986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners - View Single Post

Perfectlap · 08-20-2015, 08:30 AM

I have an entire garage full of every brand of detailing product. I have tried little expensive brands and big brands sold over the counter. It's all largely baloney. Some companies try to sell you their 8 step product line, all over-priced, and people are amazed at the result because their only experience was using Meguiars or Simoniz with inadequate prep and not very thorough follow through. Save your money, expensive product A has virtually the same ingredients as over the counter product A. The difference is in concentration, but all that means is you have to use a little more of the cheap stuff, perhaps a second layer. But an expensive product is not going to make up for mediocre prep work. Two equally prep'd cars with one using expensive boutique brand where nothing is less than $20 and inexpensive over the counter product for 1/3 the price will be virtually impossible to distinguish by anyone other than a very well-trained eye. Then you have people who get into arguments about how product A is SUPERIOR!!! LOL.

That being said in trying dozens of products I have come across a few that either because of some in-house mixed ingredient or some other manufacturing have been pretty good choices.

Klasse All in One (red bottle). I really haven't come across a similar product. I would skip their sealant, there are much easier to use options that produce the same result like Werkstat

The other product is FinishKare #425 polymer anti-static (aka dust repelling) spray. This is the only product I buy by the gallon jug. Its the very last thing to go on the paint. Once you run your finger over it you'll see why it's an anti-static. No other product has that result.

The third is 1Z leather cleaner/moisturizer that works very well on Porsche leather. With a terry cloth towel this product has bite like no other and leaves it with a new looking matte finish. Problem is its often out of stock from Germany. In the meantime I use Griot's leather cleaner, very close.

And if you want to avoid swirls, stop using microfiber towels sold in big packs. Those are okay on first application but they're a royal PITA to get clean again in the wash. They harpoon dirt and debris and then are stubborn at letting it go, it's like velcro. All you need is a long nap towel that can simply guide the dirt off the paint without scratching. That means you don't need a prickly side to the microfiber towel at all on a well-maintained paint surface. These typical auto store towels sold in big packs are great for interiors though. Instead of using those on paint I use the long nap towels from Griot's, look out for their email coupon sales and sometimes Advanced Auto online will run a big sale too on these. I'm sure there are others that are very similar like from ChemicalGuys, I just haven't tried them.

08-20-2015, 08:30 AM	#28
Perfectlap Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 8,709	I have an entire garage full of every brand of detailing product. I have tried little expensive brands and big brands sold over the counter. It's all largely baloney. Some companies try to sell you their 8 step product line, all over-priced, and people are amazed at the result because their only experience was using Meguiars or Simoniz with inadequate prep and not very thorough follow through. Save your money, expensive product A has virtually the same ingredients as over the counter product A. The difference is in concentration, but all that means is you have to use a little more of the cheap stuff, perhaps a second layer. But an expensive product is not going to make up for mediocre prep work. Two equally prep'd cars with one using expensive boutique brand where nothing is less than $20 and inexpensive over the counter product for 1/3 the price will be virtually impossible to distinguish by anyone other than a very well-trained eye. Then you have people who get into arguments about how product A is SUPERIOR!!! LOL. That being said in trying dozens of products I have come across a few that either because of some in-house mixed ingredient or some other manufacturing have been pretty good choices. Klasse All in One (red bottle). I really haven't come across a similar product. I would skip their sealant, there are much easier to use options that produce the same result like Werkstat The other product is FinishKare #425 polymer anti-static (aka dust repelling) spray. This is the only product I buy by the gallon jug. Its the very last thing to go on the paint. Once you run your finger over it you'll see why it's an anti-static. No other product has that result. The third is 1Z leather cleaner/moisturizer that works very well on Porsche leather. With a terry cloth towel this product has bite like no other and leaves it with a new looking matte finish. Problem is its often out of stock from Germany. In the meantime I use Griot's leather cleaner, very close. And if you want to avoid swirls, stop using microfiber towels sold in big packs. Those are okay on first application but they're a royal PITA to get clean again in the wash. They harpoon dirt and debris and then are stubborn at letting it go, it's like velcro. All you need is a long nap towel that can simply guide the dirt off the paint without scratching. That means you don't need a prickly side to the microfiber towel at all on a well-maintained paint surface. These typical auto store towels sold in big packs are great for interiors though. Instead of using those on paint I use the long nap towels from Griot's, look out for their email coupon sales and sometimes Advanced Auto online will run a big sale too on these. I'm sure there are others that are very similar like from ChemicalGuys, I just haven't tried them. __________________ GT3 Recaro Seats - Boxster Red GT3 Aero / Carrera 18" 5 spoke / Potenza RE-11 Fabspeed Headers & Noise Maker BORN: March 2000 - FINLAND IMS#1 REPLACED: April 2010 - NEW JERSEY -- LNE DUAL ROW Last edited by Perfectlap; 08-20-2015 at 08:36 AM.