Extreme Exterior Detail

[MiLo]

My car probably hasn't been detailed since it was born in 2004.. lol... its got the works (scratches, swirls, spiderwebs, overspray, sap, bird shit, paint chips, minor rust and minor dings/dents). I want to detail it myself because who can afford a $600 restoration in this economy... I've got the tools (multi-grade sand paper, paint thinner, polish, clay bar, wash & wax, compound, tire cleaner/dressings, buffer/sander) and i will get primer, paint, and clear-coat if need be. I just don't know what is to be done 1st.. So if anyone can give me step by step how to, it would be greatly appreciated.. All input is welcome. btw, I've searched online but I only find how to's for each specific project, I can't find which one should be done 1st or an order of what should be done to achieve my goal. I WANT TO EAT OFF MY CAR IF I WANTED TO.. LOL... but naw i want to pretty much look into a mirror.

[Nas Escobar]

Those marks where you can see the primer (the gray is primer), you will need to fill those in with the original paint. They sell those at Advance Auto Parts or Auto Zone, in both can and small bottle. Get the small bottle and fill it in, then clear coat it. You should get that body as clean as you get first. That means clay bar, polish, and wax, from what I've been told - in that order.

First things first though, give it a couple washes. Once you surpassed a certain number and you know certain things won't come off of it then start moving on to the works.

Rust will be a tricky one... where's your rust? and do you know how deep the rust goes?

[jackal2000]

I say wash, clay, paint touch up, polish, seal.

Check this: http://www.autopia.org/forum/forum.php

[MiLo]

Those marks where you can see the primer (the gray is primer), you will need to fill those in with the original paint. They sell those at Advance Auto Parts or Auto Zone, in both can and small bottle. Get the small bottle and fill it in, then clear coat it. You should get that body as clean as you get first. That means clay bar, polish, and wax, from what I've been told - in that order.

First things first though, give it a couple washes. Once you surpassed a certain number and you know certain things won't come off of it then start moving on to the works.

Rust will be a tricky one... where's your rust? and do you know how deep the rust goes?

so I should attack the rust first before washing the car? There is rust on the each qtr panel on thedge of the wheel well. And its just barely scratching the surface.. then on the inside of the bottom of each door, its starting to look bad. If you check out my cardomain page you can see what I'm talking about.. click the link in my signature..

[simonclay]

I've got the same rust spots as you, and I was wondering the same thing

[Nas Escobar]

From what I'm told, those are common rust spots... I don't know too much about fixing that... I know WIALERO also has that issue.

[03glgold]

when i got my car the bottoms of the doors on the inside have it, while not the proper thing, i have periodically sprayed the spots with wd-40 and they haven't grown anymore, i prolly aught to do something more about it, however as Idk how much longer I will have my current one, and there are other things that are farther up on the list right now, it works for me

[MiLo]

I can only assume that the rust is in those particular areas is because of the salt from the snow.. Is there a way to prevent rust from coming back once it is removed?

[Secord]

I have the same rust spots on mine so they must be common. I was thinking of getting them cleaned up at a body shop though. I'd give it a good power wash and then wash it again by hand, followed by the clay bar, touching up the paint, polishing it, and sealing it.

[03glgold]

while road salt does contribute, a large thing that affects it is a poor drainage setup, all the major rust areas are in spots where water collects, I haven't looked in the fenders to see how it is set up for drainage, however I know that the drains for the doors aren't below the lowest point where water can pool, I would imagine that as for the doors if you fixed the rust and then put a bead of silicone to prevent the water from going past the drain into the seam between the inner panel and the door skin

[MiLo]

what grit sp should I use to get the rust out? I know the higher the number the finer the paper. So I probably wanna do something in the low hundreds right?

[Nas Escobar]

I can only assume that the rust is in those particular areas is because of the salt from the snow.. Is there a way to prevent rust from coming back once it is removed?

Don't drive your car in the snow, don't let it see salt, don't let water pool in places that allows the metal to oxidize.