Price/Quality or MUST HAVE problem

[imported_kazaroza90]

Hello Everyone ! And it's nice to meet such very informative resource like this forum. And I'm not such person who will ask what I should do to make my car shiny and that's it, because I know how to us searc (lauching).



But after read for whole night some guides for newbie I understood that I don't know nothing, and if I desired to make some detail of my car because of such ton of information I felt so helpless and don't know what way to choose.



So that's my story I wish to detail my car, but I don't know when the border of price/quality is come true and when one more extra bottle don't give you so much extra quality as you wished. As any proffessional forum everybody try to show here that if you wish to done something in good maner you should have everything. But I don't own detail store and don't have couple hundrends for this kind of job. So I wish to find here the advise from the same kind of person like me. Not actually advice for professional kind of work that will cost be hundreds of dollars

Because if you coming on forum about digital cameras and ask what camera I should buy to make good photos you'll get advice that you should buy Canon Mark 5d2 for 4000$ and after that you will say oh no, digital photo is not for me. But actually I know that there should be some good way to start and not get upset because you can afford everything.



So, that what I wish to buy for start:

1. Washing

a) Foamgun - Foammaster;

b) Gold Class shampoo ;

c) Meguiar's EvenCoat Applicator ;

d) Grit Guard Wash Bucket Insert x2 ;

2.Claying - Megauiers Smooth Surface Kit

3. Polishing

a) M. SwirlX ;

b) M Scratch X ;

c) M Ultimate Polish ;

d) 3 polish pad from Megauiers

4. Waxing

a) NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0



So my ask is it will be enough to get upper-intermediate result or not. If not please explain to me what I choosed wrong or what I should get extra to achieve that. Also If you have some cheaper variant of the same assembly that will give the same result please tell me. Thank you for understanding and sorry if I was too much emotional. Just can't normal sleep because of so much information what to choose. And what I need like MUST HAVE and what not.

 

[Accumulator]

kazaroza90- Welcome to Autopia!



I'd be sure to get *good*, *real sheepskin* wash mitts and I myself can do without the GritGuards. I'd have to have at least one Boar's Hair Brush ("BHB"), if only a small one for tight spots.



Get some Waffle Weave MicroFiber towels ("WWMF"s) to dry the car.



Perhaps a ClayMagic clay setup would save you some $. Or one from Mother's if you can find it on sale.



I'd also want some kind of All Purpose Cleaner, if only for use on wheels/tires/undercarriage/interior. Pick something versatile that'll work OK on all those different surfaces, but don't get all spendy with stuff like (the admittedly very good) P21s Total Auto Wash.



For the polish, what you need will depend on what you're trying to accomplish and on what kind of paint. Short answer to cover a lot of bases: HD Uno.



I'd want to have *some* kind of All In One product (e.g. Klasse, Zaino, something like that).



NXT is OK for an OTC wax, but overall I'd rather see you buy Collinite 845 Insulator Wax for numerous reasons.



Save $ by buying cheapie foam applicators for waxing/polishing/etc. All the ones I've used were OK so I quit buying the pricier ones with the Big Names embossed on 'em.

 

[imported_kazaroza90]

Thank you very much for respond. So I'm changing my plan and will spent less money on wash and more money on polishing as I got it's most important part. I have not couple but 5-6 question that would really appreciate to get answer even short:



1.I saw that Meguier's has 2 lines for Consumer and Professional, is that real big difference in quality and it's better to pay extra money or not ?

2. First I decided to buy usual microfiber, but had read some answer that it really worse. Is it true ?

3.I have rotor buffer polisher with 7' back plate can I buy M. 3 pad 6.5' and use it or need replace BP.

4. Also had read that it hard to give depth for light colors like white, grey or silver metal (like I have) and there I should use special wax to giving it more shiny.(The people adviced to use WerkStat Acrylic Kit) any cheap analog exist ?

5. If I'm going to polish for 10 ( hard) to 1 (light) I'm start from hard yes and than going with no so strong polishing liquid.

6.Should I have something for Heavy Cut like (M# 84 or #85) for pretty big scratches or it's enough to have Med and Light. cutting for it.

7.I'm use sealant or wax, or can use both of them ?

kazaroza90- Welcome to Autopia!



Get some Waffle Weave MicroFiber towels ("WWMF"s) to dry the car.

Which one is best on your opinion, because there so many on the market ?

Perhaps a ClayMagic clay setup would save you some $. Or one from Mother's if you can find it on sale.

Claymagic cost pretty much, but I know the price/ounces it less than Meguiers but I don't need so much.

Just one car. And I found the Meguiers cost less 3-4$ plus you getting free sample of wax :hippie:

I'd also want some kind of All Purpose Cleaner, if only for use on wheels/tires/undercarriage/interior. Pick something versatile that'll work OK on all those different surfaces, but don't get all spendy with stuff like (the admittedly very good) P21s Total Auto Wash.

It's about 20$ for bottle is it some cheaper analog ?

For the polish, what you need will depend on what you're trying to accomplish and on what kind of paint. Short answer to cover a lot of bases: HD Uno.

Also about 35$ is it really going replace all that polish stuf like Swirl X 2.0, Scratch Remover and Ultimate ( or if I'm going with professional line). If it's uno it should work like for H,M,L cutting yes ?

I'd want to have *some* kind of All In One product (e.g. Klasse, Zaino, something like that).

What the purpose of such products ? I always have some pessimistic opinion on such kind of products. Because Camera should make a picture, mobile phone call etc.

NXT is OK for an OTC wax, but overall I'd rather see you buy Collinite 845 Insulator Wax for numerous reasons.

Yes, it cost even little bit less. Is the one reason you going with this wax because NXT is hard to take off after time . Or there some another reason ?



Thanks one more time. And if somebody will help me with this question would be happy one more time ! Sunday is coming. If Interest for somebody will post a some pics of how I will do it. :lock1:

 

[Thomas Dekany]

We meet again.



There is nothing wrong with your list, but if you are interested in making things simple, here is my list for you:



So, that what I wish to buy for start:

1. Washing

a) Foamgun - Foammaster; - fine

b) Gold Class shampoo ; - 3D PINK CAR SOAP

c) Meguiar's EvenCoat Applicator ; -

d) Grit Guard Wash Bucket Insert x2 ; - PERFECT

2.Claying - Megauiers Smooth Surface Kit - 3D Advanced Clay bar

3. Polishing

a) M. SwirlX ; - HD POLISH

b) M Scratch X ; - HD UNO

c) M Ultimate Polish ; HD UNO

d) 3 polish pad from Megauiers - Various HD Pads

4. Waxing

a) NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 - HD POXY



You can keep your list simple and these products that I listed WILL make detailing easier while producing better results.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Can you actually post a picture of your car, like a sun picture?



How much experience do you have with the rotary?



What kind of car?



Silver is like any other color. Prep is the key. Yes not all wax sealant looks the same



Here is HD SPEED all by itself making this light color very wet looking after a thorough wash and clay.





P1050303 by thomasdekany, on Flickr



Here is the whole detail in pictures. Keep it simple.



http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-brag/140460-1st-hd-speed-detail.html#

 

[Accumulator]

Thank you very much for respond. So I'm changing my plan and will spent less money on wash and more money on polishing as I got it's most important part...

Actually, I consider washing to be the single most important aspect of detailing, by a *huge* margin. That's how most marring occurs, and if you don't mar it, you don't need to polish it.



The polishing/correction is something that should only be done *VERY* infrequently; I don't polish annually. But washing happens all the time and IMO that's what you should concentrate on getting right.



And I'm afraid I'm not the best guy to ask about price-related issues as I honestly don't pay too much attention to the cost of this stuff.

1.I saw that Meguier's has 2 lines for Consumer and Professional, is that real big difference in quality and it's better to pay extra money or not ?

I hardly ever use Meguiar's consumer line stuff other than their Interior Quick Detailer.

2. First I decided to buy usual microfiber, but had read some answer that it really worse. Is it true ?

For what purpose? Washing with MF is problematic as MF tends to hold on to certain types of gritty dirt. But MF is *the thing to use* for wiping off polish and wax residue and WWMF is the thing to use for drying.

3.I have rotor buffer polisher with 7' back plate can I buy M. 3 pad 6.5' and use it or need replace BP.

I do not recommend that you use a rotary polisher. Period. Using one correctly takes a lot of practice and skill. IMO you're most likely to make things a lot worse if you use that machine.

4. Also had read that it hard to give depth for light colors like white, grey or silver metal (like I have) and there I should use special wax to giving it more shiny.(The people adviced to use WerkStat Acrylic Kit) any cheap analog exist ?

Heh heh, that sort of talk is 99% BS. Don't worry about "getting products that look good on certain colors". FWIW, I have white/silver/gray cars as well as a dark blue one, and the colors are *NOT* a consideration when I decide what to use on them.

5. If I'm going to polish for 10 ( hard) to 1 (light) I'm start from hard yes and than going with no so strong polishing liquid.

Polishing by hand is usually just an exercise in frustration. But Meguiar's Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish might work for you.

6.Should I have something for Heavy Cut like (M# 84 or #85) for pretty big scratches or it's enough to have Med and Light. cutting for it.

NO. Those are older/obsolete products anyhow and must be used with a polisher. DO NOT try to use them with your rotary polisher or you'll be back here asking how to fix the resulting damage

7.I'm use sealant or wax, or can use both of them ?

No need to use both. Just choose from among the products that were suggested.

Which one is best on your opinion, because there so many on the market ?

PakShak Ultra Soft.

It's about 20$ for bottle is it some cheaper analog ?

Sorry, I don't buy stuff by price most of the time. Maybe somebody else can suggest something.

Also about 35$ is it really going replace all that polish stuf like Swirl X 2.0, Scratch Remover and Ultimate ( or if I'm going with professional line). If it's uno it should work like for H,M,L cutting yes ?

The Uno is primarily for use with a Random Orbital Polisher (or with a rotary, but only in the hands of skilled/experienced users).

What the purpose of such products ? I always have some pessimistic opinion on such kind of products.

They're handy for areas that need "quick work". E.g., most people (unlike me ) don't spend hours cleaning, polishing, waxing their doorjambs so AIOs are better than nothing.

Yes, it cost even little bit less. Is the one reason you going with this wax because NXT is hard to take off after time . Or there some another reason ?

NXT is good in that it fills minor imperfections. But 845 is easier to use (not that I ever found NXT tough), is OK to use on exterior trim, and lasts *MUCH* longer while providing better protection.