Critque my Products..

B

b0rf

New member
Hey everyone!



I'm new here and also new at car care. Right now i own a BMW Estoril Blue E36 M3 4 door(1998). The car has 48k and is in good condition.



http://www.importeurasia.com/car_gallery.php?car_id=262



Hopefully you guys could give me some advice on products and how to use them correctly...



Right now this is my method--







Wet car



Wash Car-- Meguiar's Crystal Car Wash (cheap and seems to do a decent job, although i could probably stand to use something that would protect my paint more from scratching during the wash process), Microfiber Wash Mit



Dry- Chamois (Starting to get old, leaving small orange pieces on the paint, what should i use that is relatively inexpensive?)



Polish- P21s Paint Cleaner (viper microfiber applicator)



Wax- P21s Carnuba Wax (generic yellow foam applicator)



Wheels/Tires/Moldings- On the tires and moldings i use Meguiar's Plastic/Rubber/Vinal protectant/polish. Works great for the moldings, but takes too much of it to give a proper shine to the tires. Any recommendations?





I'm never satisfied with the cleanliness of the glass on my car, i always end up with streaks or spots.. Are there any glass cleaners that could help?



Also, i have minor swirling what should i use to correct this?



Thanks



-Jarrett
 
What you're using to polish and wax are fine. But I'd switch to P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo and a genuine sheepskin mitt rather than using a MF towel to wash with.



I've tried washing with a MF and don't like how it holds the grit. I think they are better suited for buffing and removing polish and wax (although some people here like washing with them).



Ditch the chamois and get a waffle weave MF towel for drying, such as the Big Blue from CMA or the yellow one from Griot's. Gently blot with the MF, don't rub! I just got 2 big blues and they are very nice. Next month I'm gonna get the Griots towel and compare. The Griot's has pockets for your hands, which I think I'd like.



For glass cleaner try Stoner's Invisible Glass (you can get it at AutoZone). Use a suede MF towel instead of paper towels.



Minor Swirls maybe use 3M Swirl Mark Remover...
 
To save a little money, id switch over to S100 Shine Enhancing Cleanser and S100 Carnauba Wax instead of P21S the next time you need to buy more. Theyre both the same thing, just different name. For a quick detailer, try out Quick Shine from Clear Kote. Scottwax is in the Dallas/Arlington area and theres a thread about where he got it. Another good product that I want to try is their Vanilla Moose Hand Glaze. Do a search for clear kote and scottwax and im sure youll find it. Its one of the first threads about it (end of last year). For glass, im using Eagle One's 20/20 and it works really well for me.
 
b0rf- Welcome to Autopia. The advice from TurboCat and FNG are good :up . Definitely lose the MF wash mitt (retains abrasive dirt) and the chamois, you'll be glad you did. Another good source for waffle-weave MF's is www.MicrofiberTech.com.



There are a bunch of car wash "soaps" that are better than what you're using. The P21S is a bit expensive...another good one (with great lubricity to reduce wash-induced swirls) is the Griot's Car Wash. Pro has one called something like Cherry Suds that is also supposed to be good and it's quite inexpensive.



Swirls? Meg's #9 is good, as is the 3M SMR. The topic is worth doing a search on.
 
Welcome to Autopia :up



I would clay the glass then wipe with lighter fluid, leave for a few minutes, rince with water then clean with a good glass cleaner. I really like Autoglym's Glass Polish but there are many good products



Steven
 
TurboCat said:
What you're using to polish and wax are fine. But I'd switch to P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo and a genuine sheepskin mitt rather than using a MF towel to wash with.



I've tried washing with a MF and don't like how it holds the grit. I think they are better suited for buffing and removing polish and wax (although some people here like washing with them).



Ditch the chamois and get a waffle weave MF towel for drying, such as the Big Blue from CMA or the yellow one from Griot's. Gently blot with the MF, don't rub! I just got 2 big blues and they are very nice. Next month I'm gonna get the Griots towel and compare. The Griot's has pockets for your hands, which I think I'd like.



For glass cleaner try Stoner's Invisible Glass (you can get it at AutoZone). Use a suede MF towel instead of paper towels.



Minor Swirls maybe use 3M Swirl Mark Remover...
Click to expand...



Don't you find Blotting the VERTICAL surfaces dry very difficult .... only 2 hands to hold the towel and have to press it against the vertical surface of the car .. any tips on that?
 
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