Favorite Detailing Products

[jwaters943]

Okay, I just spent 20 minutes putting together a long post and hit the back button on accident, so here's the abreviated version of my original post.

So far, my favorite products I've found for my Genesis are:

303 Aerospace Protectant (See writeup below)

Film-Chem 2000 Silicone Window Tint Cleaner (If you have tinted windows, I wouldn't recommend anything else. It is effortless to apply and removes smudges, dust, etc. with no streaking whatsoever. It also leaves the film slippery smooth which helps prevent scratching. Finding it may be a problem, but I would try a window tint shop)
(No pic or website found...)

Meguair's Ultimate Quik Detailer (Easy on/off application)

AutoSpa Microfiber Detailing Towels (I also have their version of the California duster....awesome products, but a bit pricey)

The 303 product is especially good. It darkened the surfaces of the interior from their original dark charcoal grey to black, like I wanted. It does add a tiny bit of sheen, but is it does not attract dust or leave a greasy residue. It's also safe for use on leather, but I prefer something with a bit of cleansing ability, which I don't believe the 303 offers. Please ignore the spot I missed to the left of the steering wheel.

On a sidenote, I'm going to wax my car later today with Mothers Reflections Car Wax. I've heard great things about it on other sites. Many professional detailers have stated that it rivals boutique products costing 2-3x as much.

As far as leather cleaning/conditioning goes, I do NOT recommend 1Z's Lederpfledge leather cleaner/conditioner. It DID clog a few of the holes in my perforated leather in spite of claims that it would not. I guess I'll have to clean it out with a toothpick. I've also used Lexol in years past, but to me it's nothing special. I know many love it, but to me it smells like old man. I ordered some Griot Garage Leather Care Spray so I'll let you know how that works out.

 

[GrandPrix08]

Okay, I just spent 20 minutes putting together a long post and hit the back button on accident, so here's the abreviated version of my original post.

I absolutely hate it when that happens.

 

[jwaters943]

Okay, so the Mothers Reflections Wax rocks! I love the scent (kind of like a mild cologne, nothing fruity or sickeningly sweet). We'll see how it holds up. On a somewhat negative note I wanted to get the Reflections Top Coat, but haven't been able to find it at Target, WalMart, Pep Boys, Kragen, Grand Auto, etc. I guess I'll have to order it online. It's supposed to increase shine even further and help give addt'l protection. I used to be a die hard Klasse fan, but if the Mothers stuff holds up as well, I think I'm switching. I actually like the shine it gives better than Klasse. It leaves the paint amazingly smooth and slick. If I put a rag on the hood it will literally slide right off.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Thank you for the information! I'll be keeping an eye out for some of these products.

 

[charliemike]

BTW, Firefox will keep the post if you accidentally hit "back" ... At least it has at every site I've been to using FF.

OT, I'm a huge Zaino fan despite its expense.

For tips, tricks, and professional detailers showing off their $10k detail jobs on Audi R8s and Bugattis, try autopia.org ... It's a great site for detailing by anal-retentive perfectionists

 

[jwaters943]

I frequent Autopia quite a bit. Their forum is actually where I heard about the Mothers Reflections Wax.

I have yet to try Zaino, in spite of the enormous amount of praise it's received over the years. I mainly try to stick to products I can find easily at local auto parts stores/car shops. The only exception to this is a few select Griot's Garage products (they have great customer service IMO). I like their detailing spray just as much, if not more, than Meguairs, and their leather scent is awesome. The leather care spray just arrived yesterday and I used it once so far.....I really like that it doesn't leave the leather slippery and it also smells like leather. The inside of my car smells like a Wilsons Leather store.

 

[gipp]

Re: Emblems

jwaters943- I know that you have tried a varity of waxes/polishes so far. Have any made a noticeable difference? Any suggestions or advice?

 

[jwaters943]

Re: Emblems

I'm really happy w/ the Mothers Reflections line of products so far. They smell pretty good and are super easy to apply/remove. I don't know yet if it's superior to Klasse or Zaino in terms of durability, but they are affordable. It gives your paint a really super-shiney wet look whereas Klasse gives it a bit more depth, but not quite as much shine.

One tip if you do try the Mothers products is to only apply the Wax 1x. It has mild cleansers that prevent the product from being layered. If you try applying a 2nd coat the cleansers will remove most if not all of the first application. (At least this is what I have been told by certain people at Autopia). You can apply multiple coats of the Top Coat since it has no cleansers and it essentially "protects" the wax, which is "protecting" your paint (it also adds more shine). I've applied two coats of the Top Coat and in the sun my paint looks like it's still wet with metallic flecks "floating" on the surface. Hopefully that makes some sense.

 

[gwhunter]

Here is the link for 303 products -

http://www.303products.com/

 

[chuman]

Mothers Wax/Topcoat & Front License Plate removal

I wanted to expound briefly on my experience with Mothers Reflections Wax and Top Coat per jwaters843's suggestion...these are pretty amazing products and the finished result is impressive...think of adjectives like "gleaming", "shiny", and "slickery". In the process of waxing and topcoating the Genesis, I took off the front license plate and the little plastic mounting thing that goes over the bumper. The front end of this car just looks great without a license plate and the mounting thing. Granted, there are holes in the bumper from the plate mounting thing, but these can be fixed. My question, is anyone riding without their front plate installed? The car just looks totally awesome without it. Its a shame that you need the plate in the front. I'm pretty sure you can get pulled over for this in TX, but I was going to leave my plate in the car in case that happened. Interested to hear what others are doing!

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[blasterguam]

Move to Florida - we have no front plates here!

 

[Sonata2009]

Perhaps outdated information (?), but aren't you supposed to wait 90 days before waxing a new car to let the paint fully cure? Maybe paints and curing ovens have negated this old addage?

 

[jwaters943]

That's not true for factory finishes. The car was painted long before you buy it on the dealers lot.

http://www.autopia.org/forum/car-detailing/68893-new-car-how-long-wait-before-waxing.html

Chuman:

Glad you are happy w/ the results. Not to sound like I'm "pushing" Mothers products, but for quick touch-ups in between wax jobs, I also recommend their Reflections Spray Wax. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007RDVES"]Amazon.com: Mothers 10224 Reflections Spray Wax. 24 oz. trigger: Automotive[/ame]

 

[DanTheMan]

Re: Mothers Wax/Topcoat & Front License Plate removal

I wanted to expound briefly on my experience with Mothers Reflections Wax and Top Coat per jwaters843's suggestion...these are pretty amazing products and the finished result is impressive...think of adjectives like "gleaming", "shiny", and "slickery". In the process of waxing and topcoating the Genesis, I took off the front license plate and the little plastic mounting thing that goes over the bumper. The front end of this car just looks great without a license plate and the mounting thing. Granted, there are holes in the bumper from the plate mounting thing, but these can be fixed. My question, is anyone riding without their front plate installed? The car just looks totally awesome without it. Its a shame that you need the plate in the front. I'm pretty sure you can get pulled over for this in TX, but I was going to leave my plate in the car in case that happened. Interested to hear what others are doing!

I live in East Tennessee...there are no requirements for a front plate...so guess what I don't have???



You're correct...it looks awesome w/o the front plate attachment!

Enjoy--

Dan :>)

 

[DanTheMan]

The inside of my car smells like a Wilsons Leather store.

The Wilson's store in my area became a womens clothing store selling some leather goods...complete with all the foo-foo, perfume, and the two effiminate guys working there! I don't want ANYTHING I have to smell like that! :>) It was a little disappointing...I'd bought leather cleaners, etc. from them for a couple of leather sport and top coats that I own.

 

[jwaters943]

With Spring fast approaching, I thought this was a perfect time to update this post. I recently tried Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax Spray. I love it. It's super easy to apply/remove. It also smells great and seems to be holding up well after a couple weeks (water still sheets/beads). It's a good, quick "touchup" spray wax for use between regular waxings. I also tried the Mother's Reflection Spray Wax a while back, but was disappointed with the ease of removal (it seemed to smear w/ multiple applications). I love the rest of Mothers Reflections lineup, but feel their spray/quick wax is not up to par. I've decided to use the remaining Mothers spray wax for my wheels to give a bit of protection and aid brake dust removal.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXr3j0B-Gvg&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6TVpVXzPA8&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Goose]

I agree about consulting the Autopia forum - a great resource.

I was a huge detailing geek in my youth. After trying loads of different products over the years, I've concluded that the "basic" products work quite well. Try not to get hung up on the various debates about which potion is best.

The boring truth is that any good cleaner/wax will produce good results. I tend to favor Meguiar's products, but again, most anything will do. Just so you know, most mass-market liquid waxes have some kind of chemical cleaner in them, so there's not much point in laying on multiple coats. The trick to getting a really deep/clear shine is to CLEAN the surface and prevent/eliminate fine scratches. Wax should really be just for protection - not for "filling in" paint problems.

Your best bet for getting a nice finish is to clean the paint gently yet thoroughly before applying wax. Wash & clay the paint before applying wax. Any crud left on the paint when you apply wax will ust get ground into the finish - not good. Even if you think you've gotten the paint clean by washing, you probably haven't. Lots of cool water, car wash soap, and clean towels are what's needed to clean properly. Use only good quality terry cloth towels for washing (or microfiber if you prefer); cheap towels are gonna scratch your paint. Also, don't be afraid to trash a towel that's looking tired - old towels can also cause scratches. One of the best things you can do for your finish is a CLAY BAR. Once you get comfortable using clay, you'll be amazed at the results.

EDIT: I'll add a few more product ideas: For leather, I like lexol products - best to use the separate cleaner and conditioner rather than the all-in-one. For plastic/rubber/vinyl, Meguiar's #40 - cleans well and doesn't leave that slimy shine like other treatments.

Hope this helps...