Recommended Detail products
It seems that there isn't much talk of detailing on this forum, and with one thread floating about I thought we might benefit from each others experience with different products. We can discuss technique elsewhere, so lets keep this primarily devoted to products. This is a bit long but I hope that it is helpful. Please feel free to add your comments and preferences to the list so that others can have some good info when they do their detail product shopping!
This list includes everything I've personally used or know to be top-notch. I don't skimp on any products for my BMW's, and this is certainly one area that can make a significant difference in how good you Bimmer looks.
Washing:
In terms of soap, I have no reason to look beyond meguire's products.
-Gold Class and NXT are both very good and cost effective
Wash mitt's are absolutely crucial to keeping a swirl free finish on your paint. I would only recommend Chenile cotton or MF (micro-fiber) material for them. Be sure to wash them frequently so that dirt does not build up which will scratch your paint.
Drying:
One area where new technology certainly is better than the old stand-by's. I will never use a traditional chamois again.
-Waffle-weave MF towels (such as Cobra)
-"The Absorber", which is a synthetic Chamois, works very well also.
Clay-bars,
I don't find these as necessary, as many do, if your paint is relatively clean and you are using a machine buffer. A lot of the rough feeling your paint accumulates is from oxidation which a buffer can do a much better job of eliminating. However, there are still times when a clay is the best option. If your paint doesn't require buffing but is a little dirty, then clay bar it. Or, if there are contaminents on your paint, such as tar from the road, then the clay bar is the only way to get them off without destroying your paint. I don't recommend any "off the shelf" clay bars. Primary reason is that your typical Mothers and Meguires bars are much harder than the others leading to a greater chance of not grabbing as much contaminents as well as being more likely to scratch your paint. I use Meguires Quick Detail for the lube with my clay bar but you can also mix soap and water in a spray bottle as well. Just make sure you wash the car again if you go that route.
-Pinnacle, Wolfgang, or any other high-end clay bar work very well.
Polishing:
Two catagories here. One, those doing it by hand; two, those using a buffer.
By hand,
- Klasse All-In-One (AIO) tops the list by far. Simply apply it and wipe it off with a MF towel to reduce oxidation and swirl marks. It is an acrylic based product so a good amount of swirl mark reduction is due to filling them in rather than removing them.
Keep in mind that you can't remove scratches by hand regardless of what anyone tells you. Oxidation, sure; scratches, no way. They can only be filled making them disappear until the product wears off.
With a buffer things get a bit more complex.
For cutting,
-3M Perfect-It II is the absolute best and least abbrasive (i.e. it won't remove much paint since there are no cutting agents in it) polish I've ever used. It is absolutely amazing how well it can take the most extreme oxidation off of paint. Use with a cutting pad (typically yellow).
-3M Perfect-It III for removing scratches and extremely heavy swirl marks. Primary difference from PI-II to PI-III is that this one does contain a cutting compound (which is the only way to get scratches out). Also use with a cutting pad.
After cutting, or for simply adding gloss and depth to otherwise good paint, there are polishing compounds.
-3M Finesse-It II works extremely well. I do not find it to be the best final polishing product though. I would typically use this after PI-II as the second stage to thorough paint work. It contains some very minimal cutting agents in it (if a true cutting compound would be compared to 600 grit sand paper, think of FI-II as a 1500 grit sand paper). Use with a polishing pad (typically white).
For final polishing prior to wax or sealers, to make sure your paint is as smooth and glossy as possible.
-Kasse AIO applied by hand is a great option
-PoorBoy's Swirl-Remover 1 (SR-1) is my favorite with a buffer. Use with a finishing pad (either the black or blue pad).
Wax and sealants:
There is a difference! Sealers are a synthetic material that bonds with the paint making them last significantly longer than wax. However, they do not lend to as warm or wet of a look to the paint. But, you can use both to give an even better effect. Sealers can only be applied to bare paint and NOT on top of wax or it will not stick. You must use them after you have removed any previous wax (so use them after you've done the previous steps). Sealers will bond to the paint, but also to itself. A new coat can be applied after roughly 24 hours. Layering sealer (3 coats is enough) can add a significant amount of depth and gloss (listen up Alpine White guys). After you have layered enough sealer, then you can top it off with your favorite wax for the ultimate wet look. I do this on every car I own and with every car I'm detailing for a show.
Sealers:
-Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze is probably the best.
-Pinnacle and Wolfgang are good too.
-PoorBoy's EX-P sealant is fine but not as good as the others. Much less expensive though.
Wax:
-P21S or it's cheaper equivalant S100 are my top picks. They give the most shine of any I've used but also last far longer than any other wax I've seen. I'm always amazed at how long the last.
-PoorBoy's carnuba wax is the glossiest, or most "wet", looking wax. But, the catch is that it doesn't last nearly as long as the above.
I personally use S100 or P21S most often because they give the best compromise of all and look terrific.
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Originally Posted by Derek A.
