First order, please review

[bigjppop]

I'm getting ready to place my first order and wanted a sanity check. I'm an amateur and will be working on my own car.

Details:
Daily driver, family car (2010 Dodge Grand Caravan)
Black exterior, light grey leather interior
My wife is the primary driver, two little kids are the primary passengers (none of which are very easy on the car)
The car lives outside 24/7
Not looking for show car looks, longevity and durability are the most important. I want to keep the car looking good for as long as possible.

I'm having the car detailed professionally next month and I'll let them handle the heavy lifting of polishing, swirl/scratch removal and the initial sealant and wax. I will probably have them do this once a year. I'll handle the maintainence along the way. My car is parked on the street about 50 yards from my house so I have no power/water hookup available. I'll be doing the bucket wash at the local coin operated joint.

So...
Duragloss 901 for the wash
Optima power clean for interior cleaning duties
Poorboys Natural Look for interior protection/leather conditioning
Ultimata trim and tire guard for exterior protection
Griot's HD wheel cleaner
Stoner's glass cleaner
Collinite 845 for for more regular wax jobs (not sure if I'll apply it or ask my detailed to it every three months or so)

I've read lots of good things about Finish Kare 425 and Optimum spray wax, not really sure what they're for. I'm looking for something for quick cleaning of both interior and exterior duties ( will the FK 425 work here?) as well as something to shine the exterior up between waxes. I'm open to suggestions on this one; do I need both? Better options?

Like I said at the top, this is my own car, not interested in starting a business, daily driver with a hard life, etc. I don't mind spending some cash to get good products, but I'm a big believer in the law of diminishing return; I'm guessing when it comes to detailing products you hit the max value peak relatively early on the curve.

Oh yes, I recognize I'll need a wash mit, brushes, drying towels, etc. I'm open to suggestions here as well, but again, I think the diminishing returns idea on this stuff is pretty apparent as well.

That's in advance for any advice/suggestions.

[BobbyG]

You have some nice products listed for general maintenance of your vehicle. Believe it or not many like you prefer to have the exterior polished once annually and enjoy taking care of the car in between.

Add some microfiber towels to the mix especially some glass towels. These make glass cleaning a cinch and guarantee a streak free finish.

Finish Kare 425 is a detail spray. Used it for those in between touch-ups to keep the exterior finish dust free.

Optimum Spray Car Wax is may favorite spray wax and its shine and durability surpass every other similar product I've tried.

Optimum Power Clean diluted 3:1 is a great all around all purpose cleaner. Use this for both interior and exterior and it's very economical.

There are allot of interior protectants available but one I really like is Meguiar's M40. This product is a spray and wipe leaving the surface looking new and a leather scent.

For exterior plastic and trim Ultima Tire & Trim Guard is a superb product and its performance and durability are hard to beat..

[CaneCharger]

Welcome to the forums!
Bobby made some great suggestions - and he has used a ton of products!

I will comment on the ones I have used:

Poorboy's Natural Look - Love the stuff! You can buff as much sheen you want - want sheen, just wipe on - less sheen, buff it a little after wiping on. Plus I LOVE THE SCENT!

Stoner's glass cleaner - great stuff, one of the best you will find on here. I use a glass microfiber, I think it helps with this!

#845 would be great for your van - easy on and easy off! Plus the durability of the wax would be great for you.

I hope that helps!

[Belair]

I haven't seen many black Caravans, our white Sienna is a handful to maintain & we have a garage. Your products should keep your van looking good with regular care.

[dwengier77]

I own a minivan with 3 little ones under six who don't understand that crayons and juice in a car are no no.
Your list is good but i would add one more item. DP upholstery and carpet cleaner with a nice stiff brush. It did great work on on some hard to reach areas in my van. i use OPC too but the DP upholstery and carpet cleaner is used quite a bit in my van and house!

[bigjppop]

Thanks for the great responses so far. Shockingly, our carpet/upholstery are in pretty good shape so far. I'm sure it won't last so I'll look at the DP carpet cleaner for order number two.

[Dubbin1]

I'm sure it won't last so I'll look at the DP carpet cleaner for order number two.

Forget that, swing by Lowes and pick up some Folex, its the best dang carpet cleaner you will find and its CHEAP.

[Kurt_s]

Apply thin layers of 845 to keep it easy to use.

After washing the car to remove dirt, take a plastic baggie and put your hand inside the bag. Rub your baggied hand over the paint. If it feels gritty through the plastic bag, you probably should get yourself some clay and lube. The difference between a clayed and non-clayed paint before waxing is amazing. It removes oxidized paint as well as fallout that would be left on the paint before waxing.

I just bought and tried Wolfgang ETS for the first time, the Wolfgang version of UTTG. They seem to be pretty similar in my hands. I will know about durability in about 6 months.

AP 303 is also a nice alternative option for interior/exterior UV protectant. Nice dark and low sheen finish for black and brown interiors. I have not used the Poorboy's dressing so I can't compare. I use another interior dressing that isn't available from AG in addition to 303.

Get yourself a good glass MF towel or two. I think that I prefer the very fine MF cloth to the waffle weave MF for the final wipe.

Sheepskin wash mitt in my experience is easier on paint than a MF mitt. Mother's seems to be a good option for not too much money.

MF drying towels or a Water Sprite is easier on paint than an old bath towel for drying.

Tire and spoke brushes to agitate the wheel cleaner.

Grit guard (or 2) for a 5 gallon bucket available through AG or a Lowes/Home Depot bucket will help keep your wash mitt clean when washing.

Trick: use the UTTG on your rims and tires once you get them clean.

Full strength OPC on the tires to remove the brown grunge that keeps the tires from looking black before the UTTG. When you wash your car and dry the rubber seals around the windows, sometimes you get black oxidized rubber on the towel.

While the car is wet when washing, a little OPC, a tooth brush and a MF towel will help remove that oxidized rubber before treating it with UTTG or something like 303.

I like Optimum Car Wax like Bobby G. OCW can be used an everyday wax instead of a traditional liquid or paste wax. The 845 will last a long time (6 months in bad weather) but the OCW takes 10 minutes to apply and lasts months. The 845 may be the better option if you are going into a heavy winter.

If you live in a temperate climate like me, you can use OCW every month after washing and will have a car that is always protected and looks great. I use OCW as a topper wax over a sealant and go 6 months between a quick polish and rewax with 2 garaged DDs. If you blow off your car with a leaf blower instead of using a drying towel, use the OCW as a drying aid and get both protection and lubrication when you wipe off any residual water drops.