Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[bfets]

Looks like Ammo is coming to Australia!

https://youtu.be/7udVpTdylj0?si=48djtX3_g41b_Pm3

[Top_Ghia]

Bowden Own Fully Slick is way better than NV Boost.
Change my mind.

[stannoplan]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

Bowden Own Fully Slick is way better than NV Boost.
Change my mind.

V1 or V2 for either? To me they are all rounders, good gloss and protection as a sealant or are they a detailer? I liked Boost V1 on its ability to somehow bring coatings back to life - a booster as it were. V2 I like it for quick 3 month topper which is super easy on and off. You can get better gloss with Scholl W6 or Bead Maker, better protection with 303 Nano, Bead King or even Bead Machine, but sometimes something in the middle just suits as its easy to do.

Bowdens sometimes confuses me, what the difference between Slick and Boss Gloss? Is Boss Gloss their answer to Bead King?

[Mechan1k]

I use Boss Gloss more as a drying agent after washing ... but gives that little layer of protection between washes. Making the next wash easy each time.

And I managed to pick up the 5L cheap as there was a special for it .... so I have plenty of the stuff.

I am happy with what it does for me.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by stannoplan

V1 or V2 for either? To me they are all rounders, good gloss and protection as a sealant or are they a detailer? I liked Boost V1 on its ability to somehow bring coatings back to life - a booster as it were. V2 I like it for quick 3 month topper which is super easy on and off. You can get better gloss with Scholl W6 or Bead Maker, better protection with 303 Nano, Bead King or even Bead Machine, but sometimes something in the middle just suits as its easy to do.

Bowdens sometimes confuses me, what the difference between Slick and Boss Gloss? Is Boss Gloss their answer to Bead King?

Boss Gloss is a simple quick detailer, similar to P&S Paint Gloss or Meguiar's Last Touch. Excellent for use as a drying aid or a quick boost in gloss. No protection to it though.

Fully Slick is a polymer sealant, so similar to Bead Maker, Ethos Pro Shine or Obsessed Garage Drying Aid. The polymers add to the slickness, and provide some protection.

[Top_Ghia]

I use NV Boost v1 as a drying aid.
But I use Bowdens Own Fully Slick as a detailer or after wash treatment. I just love how slick it leaves the paint. The car is ceramic coated and it really seems to work well with that.
Boost just can’t match the slickness.
I have boss gloss too but don’t use that too much.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I use NV Boost v1 as a drying aid.
But I use Bowdens Own Fully Slick as a detailer or after wash treatment. I just love how slick it leaves the paint. The car is ceramic coated and it really seems to work well with that.
Boost just can’t match the slickness.
I have boss gloss too but don’t use that too much.

I had someone make note that as the longevity of spray and wipe type product goes up, the slickness and gloss goes down. Which is something I have noticed as well.

The most recent of which would be P&S Bead Maker (polymer sealant) and P&S Defender (Si02 Sealant). Having used Bead Maker extensively in the last three weeks, I decided to grab Defender for a change and immediately noticed a relative lack of slickness and gloss. Longevity wise, Defender can approach 6 months, Bead Maker is probably 3 weeks.

[Top_Ghia]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I had someone make note that as the longevity of spray and wipe type product goes up, the slickness and gloss goes down. Which is something I have noticed as well.

The most recent of which would be P&S Bead Maker (polymer sealant) and P&S Defender (Si02 Sealant). Having used Bead Maker extensively in the last three weeks, I decided to grab Defender for a change and immediately noticed a relative lack of slickness and gloss. Longevity wise, Defender can approach 6 months, Bead Maker is probably 3 weeks.

Generally speaking I’m not too concerned with longevity as my cars get washed most weeks. I value slickness over lifespan. Gloss and saturation are important though.

This paint colour has magical powers. Even after a couple of days in the rain it still looks clean. If you wipe it down it is actually dirty but it just doesn’t show up.
It’s quite refreshing after the antimatter blue(near black) Mustang which looked dirty with one spec of dust on it.

[bfets]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

Generally speaking I’m not too concerned with longevity as my cars get washed most weeks. I value slickness over lifespan. Gloss and saturation are important though.
image
This paint colour has magical powers. Even after a couple of days in the rain it still looks clean. If you wipe it down it is actually dirty but it just doesn’t show up.
It’s quite refreshing after the antimatter blue(near black) Mustang which looked dirty with one spec of dust on it.

For some reason I can't see any of the photos you post. I just get the place holder image. Not sure why.

I'm old school I know, but give me Collinite 845 or Gyeon Q2 wax any day. More work to put on but boy I love the warm glow it gives the paint.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

Generally speaking I’m not too concerned with longevity as my cars get washed most weeks. I value slickness over lifespan. Gloss and saturation are important though.
image
This paint colour has magical powers. Even after a couple of days in the rain it still looks clean. If you wipe it down it is actually dirty but it just doesn’t show up.
It’s quite refreshing after the antimatter blue(near black) Mustang which looked dirty with one spec of dust on it.

Same.

It's one of the reasons why I always defend Bead Maker. Most lay into it for not lasting long, as if they expect a spray sealant to give them longevity beyond the low effort needed to apply the product. But who cares when it makes paint look and feel so good.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bfets

For some reason I can't see any of the photos you post. I just get the place holder image. Not sure why.

I'm old school I know, but give me Collinite 845 or Gyeon Q2 wax any day. More work to put on but boy I love the warm glow it gives the paint.

I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I'm now entertaining the thought of returning to wax when my S650 arrives.............or I should say, IF it ever arrives. In particular, Collinite 845. Previously, I was all set to use Gyeon Mohs for the slickness it has over Gyeon Pure.

Why? More flexibility, rather than being locked into a multi-year coating. I also really, really like how 845 works against Race Red....................





That doesn't mean I'm anti-coating, I've been using ceramics more and more lately and really love the ease of cleaning they bring to the table. I would still absolutely ceramic coat wheels, but on car that sits in a garage 99% of the time, the ultra-durability on paint isn't really needed. I could very well change my mind between now and then though. It's great to have choice!

[FTE217]

I’m the same no worries about longevity it’s just what ends up making my cars pop and bead with ease as they always do due to regular washes - worst my DD goes without a wash is 2wks max.
So drying aids are the go to having either done a collinite coat or similar months back.
The 2 garage queens the lack of time they spend outdoors I just don’t need to over work them anymore.
A wash drying aid and they come up nice.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bfets]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I've mentioned this elsewhere, but I'm now entertaining the thought of returning to wax when my S650 arrives.............or I should say, IF it ever arrives. In particular, Collinite 845. Previously, I was all set to use Gyeon Mohs for the slickness it has over Gyeon Pure.

Why? More flexibility, rather than being locked into a multi-year coating. I also really, really like how 845 works against Race Red....................

image

image

That doesn't mean I'm anti-coating, I've been using ceramics more and more lately and really love the ease of cleaning they bring to the table. I would still absolutely ceramic coat wheels, but on car that sits in a garage 99% of the time, the ultra-durability on paint isn't really needed. I could very well change my mind between now and then though. It's great to have choice!

Same! I've experimented with a ceramic coating on the wife's car, but to be honest, I just feel more comfortable with a wax. I know I can strip it off the car easily whenever I want to. When it comes to my more special car, I'll enjoy putting a fresh coat of wax on there every 3 months or so. I find it relaxing and enjoyable, whereas putting on a ceramic coating I find stressful.

I'm sure ceramic coatings are awesome for the right person and circumstance, but for me, I'm really happy with a good wax.

[DFB FGXR6]

Anyone who's a fan of Larry Koscilla and his YouTube channel, his AMMO brand of car care products is within weeks of launching in Australia.

https://ammonyc.com/
https://www.stash.group/ammostudio

STASH is a purpose built high end vehicle storage and detailing company, which have partnered with Larry to sell his range of AMMO products in Australia. Previously, these products have been available to Australian's willing to pay the substantial shipping costs.









There will be meet and greet workshop session on Saturday 24th of Feb, which will be a ticketed event between 2pm to 3.30pm. That will be followed by a general meet and greet for all comers between 4pm and 9pm.

https://www.stash.group/events/ammolaunch
https://www.stash.group/events/meetlarry

I would love to go, but the event is based in Sydney and a 14 hour round trip for me. If you are close, this would be an excellent opportunity to meet one of the best detailers on the planet, a nice guy to boot.

[Top_Ghia]

Originally Posted by bfets

For some reason I can't see any of the photos you post. I just get the place holder image. Not sure why.

I'm old school I know, but give me Collinite 845 or Gyeon Q2 wax any day. More work to put on but boy I love the warm glow it gives the paint.

I bet you’re an Android user.

[Top_Ghia]

I don’t have garage queens as my cars are daily driven in all conditions. That’s why I have chosen ceramic coatings over the last few year. I have found it makes the cars easier to wash and seems to make other spray on sealants and coatings work a lot better.
But I certainly understand the satisfaction that would come from using a quality wax.
Are you guys applying it by hand or machine?

[bfets]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I bet you’re an Android user.

I am!

On a serious note though, I'm not seeing those images via a browser on my PC either. I can see everyone else's like DFB's, no issue.

[bfets]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I don’t have garage queens as my cars are daily driven in all conditions. That’s why I have chosen ceramic coatings over the last few year. I have found it makes the cars easier to wash and seems to make other spray on sealants and coatings work a lot better.
But I certainly understand the satisfaction that would come from using a quality wax.
Are you guys applying it by hand or machine?

I've tried and use both methods depending on how I feel on the day. I think the majority of the time I just do it by hand. I feel like I have better control and feel over how much I'm applying and I can get into the smaller areas more accurately to avoid getting it on trim for instance.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Top_Ghia

I don’t have garage queens as my cars are daily driven in all conditions. That’s why I have chosen ceramic coatings over the last few year. I have found it makes the cars easier to wash and seems to make other spray on sealants and coatings work a lot better.
But I certainly understand the satisfaction that would come from using a quality wax.
Are you guys applying it by hand or machine?

Mostly by machine, I find this helps massively in getting a consistent, even and thin coat, which then makes the wipe off a breeze. Smaller areas I hand apply.

5-inch finishing/waxing pad, lowest speed setting, no pressure, just let the machine glide across the paint.

[CyberWasp]

Linking back to the Detailing TV Show I mentioned on the last page Dirty Old Cars.

Episode 7 has one of the worst cars I have ever seen for a Grub of an owner.
Chev Silverado LWB - Wife brings it in to be cleaned as husband is away for the week.
He had filled it with so much rubbish that it was impossible to drive. So instead of you know like cleaning it out, he just parked it up and bought another one.
12 Wheelie Bins of rubbish / rotting stuff came out of it, and the classic line by one of the youngsters when they finally got down to the carpet was 'Hey whats with all this saw dust', his college took a look and pointed out they they were maggots and that there were spider nests feeding on them.

The other car in the episode was a 70's Merc that had been covered in graffiti after being left in a storage car park. It was totally covered in spray paint so was interesting to see how they got it all off.

Oh and Episode 9 had a car that was in a barn with a window down that the cats use as a Kitty Litter Box. Back at the shop the seats were wet and dripping and it totally made you gag.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Linking back to the Detailing TV Show I mentioned on the last page Dirty Old Cars.

Episode 7 has one of the worst cars I have ever seen for a Grub of an owner.
Chev Silverado LWB - Wife brings it in to be cleaned as husband is away for the week.
He had filled it with so much rubbish that it was impossible to drive. So instead of you know like cleaning it out, he just parked it up and bought another one.
12 Wheelie Bins of rubbish / rotting stuff came out of it, and the classic line by one of the youngsters when they finally got down to the carpet was 'Hey whats with all this saw dust', his college took a look and pointed out they they were maggots and that there were spider nests feeding on them.

The other car in the episode was a 70's Merc that had been covered in graffiti after being left in a storage car park. It was totally covered in spray paint so was interesting to see how they got it all off.

Oh and Episode 9 had a car that was in a barn with a window down that the cats use as a Kitty Litter Box. Back at the shop the seats were wet and dripping and it totally made you gag.

Funny, I would call this cleaning filth rather than "detailing".

[Mechan1k]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

Linking back to the Detailing TV Show I mentioned on the last page Dirty Old Cars.

Episode 7 has one of the worst cars I have ever seen for a Grub of an owner.
Chev Silverado LWB - Wife brings it in to be cleaned as husband is away for the week.
He had filled it with so much rubbish that it was impossible to drive. So instead of you know like cleaning it out, he just parked it up and bought another one.
12 Wheelie Bins of rubbish / rotting stuff came out of it, and the classic line by one of the youngsters when they finally got down to the carpet was 'Hey whats with all this saw dust', his college took a look and pointed out they they were maggots and that there were spider nests feeding on them.

The other car in the episode was a 70's Merc that had been covered in graffiti after being left in a storage car park. It was totally covered in spray paint so was interesting to see how they got it all off.

Oh and Episode 9 had a car that was in a barn with a window down that the cats use as a Kitty Litter Box. Back at the shop the seats were wet and dripping and it totally made you gag.

Looks at some of the stuff that rolls into the DetailGeek's Youtube channel.
No wonder he has the wear an asperator to do the work.

cant believe how people do that .... I'd hate the see their houses.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

Looks at some of the stuff that rolls into the DetailGeek's Youtube channel.
No wonder he has the wear an asperator to do the work.

cant believe how people do that .... I'd hate the see their houses.

He's done very well for himself by making those videos, so I doubt he would be complaining.

[DFB FGXR6]

A couple of "End of Summer" sales went live today.

Waxit -

The End Of Summer Sale has arrived with up to 40% OFF!

This sale includes popular brands such as CARPRO, Nv Car Care, ShineMate, Lake Country, and much more! Even our kits have been further discounted!

No code needed, the prices have been discounted STOREWIDE!
Hurry! Only available whilst stocks last! Sale ends Friday, 11:59pm AEDT (23/02)

https://www.waxit.com.au/



Waxit have also used this sale to launch the addition of AR (Annovi Reverberi) to the store. These are Italian pressure washers that can deliver up to 10L/min with 15-amp circuit, or 8.5 L/min on a 10-amp circuit. They are very similar in performance to a Kranzle, although a touch louder running. They also have an oil cooled pump.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections/annovi-reverberi

The ability to set this unit up in multiple configurations is big selling point over the Kranzle. In addition to the pre-configured kits, Waxit are offering a self-contained wall-mount shelf/bracket/hose reel that would make for a simple install. A reel, portable cart and longer hoses can be bought Alacarte.

Something like this would be a great (better) alternative to a high-end Karcher or Gerni, where the extra money usually only gets you added fluff rather than actual performance. For example, a $1200 Karcher K7 Premium costs more but flows less than the AR680.


The other sale being from Adam's, with 20% off your order.

Code - SUMMER20 at checkout.

https://adamspolishes.com.au/?syclid...=shopify_email

[DFB FGXR6]

The newly updated MTM PF22.2 Foam Cannon has just gone on sale in the USA, Australia hopefully following closely behind. This represents MTM finally listening to the calls for a wide mouth bottle.

https://www.mtmhydroparts.com/collec...-2-foam-cannon
https://www.mtmhydroparts.com/collec...-bottle-3-pack









Now, I have been running these foam cannons for three years now. The key benefit of these foam cannons over others is the more efficient consumption of the soap solution. This is something I have verified side by side with an older Waxit branded foam cannon, which goes through the contents of the bottle considerably faster. And yet, even with the added efficiency, you still get exceptional foam from the MTM.











But like any product, there was room for improvement. The earliest versions of the PF22 had a sexy looking bottle……………that would tip over if not completely full of liquid. MTM partially addressed this with the 22.2 update, the bottle reshaped to be wider at the bottom to prevent it tipping over. And yet…………………..it still tipped over when empty. This stems from the heft and bulk of the FP22 cannon body, which is much chunkier than key rivals.









Another irk was the lack of a wide mouth bottle to make filling easier. I will say, I have never had a wide mouth bottle foam cannon, so I have always managed with the FP22.2’s narrow opening. The key to success is to fill the bottle with water first, then add the soap at the end. There were also complains of the plastic bottle not threading nicely with the brass foam cannon body, although I have never really had much problem.







With the latest update to the PF22.2, MTM have redesigned the bottle to have a wide mouth and a bayonet fitting. Retooling for a new foam cannon body would have been very expensive, so MTM designed a plastic adaptor to mate the old brass body to the new bottle. Some have complained that this is a half-assed approach, but take a look at the competition……………they are doing the same thing. My only concern would be the durability of the bayonet fitting.

Now, at the moment, in the USA MTM are only offering the new PF22.2 as a full assembly, along with replacement wide mouth bottles. I have been told that there will be the ability to convert an older PF22.2 via the adaptor and replacement bottle. At the moment, I can’t find those on the MTM Veloci website as standalone parts.







As it stands, I won’t be buying another PF22.2 foam cannon, I already have two that would be a prime candidate for the upgraded parts. So, in addition to selling the new units in full, here’s hoping the local retailers stock the required parts for a conversion.

[prydey]

Are there any products that highlight white paint better than others?

Picking up my new car today (UA2 Biturbo Everest) and its white. First time I've ever owned a non metallic colour car. Its in pretty good condition to my untrained eye, so doesn't require any drastic polishing or anything. I currently have NV Lustre and Jet and Boost V2 on the shelf and thats about it. I'll ask the previous owner if he uses anything otherwise, is it worth buying some kind of 'strip wash' car soap and start fresh?

I'm due for a bit of an order to top up a few things (NV snow, carpro Ech20, towels etc) so a good time to add to the list if there was something that worked particularly well with flat white.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

Are there any products that highlight white paint better than others?

Picking up my new car today (UA2 Biturbo Everest) and its white. First time I've ever owned a non metallic colour car. Its in pretty good condition to my untrained eye, so doesn't require any drastic polishing or anything. I currently have NV Lustre and Jet and Boost V2 on the shelf and thats about it. I'll ask the previous owner if he uses anything otherwise, is it worth buying some kind of 'strip wash' car soap and start fresh?

I'm due for a bit of an order to top up a few things (NV snow, carpro Ech20, towels etc) so a good time to add to the list if there was something that worked particularly well with flat white.

Flat/non-metallic white can be very hard to make POP. I've had two Ranger's in flat white, and they are at their very best just after polishing and freshly waxed. So, giving the car a polish wouldn't be time wasted. I'll cover products in a bit.

In terms of prep, I mean, I would definitely "strip" the paint back so that I know where it's at. Just keep in mind, a "strip" soap won't completely strip everything off the vehicle, unless it's a weaker spray wax or similar. But those soaps do work very well in a holistic prep process. I would do the following -

1. Apply an iron remover to the whole car from dry (I like NV Purify or Gyeon Iron). You really need to do this in the shade or early in the morning, it must not dry on the car. Allow to soak for as long as possible (I usually fill up my buckets ect while waiting).

2. Foam the car down with Snow+ or Carpro Lift (I prefer Lift, its stronger). Do this over the top of the iron remover, which in turn allows both to work in unison. Leave to soak for as long as possible.

3. Rinse.

4. Re-foam with the same soap, then contact wash as usual. This will remove most of what's on the surface.

5. Inspect the paint, if it feels rough, proceed with a clay bar/mitt/towel. Do this while the car is still wet to save having to dry the car twice. Don't use ECH20 as the lube, it will leave something behind, soapy water would be fine.

6. IPA wipe down.

7. Polish (if needed)

8. Apply the LSP.

Now, I think using Nove Lustre and Jet will be a great combo. I've used Jet along with various other spray sealants, Collinite 845 and now Gyeon Pure EVO ceramic coating. Ceramic Spray sealants will make the paint glassy looking, I found Carpro Reload worked REALLY nicely on Cool White. Waxes will make it look less stark, warmer (its hard to describe, but there is a visual difference).

Reload -





Collinite 845 -





Gyeon Pure EVO -



Lasty, well done on the new car!

[prydey]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Lasty, well done on the new car!

Cheers. It's been well looked after but I don't think any fancy product has been used. Paint still looks quite glossy so it's not like I'm trying to bring something dull back to life.



The owner wasn't in to cleaning door jambs etc. A bug bear of mine, so will need a bit of love in those areas.

I'll start a thread (another one) in the Everest section soon on my thoughts around the car and transitioning from territory.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

Cheers. It's been well looked after but I don't think any fancy product has been used. Paint still looks quite glossy so it's not like I'm trying to bring something dull back to life.

image

The owner wasn't in to cleaning door jambs etc. A bug bear of mine, so will need a bit of love in those areas.

I'll start a thread (another one) in the Everest section soon on my thoughts around the car and transitioning from territory.

In which case, just give it a solid decon wash using Lift or Snow+, an IPA wipe down, then apply Lustre and/or Jet.

I HATE dirty and neglected door jambs, it takes less a couple of minutes to wipe them down after each wash, meaning they never get truly dirty.

Don't be afraid of blasting the jambs with your pressure washer to get the bulk of the dirt off. Just be mindful of your angle, and probably avoid the upper jambs and go from the door latch down. Same for the doors.

Then you can go back with a towel and some form of water-less/rinse-less wash. I find having a bucket of rinse-less (or soapy water) on hand to rinse out your towel as needed very helpful.

[prydey]

When you say ipa wipe down, obviously that's to remove any residue.. I bought some nv clarify a while back which from memory you don't rate at all. Will that work. Otherwise I can get straight ipa from work.

I was thinking of getting a stronger soap as a cheaper option to clean wheels. The spray on ones, while effective, work out to be quite expensive as they don't last very long. Would lift or snow+ be able to perform this double duty?

Thanks again for your great advice.