New here, need some datail products advice!

[jjv101]

Hello all, new to the forum here, but have been lurking in the detailing section for about a week now and must say I am impressed with the wealth of knowledge here! So over the past two weeks I have been trying to find the best/reasonably priced detailing kit or piecing different products to make my own kit.

I have seriously be considering the Adam's Polishes Daily Driver Kit, which includes:
-Bucket with Grit Guard
-Wheel brushes
-2x wash pads
-2x double soft MF towels
-Car shampoo
-Quick Detailer
-H20 Guard and Gloss
-All Purpose Cleaner
-Clay bar

Price after discounts $116+shipping, Seems like a good amount of product for the price. I really like how the products seem easy to use and easy to understand!

Now being OCD and wanting the best bang for the buck, is this really a good deal for good products?
OR
Am I better off piecing my own kit together by using various products from a number of different companies? If so what products from which company do you recommend? Looking for tradition car washes/shampoo's, rinseless washes, glazes, sealants (possibly spray sealants?) and anything else I will need to keep my vehicle looking clean!

The next discussion is microfiber products. I have heard a lot of good things about The Rag Company, but am confused on what towel I need to do what tasks. Tasks include: traditional wash, rinseless wash, drying, quick detail, final buffing.

Thanks all, look forward to hearing your inputs!

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

If I was starting out again after all the products I've bought, this is what I would get for detailing my own car.

2 Buckets w/grit guards. Adams buckets are what I have. Wait for Black Friday sale to get best deal.

1 Gallon Optimum Car Wash. $28.44 on Amazon. You may get a better deal at Autogeek on Black Friday sale.

1 Microfiber Madness Incredimitt, and a Dry Me Crazy or Waverider Drying towel.
The best microfiber wash/dry media you can buy. It's not cheap, but it's worth every dime. Carpro USA carries these.

1 bottle of Ultima Waterless Wash Plus concentrate. This product can be used as detail spray, waterless wash, rinseless wash, and $18 makes 5.5 gallons of it. Great value for a great product.

1 Speedy Prep towel fine grade. You can get this on Amazon for $36 and free shipping, they last up to 100 uses, and versus clay, you'll save money in the long run. Not to mention tons of time vs. traditional claying.

1 Bunny K foamster foam gun. $27 and free shipping on Amazon. Great gun that's just the right size for a Camaro, durable, reliable, great value for quality.

Tons of sealants out there to choose from. If your driving in the winter in Ohio, I'd use Collinite 845 during the winter. Excellent protection in tough weather. 17.99 on Amazon.... again you may get a better deal on black Friday sales.

For RC towels. I like the Everest 1100 for liquid products. You can actually dry your car with these as well. Best bang for the buck for plush microfiber.

For wax or sealant removal, the RC eagle edgeless. The Microfiber Madness Crazy Pile is my favorite, but cost wise the RC eagle edgeless is best value.


I would also say if you want to go with Adams, they have EXCELLENT customer service. Just add another bucket to that kit.

[jjv101]

Joe I appreciate the reply!
For buckets I was just going to pick up some $3-$5 buckets at Lowes and get two grit guards for them, really can't justify spending $25 on a single bucket and single grit guard. Seems the grit guards should work with any standard 5gal bucket right?

Ive been spending a ton of time looking at different car soaps and rinseless wash formulas. Seems like Adams, Optimum, Black Fire, Duragloss, Wolfgang, and Meg D114/D115 all get great reviews!

Adams H20 Guard and Gloss has me super interested in that, and offers some protection as well as helping in drying!

I don't know anything about the speedy towel but I will have to look into it!

I just ordered a new truck in a darker color and want the absolute best products (that are still reasonably priced) to keep it swirl/scratch free and keep that dark color looking smooth and clean! I also want to put a gift package together for my father to use that will help in keep his motorcycle and truck clean, he has it a little tougher being that they have well water!

[scandata]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I haven't used all of the products that Joe listed, but I'll second his advice on the ones I'm familiar with: the Incredimitt, Dry Me Crazy, and especially the Everest 1100 towels from the Rag Company. Also, Adam's does make good products, and I've only heard good things about their customer service. Some of their stuff is too pricey for my taste, but you won't go wrong with what they sell. (As Joe has noticed) I can't say enough good things about their Brilliant Glaze.

For the buckets, yes, any standard 5-gallon bucket will work. Mine are from Home Depot and the Grit Guards fit them perfectly.

For removing wax residue after claying, I use Griot's Garage Paint Prep spray ($15.00 on Amazon).

For a sealant/wax combo, look into Blackfire's Black Ice sealant paired with their Midnight Sun wax. It's expensive (about $60 to $80 for the set) but on a dark vehicle it looks awesome. It's used on the car in my sig-pic below.

Have you looked into a buffer yet? By now you've heard the name "Porter Cable 7424-XP" mentioned a lot. That's what I use, and I'm happy with it.

Any questions you have, feel free to ask. We're all glad to share our advice.

[scandata]

Go for broke, dude! Only $899.99 on Amazon. And yes, they do sell these massive kits now and then, mostly to people that have more money than time and don't want to shop around. It's actually a bargain compared to buying all of it individually (but no, I don't really suggest you start out by dropping 9 bills on products).

[CCMADONNA]

you gotta try a lot of quality products and listen to Joe

my advice will be short and sweet:

Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy GET 2 OR 3!!!

Everest 1100 GET 6 0R 9!!!

Adam's Detail Spray -- buy a gallon!!!!

STAY AWAY FROM SPRINKLERS!!!

[jjv101]

Originally Posted by scandata

Sounds like you're on the right track. I haven't used all of the products that Joe listed, but I'll second his advice on the ones I'm familiar with: the Incredimitt, Dry Me Crazy, and especially the Everest 1100 towels from the Rag Company. Also, Adam's does make good products, and I've only heard good things about their customer service. Some of their stuff is too pricey for my taste, but you won't go wrong with what they sell. (As Joe has noticed) I can't say enough good things about their Brilliant Glaze.

For the buckets, yes, any standard 5-gallon bucket will work. Mine are from Home Depot and the Grit Guards fit them perfectly.

For removing wax residue after claying, I use Griot's Garage Paint Prep spray ($15.00 on Amazon).

For a sealant/wax combo, look into Blackfire's Black Ice sealant paired with their Midnight Sun wax. It's expensive (about $60 to $80 for the set) but on a dark vehicle it looks awesome. It's used on the car in my sig-pic below.

Have you looked into a buffer yet? By now you've heard the name "Porter Cable 7424-XP" mentioned a lot. That's what I use, and I'm happy with it.

Any questions you have, feel free to ask. We're all glad to share our advice.

HAHA no way I am dropping $900 on detailing stuff (at least not at one time that is)

I appreciate your advice! The problem I am running into is reading reviews on so many different products where on person says one thing and another states something different.

I do agree with you, I've heard good things on Adams products, and also agree some stuff seems a little pricey. And if there is a better product for the same price or lower price, you bet that's the one I would want to go with. I do like Adams as everything seems to be color coded/tailored to the novice detailer.

Originally Posted by CCMADONNA

you gotta try a lot of quality products and listen to Joe

my advice will be short and sweet:

Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy GET 2 OR 3!!!

Everest 1100 GET 6 0R 9!!!

Adam's Detail Spray -- buy a gallon!!!!

STAY AWAY FROM SPRINKLERS!!!

Straight and to the point, can't ask for much more than that. How does Microfiber Madness compare to The Rag Company?

[CCMADONNA]

Originally Posted by jjv101

Straight and to the point, can't ask for much more than that. How does Microfiber Madness compare to The Rag Company?

The microfibers i listed are the ones that i consider "the best I can afford"

Maybe you can afford better....

[Merlin]

Here are my thoughts...
There are LOTS of vendors from Adams to Zaino (A-Z).
Here is my thoughts on a "short list" to get you started.

WASH
2) Plastic 5 gallon buckets (clean!) - I prefer white
2) Grit Guards (one for each bucket)
1) Microfiber Madness Incredimitt
or
1) Carpro Merino wool wash mitt (my favorite)
1) Meguiars D110 Hyper-Wash (shampoo for light cleaning)

DRY
You can blow dry your paint (I do) but that is a separate topic...
1) Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy (25" x 17") - at least one

DECON - 2-3 times a year (check the paint with a baggie test)
1) IronX use this before "clay" to removed embedded contaminants
1) Nanoskin Speedy Prep Sponge – Fine Grade (cheap clay alternative)
1) Clay lube - You can use many different items (some made specific)
...You can use Red Bottle Meguiar’s Quik Detailer (available locally)
...I prefer using Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine (ONR) - Many uses

QUICK DETAIL
1) CarPro Boa (5 Pack) Microfiber Towel - 24" x 16"
...These are great all purpose towels
1) Microfiber Madness Crazy Pile Deluxe (16" x 16")
...Crazy Pile is a really nice towel for QD spray and wipe.
...I can't say enough about purchasing quality mf towels!!!

LSP
Now on to Last Step Product (LSP)...
This is the wax, sealant or coating to protect the paint.
This is a whole other topic. Durability vs. looks etc.

as a general rule...
Waxes last 2-6 weeks
Sealants last 2-6 months
Coatings last 2+ years

For a really nice looking sealant that lasts 2-4 months...
I like Blackfire Wet Diamond AFPP (BFWD) on dark/black paint.
BFWD can be "topped" with Blackfire Midnight Sun wax (BFMS).
BFWD looks good by itself and leaves a nice look and slick feel.
When BFWD is topped with BFMS it creates "Wet Ice over Fire".

Side Note:
If you're using BF products, I'd go with BF Quick detailer & APC.

For a durable "Winter wax" you might want to use Collinite 845.
Coli 845 has a shiny look to it and it is a durable long lasting wax.

Questions:

Do you have the Two Bucket Method (TBM) wash instructions?

Do you need paint correction? Do you have swirls (fine scratches)?

These are just my thoughts...I hope this was helpful...

[Adam's Polishes]

Thanks for considering our goods!! And Thanks guys for all the kind words!
The kits do offer a better deal.
Did you check out our video's?

http://adamspolishes.com/video



Adam's Polishes is the Officially Licensed Car Care Product of Corvette & Camaro.

[scandata]

Originally Posted by jjv101

HAHA no way I am dropping $900 on detailing stuff (at least not at one time that is)

I appreciate your advice! The problem I am running into is reading reviews on so many different products where on person says one thing and another states something different.

Over the past year I've spent about a grand on detailing products... but not all at once!

The thing about user reviews: you can usually trust what people say in forums, but on sites like Amazon, give it a bit of thought. Sometimes brand for sale will pay people to leave good reviews, and sometimes competitors will pay people to leave bad review. I always consider that when someone's opinion is heavily weighted in one direction or the other.

[HAMBO]

Originally Posted by jjv101

Joe I appreciate the reply!
For buckets I was just going to pick up some $3-$5 buckets at Lowes and get two grit guards for them, really can't justify spending $25 on a single bucket and single grit guard. Seems the grit guards should work with any standard 5gal bucket right?

Lots of great advice in the posts above, but one note on buckets; the standard grit guards don't fit every 5 gallon bucket the same way. I have a $3 5 gal bucket from AutoZone, and because of how narrow it is (or, I should say, how narrow it gets at the bottom of the bucket relative to the top) the grit guard ends up sitting about 6" off the bottom, which is annoying. I ended up getting new buckets (still about $3) from Orchard Supply here in California, and the grit guards sit right at the bottom. Per earlier post sounds like they will fit the Home Depot brand buckets as well.

I agree, wash buckets seem overpriced, and I bet part of that is that to profitably ship an empty plastic bucket across the country you gotta charge more for them. I'd suggest to stick with the cheap ones, just buy the grit guards first and bring it to the store to make sure it fits.

[jjv101]

Originally Posted by Merlinii

Here are my thoughts...
There are LOTS of vendors from Adams to Zaino (A-Z).
Here is my thoughts on a "short list" to get you started.

WASH
2) Plastic 5 gallon buckets (clean!) - I prefer white
2) Grit Guards (one for each bucket)
1) Microfiber Madness Incredimitt
or
1) Carpro Merino wool wash mitt (my favorite)
1) Meguiars D110 Hyper-Wash (shampoo for light cleaning)

DRY
You can blow dry your paint (I do) but that is a separate topic...
1) Microfiber Madness Dry Me Crazy (25" x 17") - at least one

DECON - 2-3 times a year (check the paint with a baggie test)
1) IronX use this before "clay" to removed embedded contaminants
1) Nanoskin Speedy Prep Sponge – Fine Grade (cheap clay alternative)
1) Clay lube - You can use many different items (some made specific)
...You can use Red Bottle Meguiar’s Quik Detailer (available locally)
...I prefer using Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine (ONR) - Many uses

QUICK DETAIL
1) CarPro Boa (5 Pack) Microfiber Towel - 24" x 16"
...These are great all purpose towels
1) Microfiber Madness Crazy Pile Deluxe (16" x 16")
...Crazy Pile is a really nice towel for QD spray and wipe.
...I can't say enough about purchasing quality mf towels!!!

LSP
Now on to Last Step Product (LSP)...
This is the wax, sealant or coating to protect the paint.
This is a whole other topic. Durability vs. looks etc.

as a general rule...
Waxes last 2-6 weeks
Sealants last 2-6 months
Coatings last 2+ years

For a really nice looking sealant that lasts 2-4 months...
I like Blackfire Wet Diamond AFPP (BFWD) on dark/black paint.
BFWD can be "topped" with Blackfire Midnight Sun wax (BFMS).
BFWD looks good by itself and leaves a nice look and slick feel.
When BFWD is topped with BFMS it creates "Wet Ice over Fire".

Side Note:
If you're using BF products, I'd go with BF Quick detailer & APC.

For a durable "Winter wax" you might want to use Collinite 845.
Coli 845 has a shiny look to it and it is a durable long lasting wax.

Questions:

Do you have the Two Bucket Method (TBM) wash instructions?

Do you need paint correction? Do you have swirls (fine scratches)?

These are just my thoughts...I hope this was helpful...

Very nice write up! To answer your questions. Yes I have used Adams videos when learning about the two bucket wash method.

I should not need paint correction right away as the vehicle has been ordered (not even build yet) and will have sit on a dealer lot more than a couple days.

Would do recommend using a paint sealant and then putting on the 845, or just using the 845?

Originally Posted by Adam's Polishes

Thanks for considering our goods!! And Thanks guys for all the kind words!
The kit do offer a better deal.
Did you check out our video's?

http://adamspolishes.com/video



Adam's Polishes is the Officially Licensed Car Care Product of Corvette & Camaro.

I have seen ALL the videos, which is another reason why I am seriously considering your products/one of the kits! Everything seems simple and straight forward! No reason it should be too complicated to have a nice looking daily driver

The H20 GG really sparks my interest!

Originally Posted by scandata

Over the past year I've spent about a grand on detailing products... but not all at once!

The thing about user reviews: you can usually trust what people say in forums, but on sites like Amazon, give it a bit of thought. Sometimes brand for sale will pay people to leave good reviews, and sometimes competitors will pay people to leave bad review. I always consider that when someone's opinion is heavily weighted in one direction or the other.

Makes sense and definitely makes me feel better about the reviews I have been reading on here and other forums

Originally Posted by HAMBO

Lots of great advice in the posts above, but one note on buckets; the standard grit guards don't fit every 5 gallon bucket the same way. I have a $3 5 gal bucket from AutoZone, and because of how narrow it is (or, I should say, how narrow it gets at the bottom of the bucket relative to the top) the grit guard ends up sitting about 6" off the bottom, which is annoying. I ended up getting new buckets (still about $3) from Orchard Supply here in California, and the grit guards sit right at the bottom. Per earlier post sounds like they will fit the Home Depot brand buckets as well.

I agree, wash buckets seem overpriced, and I bet part of that is that to profitably ship an empty plastic bucket across the country you gotta charge more for them. I'd suggest to stick with the cheap ones, just buy the grit guards first and bring it to the store to make sure it fits.

Good thing to note! What is the diameter of the grit guards? 12"?

Also agree on why the buckets are expensive!

[Joe M 2012 2SS]

The reason I got the buckets from Adams was they had all the things I wanted in a bucket. Gamma seal lids and grit guards already included. Yes you can buy the buckets for $3 or so. The grit guards are like $9, the gamma seal tops are around $13, so by the time you add it all up the price is the same.

They have a 2 bucket combo now which is $44.99 before any discounts. With the current promotions (Camaro5 or ShineOn) available they would be $40.

I like the Gamma seal because when I'm done washing, I rinse the buckets out, dry them with a plain old towel, put the seals on, and they are completely clean for the next go round. No chance of any dust or dirt getting in them.

Also in the winter, I can prep them with water in 1, soap in the other. They fit perfectly in the trunk, so I can go to my nearby pay and spray to use the pressure wand if the car has gotten really dirty, as it will occasionally in winter.