WOW... I'm the first one to drop a thread here?
OK, so I haven't actually done this in the last 12 months, but I plan to make at least one show this coming year, so here's how I get MY ride ready.
1. As soon as it gets in the 50s here in Boston, I do my initial wash/wax. If it's the first wash of the year, I wash with original scent Dawn. This is a thorough cleaning that will also strip some of the old wax off. I won't wash with Dawn again until the first time next year. I get every part of the car, door jambs, trunk, engine bay. Everytime after this I use a good car wash detergent that won't strip the wax.
2. Clay bar everything with an appropriate lubricating liquid. That could be the store bought stuff or just clear water with a touch of liquid car wash detergent. I don't clay bar every time. Maybe 2-3 times per season.
3. Wash again, this time with a good car wash detergent, to get the clay bar residue off the car.
4. Dry the car, I use a synthetic chamois. As long as you've clay barred the car well and you're gentle you won't have to worry about micro-scratches. Still some people use blowers or gel blades to do this.
5. If I see a lot of swirl marks I'll use a polish, I'm a Zaino guy so I use the Z-PC polish
6. Then I start waxing the car with Z-5 Pro including the ZFX accelerant. This helps the wax cure faster so that I can get 2-3 coats of wax on in the same day. After this, I may use the Z-5 wax 2-3 times in the season, in between I use the Z-6 Detail spray
6. While each coat dries I move to the inside of the car, vacuuming, cleaning the leather, and cleaning the windows with Invisible Glass. (Safe for tint)
7. After 2-3 coats of Z-5, I go over the whole car with Z-6 detail spray. The car looks like a mirror at this point.
8. For the chrome exhaust and some engine components I use Nevr-Dull, a wadding impregnated with mineral spirits and other "magic stuff" that leaves the chrome super shiny.
9. Speaking of the engine bay, I get that too, using Nevr-Dull, any blackening product for hoses & plastic pieces. My buddy BOS/SRT gave me some engine cleaning solution that I'm trying out now, so I'll let y'all know how that works out.
10. On to the wheels. I have custom-finished Cragar rims done in a cool black chrome and I make sure they turn heads. I take each wheel off the car (and carefully wash the wheel well, careful not to splash the car) and wash the wheels in the car wash solution. Dry them with a microfiber towel, then wax them inside & out with a good wheel wax. Before putting them back on the car I hit them with some tire shine. I've been using Meguire's Hot Shine and I love it.
All of this can be done in one day, a very long day but still I can get it done for a late night show. If I don't have that time, I"ll do the car the day before a show, and do the inside, engine, and wheels on the day of the show. Then when I get to the show I'll give it a quick Z-6 detail to make it look great.
The results...
So that's me. What do you guys do?
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