Product recommendations

Amateur

Hi all,

I have a white 162 Mercedes Benz C250 AMG coupe and looking for some recommendations on its upkeep. I wash it regularly with "
Concept Xpert-60 Luxurious Wash & Wax Shampoo" but looking for some further products to assist with its upkeep. I am looking for some recommendations around product to assist with:

- Tar Removal from white paint (Auto Finesse Oblitarate has been recommend to me)
- Alloy Wheel Cleaner (Alloys are mix of black and chrome)
- Leather Upholstery Cleaner
- Detailer - after I dry off the car following wash, looking for something to give it extra shine and maintain gloss of paint

While my shampoo includes wax, and feedback around a wax to use would be great also.

Any recommendations for the above would be appreciated.

Thanks.

ianobrien

OP, my recommendations would be
Tar Removal - CarPro TarX
Wheel Cleaner - Bilt Hamber Auto-Wheels
Leather - CarPro Inside to clean
Detailing spray - Bilt Hamber Auto-QD diluted down.

I'd abandon the shampoo with the wax in it as they can cause terrible smearing on the windscreen. I use Bilt Hamber Auto-wash.

For wax, I've gone away from the traditional waxes and now use products like CarPro Reload or Gtechniq C2V3. They are applied like a detailing spray (Spray on, wipe off excess), are as long lasting (or even longer) that traditional waxes and can be applied to a wet car.

Amateur

Thanks very much for these recommendations - I have taken some time to review each of these products and all come highly recommend.

Would you mind outlining your process with using these products? Would it be along the lines of - wash with Bilt Hamber Auto-wash, use CarPro TarX to remove tar, rinse off car and apply Bilt Hamber Auto-QD diluted down and/or CarPro Reload or Gtechniq C2V3 wax. Or how would you recommend the cleaning process to get maximum return?

Also any recommendations for washing/clean glass and tyre walls (blackening them with a product or not)?

ianobrien

The typical process for a deep clean would be
Rinse down
Snow foam with Bilt Hamber Auto-foam
2 bucket wash with Bilt Hamber Auto-wash
Dry with a Microfiber Madness Dry-me-Crazy
Detar with with CarPro TarX
Rinse it off (wash again if a lot of TarX was used)
Clay with a mix of CarPro Claycloth, CarPro Immilobe and DnD Detailing Medium Clay
Rinse again
Bilt Hamber Korrisol applied for fallout
Washed again and dried.

Now the car is clean! Don't forget the door jams, boot jams, etc

Sealed with CarPro Reload or Gtechniq C2V3

A maintenance wash would be foam, wash, dry and top-up with Bilt Hamber Auto-QD.

Wheels are cleaned with Bilt Hamber Auto-wheel. The wheels are already sealed with Gtechniq C5 so a top up with C2V3 is applied. Tyres are dressed with CarPro PERL diluted 1:1 water

Glass I clean with a mix of Windolene (ONLY the one with Vinegar), AutoGlym Fast Glass and IPA (whatever is closest to hand)

Hebegeebee

I’d personally do the fallout removal step before the claying to make life easier for you and better for your paint.

Amateur

Thanks for all the feedback - very interesting to read. There are a lot of products there to consider. I have noted the following.

Tar Removal - CarPro TarX
Wheel Cleaner- Bilt Hamber Auto-Wheels
Leather Upholestry - CarPro Inside to clean
Detailing - Bilt Hamber Auto-QD
Shampoo - Bilt Hamber Auto-wash
Foam - Bilt Hamber Auto-foam
Drying Cloth - Microfiber Madness Dry-me-Crazy
Clay - Clay with a mix of CarPro Claycloth, CarPro Immilobe and DnD Detailing Medium Clay
Wax - CarPro Reload or Gtechniq C2V3
Windows - Mix of Windolene (ONLY the one with Vinegar), AutoGlym Fast Glass
Fallout - Bilt Hamber Korrisol
Tyres - CarPro PERL diluted 1:1 water
Sealer - CarPro Reload, Gtechniq C2V3

I am considering all and enjoying review the process I should have. My car is relatively good condition but my main goal is to maintain it in such, hence the question. Keeping this in mind, what of the above should I prioritize?

ianobrien

Prioritize correct washing to minimise any further damage from washing. Dump the sponge now, get two buckets, decent pH neutral shampoo, decent wash mitt and a pH neutral wheel cleaner.

The next stage would be drying and the detailing spray.

I'd only embark on the full decontamination and clean if you have the sealant ready to apply and a full day that you don't need the car for. It can take a while....

Some examples of what I've ended up with by following the above

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=109885111&postcount=5660

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=108326827&postcount=5542

Amateur

Many thanks ianobrien, have learned alot from the information that you provided. Really interesting to see the end product from your work.

Based on the list of products you provided, I have a great bank to select from. I am going to prioritize the shampoo (Bilt Hamber Auto-wash), wheel cleaner (Bilt Hamber Auto-Wheels), detailing spray (Bilt Hamber Auto-QD) and look to integrate the other products in to the process over time. My car is in fairly good nick, but want to ensure its stays that way. Most of my washes would be maintenance washes.

I will also get rid of the sponge and move to a mit ;-)

Last question, what is the role of the clay and sealant in the washing process?

Not for some good black Friday deals so I can purchase some of these products...

Slasher

Sorry if this looks like hijacking someone else's thread, but, Ian, why "Dump the sponge now"? What's wrong with a sponge?

ianobrien

Slasher wrote: »

Sorry if this looks like hijacking someone else's thread, but, Ian, why "Dump the sponge now"? What's wrong with a sponge?

Sponges keep dirt on the surface of the sponge, meaning when you wash, you are rubbing the dirt around, causing fine scratching. A decent wash mitt uses long microfiber threads to catch the dirt and move it away from the paint into the wash mitt.

Using two buckets (rinse bucket and soap bucket) means that the dirt/grit washed off in the rinse bucket, settling to the bottom. That's why the wash mitt shouldn't go all the way to the bottom of the bucket (where the grit is). Grit guards can be purchased or you can make your own (old takeaway containers cut up in the bottom of large paint containers!)

Amateur

Thanks for the further insight.

Could you tell me where I might find "D & D Detailing Medium Clay" please?

rodge123

Amateur wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback - very interesting to read. There are a lot of products there to consider. I have noted the following.

Tar Removal - CarPro TarX
Wheel Cleaner- Bilt Hamber Auto-Wheels
Leather Upholestry - CarPro Inside to clean
Detailing - Bilt Hamber Auto-QD
Shampoo - Bilt Hamber Auto-wash
Foam - Bilt Hamber Auto-foam
Drying Cloth - Microfiber Madness Dry-me-Crazy
Clay - Clay with a mix of CarPro Claycloth, CarPro Immilobe and DnD Detailing Medium Clay
Wax - CarPro Reload or Gtechniq C2V3
Windows - Mix of Windolene (ONLY the one with Vinegar), AutoGlym Fast Glass
Fallout - Bilt Hamber Korrisol
Tyres - CarPro PERL diluted 1:1 water
Sealer - CarPro Reload, Gtechniq C2V3

I am considering all and enjoying review the process I should have. My car is relatively good condition but my main goal is to maintain it in such, hence the question. Keeping this in mind, what of the above should I prioritize?

Looking to pick all these up also.

Did you manage to find all those items in one store or online shop?
Cant manage to find them all from the one online Irish shop.

Thanks