Choosing products for simple and durable

T

tomoyo

New member
Hi everyone,



I'm new to the forums and car detailing. Personally my goal is to keep my paint in good shape and looking decent. The problem is that a ton of focus here is on making everything look perfect. I'm certainly not after that, just protected paint that is low maintenance. So I'm looking for some opinions in that angle.

What would be the minimum products needed to keep the paint in good shape? The less work the better imho.



I'm also seeking the longest lasting sealant, looks don't really matter to me, all of them look pretty similar in my book... totally non-anal about the shinyness, perfection, etc... give me something that keeps going on and on :)



Theoretical Product List:

Microfiber cloth

Clay Bar

Polish

Sealant

Applicator



Is there anything I need or can even cut out?
 
Get some collinite 476. Probably some of the longest lasting wax out there (even beats most sealants). Use some foam applicators to put it on thin and then buff off the panel right away. Works awesome.



As for your list there. That's a good starter. Look through the click and brags for products to use or look through the reviews. Menzerna makes good polishes and I've used 1z products and like those too.



This guide has tons of info also.

Guide to Detailing - Autopia.org



Welcome to Autopia!
 
Look up the Werkstat line. I just picked mine up last week and have been happy with them. I think they are going to replace my Klasse, believe it or not.
 
tomoyo- Welcome to Autopia!



Your goals makes perfect sense to me, and IMO the product choice is very simple: 1Z brand polish topped with Collinite 476S wax. This is as user-friendly as it gets and the 476S is at least as durable as sealants (which I use on other vehicles, so I can do side-by-side comparisons).



Sources: Home or 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
 
After buying a wide range of megs polishes I've settled on #2 fine cut cleaner as a go to polish. Also if you're looking for a cheap readily available good polish I also like Turtle Wax premium polishing compound in the squeeze bottle. A little harder to work with than megs but gives results even by hand. I like collinite 845 since it's also easier to work with than 845 and almost as durable.
 
Thanks for the suggestions. That's surprising that a car wax actually lasts as long as a sealant even. I guess I'll keep researching as well. I've been reading this stuff for a month and I'm still totally unsure...it's scary to make a decision with 10 or 20 different things that people like. I wish this was as easy as buying computer stuff...it's so much easier to know for sure you're getting the best computer part.
 
What's also crazy to me is the huge number of brands and products and rebrands out there. It's like navigating through a maze. Also a ton of different methodologies on what is the best process to perfect your car. I wish this was more science than an almost purely artform. At first I was really interested in zaino from all the hype and love, but I'm getting really iffy on that thought because it didn't even finish well in the big wax roundup here. I dislike hype in the first place, I'd prefer the best price/performance, but that seems 100% impossible to measure for car car products. Cars themselves are easier at least!
 
Accumulator said:
tomoyo- Welcome to Autopia!



Your goals makes perfect sense to me, and IMO the product choice is very simple: 1Z brand polish topped with Collinite 476S wax. This is as user-friendly as it gets and the 476S is at least as durable as sealants (which I use on other vehicles, so I can do side-by-side comparisons).



Sources: Home or 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
Click to expand...



Listen to this guy and I *guarantee* that you will be satisfied. :)
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Accumulator

tomoyo- Welcome to Autopia!



Your goals makes perfect sense to me, and IMO the product choice is very simple: 1Z brand polish topped with Collinite 476S wax. This is as user-friendly as it gets and the 476S is at least as durable as sealants (which I use on other vehicles, so I can do side-by-side comparisons).



Sources: Home or 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





Bigpoppa3346 said:
Listen to this guy and I *guarantee* that you will be satisfied. :)
Click to expand...



I listened and followed that formula and 3 months later very satisfied on 2 cars. Collinite is still strong as ever and only wash maybe every other week. Ever so often spray on some OID for pop. Probably gonna be good with that til start of winter, then do it all over again. Or try something else, just for variety would be the only reason.
 
Suprised nobody mentioned Duragloss. For someone looking for the user friendly and durability route, why not stock up on DG 901, 601, 105 etc???



OR-Optimum-ONR, OPS, OOS, and OCW
 
Bigpoppa3346 said:
Listen to this guy and I *guarantee* that you will be satisfied. :)
Click to expand...



Ooo I like guarantees ;) Will you come over and work on my car if it doesn't work out? :2thumbs:



Anyways I'm definitely interested in that wax now, such madness that a wax can equal a sealant. I never knew that was possible.
 
The "Hype" with Zaino is not hype. You can't beat it for durability, but it is expensive and for the most part you can only buy it from Zaino. For ease of use and durability you can't beat Optimum products-- if the paint is in need of some cleaning and light polishing after claying you would apply a coat of PoliSeal--this is the only product that would go on in a traditional manner (ie apply, let haze, buff off.) Then after waiting 12-24 hours ad a coat of OptiSeal--you just apply with an applicator pad and walk away--takes about 10 minutes to do the entire car. Then after 12-24 hours (or longer if you want) apply a coat of Optimum Spray Wax--spray it on like a detail spray and wipe with a plush MF--takes 15 minutes to do the entire car. So easy you can add a coat every time you wash or once a month. Add Optimum No Rinse car wash to the mix and you can wash your car and apply a coat of wax in an hour.



All of the products mentioned here are great and most are durable (Duragloss, Zaino, 1Z, Collinite etc) but when you add in ease of use I don't think you can beat Optimum.



Here is one of many good sources for Optimum Products Optimum
 
tomoyo said:
The problem is that a ton of focus here is on making everything look perfect. I'm certainly not after that, just protected paint that is low maintenance.
Click to expand...



I understand what you are looking to accomplish, but you may find that over time, and after being on this site for a while, that you'll get 'sucked in' deeper than you bargained for!!! :waxing:



Not a bad thing. :wavey
 
snowskate said:
I understand what you are looking to accomplish, but you may find that over time, and after being on this site for a while, that you'll get 'sucked in' deeper than you bargained for!!! :waxing:



Not a bad thing. :wavey
Click to expand...



Uh oh! I hope not. Personally I'm already busy with enough hobbies and I was happy enough being a widely varied computer expert. I don't need to add car detailing expert to the mix! :furious: Casual and successful is all I ask for. ^^
 
I decided to go with the optimum optiseal because it seems low maintenance and pretty usable. Hopefully it'll do as well as I hope!
 
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