[pinco000]

Hi guys, I was wondering which products do you use to wash/wax/polish your car?
How often do you do so?( wax/polish)
Im going to wash my car myself and don't really know which products to use. Every website recommends different ones
Thanks

[Brian mc21]

Oh my. A can of worms. Where to start. A good wash practice as in the two bucket method ( one for soap and one for rinsing) is a start. Depending on how nuts you want to go is the question. If it's just to keep it nice and the paint is good then the two bucket method and something like poor boys white diamond presuming your car is your avatar or poorboys black hole is a polish with fillers that will hide swirls and leave a nice shine. For the love of god don't use any of those hand car wash things. Here's what a crap wash procedure can do and what can be achieved with a machine polisher. Btw I'm no expert by any means.

[Banners24b]

I like to fully detail any car I get as soon as I get it, then prob once every two years do a mini detail. But my process for a new car is thus:

Karcher Jet Wash
Snow Foam
Power Rinses
Wash with Karcher foam brush
Rinse
Go over with Clay bar
Rinse
Go over with "Erasure" fluid to remove and toxins
Use DAS6 Pro Dual action polisher with Scholl S17+ with Orange Hex logic pad
Use DAS6 Pro Dual action polisher with Scholl S40 with White Hex logic pad
Use DAS6 Pro Dual action polisher with Sonus Sealant with Black Sonus pad

It's about 11 hours effort but then its just a case of washing the car and using detailing spray to bring it up looking like new after that, the use a good hard was 2-3 times a year

[pinco000]

Originally Posted by Brian mc21

Oh my. A can of worms. Where to start. A good wash practice as in the two bucket method ( one for soap and one for rinsing) is a start. Depending on how nuts you want to go is the question. If it's just to keep it nice and the paint is good then the two bucket method and something like poor boys white diamond presuming your car is your avatar or poorboys black hole is a polish with fillers that will hide swirls and leave a nice shine. For the love of god don't use any of those hand car wash things. Here's what a crap wash procedure can do and what can be achieved with a machine polisher. Btw I'm no expert by any means.

Thanks for the tips, I will look into those poorboys products as never heard of them. I was thinking I will be safe if I use the stuff from BMW..
BTW, my car is white, but unfortunately its not the one on my avatar
The picture you uploaded is stunning! I do not have swirl marks, thank G.

[pinco000]

Originally Posted by Banners24b

I like to fully detail any car I get as soon as I get it, then prob once every two years do a mini detail. But my process for a new car is thus:

Karcher Jet Wash
Snow Foam
Power Rinses
Wash with Karcher foam brush
Rinse
Go over with Clay bar
Rinse
Go over with "Erasure" fluid to remove and toxins
Use DAS6 Pro Dual action polisher with Scholl S17+ with Orange Hex logic pad
Use DAS6 Pro Dual action polisher with Scholl S40 with White Hex logic pad
Use DAS6 Pro Dual action polisher with Sonus Sealant with Black Sonus pad

It's about 11 hours effort but then its just a case of washing the car and using detailing spray to bring it up looking like new after that, the use a good hard was 2-3 times a year

Sounds like a mission, but I guess its worth it. Im sure it wont be a problem for me to spend so much time detailing my car. My gf is very understanding when it comes to my car
Thanks for the tip !

[djgandy]

Originally Posted by pinco000

Thanks for the tips, I will look into those poorboys products as never heard of them. I was thinking I will be safe if I use the stuff from BMW..
BTW, my car is white, but unfortunately its not the one on my avatar
The picture you uploaded is stunning! I do not have swirl marks, thank G.

Don't use BMW stuff, there is no point. There are plenty of better and cheaper products available.

Also, unless your car has been recently detailed, I bet it does have swirl marks, you just don't see them as easily because its white. On whiter colours they just lead to a duller looking paint.

[Banners24b]

I would second the shout for Poorboys, always use that inside on plastics.

[den656]

Good afternoon chap ,just read your thread, and this is one deep rabbit hole you are about to spiral into lol , first off , there are not too many walk in places for detailing materials , so find yourself a good supplier , two I use personally are cleanyourcar, and elite car care who have both been very good,and if you need to give them a call for advice ,they are always helpful .
Start with the basics, a couple of decent sized buckets, try to get light colours ones as opposed to black ,a couple of decent wash mitts, one to do the top half do the car ,on for the usually more grubby lower half ,a wheel brush or mitt depending on the style of your alloys and finally microfibre cloths,lots of them lol , you'll need some for removing polish , better quality ones for wax and a drying cloth or too as well along with applicators for wax and polish . That's the basic hardware sorted,then chemicals, a decent shampoo , glass cleaner ,some polish, wax ,and a wheel cleaner ,try to get a non acidic one though,some tyre dressing ,maybe a quick detailing spray and interior cleaner ,and that's your basics, and then it all depends how much you want to spend .
You can add on things that will ultimately improve your cars appearance, like a clay mitt ,to clean any ingrained bits of dirt before proper washing , a fallout remover to remove any metal ingrained into your cars paint,a snowfoam lance , a tar remover, which will probably be good for white , a pressure washer is an excellent addition , nilfisk seem to be pretty well respected and amazon or maplins usually have a deal going .
Finally lol depending how much you get into it machine polishers are easily available should you wish to dabble, but see how you get on with the basics,you will either enjoy it , or decide a quick going over is all it needs depending on the condition of your paint and your time available ,good luck ,Den .
P.s as a personal recommendation I use a wax called fusso dark which gives my black Bmw an excellent gloss,shows excellent water beading,and lasts a good few months ,but they also do fusso light for light coloured cars :-) .

[Dann]

Normally I do the following:

Rinsed
Washed with Autofinesse Lather and 2 buckets,
Wheels cleaned with Autofinesse Imperial wheel cleaner.
Rinse again
Dried off with a proper drying towel (800-1000gsm microfibre)
Spritzed over with some quick detailer/spray sealant (FK#425)


Every 3/6 months it gets clayed (Bilt Hamber Soft)
Glazed (Prima Amigo)
Waxed (Soft99 Fusso)
Glass treated (Gtechniq G5)

Once a year or so it gets a proper machine polish, any more and you'll soon start burning through. As long as your wash routine is well controlled it should only need a machine polish every other year at the most (once mine's machine polished I'll add a snowfoam set instead of the first rinse)

Everyone will preach that their way is the best and their products are the best but it's all down to personal preference.

[Craig242]

2 words.

Detailing World.

Warning: I am not responsible for the amount of ££ that you may spend because of it lol.

[pinco000]

just ordered the poorboys stuff guys. Now I decided I need the polishing machine

[Banners24b]

^ I am going to be using mine tomorrow on my new car, its sad but im really looking forwards to it!

[conscript]

Just bought myself some Poorboys Natural Look..It's cost me about a grand since I joined this site and I haven't even started yet lol

[pinco000]

Originally Posted by conscript

Just bought myself some Poorboys Natural Look..It's cost me about a grand since I joined this site and I haven't even started yet lol

this diagnose for us here is for life m8

[Sparky68]

I have a shed full literally [ we are sponsored by Sonax]

[pinco000]

one last item I need. Car shampoo. Suggestions? Should I stick to poorboys, buy the shampoo without wax they do ?

[Sparky68]

Meguiars Gold Class is good

[Brian mc21]

I use the gold class. Lasts forever as you only use a capful or two per wash.

[Sparky68]

This stuff is also bloody good http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/washin...prod_1186.html

[pinco000]

thanks a lot for your advice guys !