So I am looking for recommendations for what products to use to clean and care for my upcoming scion.

I want something that doesn't have to be done often and protects. I don't care about a super deep luster and show car finish, I just want to protect my paint from the elements and keep it looking decent.

So I am thinking I need sealent (once every 6 months sounds ideal for a guy like me... once a month or more waxing just isn't gonnna happen). What do people like out there that's reaonably priced? I would prefer not to go spending hundreds on every year if possible.

As for washing materials my biggest worry is getting something that will clean the car well and not scracth the finish. I hear lots of "cotton" towels aren't really 100% cotton at all and you can burn a corner to see if it's got synthetic components. Any suggestions on getting good gear (thinking I should have some towels, some microfiber shammis (SP) and waxing pads).

Also I have always just washed my car with some kind of car wash soap and a bucket, but I see there are products that are designed to clean the previous coat of wax or sealent off your car before applying the new coat... seems like this might be a good way to go.

So any suggestions for products is very appreciated bearing in mind I want economical, good protection that doesn't require applications terribly often.

I like a shiny car but a show car/show room shine is not necessary.

Thanks for any advice!

 

One word-
Meguiars

They have the best of EVERYTHING!

and always use microfiber stuff (sponges, mitts, pads, towels, etc)

 

ALL MEGUIARS! For cleaning i use NXT Generation car wash soap (purple jug) with a microfiber hand mit. For drying i use a super suede drying towel, its now called Soft Touch Microfiber Chamois. I switched to that about 1.5yrs ago because i stated seeing swirls and light scratches using the absorber chamois. ill use the clay bar it every 5-6 months or so, maybe around every oil change and same as waxing i use the Gold Class Liquid Wax. Amazing results when using clay and wax. Highly recommend using Meguiars.

Just a tip, keep ALL washing mit/sponge and drying towels clean.

 

I can't agree more! Meguiars is the best

(Oh and Smart Wax works very well too, and its fast and easy to use!)

 

 

[quote="IntegreS_350"]I can't agree more! Meguiars is the best

[\quote]
x2, just bought some more meguiars wash yesterday

 

^^ damn straight! Has anyone tried this Ultimate Quik Detailer?



Magical wonders it works!

 

^^^ i have some but haven't used yet, i ended up buying the NXT spray detailer that i saw at autozone the other day

 

x29387349873549

meguiars everything

except for glass, i use "invisible glass" for that

 

Meguiars is fine if you're happy with off-the-shelf consumer grade product that's really no better than anything else sitting on the shelf next to it. You'll get the same results from Mother's, Black Magic, hell, even Turtle Wax. Sure, the professional stuff is better, but the increased cost will easily allow you to buy better product.

Sonus 3-step paint prep, Klasse acrylic sealant, P21s carnauba. Go to Klasse + P21s, you'll never go back to consumer waxes.

The only Mequiars left in my bucket is... aerosol tire shine. Works good, it's cheap.

 

ok maybe someone on here will know the answer to this since autozone, advanced, o'reilly's ect... no one knows. the local car wash uses this foaming "conditioner" in the do it yourself bay that definately brings out the color in the paint and can't seem to find it or know what to even call it, any ideas?

 

YES! Invisible glass in the can is efing amazing

 

x3

 

i might have to try t his stuff

 

the aerosol spray tho... its works great

 

Sorry to have to pull rank on all you young guys, but......I'm a fanatic about detailing and I've had Vipers, Vettes, Porsches, Ms etc in my stable. Meguiars is good stuff, but the best is Zaino. Over my 4 decades of car care I've tried all the products and Zaino stands alone for shine and durability. However, for ease of use, try Rejex. Its another great product and easier to use than Zaino. I agree with Invisible Glass, however.

 

yeah, they make some good stuff, but are far from the best. If you have a carquest or pep boys near you, then duragloss would be the way to go OTC-wise. They wash soap is amazing, and their newest wax is very nice also. They also make aquawax, which is spay on, that even you can do after every wash, and then every six months give it a good full wax.

 

ive heard zaino is good, a lil pricey, my friend has a 94 caprice with original paint, and uses that stuff... his car feels amazing, its smooth as silk

 

If he used Zaino he'd have to use ZPC, followed by Z5. It's going to at least be a 2 step. However, a car done up in Zaino is tough to beat, for sure, but like you said, isn't the easiest thing to use.

Duragloss, in my opinion, is the absolute best line of product for people who aren't "fanatics about detailing." In fact, DG is pretty good for those who are as a lot of people [I wouldn't] would compare the DG shine to that of Zaino, and I know from experience that DG products last at least the six months that the OP is looking for (using Aquawax on a car that is garaged at night but parked outside during the day.)

For the OP, I would recommend getting Duragloss 105 or 101. They both have slight cleaning solvents so they're basically one step products. I'm pretty sure 101 is stronger than 105 but of course, 105 will tend to last longer than 101 (although 101 lasts forever compared to most OTC waxes like Meg's Gold Class or TW Platinum.)

I can't say anything about Rejex, but I'd tend to put a little more trust in people who use Zaino so I'm sure Rejex is pretty good for easy to use sealants.

 

where would be the best place to buy some zaino?