WhiteShadow89
02-06-2019, 02:11 PM
Hi Everyone,
I wanted to do a write up of the basics for exterior car cleaning and care from higher tier product standpoint without breaking the bank. Why something top tier instead of something truly cost effective/economical? I have found that cost effective/economical and truly good results typically don’t go hand in hand. Having truly good basic car care products aid in many areas. Some examples are below:
-How your car looks immediately
-How your car looks as the years go by
-Greater effect and less elbow grease
-Aid in being more paint safe and less fine scratches
I hope this review will help the novices out there who are unfamiliar with products outside of what can be found at AutoZone and those who are either open to better products than what they have or want better results. Everything here is completely coating safe if you have a long term coating applied so no need to worry if it will be safe. The prices stated are normal/non sale prices, you can easily find these products for cheaper at autogeek or detailed image with their frequent sales. With that said let’s get onto the break down.
Wash/Shampoo
I have 3 top products I would recommend here. Adams and CarPro both make great pH neutral wash products for your car that work well, but my personal favorite would be Gtechniq’s G Wash shampoo. Simply put it is the best pH neutral shampoo/wash I have used, period. It differentiates itself by being one of the smoothest feeling wash products I have used with my mitts on car paint while making quick work of every day dirt/grime that used to take me more elbow grease. It isn’t cheap as it starts at $9 for a 250ml bottle, $15 for a 500ml bottle and $25 for a 1000ml. Thankfully you only need 2-4 caps per bucket (pending how dirty your car is) so a 500ml bottle will go a long way.
Price: $25
Wheel Cleaner
Wheels today are getting expensive and needless to say you will want to treat them right. Having a good pH neutral wheel cleaner is not only safe for your wheels with or without a coating, but goes a further than just using a mitt and soap. I personally recommend Shine Supply Cool Guy Wheel Cleaner. This cleaner is worth its weight in gold in my book and I have yet to use a better consumer available product without spending tons more. It smells good and does a fantastic job of removing harmful deposits on your rims. Just a deeper clean than using solely soap.
Price: $15 for a 16 oz bottle.
Bucket
The bare minimum that I would recommend is a 5 gallon bucket with a grit guard. Realistically you will want 2 5 gallon buckets with grit guards. Why? Well there are 2 reasons. Having 2 buckets means you have a wash and a rinse bucket. Pair the two buckets with grit guards and you are minimizing the risk of taking a wash mitt that is littered with grime back onto your cars paint which can product fine scratches. Finally, I find 3.5 gallon buckets to be just not enough for most regular vehicles. Spend an extra few buckets for the 5 gallon buckets, it’s worth it. You don’t need a specific brand of bucket so long as it is 5 gallons and has a grit guard. I personally use detailed image 2 pack 5 gallon buckets with grit guards.
Price: $36
Wash Mitt
Having a high quality mitt goes a long way. I don’t believe in sponges as I just don’t think they do as good a job and certainly aren’t as easy to work with. When it comes to wash mitts there are two main designs that you see circulating a lot.
Design 1 is the super noodle shaggy design as I call it Relentless Drive Ultimate Car Wash Mitt - 2 Pack Extra Large Size - Premium Chenille Microfiber Wash Mitt - Wash Glove - Lint Free - Scratch Free:
Having used both, literally, and other mitts of this design I prefer design 2. I think it glides better on paint and does a better job of removing dirt with less elbow grease. I personally recommend the WM2 wash mitt. It does a fantastic job and is very durable. Sure the mitt isn’t cheap at $17 when not on sale, but you get what you pay for.
While not necessary, I would also recommend get two wash mitts for whatever you decide on. Save one mitt for the bottom quarter to third of your car where heavier dirt deposits are and your wheels. The second mitt will be for the remainder. Idea here is trying to minimize fine scratches on your car.
Price: $34
Tire Shine
This is an area I am less picky in as there are so many good tire shine products out there. Gtechniq, Meguair's, Griot’s, Optimum and etc. They all do a good job. Still my two personal favorites are both Gtechniq products. Gtechniq T1 and T2 to me stand out in their respective areas. T2 is cheaper at $8 a bottle. It is meant to last as long as many basic tire shines. The advantage here is it one of the easiest to apply tire dressings (provided you have a sponge or applicator of sorts). The main drawback here is life span. Gtechniq wanted a quicker application than T1 and made T2 to be just that but at the cost of requiring an application every 1-1.5 weeks. T1 on the other hand takes longer to apply (still easy to apply though) and is significantly more expensive at $23 a bottle. Still it is in my opinion the best tire shine on the market. This tire shine is more long term and extremely durable. I have had T1 survive rain storms and even car washings with shine to it still. To me $23 is a small price to pay for a long lasting tire shine as tire shine is one key area that really makes your car pop.
Price $8-$23
Protective Coating
Having a protective coating goes a long way in sheltering your car from every day dirt and grime. I won’t mention long term coatings like Gtechniq Crystal Serum light or Ultra. This is just cheap and easy to apply products that suites the basics. I still use waxes and if you are a wax person I would recommend Zymol or Gtechniq P1 nano composite polish. I like Meguair’s M105 and M205 as well, but that is best served with a buffer which not all people have. A quick note about the P1 polish by Gtechniq is that it takes the cutting power of the pad used. If you use an aggressive pad it will remove some scratches, but if you use a fine pad it acts as a great gloss/finishing polish. The results of P1 are only amplified with the use of a buffer.
If you aren’t into breaking your back over waxes like I have become, I highly recommend Gtechniq C2 spray. This spray provides 4-8 months protection in a single application from dirt, grime, UV rays and beads well when hit with water. C2 adds instantly noticeable gloss and reflection to your paint. The more of C2 you use the more gloss and reflection you will get. C2 can be used with a wax, ceramic coatings, or on its own and can be layered as much as you would like. It does such a good job and is so quick to apply that I only use waxes now for paint correction/prep for a coating on my cars. As always if using a sealant or wax a microfiber buffing towel is highly recommended. For microfiber buffing towels you can look to the rag company, Gtechniq, Shine supply, Ammo NYC and many others. If using C2 I would recommend about 4 to do a normal size vehicle.
Price C2: $16-$30 pending size
Drying Towels
Having good exterior cleaning products is important and go a long way in helping to prevent swirl marks. Like buffing towels there are many options to choose from, but I exclusively use Gtechniq towels. Specifically Gtechniq’s MF2 and MF4 towels. Both towels have good water absorption and are paint safe. Both Gtechniq towels also have great longevity and last longer than generic microfiber drying towels. I would recommend 2 MF2 towels and 2 MF4’s to start as having spares is a good idea in case you drop a towel on the ground or into a bucket. I use the MF4's for bulk water absorption and the MF2 as a finishing towel.
MF2 price: $12
MF4 Price: $14
Cleaning
Cleaning your dirty towels and mitts with the right product is important. For here I recommend Shine Supply’s Micro Detergent. At $14 for a 32 oz bottle or $24 for a full gallon this is an expense but it does a fantastic job. This product safely removes grime, polish and other product from your towels/mitts. It also will extend the life of your towels and mitts.
There you have it, my break down of the basic areas of exterior car care while using top tier products. I hope this write up will help some people and maybe even spark interest into trying some of these products out. This isn’t a sponsor write up, just a list of darn good products in basic exterior care fields. The price may shock some of you but this doesn’t include the frequent discounts, and the price will vary pending the size you buy.
I wanted to do a write up of the basics for exterior car cleaning and care from higher tier product standpoint without breaking the bank. Why something top tier instead of something truly cost effective/economical? I have found that cost effective/economical and truly good results typically don’t go hand in hand. Having truly good basic car care products aid in many areas. Some examples are below:
-How your car looks immediately
-How your car looks as the years go by
-Greater effect and less elbow grease
-Aid in being more paint safe and less fine scratches
I hope this review will help the novices out there who are unfamiliar with products outside of what can be found at AutoZone and those who are either open to better products than what they have or want better results. Everything here is completely coating safe if you have a long term coating applied so no need to worry if it will be safe. The prices stated are normal/non sale prices, you can easily find these products for cheaper at autogeek or detailed image with their frequent sales. With that said let’s get onto the break down.
Wash/Shampoo
I have 3 top products I would recommend here. Adams and CarPro both make great pH neutral wash products for your car that work well, but my personal favorite would be Gtechniq’s G Wash shampoo. Simply put it is the best pH neutral shampoo/wash I have used, period. It differentiates itself by being one of the smoothest feeling wash products I have used with my mitts on car paint while making quick work of every day dirt/grime that used to take me more elbow grease. It isn’t cheap as it starts at $9 for a 250ml bottle, $15 for a 500ml bottle and $25 for a 1000ml. Thankfully you only need 2-4 caps per bucket (pending how dirty your car is) so a 500ml bottle will go a long way.
Price: $25
Wheel Cleaner
Wheels today are getting expensive and needless to say you will want to treat them right. Having a good pH neutral wheel cleaner is not only safe for your wheels with or without a coating, but goes a further than just using a mitt and soap. I personally recommend Shine Supply Cool Guy Wheel Cleaner. This cleaner is worth its weight in gold in my book and I have yet to use a better consumer available product without spending tons more. It smells good and does a fantastic job of removing harmful deposits on your rims. Just a deeper clean than using solely soap.
Price: $15 for a 16 oz bottle.
Bucket
The bare minimum that I would recommend is a 5 gallon bucket with a grit guard. Realistically you will want 2 5 gallon buckets with grit guards. Why? Well there are 2 reasons. Having 2 buckets means you have a wash and a rinse bucket. Pair the two buckets with grit guards and you are minimizing the risk of taking a wash mitt that is littered with grime back onto your cars paint which can product fine scratches. Finally, I find 3.5 gallon buckets to be just not enough for most regular vehicles. Spend an extra few buckets for the 5 gallon buckets, it’s worth it. You don’t need a specific brand of bucket so long as it is 5 gallons and has a grit guard. I personally use detailed image 2 pack 5 gallon buckets with grit guards.
Price: $36
Wash Mitt
Having a high quality mitt goes a long way. I don’t believe in sponges as I just don’t think they do as good a job and certainly aren’t as easy to work with. When it comes to wash mitts there are two main designs that you see circulating a lot.
Design 1 is the super noodle shaggy design as I call it Relentless Drive Ultimate Car Wash Mitt - 2 Pack Extra Large Size - Premium Chenille Microfiber Wash Mitt - Wash Glove - Lint Free - Scratch Free:
Having used both, literally, and other mitts of this design I prefer design 2. I think it glides better on paint and does a better job of removing dirt with less elbow grease. I personally recommend the WM2 wash mitt. It does a fantastic job and is very durable. Sure the mitt isn’t cheap at $17 when not on sale, but you get what you pay for.
While not necessary, I would also recommend get two wash mitts for whatever you decide on. Save one mitt for the bottom quarter to third of your car where heavier dirt deposits are and your wheels. The second mitt will be for the remainder. Idea here is trying to minimize fine scratches on your car.
Price: $34
Tire Shine
This is an area I am less picky in as there are so many good tire shine products out there. Gtechniq, Meguair's, Griot’s, Optimum and etc. They all do a good job. Still my two personal favorites are both Gtechniq products. Gtechniq T1 and T2 to me stand out in their respective areas. T2 is cheaper at $8 a bottle. It is meant to last as long as many basic tire shines. The advantage here is it one of the easiest to apply tire dressings (provided you have a sponge or applicator of sorts). The main drawback here is life span. Gtechniq wanted a quicker application than T1 and made T2 to be just that but at the cost of requiring an application every 1-1.5 weeks. T1 on the other hand takes longer to apply (still easy to apply though) and is significantly more expensive at $23 a bottle. Still it is in my opinion the best tire shine on the market. This tire shine is more long term and extremely durable. I have had T1 survive rain storms and even car washings with shine to it still. To me $23 is a small price to pay for a long lasting tire shine as tire shine is one key area that really makes your car pop.
Price $8-$23
Protective Coating
Having a protective coating goes a long way in sheltering your car from every day dirt and grime. I won’t mention long term coatings like Gtechniq Crystal Serum light or Ultra. This is just cheap and easy to apply products that suites the basics. I still use waxes and if you are a wax person I would recommend Zymol or Gtechniq P1 nano composite polish. I like Meguair’s M105 and M205 as well, but that is best served with a buffer which not all people have. A quick note about the P1 polish by Gtechniq is that it takes the cutting power of the pad used. If you use an aggressive pad it will remove some scratches, but if you use a fine pad it acts as a great gloss/finishing polish. The results of P1 are only amplified with the use of a buffer.
If you aren’t into breaking your back over waxes like I have become, I highly recommend Gtechniq C2 spray. This spray provides 4-8 months protection in a single application from dirt, grime, UV rays and beads well when hit with water. C2 adds instantly noticeable gloss and reflection to your paint. The more of C2 you use the more gloss and reflection you will get. C2 can be used with a wax, ceramic coatings, or on its own and can be layered as much as you would like. It does such a good job and is so quick to apply that I only use waxes now for paint correction/prep for a coating on my cars. As always if using a sealant or wax a microfiber buffing towel is highly recommended. For microfiber buffing towels you can look to the rag company, Gtechniq, Shine supply, Ammo NYC and many others. If using C2 I would recommend about 4 to do a normal size vehicle.
Price C2: $16-$30 pending size
Drying Towels
Having good exterior cleaning products is important and go a long way in helping to prevent swirl marks. Like buffing towels there are many options to choose from, but I exclusively use Gtechniq towels. Specifically Gtechniq’s MF2 and MF4 towels. Both towels have good water absorption and are paint safe. Both Gtechniq towels also have great longevity and last longer than generic microfiber drying towels. I would recommend 2 MF2 towels and 2 MF4’s to start as having spares is a good idea in case you drop a towel on the ground or into a bucket. I use the MF4's for bulk water absorption and the MF2 as a finishing towel.
MF2 price: $12
MF4 Price: $14
Cleaning
Cleaning your dirty towels and mitts with the right product is important. For here I recommend Shine Supply’s Micro Detergent. At $14 for a 32 oz bottle or $24 for a full gallon this is an expense but it does a fantastic job. This product safely removes grime, polish and other product from your towels/mitts. It also will extend the life of your towels and mitts.
There you have it, my break down of the basic areas of exterior car care while using top tier products. I hope this write up will help some people and maybe even spark interest into trying some of these products out. This isn’t a sponsor write up, just a list of darn good products in basic exterior care fields. The price may shock some of you but this doesn’t include the frequent discounts, and the price will vary pending the size you buy.