Best detailing products

[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.