starter wash kit for a new car

[Schy]

hi everyone,

i just had my new car for about 2-3 weeks now, and i want to give it a wash.. as i am new to all of this, and after reading the forums, there are a lot of things needed to wash a car! :o

so i am just wondering, what do i need as a 'starter kit' for washing a car? like the chamois and microfibre cloths and which shampoo and all that stuff.. please explain to someone who doesn't know anything about cars and cleaning.. lol!

can i use the wash n wax soap to wash the car even though i haven't actually given the car a wax yet? and, i want to give the car a wax to have it shiny.. :D

all suggestions will be helpful.. thank you very much in advance!

[jeffy]

microfibre cloths,

2 buckets

microfibre sponge

chamois

:]

edit: in the detailing show and shine pages there are great reviews/writeups, one by andrew specifically where he rates them according to his us, holdup, ill look for it and link it if i find it,

Product Review Thread

edit2: dude -_____- " the page is pinned, lol :P

[P_T]

I don't know about other products but my car is parked outside 24/7 and I don't want to have to keep applying wax every few months so I went for the synthetic paint sealant for the protection instead of the super glossy finish of a wax. I suppose I can add wax on top of it but I can't be bothered. It looks glossy enough for me.

I bought the Duragloss paint protection pack from Car Care Product.

http://www.carcareproducts.com.au/product/duragloss/paint_protection_pack

But you'll probably need to buy the car shampoo as well as the clay bar kit.

The quality of the finish and protection depends on how well you prepare the car and claying before applying the sealant is a must for best result. After the sealant application, all you have to do is basically do a quick wash and apply quick detailer, once a week or two weeks or even a month.

The guys at CCP are very friendly and they'll explain as well as give you the instruction on how to clean your car properly.

For a new car, you won't have to worry about swirls and scratches so the workflow is basically WASH > CLAY > PROTECT > MAINTAIN.

Oh and to protect from water marks on my glass, I use Nanolex glass sealant.

For the plastic trims I use 303 Aerospace Protectant.

Last of all, I have to say I find washing my car to be therapeutic and I actually enjoy doing it. I hope you'll be the same... or you might hate it with passion. lol

[Andrew357]

For a new car, you won't have to worry about swirls and scratches so the workflow is basically WASH > CLAY > PROTECT > MAINTAIN.

Disagree. Even a new car will have swirls and you don't want to lock them in.

For your initial session I would recommend:

wash, clay, polish/swirl removal, seal, wax.

As for products, how much work are you willing to do and what kind of budget do you have?

[Schy]

:o i didn't know u had to do so much stuff.. Lol!

P_T - thanks for that! Might look into that sealant and might be better for long lasting results.. I hope washing my car will be therapeutic too! Ahaha! And i also pretty much park my car outdoors, i just have a port as my garage..

Andrew - how much work, uhmmm.. Give a good wash from time to time i guess? If i am not busy at work and if i'm not lazy to wash.. How often do you need to wash your car anyways? Haha! As for the budget, am not really sure yet.. How much are the average costs anyway? But i guess i have to take care of my car because it is a big investment for me..

[Schy]

Just to add..

Jeffy, what are the microfibre cloths for? The sponge is for when u actually wash the car and the chamois is for drying the car.. Right?

Sorry im such a newbie!

[jeffy]

UHh polish, I haven't used it yet but I have one, no three actually :P

also used for window cleaning, well I use it dunnoe about others, :)

[jeffy]

Dw I'm a newbie at cleaning too ;)

[Schy]

Jeffy - Ahhh.. Do you use cleaning stuff for windows as well or just ordinary water? Hope both andrew and P_T can help us on this!

Also, i've read the review by andrew and OMG! so many products!

Andrew - I take my hat off to you..!

[69.NIX]

hey man,

Few questions

Are you in Sydney? (rough location)

How much are willing to spend (you can go cheap or nuts, depends on what you want do)

Have you ever done any serious work before on car cleaning?

What colour car do you have?

So far, I back up everything that has been mentioned by previous peeps. If you saw Andrew357's car, he likes it clean. The paint work looks awesome and swirl free.

I'm willing to share my knowledge (in person) and show a few tips and tricks.......( this doesn't mean free products BTW :P )

If you wanna chat more, check out my profile for contact details :)

Let me know :)

[P_T]

Disagree. Even a new car will have swirls and you don't want to lock them in.

For your initial session I would recommend:

wash, clay, polish/swirl removal, seal, wax.

As for products, how much work are you willing to do and what kind of budget do you have?

Well, if there are, I couldn't see them on my car which means either there aren't any swirls or they're probably too fine for me to worry about. I've tried shining a light from different angles, I've tried looking in the sun... nothing. Maybe because I was clueless enough to buy their paint protection program thingee? They might've detailed the car before I got it.

@Schy,

There's a difference between washing your car and detailing your car. Washing is real quick and cheap, less than half an hour including drying. Proper detailing can take up a few hours and more expensive.

Or... Since your car is new, you can get a clear ceramic coating on your car with lifetime warranty here.

http://www.reflecteffect.com.au/services.php?serv=new_car_tmt

All you have to do is hose it down with water once in a while.

[Schy]

BG Pete - im 6-7 hours away from sydney.. =( i just want my car to look good and shiny.. Not too clean or anything.. I reckon i wont even know the difference.. I just really want them to be shiny.. Hehehe! My car's color is 'shimmer' on the website, it is sort of metallic light blue?

How much im willing to spend, not too much at the moment cause im new to all this.. And no, i havent done any serious detailing.. :o

If only im in sydney.. Would love to meet up and learn from you..

P_T - i just want my car to look clean and shiny.. Washing it every so often and i guess to wax it every not so often.. Hehe!

[P_T]

P_T - i just want my car to look clean and shiny.. Washing it every so often and i guess to wax it every not so often.. Hehe!

Yeah me too. And well protected too. If you don't wanna spend a lot of time cleaning your car, I would strongly suggest paint sealant. The Duragloss I'm using suppose to last for a year with just a single application. I just finished washing my car and the water still sheets off easily after 3 months since I used it. Don't need any wax at all.

I may not have the coolest Corolla in NSW but I'm pretty sure I have one of the cleanest.

My initial spending was

$75 for the paint protection pack

$15 for the car shampoo

$25 for the clay bar kit

Around $15 for a proper glass cleaner.

You could keep your car clean for a very long time with that.

I thought about getting that permanent ceramic coating but I don't know if I'm going to keep this car for long. If I am, I would definitely get it done.

[Schy]

P_T - i just want my car to look clean and shiny.. Washing it every so often and i guess to wax it every not so often.. Hehe!

Yeah me too. And well protected too. If you don't wanna spend a lot of time cleaning your car, I would strongly suggest paint sealant. The Duragloss I'm using suppose to last for a year with just a single application. I just finished washing my car and the water still sheets off easily after 3 months since I used it. Don't need any wax at all.

I may not have the coolest Corolla in NSW but I'm pretty sure I have one of the cleanest.

My initial spending was

$75 for the paint protection pack

$15 for the car shampoo

$25 for the clay bar kit

Around $15 for a proper glass cleaner.

You could keep your car clean for a very long time with that.

I thought about getting that permanent ceramic coating but I don't know if I'm going to keep this car for long. If I am, I would definitely get it done.

those prices looks reasonable.. where did you get a $25 clay bar kit from? isnt that cheap? hehe! and for the opti-coat, are they really good? after putting that on, you don't have to wax your car anymore? just wash the car every so often? :D

[Schy]

Just wondering though, i dont need to wax the car? Cause there wasnt any wax in ur list.. Lol! And can u pls recommend any specific brand or type for the shampoo, clay bar etc.. Hehehe! Thanks in advance!

[Andrew357]

Meguiars Ultimate wash and wax

ArmorAll wash and wax

Meguiars Microfibre wash mitt

Mothers California Gold claybar kit

Meguiars M20 Polymer Sealant

Meguiars NXT2.0 wax

Meguiars foam applicators

Meguiars Supreme Shine microfibre buffing towels (get a couple)

I can't comment on a drying towel/chamois as the ones I have used that I bought here suck. You don't need to use the Megs wash and wax everytime. Split it like: 3 washes with ArmorAll, 4th wash with Megs.

That list is based on the assumption that:

1) You don't want to break the bank

2) You don't want to do so much work frequently which overrides your desire to have maximum shine (hence the choice of synthetic products over Carnauba)

3) You are going to go to Superthief/Ripco/Autocrud tomorrow to buy the gear

[P_T]

Just wondering though, i dont need to wax the car? Cause there wasnt any wax in ur list.. Lol! And can u pls recommend any specific brand or type for the shampoo, clay bar etc.. Hehehe! Thanks in advance!

$75 for DURAGLOSS paint protection pack. Pack includes bonding agent, paint sealant, a choice if quick detailer spray or aquawax, some microfibre cloths and applicator pads.

$15 for DURAGLOSS car shampoo

$25 for MINT clay bar kit

Around $15 for a Meguiar's glass cleaner.

Forgot to mention I also bought a MINT extra large waffle weave microfibre towel, 30 bucks. I can almost dry the entire car without wringing it.

Can't be bothered with wax. Sydney's too hot and my car is under the sun almost all the time. Plus my car paint is silver metallic. Even when it's dirty it still looks shiny... until you get up close. If you want wax, choose the aquawax if you buy the protection pack.

I also use Nanolex glass sealant, around $62. I hate water marks and as I said, my car is outside without cover almost all the time so I need all the protection I can get.

303 Product's Aerospace Protectant for all the plastic surfaces.

I bought all of them from www.carcareproducts.com.au

Might not be the cheapest price but definitely the most convenient for me.

[Schy]

Whoa! Nice! Andrew, do u know or a rough estimate how much all those cost? Hehehe! And whats the difference between the products that u meantioned and the products that P_T mentioned? Is the polymer sealant the same as the duragloss that he mentioned?

And, i wash the car the first time with wash and wax straight away?

P_T - so u dont wax your car anymore? Just the duragloss protection pack every say 6 7 months?

[Schy]

Just to add, sorry cause i live in a country area and theres only 1 place to buy the products and they only have a few on hand.. So would be better for me to buy online.. Will look up the items u guys mentioned and see.. Hehe!

[P_T]

P_T - so u dont wax your car anymore? Just the duragloss protection pack every say 6 7 months?

Pretty much. Now I just wash the car with the whenever it's dirty, dry it off and use the quick detailer, everything done in less than an hour.

If I wanted to, I can layer carnauba wax on top of the sealant but my car is silver metallic, it's not gonna make much difference so I don't bother. If you have a black car, maybe you should for that extra gloss.

[Schy]

Ive got a metallic light blue color though.. So you've got the quick detailer spray? Hehe! Oooh am getting excited to wash my car... Lolz!

[Schy]

Hehehe! So.. Now that im thinking about it... What to do is...

1. Wash the car with was and wax and wipe dry

2. Clay bar

3. Sealant (will have to see if i have swirls to remove before sealant)

4. Wax

5. Maintain

Correct?

Just a few questions, with the sealant, do you put it on and leave the car awhile and then wipe it off?

And,

With wax, same question, you put it on and (the term you use where you leave the wax to 'set' or something) then wipe it off or is it wax on then wax off with the other hand? Hehe!

Last, while waxing or sealant, do u do it in a circular motion or back and forth? Cause ive read in another thread to do back and forth to prevent swirls :o

[Andrew357]

Sealant is applied just kike wax. Between sealing and waxingleave at least 30mins.

I always apply in a stroke (back and forth motion) and remove the product stroking the opposie way.

Wax should not be seen as someyhing that,makes acar shiny but rather as something yhat provides.extra protection

[Schy]

Yup! Thanks andrew! Do you know any site that sells the meguiars products online? I cant seem to find any.. :(

Do u know how much the products you listed are worth? Even just a rough estimate.. More than $300?

[zedder]

mothers car care kit and the mothers clay bar system should be enough for you. about $150.... hehehe