help me pick my starter products

[sam7931]

I just picked up a used car and I want to take a little better car of its finish than my last car so I thought I`d come here for some advice on what to use. I`ve been reading a lot here and I have to admit a lot of stuff seems a bit like snake oil to me, and even if it really isn`t, I know I won`t do it. 20 different rages with their own washing techniques, $150 dollar wax in little wood boxes, 18 step systems, what seems to be marketing terms like wax and sealant.... I like my car but I know the limitations of my time and ambition.



Here`s what I think my needs are. I`m wanting to spend say $50 or less on supplies right now. A nice shine is fine but durability is the most important. I live in the midwest and its often either too hot or too cold to spend a lot of time outside working on the car. Whats the longest I can possibly go between waxes/sealings?



The products I already have that I`m pretty happy with are invisble glass, lexol cleaner and conditioner, and novus plastic polish. I`ve been using meg`s clean shine protect on the dash and its alright but I imagine I could do better.



The car is a silver finish and in pretty decent shape. I`m thinking something like a clay bar and dish soap to start with, then maybe a polish of some sort, then my industrial heavy duty wax/sealant and perhaps a better vinyl/tire dressing. Sound reasonable? Any suggestions on the products that will fill my needs?

[Accumulator]

I just picked up a used car and I want to take a little better car of its finish than my last car so I thought I`d come here for some advice on what to use. I`ve been reading a lot here and I have to admit a lot of stuff seems a bit like snake oil to me, and even if it really isn`t, I know I won`t do it..... I like my car but I know the limitations of my time and ambition. ..Here`s what I think my needs are. I`m wanting to spend say $50 or less on supplies right now. A nice shine is fine but durability is the most important...The car is a silver finish and in pretty decent shape. I`m thinking something like a clay bar and dish soap to start with, then maybe a polish of some sort, then my industrial heavy duty wax/sealant and perhaps a better vinyl/tire dressing. Sound reasonable? Any suggestions on the products that will fill my needs?





Very reasonable. No guarantees about keeping to your $50, but here`s my advice:



Yeah, clay it. Then polish with 1Z Paint Polish (source: Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing, Auto Detailing Supplies, Auto Detailing Equipment, Auto Detailing Products, & Auto Detailing Accessories for all your Automobile Detailing (http://www.pakshak.com/index.html) ). It works OK by hand, better than anything else I can think of.



Then apply Collinite 476S wax over top of the stuff the 1Z leaves behind. Yeah, it`ll protect it just fine (I use it on winter drivers in Ohio). Depending on how you wash and the environmental conditions, it oughta last for months, which is more than you can say about most stuff no matter what the ad-copy says. *Nothing* else does as much with just one coat IMO, and I use a lot of different waxes and sealants.



This 1Z/Collinite combo is, IMO, absolutely perfect for your situation, it could come with a money-back guarantee. If you try it and it doesn`t work, post back here `cause I want to hear about it ;) Heh heh, sorry about the hard-sell.



If you`re pooped from the claying/polishing you can wait until after the next wash as the 1Z leaves a tiny bit of wax behind.



Then try to wash as gently as you can so you don`t scratch it up.



For tires, I like Zaino Z16 but I bet you could do OK with something OTC.



Oh, and Welcome to Autopia!

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Shoot...........Optimum Polish and Spray wax.......The beauty of this spray wax is you can apply it with every wash (while drying) and add durability once or twice a month with little effort. No brainer in my book.

For tires, Optibond. Good looks, good protection.

[Chicagoareanew]

If you`re on a tight budget, you should consider an all purpose cleaner (preferably one that can be diluted). I think p21s has an ok one, but it can leave residue if you try wiping it off rather than rinsing.

[sam7931]

Thanks for the suggestions so far! I forgot to mention that I do have a cheap 10" DA buffer that I can use to help apply stuff. Its no PC but it`ll have to do for now.

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the suggestions so far! I forgot to mention that I do have a cheap 10" DA buffer that I can use to help apply stuff. Its no PC but it`ll have to do for now.



I`d suggest you work by hand rather than with the 10" buffer, at least unless you can get some known-to-be-OK pads for it.

[Chops]

If I only had $50 this is what I would but:



Wax: Collinite 845IW. Great durability and easy to apply especially with that buffer of yours. Figure $10-15.



Tire Dressing: Meg`s Gold Class Endurance Gel. Most durable that I`ve used so far (1 month and still going strong) and its OTC. Figure $10.



Clay bar: Mother`s California Gold kit. I`ve only used OTC kits and this has been my favorite so far. Figure $15



Polish: I`d skip this step until you get a better machine.



Interior dressing: I don`t dress mine so I have no oppinion



This would be my basic list. Your in for only about $40 tops ($30 if you pick up the tire dressing and clay bar at your local Advance Auto Parts and use this coupon http://image.advanceauto-email.com/lib/fef1127677630d/i/1/0e542975-1.jpg )

Not on your list but if you have a little extra cash I`d pick up some Eagle 1 A2Z($5) for when your wheels and tires are in terrible shape. Also my favorite product is Purple Power, I buy it by the 2.5 gal bucket($12) and cut it for wheels, engine bays, wheel wells, interiors, stripping wax etc.

[craigdt]

Wax: Collinite 845

Claybar: Mothers Kit

Tire Dressing: Armor All Extreme Tire Gel

Polish: Skip it

Interior: Meguiars Quick Interior Detailer

[sam7931]

Alright I`m sold on the collinite 845 and have ordered a bottle. As to the polish skipping advice, I thought use a clay bar generally meant some polish work after was in order?

[ninobrn99]

845 is great, you could also look into Rejex or Duragloss 105

Tires: Black magic titanium tire foam ( personally, I use Tuf Shine, but it`s like $30)

Trim: megs trim detailer

Clay: see if NAPA still has the Clay Magic on sale for ~$15

interior dressing: megs interior detailer or 303

imperfections or waterspots: megs ultimate compound by hand with a MF applicator



Might be a little over budget, but great products for the price!

[JeffM]

Does the $50 cover the beer?

[Accumulator]

Alright I`m sold on the collinite 845 and have ordered a bottle. As to the polish skipping advice, I thought use a clay bar generally meant some polish work after was in order?



IMO *every* car really oughta get polished when you`re doing a full detail like this. Yeah, working by hand is a chore, and the results seldom come close to what a (decent) machine will do, but still...



If you don`t want to go with the 1Z Paint Polish, at least use *something*. Even a strong cleaner-wax (e.g., Meguiar`s Color-X) or a Paint Cleaner (e.g., Meg`s Deep Crystal Step #1 Cleaner) would be better than just claying and then doing 845.



If you use the Meg`s Ultimate Compound, IMO you oughta follow up with a milder polish like Scratch-X v2.0. Eh...I`d rather do the whole car with a quickie polish than get all involved with individual scratches, at least at this point.



Seriously, do some kind of polishing. Really. Just pick something that`s known to work OK by hand. [Repeat suggestion Re 1Z Paint Polish here..I`m tellin` ya....]



BTW, hope that 845 works out for you. I get varying durability out of it (from stellar to mediocre), and if you *really* want a long-lasting wax I`d go with their 476S paste instead.

[Double Dizzle]

If I only had $50 this is what I would but:



Wax: Collinite 845IW. Great durability and easy to apply especially with that buffer of yours. Figure $10-15.



Tire Dressing: Meg`s Gold Class Endurance Gel. Most durable that I`ve used so far (1 month and still going strong) and its OTC. Figure $10.



Clay bar: Mother`s California Gold kit. I`ve only used OTC kits and this has been my favorite so far. Figure $15



Polish: I`d skip this step until you get a better machine.



Interior dressing: I don`t dress mine so I have no oppinion



This would be my basic list. Your in for only about $40 tops ($30 if you pick up the tire dressing and clay bar at your local Advance Auto Parts and use this coupon http://image.advanceauto-email.com/lib/fef1127677630d/i/1/0e542975-1.jpg )

Not on your list but if you have a little extra cash I`d pick up some Eagle 1 A2Z($5) for when your wheels and tires are in terrible shape. Also my favorite product is Purple Power, I buy it by the 2.5 gal bucket($12) and cut it for wheels, engine bays, wheel wells, interiors, stripping wax etc.

Thanks for the link to the AA coupon. Printed it off and just picked up a Mothers claybar kit, Megs QID, and TW bug n tar remover for just 15 bucks.

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the link to the AA coupon. Printed it off and just picked up a Mothers claybar kit, Megs QID, and TW bug n tar remover for just 15 bucks.



Good batch of products for the money!



Did the Mothers Claybar Kit come with their cleaner-wax?

[Double Dizzle]

Good batch of products for the money!



Did the Mothers Claybar Kit come with their cleaner-wax?



Nope...came with the two 80g bars, the QD spray for lube, and a seemingly average MF towel.