The Detailing Thread

Started by giant_mtb, July 06, 2010, 09:58:16 PM

giant_mtb

I've had numerous people ask me for tips and tricks when it comes to detailing their cars.  Let's have a detailing thread!  I'm no professional, but I've got some experience under my belt, so utilize this thread to ask questions about detailing your car.  There're a few others on the board that are pretty good with bodywork and detailing (Onslaught?, CJ), too, so we should have plenty of combined knowledge to help people out.

Rupert

Yeah, so I heard about this product that was supposed to, like, protect stuff, but like, everything. Do you know was that was called? I think it's best on wheels or something.



;) :lol:
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2o6

What's wrong with Armor All? I used some on my car......



Don't hurt me!

giant_mtb

Quote from: 2o6 on July 06, 2010, 10:09:42 PM
What's wrong with Armor All? I used some on my car......



Don't hurt me!

Protip: Make yourself some bacon.  Take the bacon grease.  Apply to your dashboard instead of Amor All.  That way, you'll at least have bacon after you grease your dash.

Mustangfan2003

I mostly use Meguires products, but I've also used some Eagle One stuff I like.

giant_mtb

Quote from: Mustangfan2003 on July 06, 2010, 10:16:03 PM
I mostly use Meguires products, but I've also used some Eagle One stuff I like.

What from Eagle One do you use?  I used a few things from them a long time ago and remember not being too happy with it...?

2o6

Quote from: giant_mtb on July 06, 2010, 10:11:44 PM
Protip: Make yourself some bacon.  Take the bacon grease.  Apply to your dashboard instead of Amor All.  That way, you'll at least have bacon after you grease your dash.



But it smells nice and it's shiny....

What should I use instead?

Laconian

You are a professional in a literal sense.
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

giant_mtb

#8
Quote from: 2o6 on July 06, 2010, 10:22:52 PM

But it smells nice and it's shiny....

What should I use instead?

Anything, really.  I dunno about you, but I've never associated greasiness with cleanliness, which just adds to the mind-boggling-ness of people's use of Armor All.  You can get this stuff at Wal-Mart for about $5 a bottle.


giant_mtb

Quote from: Laconian on July 06, 2010, 10:24:01 PM
You are a professional in a literal sense.

I mean, yeah, but I've never been "professionally trained" or anything.  I think I'm pretty damn good, though. :lol: :mask:

Mustangfan2003

Quote from: giant_mtb on July 06, 2010, 10:19:07 PM
What from Eagle One do you use?  I used a few things from them a long time ago and remember not being too happy with it...?

I got a bottle of the nano wash and I've used the wheel and tire cleaner.  That's about all I have used by them.  Seen a product called Surf City Garage in the parts store.  It's a bit high but might give it a shot

http://www.surfcitygarage.com/detail1.php?product_id=22

giant_mtb

Quote from: Mustangfan2003 on July 06, 2010, 10:29:25 PM
I got a bottle of the nano wash and I've used the wheel and tire cleaner.  That's about all I have used by them.  Seen a product called Surf City Garage in the parts store.  It's a bit high but might give it a shot

http://www.surfcitygarage.com/detail1.php?product_id=22

I've found that scratches from washing come not so much from quality of the soap, but more from the technique and cleaning apparatus.  A bristled brush is going to scratch your paint.  It doesn't matter what kind of soap it is or how well it "isolates" the dirt from the paint.  The brush (or mit) is going to be pushing down on that dirt and grinding it into the paint, regardless.  

Using a very clean wash mit (microfiber!) is your best bet.  Also, rinsing really, really well beforehand helps a lot, too.  If you have a pressure washer, use it.  The less dirt that's on the car when you wash it, the less you'll scratch it.  Use very light pressure when you wash.  If you have to go over a spot more than once, fine, but don't scrub hard.

Then again, on a relatively older finish that already has lots of scratches, none of this really matters, but for a freshly-buffed or newly-painted surface, this is key.

CJ

I'm a Meguiar's man.  I love their Hot Rims wheel cleaner.  It smells great, cleans fantastically (Wheels AND tires!), and is just an overall excellent product.  To clean the tires, in addition to the Hot Rims (Or Simple Green, Purple Power, or some other wheel cleaner or all-purpose cleaner) I have an interior cleaning brush from AutoZone that does tires just fine.  I have a few nice wheel brushes, one like the one Chris posted, and a more detail oriented brush.  For interior cleaning, I have another series of brushes for interior cleaning.  I like Meguiar's Interior Quick Detailer for hard surfaces.  It leaves a nice matte finish and smells great.  For an exterior quick detailer, I REALLY like Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer.  In addition to Meguiar's Gold Class or NXT 2.0, it leaves a great finish and the beading is top notch.  For tire dressing, I REALLY REALLY like Meguiar's High Endurance Tire Gel.  It's excellent.  Lasts a long time and leaves a nice matte finish making the tires look brand new.  It's excellent.  Clay bar wise, I variate.  Just depends on what I'm feelin' wen I order online.


For paint correction, I have a Porter Cable 7424 and use a selection of Lake Country pads along with Menzerna Intensive Polish and Cobra microfibers for polish removal.  The Menzerna really is an excellent all-around product. 

CJ

Oh, and for washing, I use Meguiar's Gold Class wash along with the two-bucket method and an always clean microfiber mit.  For drying, if I wouldn't use it on my person, then it doesn't go on my paint.  I just bought some Meguiar's Water Magnets, so we'll see how I like those once it stops raining every day.

giant_mtb

#14
Yeah, I use numerous Meguiar's products, too...pretty much all the ones you mentioned.  They do work quite well.  That Gold Class wax is awesome.  Doesn't last as long as I'd like, though, but is worth it.

I don't buy all that stuff too often, though.  Since I've been doing more and more cars, paying $5 for 16-oz. bottles of stuff becomes expensive.  I've started buying in bulk, and have stuck with Meguiar's, but use their more professional, non-mainstream products.



CJ

The finish it provides, ESPECIALLY on a black car, is just excellent.

Mustangfan2003

Some of the best wheel cleaner I ever tried



I tried some black magic wheel cleaner once and it wouldn't even eat through any dust.

Rich

#17
I think I f-ed up the Mustang's paint.  I washed it when I was away from my apartment and all I had were some paper towel type things to try and wipe up the water before I got water spots, but I think put some swirl marks in the clearcoat, or the wax.

I'm going to try and get a bucket wash in one of these nights (not having a hose sucks) and to do another nice wax job on it (just did one last week) and hope everything is ok.   I use Zymol wax, and love that stuff

I found a storage unit, so I'll be keeping it in there from here on out, so it should stay cleaner, longer
2003 Mazda Miata 5MT; 2005 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport 4AT

giant_mtb

Oh my lord.  Paper towel?? :(

MrH

What kind of wax do you recommend after polishing with Liquid Glass?
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giant_mtb

As CJ and I mentioned, Meguiar's Gold Class wax is pretty damn nice, and it is what I typically will use on my customer's cars.

Mustangfan2003

I hear the Meguiars NXT is good stuff too, not tried it yet though.

hotrodalex

Quote from: giant_mtb on July 06, 2010, 10:26:02 PM
Anything, really.  I dunno about you, but I've never associated greasiness with cleanliness, which just adds to the mind-boggling-ness of people's use of Armor All.  You can get this stuff at Wal-Mart for about $5 a bottle.



I use that. Wonderful stuff.

giant_mtb

I would never use NXT wax. At that stuff's price range, you'd be better off going with a more professional product.

Cookie Monster

Is Zaino any good?

And about diluting the shampoo and spraying it, won't that cause mildew underneath your carpets?
RWD > FWD
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Morris Minor

Great post; I nominate it for stickiness.

Any recommendations for cleaning under the hood? I have found that wetting a warm engine with Simple Green, then hosing it off, aided where needed by brushing, works well.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

giant_mtb

Quote from: thecarnut on July 07, 2010, 10:15:56 AM
Is Zaino any good?

And about diluting the shampoo and spraying it, won't that cause mildew underneath your carpets?

I have never used Zaino, but have heard good things.  It looks pretty legit.

And, no, it won't cause mildew to form unless your car is amazingly air-tight and the stuff doesn't get to dry.  Just make sure the stuff has a chance to dry/evaporate and you won't have a problem.  When I'm done shampooing a vehicle with my steam cleaner, the upholstery is still mildly damp, but it will eventually dry, and I recommend that people leave their windows cracked for a couple days after I do it to make sure it has a chance to air out. 

giant_mtb

#27
Quote from: Morris Minor on July 07, 2010, 10:50:38 AM
Great post; I nominate it for stickiness.

Any recommendations for cleaning under the hood? I have found that wetting a warm engine with Simple Green, then hosing it off, aided where needed by brushing, works well.

Yeah, I'd like this to be a sticky.

Underhood, I use Gunk Engine Brite.  It works very well, and is a very powerful degreaser.  I use it on bike parts and other things I want clean.  But yes, warm water and a general degreaser is good.  Obviously, cover up all your electronics with rags if you're using a hose in there.  For black hoses and plastics, you can use rubber/vinyl/tire dressing to enhance their look, or just simply make sure they're clean.  Also, putting a coat of wax on the underside of the hood and any other painted/exposed paint in the engine bay can help make those areas easier to clean in the future and will help the paint last longer in those areas by keeping it moderately protected from the heat and gunk that ends up in an engine bay. 

Modern engine bays are so goddamn hard to clean 'cause everything is so jampacked inside.  It's insane.  I'd love to have the chance to clean up the engine bay of a classic muscle car.


Morris Minor

Quote from: thecarnut on July 07, 2010, 10:15:56 AM
Is Zaino any good?
I've used their leather cleaner (outstanding) and their leather conditioner (excellent). As for the polishes, I don't think they're worth the extra money unless you're exhibiting at a concours.
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

Morris Minor

For cleaning the windows glass exteriors, I like to hand wash then clean off remaining gunk with a 0000 steel wool pad soaked in a glass cleaner. Then dry it and polish with a microfiber towel. I never hesitate to use Rain-X on the side and rear windows (I think it's a good safety measure for dark rainy nights) but am a little hesitant to use it on the windshield itself; I've found in the past that it causes smearing with the wipers. Maybe they've reformulated the stuff and I should give it another try. Thoughts?
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