Car cleaning products, whats best ?
Thread Starter
PassionFord Post Troll
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,244
Likes: 24
From: Belper
Car cleaning products, whats best ?
With my car having seriously gleaming fresh paint i thought id treat it to some propper cleaning products to protect the finish.
Ive got some Autoglym super resin polis but ive had it for years and not used any for what must be 5 years atleast, will this still be ok ?
Ive been looking into that Dodo Juice stuff aswel as the that looks and sounds bloody good stuff just a little expensive but then again you usually pay for what you get in this world....
What are your views and experiences with varuios car cleaning products that are available and do you have any advice for me ?
Theres so much to choose from im now a little confused to say the least, buckets with grids in the bottom, bloody hell things have come on since i last washed my car. The Vivaro doesnt get washed lol
Ive got some Autoglym super resin polis but ive had it for years and not used any for what must be 5 years atleast, will this still be ok ?
Ive been looking into that Dodo Juice stuff aswel as the that looks and sounds bloody good stuff just a little expensive but then again you usually pay for what you get in this world....
What are your views and experiences with varuios car cleaning products that are available and do you have any advice for me ?
Theres so much to choose from im now a little confused to say the least, buckets with grids in the bottom, bloody hell things have come on since i last washed my car. The Vivaro doesnt get washed lol
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 542
Likes: 6
From: gosport hants
meguairs nxt 2.0 doesnt leave any dusty residue and a real deep shine halfords sell it £18.99 but go on ebay theres a company called motorcare that sell it on there for £15.50 and free delivery hope thats of some help
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 8,264
Likes: 17
have a butchers on detailersworld mate, lots of info and tips.
Main thing is you want the whole process to reduce the chance of adding swirls etc, washing with a mit with a two bucket method rather than a sponge to avoid dragging dirt across the paint.
Snow foams to drag the majority of the dirt off the car before you touch it.
Clay bars to remove ground in dirt that is hard to spot.
bug and tar spot removers to break down any nasties rather than scrubbing.
Also look at waxes or sealants to protect the paint, as polish is just that, polishing but not sealing.
Wax will last for ages so spending £15 on some is no big deal, same goes for a decent polish.
Key is making sure it is cleaned and prepped properly so when you do get the polish out the paint is super clean to avoid adding damage.
Main thing is you want the whole process to reduce the chance of adding swirls etc, washing with a mit with a two bucket method rather than a sponge to avoid dragging dirt across the paint.
Snow foams to drag the majority of the dirt off the car before you touch it.
Clay bars to remove ground in dirt that is hard to spot.
bug and tar spot removers to break down any nasties rather than scrubbing.
Also look at waxes or sealants to protect the paint, as polish is just that, polishing but not sealing.
Wax will last for ages so spending £15 on some is no big deal, same goes for a decent polish.
Key is making sure it is cleaned and prepped properly so when you do get the polish out the paint is super clean to avoid adding damage.
I'm Finding My Feet Here Now
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Plymouth
I thought I would reply, as I am a vehicle detailer by trade...
Different products work for different people, and different cars and conditions. For fresh paint you want a super fine polish but what you really want is a a few layers of decent wax to protect it - the polish won't last long at all without wax applied over the top. You won't need any super duper shampoos, it should not need to be clay barred if the bodyshop have done their job properly, but if there is any orange peel or contamination on the paintwork (with the back of your hand run it over the bodywork and feel for rough patches or light sharp patches) and you also should not need any products like Iron-X that remove all the particles you get often on a brand new car from the factory. When you say the paintwork is new, you'll need to really let it breathe before you seal it up... do you know what type of paint it was painted in? If its a water based soft paint then it might pay for you to just keep washing it with a clean (maybe a new everytime) high quality wash mit or non abrasive sponge until its had enough time to breath and properly harden underneath.
I personally use any of the Chemical Guy's polish products, which can be bought from CleanYourCar. Although the Super Resin you already have is a good general polish that won't harm your fresh paint. Zymol cleaner wax is also another product I would recommend for most cars, but not for yours as it has a very, very fine cut quality to it.
Dodo Juice products are good, but I have found not as long lasting as some others, which if you want something to put on and leave for months on end - it will do the job but I have found it needs re-applying sooner than other products.
For a wax I use Collinite Marque D'Elegance . It doesn't cost a bomb, is really nice to apply and take off and gives an awesome finish, which is what you want from any wax. The water will bead off nicely, and it is very long lasting too as long as you let it cure and apply a good couple (or more) layers. Apply it sparingly, and lightly, then buff to a shine.
If you have any other questions, or need any advice feel free to drop me a PM.
Different products work for different people, and different cars and conditions. For fresh paint you want a super fine polish but what you really want is a a few layers of decent wax to protect it - the polish won't last long at all without wax applied over the top. You won't need any super duper shampoos, it should not need to be clay barred if the bodyshop have done their job properly, but if there is any orange peel or contamination on the paintwork (with the back of your hand run it over the bodywork and feel for rough patches or light sharp patches) and you also should not need any products like Iron-X that remove all the particles you get often on a brand new car from the factory. When you say the paintwork is new, you'll need to really let it breathe before you seal it up... do you know what type of paint it was painted in? If its a water based soft paint then it might pay for you to just keep washing it with a clean (maybe a new everytime) high quality wash mit or non abrasive sponge until its had enough time to breath and properly harden underneath.
I personally use any of the Chemical Guy's polish products, which can be bought from CleanYourCar. Although the Super Resin you already have is a good general polish that won't harm your fresh paint. Zymol cleaner wax is also another product I would recommend for most cars, but not for yours as it has a very, very fine cut quality to it.
Dodo Juice products are good, but I have found not as long lasting as some others, which if you want something to put on and leave for months on end - it will do the job but I have found it needs re-applying sooner than other products.
For a wax I use Collinite Marque D'Elegance . It doesn't cost a bomb, is really nice to apply and take off and gives an awesome finish, which is what you want from any wax. The water will bead off nicely, and it is very long lasting too as long as you let it cure and apply a good couple (or more) layers. Apply it sparingly, and lightly, then buff to a shine.
If you have any other questions, or need any advice feel free to drop me a PM.
Last edited by oVerboostUK; Mar 15, 2012 at 11:15 PM.
Trending Topics
PassionFord Post Whore!!
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,868
Likes: 48
From: NORTHANTS
The car cleaning kit i use is as follows:
1) A supermarket car park.
2) A crisp £5 note (£8 if it's having a wax too).
3) A bucket of water and cloth.
4) A Polish bloke willing to do the hard work whilst i go and do my shopping.
1) A supermarket car park.
2) A crisp £5 note (£8 if it's having a wax too).
3) A bucket of water and cloth.
4) A Polish bloke willing to do the hard work whilst i go and do my shopping.
Regular Contributor
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Ford Heaven
I detailed a Focus ST in black a few weeks ago after explaining to the owner why auto car washes and £5 kurdish car washes are no good as all they do is spread grit off other peoples cars all over your car then blast it off with a jetwash, use acid that strip the lacquer off the wheels eventually etc.
When i got the car to me i spent 6 hours on it, tardis de tarred the bottom half, iron Xd the alloys, then machined it with a finishing pad and some megs 205, followed by 2 coats of poorboys wax, it looked brand new then three weeks later he put it through Asdas auto car wash, back to stage one again. I don't get some people, it takes 5 minutes with a couple of buckets and some water, if its a old runabout fair enough but i don't understand people who pay 5 grand upwards for a half decent motor then treat it like that when it comes to cleaning, its like buying a new pair of £100 trainers then digging your garden the following weekend in them.. some people !
When i got the car to me i spent 6 hours on it, tardis de tarred the bottom half, iron Xd the alloys, then machined it with a finishing pad and some megs 205, followed by 2 coats of poorboys wax, it looked brand new then three weeks later he put it through Asdas auto car wash, back to stage one again. I don't get some people, it takes 5 minutes with a couple of buckets and some water, if its a old runabout fair enough but i don't understand people who pay 5 grand upwards for a half decent motor then treat it like that when it comes to cleaning, its like buying a new pair of £100 trainers then digging your garden the following weekend in them.. some people !
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
CabrioTurbo
General Car Related Discussion.
1
Aug 1, 2015 11:04 AM