Everyone here knows what they are talking about, so i HAD to ask... What i use to clean my car is simple. Water, $5 car soap, water, dry.

Now what soap, wax, etc. can i buy (things i can find in a store, aka, NAPA, or something) that will make my car SHINE , like basically look like a mirror?

thanks and i appreciate it.

-EDIT- sorry forgot to add its a 2005 DG coupe.

 

A lot of people here will recommend Zaino, but I think it's too expensive and too time consuming to put on. I for one enjoy detailing my car so I don't mind waxing more often and whatnot.

I use Meguiars NXT wash followed by Meguiars NXT wax. Eagle One Nano Polish on the chrome lip for my wheels, and just a wet sponge on the non-chrome parts. And then I use Invisible Glass for windows. I wax every 3 weeks or so, but use Meguiars Quick Detailer spray every week to keep the glossy look.

Good luck.

 

im going to grab all these products and going to post pics sunday!

what about interior-wise?

 

Interior you can go with Armor All wipes. They have both leather protectant wipes and all purpose wipes for your vinyl parts. If you're not going Zaino, then just take a look around at your local Pepboys or Advanced Auto Parts. Anything Meguiars, you can't go wrong with, I use it religiously and I know so do many other people on this board.

Have fun, look forward to seeing the pics.

 

Prima Epic. apply, dry 35min, remove haze. done.

then let it do its thing over the course of 24hrs in the rain or dry.

 

Detailing can be somewhat involved if you want the job done right with outstanding results. If you want to learn more about the detailing process and how to get truly good results read about the How To at that link. Getting a mirror finish to me would involve wash/dry-clay bar-polishing-glaze-sealant-carnauba wax. If you just want a quick shine that looks good and protects the car try the Menzerna FMJ, Klasse AIO or Poorboy's World EX. Good luck and let us know if you want more information.

 

Preparation is everything. It doesn't matter what you use on top (wax, polish, cheap, expensive) if the paint isn't prepared properly, you'll end up wasting your time. The first thing I'd recommend is a claybar. Get rid of all impurities first.
Then, whether you use polishes and waxes or synthetic sealants, you'll get good results. Personally, after doing the claybar and prepping the paint, Zaino is easy. Z5 is pretty much all you need. If you want something from the local car shop, I've heard good things about Meguiars NXT (polymer sealant, like Zaino) or Turtle Wax ICE (also a polymer sealant, but heard of durability issues).
Everyone has their own story and favorite method and products. You'll just have to read up and experiment what works for you. But, at least you asked first before you bought the wrong stuff.
Good Luck!

 

I would agree that Zaino is an excellent system to use after you've thoroughly primed your paint for the polish (Z-2 or Z-5) and the sealant (I prefer Z-8 on my OB Coupe, but Z-6 also does the trick). However, I don't agree with it taking a long time. With the ZFX added to the Z-5, I can put a coat on the whole car in about 10 minutes and wipe off almost immediately. The spray on sealant also hardly takes any time to apply and wipes off very easily. Just IMO.

 

Zaino - Good, but you won't find it anywhere at a automotive parts store. Online, or possibly a detailers/body shop supply store only.

 

armor-all in the past has been proven to dry and crack the dash and other parts of the car. i would suggest a coat of 303 aerospace then meguirs leather conditioner to add shine and an AMAZING smell. my friends always ask how i keep the new car smell

 

Don't forget to post!!!