Cleaning product recommendations

[ant431]

Hey people,

I was wondering if any of you could recommend me some good products and what method to use to wash my car with to make it ultra sparkly and shiny? I have a black C300 coupe and I have noticed some swirl marks, does anyone know how can I get rid of them?

Thanks!

 

[Gazwould]

Mop .

 

[OneForTheRoad]

A da sander and autoglym paint restorer. Poorboys blackhole afterwards. Then the next day itll be dirty again as mine is ..

 

[daveenty]

Hey people,

I was wondering if any of you could recommend me some good products and what method to use to wash my car with to make it ultra sparkly and shiny? I have a black C300 coupe and I have noticed some swirl marks, does anyone know how can I get rid of them?

Thanks!

Welcome to the forum. You will get many conflicting replies on here, some helpful, some not so.

I'd suggest having a look around the Detailing World Forum where there are a lot of knowledgeable people including many professionals. There are also many obsessives though they can be weeded out as you progress gently through the forum.

You shouldn't really need to ask many questions there, though I'd suggest a search first as whatever you need to know will probably have been answered.

As for the first section of your query, a decent mild shampoo using the 2 bucket method and a wash mitt (not a standard sponge) is the usual way.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

If you’re new to washing your car seriously then I would go for Autoglym products, they’re designed to be easy to use, at a reasonable price, and they perform well.

 

[Stu101]

Beadmaker after cleaning really makes mine pop may be better products out there only one I have tried but am impressed

 

[Deleted member 126251]

What @daveenty said.

You will get as many opinions as there are products and methods available. We all want to convince you that what we use/do is best because this reassures us.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

What @daveenty said.

You will get as many opinions as there are products and methods available. We all want to convince you that what we use/do is best because this reassures us.

True, or a reflection of people doing what they believe is "best" and passing it on (which is self-assuring in itself).

I'll exclude myself from that though as despite recommending Autoglymn products I don't use them (except for cleaning the windows in the house), and I don't even wash my car! However Autoglym is a safe choice for someone new to car washing.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

True, or a reflection of people doing what they believe is "best" and passing it on (which is self-assuring in itself).

I'll exclude myself from that though as despite recommending Autoglymn products I don't use them (except for cleaning the windows in the house), and I don't even wash my car! However Autoglym is a safe choice for someone new to car washing.

Wasn't having a go at you, I was agreeing with @daveenty.

Problem is that there are 1000s of good products out there .......... and any of the recognised brands would be a good starting point.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Wasn't having a go at you, I was agreeing with @daveenty.

Problem is that there are 1000s of good products out there .......... and any of the recognised brands would be a good starting point.

I know you weren’t, and I agree

 

[LeeJV]

If you want good quality at a low price and for it to do what it says on the tin, all of these offer a full range of products that I have personally used for years
they work far better than Megs, Autoglym, Autofinesse and anything else you will find in Halfords

Bilt Hamber
Waxplanet
Wowos

I could go on for an age but all the products from these 3 companies work very well and are priced far better than most.

 

[baxlin]

If you want good quality at a low price and for it to do what it says on the tin, all of these offer a full range of products that I have personally used for years
they work far better than Megs, Autoglym, Autofinesse and anything else you will find in Halfords

Bilt Hamber
Waxplanet
Wowos

I could go on for an age but all the products from these 3 companies work very well and are priced far better than most.

That’s fine, and I have used (and liked) at least one Bilt Hamber product, but TBH, the OP requested specific products and methods.

So, my two penn’th....

I’m happy with hosing the car, then 2 Bucket method wash (2BM), rinse, then occasionally I treat the car to a claying with a G3 clay mitt (about 11quid), wash again, rinse, pat dry, then Autoglym SRP (to help hide the swirl marks) then G3 Super Paste Wax.

I might use Poorboys Black Hole instead of SRP as it doesn’t seem to leave as much white residue in the panel joints.

I use Meguiars Endurance to dress the tyres.

The clay mitt, SRP and wax aren’t required every wash, obviously, so for regular washes I use the 2BM, rinse, and dry using Meguiars Last Touch - bought online in a 3.75 ltr container and diluted - as a drying agent and to top up the shine.

From this, you can possibly tell I’m not a ‘detailer’, just an enthusiastic amateur. However, these products are easily found, are not expensive, and are suitable to be applied by hand. But as said in an earlier post, you will get as many opinions as people, and I’m sure to be doing something incorrectly!

PS. Washing mitt and microfibre towel, not sponge and chammy

 

[ChrisEdu]

Car Chem had a good deal on a set of products. I have been very pleased with those I bought.

 

[Chrishazle]

What's the best oil, what's the best wax, this is one of those threads that normally means :

Popcorn - check
Beer - check
Armchair - check

let battle commence!

Detailingworld is OK if you have lots of time and understand that they have a very strict "no name and shame" policy, so you'll see loads of recommendations but no critical reviews - i tried posting a factual, non critical review on there after a pro detailer made a pigs breakfast of my 968 cab, it was immediately taken down. PCGB forum did the same. However, for basic car cleaning methods you will find good advice there if you're selective about what you read.

Preparation is the key - you won't get a good result if your prep is crap, so first you need to prep the paintwork. This means wash (2BM, wash mitts (lambswool for the top bits, microfibre for the bottom mucky bits), decontaminate (IronX or similar to get rid of brake pad debris etc) followed by another wash, Tardis or similar to get rid of tar spots (followed by another wash), then clay (I use 1/4 of a Bilt Hamber clay bar with water as the lubricant) followed by another wash - then you're ready for paint correction to remove swirl marks etc and you enter a new world of pain! As an amateur this means a DA machine like a Kestrel DAS6 or similar, correct pads, correct paint correcting fluid, and yet another wash. Then it's polish - my preference is 3M Perfect-it but that has to be applied with a DA or rotary and correct pad, then finally wax/ceramic/flavour of the month protection - and that's another popcorn/beer/armchair moment!

Just to add to the fun, your car is black, the worst possible colour, just search on here as there are so many cries for help of "how the **** do I get/keep my black car looking good??!"

Welcome to the painful and expensive world of detailing you car - been there, got loads of products, seen the benefits but can't do it any more so have the DA, pads and loads of products gathering dust!

 

[W1ghty]

Sonax BSD (brilliant shine detailer) is very easy to use, good value , and creates some crazy levels of water beading as well .

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Natty paste wax in black is brilliant on top of poor boys black hole.

 

[zipdip]

Hey people,

I was wondering if any of you could recommend me some good products and what method to use to wash my car with to make it ultra sparkly and shiny? I have a black C300 coupe and I have noticed some swirl marks, does anyone know how can I get rid of them?

Thanks!

The guys are going to love telling you there cleaning methods,and do not get them onto clay bars and mopping,it could well result in the longest thread of the year,when I get the photo on my laptop I will put up the products I use and their cost

 

[zipdip]

Well my local independant pound shop is great for car stuff. with the Bucket £5

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Well my local independant pound shop is great for car stuff. with the Bucket £5

View attachment 98658

Blimey, that’s a lot of stuff for a fiver. Have you used it before, any good?

 

[chrisk2010]

Resisting the urge to get involved