New Here, Looking for insight on Product Purchases

[Purewatre Dzine]

Hi guys,

I'm new here, and im currently shopping around for some products to complete my lineup.

I dont do professional detailing, although i do detail out-of-garage. What i've bought already is a G110 w/ Menzerna kit for $289.99. With that i got 4 LLC orange pads, 1 white, 1 blue, 1 black, a 6 inch backing i believe. I already know im going to purchases a yelloww LLC pad just in case, and possible another 1 or 2 white pads as backups. I also got 3 microfiber polishing bonnets too.

Now, my question is, what else should i buy? lol.

My next few items on the list based all the detailing stickies i've spent the last 5 days reading 3+ hours a day, LOL..are:

a Genuine wool Wash Mitt

Sonus Tire & wheel kit

303 Carpet and Upholstery

Autoglym Glass and Polish Cleaner

1-Inch Round Natural Detail Brush.

I was thinking about purchasing this to keep everything organized.

Autogeek Detailers Bag

I need to know what's an inexpensive yet effective vacuum to get is, Or should i just stick to my house vacuum.

Also, do most of you just use any ol' regular 2 buckets or do you guys use anything special. I have seen those buckets with the grit gaurd on the bottom, etc.. I was thinking of This Bucket System.


Last but not least, as i already have a power washer..it sucks, lol. Im looking for a inexpensive power washer that mixes the soap good, etc.. i dont know where to look for such a thing.


Thanks in advance guys!

[volvie!]

Hi Purewatre Dzine,

I, too, am a newbie and was browsing your post to see what you had found. I don't have any direct advice about the products, but I do have a recommendation for a good cheap vacuum:


I bought mine at OSH, but it is available on-line at Sears:
Craftsman Clean N Carry® 2 gal. Wet-Dry Vac, Portable Tank Style, 1.5 Peak hp - Model 17713 at Sears.com
For $29.99

I have one and love it! Before I bought it, I read all the reviews and thus have one warning: don't drop the unit-- apparently, it may stop working after a fall...

There is also a car kit that can be purchased separately, but I've found the included accessories to be sufficient.

Hope that helps.

[Buegie]

I won't comment on everything but here are a few things I'll mention.


They're LC pads (Lake Country) and I wouldn't bother with yellow ones. I imagine you want to have a "complete set" with all of the colors, but many people on the site (as well as myself) have found that they aren't very different than the orange ones. If you need something with more cut than you should pick up some PFW's.

The detailers bag is sort of a waste. You know that as you acquire more products you'll never be able to fit all of your stuff in there. In addition, I've seen many stores giving away bags as part of various deals so you may be able to pick one up for free in the future. I'd use one if someone gave it to me, I just wouldn't pay $40 for it.

A $60 bucket is also a little much. I use the two-bucket method personally so I'd recommend going to your hardware store and pickup two 5-gal buckets for a few dollars. Grit guard is nice, I basically got mine for free from AG. I needed to spend another $10 in order to get free shipping on my order. I bought the $10 grit guard in order to save $10 on shipping so it was pretty much free.

[toyotaguy]

yellow ones are used only for cutting through oxidation via PC....i dont use them for any polishing/compound

you will need a heavy hitter if you are working on any harder clearcoat...I definitely recommend meguiars 105 compound, (some say 95 offers more working time and less dusting, but I dont know if they use it via PC). Throw 105 on an orange pad (5.5") and you will be able to do some good correction work.

as for buckets....I use a $1.50 bucket, I just cant spend 15 bucks on a bucket

karcher makes a decent/cheaper pressure washer....then add the gilmour foam fun if you want....I ONR wash my cars and clients - saves massive amounts of water!

[Purewatre Dzine]

Thanks for the reply guys.

I've been looking for Megs 95 and it seems to be sold out EVERYWHERE. I do think i can find some Megs 105 though. Also, what's the difference between 106ff to 115 Menzerna's.

What ONR products should i order?

What are PFW's? Pads or .what..lol>

What are good 4 inch pads to get?

So should i just stay with orange pads and pick up some 4 inch orange pads or should i pick up some yellow ones?

Where can i find a 3.5 inch backing plate for my PC. I have that G110, i've looked online and places seem to be sold on unless im rediculously BLIND, lol?

What's a good method/product to use to clean microfiber pads/clothes. I cleaned mine with dish soap, dont know if that was bad or good, but got everything out!

Do you guys apply any type of lubricant or such before putting on a polish, etc. I read on somewhere or in my packaging that you should spray XMT onto the pad before use?

I'll wait on responses before i post more questions, lol.

I lied. 1 more

Where do you guys get your halogen lamps, im looking for an inexpensive one that's effective?

[3puttjay]

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

Thanks for the reply guys.

I've been looking for Megs 95 and it seems to be sold out EVERYWHERE. I do think i can find some Megs 105 though. Also, what's the difference between 106ff to 115 Menzerna's.

What ONR products should i order?

Optimum no rinse

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

What are PFW's? Pads or .what..lol>

Purple foamed wool pads

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

What are good 4 inch pads to get?

I use the edge system so an orange, green, white are a good starter set

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

So should i just stay with orange pads and pick up some 4 inch orange pads or should i pick up some yellow ones?

I have no idea, better to have too much than too little

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

Where can i find a 3.5 inch backing plate for my PC. I have that G110, i've looked online and places seem to be sold on unless im rediculously BLIND, lol?

Check some of the stores in the shopping section of autopia or try www.danase.com

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

What's a good method/product to use to clean microfiber pads/clothes. I cleaned mine with dish soap, dont know if that was bad or good, but got everything out!

I just use regular laundry detergent (tide- what the wife uses)in the wash with white vinegar in the final rinse cycle( fabric softener is a big NO-NO), then air dry (some say use the dryer on low setting- but I've never tried this)

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

Do you guys apply any type of lubricant or such before putting on a polish, etc. I read on somewhere or in my packaging that you should spray XMT onto the pad before use?

I just use quick detailer or distilled water in a sprayer bottle to give the pads a spritz in the beginning of a polishing session

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

I'll wait on responses before i post more questions, lol.

I lied. 1 more

Where do you guys get your halogen lamps, im looking for an inexpensive one that's effective?

I found mine at sears for around $20 in a sale
Welcome to autopia, people are friendly here and will help you out as much as they possibly can. Do a search for your numerous other questions you are bound to have and you could save yourself some typing

[3puttjay]

Originally Posted by Buegie

The detailers bag is sort of a waste. You know that as you acquire more products you'll never be able to fit all of your stuff in there. In addition, I've seen many stores giving away bags as part of various deals so you may be able to pick one up for free in the future. I'd use one if someone gave it to me, I just wouldn't pay $40 for it.

Save yourself some money and go to odd lots, target, walmart and get yourself a large 32 gallon rubbermaid tote to hold all your stuff. Get some smaller plastic totes for your pads, polishes, etc. Then you can nest the small totes in the big tote(with a top) and have something that is both waterproof and easy to tote (Recently I've seen these big totes with wheels on them- wish I had seen them when I bought mine).

Originally Posted by Buegie

A $60 bucket is also a little much. I use the two-bucket method personally so I'd recommend going to your hardware store and pickup two 5-gal buckets for a few dollars. Grit guard is nice, I basically got mine for free from AG. I needed to spend another $10 in order to get free shipping on my order. I bought the $10 grit guard in order to save $10 on shipping so it was pretty much free.

Grit guards are very handy I just made mine up from an old fluorescent bulb fixture that had a crosshatch cover(if you haven't noticed I never spend any more than I have to, though my wife would beg to differ on my spending)

[Purewatre Dzine]

Great responses, thanks again guys, 1 last question.

Where is a good place to order some edge 4 inch pads? I hear 4 inch pads are the way to go with a PC.

[Buegie]

I don't know about the Edge pads, but Phil at DD sells the 4" LC CCS pads

[Buegie]

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

Where do you guys get your halogen lamps, im looking for an inexpensive one that's effective?

I wanted one with a stand because some colors (such as sliver) usually need the halogen to be placed farther away from the surface in order to see the swirls. I originally got this one from Lowes:

1000-Watt Deluxe Dual Tripod Work Light

NEVER buy this, it was the biggest POS I've ever seen. Instructions were extremely poor and the height adjustment system was barely functional. And once I finally got it all together one of the lights just didn't work. I tried different bulbs but nothing...

The next day I took it back and went over to Home Depot and found a 1200-watt model with stand. I'd give you a link, but they don't show it on their website. Its easy to adjust the height, more powerful, much more sturdy and comes with a 5-year warranty. And if you don't know, halogens aren't known for their durability so a warranty is a good thing to have. And it was only $10 more than the one I originally got, so a total of $50.

[Eliot Ness]

Originally Posted by Purewatre Dzine

Great responses, thanks again guys, 1 last question.

Where is a good place to order some edge 4 inch pads? I hear 4 inch pads are the way to go with a PC.

Patrick at Exceldetail carries a good selection of 4" pads and he also has a 3.5" backing plate:

Backing Plates

4^^ Erasure Turbo Pads

[Purewatre Dzine]

Originally Posted by Eliot Ness

Patrick at Exceldetail carries a good selection of 4" pads and he also has a 3.5" backing plate:

Backing Plates

4^^ Erasure Turbo Pads

Great, thanks for the link, just ordered 3 of each, yellow, orange, white, blue. Can't wait to get them in.


So far i've spent $600+ on detailing supplies, LOL. in the span of 4 days, I just keep finding new things out. Thanks for all the info and insight on products guys, i fear that if i ask you guys anything else i'll start entering the $1000+ range, so im gonna quit now, and start detailing some cars to make my money back! Again, thanks for all the assistance you guys have given.

Any detailer in the Nj/Ny area should check out forums.nycmaximas.org. That's my main car forum for my maxima, and alot of the guys over there would probably be impressed with the work you guys are doing/ offering. Just a heads up.