Which are the best polishes and shampoos to use?

[Heddy]

The technique is probably more important Clyde TBH. Use a mitt and not a sponge (picks up grit into the fibres) Also rinse the mitt between re-soaping.

[Supervinnie40]

Originally Posted by Heddycdt

The technique is probably more important Clyde TBH. Use a mitt and not a sponge (picks up grit into the fibres) Also rinse the mitt between re-soaping.

As a detailer I have to agree with this.
I can get much better results with cheap polish then a novice with the best polish available.
Technique, equipment and knowing what you do gives 90% of the result.

Also, when you're looking at a proper polish (not talking about the so called 'polish + wax' products) it also depends what kind of paintwork you've got. You might wanna use PCW intense polish on a Ford Focus, but you'll want to use Menzerna on a VW or Audi.
Washing properly, claying with the right products, removing iron fallout etc. is just as important but gets looked over quite often. I can sometimes spend a good 6 hours on just cleaning the paintwork before I think it's clean enough to start polishing properly.

For those that are looking for a quick fix, try some glaze like Blacklight or Black Hole on dark colors and White Diamond on a lighter color.
It will mask the swirls and make the paint look a lot better.
(this is just a quick fix, even with a proper coat of wax covering it, it will still only last a couple of weeks....)

[Saga Lout]

Turtlewax...or Autoglym. The secret is always to make sure the coating is ready to wax, this can involve a cutting compound on older paint or a bar on newer finishes. I can put a glass finish on most cars if the paint is in a fair condition, usually they are but dull due to powerwashing and TFR in those washes.
I never polish a car with a buffer if it needs a deep clean, I do it by hand and it can be hard but worth the effort. The car must be squeaky clean for a cutting session, degrease the door jambs and really hose out the arches to remove the dried mud, pay attention to the tyres, as the arch mud lands on them and can find its way back to the car.
If you want to T Cut a car, it's hard and I'd say do it in twelve inch sections, the cutting polish can be hard to remove, here's the trick to get it off, wipe it over with the polishing off cloth, then get another cloth and go over it with the wax, rub it well into the cutting polish, let it dry and then it will buff off easily. After the whole car has been cut and buffed once, do the whole car with a well rubbed in wax polish..removing it is sheer joy as the gleaming paint reveals itself. My ZT is coming along very nicely, I'm hoping to get it very good for the coming season...

[Jules]

Have to say I don't use many products at all on Mrs Jules ZT !!
And it still looks like this.

Pressure Wash with a PH neutral snow foam
Then micro fibre cloth gentle wipe.
(anything stronger will strip any polishes off !!)
I use baby wipes or similar for the alloys (4 wipes per alloy to minimise scratching)

Once a year R222 Carnauba Wax

Mrs Jules still loves her Ignition Blue CDTi.

It came with some nice factory extras too and has been 100% reliable.
Apart from servicing all I had to fit was my uprated fan resistor kit when we first bought her 5 years ago!

Remote Webasto and Timer
Cruise
Rain sensor
Blue Axis Half Leather Seats
Message Center
Traffic Master
Smartnav

[sytneraudi10]

I have always used the original blue Mer's products for everything. Even used the clay kit they did.

However when it all changed to black I switched to Menzerna and was disappointed. Its a pro product but I am not a valet so my results wear far from what I expected but when the products been used by a pro the results are flawless.

The SF stuff is the business. I then used AG because the valets at work use it and it was rubbish for me.

So had to bite the bullet and bought the new Mer's black deep finishing wax and what can I say. It stinks and turns your hands pick but it makes my cars shine like new every time and last for ages.

I'm still not a fan of the reduced Mer's range but the deep finishing wax is perfect and not to expensive.

I did once try the TurtleWax Ice Wax and to be fair it was more a sealer/protector. It would be perfect if you used a good quality wax before and just used the Ice stuff to keep the protection ongoing as it was super quick to apply and buffed off well and also lasted a long time.

[Tatts]

Over the years I've tried loads of different polishes, but for the price & ease of use (I use a Megs DA polisher), Auto Glym Super Resin Polish is hard to beat. Topped off with Nattys Poor Boys Blue wax.

[Jules]

Originally Posted by Tatts

Auto Glym Super Resin Polish is hard to beat.

Mmm have to disagree there Tatts!
My neighbour tried some on his brand new Black Audi A3 few years back and it actually put swirl marks onto a test area.
This was using a brand new microfibre cloth (also tried different cloths)

Auto Glym Super Resin is actually abrasive (very fine grade) but depending on how perfect a finish you are trying to achieve is prob ok for an every day car.
For a show car it's a no no.

[FrazzleTC]

I tend to use Zymöl car shampoo, or Meguiar's Gold Class shampoo for washing, and, when using a wheel cleaner, I use heavily diluted Bilberry wheel cleaner. I usually dress the tyres with Meguiar's endurance tyre gel, even when just washing the car. I dry the car with a drying towel, which I find very effective indeed.
In terms of polishing, I tend to go for Autoglym Super Resin polish, and it's topped with Collinite 476S. For the inside of the arches, I dress them with Autoglym vinyl and rubber care (only during the summer, if the weather's nice. No point during the winter). I do any exterior plastics with Autoglym bumper care, which beads nicely for a long time.
Here's how my 75 looks after a wash during the winter.

[Tatts]

Originally Posted by Jules

Mmm have to disagree there Tatts!
My neighbour tried some on his brand new Black Audi A3 few years back and it actually put swirl marks onto a test area.
This was using a brand new microfibre cloth (also tried different cloths)

Auto Glym Super Resin is actually abrasive (very fine grade) but depending on how perfect a finish you are trying to achieve is prob ok for an every day car.
For a show car it's a no no.

Thats odd! I used SRP & a cutting pad to de-swirl my black SLK.

Most polishes are by definition slightly abrasive & many contain fillers, but I've never heard of SRP causing swirls. I've seen some spectacular results by pro-detailers using AG products.

Think I'll email AG & see what they say.

[Zafonic]

There is far better products around than AG

Last summer I used the Auto Finesse and Sonax Extreme ranges and every variant surpassed everything from AG, the Sonax Plastic/trim restorer is ground breaking stuff as is the QD