Let us discuss car detailing products...good and bad products

[Remobz]

Hey guys,

So what do you all use to detail your ride?


I have a 2004 Mazda tribute with leather interior.


To wash car ------> turtle wax car wax

http://www.waxdepot.com/mm5/merchan..._Code=WD&Product_Code=T149R&Category_Code=CA2


To clean tires -----> Formula 1 high Gloss tire foam

http://www.formula1wax.com/products/productDetail.php?productID=32


To clean wheel rims ------> Formula 1 foaming wheel cleaner

http://www.formula1wax.com/products/productDetail.php?productID=30


To wax the car -------> turtle wax

http://www.amazonsupply.com/turtle-wax-t-222r-super-shell/dp/B00068OL1A



Car Interior........


To clean leather seats -----> Formula 1 Mr. leather lotion

http://www.formula1wax.com/products/productDetail.php?productID=25


To clean interior stains and marks ----> tuff stuff

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tuff-Stuff...-22oz/16817397


To clean interior vinyl panels ----> STP son of a gun

http://www.soap.com/p/stp-son-of-a-gun-protectant-pump-10oz-73874



All these products work pretty well for my vehicle and I highly recommend the Formula 1 line of auto care products although it is pretty expensive on a whole.


I do not recommend armour all tire foam cleaner compared to the Formula 1 high gloss foam.


I need a recommendation on a good auto glass cleaner.....any ideas?

 

[sgrinavi]

Thanks, I'm always looking for good wheel cleaner for the BMWs. I spend my life cleaning brake dust.

I'm a Eagle One fan, pretty much. I use their car wash, wax-as-you-dry, wheel cleaner and wipe & shine.

 

[Kaido]

Pasting from my notes here -

Showroom "ultimate shine" wax trick: (for the wet look)

1. Wash your car. Despite soaps and stuff, running a hose with water over the paint while rubbing with a soft sponge is the best route to go. If you just scrub without holding running water over it, sand and other contaminants will scratch the surface. Soaps and stuff break down clearcoat & paint over time. Same with glass - skip the Windex and save your weatherstripping; just use water. Hardly anyone does that, but to each their own! Also, clay bar if needed; if the paint is bad, use a dedicated polish like Eagle One Wet Look, SwirlX, or Ultimate Polish.

2. Gloss layer: Apply one coat of synthetic car wax (a paint sealant such as Klasse All-in-One also works)

3. Depth & Shine layer: Wait 24 hours and apply one coat of pure carnauba wax. Wait another 24 hours and apply a second coat of pure carnauba wax (needs time to cure between coats). Meguier's Gold Wax + Paste is also good.

This is the trick they use on show cars - one coat synthetic (24 hour cure) then two coats of carnuaba.

 

[7window]

meguiars product. cant go wrong with thenm

 

[Remobz]

Pasting from my notes here -

Showroom "ultimate shine" wax trick: (for the wet look)

1. Wash your car. Despite soaps and stuff, running a hose with water over the paint while rubbing with a soft sponge is the best route to go. If you just scrub without holding running water over it, sand and other contaminants will scratch the surface. Soaps and stuff break down clearcoat & paint over time. Same with glass - skip the Windex and save your weatherstripping; just use water. Hardly anyone does that, but to each their own! Also, clay bar if needed; if the paint is bad, use a dedicated polish like Eagle One Wet Look, SwirlX, or Ultimate Polish.

2. Gloss layer: Apply one coat of synthetic car wax (a paint sealant such as Klasse All-in-One also works)

3. Depth & Shine layer: Wait 24 hours and apply one coat of pure carnauba wax. Wait another 24 hours and apply a second coat of pure carnauba wax (needs time to cure between coats). Meguier's Gold Wax + Paste is also good.

This is the trick they use on show cars - one coat synthetic (24 hour cure) then two coats of carnuaba.

Thanks for this. Problem is that I do not live in North America and my choices here are VERY VERY limited. I have to work with the products that are available. I will have to make a list of all the choices available to me and pick the best of the lot.

In the meantime, I will write the brands you mentioned above and see what is available here.

 

[7window]

Thanks for this. Problem is that I do not live in North America and my choices here are VERY VERY limited. I have to work with the products that are available. I will have to make a list of all the choices available to me and pick the best of the lot.

In the meantime, I will write the brands you mentioned above and see what is available here.

where are you from? Turtle wax is good but they don't last

 

[Remobz]

where are you from? Turtle wax is good but they don't last

Belize.

Problem is that all the good USA brands have to be shipped here and costs more for us to buy Many people just do without or buy cheaper crappier brands from China or Central America that costs less to ship here.

Some stores experiment with the better more expensive brands but once they realize how difficult it is to sell these brands due to costs then they just import other cheaper crappier brands that sell. Basically, its all about the price market here. Sucks for people like me who do not mind paying for the better stuff.

 

[cbrsurfr]

I love Eagle One Wax-As-U-Dry (Aerosol). Looks like you spent all day waxing it. No buffing, no hazing. http://eagleone.com/wax-as-u-dry

I've tried dozens of quick detail sprays and I always go back to Meguiars. I do have a Lucas brand that I'm trying out, but I've only used it once so far so I can't comment other than it smells like bubble gum.

 

[Remobz]

I love Eagle One Wax-As-U-Dry (Aerosol). Looks like you spent all day waxing it. No buffing, no hazing. http://eagleone.com/wax-as-u-dry

I've tried dozens of quick detail sprays and I always go back to Meguiars. I do have a Lucas brand that I'm trying out, but I've only used it once so far so I can't comment other than it smells like bubble gum.

On other forums, Meguiars brand products seem quite popular indeed.

 

[7window]

Belize.

Problem is that all the good USA brands have to be shipped here and costs more for us to buy Many people just do without or buy cheaper crappier brands from China or Central America that costs less to ship here.

Some stores experiment with the better more expensive brands but once they realize how difficult it is to sell these brands due to costs then they just import other cheaper crappier brands that sell. Basically, its all about the price market here. Sucks for people like me who do not mind paying for the better stuff.

Oh I understand your situation very well from pricing to availability. I was an expat once. The good thing about turtle wax is that they have been around for a long time. If your car is in the garage or not exposed to sun too much then turtle wax will last.

I used turtle wax on one of my car that stays in the garage and the wax last but not as good or last as other wax such as meguiars. Its called the platinum gloss ultra gloss series. The wax is an old wax by turtle wax . They don't make it anymore. I bought 7 bottle when I found out they will discontinue it. It is a good deep shine and easy to apply and buff. I use it when I show the car.

I like nxt meguiars too. Some people also swear by turtle wax ice. I use meguiars when I park my car under the sun. They last longer than turtle wax.

As for wheels I like eagle but they are very strong. So I just use simple green and water.

Have you tried buying wax through ebay or amazon? You might get it cheaper by going through those site.

 

[Meghan54]

Pasting from my notes here -

Showroom "ultimate shine" wax trick: (for the wet look)

1. Wash your car. Despite soaps and stuff, running a hose with water over the paint while rubbing with a soft sponge is the best route to go. If you just scrub without holding running water over it, sand and other contaminants will scratch the surface. Soaps and stuff break down clearcoat & paint over time. Same with glass - skip the Windex and save your weatherstripping; just use water. Hardly anyone does that, but to each their own! Also, clay bar if needed; if the paint is bad, use a dedicated polish like Eagle One Wet Look, SwirlX, or Ultimate Polish.

2. Gloss layer: Apply one coat of synthetic car wax (a paint sealant such as Klasse All-in-One also works)

3. Depth & Shine layer: Wait 24 hours and apply one coat of pure carnauba wax. Wait another 24 hours and apply a second coat of pure carnauba wax (needs time to cure between coats). Meguier's Gold Wax + Paste is also good.

This is the trick they use on show cars - one coat synthetic (24 hour cure) then two coats of carnuaba.

Just a couple of questions.....how does simple water break down oils, greases, bug guts, bird crap, etc., that daily drivers get exposed to on a routine basis?

Who can wait 24 hours to rewax and then re-rewax without rewashing? I sure don't live in a sterile environment and even if I had a completely enclosed garage, there's still dust that'll settle on the vehicle between waxings, doing it your way. So, I'd suppose you're washing between every waxing, right? Otherwise, I'd imagine you're grinding in whatever dust, dirt, crap has settled on the car over that 24 hour period, esp. if the car sits outside.

 

[yhelothar]

I used Mother's Claybar and 3M Ultimate Compound in this thread. For the orbital polisher, I used a cheap one from autozone. It does the trick, but a nicer one would do the job quicker.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2258286

 

[iamwiz82]

I am a fan of the following:

Sonax Full Effect on wheels - Smells awful, works wonders
Zaino Z2pro, Z5pro, Z8, and Z16
Megiuars Gold Class Shampoo
Invisible Glass
Megiuars Metal Polish
303 Aerospace Protectant
Mothers Leather Conditioner

These are the things I love and use.

 

[bolinder]

I highly recommend Zaino Brothers. I have used it on all of my cars since 2000. I feel the shine beats almost everything on the market and the clean-up is far better than the typical wax. You can find it searching on the internet. They have a full line of products from clay bars, wash, leather, plastic, glass, etc. Please check it out. You won't be disappointed.

PS - No white residue on plastic or rubber window moldings.

 

[phucheneh]

meguiars product. cant go wrong with thenm

Pretty much this. Some are not quite as great as others; but they all work and when I'm looking for a product for a certain purpose, I'll tend to end up grabbing a mid-priced Meguires product for the job.

I'm bad about keeping my car clean; but especially the interior. Went to grab some stuff yesterday, and of course however around Meguires...ignored the super bling-bling 30-weight dash dressing...as I went down the line, I think I ended up with 'Natural Shine,' which is a simple non-greasy rubber/plastic detailer.

Unsurprisingly, I'm impressed. All the interior parts that aren't cloth look better than new...there's a nice flat sheen that really seems to add a little class without being tacky. Kinda the whole 'your makeup should make people think you're not wearing makeup' trickery.

So that's my interior stuff of choice now. Windows get the generic aerosol foam. Will not put anything on wheels or tires. Meguire's NXT wax (sealer) if the paint is free of trash; their cleaner wax if needed.

Oh, and their 'Deep Crystal' car wash.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I pretty much use Meguiars exclusively for my paint cleaning/polishing/waxing and washing duties.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I pretty much use Meguiars exclusively for my paint cleaning/polishing/waxing and washing duties.

This.

Meguiars ultimate detailer works wonders.

 

[nerp]

Adams makes the best stuff. But open your wallet. Otherwise Meguire's is decent enough.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

I used Chemical Guys products on both of our new cars...held up well and looks great!

 

[Fritzo]

Also, if you have a black car, this stuff is great to wipe your car down between washes:

This stuff does a decent job of keeping brake dust from sticking to your wheels (be sure to follow the instructions though or it doesn't work).

For the seats:

And for the inside trim, I just use plain old Armor All, which seems to work fine:

For windows, Rain-X is hard to beat. Be sure to use a cloth and not a paper towel, and you have to wipe twice to prevent smears.:

 

[Meghan54]

Pretty much this. Some are not quite as great as others; but they all work and when I'm looking for a product for a certain purpose, I'll tend to end up grabbing a mid-priced Meguires product for the job.

I'm bad about keeping my car clean; but especially the interior. Went to grab some stuff yesterday, and of course however around Meguires...ignored the super bling-bling 30-weight dash dressing...as I went down the line, I think I ended up with 'Natural Shine,' which is a simple non-greasy rubber/plastic detailer.

Unsurprisingly, I'm impressed. All the interior parts that aren't cloth look better than new...there's a nice flat sheen that really seems to add a little class without being tacky. Kinda the whole 'your makeup should make people think you're not wearing makeup' trickery.

So that's my interior stuff of choice now. Windows get the generic aerosol foam. Will not put anything on wheels or tires. Meguire's NXT wax (sealer) if the paint is free of trash; their cleaner wax if needed.

Oh, and their 'Deep Crystal' car wash.

Been using that Natural Shine for a few months now and I agree, it works very, very well. No greasy feel, no tacky unnatural shine.

I've always wondered why many resort to having their interiors shine like they've waxed the crap out of them. That's just a horrid look, but not quite as bad as the shiny tire thing. Never understood why some insist upon making their tires darned near reflective.

Been using the Mequiar's Gold Class for washing. Used to use the Deep Crystal, but the Gold Class just works better...smells better, too.

Use the two bucket method for washing. One bucket for wash/suds, one bucket for rinsing the mitt out between dunks into the wash bucket. Gets rid of the dirt, crap that's attached to the mitt, preventing you from completely contaminating the wash bucket with dirt. And I use a lamb's wool mitt. Seems to lift and hold the dirt off better than the micofiber mitts/wash rags. And the wool doesn't scratch like other mitts, either, including synthetic fibered mitts.


I've seen the Zaino bros. stuff. Their wax that doesn't leave white residue on plastics, rubber just seems like repackaged Turtle Wax Ice Wax. Of course, most waxes these days seem to be friendly to plastics and rubber leaving little to no residue. So, nothing especially "special" about either the Zaino Bros. stuff or Ice wax. The Meguiar's NXT wax leaves little to no residue, either.

 

[Meghan54]

For windows, Rain-X is hard to beat. Be sure to use a cloth and not a paper towel, and you have to wipe twice to prevent smears.:

Been using some cheap stuff for windows...Gunk Glass Cleaner. A foam cleaner that won't drip/run all down the glass. No ammonia so it won't screw up/bleach the interior plastics that inevitable get sprayed on. Decent cleaner overall for the interior and rather inexpensive.

And to get rid of smears, streaks, etc., an old trick is to use some old newspaper, printed---not color--instead of cloth, esp. for your final wipe down of the glass. Glass won't have a streak on it.

 

[nerp]

I'd never use Armor All on the dash. That's how you invite it to oxidize and crack to all hell over time.

 

[Fritzo]

and to get rid of smears, streaks, etc., an old trick is to use some old newspaper, printed---not color--instead of cloth, esp. For your final wipe down of the glass. Glass won't have a streak on it.

protip!!!!

 

[AdamK47]

I use either Zaino or Adams polish. Never use wax.