The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - View Single Post

rovexCDTi · 30th June 2012, 09:04

I thought it might be an good idea to write a guide to help navigate through the vast array of car care products out there today, for those that really dont know where to start.

There are just so many out there now, many have confusing and misleading names, which really doesn't help an already complicated situation!

I will add to it bit by bit, a few product types at a time.

Shampoo

Loads to choose from, but which one? Well they vary in price from £1/litre to well over £20/litre. The best ones to get are probably in the middle unless your top protective coat has special needs.

The cheapest ones are rarely much good. Too harsh and offer no protection, some will strip your wax, even if they claim they wont. The top end ones are usually just expensive because of the name, or are designed for specialist coatings. An example is Wolf Chemicals Nano bathe. Its designed to maintain the surface of their Nano sealants, that would be clogged by waxy shampoos.

Good midrange products are most peoples best bet, something like Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo conditioner which is about £10/litre or Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo which is a little less (but in bigger bottles). They are concentrated so better value in the long run than the run of the mill Simoniz/Turtlewax type things.

There are also specialist products, like the Nano Bathe and products like Optimum No Rinse. ONR is designed to be a one bucket product that needs no rinsing. Its ideal for water restricted areas. It does work, but i wouldnt use it all the time. Its very handy as a quick detailer as well (more on them later). I used it this morning to help safely remove that horrible Saharan dust we have had land on us this week. A very handy product to have.

There is also Snow Foam. This is a subset of car shampoos that is designed to be used with a pressure washer and an foaming attachment. It creates a thick sticky foam that completely encapsulates the car, removing dirt as it melts away. Its fun, and contact free (reducing the chance of swirl marks). Its designed to remove the really nasty scratchy particles first, so you can wash safely afterwards. Its best used in areas with dry dust, that easily scratches paint.

If you want to remove your wax for whatever reason (and there are many) you can use an APC, NOT washing up liquid. an APC is an All Purpose Cleaner. Household varieties are fine, Tesco Daisy is a big favourite because its cheap. This will strip off all oily and wax products, ideal if you are then going to polish or compound the paint, or use a fancy ceramic or nano coating.

Try to avoid the waterless washes if you can. They are usually loaded with glazing oils to cover up the scratches they cause. They are ok for emergencies or as a QD, but frequent use will ruin your finish.

Detailing Clay

This is a plasticine like dough designed to remove little particles of grit and metal that embed themselves into paint. Even washing and polishing wont remove these particles, so we use clay to remove them. Its like a deep pore cleanser for your paint, it horrifying how much dirt is in your paint! If you dont remove this dirt your car will never look and feel really smooth and shiny. You need to use a lubricator with it, a strong car shampoo solution will do, some can be used with water, but id still use a shampoo solution. Never clay a car without washing it first.

Dont pay a fortune for a clay bar. A 100gram bar is more than big enough for a ZT, 50g is probably enough, and pay £10 max really from an online store. Halfords prices for clay is a rip off. Use a medium blend the first time or if unsure what type is best.

Tar Removers

These are chemicals used for removing those annoying lumps of black tar and oil that stick to our cars. White spirit is actually good enough most of the time, but some of the best ones have other benefits. Autosmart Tardis is a great product because it can be washed off easily with a normal car shampoo, and it can even remove uncured paint, so its handy to have around in case anyone vandalises your car/house with paint. Tar removers tend to remove waxes though, so re apply after use. For me Tardis is a must have product. Its about £20 for 5 litres, which is overkill for most users, but can be bought on eBay for less in smaller volumes.

30th June 2012, 09:04	#1
rovexCDTi This is my second home MG ZT+ 135 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Exeter Posts: 3,626 Thanks: 9 Thanked 42 Times in 26 Posts	Guide to Car Detailing Products I thought it might be an good idea to write a guide to help navigate through the vast array of car care products out there today, for those that really dont know where to start. There are just so many out there now, many have confusing and misleading names, which really doesn't help an already complicated situation! I will add to it bit by bit, a few product types at a time. Shampoo Loads to choose from, but which one? Well they vary in price from £1/litre to well over £20/litre. The best ones to get are probably in the middle unless your top protective coat has special needs. The cheapest ones are rarely much good. Too harsh and offer no protection, some will strip your wax, even if they claim they wont. The top end ones are usually just expensive because of the name, or are designed for specialist coatings. An example is Wolf Chemicals Nano bathe. Its designed to maintain the surface of their Nano sealants, that would be clogged by waxy shampoos. Good midrange products are most peoples best bet, something like Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo conditioner which is about £10/litre or Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo which is a little less (but in bigger bottles). They are concentrated so better value in the long run than the run of the mill Simoniz/Turtlewax type things. There are also specialist products, like the Nano Bathe and products like Optimum No Rinse. ONR is designed to be a one bucket product that needs no rinsing. Its ideal for water restricted areas. It does work, but i wouldnt use it all the time. Its very handy as a quick detailer as well (more on them later). I used it this morning to help safely remove that horrible Saharan dust we have had land on us this week. A very handy product to have. There is also Snow Foam. This is a subset of car shampoos that is designed to be used with a pressure washer and an foaming attachment. It creates a thick sticky foam that completely encapsulates the car, removing dirt as it melts away. Its fun, and contact free (reducing the chance of swirl marks). Its designed to remove the really nasty scratchy particles first, so you can wash safely afterwards. Its best used in areas with dry dust, that easily scratches paint. If you want to remove your wax for whatever reason (and there are many) you can use an APC, NOT washing up liquid. an APC is an All Purpose Cleaner. Household varieties are fine, Tesco Daisy is a big favourite because its cheap. This will strip off all oily and wax products, ideal if you are then going to polish or compound the paint, or use a fancy ceramic or nano coating. Try to avoid the waterless washes if you can. They are usually loaded with glazing oils to cover up the scratches they cause. They are ok for emergencies or as a QD, but frequent use will ruin your finish. Detailing Clay This is a plasticine like dough designed to remove little particles of grit and metal that embed themselves into paint. Even washing and polishing wont remove these particles, so we use clay to remove them. Its like a deep pore cleanser for your paint, it horrifying how much dirt is in your paint! If you dont remove this dirt your car will never look and feel really smooth and shiny. You need to use a lubricator with it, a strong car shampoo solution will do, some can be used with water, but id still use a shampoo solution. Never clay a car without washing it first. Dont pay a fortune for a clay bar. A 100gram bar is more than big enough for a ZT, 50g is probably enough, and pay £10 max really from an online store. Halfords prices for clay is a rip off. Use a medium blend the first time or if unsure what type is best. Tar Removers These are chemicals used for removing those annoying lumps of black tar and oil that stick to our cars. White spirit is actually good enough most of the time, but some of the best ones have other benefits. Autosmart Tardis is a great product because it can be washed off easily with a normal car shampoo, and it can even remove uncured paint, so its handy to have around in case anyone vandalises your car/house with paint. Tar removers tend to remove waxes though, so re apply after use. For me Tardis is a must have product. Its about £20 for 5 litres, which is overkill for most users, but can be bought on eBay for less in smaller volumes. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Last edited by rovexCDTi; 7th September 2012 at 11:31..