Is there a good all-purpose degreaser that I can use on the OEM 19" wheels and engine?

 

I also read someone using mix of baking powder w/dawn and water as a degreaser. Would this be a good idea as I don't think it would be pH neutral

 

Thanks Shane!

 

Looks like I got to everyones replies via PM and Shane offered some advice for the bird droppings.


P21S Total Auto Wash is a great (and safe) all purpose degreaser that you can use on wheels, tires, wheel wells, engine bay, etc. Very versatile product.

I'm back in the states so it won't take me nearly as long to reply to anyones questions now. I apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.

Cheers,

George

 

George,
Which of your MF towels would you recommend to use with a QD?

 

I turn to our Ultra Plush Towels, and use the fluffier side for working with a QD. These are updated from our last Ultra Plushes and are larger, have silk edging, and no tags. I'm pretty pleased with the latest batch. The reTHICKulous towels work well too, but sometimes they aren't as flexible as I'd like because they are too thick.

Cheers,

George

 

Do you need to glaze after using a finishing polish? Or can I just apply the sealant topped with a nuba? I want to get a couple fine swirls out, along with removing the old wax(to apply the sealant). Then my girlfriend has a couple smal scratches I want to remove. Would a finishing polish be enough? I have the blue, black and white pads for my PC.

 

Using a glaze is an optional step. Some people use it to fill in minor things like haze or holograms, but I usually do it for the added depth and gloss I find it gives to the paint. This is especially helpful on lighter colored vehicles that are difficult to really make "pop". You certainly can go right form polish to sealant though.

Scratches really depend on how deep they are. You won't remove much with just a finishing polish, but there are a lot of factors involved. Something like PO106FF can remove minor imperfections, but if you're referring to a scratch that you can catch your nail on, it won't put a dent in it. Sounds like you may be able to get away with a finishing polish, where your gf may require a multi-step polish with perhaps more aggressive pads and polish.

If you have any other questions on anything, please do not hesitate to ask.

Cheers,

George

 

Couple more questions George,

1. I see that you have different grade clay bars. Which one should I get for regular detailing?

2. What's a good sealant for use on car and the oem 19" rims?

Thanks

 

For regular detail use, a fine grade bar is recommended. Unless you're removing paint overspray or detailing a very neglected, heavily contaminated vehicle, that's when I'd recommend using the medium grade bar.

If you're looking for a sealant to use both on your paint and your wheels, probably Chemical Guys Jet Seal 109 would be my choice primarily because of the ease of use, durability and surface slickness it leaves behind. Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze also works well in terms of durability and protection for both your paint and wheels, however, it's finicky to apply and remove.

The other option is to get a dedicated sealant for your car, then use something like Poorboy's World Wheel Sealant on your wheels. The difference is that Wheel Sealant is designed specifically to withstand the high temp brake dust, is ultra slick and works on any wheel surface.

Hope this helps.

George

 

Wow! what a great wealth of information!!!

I have a pet-peve with dust on my dash... I typically use a chamois or Meguire's Interior Quick wipes and within minutes, I have tons of fibers all over my dash (it's black btw)... It could be the quick wipes coming apart, but is there something better for protecting and even repelling the dust and fibers?

 

I'd recommend switching to a water based UV protectant / dressing, such as 303 Aerospace Protectant and investing in some quality microfiber towels. The Quick wipes definitely could be leaving behind some fibers / lint. Also if there is TOO much product on the surface, it can attract and hold dust, dirt, debris, etc. I'd recommend giving a slight mist of the 303 Aerospace Protectant on a quality microfiber towel, wiping clean, then flipping the towel over for a final buff to make sure the finish is matte, uniform and dust / lint free. For interior products, make sure you use as little product as needed to cover the area you are trying to protect. For maintenance, keep a microfiber towel in your glove box and give your dash a quick wipe when some dust accumulates.

Hope this helps.

George

 

So im stuck..... i cant decide between the CG 5050 or there petes 53.....what would u reccomend for laser red
ive narrowed everything else down to...
Polish-p0106ff (seems like a good 1 step polish from your reccomendations and reviews)
glaze-FTG
Sealant-Jet seal
Wax-???????

oh and i was skimming through these 46 pages in this thread... the wait 24 hours after sealant is applied...do u just wait till the next day, wash and dry the car again then apply the wax?....... and would it be worth trying to polish/glaze by hand or just a waste of product and time and energy? i cant afford both the PC and products at the same time right now, DOH!

also do u have any suggestions on removing fine scratches from chrome wheels...they might even be plastic scuff marks...was using a tool to clean my rims and the edges of it left marks/scratches on a few sports on the lip....

 

Whats your take on final polishing? I have done a few cars with SSR 2.5 or SSR 3 followed by SSR1.
Would I get better results skipping the SSR1 and using poor boys professional polish?

 

Sounds like you got a good understanding already, you selected some great products. Here's a few suggestions for you to get the most out of your Laser Red.

If you plan on using Jet Seal as your sealant, use the Chemical Guys Glaze, the EZ-Creme Glaze. These two will work better together than the FTG / Jet Seal combo.

For the wax, Pete's '53 will give a slightly deeper and wetter finish, although it may not last quite as long as CG 50/50. Bang for the buck 50/50 is an amazing wax and will still look great on Laser Red. You get 16 oz of product compared to 8oz or less with other waxes we sell so dollar per ounce, it's one of our best performing waxes. You won't go wrong with either.

You can polish by hand, it's just very tiresome and you have to have your expectations set right. You certainly will have swirls and imperfections remaining in your paint, will it be better? Yes, chances are you'll enhance the depth and gloss, remove some minor imperfections and it will probably be worth the time and effort put in. You will get noticeably better results with a quality buffer and you'll use half the time and energy.

For the chrome, not much you can do once it's scratched other than get it refinished. You can try an abrasive metal polish, but it only goes so far. Some of our customers have had good luck with the P21S Finish Restorer, however, I've yet to use it and remove scratches.

Be sure to keep us posted on what you end up using and how things turn out for you. Cheers!

If you finish without using an abrasive finishing polish, chances are you'll leave some hazing or micro-marring behind and the finish won't be nearly as good. If you're looking to improve your results, consider changing to the Menzerna line of polishes. Their finishing polishes are a step up from the Poorboy's line and will finish down finer, with more depth and gloss as well as remove more imperfections in the paint. One of the best finishing polishes is Menzerna PO106FF.

Hope this helps.

George