Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by FormulaFG

Loving this thread, great info in here.

Sorry if this has been asked but what are you guys recommending for cutting compounds/ cut and polishing?

I've used Farecla G3 in the past and it's great, but it's expensive and I need something I can go to Supercheap and buy straight away. I've just applied some Bowdens paint restore and the paintwork needs a lot more work before using that product.

Should add that it's not my car so needs to be budget-friendly, otherwise, I'd get the G3.

It sounds like the paint you are dealing with is going to need a cutting compound rather than a finishing polish.

In terms of price, Meguiar's Ultimate Compound at $29.99 for 450ml could be up your alley. That said, I have used this in the past and found it pretty hard to use. It will do the job you are asking for though.
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...ml/214309.html

I'm a big fan of Scholl S20 Black, although this could be above your budget at $39.99 for 500ml.
https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...=7360288882745

For the extra $10 over Ultimate Compound, you get a product that is easy to use, easy wipe off and low dusting. S20 Black is an all-in-one so it can cut then finesse in one step.



Scholl also make a few heavier cutting compounds but will require a follow up finishing polish step.

https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...choll-concepts

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

This thread has to stop. You are all giving me evil ideas that will cost time an money......

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

This thread has to stop. You are all giving me evil ideas that will cost time an money......

Look at it like a grown up kids candy store for your pride and joys

[TICKFORD220]

Meguiars mostly,they are not the best or most expensive but ive never had an issue with them,my machine polisher is one i purchased from an old sponsor from here some time ago,most likely "waxit",it works good,came with some scholl cutting and polishing stuff and a few pads etc,just had a look at their site and they dont sell my polisher anymore,still works really good though.
I dont detail often because it wastes so much time but its very satisfying once its done,even though my old body feels fully dead afterwards....

[CyberWasp]

A funny comparison would be a 2 photo comparison of the the products you use on cleaning your car compared to the products you use on yourself.

[anobserver]

Happy new year, everyone!

The car got its last wash for 2020 yesterday, then a polish, then treated with lustre and jet again. Thanks go to dfb for his tips on jet usage...its more touchy to apply evenly than the products i am used to.

A question.... Is it an issue to keep applying extra coats each wash day? It was only washed a few weeks ago, when i skipped the lustre, just applying another coat of wax then jet over the top.

In the normal scheme of things, it gets washed and polished about once a month.

And one more thing....this time ive tried the Bowdens own Fully Slick next to the Nova Jet on adjacent doors... once i get it out in the open, im keen to see if they look any different.

[anobserver]

Fully Slick on one door, Nova Jet on the other.



I cant see any difference. The front and rear quarters are both wearing Jet.

[T3rminator]

Anyone got suggestions on how to remove products applied to the dash? I miss calculated the ratio of the carpro perl, and now my dash is too shiny and I'm getting that glare on a sunny day.

I've tried wiping it down with a wet towel. It has helped a bit, but still quite glaring.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by anobserver

Happy new year, everyone!

The car got its last wash for 2020 yesterday, then a polish, then treated with lustre and jet again. Thanks go to dfb for his tips on jet usage...its more touchy to apply evenly than the products i am used to.

A question.... Is it an issue to keep applying extra coats each wash day? It was only washed a few weeks ago, when i skipped the lustre, just applying another coat of wax then jet over the top.

In the normal scheme of things, it gets washed and polished about once a month.

And one more thing....this time ive tried the Bowdens own Fully Slick next to the Nova Jet on adjacent doors... once i get it out in the open, im keen to see if they look any different.

Lustre and Jet only need to be applied every few months, although I can't see why you couldn't use Jet every second or third wash. I would probably not apply wax over the top of either as it may have issues bonding to the paint, negating your hard work at the next wash.

In terms of polishing, depending on what polish you are using, polishing too much will accelerate the decline of your clear coat. For perspective, I normally polish once a year or two. Applying wax/sealant once a month would be fine, polishing once a month seems excessive.

Another application tip for Nova Lustre and Jet is to apply with a microfibre pad instead of NV's suggested two cloth method.

https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...sponge-pad-3x5

https://www.bowdensown.com.au/produc...k-blue-colours



I like using these as they make much easier to apply these type of products without having to keep refolding the towel. Prime the pad with a few sprays first, mist onto the panel, distribute with the pad then buff with the short nap side of a microfibre cloth.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by T3rminator

Anyone got suggestions on how to remove products applied to the dash? I miss calculated the ratio of the carpro perl, and now my dash is too shiny and I'm getting that glare on a sunny day.

I've tried wiping it down with a wet towel. It has helped a bit, but still quite glaring.

CarPro Perl is water based. I would try a wet cloth again, rinsing and repeating until you get the desired finish.

I'm sure the use of an All Purpose Cleaner would break it down as well but I'm not a fan of using strong APC's on certain interior plastics, especially soft touch and leather look dashboards.

[DFB FGXR6]

WARNING – Pure detailing indulgence incoming!

I used to hate bending down to clean wheels, especially the time sucking S550 Mustang wheels. My knees cop a workout in my day job, let along crouching down cleaning wheels.



That was until I discovered the art of sitting on my ****.



Having a detailing seat to plonk down on while doing wheels, wheel arches and exhausts is now an integral part of my detailing arsenal. I will also use a seat when polishing doors, dressing tyres or even a place to set down a towel/spray bottle/polisher.



For me, detailing is more than making a car clean. It is very much a therapeutic ritual, a way to unwind. Sitting down, I am not in a hurry, allowing me to take time and enjoy the process.

I had been using a Supercheap Auto roller seat, a comfortable and height adjustable seat that has room underneath for brushes ect.
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...at/298189.html



Last month though, I picked up this from Waxit.
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...g-creeper-seat



While lacking a padded seat, the extra storage on either side and the pull-out drawer is a handy feature.



And for added laziness, having bucket dollies means you can glide from one wheel to the next without having to get up. I bought those wheel dollies with the thought that they would be a bit useless, now I would not be without them!
https://www.autobarn.com.au/cc07121?...hoCvygQAvD_BwE





And for an extra layer of lunacy, having hose guides will stop the hose from snagging as you move your way around the car. Again, until you use these little things, you won’t know how excellent they are.
https://detailingshed.com.au/products/tyre-hose-guides



I have come across these in my travels as well -
https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftrig...-seat_p0096548
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kincrome...-seat_p0064894

Having and using a seat while detailing your car doesn't directly affect the end result, but it does make the process much more enjoyable.

[Swordie]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Having and using a seat while detailing your car doesn't directly affect the end result, but it does make the process much more enjoyable.

Having music helps too.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Swordie

Having music helps too.

100%!!

For a total escape, I will normally listen to either music (don't ask ) or automotive podcasts with my Sennheiser noise cancelling headphones.

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

WARNING – Pure detailing indulgence incoming!

I used to hate bending down to clean wheels, especially the time sucking S550 Mustang wheels. My knees cop a workout in my day job, let along crouching down cleaning wheels.

image

That was until I discovered the art of sitting on my ****.

image

Having a detailing seat to plonk down on while doing wheels, wheel arches and exhausts is now an integral part of my detailing arsenal. I will also use a seat when polishing doors, dressing tyres or even a place to set down a towel/spray bottle/polisher.

image

For me, detailing is more than making a car clean. It is very much a therapeutic ritual, a way to unwind. Sitting down, I am not in a hurry, allowing me to take time and enjoy the process.

I had been using a Supercheap Auto roller seat, a comfortable and height adjustable seat that has room underneath for brushes ect.
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/...at/298189.html

image

Last month though, I picked up this from Waxit.
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...g-creeper-seat

image

While lacking a padded seat, the extra storage on either side and the pull-out drawer is a handy feature.

image

And for added laziness, having bucket dollies means you can glide from one wheel to the next without having to get up. I bought those wheel dollies with the thought that they would be a bit useless, now I would not be without them!
https://www.autobarn.com.au/cc07121?...hoCvygQAvD_BwE

image

image

And for an extra layer of lunacy, having hose guides will stop the hose from snagging as you move your way around the car. Again, until you use these little things, you won’t know how excellent they are.
https://detailingshed.com.au/products/tyre-hose-guides

image

I have come across these in my travels as well -
https://www.bunnings.com.au/craftrig...-seat_p0096548
https://www.bunnings.com.au/kincrome...-seat_p0064894

Having and using a seat while detailing your car doesn't directly affect the end result, but it does make the process much more enjoyable.

I remember reading this from your detailing thread. That is next level stuff! Love it!

I'm in same boat. By the time I wash the rims, scrub the tyres and clean the wheel arches..... I'm not 23 anymore that's for sure!

I work in the shade, but I'm still outside so open to the wind. Sometimes the soap dries on the surface of the paint, but it always washes away cleanly (I use Meguiars NXT at the moment). Do you rinse after each panel, or just at the end like I do? Ive had no negative effects with this soap. It's PH balanced, and I have multiple layers of Happy Ending on.

Always wondered this.... some people rinse after a couple of panels , while the other theory is that leaving the soap on stops water spots. But here in Melbourne we don't have hard water.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by BA-XT

I remember reading this from your detailing thread. That is next level stuff! Love it!

I'm in same boat. By the time I wash the rims, scrub the tyres and clean the wheel arches..... I'm not 23 anymore that's for sure!

I work in the shade, but I'm still outside so open to the wind. Sometimes the soap dries on the surface of the paint, but it always washes away cleanly (I use Meguiars NXT at the moment). Do you rinse after each panel, or just at the end like I do? Ive had no negative effects with this soap. It's PH balanced, and I have multiple layers of Happy Ending on.

Always wondered this.... some people rinse after a couple of panels , while the other theory is that leaving the soap on stops water spots. But here in Melbourne we don't have hard water.

After doing the wheels first, my normal process, is to rinse the car down with water, foam and then contact wash the whole vehicle at once followed by a thorough rinse. I can usually get around the car before the sun starts drying the soap/water.

My cars are never particularly "dirty" so a pre-soak with foam is not really required. If I was dealing with heavy traffic film then I would foam/rinse/foam/contact wash/rinse.

Are you using NXT in a foam cannon? If so, how does it go? I have not used NXT for a while now but I always liked it's abilities.

[BA-XT]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

After doing the wheels first, my normal process, is to rinse the car down with water, foam and then contact wash the whole vehicle at once followed by a thorough rinse. I can usually get around the car before the sun starts drying the soap/water.

My cars are never particularly "dirty" so a pre-soak with foam is not really required. If I was dealing with heavy traffic film then I would foam/rinse/foam/contact wash/rinse.

Are you using NXT in a foam cannon? If so, how does it go? I have not used NXT for a while now but I always liked it's abilities.

Sounds like we have the same technique:-)

No, never used NXT in snow cannon. Using Snow Job at the moment out of my 10 year old Karcher K2 which just keeps keeping on!

I've tried a few car soaps. Chem Guys Wash and Gloss was good, but found it hard on the wax. The Meguiars just foams up really well in the bucket and glides across the paint. I'm tempted to try Bowdens Own Nano wash, but the Megs just feels so much thicker.

[DFB FGXR6]

Just finished watching this 3 part detail of a 2020 Camaro.

2020 Camaro ZL1 Detail - The Worst New Car Paint Ever!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UqQQZAPGnI&t=2s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fd2uL2n9fA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Z7ODjiVlM

I like Sandro's no bull approach to detailing and the way he cuts through the marketing withing the industry. In fact he went pretty hard on both the hack job the dealer inflicted on the paint and the quality of the paint itself from GM.

To be fair to GM, he also had similar things to say about the poor quality of Fords paint on the current Mustang.

You would think that after 100 years of making cars and painting them, the American auto industry would be able to do better than this.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

You would think that after 100 years of making cars and painting them, the American auto industry would be able to do better than this.

They probably could, but the accountants won't let them

[DFB FGXR6]

Glass protection via NV Glass Lite.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections.../nv-glass-lite
https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...s-lite-coating



This product is a hydrophobic protective coating for exterior glass surfaces. Glass Lite is extremely easy to apply, a simple spray and wipe process.



Ensure the glass is clean, I used some CarPro Eraser to prep the glass before application.

Apply the product to a microfibre cloth or applicator pad, wipe over one section at time, buffing with a second cloth after it flashes.





The finished result is slick, glossy glass that will repel rain and water with ease.

NV Glass Lite can be used as a standalone product or as a maintenance spray over Nova Glass Ceramic Coating. As a standalone, it will give 2-3 months protection compared to 12 months for NV GLASS. I don't mind doing this every few months, if you want something to last for longer then the full ceramic option may be for you instead.

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

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Glass protection via NV Glass Lite.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections.../nv-glass-lite
https://detailingshed.com.au/collect...s-lite-coating

image

This product is a hydrophobic protective coating for exterior glass surfaces. Glass Lite is extremely easy to apply, a simple spray and wipe process.

image

Ensure the glass is clean, I used some CarPro Eraser to prep the glass before application.

Apply the product to a microfibre cloth or applicator pad, wipe over one section at time, buffing with a second cloth after it flashes.

image

image

The finished result is slick, glossy glass that will repel rain and water with ease.

NV Glass Lite can be used as a standalone product or as a maintenance spray over Nova Glass Ceramic Coating. As a standalone, it will give 2-3 months protection compared to 12 months for NV GLASS. I don't mind doing this every few months, if you want something to last for longer then the full ceramic option may be for you instead.

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

Umm, what does it protect glass from?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Umm, what does it protect glass from?

It's main purpose is to repel water but it's also said to repel dirt/dust/road grime and makes removing bugs easier.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

It's main purpose is to repel water but it's also said to repel dirt/dust/road grime and makes removing bugs easier.

Ah right, like Rainex but more expensive . ?

I tried Rainex once on the Truck as the wipers stopped working. Couldn't wait to get it off, as driving in the rain at night with thousands of water beads shooting up the windscreen was damned distracting.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

Ah right, like Rainex but more expensive . ?

I tried Rainex once on the Truck as the wipers stopped working. Couldn't wait to get it off, as driving in the rain at night with thousands of water beads shooting up the windscreen was damned distracting.

Ha ha, I did toy with putting that line into my post.

That said, Glass Lite is a Sio2 based product, perhaps explain the added cost compared to RainX.

[Bossxr8]

So gave the Scholl Concepts S20 Black a go. And it's brilliant.

Had some scuff marks on this guard that I haven't be able to get rid of in the past. The S20 got rid of all of them. And the gloss is awesome.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

So gave the Scholl Concepts S20 Black a go. And it's brilliant.

Had some scuff marks on this guard that I haven't be able to get rid of in the past. The S20 got rid of all of them. And the gloss is awesome.

image

image

image

Nice work!

Scholl S20 Black is so easy to use, I love that moment when you wipe it off to reveal a beautifully glossy finish.

[CyberWasp]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

So gave the Scholl Concepts S20 Black a go. And it's brilliant.

Had some scuff marks on this guard that I haven't be able to get rid of in the past. The S20 got rid of all of them. And the gloss is awesome.

What pad and buffer combo did you use to achieve these results?

It looks awesome.

Buying a polisher and pads ect is the last area I have yet to jump into.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Nice work!

Scholl S20 Black is so easy to use, I love that moment when you wipe it off to reveal a beautifully glossy finish.

The gloss was what impressed me the most. I wasn't expecting it to be so good.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

What pad and buffer combo did you use to achieve these results?

It looks awesome.

Buying a polisher and pads ect is the last area I have yet to jump into.

I used a Scholl Concepts blue spider pad with the S20. The sealing wax was just some Meguires Ultimate Wax applied with one of their soft foam pads.

The DA is just an old Bosch unit. Nothing special.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I used a Scholl Concepts blue spider pad with the S20. The sealing wax was just some Meguires Ultimate Wax applied with one of their soft foam pads.

The DA is just an old Bosch unit. Nothing special.

Stunning finish Boss, well done !

[DFB FGXR6]

I found this flow chart online that could be helpful.



https://www.zas.com.au/tutorial/4/De...chart_download