim, I mask the painted surface, apply the tire shine and then remove the masking tape.  This protects the paint from the silicone in the tire shine. 

Wheel Wells:  Once the car has been detailed fully, treat the wheel wells with a spray-on aerosol protectant.  I use Black Magic's "Tire Shine".  I spray it on the wheel wells and under carriage and let it dry.  Be careful to keep it off of your braking surfaces and keep it off of concrete as it will stain it.  When dry, this will make the wheel wells look as new and will protect them from adhesion of dirt/dust/salt. 

Interior:

More to come, Spring 2008!

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