Best detailing products

[s_wilwerding]

Just wondering what line of products everyone likes - Meguiars, Chemical Guys, Adams, Turtle Wax, etc.

I use mostly Chemical Guys products and they have been working well for me, though I have also been using some Turtle Wax products (graphene wax, wheel cleaner) that seem to be pretty good too.

Maybe it would be a good discussion which individual product is best for:

Leather care
Car wash
Paint decontamination
Wheel cleaner
Liquid wax
DIY ceramic
Interior detailer

[rick3000]

Here's the list of what I use from my website, but haven't kept up to date with new products since I got the basics covered a few years ago. This is a copy/paste but I added some extra notes. Chemical Guys stuff is pretty good but I think it's expensive for what it is, but they are convenient since they are on amazon. For microfibers, all of mine are from Rag Company, they have sales several times a year. I was never interested in coatings, I prefer using sealant/wax.


Car Wash
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine
Optimum Car Wash
Wolfgang Autobath
Meguiar's Gold Class Wash

Rinseless Wash
Optimum Wash & Wax

Drying Aid/Spray Wax
Duragloss 951 Aquawax

Microfiber Detergent
Micro-Restore

Clay & Decontamination
Clay Magic Clay Bar (Not all clay bars are the same, the Meguire's ones suck)
Quick Detailer, Spray Wax, or Car Soap as lubricant
​Nanoskin Iron Free (Used sparingly, it very aggressive)

Sealant (I use sealants as a base layer, then put wax on top of it so it lasts longer).
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Sealant
Griot's One-Step Sealant
Pinnacle XMT 360 All-in-One

Wax
Meguiar's NXT
Collinite 845 <- This stuff is the literally best.

Soft Top
303 Cleaner
Renovo Ultraproofer (I prefer a brush on waterproofing)

Glass
Invisible Glass
Rain-X

Wheels
Wheel Wax <- Reduce brake dust build up.
Black Magic No Scrub Wheel Cleaner
Armor All Tire Foam

Plastic
Plexus (for the convertible Top Window)
Meguiar's PlastX
Mother's Back to Black
Griot's Black Shine (Works, but leavs an oily film behind)

All Purpose Cleaner (engine, wheel wells, etc)
Simple Green Aircraft & Precision Cleaner (aluminum safe for the engine, I still dilute it)
303 Aerospace Protectant (for plastics)
Blackfire APC

Other
Optimum Paint Prep (prefer this to using IPA)
McKee's Wax Remover
​Blackfire Pad Cleaner

Leather
303 Aerospace Protectant - Dash
Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather 3-in-1
​Griot's Leather Care

*Do not use leather conditioner on any leather surface that is not regularly handled anymore (dash, doors, etc), Porsche uses a special drying process on these areas and conditioning them can cause defects. Use a damp microfiber to clean, and a light amount of 303 to provide some UV protection.*

Carpet
Turtle Wax Interior 1 - Fabric & Carpet Cleaner
​303 Stain Guard - Fabric Protectant

Rubber Seals
1Z Gummi Pfledge <- If you don't have some, buy some to maintain all of the seals on the car.

Touch Up
Porsche OEM Two-Stage (In an artist fine tip paint pen)
Dr. Colorchip (I wasn't that happy with the results to be honest)

Compound
Meguiar's D300 Microfiber Compound (This stuff is fantastic)
Meguiar's Ultimate Compound

Polish
Menzerna SF3500 - FInising Polish

[s_wilwerding]

I'm bookmarking this one - thanks!

[JayG]

Love Optimum No rinse

mix it in a 2 gallon pump sprayer and you get dozens of car washes out of it

Spray it on the car and wipe it off. You can wash your car in your garage and have virtually no water on the ground.

[Javi Cooper]

The brands you mentioned on a scale of 1-10:

Adams: 7 - good stuff, especially their polishes
Meguiars: 6.5- not bad for mass-produced, OTC stuff
Chemical Guys: 6 - above average. Hit or miss.
Turtle Wax: 4 - good enough for a quick wash of your daily.

Want to get serious, check out anything made by Gyeon:
Wash (Bathe)
Tire cleaner
Tire dressing (Q2 Tire)
Trim restorer (Q2 Trim)
Prep (prepping between substances)
Iron remover
Etc etc...

If you'd like to try basic paint correction, Sonax Perfect finish. Coarse enough for removing most swirls but fine enough to leave a nice shiny finish. But you'll have to learn your way around a buffer first.

Also Sonax Plus for wheels. By far the best wheel cleaner I've tried.

For the best wax/polishes, Polish Angel. Easy to apply, long lasting, and spectacular gloss.

Quick detailers: NONE. DO NOT use them as intended, especially after your car has been paint corrected and coated. They do more harm than good.

[Frodo]

Originally Posted by Javi Cooper

Quick detailers: NONE. DO NOT use them as intended, especially after your car has been paint corrected and coated. They do more harm than good.

I understand where you’re coming from saying this…but I don’t necessarily agree.

I have used Optimum No Rinse on many occasions, but I do so only under limited circumstances. I don’t use ONR when my vehicle is seriously dirty. It’s more a go-to when we’re talking about a car that’s not much more than dusty. And that’s an approach that’s worked well for me: I’m confident I’ve not done “more harm than good” in the process. Some pointers: Firstly, I DO have access to a hose and, as such, I do mist down my Boxster with a light layer of water before I use the ONR. I think that small amount of moisture helps with “lubricity” and reduces the potential for damage. Secondly, I always make sure to use a nice microfiber towel and keep the motions in a forward/rearward orientation to eliminate/minimize the potential for visible, owner-induced swirls. My Boxster, a 2001 model, was purchased by me in 2006, and I think the finish is doing very well for being over 20 years old. Notwithstanding my occasional acceptance of quick detailing..

I guess the other reason I opt for a product like ONR is the irritatingly common problem of bird droppings on the finish. So what does one do in that situation? Sorry, but life’s too short to do a FULL WASH every time a bird poops on my car. Out comes the ONR spray bottle (preceded, as mentioned, by a misting with water) and a dampened MF towel to do the quick clean-up. Sorry…but it’s worked well for me so far.

[986RennWagen]

SONAX are some of the best products I have ever used in my business.

Rolink Haus Mobile Detailing

[Hello.AmeerM]

Jescar powerlock and bead-it after a paint correction. Lasts like 10 months of 0 washes, just rain lol

[HerrDirector]

Thanks Rick, what a great list.

[Frodo]

I’ve used all kinds of products through the years, and haven’t had all that much in the line of duds.
Had a warm day a couple weeks ago and, kind of randomly, did a detail with the following. It seemed to work out well.



Sprayed down with the hose, then washed (using a microfiber mitt) with Meguiars “Gold Class Car Wash” with a capful or two of Optimum No Rinse added for lubricity’s sake. Without letting her dry, proceeded to do the clay bar thing, using the Sonus clay bar and diluted ONR in a spray bottle to facilitate the process. LOVE the silky smooth way the car feels following this step!

Followed with my chamois. I know some people pooh-pooh this process, but, with a high quality chamois I’ve had good luck with it for decades. All cars that are washed by hand eventually develop swirls. My ’01 had none when I got her in ’06 and stayed that way for a good dozen years or so. Even now, 17 years later, any swirls are incredibly subtle and would polish right out—if I ever get around to dusting off the random orbital and doing so.

This was followed by the pictured sealant/carnauba from Poorboys. Hadn’t used this kind of combo before (have done sealant, then put carnauba on top before, but never a combo product), so I was curious. It was a pretty easy on/off, and I was really happy with the result.
I’ve always liked the Duragloss Aquawax (talk about easy on/off!). So I thought what the hell, and misted her down and did a final buff. Looks wonderful, I would thoroughly recommend this regimen.

Based on Rick’s recommendation I am interested in trying that Collinite 845…maybe next time!

Btw, regarding the Zep glass cleaner. It was a present from a friend a few years ago. I’d always been an Invisible Glass user, and still like it. But I like the Zep maybe a little better. They both work equally well, but the Zep has this advantage: It’s a foam. You spray it on and it stays where you put it, instead of instantly running down the windshield. Kind of a handy characteristic for a glass cleaner.

Merry Christmas Friends!

[10/10ths]

…Check out Griot’s Garage.

Search on You Tube for their channel.

Great support, instruction, and products.

I’ve been using their system for a few years and really like it.