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Exterior and Interior Treatments Wash/Wax/Etc.


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I almost got scammed by a dealer wanting to charge me 600 bucks for a "Xzilon" treatment for my car. But then I found the same thing for 60 bucks on eBay! I quickly called back and canceled it .

 

But, I'm wondering what you guys use for exterior and also interior treatment. Wax on outside, leather and dash and carpet inside. Wheels, etc.

 

Would be interested to know if anyone has used this "Xzilon" before and what the results were. Somebody on a BMW forum said he regretted it.

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I've been using products from The Chemical guys and also Show Car Detail... The chemical guys sell a foamer with a citrus wash and polish that is great for weekly quick washes..

 

Show car detail has a clay bar, polish, glaze and wet wax that has been giving me super results as well. The whole system takes a little while but I dont do the whole car in one day since it is not a daily driver.

 

For a quick wax (paint and black plastic parts) Turtle wax Ice synthetic is pretty good.

 

M.

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I sell cars at a dealership...just so you know when they offer you the Interior, exterior packages, yes you can buy the product yourself but you are purchasing through the dealer is a warranty so if the product fails, i.e. you get etching in the paint or stains on the interior or even some packages cover punctures on the interior you will be covered for repairs. Just some information for you.

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I sell cars at a dealership...just so you know when they offer you the Interior, exterior packages, yes you can buy the product yourself but you are purchasing through the dealer is a warranty so if the product fails, i.e. you get etching in the paint or stains on the interior or even some packages cover punctures on the interior you will be covered for repairs. Just some information for you.

 

 

Thanks Grabber that is good to know. Explains a little bit of the markup. Being a Corvette dealer explains the other 400 bucks LOL!

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I usually buy my stuff through detailedimage.com or autogeek

 

For washing: Meguires Gold Class wash with two bucket method

Quick wipe downs: FK1 425

Polish/wax: Right now Im using Blackfire wet diamond polish, looks great on dark colors.

 

Never tried the stuff you mentioned, seems like every other dealer calls it something else. Its usually a detailing process coated with something that seals in the finish. Sounds like they use something like this: http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-opti-coat.html

 

This is still pretty new, but sounds like it works very well.

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I use meguiar products -

 

Meguiars Ultimate wash & wax for washing

Meguiars Ultimate quick detailer or Ultimate Quik Wax for wipe downs

Meguiars NXT 2.0 Liquid wax (leaves your paint looking like a glossy candy coat IMO)

Meguiars Endurance Tire Gel

 

I honestly never use anything on the interior. I generally just get a damp microfiber towel to remove any dust, etc.

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I use meguiar products -

 

Meguiars Ultimate wash & wax for washing

Meguiars Ultimate quick detailer or Ultimate Quik Wax for wipe downs

Meguiars NXT 2.0 Liquid wax (leaves your paint looking like a glossy candy coat IMO)

Meguiars Endurance Tire Gel

 

I honestly never use anything on the interior. I generally just get a damp microfiber towel to remove any dust, etc.

 

agree with Blue on Meguiars-id add though Meguiars #7 glaze to give your paint more depth , #3 and 2 for slight scratches not thru the clear,works like magic, and # 9 swirl remover after you use 2 or 3

For interior I use lexal both conditioner and the cleaner once a year on all my cars--If you bring it to shows,or want to show off the engine, try Hog Spit--it was recommended by someone on the forum and its great on all the hoses,metal parts etc--hard to find so get it on ebay

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Also agree with Blue for the meguiars stuff. I have found the Ultimate quick wax to be the best spray stuff for my black car. Least streaky of them all if that makes sense. The scratch X 2.0 is also really good on deep scrathces. I was skeptical at first but tried some and was pretty impressed.

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I use meguiar products -

 

Meguiars Ultimate wash & wax for washing

Meguiars Ultimate quick detailer or Ultimate Quik Wax for wipe downs

Meguiars NXT 2.0 Liquid wax (leaves your paint looking like a glossy candy coat IMO)

Meguiars Endurance Tire Gel

 

I honestly never use anything on the interior. I generally just get a damp microfiber towel to remove any dust, etc.

I'm with you on the Meguiars stuff and the damp cloth. I also usually buy a can of Scotchguard and spray the carpet when I buy a new car.

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I use and prefer all the Zainos products. They are not cheap but are worth it!

 

Interior - Z-10 Leather in a Bottle. Wonderful product.

 

Exterior Wash - Z-7 Show Car Wash. It's absolutely and unbelievably sudsy and smooth ---- hands down, the best wash I've ever used.

 

Tires - Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss.

 

All the other polish products are great too.

 

http://www.zainostore.com/

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I use all Griots products. I was all about Meguiars in the past but after a few friends helped me detail my car correctly with Griots I never looked back. Everything they carry is absolutely top shelf quality and customer service is outstanding.

 

 

http://www.griotsgarage.com/category/car+care.do

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I use all Griots products. I was all about Meguiars in the past but after a few friends helped me detail my car correctly with Griots I never looked back. Everything they carry is absolutely to shelf quality and customer service is outstanding.

 

 

http://www.griotsgar...ory/car+care.do

 

 

 

I could not agree more. Great products and customer support.

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I use and prefer all the Zainos products. They are not cheap but are worth it!

 

Interior - Z-10 Leather in a Bottle. Wonderful product.

 

Exterior Wash - Z-7 Show Car Wash. It's absolutely and unbelievably sudsy and smooth ---- hands down, the best wash I've ever used.

 

Tires - Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss.

 

All the other polish products are great too.

 

http://www.zainostore.com/

 

 

This. Except for the cost part. While Zaino isn't cheap, it's right in line with any of the other wax/polish lines if you get the complete lineup of products.

 

The thing about Zaino is that it lasts. And lasts. And lasts... When I first got Zaino, I decided to test it out to see how well it stood up and how long it would keep it's shine. So I put it on half of the hood on my work car, and put Mothers on the other half. Now, mind you, I worked at one of the nastiest places on earth. And after a day or two in the sun, the Mothers side looked like crap. A couple days later and we had some rain. The Zaino beaded off like it had just been put on, and with a quick cleaning was shiny as ever. The Mothers? Virtually gone. So I made up my mind and forgot all about the test. Untill about 8 weeks later, when we had a big storm as I was going into work, and half the hood was beading up like it had been waxed that day. I sold that car a few weeks later and the guy that bought it told me half the hood still beaded up months later. He eventually got rid of it later that year, but that side of the hood stayed shiny till he did. That was from one application, and Zaino builds up over time. And gets better and better looking.

 

I also noticed that after waxing my car with a normal wax, and driving around for a few hours on a hot day, the wax seemed to melt and get dull (I don't remember which ones did that). Zaino doesn't do that at all.

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OK---everyone has his or her own preferences on how to take care of exterior. Have over the years used all of the products mentioned above so far and in fact have a nice package on the way from Auto Geek right now :happy feet: !

 

Use this on all of my cars from the MB's to the Ford's. Apply all products with a Makita BO6040 using different pads however, most of the time I use the finish tan pads. First start with a clean finish--then apply Meguires Show Car Glaze #7, remove with the Cobra Gold Micro Fiber Towel (all applications of products use these for removal), Apply Meguires # 21 Synthetic Sealant and let cure for 4 hours in the garage, after removal apply and I am on the fence on this either #26 Meguires Yellow Wax or the Pinnacle Liquid Souverän Wax.

 

This is of course assuming that your paint is in Excellent condition otherwise the Swirls, Halos, etc must be removed and that is a different subject. Most people do not want to invest the time of money for the equipment and products to do the paint justice. If there is a downside to doing the Fords and my Raptor is the same way is the Orange Peel!! Why Ford cannot get it together on paint is beyond me!

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This. Except for the cost part. While Zaino isn't cheap, it's right in line with any of the other wax/polish lines if you get the complete lineup of products.

 

The thing about Zaino is that it lasts. And lasts. And lasts... When I first got Zaino, I decided to test it out to see how well it stood up and how long it would keep it's shine. So I put it on half of the hood on my work car, and put Mothers on the other half. Now, mind you, I worked at one of the nastiest places on earth. And after a day or two in the sun, the Mothers side looked like crap. A couple days later and we had some rain. The Zaino beaded off like it had just been put on, and with a quick cleaning was shiny as ever. The Mothers? Virtually gone. So I made up my mind and forgot all about the test. Untill about 8 weeks later, when we had a big storm as I was going into work, and half the hood was beading up like it had been waxed that day. I sold that car a few weeks later and the guy that bought it told me half the hood still beaded up months later. He eventually got rid of it later that year, but that side of the hood stayed shiny till he did. That was from one application, and Zaino builds up over time. And gets better and better looking.

 

I also noticed that after waxing my car with a normal wax, and driving around for a few hours on a hot day, the wax seemed to melt and get dull (I don't remember which ones did that). Zaino doesn't do that at all.

 

i bought the Zaino for a black STS V i own--- it worked fine in warm weather, but when it went below 60 it was almost impossible to get it off the car--i had to use #7 Meguiars to get the cloudiness out.Maybe Im doing something wrong, and i dont use any buffing machines,just hand buff with micro towels

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Also a Zaino fan, it does last a long time. The process is consuming, layering the polishes and the time period waiting in between. The only reason I have stopped using it over the last year is because I notice on darker vehicles it will almost enhance any imperfections in the paint. Zaino from my experience is a polish that gives the paint a very bright shiny appearance, which is great. But for the average guy (me) I tend to stick with polishes that create a darker black or "warmth with depth" (the best way I can describe it) because I dont have the time to have the car buffed to have the swirls removed before adding the product. In fact, I added a layer of zaino to my black gt500 a day after buying it and I noticed that in the sunlight the dealer swirls were even more pronounced. So if you have your car buffed and want to seal in that shine, zaino is awesome for that. Consumer reports have showed protection lasting upwards of 6 months.

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Just as a note---my cars usually have a coat of wax applied every 3 to 4 weeks at the most between applications. You might say this is a hobby of mine to keep everything looking as shiney and deep as possible but when you like black vehicles it goes with the territory..

 

The whole process as shown in the previous post is only used when we have a week or 2 in a row with rain or snow or every 3 to 4 months. Will tell you this my paint even on the truck which I drive off road at the ranch looks as good 2 and 3 years later using this process which really helps when trading one in.

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I've been a fan of Zaino's products for years and here's a coat of Meguiar's Ultimate on top of a Zaino base.

 

http://www.teamshelb...ost__p__1167553

 

 

 

Here is my Raptor using the 3 step process above:

th_cd8cb330.jpg

th_288eebac.jpg

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i bought the Zaino for a black STS V i own--- it worked fine in warm weather, but when it went below 60 it was almost impossible to get it off the car--i had to use #7 Meguiars to get the cloudiness out.Maybe Im doing something wrong, and i dont use any buffing machines,just hand buff with micro towels

 

 

Sounds like it wasn't fully dry. It can take a while to dry in cooler or humid weather. Try putting it in the sun to dry, that helps. Also make sure you arent putting it on too thick. Rule of thumb is, if you can see it going on, it's too much. Which takes some getting used to.

 

Or you can do the old school pre ZFX thing, put it on later in the day and let it dry overnight.

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I'm an Adam's addict, I "3-step" the car before every show and have had unbelievable results...

Also, you should CLAY your car once or twice a year, and most definitely RIGHT AFTER you pick it up from the dealer brand new. Horrifying what comes off a BRAND NEW finish after delivery.

Also, don't underestimate what a good coat of POLISH does for your finish, right before you apply the WAX coat.

adamspolishes.com

Enjoy-

GUS

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I'm an Adam's addict, I "3-step" the car before every show and have had unbelievable results...

Also, you should CLAY your car once or twice a year, and most definitely RIGHT AFTER you pick it up from the dealer brand new. Horrifying what comes off a BRAND NEW finish after delivery.

Also, don't underestimate what a good coat of POLISH does for your finish, right before you apply the WAX coat.

adamspolishes.com

Enjoy-

GUS

 

 

All I use is Adams too... Many Zaino and Griot converts use it too... But any of these products are topshelf. Stay away from Turtle wax and Mcguiers. They are cheaper but they don't last nor do as good a job.

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I use Wolfgangs Total Swirl Remover, Wolfgangs finishing glaze, Menzerna 85rd, then apply Wolfgangs Total Gloss Sealant and back that up with a 100% carnuba sealant for depth. Have had excellent results.

 

Products are applied with a Griots 6'' Random Orbital with CCS pads (Orange pad for the swirl remover, white pad with the glaze, and blue pad for the sealants)

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use adams polishes all of the products are awesome

 

 

Love Adam's products...just started using their wash soap and spray detailer. What's also great are their video tutorials. I have been caring for my cars for many years and learned quite a bit about exterior care...especially when it comes to minimizing water spots.

 

A+++++

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I'm an Adam's addict, I "3-step" the car before every show and have had unbelievable results...

Also, you should CLAY your car once or twice a year, and most definitely RIGHT AFTER you pick it up from the dealer brand new. Horrifying what comes off a BRAND NEW finish after delivery.

Also, don't underestimate what a good coat of POLISH does for your finish, right before you apply the WAX coat.

adamspolishes.com

Enjoy-

GUS

 

 

+1 on the clay bar. I had never done this until two years ago but now do it at least once a year on all my cars. I wasn't a believer until I used it on my GT500 after picking it up at the dealer for the first time. It makes an INCREDIBLE difference. Doing it any more frequently than every six months is not necessary, even on a daily driver. I use all Blackfire products from www.properautocare.com. My usual routine is:

 

1. Wash and dry (wheels/tires then body, with two separate buckets and MF sponges)

2. Clay bar

3. Polish

4. Seal

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I used Meguiar's NXT..................but put it in the trash can after an autobody guy told me about a product called WIZARD Master Shine. One coat on my red 2010 Shelby GT 500 made people come up to me wanting to know what I used on my car. The stuff is unbelievable! WIZARD has a website...........google it for their products.

This stuff is so easy to put on, no steaks, no residure on rubber parts, It costs about $16.00 for a bottle. They also make a great spray detailer for a quick clean-up.

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What about tires? I've given up on the glossy finish because its not worth the mess on the rims and lower body panels. I have even tried silicon and armour all low sheen detail. Both left a nice clean tire with a no gloss finish and no mess after a few trips. Is there a product that gives a shine but stays in place on the tire?

 

As far as wax I just purchased Meguires Ultimate and really liked it. Very deep on my black car. Easy on and off. Bird dropping repelled! No powder in the jambs and edges.

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What about tires? I've given up on the glossy finish because its not worth the mess on the rims and lower body panels. I have even tried silicon and armour all low sheen detail. Both left a nice clean tire with a no gloss finish and no mess after a few trips. Is there a product that gives a shine but stays in place on the tire?

 

As far as wax I just purchased Meguires Ultimate and really liked it. Very deep on my black car. Easy on and off. Bird dropping repelled! No powder in the jambs and edges.

 

 

Broken record from me for Zaino Products. I also use the Tire product too.....

 

Description: Perfect is right. One application of Z-16 leaves an incredibly durable, water repellent, perfect looking satin finish, that's only slightly glossy and dry to the touch. Our unique formula contains Ultra-Gard UV protection and our exclusive moisturizing and antistatic solution to prevent drying, cracking and browning. Z-16 helps repels dust and dirt to keep your tires looking great, longer. Z-16 is not greasy and won’t sling off onto your paint.

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