It's been so long. Help me get started again...

[vaca22]

It's been a good 3 years since I've been able to take care of my cars. Between getting ready to sell my place, waiting a year for the new place, and child #2, things have been extremely hectic. I'm proud to say I've finally cleaned out my garage and now have a dedicated space to maintain our vehicles, and they sorely need it.

I'm looking to clean cars now as a bit of a side hustle. I'm not trying to have some kind of amazing setup. What I AM interested in is being efficient with my time. The last time I coated my car I spent close to 10 hours start to finish. I can't be doing that any more.

My question is this - what kind of products are out there that are more or less sort of an all-in-one solution, being able to handle a large range of conditions? One of the things I recently learned about is using an iron remover as clay lubricant, essentially combining 2 separate steps into 1. In the olden days I would have washed the car, hit it with iron remover and wash again, go over it with a clay bar and wash AGAIN, and then start the polishing process. You may be able to see why it took me so long to do my car.

Is there a system or group of products that is simple and easy to use? A polish that works well for most paint conditions? A sealant or coating that is easy to apply maintain? A wheel cleaner that can tackle tough brake dust but also maybe the tires as well?

Any help would be appreciated. Right know my product knowledge is from 5 years ago. I'm sure there is some good new stuff out there.

Thank you!

 

[Texchappy]

How do you feel about using rinseless?

 

[vaca22]

How do you feel about using rinseless?

I'm very comfortable with that. I jumped down that rabbit hole in 2022 as a way to maintain the car since I didn't have easy access to water at my complex at the time. I still have the original bottle of ONR that I bought, and while not much is left, it's time to replenish that supply. I have been happy with ONR, but there seems to be a ton of new options out there now, and I'm not opposed to trying something new.

 

[Uncbrs]

I have a feeling Armour Detail Supply will show here so might as well just place it here. Take a look but they've entered the scene and I'd say arguably have a pretty good product for each need... the newest APC might just round it out to offer about everything one might need.

Take a look, might be an easy to jump back in (assuming you needed new chemicals)

Sent from my SM-S938U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Texchappy]

I'm very comfortable with that. I jumped down that rabbit hole in 2022 as a way to maintain the car since I didn't have easy access to water at my complex at the time. I still have the original bottle of ONR that I bought, and while not much is left, it's time to replenish that supply. I have been happy with ONR, but there seems to be a ton of new options out there now, and I'm not opposed to trying something new.

I am not a professional or play one on TV, but I think a rinseless regimen would be a good backbone for a lot of jobs a retailer could do.

 

[vaca22]

I found a detail supply store about 6 minutes away from me, much to my surprise. It used to be a Chemical Guys store but it has now changed, and when I walked in...just, WOW. All the stuff I've heard of and seen only online, now in the palm of my hands...

• Koch Chemie
• P&S
• Gyeon
• CarPro
• 3D
• Lake Country
• Rupes
• Rag Company
• Griot's

I mentioned Armour Detail supply, and he will be carrying that line soon, amongst a few others which I'm forgetting (one company began with an "N"). I asked if he would be carrying Bilt-Hamber, but he has to order way too much to and doesn't have the space for inventory. He actually seemed surprised that I knew about all of this stuff. Many thanks to this forum and the knowledgeable members. I've learned so much, it's bananas.

I ended up picking up a bottle of 3D iron remover and 3D One with a black LC polishing pad. I had some old clay that I resurrected and did the iron remover/claying in a single step. I found the 3D One to be a little difficult to remove. Has anyone ever experienced that with 3D One? Towards the end of my polishing sections I worked the product in for longer, and I felt that kind of improved the wipe up. Thought I had a bottle of Eraser, but I was wrong...but I did have a bottle of Mother's CMX panel prep. And - most incredibly - an unopened 2021 box of Cquartz UK. I had ZERO idea this was in my possession, but it was.

First solid detail in 3 years. Feels good to be back.

 

[SNP209]

I found a detail supply store about 6 minutes away from me, much to my surprise. It used to be a Chemical Guys store but it has now changed, and when I walked in...just, WOW. All the stuff I've heard of and seen only online, now in the palm of my hands...

• Koch Chemie
• P&S
• Gyeon
• CarPro
• 3D
• Lake Country
• Rupes
• Rag Company
• Griot's

I mentioned Armour Detail supply, and he will be carrying that line soon, amongst a few others which I'm forgetting (one company began with an "N"). I asked if he would be carrying Bilt-Hamber, but he has to order way too much to and doesn't have the space for inventory. He actually seemed surprised that I knew about all of this stuff. Many thanks to this forum and the knowledgeable members. I've learned so much, it's bananas.

I ended up picking up a bottle of 3D iron remover and 3D One with a black LC polishing pad. I had some old clay that I resurrected and did the iron remover/claying in a single step. I found the 3D One to be a little difficult to remove. Has anyone ever experienced that with 3D One? Towards the end of my polishing sections I worked the product in for longer, and I felt that kind of improved the wipe up. Thought I had a bottle of Eraser, but I was wrong...but I did have a bottle of Mother's CMX panel prep. And - most incredibly - an unopened 2021 box of Cquartz UK. I had ZERO idea this was in my possession, but it was.

First solid detail in 3 years. Feels good to be back.

3D one is heavily lubricated and has a very long cycle time which can lead to a difficult wipeoff. Try using less product.

 

[vaca22]

3D one is heavily lubricated and has a very long cycle time which can lead to a difficult wipeoff. Try using less product.

Thank you so much. I will keep this in mind for the next one!

 

[opie]

It's been a good 3 years since I've been able to take care of my cars. Between getting ready to sell my place, waiting a year for the new place, and child #2, things have been extremely hectic. I'm proud to say I've finally cleaned out my garage and now have a dedicated space to maintain our vehicles, and they sorely need it.

I'm looking to clean cars now as a bit of a side hustle. I'm not trying to have some kind of amazing setup. What I AM interested in is being efficient with my time. The last time I coated my car I spent close to 10 hours start to finish. I can't be doing that any more.

My question is this - what kind of products are out there that are more or less sort of an all-in-one solution, being able to handle a large range of conditions? One of the things I recently learned about is using an iron remover as clay lubricant, essentially combining 2 separate steps into 1. In the olden days I would have washed the car, hit it with iron remover and wash again, go over it with a clay bar and wash AGAIN, and then start the polishing process. You may be able to see why it took me so long to do my car.

Is there a system or group of products that is simple and easy to use? A polish that works well for most paint conditions? A sealant or coating that is easy to apply maintain? A wheel cleaner that can tackle tough brake dust but also maybe the tires as well?

Any help would be appreciated. Right know my product knowledge is from 5 years ago. I'm sure there is some good new stuff out there.

Thank you!

fwiw my opinion, do not overlook Labocosmetica.
Again this is all my opinion.

Primus 2.0-very versitile product,plethora of dilution ratios for many different applications.

Purifica- all your acidic needs. Whatever it can not tackle it then look at Energo, which is a powerful waterspot remover.

Sidero- an iron remover gel with capabilities to attack mineral deposits. Sidero can be diluted up to 1:4, very long dwell time.

Beneifica- nice product, can be diluted 1:1 so nice value.

Perfecta sio2-nice gloss, slickness, wipe off, water repelency all good. While at first i really enjoyed the scent, at times i think it could be dialed back a little as it can be over powering. Personally i prefer #1 feynlab hybrid ceramic detailer or #2 ADS amplify over perfecta sio2.

Thats all ive tried from them thus far. Think im going to snag fiero, and SAM/HPC 2.0 coating and put that on the buick to see how it fares on the daily driver. Nobody on here has gave labocosmetica coatings a try that im aware of.

Armour detail supply. Have not tried eveything from them. Just decon, shampoo+, amplify, ceramic spray sealant, adapt, hero, tire +, ghost, quartz coating, phobic. Would not repurchase, adapt, hero, decon and shampoo+.

Feynlab hcd and pure rinseless v3 are winners.

So many more products to chat about. I have not even touched on abrasives or anything else but thats just a start or a quick rundown off the top of my head

 

[vaca22]

Lots of great stuff to try. I've seen the word Idrosave tossed around here a lot, as well as the Feynlab rinseless.