Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[MITCHAY]

I just have to say mate I admire how dedicated you are and the results are amazing!

I ****en hate washing my car nowadays and can't remember the last time I did it but over a year for sure

[stannoplan]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Yep!



....

Secondly, I find that a lot of "non-car people" who are sold a ceramic coating then believe the coating makes the paint indestructible. They therefore never wash it, and when they do, its usually at some sort of touchless car wash and all the harsh chemicals that come with that. Yes, a coating should resist that, but they can't resist neglect.

...

NV EVO gets good reviews, it's actually a hybrid Graphene coating. I would rule out Gtechniq CSL, it's an amazing coating but I feel its longevity is lacking compared to the competition. If it were me, I would be doing Gyeon Mohs EVO, this brings the longevity up without sacrificing slickness, something missing from most coatings.

In this case, I would be giving it a light polish to remove anything that might be lingering (if at all), and/or a wipe down with Gyeon's new Total Remover, then Gyeon Prep, then Mohs.

https://www.detailstore.com.au/produ...8c5f4949&_ss=r

Thanks DFB, I think it was neglect and car washes to be most likely the cause. I do find a 3 month top up with a detailer (Boost V2 etc) following a decon has the coatings just like new, whereas as the Tesla I did with CQUk3.0, the owner is saying its noticeably lost a bit of beading after 18 months and being 20 he does wash with the Snow I gave him but has never used the detailer. Just shows that you need to maintain.

I think I'll follow my usual routine of Lift, IronX with clay mitt, Essence with LC Orange pads, Reveal Strong (just ordered last night), NV Evo.

I think the EVO is the best option given the driver is a young, busy person and she doesn't have the time to maintain as much as I would. @bfets I do agree with you and both my personal cars are done manually by me with spray coatings and toppers. Nothing like it.

Thankyou all again for your assistance. Now I'm just waiting for my massive Waxit order to come, at least I saved over $200 and finally got my pressure washer upgrade kit and MTM Cannon as recommended here.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by stannoplan

Thanks DFB, I think it was neglect and car washes to be most likely the cause. I do find a 3 month top up with a detailer (Boost V2 etc) following a decon has the coatings just like new, whereas as the Tesla I did with CQUk

I've said it here time and time again about coatings, this is the reason I don't have them on my garage queens and I only coated the territory as a set and forget. On my Fairlane Sportsman I did the tops as I was parking under trees every day, so it was like a strong sacrifiial layer.

The thing is, coatings just require so much maintenance. If you are having to top a coating, you may as well just use a great spray wax or something like 845 and then top it. Then you have great protection, better gloss, better water behaviour and less maintenance than a ceramic coating.

My Territory, it's coated with Nova EVO. Now I am impressed with the coating but I did it two years ago and washed it around once every two months. It is covered in water spots now, i mean covered. I spent a fair amount of time trying to get them out without taking the coating off during the two years it's been on.

If I take into account the mount of time i've spent preparing for the coating, then dealing with water spots, having to "clean" the coating. I would have been much better off using 845 or Lustre and just re-doing that every 6 months. Then I also wouldn't have a car covered in water spots.

I'm convinced for the average punter ceramic coatings are sold as a marketing gymic to get more money out of people. Because the average punter does not look after the coating and it goes to crap within 6 months as it's had no maintenance.

I am happy I used Nova EVO on my Sportsman as the amount of tree sap and filth that went on it over two years was massive and I didn't top it and neglected it. I will just correct it to take the coating off and do 845 next detail.

[stannoplan]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

I've said it here time and time again about coatings, this is the reason I don't have them on my garage queens and I only coated the territory as a set and forget. On my Fairlane Sportsman I did the tops as I was parking under trees every day, so it was like a strong sacrifiial layer.

The thing is, coatings just require so much maintenance. If you are having to top a coating, you may as well just use a great spray wax or something like 845 and then top it. Then you have great protection, better gloss, better water behaviour and less maintenance than a ceramic coating.

My Territory, it's coated with Nova EVO. Now I am impressed with the coating but I did it two years ago and washed it around once every two months. It is covered in water spots now, i mean covered. I spent a fair amount of time trying to get them out without taking the coating off during the two years it's been on.

If I take into account the mount of time i've spent preparing for the coating, then dealing with water spots, having to "clean" the coating. I would have been much better off using 845 or Lustre and just re-doing that every 6 months. Then I also wouldn't have a car covered in water spots.

I'm convinced for the average punter ceramic coatings are sold as a marketing gymic to get more money out of people. Because the average punter does not look after the coating and it goes to crap within 6 months as it's had no maintenance.

I am happy I used Nova EVO on my Sportsman as the amount of tree sap and filth that went on it over two years was massive and I didn't top it and neglected it. I will just correct it to take the coating off and do 845 next detail.

Agree with your comments, I think it does depend on the use case. I did 3 cars for just over $100 with the EVO and with quarterly minor maintenance (QD/drying aid) they are going fine. I would not have the energy across 6 cars to decon, prep and spray coat every 3-6 months. I do spray coats, glossy detailers etc for my personal cars and the ceramic suits my family and friends.

I did have 1 EVO covered car, black, with water spot issues but only on the bonnet and not the roof. After all of it i believe it was coming up from underneath. Did a big remover exercise and polish, covered it with a wet look sealant (Lustre or Seal and Shine?) and its going ok.

Thanks for your comments.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by stannoplan

I think I'll follow my usual routine of Lift, IronX with clay mitt, Essence with LC Orange pads, Reveal Strong (just ordered last night), NV Evo.

Just be careful with that one, it is as the name suggests, STRONG. Rupes recommend spraying into the towel and never onto the surface, I've seen people do that and winced. It's the same story with Gtechniq Panel Wipe, apparently it can soften clear coat if used improperly.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by stannoplan

Agree with your comments, I think it does depend on the use case. I did 3 cars for just over $100 with the EVO and with quarterly minor maintenance (QD/drying aid) they are going fine. I would not have the energy across 6 cars to decon, prep and spray coat every 3-6 months. I do spray coats, glossy detailers etc for my personal cars and the ceramic suits my family and friends.

I did have 1 EVO covered car, black, with water spot issues but only on the bonnet and not the roof. After all of it i believe it was coming up from underneath. Did a big remover exercise and polish, covered it with a wet look sealant (Lustre or Seal and Shine?) and its going ok.

Thanks for your comments.

If the minerals that caused the water spot are not neutralized with the appropriate chemical, you will see that happening, as in the water spots returning again and again despite being polished "out". This happens as the panel heats up again out in the sun, dissolving the minerals and allowing them to raise to the surface and reappear as a water spot.

Ivan from DIY Detail explains it the best -



These products are acidic and dissolve and neutralize the minerals, allowing you to then polish away the visible effects left by those minerals. What I have noticed with these products is it's important to allow them to soak long enough, I think a lot of people spray them on and wipe off immediately. You need to allow the product to work long enough, just don't let it dry.

[fordomatic]

In my case the territory had no water spots before I did the correction.

[stannoplan]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

What I have noticed with these products is it's important to allow them to soak long enough, I think a lot of people spray them on and wipe off immediately. You need to allow the product to work long enough, just don't let it dry.

That's what I got from the video when you posted it for me last time. Longer soak time and the agitation I felt had the best effect.

[swamp]

hi
Had water spotting/deposits on glass
Toyota Yaris Mica black
Paint compounded ok
On glass used water spot remover and 3 inch rotary with a hard foam pads . Taped up all window rubbers . Worked well . Interestingly the spot remover suggests doing by hand ,, would take forever to do by hand .

[DFB FGXR6]

Excellent video that focuses on engine bay cleaning.



I use the same process using the similar tools and chemicals. While I use Green Star, I don't foam it because I find it can be very difficult to rinse, which you can see in the video.

If you did want to use foam, I would swap the Green Star for something like NV Snow+ or Carpro Lift. Otherwise, Green Star or any APC sprayed and then scrubbed as shown in the video. I would also swap the Motorplaste for Meg's Hyper Dressing, Motorplaste is a touch too glossy for my taste.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by swamp

hi
Had water spotting/deposits on glass
Toyota Yaris Mica black
Paint compounded ok
On glass used water spot remover and 3 inch rotary with a hard foam pads . Taped up all window rubbers . Worked well . Interestingly the spot remover suggests doing by hand ,, would take forever to do by hand .

If I have read this correctly, does this mean you applied the water spot remover to a foam pad and worked it with a rotary polisher? If so, water spot removers are not used like that, rather sprayed onto the surface, allowed to dwell, then wiped with a towel and rinsed to neutralize the chemical.

[bfets]

Speaking of wax's DFB, have you ever tried Soft99's Fusso coat? I've read some good things. I'm a big fan of Collinite 845 as you know but I've been wondering if I should try Fusso or Gyeon Q2 wax just for the fun of it.

My only complaint with 845, and it might be my own fault for applying too much, is that it creates those white wax lines in the nooks and crannies, next to decals and so on.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bfets

Speaking of wax's DFB, have you ever tried Soft99's Fusso coat? I've read some good things. I'm a big fan of Collinite 845 as you know but I've been wondering if I should try Fusso or Gyeon Q2 wax just for the fun of it.

My only complaint with 845, and it might be my own fault for applying too much, is that it creates those white wax lines in the nooks and crannies, next to decals and so on.

For whatever reason, the Soft99 range doesn't grab me, that doesn't mean its no good, just I haven't approached the brand yet.

As for Gyeon Q2 Wax, it's a nice product. It's as close as a wax will get to ceramic coating-like hydrophobics, which is due to the fluorine they added to the formula. The only drawback is the lack on longevity, but on a garage queen, I wouldn't let that hold you back.

I just wish Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant was still available in Australia, its amazingly slick and fantastic on deeper colours.

[bfets]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

For whatever reason, the Soft99 range doesn't grab me, that doesn't mean its no good, just I haven't approached the brand yet.

As for Gyeon Q2 Wax, it's a nice product. It's as close as a wax will get to ceramic coating-like hydrophobics, which is due to the fluorine they added to the formula. The only drawback is the lack on longevity, but on a garage queen, I wouldn't let that hold you back.

I just wish Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant was still available in Australia, its amazingly slick and fantastic on deeper colours.

Thanks DFB. I think Fusso also has the same fluorine added to it. From memory Fusso actually means fluorine in Japanese.

[fordomatic]

Forgive me wallet, for I have sinned.

I am now fully corldless. I was really torn about just getting this one https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...ss-mini-rotary but I think having the RO capability as well, will be nice in the mini. Would have saved me $240 though.

Also got some Snow + in that order that isn't visable

[stannoplan]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Forgive me wallet, for I have sinned.

I am now fully corldless.

Also got some Snow + in that order that isn't visable

image

oh dear. delivered today, waiting on my front porch.

[FTE217]

good buying fellas, all the kind of my go to brands and types, can't go wrong, EOFY always bites you haha

[DFB FGXR6]

The Waxit sale came up at the right time for me, nothing "new", rather restocking some high usage products.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

The Waxit sale came up at the right time for me, nothing "new", rather restocking some high usage products.

image

Urgh, that just made me realise I forgot to put in Hydro Lite. Just emailed and asked if i can have it added so I don't have to pay postage, see what happens.

[bangm001]

Okay all, bare with me again. Second car i can say i have now polished! And yes my back still hurts! Albeit a little less than last time.. Read below!
Few variances from my previous post (thanks so much dfb).

I'v had this 2005 Ba typhoon since 2007. Only ever used auto-glym polishes and waxes done lightly by hand. Its all original ford factory paint except for the front bar. Car had alot of light scratches from washing and wiping over the years. Backyard detailing and paint maintenance has come a long way in nearly 20 years!

Ok so first pic, wash using (as recommended here) carpro reset and multiple step bucket system with grates. Loved the reset.



It then got an autoglym magma treatment (used the last I had and will now be replaced), wipe down and then a meguiars clay using their qik detailer.



It then was masked up using proper detailing tape, and then polishing "trials" began..





I began as last time with the shinemate orange pads and Scholl S20, but as always DFB is correct and after alot of playing found the blue shine-mate pad and the S20 the best for the ford paint! There was a couple of areas with deeper scratches which mostly came out with the m Scholl S2 cutting compound, followed by the S20. These are a nice polishes, they just finish off nicely and most importantly for a backyarder like me, doesnt affect the black plastics of the car.

I will say that this time i probablly went a little lighter with the amount of polish applied and as such, didn't get anywhere near the amount of polishing dust as last time. I feel like i used a few less microfibres this time around also!

Anyway, after polishing the whole car, it then got a Scholl wax treatment which again is very easy to apply being a liquid wax.

Final pic here doesn't really do it justice, but you get the idea that now there are pretty much zero marks, scratches etc. Unlike the mazda, this car has been extremely well looked after but it still required the same amount of work as the mazda in terms of prep and time.



Anyone wanting to tackle a bit of backyard polishing, i highly recommend the Shine-mate enthusiast polishing kit, and DFBs advice! Which leads me to also say that the detailing chair is absolutely awsome, and definatelty has helped make the work be more enjoyable. I will also say that i thought that polishing under fluoro lights in the garage would have made things easier, but found either the lighting in the shed, (my fussiness being higher than last time) and maybe the yellow of the falcon, was always chasing a good lighting angle to make sure the polisher was doing what i wanted it to do. If i was doing this daily, i would 100% get detailing lights all around the shed.

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Urgh, that just made me realise I forgot to put in Hydro Lite. Just emailed and asked if i can have it added so I don't have to pay postage, see what happens.

I lucked out, order was already done by 8 this morning. I'll go with the turtle wax equivalent until my next Waxit order.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bangm001

Okay all, bare with me again. Second car i can say i have now polished! And yes my back still hurts! Albeit a little less than last time.. Read below!
Few variances from my previous post (thanks so much dfb).

I'v had this 2005 Ba typhoon since 2007. Only ever used auto-glym polishes and waxes done lightly by hand. Its all original ford factory paint except for the front bar. Car had alot of light scratches from washing and wiping over the years. Backyard detailing and paint maintenance has come a long way in nearly 20 years!

Ok so first pic, wash using (as recommended here) carpro reset and multiple step bucket system with grates. Loved the reset.

image

It then got an autoglym magma treatment (used the last I had and will now be replaced), wipe down and then a meguiars clay using their qik detailer.

image

It then was masked up using proper detailing tape, and then polishing "trials" began..

image

image

I began as last time with the shinemate orange pads and Scholl S20, but as always DFB is correct and after alot of playing found the blue shine-mate pad and the S20 the best for the ford paint! There was a couple of areas with deeper scratches which mostly came out with the m Scholl S2 cutting compound, followed by the S20. These are a nice polishes, they just finish off nicely and most importantly for a backyarder like me, doesnt affect the black plastics of the car.

I will say that this time i probablly went a little lighter with the amount of polish applied and as such, didn't get anywhere near the amount of polishing dust as last time. I feel like i used a few less microfibres this time around also!

Anyway, after polishing the whole car, it then got a Scholl wax treatment which again is very easy to apply being a liquid wax.

Final pic here doesn't really do it justice, but you get the idea that now there are pretty much zero marks, scratches etc. Unlike the mazda, this car has been extremely well looked after but it still required the same amount of work as the mazda in terms of prep and time.

image

Anyone wanting to tackle a bit of backyard polishing, i highly recommend the Shine-mate enthusiast polishing kit, and DFBs advice! Which leads me to also say that the detailing chair is absolutely awsome, and definatelty has helped make the work be more enjoyable. I will also say that i thought that polishing under fluoro lights in the garage would have made things easier, but found either the lighting in the shed, (my fussiness being higher than last time) and maybe the yellow of the falcon, was always chasing a good lighting angle to make sure the polisher was doing what i wanted it to do. If i was doing this daily, i would 100% get detailing lights all around the shed.

This post made my day!

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

I lucked out, order was already done by 8 this morning. I'll go with the turtle wax equivalent until my next Waxit order.

Repco have Gyeon Wet Coat, which is basically the same product, its often on sale if you are happy to wait.

https://theragcompany.com/products/o...24e936e0&_ss=r

Speaking of Repco, they have 303 Touchless Sealant on clearance for $10.00, that's unbeatable for a similar product.

https://www.repco.com.au/clearance/3...SABEgIABPD_BwE

[fordomatic]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Speaking of Repco, they have 303 Touchless Sealant on clearance for $10.00, that's unbeatable for a similar product.

https://www.repco.com.au/clearance/3...SABEgIABPD_BwE

Wow that is cheap, got 3 bottles haha

Thanks mate

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by fordomatic

Wow that is cheap, got 3 bottles haha

Thanks mate

I think 303 have since discontinued Touchless Sealant, or just renamed it Spray And Rinse Ceramic Sealant.

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...ml/682142.html

Absolutely don't pay $44.99 for a 473ml bottle though. I find that funny, a certain group will scoff at buying "overpriced" or "overhyped" fancy name brands like Carpro, Gyeon, Gtechniq ect, but are happy to pay similar or more coin for mainstream a brand such as Turtle Wax, Meguiar's, Mothers ect.

[bangm001]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I think 303 have since discontinued Touchless Sealant, or just renamed it Spray And Rinse Ceramic Sealant.

https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...ml/682142.html

Absolutely don't pay $44.99 for a 473ml bottle though. I find that funny, a certain group will scoff at buying "overpriced" or "overhyped" fancy name brands like Carpro, Gyeon, Gtechniq ect, but are happy to pay similar or more coin for mainstream a brand such as Turtle Wax, Meguiar's, Mothers ect.

I do agree with you DFB. But can i use the example of just a couple of the better quality 'detailing products' I have purchased recently. Let's just use the Scholl S20 black and the carpro reset as examples. I'll start with 'reset'. To me, a darn stupid marketing name to call a product that's just a car neutral wash! If i was to see that product online or in a store, without being a part of a thread like this, or to have not perhaps researched/googled what it does prior to purchase i wouldn't know what it even was from the name or bottle. And even a name like reset one would maybe assume that it would be bad / or be to remove top coatings, or waxes etc. Same as the Scholl polishes, even with the bottle in hand!.. I cant read what's on the back so you have to either go by memory from reading detailing threads, or by what people write online etc. I get it i'm only new to this world, but even over the past few days i was confused which of the 3 Scholl polishes were coarser out of the S2 S20 or S30 because again they are dumb names to call them!.. just in my opinion of coarse!

When you pick up a bottle of meguiars, autoglym, Bowdens etc, immediately you know what the product is, there's detailed instructions on the bottles and you pretty much know what you are getting from the colour, or front label etc. I have never really rated any Bowden's products but their marketing and naming is second to none, and leaves no doubt what their products are good for. Another example is the pic above you posted of recently buying all of those carpro products on sale at waxit to just stock up. "inner-qd, descale etc" I pretty much had to google every product you had in the pic because I had no idea what any of them are actually for!

So i guess what im saying is the better quality detailing product guys really need to up their naming, perhaps have a system of easy to understand grades, steps etc so that dumb old buggers like me know what their products can do!

There's no doubt there are much better products that we can all use in our detailing arsenal, but I also think this is why those mainstream products are sold in the volumes they are.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bangm001

I do agree with you DFB. But can i use the example of just a couple of the better quality 'detailing products' I have purchased recently. Let's just use the Scholl S20 black and the carpro reset as examples. I'll start with 'reset'. To me, a darn stupid marketing name to call a product that's just a car neutral wash! If i was to see that product online or in a store, without being a part of a thread like this, or to have not perhaps researched/googled what it does prior to purchase i wouldn't know what it even was from the name or bottle. And even a name like reset one would maybe assume that it would be bad / or be to remove top coatings, or waxes etc. Same as the Scholl polishes, even with the bottle in hand!.. I cant read what's on the back so you have to either go by memory from reading detailing threads, or by what people write online etc. I get it i'm only new to this world, but even over the past few days i was confused which of the 3 Scholl polishes were coarser out of the S2 S20 or S30 because again they are dumb names to call them!.. just in my opinion of coarse!

When you pick up a bottle of meguiars, autoglym, Bowdens etc, immediately you know what the product is, there's detailed instructions on the bottles and you pretty much know what you are getting from the colour, or front label etc. I have never really rated any Bowden's products but their marketing and naming is second to none, and leaves no doubt what their products are good for. Another example is the pic above you posted of recently buying all of those carpro products on sale at waxit to just stock up. "inner-qd, descale etc" I pretty much had to google every product you had in the pic because I had no idea what any of them are actually for!

So i guess what im saying is the better quality detailing product guys really need to up their naming, perhaps have a system of easy to understand grades, steps etc so that dumb old buggers like me know what their products can do!

There's no doubt there are much better products that we can all use in our detailing arsenal, but I also think this is why those mainstream products are sold in the volumes they are.

Interesting post.

For Reset, I have also been critical of that name in the past, mainly because it conjures the idea of it being a "strip" wash. I find myself correcting people's assumptions in that regard quite a lot. I guess the idea of the name is that it "resets back to clean". Refresh would have been a better name.

When I started machine polishing, the Waxit kit I bought came with Menzerna polishes that always had me re-reading the instruction booklet as to what each compound did. To this day, I couldn't decipher what each one would do. However, being so immersed in the topic changes that over time.

A lot the products I mention, recommend or gravitate towards are professional grade items. In this case, the manufacturer assumes that the customer is a professional or experienced user, so the lack of product information and naming clarity caters to that. It's certainly something you pick up over time, but some companies are worse at this than others (Shine Supply, come on down!).

In terms of a product grading system, certain companies have various ways to group products within their range. Rupes for example uses white, yellow and blue to denote the level of aggression with their pads and compounds, as in team a yellow compound with a yellow foam or wool pad. Koch Chemie use colour to group similar products together, green for cleaning chemicals (usually alkaline), red for acidic, yellow for soaps, orange for solvents. You are right though, most don't do this.





I think the likes of Meguiar's and Bowdens success comes from keeping it simple, approachable, and easy to access for the occasional user. Simple names, simple wording, easy to comprehend for those who just want a clean, shiny car without having a PHD in car care nomenclature. Don't get me started on Turtle Wax though, they throw as many words at their product names as possible in an attempt to make it sound more impressive than it really is.

[DFB FGXR6]

This series from Koch Chemie showcases products from the KCx line in reviving a seriously neglected 2001 Mercedes Benz E-Class Wagon. The location used for this series was Destination Obsessed Garage, a unique take on a B&B that people can rent for the week and sample the OG style.

https://www.obsessedgarage.com/pages/helen-reservation

[DFB FGXR6]

Waxit have NV Nova EVO on sale at the moment, down from $179.95 to $99.95 (44% off). That's a very good price for such a stout coating.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...eramic-coating

[FASTXR]

Hey DFB, what would you rate higher out of NV Nova EVO and CarPro Cquartz UK 3.0 (in terms of application and longevity)?