Car Detailing - What products are your go to?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bfets

Thanks again for all the advice. Going to wash all the cloths as well tonight so they are ready to go.

That's a smart move, do the wash mitts as well.

[DFB FGXR6]

Detailing and a new FG XR6 on order lured me to Ford Forums back in May 2008. Researching some new detailing supplies for my forthcoming new car, I somehow landed here reading some posts about Autoglym products.

This was back when I washed my car with a yellow sponge and dried with a Synthetic Meguiar's chamois. How things have evolved for me since then.

Thinking back to the products I settled on for the XR6 in early 2008, Autoglym Super Resin Polish and Extra Gloss Protection were then high end items..........or were they? I was 21 at the time and still very much immature.







The interesting part of these products was the Perfect Polishing Cloth that Autoglym recommended for use with Super Resin and Extra Gloss Protection.







This stuff was like gauze bandages and used to both apply and remove SRP and EGP. And while the material delivered the results, I shudder at the thought of using that stuff now. This was an era before microfiber had become the norm, an era when Meguiar's Terry Toweling Cloths were still the done thing.

[prydey]

That was pretty standard polishing cloth back in the day. Pretty sure I still have some kicking about.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

That was pretty standard polishing cloth back in the day. Pretty sure I still have some kicking about.

I kept mine for a long time, I think I donated it to the dust bin during the height of the pandemic.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This stuff was like gauze bandages and used to both apply and remove SRP and EGP. And while the material delivered the results, I shudder at the thought of using that stuff now. This was an era before microfiber had become the norm, an era when Meguiar's Terry Toweling Cloths were still the done thing.

But have you ever noticed what damage it did....if any?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by GasoLane

But have you ever noticed what damage it did....if any?

This was before the days were I knew what swirls were, or how to avoid them. As I said, these polishing cloths did the job, as did the chamois, I guess now I can recognize that there are better ways to do this work.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

This was before the days were I knew what swirls were, or how to avoid them. As I said, these polishing cloths did the job, as did the chamois, I guess now I can recognize that there are better ways to do this work.

I'd be curious to see a side by side finish with the old cloths compared to a microfibre one.


Any Volunteers?

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Detailing and a new FG XR6 on order lured me to Ford Forums back in May 2008. Researching some new detailing supplies for my forthcoming new car, I somehow landed here reading some posts about Autoglym products.

This was back when I washed my car with a yellow sponge and dried with a Synthetic Meguiar's chamois. How things have evolved for me since then.

Thinking back to the products I settled on for the XR6 in early 2008, Autoglym Super Resin Polish and Extra Gloss Protection were then high end items..........or were they? I was 21 at the time and still very much immature.



image

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The interesting part of these products was the Perfect Polishing Cloth that Autoglym recommended for use with Super Resin and Extra Gloss Protection.

image

image

image

This stuff was like gauze bandages and used to both apply and remove SRP and EGP. And while the material delivered the results, I shudder at the thought of using that stuff now. This was an era before microfiber had become the norm, an era when Meguiar's Terry Toweling Cloths were still the done thing.

I used that set up for around 10 years from when I got my first car. Was back breaking. Especially that extra gloss protection you had to leave on for 40 odd minutes and try buff off. My arm still hurts.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

I used that set up for around 10 years from when I got my first car. Was back breaking. Especially that extra gloss protection you had to leave on for 40 odd minutes and try buff off. My arm still hurts.

I have not used Extra Gloss Protection for a very long time now, so my memory of it is limited. EGP is a weird product, it's a clear runny liquid like isopropyl alcohol, being wiped on then flashing to a hazy film. You then leave it for 30 minutes or so then buff with a cloth. From memory, it can be quite hard to remove.

Back in those days, Waxit was a forum sponsor and had their own sub-section. Ford Forums was my entry into the world of Waxit and online ordering. I remember asking for advice on what to use on my XR6, Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant, my first purchase of a specialty detailing brand. I still have that very same bottle!

https://www.waxit.com.au/collections...-sealant-473ml







I have posted the above pic a few times, it's one of my favorites showing what Wolfgang DGPS can do.

[fiestaz]

May i present to you absolute filth.... (clean interior though)






I started my wash out today with wheely clean and some orange agent in the inner guards.
Then onto Mega Snow Job in the Frother which worked well to get off the majority of the grime on the lower parts of the car. Nanolicious wash which is where i started to discover Bead Machine (applied 6 months agoish) was no longer with us on the lower parts of the car, particularly on the rear. No beading at all, all gone. Rest of the car average. Once the car was dried with the big green sucker and boss gloss, i noticed the paint looked a bit average, flat, meh...

So using what i had i started with Paint Cleanse and Restore, with the orbital all over. Followed by Lazy Wax, cure time and Fully Slick. I wanted to bring back the depth of the colour which Bead Machine is good at but not great.
A bit of messy Autoglym Bumper and Trim Gel for some better Blacks, Cheap (Free) can of Tyre Shine (not in this order) and we have some results.





Dont worry though, a quick trip to Flower Power and its already got brake dust and some grass clippings stuck to it.

But otherwise, much better.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by fiestaz

May i present to you absolute filth.... (clean interior though)

image

image


I started my wash out today with wheely clean and some orange agent in the inner guards.
Then onto Mega Snow Job in the Frother which worked well to get off the majority of the grime on the lower parts of the car. Nanolicious wash which is where i started to discover Bead Machine (applied 6 months agoish) was no longer with us on the lower parts of the car, particularly on the rear. No beading at all, all gone. Rest of the car average. Once the car was dried with the big green sucker and boss gloss, i noticed the paint looked a bit average, flat, meh...

So using what i had i started with Paint Cleanse and Restore, with the orbital all over. Followed by Lazy Wax, cure time and Fully Slick. I wanted to bring back the depth of the colour which Bead Machine is good at but not great.
A bit of messy Autoglym Bumper and Trim Gel for some better Blacks, Cheap (Free) can of Tyre Shine (not in this order) and we have some results.

image

image

Dont worry though, a quick trip to Flower Power and its already got brake dust and some grass clippings stuck to it.

But otherwise, much better.

Very nice work, love Performance Blue!

[CyberWasp]

Will we ever see a day where they develop a coating where no dirt ever sticks to it?
It might have to be some kind of coating which is alive in a way, and keeps repairing / cleaning itself to remain how it was applied.

[DFB FGXR6]

I seem to be on an interior cleaning product crusade at the moment. After getting some Gyeon Q2M Interior Detailer and CarPro's new InnerQD, I was getting asked about P&S Express.

https://carcareco.com.au/product/p-s...erior-cleaner/
https://detailingshed.com.au/product...5f4bf1e6&_ss=r
https://www.detailstore.com.au/produ...135446a0&_ss=r



Now, my normal instinct is to get the big one, but it's generally always better to buy the small bottle and try it out before jumping into the deep end on a gallon.

Express can be used on leather, plastic and vinyl surfaces without drying or discoloring. It's also a bit cheaper than Meguiar's Quick Interior Detailer in the same bottle size.



Just hoping to get some time to play with it on my day off tomorrow..........that is if my puppy isn't as sick as I think he is.

[prydey]

Keen to hear how it goes.

I finally got around to using the new drying towels I bought from 'the detail store' a few weeks back. Namely, The Gauntlet towels from The Rag Company
https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...r-drying-towel

Well, I'm an instant convert. I bought a 30 x 30 one and a 38 x 60 one. The larger I used as the main drying towel for the car, and the smaller one for the door jambs etc. I didn't pre dry the car with a blower or anything. I wanted to keep the process the same to keep the comparison to the big green sucker as accurate as possible. I gave it a few spritzes of boss gloss as well. It worked magically. It seemed to take most of the glasshouse to even feel wet and the territory is a large car. It did start to get a bit waterlogged but unlike the big green sucker, at least The Gauntlet can be wrung out. The smaller one in the door jambs worked brilliantly as well and barely felt damp by the end.

I did wash both cars, and the large towel did struggle to work as well as when it was dry, but I still got through both cars. Just required a lot more wringing out on the second car. I think in future I will buy a blower or just use the big green sucker as a 'first wipe' towel and then follow up with The Gauntlet. Smaller one did both car door jabs without even feeling wet by the end. Just damp. I think I'll buy another large one anyway so I have one for each car, just in case.

So for anyone looking for a better drying towel, I would highly recommend these towels, which came highly recommended from the resident guru himself. Thanks DFB

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

Keen to hear how it goes.

I finally got around to using the new drying towels I bought from 'the detail store' a few weeks back. Namely, The Gauntlet towels from The Rag Company
https://www.detailstore.com.au/colle...r-drying-towel

Well, I'm an instant convert. I bought a 30 x 30 one and a 38 x 60 one. The larger I used as the main drying towel for the car, and the smaller one for the door jambs etc. I didn't pre dry the car with a blower or anything. I wanted to keep the process the same to keep the comparison to the big green sucker as accurate as possible. I gave it a few spritzes of boss gloss as well. It worked magically. It seemed to take most of the glasshouse to even feel wet and the territory is a large car. It did start to get a bit waterlogged but unlike the big green sucker, at least The Gauntlet can be wrung out. The smaller one in the door jambs worked brilliantly as well and barely felt damp by the end.

I did wash both cars, and the large towel did struggle to work as well as when it was dry, but I still got through both cars. Just required a lot more wringing out on the second car. I think in future I will buy a blower or just use the big green sucker as a 'first wipe' towel and then follow up with The Gauntlet. Smaller one did both car door jabs without even feeling wet by the end. Just damp. I think I'll buy another large one anyway so I have one for each car, just in case.

So for anyone looking for a better drying towel, I would highly recommend these towels, which came highly recommended from the resident guru himself. Thanks DFB

Those towels are great, glad you like them.

Do you already have a leaf blower for the yard?

Even something as inexpensive as this would work fine -
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ozito-18...lower_p3380864

Or add a blower skin from your chosen battery system.

[jgmdat]

Also keen to hear how it goes. I have been using 303 Leather which works well on all surfaces. Does the Gyeon Q2M Interior Detailer leave any residue as I was going to try it when the 303 runs out.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by jgmdat

Also keen to hear how it goes. I have been using 303 Leather which works well on all surfaces. Does the Gyeon Q2M Interior Detailer leave any residue as I was going to try it when the 303 runs out.

Gyeon Q2M Interior Detailer doesn't leave anything behind. It has a 60% alcohol content so it tends to evaporate away, leaving a streak free finish. It's cleaning ability is only mild, so best used for light contamination and "dusting".



I prefer CarPro's version better, InnerQD.



This is another alcohol based product that acts similarly to Gyeon, but it just feels much nicer to use.

Both should be applied to a towel and not directly to the interior surfaces for best results. For reference, I don't use either of these on leather despite it being safe to do so.

[DFB FGXR6]

Today I had a good play with P&S Express.







This is an exceptional product. I like how it foams up when agitated and wipes away cleanly. Express is the next step above interior detailers like Meguiars QID and CarPro InnerQD, offering higher cleaning ability. It can be safely used on most interior surfaces and offers a very nice scent.

Due to it's higher cleaning ability, I actually followed up with an application of 303 Protectant.





I try a lot of products, in my opinion Express is a must have!

[bfets]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I try a lot of products, in my opinion Express is a must have!

Stop it DFB!! You are going to ruin my bank account and my marriage.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by bfets

Stop it DFB!! You are going to ruin my bank account and my marriage.

To be honest, Express would be used for dirtier interiors or when you need some extra cleaning grunt.

For new or well kept cars, I would be using the other interior detailers I mentioned or even just a damp towel. You can also use exterior spray detailers like Boss Gloss or Paint Gloss for interior cleaning/dusting.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

or even just a damp towel.

This is basically all the wife's new escape gets at the moment.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

This is basically all the wife's new escape gets at the moment.

Depending on the product used, I will occasionally use my drying towel with drying aid residual to give an interior a quick wipe down.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Depending on the product used, I will occasionally use my drying towel with drying aid residual to give an interior a quick wipe down.

Ha, I didn't want to go in to detail but that's what I do.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by prydey

Ha, I didn't want to go in to detail but that's what I do.

I see no harm in cleaning/dusting an interior this way........so long as you wash the towel afterwards.

[fiestaz]

Originally Posted by prydey

Ha, I didn't want to go in to detail but that's what I do.

I did this too. Still do sometimes. I started to change that with covid, my partner worked with kids (who are generally speaking, gross) and discovered Bowdens “far cough” which they claimed to be a good car interior safe cleaner and anti bacterial. It was only cheap too so ran with it. Turned out to be a good cleaner for all hard surfaces, including leather.

[Mulva]

Yeah I'm looking to give the wife's grey i45 a good going over as soon as I get over Covid. Has not had interior cleaned in nearly 2 years, even used it to cart some rolls of turf in the boot. Outside has been through a lazer wash about 14 months ago.

Was 2 years back when it last had a 'proper' inside and out clean. Can't use Covid as excuse, that only justifies the last 1.5 weeks. The rest is just due to life, moving house couple of times, work, and it being relegated to 3rd car shopping trolley duties about 3 years back (my 2 cars are generally kept very well). I've only gotten away with it as she has been mostly driving my car.

It is pretty banged up now, but there are some light scratches I look forward to removing. Usual rub marks, and then also some school bag scratches on boot lid. Worry about the bonnet and boot - if they will get their shine back as they are pretty dull. Roof is fine as it is all glass.

[ute83]

What would be a good product for scuff marks on interior hard plastics?

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by ute83

What would be a good product for scuff marks on interior hard plastics?

Sorry for the delay, the day job comes first sadly.

If the scuffs are from dirt, then any interior cleaner or All-Purpose-Cleaner will take care of that.

If the scuff is actually damage to the plastic itself, you have two options.

Firstly, clean the offending area with an APC, then dress it with some 303 Protectant. This won't remove the scuff but may make it look less noticeable. This is where you will need to decide if this is acceptable to you or not.

If not, re-clean the area then VERY CAREFULLY hover a heat gun over the area. The plastic seems to heal itself doing this. I will note I have never done this, so do at your own risk. The below video shows how it works -

[DFB FGXR6]

I have been using Koch Chemie GSF since December 2020, which I immediately fell in love with due to it's slickness and amazing scent especially. This is a product that just makes washing your so pleasurable.







Due to it's popularity and the troubles with shipping, GSF along with many other Koch Chemie products have been out of stock since mid-2021. A little frustrating on my end, but a massive headache for those who are trying to sell product that is clearly in demand.

I'm told that stock allocated to Australian distributors ended up being diverted to New Zealand due to bottlenecks. As such, product has now been air-freighted into the country, which means a hefty increase in retail prices. So the initial price of a 1 liter bottle of GSF has gone from $39.95 to $69.95!

Even when considering that GSF is on of the best soaps on the market, is it worth $69.95? Probably not, especially considering CarPro Reset is still just on $40 for the same quantity and equally good to use.

Having a good relationship with Detailing Shed, probably the best and most complete detailing supplier in the country, meant I did decide to order some. I'm happy to support this company, I like how they have built up the store to have such a great lineup of products. Other retailers have increased the price to the same figure.

[bfets]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Even when considering that GSF is on of the best soaps on the market, is it worth $69.95? Probably not, especially considering CarPro Reset is still just on $40 for the same quantity and equally good to use.

How do these two compare to NV Snow? Similar in quality and performance?