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Stultus posted:Not sure if anyone else uses these products, but I use Adam's Polishes in basically every aspect of detailing my car from exterior to interior. Their stuff is a bit on the pricier side, but it's pretty much fool proof to work with and all of it seems to work amazingly on all the cars I've worked on. PitViper posted:What does everyone use for interiors? I HATE the super glossy Armor-All look, so I've been using a low-gloss Meguiar's interior spray. It cleans and leaves a very faint shine, but I'm wondering if there's something better I could try. Frozen-Solid posted:1) I live in an apartment and don't have access to a hose. The process is explained here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYOAyxsEIuQ Optimum No Rinse also makes a great clay bar lube and quick detailer. I mix the quick detailer in a one gallon pump garden sprayer.
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Mar 26, 2012 06:12
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Frozen-Solid posted:That is seriously awesome and just what I was hoping to find out about. If doing that is all it'll take every few weeks to keep my car looking awesome I'll be using it in a second. I'm assuming you can get that kinda thing at Autozone or O'reilly? I haven't used any of the competing stuff, but the general term for the product is "rinseless wash*". If you have a Camping World near you, they should have something called Quick & Easy Wash which is a similar product. Again, I've never used it and Optimum No Rinse seems like the most popular product in the category if you look around Autogeek. * not to be confused with "waterless wash", which is a spray on/wipe off kind of a deal. Not as effective and more likely to scratch. TheGoatTrick fucked around with this message at 07:29 on Mar 26, 2012 |
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Mar 26, 2012 07:24
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Stultus posted:Also to add to drying the car, does anyone use the California Water blade? I found it really helpful since it knocks off a bulk of the water from the flat surfaces so you don't have to worry about over saturating your drying towel. Phone posted:Can people compile a list of the stuff that they use? I think that people would like to know what people use in an easy list. Wash: DP Xtreme Foam Car Wash and Gilmour Foamaster foam gun, bucket with grit guard Clay: Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay with Optimum No Rinse 6% solution Wax: Meguiars #16 (paint) and Finish Kare 1000P (wheels). The FK 1000P works great on paint too if you're looking for something durable. Zaino (Z5, Z2, and ZCS) is a good product too if you want something that is low maintenance and will last a long time. Polish: Menzerna Super Intensive Polish (with orange pad) and Super Finish (with white pad) Rinseless wash: Optimum No Rinse, 1 oz/gallon (2 gallons required) Quick detailers: Optimum No Rinse 6% solution (to remove stuff), Finish Kare 425 (for gloss) Exterior plastic and tires: Adam's (or Chemical Guys, it's the same thing) VRT Interior plastic: 303 Aerospace Protectant Leather: Leather Master Soft Cleaner and Protection Cream (also, vacuum and wipe down leather with warm water and a sponge regularly) Towels: Eurow Shag Weave Towel (buy the 10 pack!) and those yellow Vroom towels you can get at Target Wheels: Mothers wheel and tire brushes (work great inside the exhaust tips too) TheGoatTrick fucked around with this message at 21:52 on Mar 26, 2012 |
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Mar 26, 2012 21:49
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Weinertron posted:I'd really appreciate some pointers on how to set up a brand new daily driver for easy cosmetic maintenance. My game plan for keeping it in good shape is washes every week or two with optimum no rinse, water washes when I have more time and access to a hose, and either wax every 3 months or a sealant every 6 months. Is there anything I need to do beyond a wash and wax for a brand new car? I contacted a local detail shop just to see, and got this back, which sounds expensive for what it is and overall not worth it for a car that's going to get rock chips and such because it's just an everyday commuter. I've been using Optimum Optiseal for a few weeks and it's great. Literally can't get any easier than spraying a product on, spreading it around with an applicator, and having it flash off on its own. Since it's so easy to do, you'll do it more often, and if you do it more often, keeping a car clean is easy. You can top it with a wax (even a spray wax) for added gloss if you want. Apply wax to your wheels also. I do it every time I rotate my tires. I have one of those small California Car Dusters that I clean my wheels with in between washings and the wax (I'm using FK1000P) makes brake dust come off easy. Again, keeping them clean makes them easier to clean.
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Oct 19, 2012 01:54
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thegasman2000 posted:I am looking at cleaning under the hood but using a pressure washer scares me. Is it ok to just spray on some cleaner, no idea which?, and blast that poo poo off?
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Jan 26, 2013 19:06
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eames posted:Does it make sense to put another layer of wax over the existing layer of wax to refresh it or do I have to strip everything and start over from zero?
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May 5, 2013 17:17
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West SAAB Story posted:Any suggestions for helping to soften the leather in a car that has been baking in the sun for a few years? It's not crackled, yet, but it is a bit tight. Price points below the hundred dollar mark on supplies are greatly appreciated. Autogeek is having a sale today, use coupon code BUNNY15 to get 15% off your entire order.
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Apr 20, 2014 19:24
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meatpimp posted:Holy shitsnacks, that's awesome. I'll be doing that, let it dry for a few weeks, then 3M Spray clearing it: http://www.amazon.com/3M-90000-Paint-Defender-Spray/dp/B00BSKYM82
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Sep 2, 2014 04:46
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MrOnBicycle posted:Jesus christ I hate seagulls. I'll be damned if I don't have to wipe poo poo off the car every time I use it. Haven't really got any alterantives for parking right now neither.
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Apr 25, 2015 19:04
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Larrymer posted:I'd recoat the headlights with something afterwards. They do a great job polishing but the UV just makes them yellow again in 6 months. Not sure what the best solution for that is, though.
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Apr 26, 2015 00:08
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Phone posted:The ice trick isn't working to get the gum out of one of the floor mats in the ND. Should I step it up to dry ice?
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Jul 12, 2016 15:54
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Mat_Drinks posted:I've yet to use the gtechniq stuff and in general I feel like there is a lack of information out there on it other than pro detailers saying it works on the Internet, but I don't really trust that. A family member's car was just done in a similar coating called CS-II. Haven't washed it yet, but initial impressions are very, very good. 
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Jul 1, 2017 23:59
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Hikaki posted:Also, too much soap couldn't have possibly removed the sealant too, could it? TheGoatTrick fucked around with this message at 08:03 on Jul 2, 2017 |
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Jul 2, 2017 07:58
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Hikaki posted:My friend put on something called McKee's 37 Wheel Coating on his brand new wheels and it feels like it didn't do poo poo for protecting against brake dust, so I'm a little skeptical. You can also brush the brake dust off easily when the wheels are dry using a California Car Duster. The small one that is used for dashboards works well.
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Jul 3, 2017 08:35
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Hikaki posted:The car duster looks interesting. Would it be a good idea to forgo actual washes and just dust the car every week? I have it garaged and my last wash was 80% just to remove a layer of dust. For stuff like bug guts, I'm thinking of getting a rinseless wash in a spray bottle and just doing spot cleaning.
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Jul 3, 2017 23:34
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TheGoatTrick posted:Heh, I just bought Gtechniq Cystal Serum Light and Exo V3 today. Will report back.  (Sup, Hikaki?  )The Gtechnic products are very easy to use. I followed this guide, but I substituted a 10% IPA solution for the Panel Wipe. Both products have plenty of working time before they cure so you don't have to rush. They apply kind of thick, but there's no pressure needed on the towel to remove the excess. All the excess got removed on the first pass with a towel but I went over each section with a second towel just to be sure. I got a big pack of new microfiber towels from Costco and replaced them whenever I felt the towel start to drag on the surface. Costco microfibers are cheap and worked just fine if you want to throw them away. I washed mine and they seem fine so I'll use them around the house. The hardest part was the prep, as usual. I didn't have a bright enough light to check my work while polishing, so I had to pull the car out into the sunlight. Because of the angle of the light, I missed some micromarring, especially on the vertical panels. I always have the most trouble with those. In retrospect, I should have used a black pad instead of white to finish. Oh well, it's still an overall improvement over the swirls that were there before. Previously, I had OptiSeal topped with Meguiar's #16 Carnauba. It gave the car a nice, diffuse glow in sunlight. The Gtechnic looks sharp and crisp in comparison, if that makes sense. A couple more pictures of the Gtechniq in different lighting:  
TheGoatTrick fucked around with this message at 22:54 on Jul 4, 2017 |
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Jul 4, 2017 06:34
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Hikaki posted:That's awesome! Is that the arctic white or ceramic? I can't quite tell; it looks more like arctic white with the Gtechniq and more like ceramic with the OptiSeal. That's without anything else on top. You can put something on top if you like, but then it will just have the surface properties of whatever is on top. I want to try out the hydrophobic properties of the Exo V3, so I'm going to leave it as is.
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Jul 4, 2017 23:00
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TheGoatTrick posted:It is done. Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light under two coats of Gtechniq Exo V3. I have washed the car properly only one time in the last 5 months and that was just to see how things were holding up. The surface remains slick to the point that you can set a soapy sponge on the hood and it'll slide a bit. Otherwise, I've just been going to the self serve car wash every few weeks. Hit it with the spot free rinse (or high pressure if there are water spots) and drive off. Half a mile down the road, all of the water has beaded off and the car is dry. Hell, you can park it in the rain and once you drive off, it's clean. I did find some excess coating that I had missed removing. But even a few weeks after application, I was able to get it off with one pass of M205 and an orange pad. So overall, I highly recommend this product and I'm totally on board with the concept of ceramic coatings in general. This one is also highly rated from what I've read on detailing forums. It's 1/3 of the price and way easier to apply. I bought a bottle for my other car. Haven't had a chance to try it but if it's even 70% as good I'll be very happy. TheGoatTrick fucked around with this message at 19:09 on Dec 9, 2017 |
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Dec 9, 2017 18:44
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a mysterious cloak posted:Really thinking hard about doing this with my new GTI. a mysterious cloak posted:Speaking of the new GTI, did it literally come with spiderwebbing pre-installed in the paint? a mysterious cloak posted:the car is black
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Jan 14, 2018 21:27
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MomJeans420 posted:Now that everyone is using these new ceramic coatings, is there a recommended one that isn't ridiculously expensive? Results are pretty decent for a $40 product. 
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Apr 9, 2018 00:21
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Larrymer posted:Does it last any longer than a normal sealant? I've heard claims but would rather hear first hand instead of marketing bs. Even if it only lasts as long as a normal sealant, you still get the benefits of a coating. It's easy to spot clean and you can drive off in a wet (not necessarily clean) car and have it clean and dry after a few minutes.
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Apr 9, 2018 02:03
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TacoHavoc posted:Do you wax over the sealant? It's outside my normal compound/polish/wax routine so help me understand how this stuff works... - Hydrophobic, which means you can drive off with a wet car and it'll be dry quickly, much more so than with a regular sealant or wax. Water beads up and falls off the car, taking any dust/dirt with it. If your car lives outside and is wet when you drive off in the morning, it stays fairly clean on its own. Also, since nothing really sticks to the paint, most water spots and grease can be removed with just a high pressure rinse and no soap or scrubbing. - Swirl resistant, due to being harder than clearcoat. Some coatings are harder than others. At the very least, the ability to keep your car clean without using a sponge or drying (due to above) will help with reducing swirls. - Easy to spot clean; bird crap, etc. doesn't stick to coatings as much as it does to paint. You can put wax over a coating if you want, but you'll lose the hydrophobic and easy-to-clean properties. There's a good overall explanation here. Also, my previous posts: https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3474488&pagenumber=63&perpage=40#post474020997 https://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3474488&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=68#post479176308
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Apr 9, 2018 02:55
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Larrymer posted:Maybe I'm cynical but sealant seems to be similar but only lasts for a few months here.
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Apr 9, 2018 15:34
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I'm using a foam sprayer with a garden hose instead of a soap bucket. Very convenient and gets the soap distributed evenly.
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Jun 22, 2018 15:53
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prom candy posted:Probably asked and answered a number of times but do you guys have a preferred spray/method for dealing with bird poo poo? 2. Place a towel over the bird poo poo 3. Pour water over towel, soaking it 4. Let sit for 3-5 minutes 5. Remove towel, anything remaining on paint should wipe up easily The hot water softens it so you don't have to scrub and risk scratching. The towel holds the water in place.
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Jul 18, 2018 23:37
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prom candy posted:Oh nice, thanks! Hot like steaming or hot like warm?
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Jul 19, 2018 01:54
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ThirstyBuck posted:Yes, please do this. I am looking to give my 20 year old M3 some much needed love.  A day's work. You've already got everything you need, although I used a ceramic instead of wax. I used Gyeon Q2 Mohs ceramic coating. I've since used Gyeon Q2 Pure on another car and would recommend that- it's applied in one thick coat instead of two thinner ones, which saves time.
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Sep 9, 2018 19:31
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dphi posted:I bought a couple of these while deciding whether I want to do coat my car or not, can somebody go more into the maintenance after coating? Quick detailer: Diluted Optimum No Rinse. Basically, anything without any sort of additional wax or other protectant will work well. ONR was recommended by someone who coats cars for a living. Make sure you get the blue one and not the green one- the green contains a sealant. During wash: If you want to maintain the hydrophobic part of the coating (or make it even better), Gyeon WetCoat is really nice. Wash the car, spray it on, spray it off with high pressure. The instructions say to use a pressure washer, but I've also gotten good results with just a hose and jet nozzle. After wash: Gyeon Cure is a "maintenance" spray that contains silica (ceramic). I use this every few months after a full wash. Just spray it on the car as you wipe dry. CarPro Reload is a similar product. The CarPro is cheaper, but I'm still working through all the Cure that comes in the Gyeon coating kits. Water spots: Gyeon WaterSpot kind works if the water spots are fresh. Keep in mind it will reduce the hydrophobicity of your coating, so you'll want to follow up with WetCoat.
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Sep 11, 2018 05:33
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dphi posted:if it will make cleaning off the sap any easier.
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Sep 12, 2018 01:56
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Evil SpongeBob posted:E: But it does look like detailing.com's showroom is right by me. Hooray!  Detailing.com is my favorite store and they have 20% off this weekend. I'd get:- Nanoskin clay sponge or towel - Optimum No Rinse, to be used as a clay lube and quick detailer - Soap of your choice (anything they sell there will work) - Optimum OptiSeal sealant - Adam's VRT for tires/exterior plastic (I like it because it's water based instead of silicone based and Adam's makes a nice applicator as well) - 303 Aerospace Protectant for interior plastic They have some spray sealants that contain ceramics (Gyeon CanCoat or Gtechnic C2V3) if you want to try that route as well instead of the OptiSeal. They won't be any harder to apply than the OptiSeal. And they carry a bunch of full on Ceramic coatings as well.
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Nov 23, 2018 19:56
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Evil SpongeBob posted:Went to the detailer.com store today Remember not to wash your drying towels and wax towels together.
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Nov 25, 2018 08:11
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Coming up on 2 years with Ceramic coating now (Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light and Exo V3). After a quick wash last week:  The coating is still functioning well. I'd say 90-95% of the beading that it had when originally applied and pretty much all of the gloss. I do maintain it with a drying aid, which I'm sure is helping with the longevity. I have been using CarPro ECH2O. It's like Optimum No Rinse; you can use it as a rinseless wash, waterless wash, or quick detailer. It has silica, so it works really nicely with the ceramic coating, and it seems to be slightly thicker than ONR. I'm also using it as part of the mixture in the drying aid, which provides an incredible amount of gloss and can make a dusty car appear reasonably clean. If you have a ceramic coating, I highly recommend mixing this up: - 1 part CarPro ECH2O - 1 part Gyeon Cure (or CarPro Reload, or any silica spray sealant - 8 parts distilled water
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Jun 3, 2019 05:13
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Red_Fred posted:I had the idea the other night to ceramic coat my wheels as they get covered in brake dust very quickly (the fronts within a day or two of washing). Does anyone have any recommended products? I've never ceramics coated before and do plan to do the rest of the car but only once I'm better at polishing etc. I'm using Gyeon Wet Coat on my wheels. Just spray it on and rinse it off. I'm sure an actual coating would work better, but for the amount of time and money invested I'm very pleased with it.
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Jun 22, 2019 16:45
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TheFonz posted:Anyone have any cleaning regimens to follow beyond frequent touchless washes to maintain a ceramic coating? TheGoatTrick posted:I have been using CarPro ECH2O. It's like Optimum No Rinse; you can use it as a rinseless wash, waterless wash, or quick detailer. It has silica, so it works really nicely with the ceramic coating, and it seems to be slightly thicker than ONR. I'm also using it as part of the mixture in the drying aid, which provides an incredible amount of gloss and can make a dusty car appear reasonably clean. If you have a ceramic coating, I highly recommend mixing this up:
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Jul 4, 2019 17:51
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honda whisperer posted:Birds have decided to poo poo all over my car. Running it through a touchless car wash didn't get it all off.
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Dec 14, 2019 16:39
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Arson Daily posted:Time for some new towels as mine are getting pretty tired. Any suggestions? I don’t need anything pricey since both my vehicles are 150k+ mile DD’s but the ability to choose colors would be a plus.
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Dec 15, 2019 17:55
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I bought a brand new car that had been sitting on the dealer lot for a year. Coated it this weekend and used an iron remover during prep. Had to do three passes with the iron remover, but it saved a ton of time and effort when I clayed it later.  
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Dec 16, 2019 00:22
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MetaJew posted:What iron remover did you use? I bought a bottle of the Meguiar's Mirror Bright wheel cleaner from a local Pepboys for, I want to say $6, that had a iron removing formula. I think the price was pretty good in comparison to other wheel cleaners I've used, but I only got 3-4 car washes out of it and I can't find it stocked locally anymore. Car turned out pretty nice. After the iron remover, I used Griot's BOSS Correcting Cream and an orange pad for correction. The car was then coated with my favorite ceramic combo- one coat of Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light and two coats of Gtechniq Exo. This is supposed to be my daily driver that I don't have to put too much effort into. Oops.  
TheGoatTrick fucked around with this message at 07:04 on Dec 16, 2019 |
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Dec 16, 2019 06:56
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Evil SpongeBob posted:I'm happy with detailing.com. Not a lot of reviews on their products, but stuff is always in stock.
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May 2, 2020 16:47
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MomJeans420 posted:With the disclaimer that I haven't used it yet, I bought this ceramic coating and it must have been because this thread recommended it. The only problem I had is I bought it, waited almost a year to use it, and it had turned into an unusable jelly.
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May 21, 2020 15:16
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