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Read the WELCOME ALL BMWFANATICS post.
Detailing-Meguires
- Thread starter tai88
- Start date
Hmm good question. As sponsor on the forum for car care I think I need to give my input.
It all comes down to individual needs. We all have our own priorities and budget constraints. So what might be essential to me might not be to you. Also what's acceptable to most might not be to the rest.
In my opinion, quality car products do stand head and shoulders above the cheap off the shelf stuff. I'll try to go through a couple of product comparisons to put things into perspective.
Car shampoo
A good shampoo is mild on the paintwork, which means it will not strip any wax protection. (Not only Sunlight strips wax!) It also has a higher lubricity which means it helps your wash mitt to glide over the paint instead of rubbing on it. This is essential when trying to avoid adding swirl marks to your paint. Lastly a quality shampoo has a MUCH high dilution ratio compare to the cheaper stuff. Which means you pay upfront , but the concentrated shampoo will out last its cheaper counterpart. Which doesn't make it that expensive in the end ?
Car polish
Quality car polish gets the job done using the LEAST abbrasive method. Which means it will not damage your paintwork. Also it is MUCH easier to work with. A little goes a long way and it will not dry white onto the paintwork. Also it comes off much easier, which makes the task of polishing much easier. How much is YOUR time worth? In the end you can expect a more cleaner, clearer finish which only compliments a good quality wax.
Car Wax
This is generally where you see the difference the most. Cheap wax goes on thick and dries white. When it comes time to buff, its a mission to remove and you are left with white powdery residue that seems to get into every crevice possible! A good wax, goes on thinly because it spreads so much easier. It dries without turning white and when it comes time to remove, its a pleasure! Most come off with a single swipe ! This makes waxing a pleasure and you actually look FORWARD to waxing! It takes me about 20 minutes to do my car. Oh yeah, lets not forget how much longer a good wax will last. (Provided you compliment it with a good shampoo!)
I have to stress again, it comes down to what works for YOU! If what you are using, works for you then that's all that matters. If not then give the premium selection a try. I haven't spoken to anybody who regrets using quality stuff and wishes to go back to the cheap stuff.
Like I mentioned earlier, quality car care is what I do so it may look like a biased opinion, but I think other fanatics on the forum will agree with me.
It all comes down to individual needs. We all have our own priorities and budget constraints. So what might be essential to me might not be to you. Also what's acceptable to most might not be to the rest.
In my opinion, quality car products do stand head and shoulders above the cheap off the shelf stuff. I'll try to go through a couple of product comparisons to put things into perspective.
Car shampoo
A good shampoo is mild on the paintwork, which means it will not strip any wax protection. (Not only Sunlight strips wax!) It also has a higher lubricity which means it helps your wash mitt to glide over the paint instead of rubbing on it. This is essential when trying to avoid adding swirl marks to your paint. Lastly a quality shampoo has a MUCH high dilution ratio compare to the cheaper stuff. Which means you pay upfront , but the concentrated shampoo will out last its cheaper counterpart. Which doesn't make it that expensive in the end ?
Car polish
Quality car polish gets the job done using the LEAST abbrasive method. Which means it will not damage your paintwork. Also it is MUCH easier to work with. A little goes a long way and it will not dry white onto the paintwork. Also it comes off much easier, which makes the task of polishing much easier. How much is YOUR time worth? In the end you can expect a more cleaner, clearer finish which only compliments a good quality wax.
Car Wax
This is generally where you see the difference the most. Cheap wax goes on thick and dries white. When it comes time to buff, its a mission to remove and you are left with white powdery residue that seems to get into every crevice possible! A good wax, goes on thinly because it spreads so much easier. It dries without turning white and when it comes time to remove, its a pleasure! Most come off with a single swipe ! This makes waxing a pleasure and you actually look FORWARD to waxing! It takes me about 20 minutes to do my car. Oh yeah, lets not forget how much longer a good wax will last. (Provided you compliment it with a good shampoo!)
I have to stress again, it comes down to what works for YOU! If what you are using, works for you then that's all that matters. If not then give the premium selection a try. I haven't spoken to anybody who regrets using quality stuff and wishes to go back to the cheap stuff.
Like I mentioned earlier, quality car care is what I do so it may look like a biased opinion, but I think other fanatics on the forum will agree with me.
andrewbuch
///Member
I have recently gotten hold of some good quality products & they do make a difference.. Much easier to apply (referring to waxes) & remove & the finish is excellent.. I had some Megs Cleaner wax as my first "proper/Decent" product & it was really good, cause I was used to not using wax.. But now have some Collinite products & can really see the difference in their Quality
But you have to start somewhere, so if you can only afford the stuff you get from pnp/checkers etc then I would say it is better than nothing..
But a decent wash & wax really makes a difference..
But you have to start somewhere, so if you can only afford the stuff you get from pnp/checkers etc then I would say it is better than nothing..
But a decent wash & wax really makes a difference..
Raybimmer
New member
Look at a lot of older vehicles where paint fade has occured on the corners from using abrasive polishes .There must be some difference in polishes as I can see a deeper gloss with a R140 bottle of polish from CD than RA### , no offence to the product sold in spares shops , it is better than nothing .
andrewbuch
///Member
I Waxed the corsa the other day with the Megs Cleaner wax before I got the good stuff & it was semi hard to remove & then a day later I noticed all the residue in the gaps etc that did not remove so easily
J
Josh-ZN
Guest
going off on a tangent here but when its time to reapply polish and wax, is it correct to wash with sunlight soap that once so that it removes all polish and wax so you can reapply an even new coat?
Josh-ZN said:
Allot of detailers are quite happy to use dish washing liquid to strip wax and polishing oils off the paint before beginning with a detail. Personally, I'm not a fan. I need proper lubricity when washing, for ease of the wash and to reduce swirls. I feel that dish washing liquid, or even APC for that matter reduces that lubricity. I much rather wash as normal, and look at clay or polish to strip old wax.
calypso said:
I suppose it depends on the wax itself? If its a non abrasive, non cleaner wax, then you will essentially be layering the wax instead of removing it? Even then, I wouldn't really rely on a cleaner wax to strip old wax. I much prefer a mild polish, preference really.
calypso
///Member
Nope natural wax doesnt layer. A new wax would resolubilizes (is there such a word) the old wax when you wipe off all excess is removed.
Synthetic sealants can layer, thats a completely different story.
But a second layer of natural wax is just providing a more even coat, not a deeper layer of protection.
Synthetic sealants can layer, thats a completely different story.
But a second layer of natural wax is just providing a more even coat, not a deeper layer of protection.
MikeR
Well-known member
YES, Pravin pointed out loads of very good reasons, if you want to take your Detailling experience to a new level go here... http://onlineforum.meguiars.co.za/i...35&s=e0865ed457c1690aa53aab1eb038b8e49aa7f823tai88 said:
