How to care for a new S63 AMG?

[AustinGuy]

I have read quite a few threads/forums. Even spent a lot of time reading Autogeek.net and Car Detailing - Autopia.org



But .... the more I read the more confused I get especially when it comes to which products would work best. I know there are a ton - Menzerna, Klasse, P21S, Wolfgang, etc.... but what I'm looking for is simple advice to do 2-3 common things for a new car to make sure it stays in prestine condition:



Considering this is a brand new car, what are the best products (not most expensive) to use for the following applications:



1) Leather: How do take care of the leather and make sure it's kept in good condition? I would imagine that the dealersip would not have put anything on the leather. Which is the best Ph-neutral, silicone-free and BEST overall leather clearner/conditioner out there - prefereably an odor free product that can preserve the new car smell (since my car is only 1 week old!)



2) Exterior: Again, tons of products. I use P21S wheel cleaner gel and shampoo but the last time I bought the shampoo it did not produce much suds. I literally had to pour 1/4 bottle into a 3 gallon bucket! I love their wheel cleaner gel though. I'm looking for recommendations for



- a good paint cleaner and if I need to use one NOW or just wait till the car is older. My thinking is that dealerships don't use the best products to detail and so my car probably has some junk stuff on it even though I bought it from a MB dealership.



- Wax: Which product is the best bank for the buck? Do I need a Carnauba wax or will the polymer/resin stuff like Klasse or Meguir's NXT work? P21S carnauba?



- Tire gel: This is the part that's sent me in circles the most. I have tried Meguir's hot shine spray - not any good. I tried a variety of "Wal Mart" and "AutoZone" products - still no good results. Some even leave this thick oily sheen that attracts all sorts of debris like grass clippings, etc. Is there ANY product out there that gives a great shine but doesn't leave an oily residue?



Thanks!

 

[AustinGuy]

wow - no takers yet?:nervous:

 

[noego]

(bump)



i'm envious of your car!

 

[Accumulator]

.... the more I read the more confused I get especially when it comes to which products would work best. I know there are a ton - Menzerna, Klasse, P21S, Wolfgang, etc.... but what I'm looking for is simple advice to do 2-3 common things for a new car to make sure it stays in prestine condition:



Considering this is a brand new car, what are the best products (not most expensive) to use for the following applications:..

Welcome to Autopia!



The same stuff that'd work on any car will be fine for your (very nice) Benz. My $0.02 follows:

1) Leather: How do take care of the leather and make sure it's kept in good condition? I would imagine that the dealersip would not have put anything on the leather. Which is the best Ph-neutral, silicone-free and BEST overall leather clearner/conditioner out there - prefereably an odor free product that can preserve the new car smell (since my car is only 1 week old!)

IMO you don't need to do much except keep the leather clean. I hardly ever treat the leather in my newer vehicles, *maybe* once a year at most. Good leather in today's cars just doesn't seem to need much in the way of conditioning, at least not IME/IMO.



I too want my cars to smell like new, not like leather shops. The Sonus brand leather stuff (cleaner and conditioner) seems pretty good in this regard.



FWIW, most of my vehicles still smell just like they did when new (the Audis smell like Audis, the Mazdas smell like Mazdas, etc. etc.). I figure it's because I keep their interiors *clean* and I don't park them outside in the sun a whole lot (which would make all the "new car smell sources" outgas faster. My RX-7 still smells just like a new RX-7 after *24 years*.

2) Exterior: Again, tons of products. I use P21S wheel cleaner gel and shampoo but the last time I bought the shampoo it did not produce much suds. I literally had to pour 1/4 bottle into a 3 gallon bucket! I love their wheel cleaner gel though. I'm looking for recommendations for

Best shampoo IMO is Griot's Car Wash, I simply love the stuff. Not really pricey when you consider the cost of your S63 DuraGloss is a commonly available substitute that's supposed to be almost as good.



I usually wax/seal my wheels so I can just clean them with shampoo mix.

- a good paint cleaner and if I need to use one NOW or just wait till the car is older. My thinking is that dealerships don't use the best products to detail and so my car probably has some junk stuff on it even though I bought it from a MB dealership.

Many US Benz dealerships use AutoInt's ValuGard products, which aren't bad at all. But most dealership employees aren't too good at this stuff.



I'd be surprised if your new Benz doesn't need a lot more than just a paint cleaner (I do a full decontamination process on my new vehicles and if the dealer washed it your paint could probably stand a good polishing) but I'm *quite* certain you oughta do a clay and paint cleaning, or at *least* the paint cleaner.



For clay, I'd recommend the ClayMagic blue clay or the Mother's clay kit (same stuff is also sold by Griot's). I use Sonus green Ultra-fine clay for spot-claying at every wash, but it's probably too mild for the initial clay job.



Lost of choices for paint cleaners: Meguair's Deep Crystal Step #1 Cleaner, Klasse All-In-One, Zaino All-In-One, or something from 1Z, maybe their Metallic Polish with Wax, which I use and recommend highly.



As polishes go, the 1Z Metallic Polish with Wax is *so* gentle that I think of it more as a paint cleaner; it's not something that will wear away at your clearcoat. It's about the most user-friendly polish ever, can't think of anything that compares. If I were buying your stuff, that's what I'd get for you.

- Wax: Which product is the best bank for the buck? Do I need a Carnauba wax or will the polymer/resin stuff like Klasse or Meguir's NXT work? P21S carnauba?

Best bang for the buck is Collinite brand wax. Either their liquid 845 Insulator Wax or one of their pastes (which I prefer) such as 476S/885 (same stuff, different size can) or their 915. Collinite protects/lasts/etc. better than most sealants IMO and is my #1 recommendation.



I do use the Klasse twins on one of our vehicles and IMO you'd be better off with the Collinite.



P21s looks very similar to Collinite 845, but the Collinite lasts a *LOT* longer.



Some people really like NXT, but I'v never used it. I wouldn't expect it to last nearly as long as Collinite.



I've often said that when it comes to starting to get serious-type products: "if you have to ask, the answer is 1Z polish topped with Collinite". There are just countless ways you could go with this stuff, but that recommendation won't disappoint you.

- Tire gel: This is the part that's sent me in circles the most. I have tried Meguir's hot shine spray - not any good. I tried a variety of "Wal Mart" and "AutoZone" products - still no good results. Some even leave this thick oily sheen that attracts all sorts of debris like grass clippings, etc. Is there ANY product out there that gives a great shine but doesn't leave an oily residue?

I use Zaino Z-16 exclusively. No problems with dirt attraction or slinging, just wipe off any excess product a few minutes after dressing the tires.

 

[stilez]

I have read quite a few threads/forums. Even spent a lot of time reading Autogeek.net and Car Detailing - Autopia.org



But .... the more I read the more confused I get especially when it comes to which products would work best. I know there are a ton - Menzerna, Klasse, P21S, Wolfgang, etc.... but what I'm looking for is simple advice to do 2-3 common things for a new car to make sure it stays in prestine condition:



Considering this is a brand new car, what are the best products (not most expensive) to use for the following applications:



1) Leather: How do take care of the leather and make sure it's kept in good condition? I would imagine that the dealersip would not have put anything on the leather. Which is the best Ph-neutral, silicone-free and BEST overall leather clearner/conditioner out there - prefereably an odor free product that can preserve the new car smell (since my car is only 1 week old!)



2) Exterior: Again, tons of products. I use P21S wheel cleaner gel and shampoo but the last time I bought the shampoo it did not produce much suds. I literally had to pour 1/4 bottle into a 3 gallon bucket! I love their wheel cleaner gel though. I'm looking for recommendations for



- a good paint cleaner and if I need to use one NOW or just wait till the car is older. My thinking is that dealerships don't use the best products to detail and so my car probably has some junk stuff on it even though I bought it from a MB dealership.



- Wax: Which product is the best bank for the buck? Do I need a Carnauba wax or will the polymer/resin stuff like Klasse or Meguir's NXT work? P21S carnauba?



- Tire gel: This is the part that's sent me in circles the most. I have tried Meguir's hot shine spray - not any good. I tried a variety of "Wal Mart" and "AutoZone" products - still no good results. Some even leave this thick oily sheen that attracts all sorts of debris like grass clippings, etc. Is there ANY product out there that gives a great shine but doesn't leave an oily residue?



Thanks!

AustinGuy: Welcome, and beautiful car you have. I've used many products, but here is what I'd go with for a new vehicle like yours.





1) Zaino Z9 to clean; Zaino Z10 to protect. They smell great (like leather), have a nice matte look, and help protect/soften.



2) Zaino Z7 for car wash (I seal my vehicles with Z2 or Z5 Pro). Meguiar's Gold Class is also very good and very cost effective as well. Either of these will produce luxurious and plentiful suds.



Stick with the P21s Wheel Cleaner, its great. Many will say to seal your wheels with a sealant so you only have to use soapy water to clean them. Two notes on that: 1) MB wheels get dirty ---- FAST, and P21s Wheel Cleaner is VERY safe --- 2) It may not be incredibly cost effective, but I doubt that buying something that works and you like is too much of a worry to an owner like yourself.



To clean your paint, start with clay - I use Zaino Z18, but for the most part, clay is clay. This will leave a smooth finish and remove bonded contaminants; yes it is necessary, can pretty much guarantee every new car does need it.



Next, lightly polish/chemically clean your paint; two products that come to mind are Zaino Z-AIO or Klasse AIO. Either polish, clean, and leave synthetic protection. From there, I like to go with a sealant; preferably Zaino Z5 Pro. In my opinion, there is no substitute for protection. If not enough, wait 24 hours and top with a wax. A lot like Souveran, I personally like P21s 100% or Poorboy's Natty's Blue.



For tires, your key take-away is to CLEAN them first. Be it a degreaser, all purpose cleaner, or dedicated tire cleaner, hose those tires down, let the cleaner dwell, agitate, and rinse. You need a fresh canvas to lay your dressing of choice. For dressings, I only use water-based on tires; IE: NO SLING! Use an Eagle One Tire Swipe and apply 2 coats of Zaino Z16 (first coat heavy, 2nd coat light - 10 minutes later). Allow to dry for 30 minutes and unless you regularly drive over 110mph, you shouldn't have any sling.



I hope this helps.



Cheers.

 

[Bigpoppa3346]

For tires, your key take-away is to CLEAN them first. Be it a degreaser, all purpose cleaner, or dedicated tire cleaner, hose those tires down, let the cleaner dwell, agitate, and rinse. You need a fresh canvas to lay your dressing of choice. For dressings, I only use water-based on tires; IE: NO SLING! Use an Eagle One Tire Swipe and apply 2 coats of Zaino Z16 (first coat heavy, 2nd coat light - 10 minutes later). Allow to dry for 30 minutes and unless you regularly drive over 110mph, you shouldn't have any sling.

A very important point, I cringe when I think of all the people on this site that probably don't clean their tires properly before dressing. I clean tires with Hi-Temp Tire Cleaner and dress with regular Armor All Original, water based and it looks great. Having a clean tire is 10x more important than the dressing.



I agree with Accumulator about the leather, I don't think I've conditioned the leather in my mother's Bimmer X3 even once and it still smells new 2 and 1/2 years later. Just keeping it clean goes a long way.



Have you considered enlisting the help of a fellow Autopian in your area to maybe show you the ropes and letting you try a few of their products? Nice car, BTW.

 

[HBR]

Congrats on the 6.3 AMG



Hit the start button and push the pedal on the right to the floor





Sincerely you've fund the right place for car care - AMG FTW :hifive:

 

[blk45]

Congrats on the 6.3 AMG

Technically, it's a 6.2



Bad a$$ car, none the less.

 

[MCWD]

I have read quite a few threads/forums. Even spent a lot of time reading Autogeek.net and Car Detailing - Autopia.org



But .... the more I read the more confused I get especially when it comes to which products would work best. I know there are a ton - Menzerna, Klasse, P21S, Wolfgang, etc.... but what I'm looking for is simple advice to do 2-3 common things for a new car to make sure it stays in prestine condition:



Considering this is a brand new car, what are the best products (not most expensive) to use for the following applications:



1) Leather: How do take care of the leather and make sure it's kept in good condition? I would imagine that the dealersip would not have put anything on the leather. Which is the best Ph-neutral, silicone-free and BEST overall leather clearner/conditioner out there - prefereably an odor free product that can preserve the new car smell (since my car is only 1 week old!)



2) Exterior: Again, tons of products. I use P21S wheel cleaner gel and shampoo but the last time I bought the shampoo it did not produce much suds. I literally had to pour 1/4 bottle into a 3 gallon bucket! I love their wheel cleaner gel though. I'm looking for recommendations for



- a good paint cleaner and if I need to use one NOW or just wait till the car is older. My thinking is that dealerships don't use the best products to detail and so my car probably has some junk stuff on it even though I bought it from a MB dealership.



- Wax: Which product is the best bank for the buck? Do I need a Carnauba wax or will the polymer/resin stuff like Klasse or Meguir's NXT work? P21S carnauba?



- Tire gel: This is the part that's sent me in circles the most. I have tried Meguir's hot shine spray - not any good. I tried a variety of "Wal Mart" and "AutoZone" products - still no good results. Some even leave this thick oily sheen that attracts all sorts of debris like grass clippings, etc. Is there ANY product out there that gives a great shine but doesn't leave an oily residue?



Thanks!

I actually work on a 2008 CLS 63 and I will give you my suggestions on what I find works best.



1. Optimum Protectant Plus! Great all around leather vinyl cleaner, conditioner, and it reduces dust build up. Also it has a nice finish. Not a glossy or greasy finish! Take this to anything in your interior really.



2. Optimum No rinse will be the safest and best wash system for your car! You can also have a seperate bucket for cleaning your wheels, as it does wonders on removing brake dust. I suggets using buckets with the grit gaurd to prevent damaging the paint. You can effectively clean your car with a nice mitt, and 2 micro fibers. For your wheels you can use a good tire and wheel well brush, a soft brush for your wheels and a narrow wheel brush to get in deep to clean the wheel 100% Just use a standard terry or MF towel to dry the wheels. Terry towels are cheap and if they get nasty I toss them. If the wheels are really rough, try optimum power clean... That stuff also is great, and it has many application uses! Then I like to so a nice spray wax application to the car. I like Duragloss Aquawax a lot!



3. Make sure to clay first! Then a great polish line for that car is Menzerna!! They claim to be the product line that Mercedes uses on the assembly line. I love the line and it was created to handle the Mercedes tough clear coat! Depending on your paints condition will tell you what one to use. Check out the chart on AG to give you some direction on which one will wrk best!



5. Make sure its clayed first! Obviously you would only clay it after the wash, but I wanted to clarify it for you. For wax, “The Permanent Auto Wax� Super DoubleCoat Auto Wax #476 by Collinite!!! That is all i will say. There are obviously more expensive waxes, but for best all around wax at a good price, this is what you want.



6. I hear a lot of good feedback on Optimum's tire shine and I just ordered some to try. That is what I would suggest, since I am very ahppy with the other products they offer.



7. My suggestion to help the wheels out, would be to use Wheel Wax. This is a great product, and I have been happy with the results on keeping the brake dust from killing me on the washing of the wheels.



Here's the one I do!

and the wheels! Super clean!!

Best of luck and feel free to ask me any additional advice!:hifive:

 

[MCWD]

Technically, it's a 6.2



Bad a$$ car, none the less.

Why would it have 6.3 written on the fender? I posted a pic of the one I do. Also, it is named the CLS 63. I was under the impression that it is officially a 6.3.:sadwavey:

 

[JohnKleven]

What color is it? 040 black is a nightmare to care for as Mercedes does not clear coat it. Obsidian black is much easier to care for.





John

 

[blk45]

Why would it have 6.3 written on the fender? I posted a pic of the one I do. Also, it is named the CLS 63. I was under the impression that it is officially a 6.3.:sadwavey:

Don't know, you would have to ask AMG that. Info right from their webite:



Displacement 6208



My Uncle has a CLS 63 as well, but it's a 6.2ltr. Maybe AMG wants all of their model numbers to be odd? 55,63,65,etc. I have never found the explanation for it.



Here is another link that shows the displacement for the S: link and the CLS: link

 

[AustinGuy]

Thanks A LOT guys (and gals ).... this info. is great. I"ll try to respond to each of you in due course.



In the meantime here are some pics of my 2009 S63 AMG - just picked her up last week. A few of you have emailed me about posting pics., so here goes (excuse the pic. quality I know it isn't very good - still trying to figure out my camera):

 

[AustinGuy]

What color is it? 040 black is a nightmare to care for as Mercedes does not clear coat it. Obsidian black is much easier to care for.





John

Are you sure about that? My car is 040 black and it sure looks like it has clear coat. Can't imagine how ANY car, let alone an S63 would not have cc...

 

[AustinGuy]

Thanks alot every one! That's some great info.



I actually replied earlier and posted some pics of my car (since I got a few PM's asking me to do so) but the post got routed to the mods/admins so that they could read it before alllowing it to show up :sadpace:....



Hopefully it will appear soon

 

[AustinGuy]

Not to derail this thread (since it was solely for "learning" about what products to use).....



I have a couple of more questions:



1) All this talk about clay bars: Do I need it for a brand new car that's 1 week old? If so, I can't get used to sliding a "bar" of any sort on my pristine S63 :wall...... Tell me it's not like taking a 2x4 and sliding it on my $140,000 Benz:bat



2) Sealant vs. Wax: Again, on a new car do I need to apply the sealent now or wait for about 6-8 months? If I need to do it now, then how long do I have to wait before applying wax?



3) How long after washing my car can I wait to apply wax/sealent? The reason I ask is bec. I typically hand wash my car at a car wash and then drive it about 1/2 mile back home and then I let it sit in the garage. Can it sit for a few days - week before I apply the wax/sealant as long as I don't drive it? (married w/2 kids - time is not on my side :har

 

[Accumulator]

AustinGuy- Nice...Benzes sure have become modern since I was driving them



Those wheels look like they'll be a piece of cake to keep clean :xyxthumbs

Not to derail this thread (since it was solely for "learning" about what products to use).....



I have a couple of more questions:



1) All this talk about clay bars: Do I need it for a brand new car that's 1 week old? If so, I can't get used to sliding a "bar" of any sort on my pristine S63 :wall...... Tell me it's not like taking a 2x4 and sliding it on my $140,000 Benz:bat..

New cars are often/usually/always(?) contaminated with stuff like rail dust from transporting. Yeah, even with the transit-wrap stuff. I take mine "in the plastic" and they're still contaminated.



Clay is a simple way to get most of that stuff off. Not as thorough as a decontamination system (which is what I use) but not as involved either.



BUT...you have to use the right clay and the right technique or yeah, you could mar the paint. My favorite clay is off the market (patent infringement BS) so I'm not sure what to recommend after all...I'd sure hate for you to mess up your big black Benz :think: I guess you should maybe just use the Sonus green UltraFine. It's *so* gentle that it might not get *everything* off the paint, but it won't mar it up either. And not getting everything off black isn't the huge deal it could be with white or silver (where ferrous contamination turns into obvious/ugly "rust blooms" as it corrodes, you won't really see that on black).

2) Sealant vs. Wax: Again, on a new car do I need to apply the sealent now or wait for about 6-8 months? If I need to do it now, then how long do I have to wait before applying wax?

Think of sealants as just "synthetic waxes" and there's a lot of overlap between the two anyhow. If you want to apply both (and I don't do that anymore), you apply the sealant first, then the wax.



No need to wait...get something on it ASAP so the paint is protected.

3) How long after washing my car can I wait to apply wax/sealent? The reason I ask is bec. I typically hand wash my car at a car wash and then drive it about 1/2 mile back home and then I let it sit in the garage. Can it sit for a few days - week before I apply the wax/sealant as long as I don't drive it? (married w/2 kids - time is not on my side :har

I wouldn't even like driving it home before waxing as stuff will get on the paint and then cause marring when rubbed during the waxing. I used to have to do it that way before I had a good garage/shop and it was a real headache. At least plan to spray it with a Quick Detailer (or ONR wash) and *GENTLY* wipe it off with *VERY* soft microfiber towels. This will be *VERY* hard to do without causing marring, so be warned..sorry to sound so pessimistic, but it's the voice of experience.





The longer it sits, the more stuff you'll have to clean off before you wax/etc. and the greater the chance that you'll mar the finish.



If possible, just wax it at the car wash. But I guess you can't wash, clay, paint clean/etc. and wax there or you'd be tying up a bay all weekend.



Heh heh...keeping a black vehicle decent looking can be a full-time job, not exactly what I'd consider convenient for a busy person

 

[MCWD]

+1 accumulator

 

[David Fermani]

Are you sure about that? My car is 040 black and it sure looks like it has clear coat. Can't imagine how ANY car, let alone an S63 would not have cc...

I'd like to know the answer too.



Is the letter "C" in your paint code anywhere? IF so, the C stands for Ceramic Clear Coat.

 

[stilez]

Are you sure about that? My car is 040 black and it sure looks like it has clear coat. Can't imagine how ANY car, let alone an S63 would not have cc...

All 040 MBs I've worked on do, in fact, have a clearcoat.

Not to derail this thread (since it was solely for "learning" about what products to use).....



I have a couple of more questions:



1) All this talk about clay bars: Do I need it for a brand new car that's 1 week old? If so, I can't get used to sliding a "bar" of any sort on my pristine S63 :wall...... Tell me it's not like taking a 2x4 and sliding it on my $140,000 Benz:bat



2) Sealant vs. Wax: Again, on a new car do I need to apply the sealent now or wait for about 6-8 months? If I need to do it now, then how long do I have to wait before applying wax?



3) How long after washing my car can I wait to apply wax/sealent? The reason I ask is bec. I typically hand wash my car at a car wash and then drive it about 1/2 mile back home and then I let it sit in the garage. Can it sit for a few days - week before I apply the wax/sealant as long as I don't drive it? (married w/2 kids - time is not on my side :har

Ditto all said by Accumulator.

I'd like to know the answer too.



Is the letter "C" in your paint code anywhere? IF so, the C stands for Ceramic Clear Coat.

I believe just about every new MB has Ceramiclear. Started in 03 as an option on many, but I believe its been standard since at least 04 in the S, SL, CL models.