Anyone into detailing cars?

I've always liked keeping my cars looking good. I have a metallic black Lexus which requires a lot of maintenance. Lately a friend of mine has turned me onto Adam's Polishes and I must say I like his product better than the consumer brands. He is a little pricey but worth the extra $$. Does anyone know that the old school chamois is no longer the way to dry a car anymore?! Everything is microfiber now, plus there are various quality grades too. Also, did you know that you should never polish/wax paint without clay barring first to remove surface contaminants. What's your story?? I love being in the garage with the tunes cranking nitpicking over the car! If anyone is curious about Adam's I can tell you what I've used so far. Ceramic coating is all the rage now if anyone is familiar with that.
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Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,903
    Not into detailing per say, but like a clean shiny car. Another forum member turned me on to Wizzards products, like them too. I was well aware of the clay bar technique, just too darn time consuming for me. Not the type to spend all afternoon washing and waxing, then doing the inside. I'll give Adams a look see, thanks for the heads up.
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  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    It's always been therapeutic for me. Car care products have come a long way the past few years compared to the Blue Coral from back in the 70's if anyone remembers that. I must say my black looks like a million bucks after a detail. And black is the toughest color to maintain.
  • motorhead43026
    motorhead43026 Posts: 3,892
    edited October 2017
    Microfiber is ok for washing, but for polishing, waxing I prefer good old 100% cotton. Synthetic chamois are far superior to real leather.

    imho.
    Post edited by motorhead43026 on
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.

    Imagine making politics your entire personality.
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited October 2017
    I like Chemical Guys products. I have their pressure washer TORQ foam cannon. I use their JetSeal for sealing paint and 5050 carnauba wax for the pop. I use their trim and leather treatments. I love their HoneyDew Snow Foam wash. Like with audio, you can go from mild to wild pricing with their product offerings. They have great support and info videos if you're not sure about how to go about something.

    http://www.chemicalguys.com/

    Micro fiber is way to go, even for washing. I wash all my Microfiber separate, use special soap and line dry. A high heat dryer will close up the fibers.

    I bought my car at one year old. Needed clay blocking, light polish to get rid of car wash marks. I have an adjustable speed orbital to make it easier. It's a daily driver for work.

    Mothers works great on polished exhaust tips.

    I seal and wax the wheels and door jambs too.

    tz19ziqy93tv.jpg

    The wife's 2008 Envoy with JetSeal/5050.

    c1mj7fannw35.jpg

    Post edited by SCompRacer on
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • halen
    halen Posts: 675
    Once upon a time I used to enjoy cleaning my car. Back then I was really into Zymol and Meguires. I had a relative open up an auto detailing shop next to his Petro station. The chemicals and brands used were outstanding and not available to consumers (that I knew of) at the time. I don't remember the brand names.

    I just knew that my car always seemed to drive smoother, handle curves better, and that much faster, when it is pristine clean. Haha

    Today. I hand my cars over to my hot neighbors kids to do all that stuff. It works out great, I am constantly invited to their pool parties and movie nights. Haha. Kidding.

    halen
  • Here are a couple of mine and one of a relatives Aston

    96erdrq3esj0.jpg

    2bhwsbjpgabd.jpg

    aq3vb1to3hfi.jpg

    4ashrm6i3088.jpg
    Family Room HT 7.2/i]:Vizio Oled55h1 Pioneer Elite SC-LX502 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Eversolo DMP A6 Panamax M5300-EXSpeakers Fronts Fluance XF8L Center Polk Audio S35 Side Surrounds Optimus LS30's Rear Surrounds Optimus LS30's Subs SVS PB4000 x2 Living room 2ch: Crown Xli 1500 amp Teac EQ MKII FX Audio X6 Mk II DAC Squeezebox Touch Fluance Signature Tower Speakers Panamax M5100-EXOffice media room:Vizio M50Q6 50" Pioneer Elite VSX LX103 Squeezebox Touch Polkaudio R50 Towers Polkaudio CS 10 Panamax M4300 Monoprice 12" subMaster bedroom:Vizio M55Q7 Pioneer Elite VSX LX302 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Squeezebox Touch Polk audio RTi 6 fronts, Rears Dayton B652 Polk Audio CS10 center Monoprice 12" sub Panamax M5300-EX
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    edited October 2017
    I had a neighbor who swore by Zymol. He was one of 3 Rolls Royce re-painters on the east coast way back in the day. He knew his stuff about car paint polishing. He bought an old dodge lead sled with a dull green finish. After he did his magic that car looked BETTER than brand new. Mirror finish on every square inch ! I also met a guy at O'Leary's parts store who has SHOW cars and he told me Mothers products are the way to go.
    I just had a garage tech tell me that my 95 F150 could use a clay bar rub. He said if I thought the truck looks good now, I'd be floored at what it would look like after he did his magic on it. He's a young guy with ALOT of years detailing car paint finishes already. I might let him do it one day .

    I also met a former detailer who swore by BLACK MAGIC products. He made a former company car I used to drive look like a different car. I didn't even know the car had red pinstripes running down the door handle line. The car was a black Nissan Sentra. I kept it clean too. But not SHOW CAR clean and perfect. He said a simple trick was to wax a car twice in 2 or 3 days. I used to do it to all my vehicles after that. He also told me to NEVER USE DISH SOAP to clean a car or truck. He said it DISOLVES the wax coating if it had one. He was RIGHT. My wax jobs lasted forever after those words of wisdom from him .

    2 camry's and my F150's chrome rims got the double waxing too. Black Magic stopped selling wax because the formula took too long to dry I believe. I stocked up when I heard about it.

    People on my street and also just about every where I received comments on what a BEAUTIFUL F150 it is and what do I do to keep it looking that way. Just a good hand cleaning with auto wash fluids that don't dissolve waxs and 2 coats of wax in the early spring and again in the late fall.

    But my health got bad and I missed a few scheduled cleaning jobs and double waxing. I had planned on doing it asap now that I'm doing better. Just my truck though. No more 3 vehicle marathon washings and waxing's. After 60, things change ALOT.
    Sorry for the ramblings again.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • warren
    warren Posts: 756
    Simonize and sweat, Blue Coral and Morris sweat... is the new stuff easier?
    Some final words,
    "If you keep banging your head against the wall,
    you're going to have headaches."
    Warren
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    Zymol here too... never will trust anything less on my Jag...

    @recoveryone, Where in CA are you?
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    warren wrote: »
    Simonize and sweat, Blue Coral and Morris sweat... is the new stuff easier?

    Lot of the new new stuff is much easier.
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    I like Chemical Guys products. I have their pressure washer TORQ foam cannon. I use their JetSeal for sealing paint and 5050 carnauba wax for the pop. I use their trim and leather treatments. I love their HoneyDew Snow Foam wash. Like with audio, you can go from mild to wild pricing with their product offerings. They have great support and info videos if you're not sure about how to go about something.

    http://www.chemicalguys.com/

    Micro fiber is way to go, even for washing. I wash all my Microfiber separate, use special soap and line dry. A high heat dryer will close up the fibers.

    I bought my car at one year old. Needed clay blocking, light polish to get rid of car wash marks. I have an adjustable speed orbital to make it easier. It's a daily driver for work.

    Mothers works great on polished exhaust tips.

    I seal and wax the wheels and door jambs too.

    tz19ziqy93tv.jpg

    The wife's 2008 Envoy with JetSeal/5050.

    c1mj7fannw35.jpg

    You've the right idea. Cars look good! I'm gonna try the Ceramic coating next fall when I do my annual paint correction. Ceramic coating is nothing like wax on wax off, it's more like trying to wipe off tape residue with a dry towel and then you top it off with a spray enhancer to smooth out the surface. It's the latest in paint protection that will outlast any wax or polish. It's a strange application process and you have to throw away the towels you used to wipe off the coating.

    I do the same process as you with my microfibers. I just bought some super soft south Korean microfibers the other day from theragcompany.com . They are great for polish removal and good for detail sprays. I try to use the softest on my black paint.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    Wow i feel real bad now i just use turtle wax ice wax and soap. Imo it's best to use same companies products they I'm sure are designed to compliment each other.
    Let the whoopin's begin. :(
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    It's pretty much the same principal as going all out on Hi-Fi gear. There's much better products out there for the guy who's super anal at keeping his cars pristine. The ceramic coating I'll use next year is a $100 for a 4 ounce bottle if that tells ya anything.
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    And I'll spend about 2k on paint protection film to have installed on the new car I'm getting next summer. I know, call me crazy!
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    edited October 2017
    Oh I know Charlie. My vehicles for the most part have been very high mileage. My F150 i got lucky and it was a Florida truck with no rust and in the 3 winters i have had it the salt has taken it toll bad. It's getting rust in all the Ford truck places.Still it has 220,000 miles on the 4.6 runs great and no leaks nor uses any oil. It's really the nicest i have ever had.
    We are or were just down the road from each other if you are still ptown im B/N.
  • Those Ford 4.6L are bullet proof.
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.

    Imagine making politics your entire personality.
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Oh I know Charlie. My vehicles for the most part have been very high mileage. My F150 i got lucky and it was a Florida truck with no rust and in the 3 winters i have had it the salt has taken it toll bad. It's getting rust in all the Ford truck places.Still it has 220,000 miles on the 4.6 runs great and no leaks nor uses any oil. It's really the nicest i have ever had.
    We are or were just down the road from each other if you are still ptown im B/N.

    We just got back from Bloomington. Was in the mood for Portillo's. Yes, still in Peoria and I hate it. It's amazing how much this town has deteriorated in the past few years, crime is rampant and Cat moving headquarters to Deerfield didn't help either. The big wigs wives needed to be closer to Lord & Taylor so they moved leaving us holding the bag for that useless 90 million dollar museum. Waiting for the girlfriend to retire so we can move somewhere where a palm tree grows. I've had my fill of the midwest.
  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,481
    That place is just stupid busy i have yet to go there. One is coming to Ptown soon it'll kill this one for the most part.
    Agree trying to do the same get the F out of Illinois i have about 10 before i can even entertain the thought.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,009
    My Dad loved Turtle wax, paste. Wax on....Wax off...lol.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    That place is just stupid busy i have yet to go there. One is coming to Ptown soon it'll kill this one for the most part.
    Agree trying to do the same get the F out of Illinois i have about 10 before i can even entertain the thought.

    That's funny. The girlfriend has 10 to go too. I'm don't know how I'm going to make it that long.
  • @nooshinjohn ,San Bernardino
    Family Room HT 7.2/i]:Vizio Oled55h1 Pioneer Elite SC-LX502 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Eversolo DMP A6 Panamax M5300-EXSpeakers Fronts Fluance XF8L Center Polk Audio S35 Side Surrounds Optimus LS30's Rear Surrounds Optimus LS30's Subs SVS PB4000 x2 Living room 2ch: Crown Xli 1500 amp Teac EQ MKII FX Audio X6 Mk II DAC Squeezebox Touch Fluance Signature Tower Speakers Panamax M5100-EXOffice media room:Vizio M50Q6 50" Pioneer Elite VSX LX103 Squeezebox Touch Polkaudio R50 Towers Polkaudio CS 10 Panamax M4300 Monoprice 12" subMaster bedroom:Vizio M55Q7 Pioneer Elite VSX LX302 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Squeezebox Touch Polk audio RTi 6 fronts, Rears Dayton B652 Polk Audio CS10 center Monoprice 12" sub Panamax M5300-EX
  • charley95
    charley95 Posts: 908
    @nooshinjohn ,San Bernardino
    I'm thinking Charleston, SC or Savannah,GA. who knows?! I have 10 years to think about it. All I know is that I live in probably the worst state in the union which is Illinois.
  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,034
    You should drop on by for some steaks and tunes sometime. I am in Woodland Hills.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
  • warren
    warren Posts: 756
    charley95 wrote: »
    warren wrote: »
    Simonize and sweat, Blue Coral and Morris sweat... is the new stuff easier?

    Lot of the new new stuff is much easier.
    I’ll be 80 next year, maybe I’ll bend and try something else.. after the grueling workout I’ll toughen the wax up with a cold water shower, When I lived in Chicago the water was always good and cold, Michigan straight, good for the wax good for a bourbon chaser..
    Some final words,
    "If you keep banging your head against the wall,
    you're going to have headaches."
    Warren
  • When I had black cars I used nothing but Zymol. After waxing and buffing with cotton cloth, wet the car and hand towel dry. The paint would look like oil was poured over it. It was really deep and wet looking.

    Now since I am older and don't have black cars anymore, Meguiars Gold class works great for me. Plus it smells good enough to eat.
    2 channel: Anthem 225 Integrated amp; Parasound Ztuner; TechnicsTT SL1350; Vincent PHO-8 phono pre; Marantz CD6005 spinner; Polk SDA2BTL's; LAT International speaker cables, ZU Mission IC's and power cables all into a PS Audio Dectet Power center.

    Other; M10 series II, M7C's, Hafler XL600 amp, RB-980BX, Parasound HCA-1500 amp , P5 preamp, all in storage. All vintage Polk have had crossover rebuilds and tweeter upgrades.

    The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

    It is imperative that we recognize that an opinion is not a fact.

    Imagine making politics your entire personality.
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,350
    edited October 2017
    charley95 wrote: »

    You've the right idea. Cars look good! I'm gonna try the Ceramic coating next fall when I do my annual paint correction. Ceramic coating is nothing like wax on wax off, it's more like trying to wipe off tape residue with a dry towel and then you top it off with a spray enhancer to smooth out the surface. It's the latest in paint protection that will outlast any wax or polish. It's a strange application process and you have to throw away the towels you used to wipe off the coating.

    I do the same process as you with my microfibers. I just bought some super soft south Korean microfibers the other day from theragcompany.com . They are great for polish removal and good for detail sprays. I try to use the softest on my black paint.

    Thx! My buddy calls it 'rental car Silver.'

    Chem Guys has something like that Ceramic coating, they call it Carbon Flex. Also have it for the trim. Hard to get off and pricey. Suppose to last a couple years or more. The JetSeal gets me by for near a year, reasonably priced. The 5050 lasts about 6 weeks.

    It's a '15 LTZ with 1LZ. I've added OEM HID headlights, Osram 5500K HID bulbs, OEM rear backup camera and OEM nav. BlackVue DR650 2 channel, front and rear camera. Focal speakers/tweeters, sub and 5 channel amp. Also have a Trifecta tune which added and moved the torque and shift points lower. The tune is clandestine, doesn't show up in the ECM count.



    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,032
    charley95 wrote: »
    I've always liked keeping my cars looking good. I have a metallic black Lexus which requires a lot of maintenance. Lately a friend of mine has turned me onto Adam's Polishes and I must say I like his product better than the consumer brands. He is a little pricey but worth the extra $$. Does anyone know that the old school chamois is no longer the way to dry a car anymore?! Everything is microfiber now, plus there are various quality grades too. Also, did you know that you should never polish/wax paint without clay barring first to remove surface contaminants. What's your story?? I love being in the garage with the tunes cranking nitpicking over the car! If anyone is curious about Adam's I can tell you what I've used so far. Ceramic coating is all the rage now if anyone is familiar with that.
    I use to be a Professional Detailer while I was going to college. I made Manager and also opened up Shops inside car dealerships all over the trip state area.
    I have been trained by many companies on how to detail a vehicle properly and everything in between.
    I'm about as anal about my vehicle as anyone should be. I keep it garage kept, it gets washed and spray waxed every single week and Waxed every month or so when I feel it needs a coat.
    I do not eat inside my vehicles as I don't want the mess crumbs etc.
    You can ask me anything about detailing. The new Ceramic Coatings I however know very little about but I'm interested in learning more. I know it's what everyone is doing today with their loved vehicles.

    Clay bar was the normal for us Detailers going all the way back to the 80's when I first learned. We would clay the entire vehicle for overspray, etc.

    I use Meguiars, Mothers and a few other brands for most of my work at home. Professionally it was Ardex C-Bud 3M and a few other brands that worked very well.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,032
    zfh38ieetp2z.jpeg
    It's just how I keep it all the time, I don't even like dust or a single bug splat on my windshield.
    My wife thinks there is something wrong with me as I'll go out into the garage and just give her a wipe down, spray wax, exterior windows or a vacuum at will
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,032
    93ycvgqtui65.jpg
    Even my engine always looks like this. I wipe it down every week when I wash it. It's just apart of how I do it.
    I wash , spray wax, vacuum, dust interior clean and condition leather as needed, Clean wheel lips , all door jams get wiped out and or spray waxed if need be. Exhaust tips get cleaned, etc.
    I don't dress my tires every wash as I prefer the clean matte black look. When I do however dress them, I wipe the dressing completely in so it looks flat black.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.