dblg HHR

Hello all. I recently purchased my newest vehicle I ever owned: my 2007 black 2LT, Fall limited edition w/ moon roof & spoiler loaded leather HHR. It had 10500 miles on it when I bought it, so it beat out the 1997 S10 I had in '98 by ~8000 to be my official "newest vehicle ever owned".

I came across this website by searching for proper ways to care for and keep my paint protected, clean and shiny. It has a few minor scratches (& swirls) that I hope to get rid of with a good wash & wax. (it also has a couple that will need "a little more" care to get rid of...just don't think I'll ever have the time to get it done. They are on the back bumper, and I've already resigned myself to just live with them...) I've been lurking here for a couple weeks reading what I can, and I find this to be a decent forum to search out my HHR queries.

On with my questions! I've read about claying, swirls, and proper washing techniques here and went out and bought a bunch of paint care products. I hope to find the time soon to properly clean & protect my finish. Here's what I now have to start:
Meguiars Clay Kit, wash, 3 step paint cleaner/polish/caranuba wax (liquid), MicroGear applicator pads and towels, and Microgear wash pad. ( I did the CD test...what a great piece of info!)

Please let me know if I am piecing all this info together correctly and my questions to each step>>>
1. wash car.
2. dry car.
3. clay car...
.....Q's:
...a.) Do I use the auto detailer provided with the clay kit, or the carwash/water solution I read about here if I want to use the 3 step Meguiars that I bought
...b.) Do I need to wash & dry the car again after claying to carry on with the 3 step system I bought.
...c.) How long can I wait between claying and doing the 3 step that I have...I don't know if I'll have enought time to do this all at once!
...d.) Claying DOES NOT remove swirls/scratches (T/F?)
4. paint cleaner
5. polish
6. wax

Q's on 3, 4 ,5 & 6:

1. Do you clay, clean/polish/wax over the pinstriping?
2. How about the paint on the plastic bumpers...is that treated the same as the body?
3. What about the plastic grill? Does that get treated as the paint, or waxed at all?
4. Am I asking too many questions??

I don't own any mechanical buffers, so this will be by hand. How much time will I save if I buy one? Any recommendations?

Alright, if you've made it this far...THANK YOU! Sorry for a long winded post, but I just want to make sure I do it right!! All replies much appreciated!

Thanks,
Greg

HipHotRod

Well first. Welcome to the site. You will find both great people and great information regarding your new baby.

I dont do all that mentioned above myself so I cannot answer. Trust and believe someone here will chime in and answer them for you.



Don

Old Lar

After washing my cars, to remove swirls, light scrathes, I'll use a swil remover which is made by several vendors such as Meguires. They have a multi step procedure to renew finishes. They use wash, cleaner, polish wax etc. It will seem like after the wash, the materials will seem to be the same as waxing ie spread the material on, then wipe the dried material off. A random orbital polisher is great for putting the stuff down, and I wipe off with cotton shop towels (lots of elbow grease)

Clay bar is great for removing surface "gunk" from a car's paint but does little at scratch/swirl removal.

mudd274

I use the carwash solution for claying. Its alot cheaper and does the job.
It took me 2 days to do it all!!
DAY ONE
1. I handwashed real good and dryed
2. clayed the entire car. All body parts. bumpers/body/windows/headlights/tail lights/grille and pin stripes and so on. Be sure to keep the area wet and knead the bar often. Being the ticky person I am this was a long process. I know it wont take as long next time because I will be at ease about using the claybar.If you drop the bar throw it away!!! (I break mine in half and put a painters drop cloth down just incase I drop it.)
DAY 2
1. washed car again 2 remove anything that might have settled on the car during the night and dryed it off.
claying DOES NOT REMOVE SCRATCHES.
2.I do not let the wax get on the pinstripe because it will leave the white residue in places which can be removed if you put your finger nail in a rag and go along the strip real good. I also use painters tape and tape up any weatherstripping to keep wax off of it.
I start my clean/polish and wax. This didnt take as long because i knew the car was clean as could be and the stuff goes on and off easy because of the time and care I took while claying the day b4.

Hope this helps

stick

Just like mudd274 said. It take a while. If you have a whole day to get it all done in then that would be your best bet. Wash her real good, the dry. Make sure you get all the little places water can hide clean up all the little drips that seem to come from nowhere. Then clay. Use the stuff in the box, it's what is designed to be used. Do a small section at a time and dry with a micro fiber cloth, it should have come with one. After you do the whole car, then wax. You'll love the outcome and it will be as smooth as a babies but! I would wax the grille and any chrome, but not clay bar them. Just my opinion there, but maybe some chrome cleaner would help out there. Take your time and you should come out all right.