Clay bar and a good wax.

I like Chemical Guys products or Zaino. Mothers also has a good line.

More important is to use good quality microfiber.

 

More important is to use good quality microfiber.

There are so many microfiber towels out there. What do you consider a good quality microfiber? Brand/links to product?

 

I never wash mine. never!
I never use any hand held devices . everything is by hand and with horizontal motion using micro fiber cloth very frequently on a product called KEY SHINE

 

Isn’t the microfiber a handheld device good

 

if you want to be technical, nothing that uses electric, batteries or solar power. NOTHING MECHANICAL !
just your hand, elbow and shoulder:wink2:

 

John - I use the Chemical Guys products as well but have always been curious if Zainos was better. Any noticeable difference?

 

Nice, Kevin. I use Mother's products

 

OK so I am sure this will be met with disbelief but I use Turtle Wax Ice spay wax. I love it, it can be put on in the sun, can go from paint to vinyl to glass, it takes 20 minutes to do the whole car and if you want it to shine more put on a second coat. I do like 303 for the convertible top. Black paste boot polish for the tires(easier on smooth wall tires,)even looks great on fading dash or seats.

 

I have been using Adams line of polishes & have had great luck with them.

 

Interesting the wide variety of product you all use. I reached out to Chemical Guy's today and Meguiar's to see what each had to say on pitching their their products for use on a black vehicle that was garage kept and NOT a daily driver for best shine. Here is what each had to say:

Chemical Guy's: 4 steps
V36 polish by hand or d/a polisher
V38 polish by hand or d/a
Jetseal sealer applied by d/a
Butter Wet carnuba wax by hand or d/a
They were very evasive on the phone and getting answers was like pulling teeth - not what I would have expected

Meguiar's: 3 steps
Ultimate Compound - d/a recommended
#7 Show car glaze - d/a recommended
Gold class plus wax - d/a recommended
The gentleman I spoke to here was simply amazing - he knew every product thoroughly and was able to answer every question as to why one was better than another.

I just chose those two only because I never had good luck with Mother's on black. Other than that, their mag and aluminum polish works great, but their Billet polish is absolutely amazing stuff!

Which brings me to the next question to everyone other than Kevin - Do you guys use a d/a or have at it by hand?

 

Meguiars yellow 26 and Top Coat detail spray. If not Top Coat I use Meguiars detail spray. Micro fiber of course towels

 

Are these two good to use ?
For microfiber towels, these are rated pretty high:

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guy...f=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1535064422&sr=8-3&keywords=Chemical+Guys+microfiber+towels

Or do you guys like the smaller towels ?

https://www.amazon.com/Chemical-Guy...f=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1535064422&sr=8-3&keywords=Chemical+Guys+microfiber+towels

 

Harbor freight sells the Groits towels. Wal Mart are what I use to wipe down my engine compartment and underside with meguiars show and shine. Its a good combo for getting dust off.

 

Costco is a 36 count for $15.99

 

$10k paint and 50 cent micro fibers?

 

Little pricey but Advance Auto has some really nice plush ones and the crappy ones

 

I have used a variety of products. I like to try out new things and see how they work because I have a paint background and new products are always exciting.

Chemical guys, and Adams make great stuff. I usually seal, wax and then for the last step I put in Adams Brilliant Glaze. The glaze only lasts a few weeks but man does it add that extra kick. I have heard many times this year at shows people comment on the amazing shine. I get all my towels from https://www.theragcompany.com/. Great products at a reasonable price.

 

Well I went with the Meguiar's route since I could not Chemical guy's stuff locally or even sent in time. I followed their suggestion and started off with their Ultimate Compound applied with a Porter Cable D/A buffer with a 5-1/2" polishing pad, followed up with their #7 show car polish and a glazing pad and finally with their gold class carnuba wax applied with a glazing/wax pad. I am super happy with the results. Here is the dollar bill test as someone else posted.

 

I would post a bill on mine but I spent all my money on detail products. 😂

 

Ok. Clay bar

Get a thin plastic bag. Put you hand inside and feel your paint surface lightly thru the bag with your hand. If you can (and probably will) feel grit on surface then clay barring the car will take it off and give you a smooth surface.

Try a small area and plastic bag feel it before and after. You’ll be amazed.

 

I detail and take care of the paint on both my cars somewhat obsessively (I hope I do it well too!).

Pic above looks great! From the Meguiars line, for compounding and polishing I recommend M105 followed by M205. If you are looking for a one-step polish Adam's All in One is good, as is HD Speed. Should wash and clay before doing either.

I have tried a lot of towels. I highly recommend the RagCompany Towels https://www.theragcompany.com/ (probably the most cost effective Korean-made towels on the market), or for those that like dual sided towels the Cobra series from autogeek is nice: https://www.autogeek.net/mfchart.html

For drying, I highly recommend either of these:
https://adamspolishes.com/adam-s-ultra-plush-drying-towel.html
https://www.carpro-us.com/microfiber-towels/microfiber-madness-dry-me-crazy-25-x-17/

Ultimately the key to keeping a show car shine is washing and drying the car properly in a manner than doesn't introduce tiny scratches / marring of the paint, which captures light and reduces reflection.

 

I've been using a leaf blower to dry all my vehicles after washing, works great! Especially where the water seems to collect - Around the mirrors, gas cap, grille and lug nut holes on the wheels :thumbsup:

 

I’ll chime in, given pittpens24’s OrigPost is asking about “new” products (even tho I’m a CAPSGR8 fan, & I’m thinking we would not get along Lol - kidding!! Hockey fans are the BEST).... anyway...
I have several 1st Gen Camaro’s (‘68 RS/SS 396/375 MQblock M21 Concours Car, and a ‘69 SS 396/325 TH350), as well some collectible Porsche’s, and over the past couple years gave gone the CERAMIC route on all of them.
I have not had to wax any one of my cars in TWO years!!! (wax is dead). I am so thrilled at the results. Especially on my 1991 single stage solvent based (non-clear coat) lacquer type paint on my air-cooled 964. The Ceramic bonded with the paint and completely eliminated ANY oxidation that had been occurring like every 3-6 months. That was killing me trying to Carnauba so often.
For my base-coat clear-coat cars, it is amazing how a simple quick detailer (I use Griots for all my product needs) is easy to remove any lite dust from driving them around on nice days only.
Anyway, thought I would change the discussion a bit. I have several DIY Ceramics that I use, as well as CeramicPro on the expensive cars.

 

Congrats on bringing home the cup! The Geico caveman - Errrr I mean ummm Ovi deserves it!

I have been looking into the ceramics myself, but scared to death to try it. By any chance have you used it on black paint? I was afraid of it leaving streaks or coming out blotchy on the mirror black paint

 

I have never used any clay before. I asked about it at my local body shop and they said forget clay and use this from Griots

Brilliant Finish™ Synthetic Clay

Item# 10691









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Claying is that next level move, that deeper clean that becomes plain to see as you buff your paint to a rich, retina-piercing shine.•Unique clay/polymer matrix removes impurities faster than clay bars
•Can use wash water or Speed Shine® as a lubricant
•Lasts longer, preps up to 24 cars, 3 times more than traditional clay
•Unlike traditional clay, if dropped simply rinse clean and continue
•Comfortable foam grip is easier to hold and use than clay bar


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Price $24.99
all I can say it made a BIG difference

 

I have never used any clay before. I asked about it at my local body shop and they said forget clay and use this from Griots

Brilliant Finish™ Synthetic Clay

I cannot comment on the synthetic, but did try the Meguiar's clay bar kit on my wife's black Mazda 6. The car was 2 years old and never waxed, but washed regularly. Used their detail spray(included in the kit) and claybar'd the entire car in no time. Not sure what they mean by the synthetic is faster because its not like I was rubbing back and forth forever - It cleaned the car to a smooth finish easily. Waxed afterwards to a brilliant deep shine.

I normally use meguires number 7 or a griot best of show wax. I dont like how the best of show comes off tough

The Meguiar's Gold Class that they recommended me came off so easily I was thoroughly impressed. I used a d/a to apply the wax to the entire car, waited 20 minutes for it to bond, then buffed off. The majority would come off in one swipe and no white powder!

 

I have a high end detail shop near me that I get some products from. I heard griot had these (they sell it also) but they hooked me up with an auto scrub wash mitt with nano skin. It clay bars your car as you wash. Just add some extra soap as a lube and it works great. Eliminates the clay bar step. I bought a 2002 trans am and used it and worked great.
They apply ceramic there and I had one of the salesmen tell me if I wanted to use something that left as nice of a shine to get a bottle of Jescar power lock plus. Its a sealant that gives a deep wet like gloss. I didnt get a whole car done yet but used it on wheels on the TA and the bug prone area on a couple other cars and it is nice stuff.
I normally use meguires number 7 or a griot best of show wax. I dont like how the best of show comes off tough

 

Paint needs to breathe for long term performance. I would never apply a ceramic sealer etc over paint. You are trapping solvents. Check with your paint manufacturer.

Don

 

I will agree with you to a point. Once the solvent is flashed out from the painting sealers and waxes or even ceramics don't cause any damage and help protect the paint. Usually when you cut and buff a car you will smell the solvents flashing out after. From my experience it can happen as fast as a few weeks. I don't know if I would ceramic coat a car that just rolled out of the booth. I would give it a few months.

 

What Griots product is the ceramic coating you write of.

 

People have been using Liquid Glass on cars for years. That said, I feel 6 months before wax or any thing on the paint that would seal it. It does need to off gas.