machinist

I have a Black '09 G37x coupe and I just wanted to get a few opinions here on a simple topic. Rather than going out and buying tons of different cleaning agents, which everyone's going to have their bias's towards, depending on what's worked for them, here's what I'm wondering (since I live in a condo with indoor parking):

1) Would it just be a better idea to get "The Works" (total package or whatever it's called) touchless car wash at a local gas station, come back home to park underground and then apply a common brand name like "Meguire's Quik Detailer Spray"?

Would this protect the paint & prevent swirls?

Thanks!

MaxToTheG37

iTrader: (3)

car washes like that have been known to have super strong detergent soaps and can eat waxes off in a heartbeat....

If you use a quick detailer spray on your black g37 you will give it swirls... big time...

machinist

Really? Man, that sucks! So even if I use something like "Poorboys Quick Detailer", I'll experience the same thing given the above scenario, huh? I lot of ppl keep talking about this ONR bucket & sponge style cleaning, but I wish there was another substitute for it that I can get from a local store around where I live in Toronto. If I were to buy that ONR cleaner online, shipping along costs me over $35-$40, which is ridiculous.

Damn dude, now I'm lost. I just want a simple way to detail the car myself several times a week at night time when I get home from work and park underground. I'd hate to give it swirls.

Anything else you'd recommend? Thx bud!

Blackjack

iTrader: (3)

Definitely don't use touchless washes. Not only do they use harsh detergents but the pressure is just grinding dirt into your paint. In addition they don't even get off all the dirt, so using a QD after running through a touchless isn't a good idea.

QD is fine on a clean hand washed car though... I'd recommend you invest in some proper detailing supplies.

shumby

iTrader: (3)

you have the 09 ONR it man then in the winter go over it with a hair dryer to activate the self healing paint. the car was will mean you gots to wax more though.

Don@Migliore

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure why you're so caught up with Maguires QD. It will not protect anything and will mar your paint if you are using it to supplement a wash.

machinist

Not necessarily caught up with the Maguire's, though it may seem that way. I just bought it yesterday and spent an hour last night in my underground parking applying everything, that's all.

I honestly never thought touchless car washes were that violent toward's the car's paint. My buddy's the sales manager @ the local Infiniti and he even said touchless would be fine, so it's just contrary to what he's suggested. But if it's bad, it's bad.

I'm only hung up on getting ONR cause I'd rather not pay the $40 shipping to get it here in Toronto and so I was hoping that there was another bucket & sponge cleaning solution on the market that I can pickup. Anything you guys could recommend for this purpose?

And again, I appreciate all your advice!

machinist

Ok guys, I did it....I just purchased the following items from Detailed Image:

Blackfire: Long Lasting Tire Gel
Lake Country: Tire Dressing Applicator
Optimum (OPT): No Rinse (ONR) - 128 oz

So this is good enough to give me an amazing shine, right? After putting on ONR, should I use any other quick detail mist sprays or is this stuff good enough?

EVO-to-G

iTrader: (4)

^^
amazing shine...not necisarally.
clean....yes.

The ONR, as people say, has alot of polymers to keep the paint slick but if you want an "amazing shine" you will have to follow up with a nice coat of wax or sealant.
The wax or sealant is what is really gonna give you that nice shiny depth and wet look to it...not to mention also adds protection.
and since your car is brand new, i would say skip the polish and clay bar step for now.

You have a black car...so do i. I have used Blackfire Midnight Sun Carnuba Wax on it and it works great. Alot of people with black cars recommend it.
I have also used Menzerna FMJ and that gives of the most "wet" look i have ever seen (this is a sealant).

You can use both a wax and a sealant but your supposed to wait some time in between. I've heard to apply the sealant and then the next day apply a coat of wax over it. I would just pick between one of those...either a sealant or a wax.

last lemming

I not sure about this "self healing paint" - sounds like "snake oil" to me, but that's just because I never heard of it until now b/c I own an 08 OB car and if I would have know how easy it was to scratch the clear coat on this car I would have never - NEVER bought black. It's so scratch sensitive that if you just lightly drag your fingnail over the paint it will scratch - I hope your's does heal. So unless your car is perfectly clean DO NOT use any sort of detailer, even with a microfiber. The problem, I find, is that if you want to be sure you don't leave any scratches you have to spray liberal amounts of product on your car, and while the exact area you spray may be ok when you wipe, the spray streaks and drips all over the car, not to mention the misting, and when you go to wipe that away there wont be enough product so you have to keep spraying to keep the product wet enough to wipe - so you end up chasing your tail. Also, I've tried several deatilers and they all leave streaks if you don't work the microfiber a bit, but if there is any grit (which there always seems to be) then you leaving scratchs - it's all a big PIA - but OB does loooook soooooooooo gooooood when right.

machinist

Great advice bro! Yeah, believe it or not, I've been spending the past several days doing nothing but reading a LOT about what the best detailing products are. I usually like to google things to see what ppl out there on the net think as well. So here's my list of cleaners that I'm going for so far:

ONR + sheepskin cloth: Exterior of the car + rims (maybe?)
Exterior & Interior windows: Windex Auto Glass (I have tints on my windows, but the product is ammonia free + ok on tints...so it says)
Tires: Blackfire: Long Lasting Tire Gel
Interior leather: Lexol leather cleaner

The only products that I'm stuck between now is what I'm gonna put on after the ONR. I'm stuck between Megiuare's Ultimate QD vs. Duragloss 105 vs. Duragloss AquaWax. I've been hearing nothing but AMAZING reviews online about the Duragloss products. I just want a shiny a$$ car!

Also stuck on what interior vinyl cleaner to get. And I think the ONR should be fine to clean the rims from what I hear.

Don@Migliore

iTrader: (1)

Meguiar's QD should NOT be used as an LSP. You're looking for a sealant or wax.

machinist

Hey Don, thanks for guiding me in the right direction...something I def needed at this point

machinist

Damn, now I'm stuck on this one thing: After using ONR, to really get that maximum shine, should I either go for:

#951, Duragloss AW (Aquawax) (http://www.duragloss.com/product.asp?pid=272)
or
#105, Duragloss TPP (Total Performance Polish) (http://www.duragloss.com/product.asp?pid=336)

I hear nothing but the best reviews on both of these items, but I'm looking for something that will get my black G37 an awesome shine after applying ONR.

Hmmm....