Trial & Error?

[Campese]

Last night I spent 3 hours on this site, sitting at the computer, and didn`t even realize it! Anyway, warm weather is about to start coming back to Ohio, my baby is begging for a detail, and so are some neighbors. My wife has also cleared me for some more cash for supplies (i`m sure some of you know how that feels,LOL). Anyway, I have read so many processes for different colors, and products, it makes my head spin.



Do most of you just start buying, putting together, and trying all these to find which products work best for what color, and which process to use? I attempted to get one single favorite one down for white since my neighbors is white, but it seems everyone has their favorites and they are all different.



Is there somewhere that has some good universal combos for products down for many different colors, or at least one favorite product combination of many detailers? She cleared me for some cash, but not enough to buy a bottle of each and just keep trying different ones together, but if that`s what it takes, then I better start budgeting

[Smoked Tails]

I think that you would have the best combo by purchasing a good polish, a sealant and a `nauba to top with. The best of all worlds there. Shine, pop, reflectivity, depth and wetness. You may want to check in the good deals thread, many members sell/trade small quantities of product there. You could very affordably sample until your hearts content that way.



No matter how you do it, good luck.

[imported_NT2SHBBY]

I asked this question last week or so and the consensus was:



do what you want to do...everyone`s opinions are subjective.....look at pix of results and whatever looks good to your eyes, is what you want to buy.



On a personal note, I am dying for winter to end in the NE so I can start on my truck with my PC and new goodies

[joburnet]

I`ve used a lot of different products and as long as you use a reputable product you can`t really go wrong. I don`t know what you have but S100 is as good as any other wax and cheaper then most, Zaino isn`t cheap but has great durability, Optimum polish is so easy to use you can`t go wrong, and #81 Hand polish is a great glaze that will really deepen the paint.

[Accumulator]

Campese- Yeah, everybody has their favorites and most anything will look good if you use it properly. Some products are a lot more user-friendly than others though, and what you`re working on (hard/soft paint) does factor in too.



Before the VOC regs took them off the market, I`d just recommend 3M PI-III RC (pn 05933) and MG (05937) and Meg`s #16 wax (or something from Collinite), with maybe a glaze thrown in too. Even though I have scads of products, I do at least 90% of my work with just those two 3M polishes. And one can of #16 or some Collinite will keep things looking good for a long, long time. Three products that cover all the bases.



Those two 3M products are still around, but it takes a little looking to find them. They`re user-friendly (by hand, PC, or rotary) and they *work*.



IMO most of the supposed differences in LSPs are so subtle that most people should just go with something that looks OK and lasts a long time. And also IMO, products that really *BEAD* like #16 and Collinite, impress people and are sorta self-cleaning in the rain. Or choose the P21S/S100, not too many people *don`t* like them.



I know people who only use 1Z Paint Polish, topped with a wax. Know other people who only use #80 topped with a wax. Those folks are getting pretty impressive results for only having two products in their arsenals. It`s not like this stuff *needs* to be as complicated as we sometimes make it For that matter, I`ve known people who always had "the best car in the parking lot at work"... and all they used was an OTC cleaner wax!