Prep for Car show?
6th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,524
From: Sacramento, CA
Naw Shadow, I am sure if you sported your Neon just like it is in your sig you would get some sort of award. 
My 01' is a my DD so its looked like your Neon a couple times this year already. :}
While it does take an insane amount of time and work, its worth it for the end product as it is less repeat work that you have to do in the future.
Another thing you can do in case you just don't have time to do your detailing, hire a detailer and tell him exactly what you want and what your doing it for. It saves time but it can cost a bunch.
The detailers also have better claybars (which you can buy online,) courser compounds that make really quick work of paint contaminants but if in the wrong hands can really destroy the finish.
While I have not gone this way before, I had friends back in Cali that were Pro detailers and they did awesome work.
You could also try to find a detailer that uses Crystal Rock buuuuuuuuuut you might have a $2000 dollar bill afterwords.
My 01' is a my DD so its looked like your Neon a couple times this year already. :}
While it does take an insane amount of time and work, its worth it for the end product as it is less repeat work that you have to do in the future.
Another thing you can do in case you just don't have time to do your detailing, hire a detailer and tell him exactly what you want and what your doing it for. It saves time but it can cost a bunch.
The detailers also have better claybars (which you can buy online,) courser compounds that make really quick work of paint contaminants but if in the wrong hands can really destroy the finish.
While I have not gone this way before, I had friends back in Cali that were Pro detailers and they did awesome work.
You could also try to find a detailer that uses Crystal Rock buuuuuuuuuut you might have a $2000 dollar bill afterwords.
Last edited by NeoTokyo; Jan 30, 2011 at 01:29 AM.
5th Gear Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,350
From: Pennsylvania
yah i was kind of wondering what a professional detail job would cost lol. thats a pretty penny thats for sure. my driveway right now is 300 ft of limestone and it gets pretty dusty in the summer so that is one of the deciding factors for me never going all out in m detail jobs, i know its going to get limestone dust all over is as soon as i go down or up my driveway. we are supposed to get it paved maybe this summer though so maybe i can get into some more in-depth detailing
and yeah, i should get awards for getting that neon to go the places it does. a lot of people dont believe i drive a neon in the winter, i say they are wimps!
and yeah, i should get awards for getting that neon to go the places it does. a lot of people dont believe i drive a neon in the winter, i say they are wimps!
6th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,524
From: Sacramento, CA
Whelp Swissvax Crystal Rock retails for about $165 per oz and you have to buy it in a large tub...
The wax isnt your only cost though, you need to purchase all of the other levels of cleaners and protectants before that.
The wax is a super elitists wax and goes a really long way.
If the surface is prepped correctly its probably one of the best wax's on the market, but your paying the price for it and unlike the Lambo and Porsche and Ferrari and blah blah blah owners, we really cant afford that kind of cash to slap down on wax.
When it comes to water sheeting, Autoglym's HD wax and preliminary steps come very close to Crystal Rock, but the long lasting protection is not as great as Crystal Rock - not even close.
You get what you pay for.
Swissvax Crystal Rock: http://www.detailersdomain.com/swiss...auldalton.aspx
Swissvax Divine: http://www.detailersdomain.com/swissvax-divine.aspx
The wax isnt your only cost though, you need to purchase all of the other levels of cleaners and protectants before that.
The wax is a super elitists wax and goes a really long way.
If the surface is prepped correctly its probably one of the best wax's on the market, but your paying the price for it and unlike the Lambo and Porsche and Ferrari and blah blah blah owners, we really cant afford that kind of cash to slap down on wax.
When it comes to water sheeting, Autoglym's HD wax and preliminary steps come very close to Crystal Rock, but the long lasting protection is not as great as Crystal Rock - not even close.
You get what you pay for.
Swissvax Crystal Rock: http://www.detailersdomain.com/swiss...auldalton.aspx
Swissvax Divine: http://www.detailersdomain.com/swissvax-divine.aspx
Last edited by NeoTokyo; Jan 30, 2011 at 02:22 PM.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 15,865
From: Ludlow, Mass
+1, and spring i do a thuro cleaning to get all teh salt off from the new england roads, wash it down with dawn and use two coats of rejex on watever vehicle i have at the time (my next stang will not be a DD tho)
MF Staff Snitch
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,041
From: Scotia, NY
Neo, you must go to some damn picky car shows...
msot of the ones I attend dont make you open doors, trunk, and the hood is optional(open hoods ruin the lines of the cars...)
a couple other tips-
Dont apply tire shine until you get to the show- it will get thrown up onto the fenders and bumper
POR15 the wheelwells, makes them BLACK, not brown, grey, or poop.
bring something to clean windows with
msot of the ones I attend dont make you open doors, trunk, and the hood is optional(open hoods ruin the lines of the cars...)
a couple other tips-
Dont apply tire shine until you get to the show- it will get thrown up onto the fenders and bumper
POR15 the wheelwells, makes them BLACK, not brown, grey, or poop.
bring something to clean windows with