Newby to detailing - Tell me what not to use!

[Mikevv]

Hey guys, I've always been in the " wash it and its good enough " camp... but soon after getting my first 350z I started looking more into it. I left the dreaded sponge behind when I sold my first car and got the Zed, then got rid of Simoniz products ( yeah.... ) and most recently, have become half addicted to Larry @ AMMO NYC's videos... now I'm a snob about swirls hahaha. I see a '17 plate car with swirls and all kinds of defects and I just don't get how people manage to inflict so much damage so quickly.

Anyways!

 

As I'm new to this, I don't really want to throw my life savings into it ( Fun fact, they equal 0 but you get the point )

 

So far all I do is the following:

 

Hose car so its nice and cool if needed

Snow foam using Autobrite lance + foam - which reminds me, I've run out, so what is out there that you'd suggest?

Let it drip for 5-10 mins, then hose off

Check car over for any missed bits of grit etc

Make sure car is nice and wet

Wash with Megs wash mitt and Megs ultimate - Starting with the roof, working my way down. Rinsed after every panel, and checked for dirt roughly half way through each panel

Dry using Megs Microfiber towels

Wash wheels with megs too, but not a mitt - need something that will work well, rather than a sponge.

 

 

Now what bugs me is... well, bugs!

Everything seems to stick to my car lately, and a simple hose off doesn't seem to work anymore. I normally hosed my car down every few days to get stuff off, like bird bombs and other sticky things.

I've put it down to not having a protective coating, and that leads me to here.

 

 

My plan is to update my washing routine to the following, so feel free to chime in, and any feedback or suggestions are welcome. I haven't bought any products yet, going to try and rope the other half into buying it for an "anniversary gift "... The snow foam lance was a Christmas gift hahaha

 

So, here we go - This is based on videos I've seen so bare with me.

 

Hose the car down to get it cool if needed

Snow foam using Autobrite lance + foam

Let it drip for 5-10 mins, then hose off

Maybe use some form of fallout remover? or is this over kill?

Check car over for any missed bits of grit etc

Make sure car is nice and wet

Wash with Megs wash mitt and Megs ultimate - Starting with the roof, working my way down. Rinsed after every panel, and checked for dirt roughly half way through each panel

(Optional) Clay the car with Bilt Hamber bar, rarely needs it IMO

Dry using Megs Microfiber towels

Polish the car using Megs Deep Crystal

Wax using Megs NXT

Wash wheels with Megs Ultimate

Use some form of sealant on the wheels ( Brake dust from OEM pads is a nightmare )

 

Now, I've probably missed something, so feel free to add in

 

Also, it's a Storm White car, so that might influence some products?

[coldel]

I would say sign up to detailing world forum and have a browse for an hour see what you find - also presume that you have such an extensive catalogue of Megs products because thats the expensive stuff in Halfords?

 

I would have a nose on Polished Bliss to see the range of products that are really available! Also have a browse through Illogikals test thread

 

I do use Megs Bug and Tar though...which might help you address one of your gripes above.

 

I would also HIGHLY recommend Gyeon Bathe+ as your car shampoo of choice...and Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel for keeping your alloys tip top

[Stutopia]

As Col says, the PB site is superb, it also includes info about how they use the products, as well as reviews. There's no need to spend a fortune, you'll be surprised at how few products you need for decent maintenance wash, and the specialist items like clay or trim restorer or tar/bug remover or wheel sealants, you don't need to buy that often. They'll build up over time. Also consider buying the routine stuff in bulk, like 5 litres of snow foam, it's always better value.

 

You can use a mitt on your wheels, just not the same one as goes on your paint (get a different colour/style so you don't accidentally confuse them). My wheel "stuff" (including my bucket) never touches/shares water with anything that touches paint. Wheel woolies are brilliant for getting in the barrel and around the caliper, I'd suggest a big one and a small one, but a mitt is fine if you're keeping costs down.

 

In terms of your outlined "routine", I tend to wash my wheels whilst the snow foam is working, as watching the foam drop off is tedious. I don't use fallout on the paint every time, as I just don't think it's needed. Clay when you need to, I personally don't agree with doing it at a regimented regular interval. Use your hands, fingertips or the back of your hand, slide along on wet, washed paint, you'll feel if clay is needed as it won't be glass like. I don't polish every time, just after when I've clayed. I'm a big believer in touching it as little as possible. If you get a decent sealant on the paint, then that's half the battle, maintenance washes become a doddle and it's only the big quarterly or so days that I tend to break everything out.

 

As Col says, read ilogikal1's testing thread, you'll see how good protection saves loads of effort on wash time

[Mikevv]

I would say sign up to detailing world forum and have a browse for an hour see what you find - also presume that you have such an extensive catalogue of Megs products because thats the expensive stuff in Halfords?

 

I would have a nose on Polished Bliss to see the range of products that are really available! Also have a browse through Illogikals test thread

 

I do use Megs Bug and Tar though...which might help you address one of your gripes above.

 

I would also HIGHLY recommend Gyeon Bathe+ as your car shampoo of choice...and Bilt Hamber Auto Wheel for keeping your alloys tip top

 

Thanks, will do some research and check out the products/forums

I only have 3 megs products, the wash, the mitt and towels, cause it came as a bundle and I was told Megs is good stuff to use for just basic washes etc

I don't see it as a bad product, and I find it cheap tbh. I laugh at people who moan at it being £10 a bottle, yet pay £15 to have someone BADLY wash their car...

[Mikevv]

As Col says, the PB site is superb, it also includes info about how they use the products, as well as reviews. There's no need to spend a fortune, you'll be surprised at how few products you need for decent maintenance wash, and the specialist items like clay or trim restorer or tar/bug remover or wheel sealants, you don't need to buy that often. They'll build up over time. Also consider buying the routine stuff in bulk, like 5 litres of snow foam, it's always better value.

 

You can use a mitt on your wheels, just not the same one as goes on your paint (get a different colour/style so you don't accidentally confuse them). My wheel "stuff" (including my bucket) never touches/shares water with anything that touches paint. Wheel woolies are brilliant for getting in the barrel and around the caliper, I'd suggest a big one and a small one, but a mitt is fine if you're keeping costs down.

 

In terms of your outlined "routine", I tend to wash my wheels whilst the snow foam is working, as watching the foam drop off is tedious. I don't use fallout on the paint every time, as I just don't think it's needed. Clay when you need to, I personally don't agree with doing it at a regimented regular interval. Use your hands, fingertips or the back of your hand, slide along on wet, washed paint, you'll feel if clay is needed as it won't be glass like. I don't polish every time, just after when I've clayed. I'm a big believer in touching it as little as possible. If you get a decent sealant on the paint, then that's half the battle, maintenance washes become a doddle and it's only the big quarterly or so days that I tend to break everything out.

 

As Col says, read ilogikal1's testing thread, you'll see how good protection saves loads of effort on wash time

 

I agree with what you've said, my paint is usually pretty clear cause I hose off anything before it gets baked on, and it's washed regularly anyways.

I might get wheel woolies, because I can't get my hands in half the barrel of the front due to the spoke design/calipers so the wash mitt wont really fix that either.

Thanks for the tips, I will do a search and read that

[Mikevv]

So I've decided to add these to my basket but haven't pulled the trigger yet.

 

Bilt Hamber snow foam

Gyeon Bathe, I don't quite get the difference for Bathe +? Is it really worth it? I find £18 for 1L of washing liquid pretty expensive already so £28 is mad.

Polished Bliss Wheel woolies

Bilt Hamber Double speed wax

[coldel]

Bathe+ does everything Bathe does but lays down a hydrophobic layer to make beading even better. I buy the smaller 400ml bottles and they last for months with weekly washes. You only need a cap full and you are away. Don't worry about 'suds' or lack of them they mean nothing when it comes to how effective the shampoo is.

[Mikevv]

Thanks

 

Is a sealant really needed?

 

Nobody seems to be able to tell me definitively if it goes on before or after wax hahaha Like apaz you can do either...?

[coldel]

I have never used a sealant, just use a very good wax to finish. Am sure someone more experienced with these can advise.

[Stutopia]

I use one cos I hate waxing!

[ilogikal1]

Sealant or wax. No need/benefit/point to using both.

Edited June 27, 2017 by ilogikal1

[nipwahh]

Larry of Ammo NYC, will tell you everything you need to know. His methods are safe and his attention to detail is superb. Watch all his videos!! 

 

Someone else I would recommend watching his Jim White of White Details. Similar in that his drive for as close to a safe 100% correction as possible is great to watch!