Okay, having read many of the stickies here, and having been to autopia.org, I am throughly confused. I know the basic areas of supplies I need to take care of my new baby, but need some direction, and opinion.

These, I think are the major detailing areas:
WASHING TOOLS AND SHAMPOO
DRYING TOOLS/TOWELS
PAINT CLEANING AND POLISH
QUICK DETAILERS/TOWELS
WHEEL CARE AND DRESSING
EXTERIOR PLASTIC DRESSING
INTERIOR PLASTIC AND VINYL CARE AND DRESSING
INTERIOR FABRIC CARE
GLASS
WAXES AND SEALANTS
MISC TOOLS

lots of areas!! But for some one starting out standing over a brand new JB/B MCS how should one begin? Beyond a bucket and caddy where do I go first? I am thinking the obvious, shampoo, mitt, drying tools, and microfiber towels. Then I think being able to do quick detail on a black car is going to be essential. Eventually I know I will be facing the Porter buff/polishing tool but for now what are good places to start? I think Zaino may be too time and frequency intensive for me being a surgical resident, as well as the dad of a 1 year old, and living in the desert southwest.

Basically I need some help. Feel free to PM me if you prefer.

Thanks a million! My baby is already getting "buggy" and "dusty"!

Joel

 

Joel, I feel your pain. Black is a beautiful color, but a PAIN to keep clean. Unfortunately the paint on your MINI is pretty "soft" and prone to scratches, so be careful.

I'll offer my opinion, and it's just that - my opinion. Do what you feel is correct. I've tried loads of stuff to maintain my cars' paint; everything from the super-expensive to the corner auto-parts store stuff. Most reasonably-priced, readily-available stuff will do fine. If you want to make detailing your "hobby", then sink more dough into supplies.

Towels - LOTS of good quality cotton terry-cloth towels are essential. You can get microfiber, but they can be expensive and be a pain to deal with. Clean cotton terry cloth towels never go out of style - they just work. You can also try a chamois or waffle-weave towel for drying, but you'll find that fancy drying towels will still get a little dirty even after drying a "clean" car. Chamois and specialized (microfiber/etc) towels can be a hassle to maintain - this is why I stick with pain 'ole terry cloth. Use different towels for different areas of the car. Launder them often (without softener). Don't be afraid to "retire" grungy towels - grit in a "clean" towel can ruin your finish more quickly than you can blink.

Soap/washing tools - any good-quality CAR soap is fine; Meguiar's, Mothers, etc. Just be sure you use something intended for washing a car's finish. Follow the directions about how much to use. Too much can be as bad as too little. Any nice, thick terry or "sheep wool" mitt is fine. Dunk it in the suds often as you wash. If the wash water gets really dirty, dump it and refill the bucket with fresh soap and water. Grit is your enemy!

Polish/wax - there are LOADS of products and approaches to cleaning/polishing/protecting. I've gotten down to two products I like if I'm using separate products -- Meguiar's Medallion Paint Cleaner & Medallion Paint Protectant. I use these two products (hence, two steps) if I want to spend a nice day detailing. This combo gives me very nice results. If you want just one step, a good cleaner wax does the job more quickly -- NXT liquid or paste is nice, but Mother's is fine too. You don't have to spend a mint on this stuff.

Rubber/vinyl - Meguiar's #40 cleaner. Works great. Use a protectant if you like shine, but it's not needed if you maintain the rubber/vinyl well.

Glass - Windex is fine. Spend more if you want, but it really doesn't matter.

Wheels - A mild wheel cleaning spray (like Eagle 1 A to Z or something) helps clean your wheels easily. Just be sure to get something MILD - your wheels are painted, just like your car.

Tools - A great tool for maintaining a dusty car is The California Car Duster. Be sure to follow the directions (airing it out initially/shaking often/not bearing down on the paint) and it makes life a lot easier. Griot's Garage makes a nice boar's hair wheel cleaning brush, if you're looking for a really nice one (pretty expensive, though). Try to avoid water blades or nylon-bristle wheel/paint brushes, as these are just asking for scratches.

I don't work for Meguiar's, I just wind up going back to their stuff all the time. Hope this long-winded monologue doesn't offend anybody - just trying to help. Have fun! :smile:

 

Kevin,
Thanks so much for the help. After onyl a couple of hours at autopia I felt very overwhelmed and like I wouldn't be able to handle the upkeep I had gotten myself into with a black car. Here in AZ pretty much every day is a sunny one for part (a blessing and a curse, 104 degress today) and seems to show the most minor imperfection in the finish.

ANy other suggestions out there? Where are the NXT and Autoglym fans? Sonus?

Joel

 

I tend to go to extremes, but I've got a different take on how I take care of my cars. 3-5 years ago, I would have been right with Goose, but I put in more up-front time now for better regular results.

I am a self-confessed Zaino nut. It may be better to say that I'm a SEALANT nut, prefering Zaino or Klasse over other waxes but NXT has a great place in there as well. A lot of this is how much work you want to do, what kind of finish you want and how obcessive you are...

Goose has lots of great ideas... I go a bit farther. It's your choice.

Absolutely. Black shows swirlmarks like crazy!

There are a lot of products that will save you time/money in the long run and give you a better finish to boot. I probably try too many of them and pitch half of 'em. The other half is listed in the sticky thread in this forum called "My Detailing Process"

Finding good quality terry-cloth or cotton towels can be very difficult. Most have nylon stitching that will cause swirlmarks very quickly. I'd much rather spend the $20 at Sams club or Target and buy some adequate quality microfibers. They aren't the best thing in the world, but they do a better job cleaning than the terry and, IMHO, do a better job at avoiding swirlmarks. I wash my microfibers in the washing machine using hot water and liquid detergent... only microfibers in the load.

Perfectly said!

I like using 2 products as well. You basically need a way to strip contaminants from the paint and a way to protect the fresh, prepared surface. I like using detailing clay to prepare the surface... It's quick and does a great job of basic surface prep. I use a paint polish after that with a Porter Cable Dual Action Polisher, but this step is not necessary. I then follow up with a sealant (Zaino or Klasse... I tried Zaino first and loved it so I stick with it, but I also like the finishes I've seen with Klasse). Zaino does SEEM a bit more involved, but only a step or two. That extra 30 minutes is EASILY OFFSET by the fact that you only have to to do it every 6 months (depending on conditions) compared to every 3 months for NXT or up to every 1 month for Carnuba waxes.

This is a great all-around vinyl and rubber treatment. It lasts longer than most on the exterior and darkens up the arches beautifully. If I could only pick one, this is the one I'd have.

Windex has Amonia... not the best for your interior plastics (overspray) and especially for your window tint if you have it. I use Stoners Invisible glass (available at auto supply stores) and love it.

I just use the same bucket of water that I used on the car to wash the wheels... I've never needed anything else, but I've got several good coats of Zaino on the wheels and most of the crud rinses right off...

A car duster isn't a necessity, but it can be nice for mid-week touch-ups if you live in a dry environment. I like the OXO duster over the California Car duster for it's rubber handle, but it's a personal pref.

 

What great input!! Just placed an order with autopia last night here's the rundown:
OXO Caddy and Bucket
Sonus Shampoo
Sonus Ultimate Drying Towelx2
Meguiars Push Mitt
Soft Insect Sponge
Sout Touch Auto Dryer
Meguiars Tire Brush
P21S Tire Gel
Snous Perfect Glass
Sonus QD Spritz
Sonus Detailing towelsx2
OXO duster.
Vinylex Spray
Costco Bundle of Microfiber towels

Wow! Over $140 worth of stuff and still no paint cleaner/polisher, or sealant or WAX!! Still got a way to go.

Next question, when should I expect to NEED to do the Zaino/Klasse thing for the first time? How many coats do you guys use?

Thanks,
Joel

 

Not a bad list. I'm perfectly happy with my $3 bucket from Target because I change the water frequently. I also would have skipped the bug scrubber (I haven't found that it's really needed since I switched from wax to a good coat of sealant).

The rest of the list is solid. Sonus makes some great stuff. I would also add some Meguiars #40 rubber treatment on your next order... It lasts much longer on the outside rubber/plastic than the Vinylex, but Vinylex will do a good job of protecting your rubber/plastic inside and out (and it isn't super shiny). The QD will be good, but you generally want to match your QD to your wax/sealant. My favorite detailing product of all time is Z6 (the quick detailer for Zaino, by Zaino).

The ultimate drying towels ROCK! On your next Autopia order, get the ultimate buffing towel... esp. if you go the Zaino or Klasse route... very cool product and I wouldn't have anything else right now.

I've posted my long description of how I care for my cars here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=37303

I would Zaino / Klasse a new car in the US almost immediately. If I lived in the UK and the car arrived at my doorstep within a week or two of paint being applied, I'd wait a month or so. By the time the car gets to us in the US, it's had plenty of time to cure... if it wasn't perfectly cured at the factory by being baked on.

For a daily driver, I keep 2 coats of Z5 on the car and at least 1 coat of Z2 (Z5 is the Zaino sealant with some swirl mark fillers in it... Z2 is pure Zaino sealant). For a car that I LOVE, I'll add a fresh coat of Zaino when I have an extra 30 minutes after a wash. I'll just apply a quick coat of Z2 after the wash, park the car in the garage over night and buff it off the next morning. No ZFX needed and no hassle. Zaino and Klasse will both layer, meaning that the more coats you want to give, the more protection you will have and the more reflective the surface will be.

 

Thanks again for the input. Gonan bite the bullet and go with Zaino. I know there are some minuses, but I think the overall effect of only having to do a FULL treatment 2 times per year offsets these.

Here in the southwest the bugs get glued on like chunks of concrete and even with some excellent soaking I think the bug scrubber may come in handy for the tougher ones. I will pick up the ultimate buffing towel with the next oder as well as the exterior Meguiar's vinyl treatment

Thanks, and will keep you updated on my progess along the detailing learning curve!

Joel

 

I just thought of another tool that I overlook on my shopping lists, but are in my hands every time I detail... Foam applicators for rubber/plastic dressings. I have 2 applicators that remind me of those silicone treatment sponges for shoe shines (quick shine)... plastic handles over dense black foam. I got them at an autoparts store for tire dressing application, but I keep one for tires/exterior rubber and one for the interior bits. I spray a shot or two onto these applicators and then I don't have to worry about overspray on the paintwork or glass.

I also keep an assortment of those cheapie foam brushes from Home Depot for use when I'm detailing the engine... a spritz or two of rubber treatment on the foam and then just paint it on.

 

For that much money I can get it detailed!

 

But it wouldn't be "lovingly" detailed!

 

Hehe. But I know the guy who does the detailing in our local BMW independent shop and they have done good work on our MINI ... thinking of just dropping $140 on him before the real winter comes in and let him do his thing

 

And that $140 is without the Zaino!! That is on the way as well now!!

Thanks again!
Joel