Best bang for buck

[Jmk91]

I'm new here so hello lol. I used to work part time at a professional detail shop. We used different products than sold here and honestly they where not that good. I'm looking to get back into detailing my cars more often. Currently I'm using cheap wax and shampoo with a natural sea sponge. I'm looking for a full blown kit such as a good clay bar, a good shampoo, hand polish, hand sealant, along with some good towels I have the wash mitts covered I prefer to use my sea sponge unless I can get some other recommendations. I was looking into an expensive company that's not sold on this site and I'm looking at near 250 for all of that if not more. I know sometimes it pays to pay extra but if there is less expensive products that can use to get the same or better results I'm down. I'm just looking for the best bang for the buck results. Interior I have covered with my other products same with rims and tires.

[Route246]

If I had it to do over again I would work backwards. This means work back from getting my paint corrected, sealed and topped. I have my paint where I want it and then what do I do?

First, I would study the discussions here about quick detailers, drying agents, spray waxes, etc. Quick detailers (and variants) can be made very cheaply by using rinseless wash products and diluting them into a spray bottle. Optimum and McKees are the two that I use but there are a multitude of very competent rinseless wash products out there that achieve the same goal. The goal is what to do after your weekly or not so frequent wash of your finished car. Wash with your chosen shampoo/soap and then using a "quick detailer" as a drying agent. If your concoction has wax, so much the better.

[custmsprty]

I'm new here so hello lol. I used to work part time at a professional detail shop. We used different products than sold here and honestly they where not that good. I'm looking to get back into detailing my cars more often. Currently I'm using cheap wax and shampoo with a natural sea sponge. I'm looking for a full blown kit such as a good clay bar, a good shampoo, hand polish, hand sealant, along with some good towels I have the wash mitts covered I prefer to use my sea sponge unless I can get some other recommendations. I was looking into an expensive company that's not sold on this site and I'm looking at near 250 for all of that if not more. I know sometimes it pays to pay extra but if there is less expensive products that can use to get the same or better results I'm down. I'm just looking for the best bang for the buck results. Interior I have covered with my other products same with rims and tires.

Car Care Kits, Car Care Cleaning Kits, Complete Detailing Kits

My first choice, especially if you are doing it by hand, I own all of these BF products and they are top notch, click the link below:

BLACKFIRE Wet-Ice Over Fire Kit, detailing kit, car care kit

[Jmk91]

I appreciate the input, my paint is rather good after all it's a white car so no paint correction is needed. Just a good ol claybar and some good soap and some sealant and top it off with some wax. I'm not a big fan of quick detail. I've used them before but it's for almost more for a car that's been clayed and already taken care of. I did look at the total car care kits problem is there are so many options. I don't have the time or funds to try them all out so I was looking for the best bang for buck or this shampoo is the best I've ever tried and I've tried 20 others etc. I was thinking about the klasse all in one and top it off with another brand sealant. I don't have a garage so I can't wait hours for stuff to cure and redo more coats. I want a quicker sealant. I know Maguire has a decent one but it doesn't last long. Looking for something with quick cure, looks good and lasts haha.

[custmsprty]

Does your white paint look like this?













There is always the next level for white paint

[Jmk91]

Haha, doesn't look that good but once again it's a daily driven 2007. It's in pretty good shape for having 115k miles on it. I've taken some what decent care of it. Not trying to win any car shows, nor look like the red headed ugly step child either lol.

[custmsprty]

Haha, doesn't look that good but once again it's a daily driven 2007. It's in pretty good shape for having 115k miles on it. I've taken some what decent care of it. Not trying to win any car shows, nor look like the red headed ugly step child either lol.

That's my daily driver, I only deal with it twice a year.

My 2003 Xterra after 12 years, I traded i tin for the Rogue. PS I only wash my dd about 8-10's a year max. Not nce a month, that's for sure. I protect it and drive on............down the road.




This was not babied at all and never garage kept so it held up pretty well in 12 years of Florida sun.



What I found was to apply a solid quality sealant every 5-6 months and it was good to go. It had never bee polished until the last couple years I owned it. These pics are pre polish.

[custmsprty]

You know what's funny and ironic, I've never, ever, ever clayed any of my cars, including this bad boy. And can anyone ever tell, heck no!



Or this one







Or this one:



So what does that really mean? They all look pretty darn good. You think the owners said, wow it looks great but did you clay it

No, what he did was to drive it back to the dealership he bought it from and say, hey guys, you said you detailed my car, why didn't it look like this?

[FUNX650]

I'm looking for a full blown kit such as
•a good clay bar,
•a good shampoo,
•hand polish,
•hand sealant,
•along with some good towels

I have the wash mitts covered
I prefer to use my sea sponge
•unless I can get some other
recommendations.


Interior I have covered with my other
products same with rims and tires.

my paint is rather good
after all it's a white car so
no paint correction is needed.

^^^IMO: not always necessarily true.

•Just a good ol claybar
•and some good soap
•and some sealant and
•top it off with some wax.

•Car wash shampoo:
Meguiars Hyper-Wash is a concetrated car wash for frequent or professional detailing. Super foaming, long lasting car shampoo from Meguiars.

•Wash Mitts:
Cobra Micro-Chenille Wash Mitts, car shampoo mitts, microfiber mitts

•Clay:
Griot's Garage Paint Cleaning Clay, Griots Detailing Clay Bar, Auto Detailing Clay, Griots Garage Clay Bar

•Clay Lube:
McKee’s 37 N-914 Rinseless Wash
-Note: can also be used for Rinseless
and Waterless washes

•(Hand/or Machine) Polish:
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #205 Ultra Finishing Polish, final polish, Meguiars polishes, car polish, 205 FP

•(Hand/or Machine) Sealant:
Finish Kare 1000P Hi-Temp Paste Wax, high melt polymer car wax, Finish care auto wax
(Yes...it is a Sealant)

•Spray Wax:
Meguiars Synthetic X-press Spray Wax, X-press car wax, Meguiars X-press spray liquid wax, D156

•AIO/Cleaner-Sealant:
Finish Kare 215 One Step Cleaner & Surface Sealant, cleaner wax, paint cleaner and paint sealant, finish care

•Good Towels:
-I suggest ones that are "edgeless".
-You can't go wrong with the varied
assortment that the AGO store has
in stock, IMO
Car Care Microfiber Towels, Microfiber dusters and microfiber Detailing tools


The above may not exactly fit your
definition of a full-blown kit...but I
do hope that it helps.


Bob