Hey everyone, I just bought an '03 IS300 and was wondering....What are some great easily available choices from say a parts store (Advanced, O'Reily, Autozone....) that I can put on my car by HAND to make water bead up really well when it rains and also give it an awesome SHINE!
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- Thread starter Rtstrider
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JHZR2
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if you can get collinite at your local harbor freight, Id say to do it! it beads real nice and stays real smooth.
However, you still need to prep.
I'd buy some meguiar's gold class car shampoo, a few quality microfiber wash mits, a mother's clay bar kit, a low/no abraisive cleaner of some sort (others will comment on this), then meguiar's #26 or meguiar's gold class and collinite 476 or similar on top or solely on as wax, due to its longevity as a topcoat.
Good luck!
JMH
However, you still need to prep.
I'd buy some meguiar's gold class car shampoo, a few quality microfiber wash mits, a mother's clay bar kit, a low/no abraisive cleaner of some sort (others will comment on this), then meguiar's #26 or meguiar's gold class and collinite 476 or similar on top or solely on as wax, due to its longevity as a topcoat.
Good luck!
JMH
Most of the products at mass retail are very similar at certain price points. Each retailer offers a few "diamonds in the rough" but for the most part, they all carry the same brands and products. Mass retail is all about revenue per sq. foot, maximizing profit margins and turning inventory, not about offering the best variety of top notch products to their customers.
Having said that, there are some good products at retail in each category. JHZR2 has mentioned a few good ones but let me break them down for you. This is a basic list off the top of my head but it'll get you started:
SHAMPOOS - Meguiars NXT, Meguiars Gold Class, Mothers Calif Gold, 3M car wash soap
PAINT POLISHES - Mothers Pre Wax Cleaner, Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, 3M Swirl Mark Remover
SCRATCH REMOVERS/REDUCERS - Mothers Scratch Remover, Meguiars Scratch-X, 3M scratch remover (there are several good products like this on the market).
CARNAUBA WAXES - Meguiars #26, Mothers Calif Gold carnauba, 3M paste wax, Collinite 476S (Harbor Freight stores only)
SYNTHETIC WAXES/SEALANTS - Meguiars NXT 2.0, Mothers FX Synwax, 3M Performance Finish, Liquid Glass
RUBBER DRESSING/PROTECTANTS - Mothers Protectant, Mothers FX Tire Shine, Meguiars Endurance, Armor All Original Shine, Armor All Tire Foam, Vinylex
GLASS CLEANERS - Stoner Invisible Glass, Sprayway glass cleaner (at Sams Club, Costco)
WHEEL CLEANERS - Meguiars Gold Class wheel cleaner, 3M Wheel and Tire Cleaner, DuPont wheel cleaner, Mothers All Wheel cleaner
CAR DETAILING TOOLS - Use either lambswool wash mitts or 100% cotton chenille mitts for car washing. Most stores offer a good selection of microfiber towels for glass cleaning, paint polishing, waxing and post wash drying. Invest in microfiber and skip cotton terry and chamois' for car care. There are various small tools for tire cleaning, wheel cleaning, etc so try a few and see which ones you like best.
I hope all this helps. Let us know if you have questions.
Having said that, there are some good products at retail in each category. JHZR2 has mentioned a few good ones but let me break them down for you. This is a basic list off the top of my head but it'll get you started:
SHAMPOOS - Meguiars NXT, Meguiars Gold Class, Mothers Calif Gold, 3M car wash soap
PAINT POLISHES - Mothers Pre Wax Cleaner, Meguiars Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, 3M Swirl Mark Remover
SCRATCH REMOVERS/REDUCERS - Mothers Scratch Remover, Meguiars Scratch-X, 3M scratch remover (there are several good products like this on the market).
CARNAUBA WAXES - Meguiars #26, Mothers Calif Gold carnauba, 3M paste wax, Collinite 476S (Harbor Freight stores only)
SYNTHETIC WAXES/SEALANTS - Meguiars NXT 2.0, Mothers FX Synwax, 3M Performance Finish, Liquid Glass
RUBBER DRESSING/PROTECTANTS - Mothers Protectant, Mothers FX Tire Shine, Meguiars Endurance, Armor All Original Shine, Armor All Tire Foam, Vinylex
GLASS CLEANERS - Stoner Invisible Glass, Sprayway glass cleaner (at Sams Club, Costco)
WHEEL CLEANERS - Meguiars Gold Class wheel cleaner, 3M Wheel and Tire Cleaner, DuPont wheel cleaner, Mothers All Wheel cleaner
CAR DETAILING TOOLS - Use either lambswool wash mitts or 100% cotton chenille mitts for car washing. Most stores offer a good selection of microfiber towels for glass cleaning, paint polishing, waxing and post wash drying. Invest in microfiber and skip cotton terry and chamois' for car care. There are various small tools for tire cleaning, wheel cleaning, etc so try a few and see which ones you like best.
I hope all this helps. Let us know if you have questions.
I really like the Mirage brand (Advance) real wool wash mitts. There are some synthetic ones that do not feel as nice.
Kmart carries Viking brand towels and they are top notch. The yellow drying towel (really a large dual nap detailing towel) and green detailing towels (smaller dual nap) are great but not cheap.
I did like their yellow polishing cloths but they changed the design this year (feel thinner, more per pack) but not had a chance to use the new ones.
Kmart carries Viking brand towels and they are top notch. The yellow drying towel (really a large dual nap detailing towel) and green detailing towels (smaller dual nap) are great but not cheap.
I did like their yellow polishing cloths but they changed the design this year (feel thinner, more per pack) but not had a chance to use the new ones.
I really love the Duragloss line available at CarQuest, NAPA, and Bumper to Bumper. Good price and FANTASTIC beading, longevity, and reflection. ChinaMart has Eurow sheepskin/lambswool was mitts that are great for the money; feel them all to get the softest one. For glass cleaner, I think the Stoners Invisglass is the best. Target Vroom microfibers are good too; be sure you tear the tag off before using them. Good luck, and enjoy the new car.
bretfraz gives you a nice list.
If you're doing all your polishing by hand it will take a long time. Here is what I would do if I were to do it by hand.
1. get a good sheep skin wash mitt (Walmart's Eurow wash mitts are pretty good)
2. good shampoo (anything from bretfraz's list will do and I will add Eagle 1 to that list)
3. wheel cleaner (Eagle 1 Wheel and Tire)
3. clay (you can get Claymagic at Autozone for a good price)
4. polish (since you're doing it by hand I would just use Scratch-x on the whole car. it will correct and hide some swirls for you and clean the paint)
5. glaze-optional-(Meg's Deep Crystal Polish, Meg's #7, Mother's Glaze)
6. sealant (refer to bretfraz's list)
7. carnauba topper-optional-(adding to bretfraz's list, Collinite Insulator wax I845)
8. tire dressing (Eagle 1 Tire Shine)
9. clear plastic polish for headlight lenses-optional- (Meg's Plast-x)
10. glass cleaner (refer to bretfraz's list)
You might want to get some stuff for the interior too
1. leather and interior cleaner (Woolite mixed with water, Lexol leather cleaner, Meg's Interior Detailer)
2. leather conditioner (Lexol leather conditioner)
3. plastic protectant (Meg's NXT protectant-wipe off excess or it will blind you, Armor All)
And as others have recommended, get microfiber towels for drying, removing polish and wax, and applicators for the polish and wax.
Good luck, have fun, and remember to post pics of your results!
If you're doing all your polishing by hand it will take a long time. Here is what I would do if I were to do it by hand.
1. get a good sheep skin wash mitt (Walmart's Eurow wash mitts are pretty good)
2. good shampoo (anything from bretfraz's list will do and I will add Eagle 1 to that list)
3. wheel cleaner (Eagle 1 Wheel and Tire)
3. clay (you can get Claymagic at Autozone for a good price)
4. polish (since you're doing it by hand I would just use Scratch-x on the whole car. it will correct and hide some swirls for you and clean the paint)
5. glaze-optional-(Meg's Deep Crystal Polish, Meg's #7, Mother's Glaze)
6. sealant (refer to bretfraz's list)
7. carnauba topper-optional-(adding to bretfraz's list, Collinite Insulator wax I845)
8. tire dressing (Eagle 1 Tire Shine)
9. clear plastic polish for headlight lenses-optional- (Meg's Plast-x)
10. glass cleaner (refer to bretfraz's list)
You might want to get some stuff for the interior too
1. leather and interior cleaner (Woolite mixed with water, Lexol leather cleaner, Meg's Interior Detailer)
2. leather conditioner (Lexol leather conditioner)
3. plastic protectant (Meg's NXT protectant-wipe off excess or it will blind you, Armor All)
And as others have recommended, get microfiber towels for drying, removing polish and wax, and applicators for the polish and wax.
Good luck, have fun, and remember to post pics of your results!
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