I'd like to see if we could put together a list off the best 3-5 items for each category of detailing our cars. As an example, what does everyone consider the best clay bar? Clay Magic, Mothers, or what other brand.

What's the best?
Car wash -
Tire cleaner -
Wheel cleaner -
Tire dressing -
Clay bar -
Polish -
Wax -
Sealant -
Carpet shampoo -
Dash and door panel cleaner/protector -
Leather cleaner/protector -
Glass cleaner -

Maybe brushes, pads, applicators, towels, mitts???
Anything else that would be needed?
If everyone wants to submit there preferences, I'll try to get them organized and posted based on the number I get of each item.

I'd like to say thanks for the excellent information that Golfdude and Aero Blue and others have been providing this forum.

 

these are my choices:

car wash - zymol clear auto bathe
tire cleaner - 409
wheel cleaner - armor all quicksilver II
tire dressing - stp protectant (applied with a foam waxing sponge)
clay bar - clay magic
polish - diamond luster
wax - zymol concours
sealant - (don't use any)
carpet shampoo - stp tuff stuff
dash and door panel cleaner/protector - cleaner 409 / lexol vinyl protectant
leather cleaner/protector - cleaner 409 / automagic leather conditioner
glass cleaner - 3M foam spray


quick detailer - turtle wax ~ ice
micro fiber towel - zymol

 

car wash - Meguiars NXT wash
tire cleaner - Greased Lightning
wheel cleaner - Meguiars hotrims
tire dressing - Meguiars NXT tech protectant applied and then wiped clean
clay bar - Meguiars
polish - Meguiars Deep Crystal
wax - Meguiars NXT Tech Wax
sealant - N/A
carpet shampoo - DriClean
dash and door panel cleaner/protectant- Meguiars Natural Shine
leather cleaner/protector - Lexol pH Cleaner / Lexol Conditioner
glass cleaner - Stoner Invisible Glass


quick detailer - turtle wax ICE
micro fiber towel - Vroom (from target, large bright orange)

 

Car wash - Optimum Car Wash (new formula)
Tire cleaner - (I've yet to find a dedicated tire cleaner at a local store)
Wheel cleaner - S100 wheel cleaning gel
Tire dressing - 303 Aerospace protectant
Clay bar - Erazer
Polish - Optimum or Menzerna
Wax - P21S (Optimum spray wax is great too for fast jobs)
Paint cleaner - Klasse All in One
Glaze - Clearkote Red Moose Glaze
Sealant - Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket
One-step-product - Optimum Poli-seal
Carpet shampoo - Biokleen
Dash and door panel cleaner/protector - Meguire's #40 rubber/vinyl cleaner/conditioner
Leather cleaner - Sonus (BMW lederlotion smells awesome though)
Leather conditioner - Sonus
Glass cleaner - Prima clarity
Chrome polish - Eagle One Nevr Dull wadding polish
Vacuum - Metropolitan vac'n'blo (4 hp baby!!)
Headlight restoration - Klasse All In One

 

golfdude -

Have you used that Menzerna Final Polish II? I've been reading a lot about it and I'd like to give it a try.

 

I personally have not tried it but I hear it works very well...my friend who let me borrow his Menzerna Full Molecular jacket uses the full line of Menzerna polishes and he is hooked on the stuff!

 

What's the best?

Car wash - Griots car wash soap
Tire cleaner - Wesley's, but I've just some stuff from top of the line
Wheel cleaner - Griots (BBS approved) and again, stuff from top of the line
Tire dressing - Grape dressing and Forever Black
Clay bar - Griots, sorry Andrew
Polish - Klasse AIO
Wax - Pinnacle products
Sealant - Klasse SG
Carpet shampoo - just bought some stuff from top of the line, to be determined
Dash and door panel cleaner/protector - clean w/ top of the line stuff and dress it with their protectant as well.
Leather cleaner/protector - Griots and Leather Masters
Glass cleaner - Hopes glass cleaner


Some of my products, as you can see are from top of the line and thats because I detail cars on the side and buy in bulk. I feel that everything I've bought from them has performed very well. I'm always trying new things every so often and you've got to stay fresh, but there's some things I'll never change from, i.e. Griots car wash and their leather products, although I have Leather Masters now too. IMO its all about prep work and doing things in order and then, staying on top of your ride no matter what you use. I used to be bullheaded in the past about the power of the clay bar and boy was I wrong about that one! Then I used to only use Mequiars and although they make a good enough product, there's way better out there, although for an OTC NXT is one nice product I must say, even if you need to apply it once a month and you can because its so easy to apply/remove (sorry to get into that ) I'm really glad we've got so many knowledgeable guys here on this subject and because of it I'm going to be trying some Menzera in the spring and maybe a PC, maybe.

 

Ahhh...I forgot leather masters! Aero Blue...NXT easy to apply and remove??? P21S seems sooo much easier to apply and remove. S100 is exact same product at $15 a jar or less. I think you know about this stuff though either way! I am a little surprised you don't have a PC. Upgrade to that and you will become less tired after a detail. Good to see people throw some elbow grease at the cars though.

 

Yeah, NXT is easy to apply/remove, its not like the old Mequiars stuff in the burgundy bottles, that stuff is truly hard to remove, boy were those the days.

 

I guess I just had good luck, because I used the old meguiars for quite a while before the NXT and I always thought it was easy to apply/remove.

 

Wait till you apply/remove the Klasse twins.

 

I haven't forgotten about putting these together like I said I would, I've just been busy with Christmas. I was also hoping for a bit more input from our forum members.

Thanks to all those who did reply.

 

This thread is awesome. Thanks Guys!

 

Enjoy it cfire520.

 

Thanks Golfdude. I am just trying to get together all my cleaning supplies. If I clean my xfire every day for a couple years I might keep it as clean as Andrew's but probably not!