new to this...sell me the full package (cost not really an issue)

[Jimowl]

Morning all

I am soon to be taking delivery of a new VW Touareg in white (boo!) followed in late summer by an S3 in Sepang Blue. In the meantime the existing black Touareg will go back followed by the white Beetle.

I've just taken delivery of a Kranzle k1132 and need all the lovely cleaning bits (i'm sick of taking the cars to the local car wash).

So, recommend me the whole thing! Do I want varying labels or all from one house? I'm thinking snow foam and lance, shampoo, wax, detailing spray (??? what is this??!), wheels etc. plus all the bits (buckets, mitts, towels, application pads etc.)

Staying loyal to the forum I'd like it to all be available from Slims (my nickname as it happens) and I see if I get my order in today I will get a lucky dip prize.

Go for it.

 

[Blue Oval]

OK so I've not done the full on snowfoam and two bucket wash routine for a while, not since discovering ONR and moving to a third floor flat, but if I were doing it all again then-

Obviously a HD Foam Lance and some sort of PH neutral foam, Valet Pro is pretty good, Chemical Guys is normally outstanding - maybe try the Mr Pink one?

You need a good microfibre washmitt, or maybe a lambswool one (albeit they're a lot more hassle to look after) - personal choice really

Good drying towel - I don't like waffle weave ones, but generally the bigger the better. Again, from the Slims range I'd probably try something from Chemical Guys.

Wheels - Valet Pro Bilberry Wheel Cleaner is the only solution in my opinion (don't forget to buy a spray bottle) - although once the wheels are really spotless you may wish to seal them to make future cleaning easier (and then you won't need bilberry every time) with something like Poorboys wheel sealant (used this the other day at a mate's and it was excellent)

Quick Detailing Spray - don't bother with anything other than Chemical Guys Speed Wipe, best I've ever used and it smells amazing. A few squirts whilst drying the car gives a much better finish too

Tar remover - Tardis (try ebay) and don't forget the spray bottle. Amazing stuff, and brilliant at removing residue from things like tax disc holders.

Fallout remover - Iron X - this removes "rust spots" caused by iron filings on the paint work and can remove the manky yellow staining on wheels and the little sheets of clear plastic used to protect paintwork near wheelarches. It's great stuff.

Clay bar - don't bother, get a 3M Clay Mitt, once you've used that you'll need...

Polish - If you just want a good all in one polish that will hide/fill marks then it's often hard to overlook AG Super Resin Polish - although others are out there (I've got a good one at home but can't remember it's name). You may want to seal all that hard work with...

Wax - Collinite 476. So durable, you can get several months out of one application and a tin of it lasts forever. It's cheap too.

Tyres - AG Instant Tyre Dressing is easy and free of mess, gives a nice finish too. Although Megs Endurance always get's good reviews too.

Accessories - don't forget plenty of good microfibre cloths, and some foam wax applicators (the German applicator pad is particularly good for stuff like Super Resin Polish, the little yellow pads are great for wax like Collinite). Oh and you may want to try a couple of different wheel brushes to see what works best on your particular wheels.

Off the top of my head that's all I can think of, and sorry if some of it's out of date, I've not used anything much more exotic than ONR in three years now.

Do you have a machine polisher too yet? If not, that'll be the next bug and am happy to share my thoughts on that....

 

[Jimowl]

thanks for your input. i've just placed c£400 order

 

[Blue Oval]

That's the way to do it!!

I was racking my brains earlier and I think that's my "go to" selection of products, you can do almost anything with the stuff on the list, very versatile stuff. Although realised I still forgot to suggest anything for doing the glass, although hopefully you spotted the missing item!

 

[Jimowl]

yup. plumped for dodo juice's Clearly Menthol glass cleaner. And LOTS of other goodies.

 

[Scottyg]

Just remember AG SRP doesn't actually polish your paintwork. It has no abrasive element in it. Quick and easy to use but will only hide/fill in swirls or small scratches or marring. Once you wash it again it will wash off. Personally I'd try Poorboys SS1 if you need any defects fixed and not hidden. There's also Megs 205 or Meg Ultimate Compond.
Doing all that by hand will take you donkeys years. Invest in a DA polisher and some pads, medium cut and finishing pad to start.
Agree with MF. Bigger is better.
Snowfoam wise I use an Autobrite Lance and Snowfoam. Work brilliantly. I've never used ironX or tar remover. I like to clay but with a soft bar. Prefer this to clear everything off the car.
Also love Bilberry Alloy cleaner and Poorboys wheel sealants.
One of my favourite products is Last Touch QD. Brilliant stuff.
Wax wise I flit between CG Butter Wet Wax and AG EGP.
Don't forget tyre sheen. Megs Tyre Endurance Gel or AG Rubber and Vinyl Care. AG Tyre Dressing is mince.
Happy detailing. It's addictive and expensive.

 

[steeve]

AG SRP is a polish, it is abrasive.
The white residue you get when it dries is clay, the size of the clay particles affect the level of abrasivemess.
Any polish by nature is abrasive and ideally should only be used for remedial work, scratches, marks and swirls. Even then it's best to use a proper compound. Use a wax or a glaze unless you wish to fix a problem. SRP is ok for old cars where the paint finish is not what it should be.

In fact AG do a NEW CAR POLISH for the trade, which whilst still abrasive is quite mild more so than SRP

 

[15audis3]

@steeve Where are you getting this information? I've been into detailing a long time and this is the complete opposite of what everyone else, including the manufacturer describes.

AG SRP may have Polish int he name, but it is not abrasive like a cutting or refining polish. It's primarily a paint cleaner/light sealant, the trick is in the name "Resin". Those resin's are what fill and hide light scratches and swirls. If you are getting white dust that shows you are using far too much of the product, and that is excess product not lumps of clay. You can also slightly dampen a microfibre towel before you buff off to prevent dust, no pressure should be needed and so long as it's cured you won't strip SRP off the car.

There is no problem at all with using it on new or old paint as a preparation stage for wax. You can apply AG SRP by hand, DA or Rotary and you will see no reduction in the thickness of the top-coat/clearcoat. This product has been around a long time and this has been confirmed many times during testing with paint depth gauges etc.

 

[Scottyg]

AG SRP is a polish, it is abrasive.
The white residue you get when it dries is clay, the size of the clay particles affect the level of abrasivemess.
Any polish by nature is abrasive and ideally should only be used for remedial work, scratches, marks and swirls. Even then it's best to use a proper compound. Use a wax or a glaze unless you wish to fix a problem. SRP is ok for old cars where the paint finish is not what it should be.

In fact AG do a NEW CAR POLISH for the trade, which whilst still abrasive is quite mild more so than SRP

Sorry, but that's utter mince.
A long long long time ago I was put through a valeting course by the guy I helped out at weekends by Autoglym themselves. As said above, it's a resin so has multi-layer of fillers in it to hide swirls, not remove them.
It's perfect for beginners who simply want to keep their old or new car nice a shiny!

 

[steeve]

@steeve Where are you getting this information? I've been into detailing a long time and this is the complete opposite of what everyone else, including the manufacturer describes.

AG SRP may have Polish int he name, but it is not abrasive like a cutting or refining polish. It's primarily a paint cleaner/light sealant, the trick is in the name "Resin". Those resin's are what fill and hide light scratches and swirls. If you are getting white dust that shows you are using far too much of the product, and that is excess product not lumps of clay. You can also slightly dampen a microfibre towel before you buff off to prevent dust, no pressure should be needed and so long as it's cured you won't strip SRP off the car.

There is no problem at all with using it on new or old paint as a preparation stage for wax. You can apply AG SRP by hand, DA or Rotary and you will see no reduction in the thickness of the top-coat/clearcoat. This product has been around a long time and this has been confirmed many times during testing with paint depth gauges etc.

Sorry, but that's utter mince.
A long long long time ago I was put through a valeting course by the guy I helped out at weekends by Autoglym themselves. As said above, it's a resin so has multi-layer of fillers in it to hide swirls, not remove them.
It's perfect for beginners who simply want to keep their old or new car nice a shiny!

Sorry guys but SRP is abrasive.....

I have a letter from Autoglym stating exactly that, it is very mild, but as THEY say "SRP as with all polishes is abrasive"

If you'd like a copy just PM me your email address..........

 

[Briggo]

AG SRP is a filler not a cutter.

 

[steeve]

Sorry guy but according to AG themselves it is abrasive though only mildly, like most other finish polishes, If you want a copy of the letter, sent yesterday then I can email you a copy. I think the people there know what it is they are making? I don't dispute that there are fillers in the mix, what I said was it's abrasive.
The white stuff is clay.

 

[Scottyg]

With the amount of fillers, even if they say it has abrasive elements in it, render them totally useless. Particularly the new formula that has even more fillers in it than the original version. It can't also be described as a finishing polish as these don't or should not have fillers in them. The whole point of products like AGSRP and PB Blackhole is to fill very fine swirl marks and the like. I believe that's what it says it the letter but I'd love them to demonstrate the ability to 'correct' any defects.