New MINI, so I am in the market for new car care products. I have always been partial to all the Meguiar's products. Any other suggestions before I go shopping?

 

Hmm most people on NAM vote for Prima car products. I would really like to buy the Prima Hydro Wash and the Hydro Seal ^_____^ Oh and a good clay bar and towels and stuff....but I'm ok with just using a nice car wash to keep Ji-Hoo clean.

 

mothers has several liquids that goes on and comes off easy in a two step process - reflections car wax first then reflections top coat second. i like to have some turtle wax bug and tar remover too. if you do need a clay bar, mothers sells that too, i've used it but wouldnt unless the car is at least a year or so old. showtime, by mothers also, is a very good detailer between waxing. i just wax twice a year and the rest is detaling. microfiber cloths are the best to remove residue.

 

Ziano!

 

I like Griot's Garage stuff as well as Meguiar's. Griot's is a bit pricey but it does a good job.

I have Girot's clay, polish, best of show wax, quick spray wax, wheel cleaner, and interior cleaner. For in between waxing I use Meguiar's Gold. I also apply it to the wheels so the brake dust is easier to clean.
For interior I maintain the leather in the BMW's with Lexol leather cleaner followed by the conditioner twice a year and in the MINI I go for the Lexol vinyl cleaner once a year.
I do a big cleaning on each car at least once a year, sometimes twice a year.

Since I am going stir crazy waiting for my CM to show up and I don't have a Jeep to fix I have been doing a lot of car washing the past couple of weekends. I detailed the 330ci last Sunday while I was in Reno and did the 650i in the Bay Area this weekend. The MINI also benefited both times.

Since I don't have any CM pix to post at this time, I am attaching a couple of pictures of my clean babies posing with the MINI.

 

+1 great stuff use it on my car and motorcycles they look better than new

 

I tend to go overboard when it comes to car care products. Meguiar's products are decent "over the counter" products but I tend to enjoy using other products more.

I'm a fan of Adam's products (www.adamspolishes.com) but they do tend to cost more unless you get them when they are having a special. Adam's detail spray is great for after you wash your car, mist it over the wet car and it really helps to get the car dry with no streaking or water spots. Their car wash soap is also very nice, again it cost more but it really suds up a lot and smells great. You'll use less to do the same job as the Meg's gold class car wash. I have about all of their products but I could write a book here telling you about each. They have a forum also at their site.

www.autogeek.net is a good place to buy products and they too have a forum that'll give you more info than you could ever want.

Products I mainly use:

Duragloss Car Wash Concentrate, available at most Napa stores.
Adam's Wash Pad
Adam's Detail Spray
Adam's Brilliant Glaze
Adam's Americana Wax
Zaino Z-6 and Z-8 At the very end of cleaning up the car
Poorboys Bold and Bright tire shine
Eagle One Wax as You Dry on the wheels after washing and drying.
Adam's All Purpose Cleaner
Stoners Glass Cleaner
Folex Carpet Cleaner
Meguiar's Quick Interior Detailer
Zaino Leather in a Bottle (or Adams Leather Conditioner)

These are just a few that I use often...I ashamed to post a picture of my "detailing wall" of products but I like to try a lot of different products.

Taking care of the outside is pretty much, clay/wash/polish/seal (and or wax) each season then just wash and some sort of detail in between.

I'll be taking delivery of my Countryman this week and I have let the dealer know that I don't want them to do anything to the car, they said the usually put a sealant on but that would just be something I'd have to take off before I did my own work to it after it comes home.

It's hard to get a white car to shine well :-) And again, I'm OCD with this.

 

+1 on Zaino. I have been using their products for the past two years and refuse to touch anything else now .

 

+1 for Adams

 

+2 for Adams! wish it was more readily available but definitely work the extra cash!

 

Any truth to the rule that you should wait 30 days after delivery before doing anything other than washing?

 

No, its over 30 days old when you get it and its been baked on in an oven at the mfg.

 

My car care products wall of shame. My Adams stuff is on the middle shelf.

 

+2 for Zaino. Been using their products for years. But more important than the brand of wax or polish you use is how you apply/remove it. Most of the auto store brand applicators, towels and microfiber products out there will put fine scratches and swirl marks in your paint. Spend the money and get some high quality towels. Just my 2 cents.

 

great advice. i also find important is that car care should only happen when the paint is cool to the touch....when the paint is warm or worse yet hot, the paint is soft and more prone to scratching. rinsing the car very well to remove any surface dirty prior to sponging is very important.

 

That's not a wall of shame or fame, thats a shrine!

 

Get a room full of 100 car nuts and you'll get 100 different opinions but I've tried almost every product available in the U.S. and settled on Mequire's High Tech Yellow #26. I "discovered" this when I had a Lapis Blue Porsche and my dad recommended I try it since it was supposed to be great on dark colors (he used it on his 1937 concors winning Rolls). It was unbelievable, It made the Lapis Blue look three feet deep! Best part is that it is easy on and easy off...but I use a Porter Cable orbital buffer for an incredible finish.

 

I thought I was bad after 2 years of "researching" different products. I use Prima Epic with a Meguiars carnuba as a topper.