As far as the comments on getting grit/dirt on your waxing applicator/towels....in all due respect....if you pay close attentiom to what you are doing ...there will be no harmfull dirt. If you drop your applicator or micro-fiber towel...throw it away or in the washing machine.
Also, it does not matter if you wax in a straight back and forth motion vs. a circular motion...dirt will scratch in any direction .....common sense. Obviously you will make more swirls in a circular random motion.
If you use proper washing methods and are very particular with your applicators, pails, and rinse, drying and wax applications and buffing. You will stay swirl free.
I cannot remember the last time I even washed my GTS. A quick wipe with a Cali duster and Pinnacle Crystal Mist Spray Wax with a micro-fiber towel... and your Viper is in awesome condition in 5 min. or less. Use a seperate duster on your rims, and spray also.
I have a good friend who has a Black RT/10 It hasn't been washed in over 5-6 years...he has the ultimate perfect shine anyone would desire.
Pocket AA
Here are the best proven detailing tips you can ever use!
I am 1 hour north of you near Wilkes Barre if you need additional help.
Dave
1. Claybar your entire car, you can get claybars at any Auto Zone, Pep Boys, etc...the brand doesn't matter. USE PLENTY OF LUBRICANT! A large spray bottle with some Dawn dishwashing soap works great...Wait until you see the contaminants the claybar pulls off...and "renew" the claybar often, just stretch it, reshape it like Silly Putty...If you drop it on the ground...throw it away...it will pick up small dirt/rocks, and you will scratch your paint's finish.
2. Swirls and Scratches......The easiest way to get rid of them is with a PC 7424 Random Orbital......and get the "velcro foam pad adapter. Do NOT use the pads that come with the PC...especially the wool one.
3. To remove fine scratches and swirls, you'll need 6" YELLOW FOAM PADS... from
www.topoftheline.com ...get about three of them. Also, you'll need a bottle of 3M Fine Cut Rubbing Compound. Put about a quarter sized amount of the 3M on the yellow pad, and at about 4000 rpms, work a 2 ft x 2ft area of your finish...(Tape up any crevices, like the black screens in the hood, this dust gets everywhere)...Keep the buffer moving, but go slow, and press hard enough to compress the YELLOW pad to half it's thickness...and when you think you are going slow enough, go slower...Heat (buffing pad) and abrasive (3M compound) are the only things that will remove swirls/scratches. BE CAREFULL AROUND ANY EDGES... AVOID EDGES...or sharp corners with your Buffer.
4. Once you have peeled all of the swirls/scratches out of your clearcoat, you'll need the 6" BLACK FOAM PADS from
www.topoftheline.com ...Also, a bottle of 3M 3M Perfect-It™ III Finishing Glaze...for either DARK cars or for LIGHT cars...they make both...Now do the same as you did with the compound, only at 6000 rpms, again, pressing just hard enough to compress the pad to half it's thickness, which won't be as hard as the yellow pad was. This takes the finest of flaws out, and smooths your clearcoat to near perfection.
5. That should have taken you most of a weekend...if you stayed at it...You cannot mess this up with the Porter Cable...trust me...you could stand on that buffer with the beforementioned foam pads and not hurt your clearcoat...You have three coats of clear from the factory...15 years worth, if you did this every season.
6. Now, all you need is to apply many coats of whatever polish/wax you prefer, and when I say many, I mean at least 20...You can use the Porter Cable and WHITE FOAM PADS from
www.topoftheline.com ...These are the softest pads available. Once you get a routine down, applying and removing one coat takes maybe 20 minutes.
7. I've used Meguires, Mothers, Zaino, etc...Really doesn't matter...Here's a good tip. Apply a coat of Pinnacle Spray Wax in between each coat of polish...and before you take your baby out.
You can get the Pinnacle Spray from...you guessed it...
www.topoftheline.com ...I recommend these people because their service is phenomenal...period.
8. NEVER! Use anything but foam pads, or MicroFiber towels on your finish...The Viper's clearcoat is very soft, and scratches easy...
9. Dusting...California Duster...Buy a new one every summer, use the old one on your wheels to remove the bulk of the brake dust. Next summer, same deal, buy a new one, old one goes to the wheels, the old old one goes either to the wifeys car or the trash...After each Dusting with the duster...spray Pinnacle and buff with a micro fiber towel. Do the rims too!!! Get a Large one for the Viper's Body, small ones for the rims. And a small one for the interior!
10. Now, you've got several coats of polish/wax and Pinnacle applied...Your baby is looking pretty sweet...Take a brand new WHITE foam pad and at about 4000 rpms, go over the entire finish...yep...just a dry white finishing pad...Now do this after every Pinnacle application to really make your finish pop...
Zaino for the base coats ...(approx. 7 coats) Then Pinnacle Crystal Mist Spray between each coat...then Pinnacle Souvern Wax for at least 3-5 coats over the Zaino...Best shine out there.
http://www.pinnaclewax.com/
http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc
Best of Luck! Dave
