I've always struggled to keep my vehicles clean because 1) they were always old, 2) I've lived in condos, 3) car washes did a terrible job / detailers charged too much, and 4) I didn't realize you could do all of this yourself pretty effectively.


When I bought a new truck at the beginnging of the year, I randomly stumbled upon an Ammo NYC video and the nerd / clean-freak was intrigued. A couple dozen videos later, and I was hooked. Shout out to Larry for your passion - thank you for the insane amount of information on your channel. (Wish I could afford all of your products, or that you had some of them on Amazon!).

Living in a condo, I have to swing by my local coin wash and take up a bay with a few buckets during off-peak hours, but I've gotten it down to 1.5 hours and looking like this every time.

I've only been doing this for a few months, but thought I'd share the products I've researched and selected based on reviews and costs. Hope this helps save someone time!

TOOLS

• McGuire-Nicholas 22015 15-Inch Collapsible Tote - https://amzn.to/2HXGsvd - I love this thing. Handle is sturdy and holds every chemical I need.
  
• Relentless Drive Ultimate Car Wash Mitt - https://amzn.to/2KJC7td - Great mitt and would strongly recommend it. I've only used the mitt for a few washes so I can't comment on durability, but if I had to guess I think it's going to hold up. My only complaint is that it's so voluminous that it's difficult to rinse / wring out the dirt when using the two-bucket method. Not a big enough problem to look for another mitt, though.
  
  BUCKETS
  
  
• Chemical Guys ACC_101 Detailing Bucket Kit - https://amzn.to/2KJb552 - a good starter bucket, but it's worth calling out how much of this stuff is BS marketing: the bucket is only 4 gallons, the gamma lid can be bought for cheaper on amazon, the citrus gloss is OK, and the wash mitt is worthless / isn't going to hold up. I barely used the mitt once and fuzz falls off constantly when handling.
  
• Adam's Grit Guard Wash Bucket with Lid - https://amzn.to/2IoSflo - Better value than chemical guys, but the bucket is just a regular bucket ($4 at Home Depot) and the gamma lid can be purchased for $10-15 on Amazon. I'm not convinced grit guards are worth it, but more on that later.
  
• Grit Guard Washboard Bucket Insert - https://amzn.to/2HW4juZ - the product is well made and does what it's intended to do, but I'm skeptical of its value. Yes, rubbing your mitt on a washboard would intuitively get dirt to fall off, but is it actually more effective than using your hands (which you do anyway to wring out the mitt)? And I'm not buying that the fins "trap dirt." Anybody who looks at their rinse bucket while washing wheels for example can plainly see the water's black. Dirt's floating everywhere.
  
  
  CHEMICALS
  
  
• Mothers 08216 California Gold Instant Detailer - https://amzn.to/2KJ2f7t - this stuff has done a pretty good job for quick wipe-downs, spot cleans, etc.
  
• Griot's Garage 11108 Window Cleaner - https://amzn.to/2Iq5CSF - The spray bottle itself is awesome and works really well. The solution also seems to work well, though I've only ever used it after washing the truck and so I'm not sure how much it helps.
  
• Meguiar's G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax - https://amzn.to/2jFg3DJ - I used this a few times with the microfiber directional pass method after some serious pollen clouds invaded Austin, and it worked surprisingly well. Ran through 3-4 towels to do my entire truck, then spot-cleaned with an instant detailer. Even though wheel wells and a few pieces were still dirty, it was a huge improvement without the hassle of a full wash. Will definitely be using this as my in-between wash method.
  
• Chemical Guys V7 High Gloss Spray Sealant and Quick Detailer - https://amzn.to/2HXiQ9R - I'm new to detailing, but this stuff is probably the most impressive chemical of everything I've used. The combination of a damp microfiber + V7 produces the result everyone thinks about when they think about car washes: a clean car with no streaks or water spots. Wringing out my microfiber towel can get old, but the end result is just awesome.
  
• Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss - https://amzn.to/2I1knvx - I don't have the luxury of a frother right now, but from simply adding some in a bucket and using a power washer to generate suds, I get decent foam and the soap seems to work well. That said, it's not earth-shattering and I will probably try other washes when I run out.
  
  
  INTERIOR
  
  
• Mothers 06512 All-In-One Leather Care - https://amzn.to/2IlawAg - This stuff works great and smells even better.
  
  
  WHEELS
  
  
• Adam's Deep Wheel Cleaner - https://amzn.to/2K09l6f - The spray bottle is terribly difficult to press and I always end up using way more than I want. I'm not confident I need to use this instead of just using soap. Maybe it's for exceptionally dirty cars or those with tons of brake dust, but I'm rarely in either camp so I may not buy some more after I run out.
  
• Adam's Hex-Grip Pro Tire Dressing Applicator - https://amzn.to/2HYtb5y - Works well and easy to handle.
  
• Mothers Wheel Brush - https://amzn.to/2K0Ky1Y - really like how easy this is to handle and how soft the bristles are. Highly recommended.
  
• Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel - https://amzn.to/2KJsxGP - This is a good low-gloss gel, though I need to try additional coats to see if I can get those tire shinier.
  
• ABN Car Wheel Rim Cleaning 3-Piece Kit - https://amzn.to/2KFgSIR - Yes the big woolie has good reach and allows you to clean the inside of your rims effectively, but the handle is annoyingly difficult to hold after it becomes saturated / heavy to hold.
  
  
  TOWELS
  
  
• Chemical Guys Professional Grade Premium Microfiber Towels, Gold - https://amzn.to/2HY8Q0a - these things are outsidanding and are a great value. Definitely watch Larry's video on microfiber care, which fixed all of my annoyances with microfibers accruing fuzz in the dryer.
  
• THE RAG COMPANY EAGLE EDGELESS 500 Korean 70/30 Super Plush 500gsm Microfiber Detailing Towels - https://amzn.to/2HYVmky - very high plush and high quality, though I end up using the Chemical Guys towels more often and save these for random spot details. Probably not ideal.
  
• THE RAG COMPANY Premium Window, Glass, Mirror & Chrome Korean 70/30 Microfiber - https://amzn.to/2rrveVg - work great for cleaning windows and mirrors.
  
• Nylon Laundry Bag - https://amzn.to/2rtYOcP - I have one bag for clean and one for dirty. Has done a great job of keeping dust off the rags during storage.

Overview

Here is my work from this last weekend. I am a completely mobile detailer and live in the Chicagoland area. I do not actually open until May but this client reached out to me and I wanted to make sure they were taken care of properly and establish a good relationship.

This detail was a lot of fun. I always enjoy interiors because they are such a huge turn around for not as much work as something like a full-blown paint correction.

The client had brought his car to a bodyshop to have it repainted. Unfortunately, while the windows were removed from the vehicle, they were not covered. This resulted in the work of the body shop making its way into the vehicle and covering it. This vehicle is definitely this client's baby and fun car. He was absolutely devastated and really wanted his vehicle brought back to life so he could once again enjoy something he has put a lot into.

I look forward to potentially working on this vehicle again and helping this owner get his car to any level of perfection he is looking to achieve.

---

Work Done

The client wanted a Definitive Interior Cleaning as well as a Showroom Engine detail. Services described here

To a great help to me, this client removed the seats and cleaned them all before I even came on site. This allowed me to focus a lot more time on the interior and door jamb areas and the engine. We did not put the seats back into the vehicle as I wanted the fabric coating to fully dry before they were put back in. That is why you will not be seeing any seat pictures. They were just fine.

The interior was vacuumed and then was completely cleaned with Detailer Pro's Total Interior Cleaner. This product is my go-to for interiors. It works flawlessly and it has a great smell that does linger and just smells naturally clean. I use these types of interior clothes for working with that product.

To assist in cleaning some of the interior trim and the vents, a steam cleaner was used. The steam cleaner was very carefully used on the headliner as well. It is very important to not let a headliner get soaked or too wet as the glue is very thin. Doing this can cause headliner sag.

Nothing beats cleaning the interior of a vehicle with this brush. It is absolutely my favorite brush.

All interior hard surfaces were treated with Lexol Premium Protectant.

The entire interior carpet was cleaned utilizing a heated carpet cleaner. The entire interior carpet where feet will be, the two front seats, and all four mats were treated with CarPro Cquartz Fabric Coating.

The pedals were cleaned up with steel wool as much as possible. Lots of plastic on them which made it difficult to polish to the level it could have been.

All door jambs were sealed with Sonax Polymer Net Shield.

The engine was completely cleaned using P21S Total Auto Wash and just general microfiber clothes from a place like AutoZone. The engine was then dressed with Adam's In&Out Spray to enhance the appearance of all plastic/rubber parts.

---

Response

Overall the client was very satisfied and could not stop staring at the vehicle.

He stated that it looked like new again and like a completely different car. He definitely seems ecstatic to have his vehicle back to the way it should be.

The client did point out the spots still left on the headliner and was instructed on properly cleaning that overtime to remove them. I expressed no issue/charge to work on the headliner again if I come out for new work.

---

Reflection and Lessons Learned

Not much for this one. I had a chance to finally clean a headliner that really needed it. It's definitely very difficult to clean something when you can't be that aggressive with and just have to take time and a lot of patience.

I got pictures of the interior beforehand, but not the engine. The engine was worse off than I was planning and without the use of water like normal, it took quite a bit of time. It turned out just fine though. Engines can be cleaned either way.

---

Total Time: 5 hours on interior, 2 hours on engine

Total Cost: $390

www.chicagosdad.com

www.facebook.com/chicagosdad

Hope this helps! This isn't an exhaustive list of the best professional products but some of the best top rated affordable and highly rated by forums and high subscriber YouTubers. I'll try to answer questions as they come. Thanks for all tye comments and positive/critical feedback. Promise is all helps in the end!

Wash/Decontamination

1. Meguiar’s Gold Class Shampoo Car Wash - $23 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071HR14SJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
2. Mothers California Gold Clay Bar System (Best out of the packaged kits compared to “professional” line expensive clays/lubes) - $16 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002U2V1Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. Carpro Iron X Iron Remover 500 ml with Sprayer - $19 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UM6DLE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
4. CarPro Eraser Intense Oil & Polish Cleanser (Rated a little higher than Gyeon Prep – A few options out there but this is cheap and works great compared to straight IPA spray/wipe. It’s not rough on the clear coat and doesn’t cause issues with using higher % of IPA over time) - $17 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FY0XY1S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
5. 2x Five-Gallon buckets with a dirt guard in the bottom. – Lowe’s $10-$15 with the dirt guard (already had that)
   
   Wheels/Tires
   
6. CarGuys “Premium Wheel Cleaner” - $17 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014V9GFJU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s05?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
7. Mothers Mag & Aluminum Polish (Classic Product but you really won’t find a more reliable and top notch wheel polish than this – Here is Amazon link but usually you can pick this up cheaper at Walmart for about $4 or $5 I believe) - $7 - https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-05101-Mag-Aluminum-Polish/dp/B0009H519Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1549046381&sr=8-3&keywords=mag+and+aluminum+polish
   
8. 1x 2.5 Gallon Bucket Dedicated To Wheel Cleaning ONLY – Lowe’s $5
   
   Compounding/Polishing
   
9. Meguiar’s New m110 (Newer m105) Compound (Try To Find A 15% Coupon) - $40 - https://www.autopia-carcare.com/meguiars-m110-pro-compound.html#.XFRhIlVKhpg
   
10. Meguiar’s New m210 (Newer m205) Finishing Polish/Swirl Remover (Try To Find A 15% Coupon) - $40 - https://www.autopia-carcare.com/meguiars-m210-pro-finishing-polish.html#.XFRhIVVKhpg
    
11. 6x Pack Lake Country CCS Compounding/Polishing Pads – 3x Orange/2x White/1x Green – $60 (Try to find a usable 15% coupon) - https://www.autopia-carcare.com/ccs-pads.html#.XFRfgVVKhpg
    
12. Meguiar’s PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish (Using for rear/front light polishing – Could use your compound to polish as an alternative but I like the protection factor built into this plastic polish) - $5 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AY3SR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
13. Car Foam Drill Polishing Pad Kit - 22x Piece 3” Buffing Pads (Cheap drill adapter + pads for head/tail lights only – You could go with a legit company for 3” pads but for the cost it was a joke and they are only for head/tail lights, NOT paint) - $11 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076ZJMHB1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
    
    Finshing Wax/Protectant/Plastic & Trim Restorer
    
14. Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax - $16 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HCM9H4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s05?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
15. TriNova Plastic & Trim Restorer (Hard Pressed to find anything as affordable for the ratings) - $13 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AAZ1OAE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
    
    Interior/Glass Cleaners
    
16. 303 PROTECTANT: Interior & Exterior UV Protectant (Use it to wipe leather seats, dash, and plastics) - $10 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0185PU38A/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s05?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
17. Invisible Glass Premium Glass Cleaner w/ EZ Grip (Awesome stuff) - $4 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KAON5Q2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
    
    Convertible Fabric Top Cleaner/Protectant/Sealer
    
18. RaggTopp Fabric Convertible Top Cleaner/Protectant Kit (This is top in class. There aren’t really any other higher rated options. Go with kit that has cleaner/brush/protectant sealer.) - $50 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008MM5ZFI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
    
    Microfiber Cloths/Car Drying Microfiber Cloths/Buffing Microfibers/Brushes/Etc.
    
19. Zwipes Microfiber Cleaning Cloths (24-Pack) (**Found this on a couple lists online for high ratings and they are soft/Highly rated on Amazon and cheap!) - $13 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ANZHG7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
20. Chemical Guys Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt (Might consider 2-3 of them for washing the top and bottom parts of car – prevent further scratching) - $7 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TTL0TE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
21. Mothers Wheel Brush - $8 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GJ3DZS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07__o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
22. Chemical Guys Microfiber Wash Cleaning Detergent Concentrate (Almost all the videos put this one as #1 compared to a couple other companies that offer dedicated microfiber wash detergent) - $10 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TJXWH4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
23. Chemical Guys Woolly Mammoth Microfiber Dryer Towel (25 in. x 36 in.) - $25 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042Z0LEO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    
24. Other Random buffing foam applicators and microfiber cloths that came with some of the kits listed above. Will use those for compound wiping and etc.
    
25. Plastic Containers For Organization – Hefty 1.625 (Microfiber container) & 3.75 (Other products w/o squirt triggers) Gallon Containers I believe are the ones in the picture. These are awesome considering the cheap pricing. The plastic is heavy duty and the lathes aer decent all things considered. - https://www.lowes.com/pd/Hefty-1-625-Gallon-6-5-Quart-Clear-Tote-with-Latching-Lid/1000505511
    
    

I would reccomend these materials for the two bucket wash method. Its probably the most common method, and one of the safest. There are plenty of youtube how to's on this. These are the materials you'll need.

• Two buckets that will be used for the two bucket wash method. They can be purchased from a local home center for relatively cheap. $10
  
• Grit Guards. Preferably two, in order to prevent grit from reentering the wash mitt. $20
  
• Wash Mitt. Something like this will be just fine. $8
  
• Car soap. This is completely up to you. Something like Meguiar's Gold Class is fine. $10
  
  
• Wheel brush. Dependent on what you type of wheels you have. A quick amazon search will give you an idea. $10-20
  
• Sealant. I use Meguiar's M21. Not the best not the worst. Im sure others will chime in an have recommendations for you. $20.
  
• Wax. I don't use a wax because my car is older, and the sealant does just fine.
  
  
• Microfibers. The Rag Company has some great starter kits.
  
  Not Necessarily essentials, but recommended.
  
  
• Wheel cleaner. Something like Sonax. $15
  
• Clay Bar. This will be used to intitially remove contaminants from the car. Plenty of youtube how to's and kits can be found easily through amazon or your local auto parts store. $20
  
  I don't think you need anything like a DA at this point. Others will have recommendations for you, and I encourage you to take their advice as well. Some great youtube channels are Ammo NYC, Larry is a master at explaining how to's. He has is own line of products but they're expensive. You can even email him with questions and he'll respond quickly and go above and beyond to explain somethingto you. Junkman, also another great channel. Chemical Guys, they have some pretty good products but their customer service is shit. Their youtube videos are pretty good but all they do is upsell their products.
  
  I'm fairly new to detailing like you. I dont have the best products, but what I use seems to work for me. There are better products out there but budgets can only be so large.
  

>Wash car using 2 bucket method, wash mitt. For soap I am using Meguiars Carnuba Wash

Yep, 2 bucket method and remember to use the right ratio of soap to water. I think that soap is 1oz --> 1 Gallon. I tend to use an old laundry cup and mark the different oz on that cup so that i know i have the right ratios.

>Scrub car with Nanoskin sponge, and a soapy mitt - or should I use ONR - what ratio.

Baggy test the paint but it most cases for a newbie there paint will need a clay/decon. IronX or TriX(Tar and Iron remover) is a nice thing to have but really is a luxury. In the case with what lubrication to use while you nanoskin, I like o just use my soapy water that is at the right ratio and should be clean due to the to bucket wash keeping junk out of the wash bucket. If your using ONR as clay lube the ratio 1:64.

>Rinse car with water

Yep using the flood method. The water should just sheet off and shouldn't leave much behind. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAmb9DWdnFc

>Dry with ONR 1:16 ratio & Dry Me a River towell - is that a good ratio?

With ONR less is more in most cases. This will leave some behind. If i used ONR as a clay lube then the 1:64 is what i would be using. If i am mixing fresh i would be going 1:128. Reminder to pre-wet your towel wring it out.

>Wax - I was going to use Meguiar's G12718 NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 I am not sure about this one to be honest. My car is a daily driver, so I want something that will last a long time. Is there something else I should be using? Maybe the Meguiar's ultimate liquid wax instead? https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G18216-Ultimate-Liquid-Wax/dp/B004HCM9H4/

The biggest thing for protection staying is the prepwork. The step alot of people tend to forget is using IPA wipedown after everything as this will give the surface the cleanest, and driest area for the protection to bond to.


The Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax is also Meguiar's Sealant M21. This should get you 3-4 months depending on where the car is kept(inside vs outside 24/7)

The Meguiar's ultimate liquid wax they pushed more for a beading looking because care enthused like that. I think if you have the budget I would get Jescars Powerlock and Collinate 845 look for these on autogeek,autopia-carcare, fav detailing site as they will tend to have deals better than amazon

I would watch https://youtu.be/34GKKyrFrFI?list=PLG_BGdABDC9vWAZVwdmLNAU7J7kwNmJGH and kind of follow it but depending on the level of effort you want to put in.

If your looking to get just one protection product I would get Collinate 845


Any protection truly lasting longer then 6 months is either on a car that isn't exposed to the elements or is a coating. Protection should be reapplied at regular intervals. My daily driver is black, 3 kids and sits outside 24/7 so my interval is 3 months.


Hope this helps and enjoy your detailing path.

2015 Ford Focus ST

I performed my Express Detail on this 2015 Ford Focus ST for a client. This client emailed me Thanksgiving morning hoping I could help with a gift his best friend "spilled" in his vehicle. I couldn't help him since I was on my way out of town, but I gave him instructions of how to help get the gift out. He ended up booking me to come over when I got back :)

His car is pretty new (a month + if I remember correctly), so my Express Detail was perfect for his vehicle.

This package is my most popular as I believe it's the most bang for your buck (or at least I tried to price it that way).

Products Used:

Wash

• Meg's Gold Class Shampoo
  
• Pressure Washer Foam Cannon
  
• Ryobi Pressure Washer
  
• Microfiber Chenille microfiber mitt
  
  Wheels
  
  
• APC (All Purpose Cleaner)
  
• Lug Nut Brush
  
• Wheel Master Brushes
  
  Decontamination
  
  
• IronX
  
  Clay
  
  
• Nanoskin Fine Sponge
  
• ONR (Lube Dilution)
  
  1-Step
  
  
• HD Speed
  
• Rupes Green Pad
  
  Interior
  
  
• ONR diluted for quick detailer
  
• Costco microfibers
  
• Boars hair brush
  
  Notes
  
  I found out that there is a special trick to putting this car in reverse. It involves lifting the collar below the shift knob. It's actually pretty interesting.
  
  Price: $215 + TIP
  
  Time: 4.5-5 Hours
  
  Thank you for your business fellow redditor :)

Hey guys i'm new to this detailing scene..but I do hope to learn a lot from everyone! I have an 05' white civic and the exterior isn't terrible, but there's definitely parts where there's medium oxidation and swirl marks. Just overall the paint doesn't feel glossy and smooth, just weathered and feels like metal.

Please let me know if I got the steps correct...any inputs is greatly appreciated!

1. First do a thorough wash, and dry completely.
   
2. Clay bar the entire exterior (I'm going to use http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002U2V1Y/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER)
   
3. Here's where I don't know what I should do...do I compound or is that not necessary? I'm thinking if I skip compounding, I will use Scratch X (http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G10307-Scratch-X-2-0/dp/B0002UNON8)
   
4. Then I will Polish with This: http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Ultimate-Polish-16-oz/dp/B004HCOE8Q
   
5. What do you recommend I do next? Could I follow the Mother's 3-step Ultimate Wax starting with this product? http://www.amazon.com/MOTHERS-07100-California-Gold-Polish/dp/B0002U26QE
   
   

• By the way, as you see I have attached the pictures...what do I do with the oxidation on the exterior windshield trim?
  
• Next, this paint damage, I was thinking to get a touchup paint from the dealership, but how should I apply this?
  
• Lastly, whats the most effective way to clean this part..the door jambs?
  
  Thanks so much for all your suggestions and inputs. I hope to learn a lot from all of you.
  
  PS. Extra question, I'm doing a roadtrip after the detail...(stupid i know) but what's a good product to get rid of the bug stains while I'm out on the road?
  
  THANKS!!
  

Here's my opinion

Shampoo- good choice, make sure you're using a washing mitt and not any kitchen sponge, something like http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3002-Microfiber-Wash-Mitt/dp/B000RXKR6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405903374&sr=8-1&keywords=washing+mitt will be fine

Towel- while you can dry with any microfiber towel, it will be best to use one specifically made for drying so you don't have to wring out the towel after every wipe. Also, using a low quality microfiber has the possibility of scratching the paint. My recommendation would be http://www.theragcompany.com/Dry-Me-A-River-26-x-59-Premium-Microfiber-Waffle-Weave-Towel-42009-2659-OW.htm

Wax- I have no idea how much you want to spend, but if you're going to be applying it by hand you generally want to go with a carnuba wax as they are easier to apply and wipe off. My personal favorite is pinnacle souveran liquid wax. Probably out of the price range for a beginner, but it's super easy to apply/wipe off, and it produces amazing results and lasts a lot longer than other carnuba waxes. http://www.autogeek.net/pinliqsouvwa.html If you want something on the cheaper end and can be purchased in auto stores, go with Meguiar's gold class liquid wax. http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G7016-Carnauba-Premium-Liquid/dp/B0002UNOYM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405903940&sr=8-2&keywords=gold+class+wax

Applicators- If you're applying wax, go with a foam applicator pad like these lake country applicator pads(make sure they're the red color) with this palm grip

Headlights- If you have a power drill, I recommend this http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3000-Heavy-Headlight-Restoration/dp/B004HCOE72/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405904455&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+headlight kit as it attaches right to the drill and works very well.

You have quite the garage going there, and a good list of car care items. I was keeping up with a family and 3 cars, so my extra detail time was never quite abundant over the last few years. I previously had an arsenal of products like you, but narrowed it down to 3 to simplify and ease my busy life. I really liked the Nu Finish Liquid Polish and then gravitated to the wash last to cover was the plastic, rubber, and leather protectant. I had a couple different products, but the NuVinyl did all, including leather, that armor-all (basic) does not. As mentioned, I just had to simplify for many reasons and this worked for me. It may not be the professional kit of choice, but 3 products help keep my 3 cars in great shape.

And as far as applying compounds, polishes, or waxes, I spent years doing it by hand until I gave Meguiar's DA Power System a shot. Costs more then by hand (initially), but it goes quicker and produces a better product. This is the only product I tried, I am sure there are plenty of other options out there. Good luck cleaning!

Detailing products are usually not cheap. The best way to save money is to buy in bulk (gallon size), you'll save over time rather than having to go to autozone to buy more soaps, waxes, microfiber towels, wheel cleaners.

Will save you money for years. For instance Meguiar's glass cleaner (gallon concentrated). $20, dilute 10-1 with distilled water, you just bought yourself 10 years worth of glass cleaner. I'd say buying in gallon concentrated gives you a 5x better value over buying the parts-store consumer stuff. I know because ive already spent probably hundreds at autozone / parts stores on just car shampoos and glass cleaner just taking care of a Camry.

Meguiar's Shampoo Plus (amazon link)

Meguiar's Glass Cleaner (amazon)

Meguiar's Xpress Spray Wax (amazon)

Also the Last Touch detailer, wheel cleaners, interior cleaners, leather products. All good value.

etc. Compare the costs to parts-store grade products.



Kirkland microfiber towels (amazon) good for basic jobs that you don't want to use more expensive towels on.

Save all your spray bottles bottles of spray wax, interior cleaners, glass cleaner sprays, etc to recycle & reuse. Put the gallon-sized concentrated versions in them, re-label the bottle with a sharpie. You just saved $25 in bottles costs.

Invisible Glass Reach and Clean tool. This saves your back and neck muscles from becoming dislocated trying to reach into corners while cleaning glass. This tool is an essential in my book. I think its $15-20.

For DA polishing, look into the meguiar's DA microfiber system. You want the one with the 5" backing plate. Also buying in bulk principle also works here, you'll want a lot of buffing wheels so buy the 12-pack. amazon link

You'll want a clay bar kit. Meguiar's clay bar kit is a good value, I like that it comes with a case to store the clay.

This is what I have. It works awesome. You will need a velcro backing plate and the pads to go with it.

So for example, my setup was the porter cable polisher, the Meguiar's 105 & 205 polishes, a 6in. velcro backing plate, orange pads used with the 105, and white pads used with the 205 polish.

I started with the orange pads and the 105 to "cut" the paint. Just to get all those deeps swirls out. This will leave micro swirls, which is why you have to follow up with the 205 and white pads. You could probably skip the 105 step all together and just use either the white pads or black pads. (that is if you don't have really bad swirls) I would probably try to black pads first as they would be the safest and less abrasive.

So here's how I would do it with your car if you just want to try and get minor swirls out. I would 2 bucket wash, dry, and then clay. I would then tape off all your trim (if you plan on doing the whole car) as getting polish stuck between trim or on trim is a PITA. I would just worry about trim that is close to paint. Prep work will take time, but you won't have to slow down when polishing each panel. So once your trim is taped off it's time to get to work. Decide which panel you want to start with. Apply 3-5 drops of 205 polish to the black pad, have some water (preferably distilled) in a spray bottle and mist the pad. Go over to the panel and stick the pad against the panel to spread out the polish. You should have a couple spots where there's 3-5 drops of polish on the panel now. Bring the polisher up to speed, (I usually do a middle speed) and start working the polish into the panel going back and forth in a sweeping motion. Once you have thoroughly gone over the panel, carefully turn off your polisher without lifting off. If you lift off you will get polish EVERYWHERE. Now wipe it dry with a soft microfiber towel. I purchased brand new microfiber towels (basically the softest ones too) from The Rag Company. You want to remove ALL polish residue from the panel as soon as possible. Do not move onto the next panel without doing this. This will also give you an opportunity to check your work. Use a bright light to see if you can spot anymore swirls. You shouldn't see any.

I am by no means a professional, I have only done this once on my own personal vehicle. I believe I got pretty good results. Take my advice with a grain of salt. I just watched Youtube videos to learn what I know. I hope this helps! Don't be too worried or nervous. It's pretty easy and was pretty fun. But I won't lie, because I went over my car twice, my arms were killing me by the end of the day. I could barely finish the last panel (it was on the side) because my arms just wanted to give out. It was hard work, but so so worth it!

It should also go without saying, but be sure to either do this in a garage or in complete spot. You want the paint to be cool and you don't want the polish to dry on the panel. Also you don't want to have any dust blow on your paint or settle. Basically you want your paint as clean as possible before you go to town with your polisher.

I would have taken more photos but I didn't set out with the intention of making a post; however, when I saw the results I knew I had to.

Like I said, this mini van only set me back $300. But just because it's a cheap turd doesn't mean you can't take some pride in it and at least put a ribbon on it.

Anyways, I'll add some more details left out of the post.

First I mixed up regular ole dish soap and water and grabbed some 1000 grit wet/dry sand paper, dunked it in the solution and let it soak while I taped off my headlights. I don't think you have to let it soak, but that's what I did. Once I finished taping off the lights, I started wet sanding and just redunked as needed for adequate lubrication.

Now I've read some posts on here about people saying it's easier to see when you're done sanding if you go in one direction for a certain grit and the opposite in another so you can see sanding lines. I didn't do that either. I just sanded it til I felt it was smooth and/or had been doing it for a couple minutes; up, down, left, right, circles. Whatever. It worked out for me.

Repeat exact same procedure for 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper.

Now, if you've never done this before you might start to get nervous, because at this stage your headlights look (somehow) even worse than when you started. Fret not my friend. Patience is a virtue.

Now I have a DA polisher, but these headlights are narrow. So I opted at just purchasing a generic named 3" backing plate, drill adapter and pad combo set off amazon. Some of the reviews said it wasn't the greatest. But that was fine by me. I just wanted them for this headlight. Those reviewers are wrong. I think they were thinking you could do an entire vehicle with these 3" pads. The pads and backing plate were high quality and for that price, even if they weren't I wouldn't have been all that upset. I highly recommend these.

I used the two flat top oranges pads for this project. First I used M105. Polished til it "flashed" then buffed it off with a microfiber towel. Switched to my other orange pad and polished with M205 following the same procedure.

Then I stood in awe of how great they came out. Did a wipe down with isopropyl alcohol, and two coats of collinite 845 that I applied with some cheap microfiber applicators for future uv protection.

Then I went and excitedly rushed my girlfriend outside to see. She was impressed but decidedly less than me.

Also, while I was doing this, a man approached me and asked me how much I'd charge to do his car. I talked with him a bit, and informed him that for the price I would charge to do his one car he'd be better off doing some research, buying his own supplies and just learning a new skill. He thought about it and excitedly told me he already had a drill and that he decided he'd do it. He went on to say he was also going to do not just his car, but also his mom's car and his girlfriend's car. He wrote down everything I said! Haha,I hope his come out as well as mine!

Edit: formatting/spelling

First of all, here's a link with some pictures: https://imgur.com/a/DdDMX8f

I just bought this car two weekends ago and I'm stoked. I have washed it once (normal two-bucket method, no polish/wax). I'm going to plan for a more in-depth detail this coming or the following weekend, so I'm planning on making some purchases and wanted to run them by you guys! My general plan is do a foam cannon spray, rest a little bit, rinse, decontaminate w/ Griot's Speed Shine and Griot's Synthetic Clay.

After decontamination, in the long run, I would like to put a coat of CQuartz. Beforehand, obviously, I need to remove as many of the swirls/scratches as possible. I don't have any experience yet with compounding/polishing so do you think I should try it first before buying the CQuartz, or should I just go for it?

Here's what I'd like to buy:

1. Soap - Currently I have a bottle of some basic Meguiars cheap stuff that I was using on my previous old cars. After reading around some, I was going to either go with Gold Class or Optimum Car Wash. CarPro Reset is another option for me as I would like to apply CQuartz eventually so I want something without additives and waxes. Currently I have Optimum Car Wash in my cart, any reason I should go with anything else? I know everyone raves about ONR, but is that more for maintenance washes? Haven't looked into it much yet.
   
2. Snow foam - Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam. I have a small bottle of this and I like the results, so I may buy a gallon unless I'm convinced otherwise!
   
3. Drying Towel - I have plenty of normal microfiber towels for touching up and interior work, but I don't have dedicated large drying towels. The Meguiar's X2000 drying towel was recommended a couple places on the sub and it seems like a good value; but I have heard Griot's is good as well. Any thoughts?
   
4. Polisher - Griot's Garage 6" DA Polisher. From what I have read, this seems to be one of the best-rated entry-level polishers. I haven't done enough research yet to know what type of pads/liquids I will need based on my specific paint, so I'll save those decisions for another day. The car was mostly well taken care of but there are a couple etched spots from what I'm assuming was bird poop or sap. There are a couple pictures in the album of this. Other than that, there seem to be an average amount of "swirl" marks but I'll need to do more research to determine what level of liquid/pads I need. I took the photos in the morning so I didn't have a good light source to show the "swirls".
   
   I already have some good stuff for cleaning wheels and I've been using Griot's Interior Detailer for the interior and it seems to be doing a good enough job. The interior isn't very dirty so just light cleaning suffices.
   
   As for CQuartz prep, before I am more confident in the paint correction process, should I apply a wax after polishing, or will that just make it more of a pain in the ass to decontaminate the paint when I decide to apply CQuartz in the next month or so? FYI, I'm going to be reading the DA polishing guides on this sub before I buy anything related to that.
   
   Any comments or suggestions on things I have selected?
   
   Thanks!

Been slowly building up 'maintenance' type supplies and think I'm on the right track but have a few questions. Here's what I've got:

• Meg's Quick Interior Detailer
  
• 303 protectant
  
• Meg's Ultimate Quik Wax (spray)
  
• Meg's Ultimate Quik Detailer (spray)
  
• Some MF pads
  
• [Detailing brushes]
  (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CWBDBFU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
  
• Tire dressing applicators
  
• Mother's wheel brush
  
• Costco MF towels
  
  And probably some other random stuff. Most of what I've listed above I haven't even used yet! So some quick questions!
  
  

1. I have been considering getting some Meg's APC. Am I correct that I could use this on tires, light buildup on tailpipes, Husky (like Weatherbeater) all-weather floor mats? Any guidelines on dilution for these applications; and what else could the APC be used for?
   
2. For interior cleaning, can I safely use the Meg's QID with the brushes to get inside crevices including around switchgear without risk of short-circuiting something?
   
3. QID on a MF OK to clean nav/LCD screens?
   
   We had both of our cars detailed a couple months ago by someone who has a small side business in our neighborhood, so they are in pretty good shape, and just want to keep them that way. At some point in the future, I may consider getting a DA but for now just want to get better at regular maintenance.
   
   Thanks for reading this long-winded post!

Here’s a straightforward shopping list and beginners guide. This will knock out most if not all of your swirl marks.

Shopping List:

Machine Polisher - PORTER-CABLE Variable Speed Polisher, 6-Inch (7424XP) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002654I46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_l7SADbKPP1Q6Q

Backing Pad - Astro 4607 5" PU Velcro Backing Pad https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CH3Z8W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_T7SADbZ187WK1

Buffing Pads - Chemical Guys HEX_3KIT_5 5.5" Buffing Pad Sampler Kit (4 Items), 16. Fluid_Ounces, 4 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J588UNG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_d9SADb8WF470V

Compound - Meguiar's G17220 Ultimate Compound, 20 oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06W5HCZ9M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_M9SADb0ADEMZJ

Finishing Polish - Meguiar's M20532 Mirror Glaze Ultra Finishing Polish, 32 Fluid Ounces, 1 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001O7PNXC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_i-SADbWXADMQT

Wax - Your preference


Here’s the guide:

1 – Tool Prep

Set aside the dual-action polisher, backing pad, and foam pads. Remove the included backing plate that’s already attached to the Porter Cable polisher, use the included wrench. Re-attached using the Astro pad, secure tightly.

2 – Wash

Wash your car by hand, preferably using the two-bucket method. Afterward, move the car into your garage or shaded area. You’ll want to be out of direct sunlight, keeping the paint as cool as possible.

3 – Clay Bar

Clay bar the entire car. Make sure to wipe down the finish afterward, keeping it as clean as possible.

4 – Compound Buffing

Grab your machine polisher, the Ultimate Compound, and the orange pad. Attach the pad to the polisher using the velcro backing, make sure it’s centered. Prime the pad by dabbing 8-10 dime-sized amounts across the surface. Start working one section at a time, around 2 x 2 feet. Before you turn on the polisher, press the pad against the paint. Compound polish should be soaked within the pad, along with the paint. Press the pad against the surface, set to speed setting 2-3, and begin spreading the compound around in quick passes. Then, turn it up to 5-6 and let the fun begin. Use overlapping, slow passes. Once you’re done, wide the area clean with a microfiber towel.

5 – Inspection

Check out your results of the first section. Go over the area again if most of the swirl marks aren’t gone. If the swirls are gone, but a light haze is present, don’t worry. The finishing polish will take care of it.

6 – Polish Buffing

Use the M205 Finishing Polish with the white pad. Follow the same steps from before. Prime the pad and rub it against the paint before turning on the polisher. Use a max speed of 3-4 with medium pressure. The Finishing Polish will take care of the rest of the haze and micro scratches. Once you’re finished with the first section, wipe clean.

7 – Inspection

Again, check out the results of the M205 Finishing Polish. It’s doubtful you’ll need more than one application, but double-check all the same. If it’s looking great, move on and finish the rest of your car.

8 – Wax

Your paint is looking great. The swirl marks are gone, leaving a bright clean finish. Apply the wax using the black foam pad. Use very light pressure, letting the pad float along with the paint. You’re just coating your car’s finish, that’s all. Wipe clean with a microfiber towel.

Griot’s Garage 6” w/ 25’ cord


Hey all! Thanks for all the great advice most of you give on here. I learn a ton from you.

I need/want to buy my first DA Polisher and I’ve been following prices for a few months now on different brands. This one above usually is $165 but now is only $138. Should I go for it or hold out for a better one like The Boss for $380 currently and see if that drops?

I’d REALLY love a Rupes but can’t afford $400 and I’ve never seen those prices drop.

I know this DA is a mid level one and honestly will more than likely be good for me. I’m just going to be doing my GLI and my GF car. Maybe a few others here and there from time to time. Although, next year I’d like to maybe start picking up a few jobs every so often.

Thanks for all your time and advice in advance.

Hopefully a future master detailer I’ll become.

Buy three buckets, one for wheels, the others for a two bucket system.

Buy something to clean the wheels as well. I have the wheel woolies but I'm going to ask for the woolly wormit for my birthday from my wife.

Get a Waterless Wash and/or Quick Detailer for the times when you don't need a wash but you want to clean stuff up.

Take a look into this new Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax for a sealant. I have used the Fast Finish and it's great so this should be even better.

I also use Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax (D156 is the same but in a gallon jug) as a drying aid and it makes the car POP!


As a final suggestion, buy some 303 for the interior. You're going to love it. Not greasy, smells okay (not fruity), and leaves things looking great.

Hello,

I've read the wiki and its a huge resource. Thank you to all who put it together!

Some of the product reccommedations are unavailble on Amazon so I just wanted to ask a few questions with regards a brand new car I bought and see if these products are whats needed:

So firstly, washing the exterior of the car:

I have Meguiars Gold class wash, I have two buckets, and grit guards, I will do the two buckets method. Now do I dry the car with:

this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ERU0F3A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A1RKELVBY446LD&psc=1 or

this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GXRFLY4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A1RKELVBY446LD&psc=1

Once I have washed the outside and dried it with the towels, I then apply the wax, I will be using #845 - can I use these to apply it:

https://www.amazon.com/Viking-Car-Care-Microfiber-Applicator/dp/B0051MYL8E/ref=pd_bxgy_263_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0051MYL8E&pd_rd_r=BG4S92NE1D9CH9E2J67C&pd_rd_w=HVEIG&pd_rd_wg=6EheM&psc=1&refRID=BG4S92NE1D9CH9E2J67C

I know I needs to get a clay bar or a micro sponge I'm just not sure where/how this fits into the process, what items do I need to buy

These?

https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-07240-California-Gold-System/dp/B0002U2V1Y/ref=pd_bxgy_263_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0002U2V1Y&pd_rd_r=BG4S92NE1D9CH9E2J67C&pd_rd_w=HVEIG&pd_rd_wg=6EheM&psc=1&refRID=BG4S92NE1D9CH9E2J67C

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CUAWJ6G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Lastly, I am buying this window cleaner -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006SH4KU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Is it safe to use inside and out? I would imagine spray directly on outside windows and just use some microfiber towels like this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WC5KQGE/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A1RKELVBY446LD&psc=1 to clean it off? On the inside I would imagine spraying directly onto the cloth would be better.

Do I clean the outside windows after the car has been cleaned and waxed?

I understand the basic process and with this being a new car I want to be 100% I'm doing the right thing, I fully intend on washing it every other week and taking great care of it!

Thanks

Tim

TL;DR: Stubborn water spots would not come off from glass cleaner, clay, steel wool, and acid! Vehicle had to be taken to a commercial detailer to remove the spots. What gives? Also, how do you use Collinite 845? I don't get the impressive results that many users seem to get. My layer of wax lasts 3-4 weeks max compared to the mentioned 3-4 months by users here and in other forums!

 

A friend of mine let me work on his new Volkwagen Golf GTI and he wanted a wash and wax. Since I don't have a lot of experience in auto detailing (even though I have a bunch of equipment), I have not been charging people who have been letting me work on their cars. I don't charge because I feel that I'm still learning and experimenting on other people's cars. The paint was generally pretty clean, didn't feel any contaminates on the paint so I didn't clay it. He already tinted his windows pretty dark.

My procedure was

• Rinse
  
• Foam (Chemical Guys Honeydew)
  
• Rinse
  
• 2 bucket hand wash
  
• Rinse
  
• Dry whole car (ONR quick detail spray to help)
  
• Apply Collinite 845
  
• Wipe off after ~20-30 minutes
  
• Clean windows with Meguiars D120 glass cleaner
  
   
  
  From looking at the windows from outside, maybe because of the tint, I didn't see any water spots. However, when he drove the car home and the setting sun hit the windows right, there were water spots ALL OVER his windows. I told him next day, I would clean his windows and I just tried the glass cleaner and some elbow grease. That didn't work. Next I tried glass cleaner, nano-skin sponge, and elbow grease. That didn't work either. Then I told him to bring it back to my house and I would use actual clay on the windows. That didn't work either! At this point, we rewashed the whole car to try and see if that would help. It didn't! We work together at a dealership and he brought it in to the shop to see what they can do. The shop tried the steel wool but it didn't remove everything. Next they tried some acid and it helped a little, but didn't remove everything.
  
   
  
  He ended up paying a detail shop $120 to redo his entire car and they removed the water spots by using a steel wool and some "pink stuff" (according to my friend). I am paying my friend $60 because I feel terrible and I pretty much caused the spots to happen. What I find odd about this is that when I wash my own cars and my girlfriend's cars, they do get water spots but they come off when I clean them. Any idea what caused the water spots on my friend's car to be so stubborn? Does the glass from different car manufacturers affect how water spots stick to it?
  
  I just bought a Camco Water Filter and will attach it to my hose/pressure washer and hope it helps. Any other recommendations on how to avoid that in the future?
  
  
   
  
  Also, I feel like maybe I'm using the Collinite 845 wrong. I've read many posts from users indicating that their 845 will last 2-3 months easily. I've only had my 845 last 3-4 weeks maximum. My friend's coating of 845 didn't last a day it seemed. After we washed his car a second time, he said it didn't feel smooth anymore, as if we stripped some of it off with the Honeydew foam. Can you guys provide me with some information about 845? I've gone through half the bottle already and I bought it February 2016... I see posts from people saying their's last years. I use this wax on daily driver cars. Personally, I can't park my car inside a garage either, so it's exposed to the elements 24/7.

Look at all of the colors of pads out there. Blues, blacks, and Red are for finishing. Whites, oranges,and yellows are medium to high aggressive.

On my black paint I used an Orange, Green, Black, then red for waxing. I used CG V36 and V38. But used the V36 on my Orange pad only then V38 on the Green and Black pads. To bring me to a liquid wax/sealant on the red pad. Let it cure, then the next day applying Collinite as my last step.

I don't think you should focus on removing 100% of the swirls. But make it look 50-80% better. You don't want to wear down your paint. I highly recommend a test spot. My favorite is the top of the trunk. Tape off half of it. Do half through all of your steps. Review it with a few different lights, and sunlight to see your progress. Maybe take some photos of it. Once you get to the waxing with the polisher, it'll cover up the remaining swirls as the machine is amazing for waxing. Just don't machine wax a car if you haven't clayed or polished.

The biggest thing is to get the pattern of buffing down. And to be patient. For me, I could never do an entire car in one day. I'd do the hood and one half of the car, as best I could, then do the other half the next weekend or the next day.

Another thing, go on the Lexus Forums or even Autopia detailing and look at their detailing steps on the same car/paint. They may show the products they used and pads. But it's also not about the products but you can ask them questions if you need any quick tips. Overall, I think a few passes with 3 pads with a liquid wax will do wonders for your test spot. And if you proceed then tape off sections of the hood into 6ths and door panels into 4ths.

Amazon example: Hover over the Style for the pad and it will show you the color.. You can review the crap out of every product out there, but you just have to decide, then do it. I've used those exact pads and they worked awesome. Choose 2 polishes and 1 liquid wax along with 1 hand wax like Collinite or something else. Don't forget to clay bar your car before polishing and even though I don't always use a backing plate, it makes handling the DA polisher easier.

Been looking to detail my car, and while I am still getting my stuff along with trying to find the time to do it.. I've started to come up with a couple of questions.

1. Is it safe to use a magic eraser on the exterior / interior of my windshield + other glass on the car? Or would getting a drill adapter to polish the glass be a better option? Is there anything I can use to seal and protect the glass after cleaning it?
   
   The windshield has it's fair share of micro pitting and surface knicks (not cracks). And since a magic eraser acts as a very fine sandpaper I was thinking that it could possibly help to smooth out some of the pitting and knicks just to make these spots less noticeable when light hits it at certain angles.
   
   ​
   
   

2. What is the best product / way to darken the pillars on my doors and seal them?
   
   Currently they are not that faded, but id like to keep them up before they get to that point.
   
   ​
   
   
3. When I do detail the car I am planning to polish the car with Meguiar's M20508 Mirror Glaze Ultra Finishing Polish then use Meguiar's G18216 Ultimate Liquid Wax to protect it. What sort of pads or applicators do I need to apply this stuff?
   
   I have microfiber towels for cleaning and buffing but not sure what type of applicator pads to use.
   
   ​
   
   Also, any recommendations on a good / reliable, but repetitively inexpensive shopvac?
   Not looking for one with a bag or anything, just something for cleaning out the interior as those dam gas station vacuums are not worth 2$ for 4 minutes when you cant even get under the seats..
   
   ​
   
   Thank you for any and all feedback!

Hi All!

My family owns a heating oil delivery business and we pride ourselves on having the cleanest and best looking trucks around.

To polish the tanks, we use Mother's Aluminum polish (https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-05101-Mag-Aluminum-Polish/dp/B0009H519Y) applied by hand (to avoid swirls, I'm told)

I was wondering if you guys could shed some light on a best approach to keep these looking like a mirror finish? Could a DA polisher be used? Is there a better product than the aluminum polish? Should we be waxing the tanks as well?

Here are a couple of pictures: http://imgur.com/a/IfTnb

Thanks for any tips! I know this is a little unique since it's metal instead of paint!

1. Buy a gallon of water from your grocery store, bring a bucket, ONR, and the softest towels you own and you can do an ONR wash in the parking lot.
   
2. I think your LSP should be a wax and a detail spray. I LOVE Meguiar's D156. It adds a nice slickness to the paint, smells like fresh laundry, and is great for that finished look. If you want to save money its the same thing as Meguiar's Quik spray wax, just the professional version.
   
3. Oh boy! If you're going to track your car friday and then enter it to the clean car on saturday, you're going to need a full wash. Is your car a dark or light color? that will determine the direction to go.

If you like the Quik Detailer then check out their Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax. Another user on here gave me a tip to try using the X-Press in place of the QD so I'm just passing it on. Turned out to be the best last-step product I've ever used, hands down. I just spray it on and wipe off with a fresh microfiber after I dry my car and it leaves a nice wet looking mirror finish that beads water like a fresh wax. Meguiars says it renews your wax/sealant every time you use it so that makes sense. The final result is more solid and glassy (a lot like a paint sealant) instead of almost sticky or gooey like the QD can get sometimes.

A little goes a long way too. I filled up a 16oz spray bottle like 4 months ago it's probably still 3/4 full. At this rate the gallon container is going to last a few years.

Audi allroad Quattro

This was by far the nicest vehicle I’ve worked on. My aunt was in town and asked me to clean up her car, but I only had about three hours to give it quick in and out so I had to do what I could. The interior had a nice layer of dust over everything, there was dog hair in most of the upholstery, the mats were covered in dirt and salt from the winter, and the leather seats all had a noticeable bit of dirt on them. The outside wasn’t too bad besides the wheels, which were nearly black from all the brake dust. There was also a bunch of tar around the wheels which I removed.

Products:

Interior

Carpro Inside

Leather scrub brush

All-purpose microfiber

Scrub brush

Rubber mats pressure washed and scrubbed with carpet brush and Britemax Interior Cleaner

Dog hair removed with scrub brush & vacuum

Wheels & Tires

Iron X

Meguiar’s All-Purpose Cleaner 4:1

Meguiar’s Hyper Wash

Multiple wheel brushes – Adam’s Wheel Face brush, Adam’s long handled brush, wheel woolies, Tuff Shine Tire Brush, & Carrand wheel brush

Wash

Foam gun with Carpro IX Snow Soap

2BW with Carpro Reset

Meguiar’s microfiber wash mitt

Decontamination

Carpro IX

Carpro Tar X

Meguiar’s mild clay

ONR clay lube dilution

Plastic razor

LSP

Carpro Eraser

Carpro Hydro2

Other

Meguiar’s Glass Cleaner Concentrate

Ammo Mud

Total time: 3 hours



Like I said, I didn’t have a ton of time on this car so I had to do what I could and split my time evenly on the interior and exterior. The wheels easily took about 45 minutes total which really had me rushing to get the rest of the exterior done. My aunt was very happy with the results and asked when she should have me do it again. Next time I’ll be able to plan and have more than a few hours to get more involved since this was kind of a spur of the moment detail. This is a beautiful car in and out and felt lucky to have gotten to work on it. I forget what year model this is, either a 2014 or 2015.

Credit to /u/zenautodetailing for the write up format. Links reflect where I bought the products. Many of these items should be on Amazon Prime.

Thanks for looking!

My parents' neighbor has been watching as I borrow Mom and Dad's hose and he recently asked if I could take on his car and I was happy to oblige! Overall, the exterior was in okay shape - couple bugs, a few spots of tree sap and bird poo, as well as just a good amount of dirt and mud tucked in some spaces. I gave the car a two bucket wash, clay, Iron X treatment, Iron X, clay and topped it off with a sealant. Thanks for pointing out that I listed my procedure out of order, /u/Deadfable! Here's the deets:

Products Used:

• Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo
  
• Optimum No Rinse (Quick Detailer dilution for claying)
  
• CarPro's Iron X for decontamination
  
• Nanoskin AutoScrub Fine Grade Sponge
  
• Meguiar's D101 (4:1 on tires, wheel wells - 10:1 on the interior)
  
• Aerospace 303 Protectant for interior dressing
  
• Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax
  
• Harbor Freight DA Polisher w/ Buff & Shine 5.5" red pad
  
• Wheel Woolies
  
• Solo Horton Brushes
  
• Other assorted brushes
  
• Microfiber towels from The Rag Company
  

• 0000 Steel Wool from Home Depot (used with QD for the exhaust tips)
  

• Optimum Opti-Bond Tire Gel applied via foam block
  
• Stoner's Invisible Glass
  
  Overall a fun job! Got rewarded with a hearty lunch of sausage and peppers on Italian bread. Happy detailer!!

Perhaps the wax you're using isn't strong enough to protect against the hard water etching. If you're using a carnauba wax, perhaps try switching to a poly wax, like Meguiar's Ultimate Wax. It has a tackier feel to it when it's cured (not slick) so I imagine it forms a thicker, stronger layer of protection over the car.

To fix lots of etching, I recommend getting a DA polisher, porter cable DA is good, here's a whole kit for under $200,: http://www.autogeek.net/poca74pofcop.html?productid=poca74pofcop&channelid=FROOG&utm_source=CSEs&utm_medium=GoogleProductSearch&utm_campaign=CSE&gclid=CJ_twp2IncACFSsV7AodMSwAAA

though I use Meguiar's microfiber DA correction system on mine, a little more expensive but better.

You can try a number of products to "clean" etching by hand. I'd prefer a cleaner polish like Meguiar's Ultimate Compound, a couple meguiar's foam pads, and a quality microfiber. And follow up with an oil-heavy pure polish like Meguiar's Ultimate Polish

Another tip is to avoid letting water dry over your car. If you have a brief shower and your car gets wet with lots of water beads, drive the car around the block, wipe it down with a huge soft microfiber, or use an electric leaf blower to blow the water off. Or get a Metropolitan Master Blaster air dryer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfGSLSTaOB4

You could probably get results that approach professional work like this using a couple machines in conjunction. Obviously pro's tools are going to get things that just won't come out otherwise... but time and determination tends to make up most of the gap.

>Steam cleaner: http://www.amazon.com/HomeRight-C800880-SteamMachine-Cleaning-Wallpaper/dp/B00A1B4B58/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1395695083&sr=8-6&keywords=Wagner+steamer

-- Plus --

>Carpet/Upholstery shampoo extractor vacuum: http://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-ProHeat-Compact-Multi-Purpose-14259/dp/B002KCMH6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395695238&sr=8-1&keywords=Bissel+little+green+machine

I'd probably start with the steam to help loosen the really gnarly spots/stains and move on to the extractor to pull all the gunk out.

Combine that with some good upholstery shampoo and some strong degreaser and some elbow grease with a semi-stiff brush and you could get anything out of your interior.

Really matters what type of paint you are using. But I'd always wait exactly what it says on the can if not longer. Especially for sanding purposes. For clear coat I'd try to find 2 part clear coat that is activated. That is closer to professional pant then your run of the mill stuff which isn't exactly meant to be on a car and in harsh environments. I have had super good luck with finding good stuff on amazon. Example

It is only good for 48 hours. Though I'd plan the paint to be as fast and soon as possible.

I'd get a fine grade nanoskin mitt or something similar for decon. Maybe a foam gun or foam lance and some soap. Might want to grab an APC for interior cleaning, although I think you can dilute ONR down as an APC... I really like Optimum APC though, very safe and effective.

I saw this today on slickdeals, choose subscribe & save to get it down to $13.35: 1-Gallon Chemical Guys Maxi-Suds II Super Suds Car Wash

I have a few small scratches and many swirl marks on my instrument cluster cover (Jeep Grand Cherokee). I have tried to buff them out by hand, which helped with the big scratches, but not the swirl marks. I know the DA Power System Tool attachment isn't popular around here, but it fits my budget well, and I think it would work well for removing those swirls. What do you guys think of that tool, with PlastX, to clean up the instrument cluster? (https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3500-Power-System-Tool/dp/B009OBVRY4/ref=sr_1_8?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1523631233&sr=1-8&keywords=DA+polisher)

Thanks guys!

I was also a beginner at the beginning of the year. I went out and bought [Meguiars 105] (https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirror-Glaze-Ultra-Cut-Compound/dp/B003LMGDHI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1496750162&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+105), and [Meguiars 205] (https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirror-Glaze-Finishing-Polish/dp/B003LMJP4Q/ref=pd_sim_263_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003LMJP4Q&pd_rd_r=YK6JBJ416NKY6325PPQG&pd_rd_w=WZ6u4&pd_rd_wg=LD9ed&psc=1&refRID=YK6JBJ416NKY6325PPQG), a [chicago electric DA from harbor freight] (https://www.harborfreight.com/6-in-57-Amp-Heavy-Duty-Dual-Action-Variable-Speed-Polisher-62862.html?ccdenc=eyJjb2RlIjoiODkwMjE0MTgiLCJza3UiOiI2Mjg2MiIsImlzIjoiNDkuOTkiLCJwcm9kdWN0X2lk%0D%0AIjoiMTE0NDYifQ%3D%3D%0D%0A), and ordered [orange and white hex logic pads from amazon] (https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guys-BUFX-102-HEX5-Hex-Logic-Medium-Heavy/dp/B0040MI9H0/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1496750285&sr=1-1&keywords=hex+logic+pads). This will be a good start. Get these things, should cost between 120 and 150 for all of it depending on where you buy, and that DA goes on sale quite often, looks like it's currently down to 49.99, so now would be the time to buy. I started off doing my Formula and then did my Sierra, and now have had a few other people come to me for correction and have a pretty good grasp on what I'm doing.

1. Watch tutorials by Junkman2000 on youtube.
   
2. Use the right size pads for your backing plate. The DA listed above comes with a 6" flimsy backing plate, and you should replace it with a 5" so it is smaller and easier to work with. Mark your backing plate as well, so if you push too hard, you'll see it stop spinning. Good for figuring out how much force you SHOULD be using.
   
3. Take your time, and work at it slowly, you will have results.

Newbie here

Someone please recommend an inexpensive and easy to apply sealer. Preferable one available on amazon.

Also - are there any instructional videos on using Nanoskin sponge?

EDIT:
My thoughts were to wash with 2 bucket method, clean up the paint using the nanoskin sponge and then seal it in to give it protection for the coming summer months.

Would any of these work as a sealer? Which one is the best in giving me long term protection? Easiest to apply?
Also - can I use these towels ? Or are they a bad idea?

Meguiar's M21 Mirror Glaze Synthetic Sealant 2.0

Meguiar's M20 Mirror Glaze Polymer Sealant

Meguiars G18216 Ultimate Liquid Wax

It's easy to get caught up in all of the information on the internet about detailing. My advice would be to keep it simple. The goal is to keep it clean and prevent swirl marks. Go check out AMMO NYC on YouTube and watch some of Larrys videos. 90% of detailing is a simple concept, prevent dirt or grit from being rubbed again your paint. Foam cannons, 2 bucket washes, air drying, etc. the purpose for all of this is to get as much dirt off without rubbing it into your paint. I bet most of the guys on this sub could achieve great results using the cheapest Walmart products because many have a good understanding of decontamination and technique. The reason we all cringe when we see automatic washes, brushes at self serve washes, squeegees on paint is because it goes again the basic principal of don't rub shit into your paint.

Once you get this principle down you can venture into the money pit that is auto detailing products to achieve even better results.

One thing I would add to your cart is Megs D156, it has a ton of uses and works great as a drying aid.

Meguiar's D15601 Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax - 1 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JPJMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_2vROybTQWAZC2

All right popeye, get yourself a hand applicator, something like Orange Light Cutting CCS Euro Foam Hand Polish Applicator. Then pick up some Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and some Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. You should only need like 16 oz bottles which is probably still more than you need.

The auto store will have the compound and polish if you pick it up from there. They might carry a hand applicator.

You should also pick up a clay bar kit, something like Mothers California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System to get rid of the contaminants before you start rubbing more swirls into your paint while your polishing.

I really like it. I was going to pick up a bissell green machine but after watching reviews, it just looked too flimsy. Found this one without much reviews but decided to give it a chance. Things really solid and works great. Thought my floor mats were clean until i tried it out. http://imgur.com/a/nE4ZG

I'm fairly new, myself. I've driven clunkers most of my life. Spent about five years downtown where I didn't have a car. Now I'm back in suburbia, so I've got a brand new GTI, and it's the first one I've ever cared to take good care of. Here's what I started with:

• Meguiar's D101 APC - the D103 APC+ has apparently been discontinued.
  
• Two Chemical Guys detailing bucket kits, which each have a bucket, lid, grit guard, 16oz citrus wash, and some washing pad thing I didn't really want.
  
• Two-pack of Rag Company Dry Me a River towels
  
• Five-pack of Rag Company detailing towels
  
• Bottle of Stoner Invisible Glass
  
• Two-pack of Griot's Garage microfiber wash mitts
  
• A Nanoskin wash mitt
  
• 32oz Optimum No Rinse Wash and Wax - for use as a quick detailer and easy maintenance washing.
  
• Lexol leather care kit
  
• Thee-pack of spray bottles
  
• A microfiber window towel
  
• A cheap electric blower
  
• 16oz Chemical Guys Jetseal
  
• Microfiber applicators
  
  I should have picked up some of Chemical Guys' citrus wash and clear, too, to help deal with a winter's worth of grime left by terrible touchless car washes. I've also got a tire brush, hand vacuum, and some assorted cheap microfiber towels around already.
  
  Your kit looks a lot more cost-effective, though. Throw in some cheap buckets, grit guards, wash mitts, and drying towel, and an extra stack of cheap microfibers and you're still under $100 for practically everything you would need for a proper two-bucket wash and wax.

i think those scratches will come out. they dont seem so bad. you can confirm this by running your nail around them and seeing if it catches your fingernail. youll be better off if they dont really catch.

i think i would go with this car kit from meguiars

as well as ultimate compound

and some polish

i would then wash the car, clay the car, scratchx the scratches, plastx the headlights, compound the car, polish the car, then wax the car.

that will definitely do you. if you have more money, check out a bunch of the sidebar lists for more stuff. maximus's pretty much has it all.

edit: and maybe a couple of these mf applicators. i think they are easier to use and spread the product and work it in really well.

I agree with /u/Pinkman2012. Don't get the Eagle One stuff though. I've used it in the past, and at least for me, it was weirdly hard to remove. I REALLY like D156. That stuff is fantastic. Save some money and get the gallon. Once you use it once, you'll use it a LOT because of how great it is.

http://amzn.com/B005JPJMI2

That's probably the toughest part about detailing, is looking at the number of products and trying to find exactly what is perfect for you! That's the reason why detailing is so dangerous, once you get in, you keep searching and trying more products. If you want to keep up with maintenance, I'd suggest getting a nanoskin mitt. Lasts much longer, easier to use, less of a hassle, the pros go on forever, the only con is the upfront cost. If you want to clay once, clay is more economical but the mitt is DEFINITELY better in the long run. I do 2'x2' sections, and when you finish compounding, you wipe off. You don't want to mix products on the same pad. People say to buy 2-3 of each pad, as when one gets oversaturated it loses its effectiveness and may lead to micromarring, but I've never had a problem using only 1 Orange LCC pad and 1 White LCC pad for 105 and 205, respectively.

These orange pads are 7 dollars with prime. Is that too expensive? I use these occasionally for AIO and they've been ok. Lake country is better but not available the way you want to get them.

You want pads that match the aggressiveness of the product you are using to get the best finish possible using that product. That's just how it works. You can certainly use compounding pads for polish to up the aggressiveness(m205 comes to mind with this) but you still want polishing pads to finish without micromarring. I use a minimum of two per car, per color(except lsp, I have dedicated pads for each of my products that I use), switching at about the halfway point, maybe more if I use heavier polishes/compounds. Never work with a dirty pad, you're creating frustrations for yourself.

I've yet to use it. I have a bottle waiting to try but I've had a few ppl tell me about it. I actually used to use Meguiars D156 as a drying aide everytime I washed & it just didn't feel like it did anything. I'm sure it did, but I never got the feeling it was adding any protection or longevity to my wax job.

Maybe someone else will chime in but it seems like some ppl are using these ceramic sprays as their only form of wax/protection. So to me if that's the case then it should definitely be an added benefit to apply over top of Collinite.

Look up some vids on YouTube. There are plenty.

I don't think that is brake dust, it looks like anti-seize to me. Some old school mechanics use it on lug nuts so they are easier to remove, but it sure looks like they used a ton of it. If that is the case I'd pull the wheel, clean the lugs, let them dry and retorque the wheels.

As far as cleaning of the wheels, I'd give a go at Sonax FE or I think an Iron-X would do it as well paired with a light brush. A lot of the vendors sell lug brushes.

A microfiber or foam applicator pad is what you should probably use.

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3070-Soft-Foam-Applicator/dp/B0009IQZPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407524279&sr=8-1&keywords=meguiars+applicator+pad
http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3080-EvenCoat-Applicator-Pads/dp/B0009IQZQG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1407524279&sr=8-3&keywords=meguiars+applicator+pad

Since your just starting out this might be a good kit http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3300-Brilliant-Solutions-Restoration/dp/B004EB12FS/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1407524279&sr=8-13&keywords=meguiars+applicator+pad

Depending on your budget and how much you see washing by hand etc, you might look at /u/TheRagCompany microfibers. They are really liked here, I just got mine and are going to try them out tonight.

Make sure to read up on good technique on the wash and correction so you don't introduce any more scratches etc.

If you're using the quik wax, you might as well just go get a gallon of Meguiars Synthetic Express Spray Wax. It's a great quick wax, drying aid, door jamb wipe, and you can use it on plastic and rubber without worry as well. Google some videos. I think Auto Fetish has some vids about how useful it can be for off-label uses.

Meguiar's D15601 Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax - 1 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JPJMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Z0Uzzb9KMWRYJ

And to your original question-yeah, spray waxes are good for a finishing shine and a bit of temporary protection.

I agree but man even my cheapo corded da polisher outlasts me on a day’s work. I just throw the cord over my shoulder and it keeps on kicking. I think you’d almost be better off getting a really long extension cord or even a cheaper generator. If you’re in range to charge the batteries while you’re using the other one, you’re in range for an extension cord. You could always do something like the meguiars DA attachment for drills and just use a cordless one. It’s a direct drive system for like $80 maybe?

Edit: Meg’s power system

Awesome! You definitely helped. One final question if it's ok. Will the following steps (in order) be good for a first time wash/detail?

1. Wash the car with this soap.
   
   
2. Scrub with these
   
   
3. Dry off with this
   
   
4. Decontaminate with [this]
   (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CUAWJ6G/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER), while using this as the lube for it?

The clay kit says it comes with some clay lube, but thanks for the tip!

Foam applicators like this: http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3070-Soft-Foam-Applicator/dp/B0009IQZPW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395465318&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+applicator?

And would I use the mitt in place of all the microfiber towels or just in some cases?

Thanks!

The second bucket is a "rinse" bucket. It is used to clean the dirt off your mitt from the dirt it encounters on your car. It contains just water, and you rub your mitt on the grit guard to get all the dirt and grime off off it. Then I typically ring it out and put it into my "wash" bucket. This bucket contains the actual car wash, I run the mitt along the grit guard and then ring it a bit and use it on the car again.
This video will provide a little insight into the process.

As far as applicator pads go, it's best to go with a foam applicator when it comes to applying wax. The reason for this is simply because a foam applicator is going to evenly distribute the wax and not provide any abrasiveness against the surface of your paint. These pads by Meguiar's should do the trick. I personally use Pinnacle Polyfoam pads from AutoGeek.net, but these are probably the same thing, they just have the Meguiar's logo.

I would recommend not using a pad for different applications. Keep one pad for wax, one for sealant, etc. The foam pads I linked can be used for sealant and wax.

However, for compound, I would go with a microfiber applicator if you are going to do it by hand. You may not get stellar results this way, but it may work, I personally have never tried it. The reason for microfiber pads here is because they offer a little more abrasiveness against your paint as opposed to the foam applicators. These may do the trick if you want to apply compound and polish by hand.

I use my shop vac for spot cleaning in between my seasonal shampoo'ing of the whole interior. I like to use a foaming cleaner like Tuff Stuff because they're cheap and readily available OTC. Agitate with a good stiff bristle brush, and vacuum it up before all of the foam dissipates.

Just a tip, if you have the extra coin, I've been very happy with this handheld shampoo'er from Bissell. Well worth the money. http://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-ProHeat-Compact-Multi-Purpose-14259/dp/B002KCMH6Q/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1409155025&sr=8-15&keywords=carpet+shampoo+bissell

Your list looks good, but is lacking a few item IMO:

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3002-Microfiber-Wash-Mitt/dp/B000RXKR6M/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1396913798&sr=1-1&keywords=microfiber+wash+mitt The mitt you listed should be fine, but I use these. I have 3 of them and it's good to have more than one lying around in case one gets too dirty during the wash. I like to use a different one for the bottom of my car anyway.

I'd get at least one more pack of those Chemical Guys microfiber towels. The more the better.

I use Sonax Full Effect Wheel Cleaner. http://www.amazon.com/Sonax-230200-755-Wheel-Cleaner/dp/B003UT3S6Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1396914006&sr=1-1&keywords=sonax+full+effect+wheel+cleaner It's a bit pricey but it's very effective at removing brake dust.

For applying the wax, you'll need an applicator pad http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X3070-Soft-Foam-Applicator/dp/B0009IQZPW/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1396914054&sr=1-1&keywords=foam+applicator+pad

Sure

This is the one I currently use: Chemical Guys MIC_493 Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TTL0TE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0tgFxb1M1HBR5
Literally the only CG product I own. I like that it's green so I can see the dirt. However here is one that is highly rated, but is blue, but if you don't mind that these ones seem good too, especially if you have a large vehicle. Plus you can dedicate one to the upper and lower half or however

Ultimate Car Wash Mitt - 2 pack Extra Large Size - Premium Chenille Microfiber Wash Mitt - Wash Glove - Lint Free - Scratch Free https://www.amazon.com/dp/B011B25IXY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0vgFxbQ8H8HA9

I took delivery of my 3 in February of this year (also multi-coat red) and did something very similar to what you are doing. I did have full front PPF (XPEL) installed the day after I took delivery, and then I drove the car for 3 months until temps warmed up. I did the following DYI:

• Two bucket wash
  
• Chemical decon using Optimum Ferrex (https://www.theragcompany.com/optimum-ferrex/)
  
• Clay bar entire car (used ONR for clay lube) (https://www.theragcompany.com/optimum-no-rinse-wash-and-shine-onr/)
  
• Single-stage polish using M205 on all panels not covered by XPEL PPF (https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirror-Glaze-Finishing-Polish/dp/B001O7PNXC)
  
• Full IPA wipe down, used Optimum Paint Prep (https://www.theragcompany.com/optimum-paint-prep/)
  
• Applied Optimum Gloss Coat over the whole car (https://www.theragcompany.com/optimum-gloss-coat/). Let the car sit in my garage for 24 hours after application
  
  A friend of mine bought a White Model 3 and I did these same steps for him in July (he bought all the materials and the beer :) Both cars are looking great.

Opinion: I think this at 1/4 of the price will do almost an identical job to the ammo http://www.amazon.com/S100-13700W-Carnauba-Paste-Wax/dp/B000GZQP08/

These carnauba waxes will not last long... especially in heat.

-

Instead of the gold, go with the ultimate like the other dude said, AMAZING wax for the price:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HCM9H4/

This stuff will last a long time. great beading.

Can you order off of amazon?

I would recommend using Griot's Garage Glass Polish.

I used this along with a glass polishing pad on my DA and quickly cleaned an entire window that was absolutely covered with overspray from a single stage paint job. Since you don't have a DA I would recommend a handheld pad such as a CG Polishing Pad.

However before trying the polish you might try using glass clay. It works pretty well - it should remove the gunk/spots but may not remove tough water spots. If you do use the clay I use Meguiar's or Stoner glass cleaner as lubrication.

Hope some of this will help!

Also on a side note - the pad you used probably didn't do much, if any, damage to the windshield, automotive glass is pretty tough stuff.

Go to Amazon and order this (I like Meg's products),

• Harbor Freight DA
  
  
• Meg's Endurance Tire Gel
  
  
• Meg's Ultimate Protectant
  
  
• Meg's Ultimate Liquid Wax
  
  
• Meg's APC
  
  
• Rag Company's Borderless Blonde
  
  
• Rag Company's Waffle Weave
  
  
• Hex Logic White Pad (3)
  
  
• Hex Logic Orange Pad (2)
  
  
• Hex Logic Red Pad (2)
  
  
• M105
  
  
• M205
  
  
• 3M Auto Tape
  
  
• Mother's Wheel Brush
  
  
• ABN Woolies
  
  
• Trim Brush
  
  
• Chem Guys Wash Mitt (2)
  
  
• Mother's Clay Bar Kit
  
  This should run you about $345 for everything and have you setup to take care of your car for a long time. You can find a 20% discount code online for harbor freight to bring the price down $55 for the DA. Go to home depot and buy a couple buckets and you will be good to go.
  
  Edit: To add, I went to Lowes and bought a cheap inline sprayer for my hose and it works fine for foaming up the vehicle, plus it only costs $5.
  
  Edit2: If you are going to downvote me please post why you don't like my recommendation.

Thinking about it I believe I can recommend 4 products:
Pink clay bar, really good for a regular claying.
Blue clay bar, for neglected paint, be aware that you'll need to polish after claying because it will leave swirls.
Chemical guys clay lube, maybe there's better, but this is the best for its cost.
Meguiar's wash mitt, doesn't scratch the paint and it's really affordable.

Products used:

• 303 Aerospace protectant for interior
  
  
• Stoner Invisible Glass for windows, mirrors, etc
  
  
• Chemical Guys waffle weave towel for use with glass cleaning
  
  
• Basic microfibers
  
  
• Mothers Reflections Tire Care for tires
  
  
• Mothers Microfiber drying towel for drying whole car
  
  
• Black and Decker cordless vacuum
  
  
• Eagle One 665854 All Wheel and Tire Cleaner
  
  
• Meguiar's G14422 Ultimate Quik Detailer
  
  
• There's also opticoat on the whole car
  
  The new products were the Eagle One wheel cleaner and the Meguiar's Quik Detailer. I'm very happy with them!

I use these when applying the M105:
Chemical Guys BUFX_102_HEX5 Hex-Logic Medium-Heavy Cutting Pad, Orange (5.5 Inch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040MI9H0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_JnEUTcXh1t2xd


Then I switch to these to apply the M205:
Chemical Guys BUFX_104_HEX5 Hex-Logic Light-Medium Polishing Pad, White (5.5 Inch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0041MVQ4M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_3CuEdXSpOPLHj

To be honest, I can't tell much of a difference before and after using the M205. I can definitely see improvement after using the M105 but yeah, last week I did my front driver's side fender and it took me five hours. Sad face.
Sometimes I think I should have bought a flex as I understand they work faster. I went with the PC because I understood it to be extremely safe. Being my first time and all, I wanted to be safe rather than burn my paint. But yeah, five hours/panel is ridiculous.

In my opinion, if this is your first polisher and you're not a seasoned professional, I would not recommend it.

1. it's a rotary (not a dual action) sander/grinder/polisher. Dual action is a lot more forgiving and a lot more user friendly.
   
   
2. it's 7 inches - that is massive for a first polisher. Most people recommend a 5-6 inch polisher.
   
   
3. simoniz doesn't make the most quality products. Their price points are amazing, but the quality of the product usually reflects why their price is where it is.
   
   
4. 10' cord is good if you want to strangle yourself. Using extension cables when working with a polisher is annoying as it can come unplugged by you pulling on the cord or inadvertently stepping on it moving from point to point.
   
   Look for the Griots Garage 6in dual action polisher or the Porter Cable 7424xp 6in dual action. Both can be had for nearly as cheap. I kept the GG polisher in my Amazon waitlist because it goes on sale from time to time for $155'ish which is a steal.
   
   Griot's Garage 10813LNGCRD 6-Inch Random Orbital Polisher with 25-Feet Cord https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B009UKUURO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DKqxzbQJ5NVFQ
   
   PORTER-CABLE 7424XP 6-Inch Variable-Speed Polisher https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B002654I46/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6Jqxzb3VNSE56
   
   Also, check out the wikilinks in the sidebar for recommended products - http://www.reddit.com/r/AutoDetailing/wiki/index

You can wash with soap and water, APC, or even aluminum-safe wheel cleaner if its really funky. When you clean it, use a pressure washer/compressed air to blow out the fins. If there is anything built up it will reduce the performance of the intercooler.

This video is a pretty good guide on polishing bare aluminum to a mirror finish. It is time consuming and messy, but you will get good results. If there aren't any deep scratches, I usually wetsand with 400, 800, 1000; sometimes finishing with #0000 steel wool before moving to the rouges. Instead of a compound at the end, I typically use something like mothers mag and aluminum polish, and finish with a coat of wax.

Do you want to buy a mildly good one and have it forever or rent an amazing one and have it for a weekend? Rugdoctors can be had at a lot of stores for rentals and will do a great job of any carpet/upholstery. Up to you.

The Bissel Little Green is generally the one people go for. You want a heating element to your extractor or it won't open the pores in the carpet and will do a worse job.

Well the first, and biggest, difference is power. The one you linked is 1.1amp, the griots is 7 amp and has adjustable speed, so it can work faster than the buffer you linked. The type of pads they use is different as well, the griots has a velcro backing plate so you can use pads like these. 10 inches also is quite big and probably nearly impossible to use on tighter areas.
(I'm not an expert so please feel free to correct me on anything)

Hey Larry, love your videos.

Two questions:

1. What's good starting entry level steam cleaner or water extractor for those who detail on a budget?
   
2. What about this for a starter DA Polisher?

The potential hazards are that if you accidentally missed a spot while washing, you have a very high chance of dragging dirt across your paint. Best case scenario you get a light swirl mark or streak. Worst case scenario you grind away much deeper into your clear coat causing damage, thus requiring paint correction using compounding and polishing.

It's just best to avoid it and use a better option such as a quality micro fiber cloth designed for the purposes of drying paint.

EDIT: /u/theragcompany these guys are pretty awesome. I'd recommend a waffle weave towel like this http://www.theragcompany.com/products/premium-microfiber-16-x-24-waffle-weave-towel.html but other manufacturers make them as well. https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X2000-Magnet-Microfiber-Drying/dp/B0009IQZFM/

Someone recommended it for me so maybe try this? http://www.amazon.com/Camco-40043-TastePURE-Flexible-Protector/dp/B0006IX87S? It seems to be working okay but I still dry with towels. Also look up a drying technique called sheeting. Those 2 are probably your best bet without towels or an air blower

[Nanoskin Mitt] (http://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-AS-016-AutoScrub-Fine-Grade/dp/B00DOS0LH2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1422296825&sr=8-3&keywords=nanoskin)

There is also a medium grade sponge that is smaller but works really well, as well as a combo pack that has medium and fine grade together.

Note that you shouldn't use this as a standard 'wash mitt' though. It is literally a substitute for a clay bar.

I believe these are the exact ones I am using. I bought them off amazon a while ago. Whoolies

Based on what you said about your wheels though I'd still recommend the EZ Detail Brush. If they're tight spokes, you probably won't even be able to utilize the large one. The other two are significantly smaller than the large one.

The only downside to the EZ detail is the spray back from the nylon bristles. As you pull it out of the spokes, it tends to spray back a lot of the chemical from the bristles wicking around.

Is this only for the windows and no paint? Do not ever use a squeegee on paint. For windows the glass is much harder than paint but still can scratch it yet this is very rare and your probably good. Have you considered a drying towel like below. Its $8 works amazing. No risk and you can use on paint.

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X2000-Magnet-Microfiber-Drying/dp/B0009IQZFM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1413229092&sr=8-6&keywords=automotive+drying

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0043B7UQY?pc_redir=1407179716&robot_redir=1

This is a catalyzed 2k urethane clear not much different from what you would spray out of a gun. I've used their primer (which worked excellent) but not the clear as of yet ( I use cheap harbor freight hvlp guns). You mix the clear and reducer by pressing a button on the can before you use it (one time use). Pretty space age for rattle can, and will be infinitely more durable than non-catalyzed clears.

I just went with the Meguiar's since it was only $6, but haven't really compared to anything else yet. I guess I have been generally happy with other Amazon Basics items.

ABN Car Wheel Rim Cleaning 3-Piece Kit – Original Wheel Woolies Brush Stick Tool – Tire Woolie – Wooly Wand Set (3 Brushes) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L3KDUD0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_29H4Cb8QDYCDY

I’ve had these for 3+ years and they work wonderfully on all of our rims (3 styles of 5-spokes). Worth every penny.

Seems like you're in good shape. Do you have a wax or sealant yet?

I use these but honestly I rarely use them.

Clear coat provides protection over the headlight after sanding/polishing. I used this after restoring my headlights, came out real nice. https://www.amazon.com/Spraymax®-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Usc-3680061/dp/B0043B7UQY

Video applying a clear coat to headlights: https://youtu.be/UEJbKLZ7RmM?t=449

I use these and just throw them in the wash after:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051MYL8E

They are pretty cheap for being reusable. Honestly washing them every time is probably overkill anyway, a quick rinse would be fine.

how about the Meguiar's one?

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-X2000-Magnet-Microfiber-Drying/dp/B0009IQZFM/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1405130888&sr=1-1&keywords=waffle+weave+drying+towel

$7.26 each?... any good?

BTW, I use a chamois to dry my car. One is almost as old as I am and the other one is a new synthetic one... so... anything else might be an improvement

I used Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G18216-Ultimate-Liquid-Wax/dp/B004HCM9H4. And thanks for the positive thoughts!

I would buy this DA:
http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-7424XP-6-Inch-Variable-Speed-Polisher/dp/B002654I46/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407291588&sr=8-1&keywords=porter+cable+7424+xp

This backing plate:
http://www.amazon.com/Astro-Pneumatic-4607-Velcro-Backing/dp/B003CH3Z8W/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_y

3 of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guys-BUFX_102HEX5-Hex-Logic-Medium-Heavy/dp/B0040MI9H0/ref=pd_sim_hi_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=0NJJRSFYV45X3EWAS3NA


2 of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guys-BUFX_104HEX5-Hex-Logic-Light-Medium/dp/B0041MVQ4M/ref=pd_sim_auto_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=11TRQVZC789CNJ8EXED1


1 of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guys-BUFX_106HEX5-Hex-Logic-Finishing/dp/B0042TTIYO/ref=pd_sim_auto_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=08HEKJEWM7H5NRFGAQNH

Pretty sure they are all compatible with the backing plate.

You can still keep the rotary to use on newly repainted cars. But a DA is still the best choice for daily detailing. A good choice would be Griot's 6" http://amzn.to/1RTSMt2
It's a little heavy but has good torque and cutting power when used with a MF pad.

Well I've just started getting together my own kit and felt I HAD to get these:

1. Meguiar's Clay bars and quik detail spray
   
   
2. Butt-load of microfiber towels
   
   
3. Waffle-weave drying towel
   
   
4. Grit-guards
   
   
5. Iron X wheel cleaner
   
   
6. Industrial Spray bottles
   
   
7. Meguiar's Gold Class car wash soap
   
   
8. Meguiar's Gold Class Wax
   
   
9. Purple Power
   
   
10. Proper wash mitt
    
    I still feel like there are atleast ten other products that I NEED!
    
    -Pressure Washer
    
    -Foam Cannon
    
    -Detailing brushes
    
    -Sealants/Compounds combined with a proper rotor drill
    
    -ETC
    
    

The Bissell Little Green ProHeat seems like a very popular option for a small cleaner.

Damn I should have waited on buying my gg polishers http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009UKUURO/ref=pe_62810_128423080_em_1p_0_ti the 25' is also on sale for 99.99 seems to end at the same time. Man I could've saved 20 bucks lol oh well I still got my da's for cheaper than usual.

If you mean a spray wax, check out D156 by Meguiar's. Solid spray wax that smells really good, and can be used on the paint and any plastic trim. Not exactly sure what the durability is like, though.

Also if you want it for a bit of a discount, I (and others on here) have a wholesale account with Detailed Image.

I would like a Rupes 21 or 15. If I were to get the 21, it would be with the 5" backing plate. Probably the only thing that I would want. As for Nanoskin, maybe a Nanoskin wash-mitt. These are awesome and make claying a lot faster. The only downside is tighter areas. I would keep traditional clay for that. http://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-AS-016-AutoScrub-Fine-Grade/dp/B00DOS0LH2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1411408985&sr=8-2&keywords=nanoskin

I personally have only used the Nanoskin sponge to decontaminate my car. It's a highly recommended clay alternative.

As for a sealant/wax, I'm not sure if my recommendations will be of any use since I just started detailing my own car over the last ~6 months. I have only tried one wax (Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax) and one sealant (Opti-Seal). Longevity of the Ultimate Liquid Wax wasn't great IMO. I'd look into Collinite 845 since it's highly regarded and there are plenty of tips/tricks on how to use it.

Honestly, easiest solution may be go to with CarPro Essence or HD Speed. I don't think there are any special tips/tricks on how to use Essence or HD Speed, and both will allow you to polish and seal your paint in one step. Admittedly, I haven't looked into either much, but they are next in line for me to research.

They also have mag/aluminum wheel polish for almost half off. I really recommend this stuff. I have cheap aluminum american racing wheels on my jeep and this stuff makes them look real good.

http://www.amazon.com/MOTHERS-05101-Mag-Aluminum-Polish/dp/B0009H519Y/ref=lp_2596858011_1_16?srs=2596858011&ie=UTF8&qid=1393773460&sr=8-16

The only 2 things I would change are your drying towel and I would get a nanoskin mitt instead of the clay. I recommend the Cobra waffle weave I have a full size 4 door truck and can dry the whole truck with one towel.http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Guzzler-Waffle-Drying-inches/dp/B0015JAHTE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1404427157&sr=8-2&keywords=cobra+waffle+weave+guzzler

And the Nanoskin is way easier and quicker than clay.http://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-AS-016-AutoScrub-Fine-Grade/dp/B00DOS0LH2/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1404427188&sr=1-4&keywords=nanoskin

By hand with a microfiber pad

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051MYL8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I made sure to try and follow this guide: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/how-articles/40243-collinite-845-definitive-how-guide-legendary-wax.html

I don't have any experience with the machine you list. But if it were up to me, I'd get the Griot's. They're a known entity, have a great warranty, and they're on sale on Amazon.ca. The polisher alone is $180, but the kit is only $220 and comes with two pads, detailer, compound, wax, and a clay bar. The only issue is that the Griot's comes with a 6" backing pad and it's generally recommended to get a 5" backing plate and pads.

I suggest either claying or Scrub Daddy-ing the windshield during a wash. THEN applying a window treatment AFTER cleaning it with Invisible Glass. The more smooth you can get the surface, the better the products will work. At least that seems to be the solution for my cars.

if by "invisible glass" you mean this, then that's the best product to use.

as for towels, just go to any Advance Auto Parts/AutoZone/etc to get some microfiber towels.

Nanoskin Mitt Amazon

cheapest I have found and I love it.

Quick question about a couple starter supplies, re: claying, waxxing and tires/wheels. I'm working on putting together a kit for first-time detailing my 92 miata (single-stage paint)

claying: I've heard good things about the nanoskin sponge and mits, does anyone have any feedback on this ABN towel? reviews seem solid, and I was considering getting it instead of the sponge. https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Grade-Towel-Detailing-Cloth/dp/B00Y1OBG8Q/ref=sr_1_5?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1504977575&sr=1-5&keywords=clay+mitt

waxxing: ill be getting the collinite 845, as far as application goes I just need some application pads and towels to buff with, right? I was considering https://www.amazon.com/Viking-862400-Blue-Microfiber-Applicator/dp/B0051MYL8E/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1504986720&sr=1-1&keywords=microfiber+applicator+pad and https://www.theragcompany.com/eagle-edgeless-16-x-16-microfiber-towel/

re: wheels/tires, i'll be good to go with APC, tire brush, wheel brush, and tire dressing, right? not quite ready to drop 50$ into a woolie set yet, so I was going to go with the mini ez detail

So after writing all of this, I realized scratches seem to be your main concern, not overall paint correction. I'll leave all this info here just in case though.

For the scratches specifically, grab the basic Dr. Colorchip kit, and you won't need to worry about polishing! Otherwise doing it by hand is going to be way too much work.


If your budget is $300 you can easily afford an entire budget kit, all the way up to a DA poilsher! This is if you avoid the Meguiar's starter pack, of course.

 

Washing and claying:

1. Optimum No Rinse ($20)
   
   
2. Nanoskin Autoscrub sponge ($12)
   
   
3. 2 Home Depot Buckets ($10)
   
   
4. 2 grit guards ($20)
   
   
5. The Rag Company starter kit ($30)
   
    
   
   Polishing:
   
   
6. Harbor Freight DA Polisher ($50 with coupon)
   
   
7. 3 orange, 3 black 5.5 inch pads ($24)
   
   
8. Meguiar's M205 ($12)
   
   
9. Griot's Garage BOSS FCC ($20)
   
   
10. Isopropyl alcohol ($5)
    
     
    
    Total: $203
    
    And that's assuming you start from absolutely nothing!

I suspect that this would be superior to the one that chrisfix suggests. I have seen this used to protect restored/candied/tinted taillights.

http://www.amazon.com/Spraymax%C2%AE-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Usc-3680061/dp/B0043B7UQY

I was considering these also. How is yours better?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001TZBB3K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414699682&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0057O0GSA/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1414699720&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0009IQZFM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414700082&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

Sounds like you have hard water. You can use a in line water filter to reduce the minerals in the water from your hose bib.
I've been using RV water filters like this with great results, your result will vary depending on your water hardness.

Another but expensive option is the CR Spotless system

http://imgur.com/a/aNmnD Dried with ammo hydrate, engine cleaned with APC 1:4 and dressed with 303. Still having some issues with water spots, I did wash at 2pm but it was fairly cloudy. Should I buy this and see if it helps?

If you plan on working on customer vehicles, grab your self one of these. It will make cut your time down by at least half. It is just a mitt that acts like clay removing contaminants from the paint. Like clay, you need some form of a lubricant. Your normal car wash soap works fine.

Why's that? I had considered picking up a pair of these: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RXKR6M

However, I read quite a lot stating that the sponge was actually the superior option for ONR (particularly those Lowe's sponges), so I decided to go with those instead.

If this is aluminum go with this one. One of my favorite products!

Hi, I'm really new to detailing so can you explain what you did exactly? I googled your terms and got these.

http://www.detailedimage.com/Meguiars-M43/Ultra-Cut-Compound-M105-P388/32-oz-S1/

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mirror-Glaze-Finishing-Polish/dp/B001O7PNXC

They are both polishes, right? Those sure are expensive..And you need a orange pad? A white pad? I see those pads in the first link I posted, detailedimage..The total cost for a newbie to do this is like around $60-70? Damn..I might have to live with the few scratches. Trying to invest in buckets and the whole newbie starter kit.

It's the Griot's Garage one from the wiki. I got the one with the longer cord and I also got a 5" backing plate from amazon as well.

Links to both:
Polisher
Backing Plate

Save your money, just get this and this instead and start washing. You'll find out what else you want/need as you go.

I use mother's aluminum polish on my exhaust tips. It works great!

Mothers 05101 Mag & Aluminum Polish - 10 oz
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009H519Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_e84-AbXQ7GWW2

Hello! I bought a new car a little over a month ago and I wanted to do some basic cleaning with it, stuff that can be done maybe a couple times a month, since I never personally did that with my previous car.

Anyways, I live in SoCal so I'm trying to keep water usage to a minimum. This is my current "to-purchase" list that I'd like to buy soon;

ONR

iK Sprayer

Iron X

TRC Creature Edgeless 10pack

Mother's Tire Brush

ABN Wheel Woolies

Stoner's Reach Tool

Already have: Stoner's Invisible Glass, Costco multipack MF towels.

Will I still want to get a clay bar + wax for after washing, or is just washing every so often enough?

Sure!

Foam Applicator 1

Foam Applicator 2

Microfiber Applicator these also come in packs of two

http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3500-Power-System-Tool/dp/B009OBVRY4

Turns your drill into a DA and comes with a pad. I've heard from two people that used it and really liked it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IX87S/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I3RNMHBSOH8GXS&colid=P2WFDBOTH8XS

There's been a review or 2 on here about this (or a VERY similar) filter. I don't own one, but they seem to work ok for the hobbyist.

Here it is cheaper: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005JPJMI2?pc_redir=1398611072&robot_redir=1

Yes. It's the same stuff.

D156 is the "pro" version of the ultimate spray wax.

it looks like you or someone may have used a cleaner for the wheels that was too strong or spray paint. I am no expert but maybe try a clay bar and lube with some [Sonax Full Effect] (http://www.amazon.com/Sonax-230200-755-Wheel-Cleaner-Full-Effect/dp/B003UT3S6Q) first

Meguire's makes a DA attachment for a drill, https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3500-Action-Power-System/dp/B009OBVRY4/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=meguires+da&qid=1569435857&sr=8-1
Would this be a bad alternative?

​

I have a corded TorQ DA so I do not want to shell out the $250 for the milwaukee.

You could look at something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006IX87S?pc_redir=T1

Wash then clay then wax. I like to use a foam applicator pad like this.

A microfiber will work but you may end up absorbing more into the towel than actually applying it onto the car

is there any way to polish without the a polishing tool. If i had to I was about to get the Meguiar's G3500 in order to polish it.

EDIT: my dad said he did wet sand it. But what do you mean by compound, like clay?

I have clear coat damage on a car that I would like to slow/stop (right now, I'm unable to commit time/effort to a proper sand down + repaint + re-coat).

From watching DIY clear coat repair videos, is it correct for me to assume that I can just go ahead and apply this 2K clear coat aerosol directly over the damaged area to prevent it from getting worse?

As I understand it, future repairs would just require removal of the clear coat anyway. Please let me know if any of the above assumptions are wrong.

Meguiars makes a drill attachment that is actually Dual Action. It uses gearing to convert single axis power into DA.

Meguiar's G3500 DA Power System Tool https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009OBVRY4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_OXdaBbE38GF39

https://youtu.be/Ev4XCdQS4Ss

Highly recommended and won't break the bank. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002KCMH6Q/ref=aw_wl_ov_dp__3?colid=3SVLRIEGQ7RR1&coliid=I1CBFT052OJJ8V

Soap is lubrication it helps the dirt glide over the paint, where as if you had no soap you would just be pushing the dirt into the paint causing scratches. Also sponges are bad use a chenille wash mitt like this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003TTL0TE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485112376&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=chemical+guys+wash+mitt&dpPl=1&dpID=5133hxCtSML&ref=plSrch

If you need any other advice I'd be happy to help

Can't go wrong w/ Wheel Woolies.

https://www.amazon.com/ABN-Car-Wheel-Cleaning-3-Piece/dp/B00L3KDUD0/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2V8RMFR4P8ZN6&keywords=wheel+woolies&qid=1574197344&sprefix=wheel+wol%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-4

It's a single speed. That's not a good sign. For under $50, I'd rather you use something like this, assuming you already have a drill.

Sorry, I called it the wrong name. It's Meguiar's Ultra Finishing Polish. My plan was to use M105 OR M205 to polish, and NXT to wax. In between those two steps I was told I could use Isopropyl Alcohol. I don't know if this is true or not but that's definitely a cheaper option, lol.

Amazon has the big bottle of M205 for $18

The Griot Garage 6" often goes for $150 ish on Amazon (as recently as May 27). https://ca.camelcamelcamel.com/Griots-Garage-10813LNGCRD-Orbital-Polisher/product/B009UKUURO?context=search

I have very hard water in my area and feel your pain. I bought this to hook up to my hose when I wash. Keeps the water clean so I can keep the cars looking good. Very cheap and should last a long time if you only use it when you wash the cars. Can't recommend enough

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IX87S/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_BhIPCb28QJDE7

Here you go sir/ma'am. It's called a Camco 40043

as a classic car owner, Mothers Mag and Aluminium polish
http://www.amazon.com/MOTHERS-05101-Mag-Aluminum-Polish/dp/B0009H519Y

nothing comes even close to it.

I picked up 2 packs of these and I've been used them for drying my car after GD method car-wash. How are they compared to the "Korean waffle weave towels"? Are they the same?

these are the pads

Also the pack came with two microfiber towels so I'll use those on windows then.

Two bucket wash with Meguiars Gold Class Soap, then a quick wax with Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax. Used Invisible Glass for all glass.

50% off 32oz M205 polish on Amazon!

I use this one

https://www.amazon.com/BISSELL-ProHeat-Compact-Multi-Purpose-14259/dp/B002KCMH6Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1385563970&sr=8-3&keywords=bissell+little+green

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KCMH6Q/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2XABS05VQ1AYI&coliid=I3PM0KX5HIVGPJ&psc=1

Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo

Chenille Wash Mitt

Turtle Wax Seal n Shine

Chemical Guys microfiber wash mitt for ~$6 on Amazon

This?
http://www.amazon.com/Spraymax%C2%AE-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Usc-3680061/dp/B0043B7UQY

A lot of professional retrofitters use this

http://www.amazon.com/Spraymax%C2%AE-Glamour-Gloss-Aerosol-Usc-3680061/dp/B0043B7UQY

Here it is

Planning to wash and wax my wife's car this weekend. My plan is to use Meg'sUltimate as the wax. I've used NuFinish forEVER.

Would/Could/Should I apply NuFinish and then Meg's?


Edit: spelling

Here is the desktop version of your link

Here is the type of pad you shuld get... https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0051MYL8E/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494442082&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=microfiber+pad&dpPl=1&dpID=51k5PkFDqkL&ref=plSrch

If you go thru lots of ultimate quick wax, buy Megs Xpress Spray Wax by the gallon. Way cheaper, same product.

MEGUIAR'S D15601 Synthetic X-Press Spray Wax, 128. Fluid_Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JPJMI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HTbtDbSMXDYET

i was planning on this

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3500-Power-System-Tool/dp/B009OBVRY4/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1506519774&sr=8-10&keywords=buffing+tool

Is there a larger alternative to this? https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-G3500-Action-Power-System/dp/B009OBVRY4

I like it, but is rather slow to get through the whole car because it is small.

Has anyone tried Meguiar's DA Power System Polisher?

It attaches to the drill, says its dual action. Has anyone tried it? Its $70 at my local Canadian tire and I was thinking it would be a cheaper alternative to the $200 Power Cable DA Polisher.

I'm not a professional, I'm only doing my car.

$135 if you get the 10 foot cord