1st purchase. Chemical Guys Overhaul. - MASSIVE INVESTMENT

S

Spice&Wood83

New member
Just made a solid investment:

Chemical guys:
Big MoFo Chenille Microfiber Scratch-Free Wash Mitt
Cherry Fresh Blast Air Freshner
6 x Happy Ending Towel
2 x Chenille Microfiber Wash Mitt
2 x Fatty Super Dry Towel
2 x Large Waffle Weave Towel
18 x Workhorse Pro. Grade Microfiber Towels
2 x Boar’s Hair Detailing Brush
1 x Leather Scent Air Freshner
1 x Cloud 9 Drying Towel
1 x InstaWax Liquid Carnuba Shine & Protection Spray
2 Glass & Window Waffle Weave Towel
1 x Ferret Wheel, Rim & Engine Brush
1 x Microfiber Wash Cleaning Detergent
4 x Durafoam Contoured Tire Dressing Applicator Pads
1 x Mr. Pink 16oz. Maintenance Shampoo
1 x Waterproof 4 in 1 Wash Mitt
1 x Hybrid V07 Quick Detailer with Spray Sealant
2 x Heavy Duty Clay Bar
1 x Clay Bar & Luiber Synthetic Lubricant
1 x After Wash Drying Agent


Maybe overboard. It’s defintely a large order. But they are having a 25% off site sale this weekend. I did notice some items were out of stock and a couple selected items were not eligible for the 25% off.
But with the 25% off I took full advantage.

I have minimal experience with microfiber cloths. I just remember when they came out years ago and were 1st on infomercials and in the fair grandstans / kiosks. I wasn’t to impressed then. But every detail/wash video it’s they use. So I figure I should give them another try.
 
I got a text today from their two retail stores (franchise) in Phoenix about a sale on clearance items.
 
Yep.. That`s where I started, thought I found it all.
Little by little I figured out that 70% of the stuff was wrong for me.
Learned things that look good might not be the best made products.
Kinda like shopping at Walmart..ya know.


Some of my observations

Red Happy ending towels : Loved them until I got a black car, where I could see how they were scratching my paint. Even with a very light touch.
Microfiber wash : Didn`t get polish oils and darker stains, made my towels almost crunchy.
V07 spray sealant QD : lasts 2 days maybe, gave it away, but I will be trying the V07 wash on my black car which has a sealant/wax.
The compound V set : They sound great, yet I found them lacking cutting ability and kicked up a dust storm, WOW !
Barebones undercarriage spray : for the life of me I couldn`t tell if it did anything at all ??
Waterproof 4 in 1 mitt : really liked it but way too small.

Some I liked

Shampoos : all, some with great foaming action, including Diablo gel which is just a shampoo marketed as a wheel cleaner.
2 paste waxes : Pete`s 53 for the price unbeatable (high `nuba w/poly sealant). One of my favs., 50/50 concourse (don`t last but oh what depth).
Fluffer towel : This is the only towel I have left of CG`s after trying many, the rest went to wheels or other dirty jobs. (highly absorbent, that`s why I keep 2 ).
Torx and Torx 10FX : great starter tools at a good price point. I`d get one of these before a Porter Cable (lighter, skinnier, similar in shape and form to the next step up).

Sorry for rambling, jus` sayin`
Lotsa good products out there, but alot more bad ones.

:exactly:
 
Mary B said:
Yep.. That`s where I started, thought I found it all.
Little by little I figured out that 70% of the stuff was wrong for me.
Learned things that look good might not be the best made products.
Kinda like shopping at Walmart..ya know.


Some of my observations

Red Happy ending towels : Loved them until I got a black car, where I could see how they were scratching my paint. Even with a very light touch.
Microfiber wash : Didn`t get polish oils and darker stains, made my towels almost crunchy.
V07 spray sealant QD : lasts 2 days maybe, gave it away, but I will be trying the V07 wash on my black car which has a sealant/wax.
The compound V set : They sound great, yet I found them lacking cutting ability and kicked up a dust storm, WOW !
Barebones undercarriage spray : for the life of me I couldn`t tell if it did anything at all ??
Waterproof 4 in 1 mitt : really liked it but way too small.

Some I liked

Shampoos : all, some with great foaming action, including Diablo gel which is just a shampoo marketed as a wheel cleaner.
2 paste waxes : Pete`s 53 for the price unbeatable (high `nuba w/poly sealant). One of my favs., 50/50 concourse (don`t last but oh what depth).
Fluffer towel : This is the only towel I have left of CG`s after trying many, the rest went to wheels or other dirty jobs. (highly absorbent, that`s why I keep 2 ).
Torx and Torx 10FX : great starter tools at a good price point. I`d get one of these before a Porter Cable (lighter, skinnier, similar in shape and form to the next step up).

Sorry for rambling, jus` sayin`
Lotsa good products out there, but alot more bad ones.

:exactly:
Click to expand...
`

yikes. Wondering now if I should return mostof my stuff.
I`m just the occasional ( very very occasional ) weekend warrior.
So I`m wondering if they would suit my needs.....

I totally get the quality of towels and products etc... But for my daily driver ( 20k miles a year, kids and crazy winters ) I would imagine their products would do.

Better then my Wal-Mart towels I`ve been using for years.
Literally years.... ohh they are sooo soft.

Embarassed to say.... I`ve been using 15+ year old Terry Cloth towels.. Only on my interior of my previous cars.
Thats before Microfiber towels were really a thing...
*** Oh I wouldn`t dare touch my exterior with a Terry Cloth towel
 
Relax, on the products. You’ll be okay. Great products are soooo subjective. You may find something you really like, if not, then you’ll know what not to buy next go round.
 
Spice&Wood83 said:
`

yikes. Wondering now if I should return mostof my stuff.
I`m just the occasional ( very very occasional ) weekend warrior.
So I`m wondering if they would suit my needs.....

I totally get the quality of towels and products etc... But for my daily driver ( 20k miles a year, kids and crazy winters ) I would imagine their products would do.

Better then my Wal-Mart towels I`ve been using for years.
Literally years.... ohh they are sooo soft.

Embarassed to say.... I`ve been using 15+ year old Terry Cloth towels.. Only on my interior of my previous cars.
Thats before Microfiber towels were really a thing...
*** Oh I wouldn`t dare touch my exterior with a Terry Cloth towel
Click to expand...


Don`t mind me I get abit feisty ;)

You`ll be better then good. You are at the Detailer level already !

It`s all a learning and trying thing.
Longer in, the more you will be able to really see. Like a light bulb going on.

So please remember there`s no way you can differentiate the good without the bad.
You can do this !!

MB
 
Spice&Wood83 said:
`

yikes. Wondering now if I should return mostof my stuff.
I`m just the occasional ( very very occasional ) weekend warrior.
So I`m wondering if they would suit my needs.....

I totally get the quality of towels and products etc... But for my daily driver ( 20k miles a year, kids and crazy winters ) I would imagine their products would do.

Better then my Wal-Mart towels I`ve been using for years.
Literally years.... ohh they are sooo soft.

Embarassed to say.... I`ve been using 15+ year old Terry Cloth towels.. Only on my interior of my previous cars.
Thats before Microfiber towels were really a thing...
*** Oh I wouldn`t dare touch my exterior with a Terry Cloth towel
Click to expand...

I wouldn’t worry about returning. Their decent products just asked cuz you posted here. Use em up and get some ideas from here


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My question would be , how did you decide on the items when they have at least 30 choices in each category, and all the descriptions are the same?LOL! Good luck to you!
 
Spice&Wood83 said:
Maybe all the youtube videos and marketing got the best of me.
:wacko:
Click to expand...

You`d not be the first one that happened to. Chemical Guys does not get much love on some detailing forums, mostly because they hype their product line so much. Avoid their entire `V` line of polishes, compounds and scratch removers, including VSS and V04...none are worth the purchase price. Diablo is an average wheel cleaner, and Mr Pink is a decent soap. I liked Honeydew Snow Foam better. I like, and still use, the Tire Dressing Applicators, and really like their P40 detail spray.

It takes a while to settle on what you like and what you don`t, and what works for you and what doesn`t.
 
Spice&Wood83: (How you came up with that Login Name is beyond me.)
There are a number of good (great, really) car-care chemical manufacturers out there and each one has its good products and some have great products.
but like Mary B. states, there are a lot of bad ones as well. "Bad" is kind of a subjective judgement/opinion/evaluation for each detailer, depending on their experience, skill level, and expectation of what a particular product should do. Sometimes a product`s performance and end-result in the hands of one detailer may not be the same as another because of misuse or a wrong technique (Meguiar`s M105 Compound is a good example).

My suggestion? Keep reading and searching this forum. I ask that very question about a lot of different detailing car-care chemicals and equipment. if you were to do a search under the key word of "Suggestions" for thread titles, you would find a number of subjects that may pique your interest.

As far as your Chemical Guy product purchase, if you do decide to return them, what you replace them with? Personally, I have no experience with them. Most of my products are from Meguiar`s as that is what I have started out with in the consumer line being over-the-counter (OTC), available at most mass-retailers (like Walmart) or their Professional and Detailer Lines available at many auto parts stores or car paint shop supply stores. I use a lot of Meg`s Detailer Line of products (D101 All-Purpose Cleaner, D110 Hyperwash, D143 Non-Acid Wheel Cleaner, D149 Quik Interior Detailer) , but those are available in gallon jugs. Then again they provide excellent results at a great bulk price (IE, value).

I would look at the Autopia Store in this forum for a wide variety of products of various car-care manufactures. I personally use a lot of Optimum Polymer Technology (OPT) products that I purchased on-line from internet detailing supply companies because of the influence of reviews and experiences posted in this forum.

Another thing that I have found is that many detailers have a number of different car-care products from different manufacturers because what may work in one particular instance may not work for another. Paint (clear coat really) compounds and polishes are good example because some clear coats are soft and some are very hard. That said, if you only have your own personal vehicles to work on, find the right collection of car-care chemicals and equipment can be a daunting task filled with a lot of trial-and-error experimentation, not to mention the time and money it takes to find what works for you. That`s the beauty of this forum: those who are here will give you their suggestions on what works for them and will try to help out. I know personally how much those forum members have made my hobby (not a job!) as a detailer MUCH more enjoyable and the end-results on my vehicles (and the few I do for others) better AND avoid the waste of time and money if I just did this on my own.

There is one caveat that I have found, however, and that is while you can READ a lot and gather a lot of information on detailing, it is still a hand-on experience that you need to do to develop your skill level and abilities. Will you make mistakes? OH YEAH!! That`s one thing I have learned from this forum: ignorance is NOT bliss. Avoid the mistakes of others when you learn about them, and learn from your own. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.
 
Mike lambert said:
My question would be , how did you decide on the items when they have at least 30 choices in each category, and all the descriptions are the same?LOL! Good luck to you!
Click to expand...

:wacko:
I looked @ the prices and read the descriptions.
Mostly $`s.
Compared to what I`ve been using. Has to be a vast improvement in quality.

... I hope....

** I have a lot of sentimental vaue with those 20+ year old terry clothes towels and yellow polishing clothes from Wal-Mart.
 
Spice&Wood83 said:
:wacko:
I looked @ the prices and read the descriptions.
Mostly $`s.
Compared to what I`ve been using. Has to be a vast improvement in quality.

... I hope....

** I have a lot of sentimental vaue with those 20+ year old terry clothes towels and yellow polishing clothes from Wal-Mart.
Click to expand...

It will be an upgrade. Later, the obsession will become stronger and you will upgrade some more, and then some more after that.
 
Lonnie said:
Spice&Wood83: (How you came up with that Login Name is beyond me.)
There are a number of good (great, really) car-care chemical manufacturers out there and each one has its good products and some have great products.
but like Mary B. states, there are a lot of bad ones as well. "Bad" is kind of a subjective judgement/opinion/evaluation for each detailer, depending on their experience, skill level, and expectation of what a particular product should do. Sometimes a product`s performance and end-result in the hands of one detailer may not be the same as another because of misuse or a wrong technique (Meguiar`s M105 Compound is a good example).

My suggestion? Keep reading and searching this forum. I ask that very question about a lot of different detailing car-care chemicals and equipment. if you were to do a search under the key word of "Suggestions" for thread titles, you would find a number of subjects that may pique your interest.

As far as your Chemical Guy product purchase, if you do decide to return them, what you replace them with? Personally, I have no experience with them. Most of my products are from Meguiar`s as that is what I have started out with in the consumer line being over-the-counter (OTC), available at most mass-retailers (like Walmart) or their Professional and Detailer Lines available at many auto parts stores or car paint shop supply stores. I use a lot of Meg`s Detailer Line of products (D101 All-Purpose Cleaner, D110 Hyperwash, D143 Non-Acid Wheel Cleaner, D149 Quik Interior Detailer) , but those are available in gallon jugs. Then again they provide excellent results at a great bulk price (IE, value).

I would look at the Autopia Store in this forum for a wide variety of products of various car-care manufactures. I personally use a lot of Optimum Polymer Technology (OPT) products that I purchased on-line from internet detailing supply companies because of the influence of reviews and experiences posted in this forum.

Another thing that I have found is that many detailers have a number of different car-care products from different manufacturers because what may work in one particular instance may not work for another. Paint (clear coat really) compounds and polishes are good example because some clear coats are soft and some are very hard. That said, if you only have your own personal vehicles to work on, find the right collection of car-care chemicals and equipment can be a daunting task filled with a lot of trial-and-error experimentation, not to mention the time and money it takes to find what works for you. That`s the beauty of this forum: those who are here will give you their suggestions on what works for them and will try to help out. I know personally how much those forum members have made my hobby (not a job!) as a detailer MUCH more enjoyable and the end-results on my vehicles (and the few I do for others) better AND avoid the waste of time and money if I just did this on my own.

There is one caveat that I have found, however, and that is while you can READ a lot and gather a lot of information on detailing, it is still a hand-on experience that you need to do to develop your skill level and abilities. Will you make mistakes? OH YEAH!! That`s one thing I have learned from this forum: ignorance is NOT bliss. Avoid the mistakes of others when you learn about them, and learn from your own. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.
Click to expand...



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Random thoughts that this thread brings to mind:

-Anything that touches paint oughta be CD-tested. Even if it`s not all *that* great of a test it`s better than nothing
-I wouldn`t differentiate between a Daily and a Garage Queen (and I don`t when it comes to our vehicles) other than maybe the LSP
-Aggressive clay can cause incredibly serious problems
-IMO, and more importantly IME, 99% of all Detailing Errors can be avoided, or at least minimized to where they`re merely annoyances
-Test Spots are good when dealing with unknowns
-Youtube and Internet marketing/product recommendations/[anything] can be the Devil. Don`t be too credulous..and that includes what I post
-YMMV always applies
 
Spice&Wood83- Ah, I *knew* your usename rang a distant bell. Never tried that, but it somehow stuck in my memory :D You must be quite a fan of the stuff!
 
Spice & Wood, you`ll enjoy your new products.

Chemical Guys`s Stripper Scent is still my favorite air freshener. I believe Chemical Guys marketing "head" is thirteen years old. Their Sasquatch microfiber towels are fantastic and have held up well for me over the years.

Before your next order, be sure to search these forums and Autogeek`s forums for specific reviews and recommendations.
 
I actually recommend to leave this forum. You’ll be doing yourself a favor. Got back into detailing with a $50 32oz bottle of hydrosilex. Thought that was crazy...... after this forum I’ve spent more this last year than ever detailing.

I now bought a 500ml (roughly 16oz) for 119$ cuz I thought it was a good value...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Everything you got is fine, you just over paid for it because chemical guys is the "trendy" over marketed hyped brand of product.

Dont use the heavy duty clay bar unless you plan on a one time multi stage cut/polish paint enhancement. Use the lightest clay you can get....i used the very light mothers clay and it got melted in sand off my clear coat just fine.

Anything chemical based that you got from chemical guys, you could have gotten better for less but you didnt get snake oil in a bottle.

Next time youll do more research and youll spend a bit less and get equal or better products.

Not the end of the world unless your on a tight budget.

Also i dont get the buzz around microfiber towel drying. Compressed air, leaf blower, or dedicated air car dryer tool is all you need, just a few microfibers for door jambs and touch up, and ofc a good towel for buffing off your wax/sealant.

If you got bit by the detailing bug this was a minor purchase in the long run, and you marginally over spent on the chemical guys slapping their name on a cheap amazon basic item. Not the end of the world unless your budget was super tight.

Just keep it, youll be fine, the more research you do the more youll find cheaper deals, sales on expensive stuff, and items you like by use.

I have their butter wet wax, stuff struggles to last a week, smells like banana, and was expensive. Their tire kicker dressing i like but probably could have found better for less, i hear their citrus cleaner is good, oh and i have a spray scent that lasts until it dries, love the smell but hate the product because it has zero longevity. I also have a swirl mark filling glaze that im not sure even works but ill still use it.

IMO if your just getting into the detailing OCD...chemical guys is a good gateway drug...youll find better soon and your wallet will suffer regardless.
 
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