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.. or any color, for that matter!
I'm an avid detailer but had to take a break 5-6 years ago. I wrote reviews, invested a ton of time on detailing forums, experimented different techniques and products, and just loved anything to do with paint! I started moving around and didn't have a garage for a few years; all my old products dried up and I tossed almost all of it at one point. Now that I have a new black/black ride to up keep, and with a garage, I think it's time to get back into it
Here's what santa in his big brown sleigh dropped off yesterday ...
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A quick breakdown and my thought process behind each item ... when I try these, i'll come back and do a quick review thread on the product with before/after photos for those who may be interested If you have experience with any of the products I'm listing below or recommendations, I'd highly appreciate it!
Closer shot of the detailer bag:
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BTW...
I PM'd a mod on the autogeek forum and he was able to hook it up with a 20% off code ... it ends at the end of September (FORUMSEPTEMBER) so jump on it if you need any detailing supplies. I was able to get mine in conjunction with their $7 flat shipping rate so I saved a ton... but it's still a significant discount if you're looking for a few items!
I'm an avid detailer but had to take a break 5-6 years ago. I wrote reviews, invested a ton of time on detailing forums, experimented different techniques and products, and just loved anything to do with paint! I started moving around and didn't have a garage for a few years; all my old products dried up and I tossed almost all of it at one point. Now that I have a new black/black ride to up keep, and with a garage, I think it's time to get back into it
Here's what santa in his big brown sleigh dropped off yesterday ...
A quick breakdown and my thought process behind each item ... when I try these, i'll come back and do a quick review thread on the product with before/after photos for those who may be interested
If you have experience with any of the products I'm listing below or recommendations, I'd highly appreciate it!- Cobra MF Towels - Okay, I think I went overboard ... I have a ton! Most of them are Cobra MF towels and I tried to get as many different colors and sizes as possible to differentiate per product/use. I usually prefer using the same towel and product together. When I'm done with them, I'll rinse the excess product off the towel and then toss em in the laundry. They're pretty durable. I'm hoping to pick up one of those big 35-pack MF towels from Costco to use for quick detailing inside the car and windows. You can never have too many towels!!
- Lake Country Pads for my PC-7424 orbital - I've always liked LC pads ... they had a deal for 6 of them in any option so I went for 2 orange (in between yellow and white cutting pads which means they're just slightly more abrasive than a standard polish when dealing with swirls) in hopes I never have to use it anytime soon on my new Q! I also got 2 white pads which are good for standard polishing and 2 gray pads for applying/buffing off a sealant or wax.
- Klasse Twins - Klasse AIO (all-in-one) & Klasse SG (sealant glaze) ... they are excellent synthetic polishes that I've always had amazing results with on black and red/bright-colored cars. Klasse AIO has great oxidation cutting and protection power; it does wonders on red cars. This acrylic-based product seems to last forever (at least a year), though I try my best to strip the car down and restart per season or twice a year.
- Sonus Acrylic Spritz Quick Detail - Quick detailer that works best with Klasse. I usually use it to help buff off excess residue or to damp my applicator pad with because you have to use such small amounts of Klasse product per panel and it's hard to do on a dry pad. Klasse SG is a bitch to buff off if you put too much; Sonus Spritz really helps cut it away when buffing off with a MF towel. I also use it wipe off any water spots I find on the car after a wash.
- Lexol 3-1 Leather- Single spray bottle with both cleaner/conditioning. It's nothing special really; I try to use as many all-in-one products as possible and for leather, this has always worked out pretty well for me. It leaves no greasy residue and the leather looks good after treatment.
- Poorboy's World Glass Cleaner - I usually go for Invisible Glass, but that's an over-the-counter product now and I wanted to try something new... I've heard great things about PB products and thought I'd give this a whirl.
- Grit Guard Insert - This is apparently very handy tool to drop into your rinsing bucket (5-gallon paint bucket size) when using the 2-bucket approach when washing your car. You can run your sponge or wash mitt against the grit guard at the bottom of the bucket and all the chunky dirt/contaminants will float to the bottom, under the guard, therefore reducing the risk of it getting back on your sponge/mitt when you rinse again.
- Cobra Waffle Weave Towels - I got the "Guzzler" waffle weaves MF towels by Cobra to dry the car off with. This is my first try with them ... in the past, I was able to get away with the Absorber and California Blade .. however those were used with cars I had bought used so the paint wasn't completely swirl less when I got them. I heard this is a lot better and wanted to give it a shot.
- Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay Special - Both clay bars and lubricant; I don't know if it's any better than Mother's which I usually get over-the-counter, but we shall see.
- 303 Aerospace Protectant - Best dash cleaner/protector. Ever.
- BlackFire Detailer's Bag - Okay, to be honest, this just looked cool as **** on the website and I got it. I can put my orbital in here along with bottles of my best products and pads, along with a few towels. Its water-proof and very durable; I can stick it in my trunk though I probably never will detail outside my garage lol, but who knows! It makes transporting stuff way easier and cooler.
- Griot's Garage Car Wash - This was like $40 bucks for 128oz .. I wanted to see if this was noticeably superior to Meguire's gold class which is 1/4 it's cost. It's supposed to be one of the best lubricated car wash on the market and Porsche guys seem to be die hard about it. I heard a shot of ONR (Optimum No Rinse Wash) in any water/wash mix is awesome too. I didn't get a chance to get that, but that might be a better alternative than really expensive car wash concentrates.
- California Mini Duster - Quicker dash duster that I store away in the car. It's basically strands of MF that pickup loose dirt/dust in the car.
- Small Detailing Squeeze Bottles - I prefer transferring what I'd need into a squeeze bottle and using it. I also tend to lend some products to friends/family to try - they're cheap and useful!
- Wolfgang Plastik Lens Cleaner - Need to keep the headlights protected and clean from oxidation! Works well any any plastic lense, really, including the tail lights.
- Sheepskin Wash Mitt - I prefer to stick to these mitts rather than sponges. It's preference really; I also picked up LC sponges for the wheels.
Closer shot of the detailer bag:
BTW...
I PM'd a mod on the autogeek forum and he was able to hook it up with a 20% off code ... it ends at the end of September (FORUMSEPTEMBER) so jump on it if you need any detailing supplies. I was able to get mine in conjunction with their $7 flat shipping rate so I saved a ton... but it's still a significant discount if you're looking for a few items!
