Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by jgmdat

Lazy 200 bucks spent at Autobuff, I think I might have a detailing problem.

Oooooo, what did you get?

[jgmdat]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Oooooo, what did you get?

Another Koch Snow foam, Gyeon Ceramic detailer, two Rag Company Gauntlet drying towels, Maxshine Finger Wheel wash mits, 3.8L Brake Buster spray bottle kit and a Rag Company suede fender cloth. Koch Snow foam on special is a no brainer same with the Brake Buster, want to try the Gauntlet towels and I have a soft spot for the Gyeon Ceramic Detailer even though I love Bead Maker.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by jgmdat

Another Koch Snow foam, Gyeon Ceramic detailer, two Rag Company Gauntlet drying towels, Maxshine Finger Wheel wash mits, 3.8L Brake Buster spray bottle kit and a Rag Company suede fender cloth. Koch Snow foam on special is a no brainer same with the Brake Buster, want to try the Gauntlet towels and I have a soft spot for the Gyeon Ceramic Detailer even though I love Bead Maker.

Nicely chosen.

[bfets]

Just ordered:

Shine Mate Black Diamond Grey Foam Light Finishing Pads
P21S Polishing Soap
CarPro CeriGlass Polish Kit
CarPro Glass Polishing Pads
Collinite 845 Insulator Wax

I figured I'll get the Collinite for my daily driven cars and see how it goes. In time I'll give the Gyeon Q2 wax a go. I think I'll wait with Gyeon till I get the Mustang since that will live a more pampered and garage queen type life.

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Just whatever is on special at Supercheap when I decide to wash the car.

[pwr4ce]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Just whatever is on special at Supercheap when I decide to wash the car.

I got a few items that I was running low on from supercheap today saving 30% on rrp = happy camper


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DFB FGXR6]

Car Care Products have up to 15% off with their Easter sale.

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/e..._list_limit=36

If you are closer to Sydney, then this might be up your alley. Their shipping is notably higher than competitors.

[bfets]

So yesterday it was the turn of my wifes car to get detailed. Spent 8 hours just on the exterior. Will do the interior on Monday. My back was killing me by the end of it. Man this is tough work. I dont know how professional guys do it 5 days a week.

DFB, another question? How do you know when to mask before polishing? I did yesterday. But I noticed that there isnt much staining anyway where I missed spots. I used the Scholl 30+ that came with my kit. I'm sure I didnt even need to mask with this stuff. What about sealants and wax's? When to mask and when not?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bfets

So yesterday it was the turn of my wifes car to get detailed. Spent 8 hours just on the exterior. Will do the interior on Monday. My back was killing me by the end of it. Man this is tough work. I dont know how professional guys do it 5 days a week.

DFB, another question? How do you know when to mask before polishing? I did yesterday. But I noticed that there isnt much staining anyway where I missed spots. I used the Scholl 30+ that came with my kit. I'm sure I didnt even need to mask with this stuff. What about sealants and wax's? When to mask and when not?

Detailing can certainly be very hard work, especially polishing and returning a neglected car back to spec.

The best part of all that hard work is standing back and being proud of the result. From that point on, detailing is basically just that, detailing. For example, spending two hours at a relaxed pace on say my XR8, is pure pleasure as I'm basically maintaining a state of cleanliness or shine.

In terms of masking, every car is different. For example, a Mustang needs minimal taping while BA, BF and FG Falcons need quite a bit more.











Tape is used to cover up anything you don't want abraded such as headlamps, or are at risk of staining from the polish compound, such as rubber seals, unpainted plastic trim, badges, reflectors and even some shut lines.

All products are different, some stain rubber trims, some don't. Same for waxes and sealants. I just stay safe and tape anything that is at risk. If you do end up with product staining, use a pencil eraser or Meguiars M39 to remove it.

And lastly, never ever scrimp on masking tape. I see you got some of the CarPro red masking tape, Kamoi tape is another quality option. In both cases, you really only need the two larger sizes, I have never needed anything smaller.

CarPro Red -

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...o-masking-tape



Kamoi Yellow -

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...detailing-tape

I used 3M Scotch in both blue and green for a while, a good option if need it right away compared to waiting for an order to arrive.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotch-2...-tape_p1660167
https://www.bunnings.com.au/scotchbl...-tape_p1669657



The white roll of tape above is cheap but absolute rubbish. Avoid!

[DFB FGXR6]

Today was my first use of Sonax Perfect Finish.

https://detailingshed.com.au/product...polish-1000-ml
https://autobuff.com.au/products/son...37746245206200









Used on both paint and the glass today, I can see why this is a very popular product.

Followed up with Gyeon Q2 Wax.





https://www.fordforums.com.au/showpo...postcount=1700

[FTE217]

what a great pic angle and finish DFB.

[Tratado Injustamente]

Bowdens still best for mine.

It's a personal choice as many are fantastic so can't go too far wrong.

ps; I bought my mum their speciality chamois (Big Sucker from memory) - mum's 70 and tells me weekly how much it's fantastic so money well spent

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bfets

Any good recommendations for a dressing to use in the engine bay?

I wanted to try Koch Chemie Motorplast, but its out of stock everywhere.

https://www.detailstore.com.au/produ...39302017613879

The Detail Store recommended Angelwax Elixir as an replacement since they dont have an ETA on motorplast.

https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...dressing-500ml

I'd like something thats not going to attract a lot of dust and will just leave a nice new OEM type look to the engine bay.

FYI : Motorplast is back in stock -

https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...e-new-500ml-5l
https://kochexperts.com/au/shop/moto...nserver-500ml/

[bfets]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

FYI : Motorplast is back in stock -

https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...e-new-500ml-5l
https://kochexperts.com/au/shop/moto...nserver-500ml/

Nice! I'm really tempted to try this. Having said that, the D170 Hyper Dressing you suggested is awesome. Lightly spray the engine down with the pressure washer. Mist D170 over the entire engine bay and close the bonnet. Come back the next day to a super clean engine that was magically polished and dressed by some fairies overnight. Its like magic!

[oldel]

What do people here use for microfibre cloths?
I like to have a good range when I clean a decent car (or even my 30 year old cheap bmw), but because I was bored at work I thought I'd punish the faded and peeling shockwave ba ute again. I got started but then realised someone had pinched all my towels - had to finish the grinding work* with chux LOL.

Seriously, what I did like to have on hand is some general purpose 250GSM for the gritty stuff or interior.
something closer to 300gsm for prep, 450gsm for polish buffing and 600gsm for spray on sealants.

I work 46 hours a week for minimum wage, don't have time to shop around or pay big bucks.

I was going to buy the 250gsm "morgan" brand bunnings cheapies (20 for $10), then sabco 280 gsm for $12/8 pack, then while SCA had a meguires sale get their ~440gsm buffing and ~600/gsm detailing. But can't find stock and don't want to chase sllooooowwww interstate post to WA, or international, or amazon or ebay.

* touch up with a cardboard mask at a distance with a holts can. Attack where it's not peeling with a rotary buffer and wool pad with septones harsh compound, fix that resulting mess with a DA and megs ultimate, protect the damned thing with a sealant that stops it fading or peeling. Huge job. But the better rags are for my better BMW that I hope never ends up as bad as the BA. Also yes I'm a working poor, but I'm a car guy - and they need money - but best bang for buck and well researched spending is what they have. I guess if none can help then some others get some ideas at least, in that case outside of bunnings, kmart seem to have half decent ones for old cars at least.

[jgmdat]

Originally Posted by oldel

What do people here use for microfibre cloths?
I like to have a good range when I clean a decent car (or even my 30 year old cheap bmw), but because I was bored at work I thought I'd punish the faded and peeling shockwave ba ute again. I got started but then realised someone had pinched all my towels - had to finish the grinding work* with chux LOL.

Seriously, what I did like to have on hand is some general purpose 250GSM for the gritty stuff or interior.
something closer to 300gsm for prep, 450gsm for polish buffing and 600gsm for spray on sealants.

I work 46 hours a week for minimum wage, don't have time to shop around or pay big bucks.

I was going to buy the 250gsm "morgan" brand bunnings cheapies (20 for $10), then sabco 280 gsm for $12/8 pack, then while SCA had a meguires sale get their ~440gsm buffing and ~600/gsm detailing. But can't find stock and don't want to chase sllooooowwww interstate post to WA, or international, or amazon or ebay.

* touch up with a cardboard mask at a distance with a holts can. Attack where it's not peeling with a rotary buffer and wool pad with septones harsh compound, fix that resulting mess with a DA and megs ultimate, protect the damned thing with a sealant that stops it fading or peeling. Huge job. But the better rags are for my better BMW that I hope never ends up as bad as the BA. Also yes I'm a working poor, but I'm a car guy - and they need money - but best bang for buck and well researched spending is what they have. I guess if none can help then some others get some ideas at least, in that case outside of bunnings, kmart seem to have half decent ones for old cars at least.

Costco have Kirkland Signature Microfiber Towel 36 Pieces x 2 Pack for 63 bucks, works out around 88 cents each and they are good quality.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by oldel

What do people here use for microfibre cloths?
I like to have a good range when I clean a decent car (or even my 30 year old cheap bmw), but because I was bored at work I thought I'd punish the faded and peeling shockwave ba ute again. I got started but then realised someone had pinched all my towels - had to finish the grinding work* with chux LOL.

Seriously, what I did like to have on hand is some general purpose 250GSM for the gritty stuff or interior.
something closer to 300gsm for prep, 450gsm for polish buffing and 600gsm for spray on sealants.

I work 46 hours a week for minimum wage, don't have time to shop around or pay big bucks.

I was going to buy the 250gsm "morgan" brand bunnings cheapies (20 for $10), then sabco 280 gsm for $12/8 pack, then while SCA had a meguires sale get their ~440gsm buffing and ~600/gsm detailing. But can't find stock and don't want to chase sllooooowwww interstate post to WA, or international, or amazon or ebay.

* touch up with a cardboard mask at a distance with a holts can. Attack where it's not peeling with a rotary buffer and wool pad with septones harsh compound, fix that resulting mess with a DA and megs ultimate, protect the damned thing with a sealant that stops it fading or peeling. Huge job. But the better rags are for my better BMW that I hope never ends up as bad as the BA. Also yes I'm a working poor, but I'm a car guy - and they need money - but best bang for buck and well researched spending is what they have. I guess if none can help then some others get some ideas at least, in that case outside of bunnings, kmart seem to have half decent ones for old cars at least.

You will pay a markup for pre-packaged towels from the likes of Bowdens and Meguiars sold in the Big Box Stores.

General Purpose -
Edgeless 245 All Purpose, $1.95 each or 25 for $43.88 ($1.75ea)

https://carcareco.com.au/product/the...rofibre-towel/
https://carcareco.com.au/product/the...towel-25-pack/

Prep Towel -
Edgeless 300, $2.95 each or 10 for $26.55 ($2.65ea)

https://carcareco.com.au/product/the...tailing-towel/
https://carcareco.com.au/product/the...towel-10-pack/

Polishing and Buffing -

Creature Edgeless (These are dual sided so can do both jobs), $4.95 each or 5 for $23.50 ($4.70ea)

https://carcareco.com.au/product/the...rofiber-towel/
https://carcareco.com.au/product/the...-towel-5-pack/

[oldel]

Thanks.
Yeah I know if you buy name brands at auto stores you pay a massive mark up. I only bought from them when on sale. But you get what I'm after, different towels for different jobs.
In the past I just bought a bulk pack of whatever and the pile gets culled (or ruined) when using a towel for say wheel cleaning, or black trim restore, or very harsh compound etc. Then I end up down to a few of questionable GSM and may end up having to use that for spray sealant.

I want to get a range of grades like you linked, keeping some plush ones for spray sealant wipe off, another grade for buffing off wax or synthetic wax (if I ever use what I have). Then something else for polish, then low grade typical stuff for wheels, interior, black trim restorer etc. Keep them all separate so I don't go swirling the paint after spraying and wiping off a finishing spray sealant.

What grades would you suggest for 1) spray sealant (600gsm?), 2) synthetic liquid wax (400+?), 3) fine polish (310?), 4) light compound (such as meguires ultimate) (280?)
then just get 250 for the rest (or rags)

[jgmdat]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I have been wanting to try Motorplast for a while now, has been out of stock for nearly 10 months now. I think there is a shortage of ingredients that go into these sort of dressings, many similar products are also out of stock across the world.

If you have CarPro Perl, that will work just fine on engine bays.

However, if you can get your hands on some Meguiars D170 Hyper Dressing, then this would be the next best thing to Motorplast.

https://www.sparesbox.com.au/part/me...46ml-drtu17032
https://www.repco.com.au/en/car-care...032/p/A5576809

image

Hyper dressing is available only in Ready-to-use form or 3.8 litre undiluted bottles in Australia. Skip the larger size, there is no way you will use that much Hyper Dressing.

Hyper Dressing can be used on all unpainted exterior and interior plastics, tyres and engine bays. Like Motorplast, Hyper Dressing is self leveling and can be used on wet or dry surfaces. Simply clean the engine bay, mist with product and walk away. Follow up the next day to remove any excess.

Check out this video on a GT-350 using Hyper Dressing -

I can vouch for the Hyper Dressing, picked some up from Repco yesterday, I was using 303 for the engine bay but I really like how you can spray it on and get the spots you can't reach by hand.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by jgmdat

I can vouch for the Hyper Dressing, picked some up from Repco yesterday, I was using 303 for the engine bay but I really like how you can spray it on and get the spots you can't reach by hand.

Hyper dressing is one of those products that fly's under the radar a bit. A classic example of a Meguiars product being a tried and true performer.

You can also use Hyper Dressing on tyres, exterior trim, wheel wells and even interior plastics.

I use it neat on tyres..........

[CyberWasp]

Hey, I saw in Harvey Norman today that they now sell the McCulloch MC1385 Steam Cleaner.
Back when I was looking for a machine it was the one that most of the Detailers in the USA seem to recommend on Youtube.
It might be worth checking out to anyone who is looking for such a machine.
It is what I would have got back then if it had of been available.
Seems to be around the $500.00 mark and are not sure if there are specials off that price to be had.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Hey, I saw in Harvey Norman today that they now sell the McCulloch MC1385 Steam Cleaner.
Back when I was looking for a machine it was the one that most of the Detailers in the USA seem to recommend on Youtube.
It might be worth checking out to anyone who is looking for such a machine.
It is what I would have got back then if it had of been available.
Seems to be around the $500.00 mark and are not sure if there are specials off that price to be had.

image

Detailing Shed and The Detail Store have recently added the MC385 to their stores as well.

https://detailingshed.com.au/product...41feb0af&_ss=r
https://www.detailstore.com.au/produ...45bd3cbc&_ss=r

[DFB FGXR6]

There are literally thousands of car detailing products on the market. For a variety of reasons including marketing and social media promotion, some are more popular than others.

On the other side of the coin, there's also a variety of products that fly under the radar. Be that from poor promotion, poor brand image or at the expense of newer products and processes.

These are a couple of products that I think deserve more attention. You will note there is a heavy focus on Meguiars, owing to the fact they keep adding new products while continuing to make the older ones.

P21S Polishing Soap –

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...polishing-soap

This is a product that does its job and does it well. P21S is a combination of a soap and polishing abrasive used on a wet surfaces to clean up and add gloss to chrome wheels, chrome bumpers and exhaust tips. You won’t use this very often, but it is a worthy addition to the cabinet.




Meguiars D170 Hyper Dressing –

https://www.repco.com.au/en/car-care...032/p/A5576809

D170 is a product that seems so competent yet gets overshadowed by the marketing of other products, both in Megs own range and competitors. This is part of Meguiars Detailer range, but it’s so easy and forgiving to use that anyone can use it and get excellent results. Use for tyres, trim, engine bays, interior plastics and wheel wells.




Meguiars M39 Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner –

https://www.obsessedgarage.com/produ...9&_ss=e&_v=1.0

If you can find some, this is a great product to have on hand. Use M39 when other chemicals won’t do the job. M39 has the ability to deep clean rubber, vinyl and un-painted plastics. Think wax or polish-stained trim or when stripping trim ready for coatings.




NV Onyx –

https://www.waxit.com.au/products/nv...y&_ss=e&_v=1.0

This would have to be one of, if not THE best tyre dressing available. Now, of course what you prefer in a tyre dressing finish might be different to mine, but Onyx is adaptable. Apply heavily and don’t knock it back, you will have a shinier look. Apply sparingly and wipe it down and you will have a satin to matte sheen. It smells great, spreads smoothly, doesn’t sling and can removed easily with a scrub.






Meguiars Quick Interior Detailer –

https://www.automegastore.com.au/meg...SABEgL_MPD_BwE
https://www.automegastore.com.au/meg...detailer-473ml

Compared to more heavily marketed interior products like P&S Express or 303 Protectant, Megs QID is a forgotten gem. While this doesn’t have the cleaning ability of Express or the sheen of 303, as a product for regular ‘cleaning’ or ‘dusting’, QID is another Megs item that just does the job without fanfare. Lemon scented, it cleans light contamination off most interior surfaces, including screens, and leaves behind a small amount of protection. Finish is matte in appearance and available in the 3.8 lt Detailer range or in ready to use 473ml bottles.




P&S Paint Gloss –

https://detailingshed.com.au/product...bb98f1b7&_ss=r

This product tends to get overshadowed by Bead Maker and Dream Maker in the P&S line up. Being an old-fashioned Quick Detailer / Detail Spray, Paint Gloss is a hidden gem in my opinion. I use this as a drying aid and as a spot cleaner to remove bird droppings and it can also be used as a clay lubricant. While these sort of products seem redundant in an era of spray sealants, however I think there is still a need for a Quick Detailer in your arsenal.




Poorboys World Range

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections/poorboy-s-world

These are a range of American products that have been around for decades now. The labels are plain and very dated, and the brand simply does not market their product much, even in the US. And yet these are a range of products that have a lot of appeal to detailers and hobbyists. The Wheel Sealant is very good and smells nice and Bug Squash was a staple of mine for many years.






Duragloss Range –

https://www.carcareproducts.com.au/duragloss.html

Another US brand with minimal footprint in Australia. These are well proven products that a lot of US guys swear by, in particular 253 Tyre & Rubber Dressing, 951 Aquawax and 901 Car Wash.

[DFB FGXR6]

I hate doing this as it's so wasteful, but this duo found a new home in the rubbish bin this afternoon.



I have not used either in a very long time, so in effect, they were wasting space in my cabinet.

The Ultimate Compound is a slight variation on M105 Ultra Cut Compound sold under Meguiars Mirror Glaze professional line. UC is said to contain a little more lubrication to make it more forgiving for consumer use. Having said that, whenever I did try to use Ultimate Compound, I always found it a battle to work with. So no great loss.

[prydey]

I'm sure I asked this question a while back but it's for a different purpose this time.

Waterless wash products. Spray on, wipe off or similar. What's a good user friendly product?

Its for a Jayco caravan with fibreglass sides. Gloss finish. Where I park it at home I don't have a hose long enough and it's not really convenient.



Something good value would be preferred over outright quality as its a lot of area and swirl marks etc won't matter.

Thanks in advance.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by prydey

I'm sure I asked this question a while back but it's for a different purpose this time.

Waterless wash products. Spray on, wipe off or similar. What's a good user friendly product?

Its for a Jayco caravan with fibreglass sides. Gloss finish. Where I park it at home I don't have a hose long enough and it's not really convenient.

image

Something good value would be preferred over outright quality as its a lot of area and swirl marks etc won't matter.

Thanks in advance.

I use this on The Dragon Lady's Terry (I can do that as it's not a proper car ) Made to work with the new Vileda cloth type chamois.

Good for getting rid of overnight rain marks -it rains mud around here in summer- but I wouldn't use it on real road grime. You slop it on with the Vileda cloth, the more water the better. Then use the same cloth as a chamois to dry it.

The cloth was apparently made in collaboration with Autoglym.

https://www.autoglym.com.au/quikrefresh

https://www.autoglym.com.au/instadry-with-storage-bag

[prydey]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

I use this on The Dragon Lady's Terry (I can do that as it's not a proper car ) Made to work with the new Vileda cloth type chamois.

Good for getting rid of overnight rain marks -it rains mud around here in summer- but I wouldn't use it on real road grime. You slop it on with the Vileda cloth, the more water the better. Then use the same cloth as a chamois to dry it.

The cloth was apparently made in collaboration with Autoglym.

https://www.autoglym.com.au/quikrefresh

https://www.autoglym.com.au/instadry-with-storage-bag


image

Interesting that they use the same cloth to wash and dry. Sounds like a good option and would last longer (the product) than a spray on product.

Not sure I agree with your comments about the Territory

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

I'm sure I asked this question a while back but it's for a different purpose this time.

Waterless wash products. Spray on, wipe off or similar. What's a good user friendly product?

Its for a Jayco caravan with fibreglass sides. Gloss finish. Where I park it at home I don't have a hose long enough and it's not really convenient.

image

Something good value would be preferred over outright quality as its a lot of area and swirl marks etc won't matter.

Thanks in advance.

Firstly, there is a difference between water-less washing and rinse-less washing.

Water-less washing - just that, no water apart from making up your solution. Spray on, wipe off. Flip and fold your towel often as you do not rinse out between sections.

Rinse-less washing - in this case you will be using a bucket filled with water and product. You soak towels in this mix and use them to wipe over the surface, drying with a clean/dry towel. In this method, a used/dirty towel never re-enters the bucket, you just grab another clean on and continue. This method is the safer of the two in terms of scratching.

These video show what I mean -

Short version -



Long version -



Something like Bowdens Clean Detail or Meguiars Water-less wash only come in small ready-to-use bottles. Considering how big it is, I think you will want a concentrate bottle of water-less/rinse-less wash. I'm struggling to think of a product like this available through the likes of Repco ect, so forgive me for going with what I know -

Optimum No Rinse -
https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...nse-wash-shine

McKee's N-914 -
https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...ash-946ml-3-8l

Both of those are super concentrated so a bottle will last you a very long time. Of the two, ONR would be better for your situation, although N-914 is more concentrated and slightly cheaper. Roll a dice?

Considering you want to use the water-less approach, you can then mix it up is a pump action sprayer, spray the van down and wipe it up with a towel. You did mention not being too concerned about scratching, however I would probably want to get a couple of large dedicated towels that can do this job easily. Nothing fancy though, I think a large waffle weave would be ideal for this, one for each side perhaps?

https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...wel-64-x-100cm

[prydey]

Thanks as always. A very detailed response. Not to belittle Gaso's response. Also a very good suggestion considering the 'vehicle' in question.

Firstly I'll put my hand up and admit I wasn't aware of rinse less washing. This sounds like a good compromise. I guess it gives me a use for my forgotten big green sucker as well.

Actually a mix of both methods so no doubt be required. Some trips out doesn't get very dirty at all so a quick spray down and wipe off would be fine. Other times the rinse less would work better.

With my old van I'd wash it with car wash and then will around with a watering can to rinse it down. It's parked on dirt and would make quite a mess.

Thanks again.

[CyberWasp]

There is one other option.
Some of the pressure washers will work out of a bucket if you set them up correctly.
This is assuming you have a power source though.
(Although there are battery pressure washers too)
I have used this method successfully during water shortages.
If you are frugal you can wash a car on one large bucket.
For you though you will need to use approx 4 - 6 of them i would guess.