Products i use-how would you rate?

[Audioholic]

So guys, been washing the car myself for quite a few years now, just wanted to know from the pros out there, how do they rate the products i use, and my methods.. i start off by washing the rims and tyres, currently use the shield wash and wax on them, is that fine? then give the car a good rinse..for washing the car i use megs soft gel wash, using a noodle sponge and the 2 bucket method..then dry the car using your normal chamois..for windows i use a shield mf..for tyres i use megs endurance tire gel, and i wax the car once a month with megs gold class liquid wax, and polish her once every 5-6 months with megs deep crystal polish..And for the metal bits, i use autosol metal polish..any help or comments would be appreciated! look forward to hearing from you guys, as im still learning! thanks

[Jughead]

Hi Audioholic

I'm not one if the detailing guru's ... But would recommend you use a waffle weave/microfiber type drying towel instead if the chamois.

The chamois you can use for door/boot shuts...


The rest of your products and methods should suffice...

If you want to really compare your method/products ... Take a walk through the showroom threads ... You will learn alot from the details listed there ... if your vehicle type/colour is listed there ... it's an added bonus to learn from past detailers experience!!!

[Audioholic]

Sweet thanks man, yeah heard alot bout the waffle weave, how many would i need though? and whats the price they normally go for?

[Jughead]

Hi Audioholic

One drying towel should suffice .. but if you "suffering" from OCD then you can get as many as you like ... that way you don't have to wring the towel dry for the next panel etc ...
(I use "suffering" in inverted comma's bcos some okes actually enjoy OCD ) ...

waffle weave prices vary ... R125 upwards ... (In my honest opinion, the Meguiar's waffle weave drying towel is not their greatest product ... and I say this as someone with 90% Meguiar's products in my detailing kit) ... so shop around for others ... also browse the showroom threads and you will notice which towels the pro's use ) .. example the Chemical Guys Drying Towel, Adams Waffle Weave Drying towel are favourites ... I think???
(Maybe we should have a product rating thread?)

Carn and the rest of the Waxon Forum Sponsor's (Chemical Guys/Smartwax - Naush and Moe) would be the best bet to source products/tools .. and lucky you .. they in JHB ... so you could save on delivery costs ...

Dood786 who lives in your area (as we found out recently via the other thread) could also give you some solid tips/advise ...

One thing you would never ever have enough of is Microfiber towels ...
Cleaning them is my least favourite part of the day !!!

[Wells]

Hi Audio, As said, chamois are not cool on bodywork, any dust or dirt left on paint surface or landing after wash is grinding along the surface due to the flat nature of the chamois, a waffle weave or deep pile drying towel will ensure less marring while drying by lifting dust/dirt away from the paint into the nap/pile, and leaves a streak free dry surface and can be used on body and glass work. Microfibre clothes are also essential, and you will find for much the same money as the Sheild variety, which deform etc, you can get Elite microfibres from Carn, and once you have felt them, you will plainly see the difference, the Shield ones feel like cheese graters after their plush softness. Other than that you regime seems pretty good. Oh, I also prefer a lambswool washmit to the noodle sponge, but that is just me.

[Carn]

Not much to add apart from what has already been said.

Ditch the chamois and get either a waffle weave or plush drying towel. Both do a good job but I prefer using the plush towels over the waffle weaves (personal preference).

If the Shield is working for you on the wheels then stick with it. Wash media, tire dressing and to a large extent even your LSP (wax) are all personal preference

[Audioholic]

Loving this forum already! thanks for all the advice guys, really appreciated, yeah the shield wash n wax seems to work pretty fine on the rims and tyres. have alot of the shield mf's, they seem to work fine, but i will invest in some good quality ones soon as well as the waffle weave.
Once again thanks for the awesome advice!

[flarkitwo]

Just to add to the w/weave enthusiasm. I used a chamois until recently, when I heeded the advice and got a towel. Just one towel is enough to soak up the water from my Kia Cerato, although using water-sheeting when rinsing is recommended. I even went so far as to switch from wiping the water to "blotting" 90% of it with the w/weave.

Similarly, I grabbed 2x 3-packs of Shield's MF cloths, then ordered some proper polishing cloths and the w/weave, which makes those Shield cloths seem like crap. Now they're used for applying trim dressing or drying the rims

[Audioholic]

Which brand you using? so for now, my must have items are the w/weave, and some decent mf's!

[flarkitwo]

I bought mine from the CD site, but Carn's sure to have excellent goodies as well. Oh, and I also use MF polish applicators now, using each specifically for a certain product.

A tip which I plan to use, is to write in a corner of the cloths using a fabric marker, so that they're never used incorrectly. Hey, this is the OCD-aholics Anonymous club, right?

[springbok]

Your detailing regime is pretty good to start with.

As you become more and more obsessed you will find yourself spending hundreds of rand refining and honing your skills. However you will never be satisfied and it will knaw away inside you as you strive for perfection driving you to insanity......AHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!

One of the posts above refers to sheeting and when I wash my car I play a little game to see how much water I can get off before I start to dry. I have got to the stage where I can dry the entire car without wringing out my waffle weave. In fact sometimes there are still dry patches visible on the towel. This excludes door shuts etc.

Your car has to be very well waxed to achieve this.

[Audioholic]

Thanks man, yeah out of a job now,so the budget is a bit fuct now..

As for the sheeting method, i done it a few times, works pretty well, but i find it abit cumbersome, as my hose attachment is sort of permanently attached, however i will try and get that sorted as drying the car is my least favourite part! lol!

[jagged]

(10-07-2010 11:58 AM)springbok Wrote:  One of the posts above refers to sheeting and when I wash my car I play a little game to see how much water I can get off before I start to dry. I have got to the stage where I can dry the entire car without wringing out my waffle weave. In fact sometimes there are still dry patches visible on the towel. This excludes door shuts etc.

Your car has to be very well waxed to achieve this.

Hi Springbok

Your feedback refers, please advise:
1. Is there a certain technique or special waffle weave / MF cloth that you use to achieve these results or is it purely based on the waxing?

2. What type of car do you clean i.e. SUV, Sedan, little UNO?

3. What type/brand of wax do you currently use?

4. What type/brand of waffle weave and MF do you currently use?

5. How often do you wax your cabbie?

6. How often do you wash your cabbie and do you use a wash and wax combo?

7. What brand of Wash detergent do you use?

Many thanks.

[Jughead]

also if you park your vehicle on an incline ... sheeting will work better ...

[Carn]

Jagged a waxed surface goes a long way in assisting the sheeting process. The LSP in almost all instances works to bead and sheet the water off the surface.

See this clip I filmed with a hose and Colli 845...

[springbok]

(12-07-2010 08:33 AM)jagged Wrote:  Hi Springbok

Your feedback refers, please advise:
1. Is there a certain technique or special waffle weave / MF cloth that you use to achieve these results or is it purely based on the waxing?

The technique I use is sheeting which removes most of the water. You want as little beading as possible. Believe it or not I use a Megs water magnet - the one everybody loves to hate.

2. What type of car do you clean i.e. SUV, Sedan, little UNO?

Alfa 156 Sedan

3. What type/brand of wax do you currently use?

Car-Lack AIO followed up by Car-Lack Sealant topped with either P21S or Megs #16. Every two weeks or so I also spray on Megs Ultimate Quick Wax after a wash

4. What type/brand of waffle weave and MF do you currently use?

Megs Water Magnet

5. How often do you wax your cabbie?

I do a full correction about twice a year (see above) and wax every two to three months and spray wax at least once a month

6. How often do you wash your cabbie and do you use a wash and wax combo?

I wash every week. Negative to wash n wax.

7. What brand of Wash detergent do you use?

Megs Gold Class (the orange one). BTW "detergent" is a swear word

Many thanks.

[jagged]

@ CARN and Springbok...Many thanks for the feedback...will have to perfect the sheeting technique.

BTW...must I wash car, rince and wait a few minutes for water to sheet off bodywork before wiping off with a towel?

[springbok]

No don't wait. If you watch the vid above you will see that the water "sheets" off instantly as you run the hose onto it. Go round the car letting the water from the hose sheet off and then immediately follow up with your towel.