Glad I Found This Forum! - BUT I`M OVERWHELMED

[twentyfour]

Hello everyone, my name is Mina. I live in Huntington Beach, CA. I just purchased a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S. It`s in excellent shape and I want to keep it that way, but I`m overwhelmed with all of the techniques, products, etc.

So as a newbie to detailing my own care, is there a thread or threads you guys can point me to to figure out what products you guys would recommend? I`m looking for both interior and exterior but there are so many threads and reviews I end up getting overwhelmed.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Cadfael]

Easiest way to start out is to pick a brand and stick with it at first. There are many great brands out there. Do you know if you want to protect it with wax, sealant, or a coating?

If you don’t know the answer to that, I’d recommend a good sealant. Griot’s 3in1 ceramic is what I chose for my son to start out with his car.

[Lonnie]

twentyfour:
Welcome to Autopia and congrats on the 2005 911 Porsche purchase. I say that as a Porsche-o-phile, but I am an admirer and dreamer (the one iconic car many WISH the could own and drive), not a real owner like you.

Here`s what I wrote in another thread about what you need to get started in detailing:

One aspect the beginning hobbyist detailers overlook is car washing and the products and equipment needed to "properly" do this detailing task.
If I was starting out taking care of a new (or slightly pre-owned, new-to-me) vehicle is to invest in vehicle washing products and equipment.
5 (or 3)-gallon Buckets, Grit Guards, microfiber noodle wash mitts,bug pads, wheel-cleaning pads, brushes of various types (one for the rim brake dust, one for the egg-crate-patterned grill, one for the tires, one for the vinyl trim or door/trunk/rear hatch jams and hinges), microfiber drying towels, microfibers for use with the various exterior cleaning products listed below, a 50-foot (or 75 foot) 3/4-inch diameter industrial/contractor-grade garden hose and spray nozzle are things to consider.
Then there are products of vehicle wash soaps, tire (or wheel) cleaning, brake dust (rim) removers, bug cleaners, All-Purpose Cleaners or De-Greasers (for door jams and wheel wells), iron decontamination cleaners, tar removers, and window cleaners to consider. That is just "the basics" in my mind. As you can see and guess, you`ll have quite an investment in these products and equipment alone. BUT, vehicle washing is the one detailing task you will do the most of, so why not start there.

Most vehicle exterior "problems" are the result of improper washing techniques or poor or neglected cleaning. How many newer vehicles do you see whose rims look black from brake dust? A LOT! Or even dirty wheel wells because tunnel car washes do not clean effectively in those areas. Or bugs on the front grill or bumpers because automated car washes do not remove them? Or even bird droppings that sit on panels or hoods and etch the paint because the vehicle owner/leasee does not care (or know) enough to use a rinse-less wash and spot clean these problems when they occur?

You can add a drying blower and power washer and foam lance as nice-to-have tools for vehicle washing later on.
(My "redneck" drying blower is a Toro Variable-Speed leaf blower, Model No. 51619. Works for "cheapskate" me. Just NEVER use it as a vacuum to pick up and shred leaves or lawn debris. It`s a mess the next time you try to dry a vehicle.
Live and learn...Or as 1920`s humorist and writer Will Rodger`s said, "I guess common sense ain`t so common!")

By the way, another Porsche 911 owner within this forum is Sizzle Chest. He is a world-class (and I do mean "world-class") detailer extraordinaire and has detailed more high-end 911`s than most people see in a life time. If you want, use the search engine within this forum, Key in "Porsche" for the keyword, and "Sizzle Chest" for the user name, and look at the posts started by him. He lists the detailing products he uses, mostly McKee`s 37, Adams, and 22ple coating, so this might give you an idea of which products to buy and use.

[Stokdgs]

Welcome to the Forum, Mina !

I love Huntington Beach!! I have a daughter and her family who have lived there for years.. They are never moving back to Northern California.

There is a Forum Member on here - BluBrett - who also lives in HB.. Perhaps you can look him up and since he is local, he may be able to help you get your Detailing experience going..

You also have Chip Foose down there, and his shop is in HB... I have visited his shop before - all I can say is Wow ! He had so many incredible projects going on all at the same time! He and his people = the Nicest people in the world..

There is plenty to learn and enjoy, Mina ! Hope you can take your time and enjoy this !

Love your P-Car; have detailed many, and they are all just beautiful !

Dan F

[Coatings=crack]

For ease of use and good synergy i’d look into griot’s. Not two overwhelming with product over lap and all products are usually great to good.


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[Fskof]

Hello everyone, my name is Mina. I live in Huntington Beach, CA. I just purchased a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S. It`s in excellent shape and I want to keep it that way, but I`m overwhelmed with all of the techniques, products, etc.

So as a newbie to detailing my own care, is there a thread or threads you guys can point me to to figure out what products you guys would recommend? I`m looking for both interior and exterior but there are so many threads and reviews I end up getting overwhelmed.

Any help would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the 997 purchase. They are great cars! I had one and now own a 2018 GT3. Yes it can get very overwhelming and cause your head to spin reading all of these posts... lol

First I would like to ask you some questions that will help you with products.
1. Do you have access to running water, electricity and shade?

Some great companies to look at is Griots, Adams, Poorboys World, and Meguiars.

I would start off with the basics:
-5 gallon bucket with a Grit Guard
-High quality wash mitt like the Microfiber Madness Incredimit. Cheap ones will leave swirl marks behind.
-Griots PFM Ultimate Drying Towel.
-Also some good Car Wash Soap like Poorboys World Super Slick and Suds or Adams Car Shampoo. All of these products are affordable and do a great job!

-For the interior get a bottle of Gyeon Q2m Interior detailer or Nextzett Cockpit to keep the dash, leather, vinyl, plastic, wood, aluminum trim and touch screens clean. You will also need a good wheel cleaner to get all of the brake dust removed. Many choices to pick from but I use these products: Auto Fanatic Professional Cleaning foam, Gyeon Q2M Iron Wheel Cleaner, P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner, Griots, or Sonax Wheel Cleaner Full Effect. They all do a great job. You will need some wheel brushes depending on what style of wheels you have. I would start off with the wheel woolies.

I hope this helps and don`t be afraid to ask questions.

Also, I have to warn you... detailing cars is very addicting and soon you will be purchasing pressure washers, foam cannons, polishers and pads. Its like a bad drug addiction!... lol

[tom p.]

Mina, it`s important to establish what products you already own, how much you want to spend on supplies/equipment, and how many hours per week you`ll dedicate to caring for your new car.

Welcome aboard!!

[Setec Astronomy]

Funny how some of the basic thread referrals we used to do have fallen by the wayside...or maybe some of the threads/guides just aren`t there anymore.

The Autopia 5 Step Paint Care Cycle

https://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html

[Merlin]

Welcome to Autopia.

There are 100`s of brands and various products for each category Maintenance/wash and Last Step Products (waxes, sealants coatings) called (LSP) for paint and trim protection.
You can take it lightly or fall into the rabbit hole like most of us here have done. The main thing I have learned over the years is that the auto-parts store products are not quality.
(There are exceptions to this rule but they are few) In short it comes down to clean and protect. I`ve been doing this for a LONG time I amm still learning processes and products.

[Accumulator]

twentyfour- Welcome to Autopia!

IMO the #1 challenge, and the thing to really focus on, is figuring out how to wash the car without marring the paint. Then things like Polishing/Compounding/etc. can be a very rare occurence; you can just wash and wax and *DRIVE* that thing

[noorth]

Welcome to Autopia.

There are 100`s of brands and various products for each category Maintenance/wash and Last Step Products (waxes, sealants coatings) called (LSP) for paint and trim protection.
You can take it lightly or fall into the rabbit hole like most of us here have done. The main thing I have learned over the years is that the auto-parts store products are not quality.
(There are exceptions to this rule but they are few) In short it comes down to clean and protect. I`ve been doing this for a LONG time I amm still learning processes and products.

Interesting considering your experience. I never used many products off the shelves however. In my case its canadiantire. I think the one product i still like is cg mr. pink not close to reset but way better then turtlewax`s max power. I do like the chenille simioniz wash mitts i have however. I recently got a microfiber wash mitt too, i like my 2 chenilles way better so far. I believe chenille is microfiber has well. But you know what i`m talking about lol

[William_Wallace]

Hello everyone, my name is Mina. I live in Huntington Beach, CA. I just purchased a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S. It`s in excellent shape and I want to keep it that way, but I`m overwhelmed with all of the techniques, products, etc.

So as a newbie to detailing my own care, is there a thread or threads you guys can point me to to figure out what products you guys would recommend? I`m looking for both interior and exterior but there are so many threads and reviews I end up getting overwhelmed.

Any help would be appreciated.

same thing happened to me when I found a website that rhymes with cornhub!

[twentyfour]

Easiest way to start out is to pick a brand and stick with it at first. There are many great brands out there. Do you know if you want to protect it with wax, sealant, or a coating?

If you don’t know the answer to that, I’d recommend a good sealant. Griot’s 3in1 ceramic is what I chose for my son to start out with his car.

There are a lot of great brands out there and I do not know if I want to protect it with wax, sealant or a coating. When I bought it from the dealer they told me that they had placed Cilajet on it. I will check out Griot`s as I have heard they are a really good brand. Thank you for the response!

[twentyfour]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the 997 purchase. They are great cars! I had one and now own a 2018 GT3. Yes it can get very overwhelming and cause your head to spin reading all of these posts... lol

First I would like to ask you some questions that will help you with products.
1. Do you have access to running water, electricity and shade?

Some great companies to look at is Griots, Adams, Poorboys World, and Meguiars.

I would start off with the basics:
-5 gallon bucket with a Grit Guard
-High quality wash mitt like the Microfiber Madness Incredimit. Cheap ones will leave swirl marks behind.
-Griots PFM Ultimate Drying Towel.
-Also some good Car Wash Soap like Poorboys World Super Slick and Suds or Adams Car Shampoo. All of these products are affordable and do a great job!

-For the interior get a bottle of Gyeon Q2m Interior detailer or Nextzett Cockpit to keep the dash, leather, vinyl, plastic, wood, aluminum trim and touch screens clean. You will also need a good wheel cleaner to get all of the brake dust removed. Many choices to pick from but I use these products: Auto Fanatic Professional Cleaning foam, Gyeon Q2M Iron Wheel Cleaner, P21S Gel Wheel Cleaner, Griots, or Sonax Wheel Cleaner Full Effect. They all do a great job. You will need some wheel brushes depending on what style of wheels you have. I would start off with the wheel woolies.

I hope this helps and don`t be afraid to ask questions.

Also, I have to warn you... detailing cars is very addicting and soon you will be purchasing pressure washers, foam cannons, polishers and pads. Its like a bad drug addiction!... lol

Thank you for the feedback. To answer your question I do have access to all of those.


I did pick up the three items you mentioned on your list of basics. What I haven`t nailed down is car wash soap. I have a foam cannon by Adams Polishes and I had purchased some car soap from Costco by Meguiar`s called Meguiars Polymer Wash & Wax. I did see some reviews online and I believe it is pH neutral but it doesn`t say it on the bottle anywhere. Based on what I read I believe I should be using a pH neutral soap.


Thanks for the referral on the interior cleaner. I will check it out. If it`s a cleaner and protectant then I would prefer to get that to cut down on multiple products if possible.


Thanks for the tips on the wheel and rim cleaner, I will check those out as well. After cleaning the wheels do you recommend any sprays to seal the rims so they are easier to clean in future washes? I`ve read up on some products that they say do this well but end up coming across some very credible reviews that discredit the products.


I`m eager to get started!

[twentyfour]

Welcome to the Forum, Mina !

I love Huntington Beach!! I have a daughter and her family who have lived there for years.. They are never moving back to Northern California.

There is a Forum Member on here - BluBrett - who also lives in HB.. Perhaps you can look him up and since he is local, he may be able to help you get your Detailing experience going..

You also have Chip Foose down there, and his shop is in HB... I have visited his shop before - all I can say is Wow ! He had so many incredible projects going on all at the same time! He and his people = the Nicest people in the world..

There is plenty to learn and enjoy, Mina ! Hope you can take your time and enjoy this !

Love your P-Car; have detailed many, and they are all just beautiful !

Dan F

Thank you Dan. I love Northern California too but I don`t blame them for not wanting to move back there. Thank you for the references and I will check them out. I`m going to enjoy this for sure.