OTC products

[1kickbuttranger]

Lately I've noticed that there are a lot of good OTC products available. Years back I was only getting stuff locally, but then stumbled across sites like Auto Nerd, Chemical Men, and Alans Polishes (the names have been changed to protect the innocent), and have pretty much been getting everything through them. (No major issues with any of their products just to note- and some have very good stuff)

Lately though, I've stumbled back on some OTC stuff that is actually very good (if not better) and thanks to all the offers Oreilly's is sending me for signing up for O'Rewards.

For glass cleaner, Stoners (obviously always great), Surf City Garage, and what I'm really digging right now is Eagle 1 20/20. All these are better than any boutique brand I have tried (and I have tried a lot).

Car soap, Megs Gold Class, Mothers, Duragloss, and another one I'm digging very well is Eagle 1 Carnuba Nano Wash and Wax.

Wax, any Megs product.

Clay, Megs and Mother - just as good as any of them.

Tire cleaner, Westleys Bleche White (now Black magic)

Towels and mitts, Viking at Oreilly's seem to fit the bill nicely.

There are a lot of things that can only be ordered online (Pads, applicators, good microfiber, good APC, etc), but lately I think that most of some real good stuff can be had locally very cheap (and no shipping)

I'm really liking the Eagle 1 products that I have tried, where a couple years ago up until now I would have never even considered them.

Any other thoughts on some good OTC things to try?

 

[aquariuscsm]

Eagle 1 and Surf City Garage are two of my faves as well!

 

[sciphi]

I was pretty impressed with the Eagle 1 A2Z tire and wheel cleaner. It cleaned up the clearcoated aluminum wheels on my Cruze very well and with no scrubbing on my part. $5 at Advance.

Back when they sold it, Turtle Wax Rinseless car wash was darned good for the price. Especially when they were clearancing it, lol!

For a DA polisher setup, Harbor Freight's DA polisher works very well once a smaller backing plate is added. Their pads are pretty good, too. They aren't pro-caliber, but they've held up for 3 uses now. It helps that they get cleaned thoroughly after each use, and not abused when they are used. $100 for the polisher, 6 pads, and the backing plate when I purchased the package last year. They also do some meaningful correction with a good compound, which leads me to...

Meg's Ultimate Compound and Ultimate Polish are decent consumer-grade products readily available off the shelf. They're not as aggressive as their pro-grade counterparts from what I've been told. For getting out garden-variety swirls and holograms they work pretty well, though. I've had good luck with those products on my cars, including correcting some rotary-induced holograms.

I haven't found a good off-the-shelf last step product, though. I still have plenty of Collinite 476, which does exactly what it claims to do. Nothing off the shelf that I've researched matches it for durability, though.

For a mostly off the shelf detailing kit, I've gotten a very good bang for the buck. And, if I run out in the middle of a detail, more is just around the corner!

 

[dailydriver]

It's not 'off the shelf', or even on it there, but one can order Collinite 845 (but sadly, NOT their 476, or other products) from Advance Auto for about the same price (if not a little less than) Auto Geek, and save the shipping costs, albeit yes, one does have to pay local/state sales taxes, if any.

Some stores do carry the Meg's branded micro fiber, and I have found their waffle weave micro fiber drying towels to be at least the equal to the Cobra ones on A.G.

 

[Revving2Redline]

I really like the turtle wax ICE or Zymol, but I still use the basic green slime turtle wax for waxing floors, refrigerator, and window glass / faucets. After I clean motor, I used a bit underhood to slick it up a bit. Basically I get carried away with it around the house, but no dust storm or rain can phase my windows/storm doors.

 

[qwertydude]

If I had to pick an OTC wax, my choice would be for a pure wax, Mother's California Gold Paste. Actually it's pretty much gonna be your only choice as most other OTC waxes tend to have abrasive cleaners in them, albeit some very slight. But if you want 100% pure wax Mother's is pretty much the only game in town OTC now.

For a synthetic, definitely now Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax. Amazing looks and the very minor correction ability it has is nice and they finally fixed the number one complaint everyone had with Meg's waxes, poor durability. This one definitely has good durability. Although its beading isn't quite as aggressive as Collinite's and you can't wax your glass like with the Collinite waxes. It simply smears too much.

But overall I don't think I've ever run into a combination so well rounded as Meguiars Ultimate lineup, it truly is a quantum leap in terms of performance for OTC products. Even just a few years ago the corrective and finishing ability of an OTC product was nowhere near the performance the Megs Ultimate trio and heck even many conventional professional products still have trouble accomplishing what the Ultimate lineup is capable of.

 

[1kickbuttranger]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Eagle 1 and Surf City Garage are two of my faves as well!


I'm starting to feel that way.

Originally Posted By: sciphi
I was pretty impressed with the Eagle 1 A2Z tire and wheel cleaner. It cleaned up the clearcoated aluminum wheels on my Cruze very well and with no scrubbing on my part. $5 at Advance.


For a DA polisher setup, Harbor Freight's DA polisher works very well once a smaller backing plate is added. Their pads are pretty good, too. They aren't pro-caliber, but they've held up for 3 uses now. It helps that they get cleaned thoroughly after each use, and not abused when they are used. $100 for the polisher, 6 pads, and the backing plate when I purchased the package last year. They also do some meaningful correction with a good compound, which leads me to...


For a mostly off the shelf detailing kit, I've gotten a very good bang for the buck. And, if I run out in the middle of a detail, more is just around the corner!


I need to try more E1 products.

I got the HF DA a while back and it is a great unit. True the BP blows on it. I did get a replacement that works a lot better but I still went with a 6". The HF pads do have wobble though, and while they still work on a 6" plate, it does seem to eat up the area around the Velcro. I recently got some Buff and Shine foam pads that should work with the 6" plate. I haven't used them yet though. Unit is a lot smoother with the better pads as well.

 

[sciphi]

I went with a 4.5" Astro Pneumatic backing plate to eliminate the problem of the HF backing plate eating the pad where the Velcro wasn't. It was cheaper than buying pads to fit the odd-sized HF backing plate. No issues with smoothness or the backing plate eating the pad.

From what I've heard, the HF pads are re-packaged Buff and Shine pads. Good pads, they clean up easily, and at $5-6 each it's not a big deal if one gets chewed up.

 

[1kickbuttranger]

Originally Posted By: sciphi


From what I've heard, the HF pads are re-packaged Buff and Shine pads. Good pads, they clean up easily, and at $5-6 each it's not a big deal if one gets chewed up.


Not sure about that. Buff and Shine are US made and the HF are China. But I agree, for the price, they sure can do their job.

 

[Ram01]

Eagle on all the way

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: 1kickbuttranger
Originally Posted By: sciphi


From what I've heard, the HF pads are re-packaged Buff and Shine pads. Good pads, they clean up easily, and at $5-6 each it's not a big deal if one gets chewed up.


Not sure about that. Buff and Shine are US made and the HF are China. But I agree, for the price, they sure can do their job.


I stand corrected!