OTC Protectarant, Tire Dressing, Etc.?

[globe9]

Hi Guys!



New to this, so have many questions. I just bought a black Nissan Rogue and it's in New condition right now. Just hosed off the dust from sitting in driveway all week.



Went ahead and bought Meguiar's Deep Crystal car wash today for it's first washing, when needed. Is this an ok car wash?



Also picked up another bucket for the 2 bucket method, a microfiber mitt, some microfiber towels, a new Absorber synthetic chamois, and a tire brush. Didn't get a inside dressing or protecterant or a polish/wax. Still not sure what over the counter products are decent and I should be using.



What type of "Armor All" type product should I use? I want something quality that won't eventually damage my dash in the long run(heard Armor All can do this). I want something that will protect from UV rays, that will prevent cracking/fading, and will be safe to use. Any suggestions on a product I can purchase locally at something like a Pep Boys, Autozone, O'Reilly, Wal-Mart etc?



Will I need a seperate product for tire dressing? Again did the research on here and know that most products sold actually harm the tire. I want a product that will make the tire look great and will help to protect them. What should I get?



As for wax and polish. B/c the car is brand new and the paint is in good shape, do I still need both? Can I just wax? Was thinking about getting Meguiar's Yellow Hi-Tech Liquid Wax...is this ok?



Again, want to keep car looking new for years to come, but it won't be a show car or anything...so a nice happy medium is what I'm looking to achieve. Thanks!

 

[Accumulator]

Hi Guys!



New to this, so have many questions. I just bought a black Nissan Rogue and it's in New condition right now. Just hosed off the dust from sitting in driveway all week...

Hope you don't get any waterspots from the rinsing.

Went ahead and bought Meguiar's Deep Crystal car wash today for it's first washing, when needed. Is this an ok car wash?

Eh, I haven't used it for ages, but when I did it wasn't very good. Lacked lubricity. If you want an OTC shampoo, their Gold Class is quite a bit better IMO.

Also picked up another bucket for the 2 bucket method, a microfiber mitt, some microfiber towels, a new Absorber synthetic chamois, and a tire brush. Didn't get a inside dressing or protecterant or a polish/wax. Still not sure what over the counter products are decent and I should be using.

While I'm no expert on OTC stuff, when in doubt go with Meguiar's or DuraGloss.

What type of "Armor All" type product should I use? I want something quality that won't eventually damage my dash in the long run(heard Armor All can do this). I want something that will protect from UV rays, that will prevent cracking/fading, and will be safe to use. Any suggestions on a product I can purchase locally at something like a Pep Boys, Autozone, O'Reilly, Wal-Mart etc?

AFAIK that stuff about Armor All causing damage is an old wives' tale. MIGHT have been true a long time ago, but it sure never did it for me. IIRC Scottwax still uses Armor All.



Truth is, IME most of today's interiors don't really need much protection. I've *NEVER* dressed/protected the interior of my '01 Mazda MPV and it's still just like new. Actually, I hardly ever dress the interiors of any of my vehicles, it's just not all that necessary IMO (and I keep vehicles for a long, long time, so I'm talking "long-term OK").

Will I need a seperate product for tire dressing? Again did the research on here and know that most products sold actually harm the tire. I want a product that will make the tire look great and will help to protect them. What should I get?

These days I just use Zaino's Z16, though I did put some old Meguiar's Endurance on the snow tires this last winter (and I use it on under-vehicle mounted spares).



Again, I think the whole idea of tire dressing causing real damage is exaggerated. I've been using various tire dressings on dozens of vehicles since the '70s with zero problems.

As for wax and polish. B/c the car is brand new and the paint is in good shape, do I still need both? Can I just wax? Was thinking about getting Meguiar's Yellow Hi-Tech Liquid Wax...is this ok?

Some of us get *very* involved, even on brand new vehicles that were delivered "in the plastic". But I'm guessing that you'd be happy with a far less extreme approach.



You need polishes if you want to polish out marring (scratches/swirls/etc.) or improve the paint's gloss. Otherwise I'd just recommend that you clean the paint and wax it. The paint cleaning could be claying (research claying if you haven't already), and/or a paint cleaner or a cleaner-wax. You could do worse than just using Meguiar's Color-X and then topping with the #26.



The Meg's #26 is a nice wax on black but it doesn't last all that long.

Again, want to keep car looking new for years to come, but it won't be a show car or anything...so a nice happy medium is what I'm looking to achieve.

Hence my somewhat scaled-back advice. Sorry I wasn't more specific about what products to use, but I just don't know much about OTC stuff (or even what *is* OTC these days).



IMO the biggest challenge will be to *not* mar the paint during the regular washes.

 

[akimel]

Hi Guys!



Went ahead and bought Meguiar's Deep Crystal car wash today for it's first washing, when needed. Is this an ok car wash?

When you have finished off your bottle of Deep Crystal, try out Megs' Gold Class or Duragloss 901.

Didn't get a inside dressing or protecterant or a polish/wax. Still not sure what over the counter products are decent and I should be using. What type of "Armor All" type product should I use? I want something quality that won't eventually damage my dash in the long run(heard Armor All can do this). I want something that will protect from UV rays, that will prevent cracking/fading, and will be safe to use. Any suggestions on a product I can purchase locally at something like a Pep Boys, Autozone, O'Reilly, Wal-Mart etc?

I would suggest using regularly Megs' Interior Quik Detailer. It leaves behind very little gloss and will help keep the interior looking clean and fresh. It will also give a tiny bit of UV protection. If you want more gloss and UV protection, try Megs' Ultimate Protectant.

Will I need a seperate product for tire dressing? Again did the research on here and know that most products sold actually harm the tire. I want a product that will make the tire look great and will help to protect them. What should I get?

I've read a lot of forums, and I have not seen any solid research that shows that tire dressings actually harm the tires. As to which one to try, it all depends on how much shine you want. Do you prefer a more natural look, then try Mother's Reflections Tire Care (if you can find it--if you can't, order it through Amazon.com). If you want higher gloss, then try one of Meguiar's Hot Shine or Stoner's More Shine (the local NAPA store was willing to order Stoner's More Shine and Trim Shine for me--they got it in in two days).

As for wax and polish. B/c the car is brand new and the paint is in good shape, do I still need both? Can I just wax? Was thinking about getting Meguiar's Yellow Hi-Tech Liquid Wax...is this ok?

M26 is one of the best carnauba waxes you can get OTC. It has lots of fans and is a great value for the money. My favorite OTC sealant is Mother's Reflections (also available through Amazon.com). I've been reading some good reviews of the re-formulated Gold Class Carnauba Plus. If you can find Duragloss products at your local store, then try out DG 105.



And do pick up a bottle of Megs' Ultimate Quik Wax. It's a great product for a spray wax.



Take a look at this article: Your Daily Driver: A Simple Wash & Wax Regimen.



Hope this helps.



Al



P.S. As Accumulator notes, the single most important thing you can do is to learn how to wash your car without marring the finish.

 

[nonwelder]

Great advice above...I always enjoy reading Accumulator's posts, as his advice is based on experience and he's always honest.



I've used protectant on some vehicles, not on others. Honestly, I recently put some Meg's Ultimate Protectant on my Jetta's Dash. A little too much shine for me, so I'll be cleaning it with Meg's QID. The new formula has better cleaning and more UV protection, so it will be my "protectant" of choice. I still use Armor All on my tires. Fairly cost effective, water based, and a nice medium shine.



Meg's 26 is still one of my favorites. Doesn't last THAT long, but a great product, great depth, and VERY easy to use.



Definitely get some Meg's UQW. Great OTC product that is easy to use and really amps up the existing LSP.



Good luck.

 

[Accumulator]

I would suggest using regularly Megs' Interior Quik Detailer...

-AND-

...I'll be cleaning it with Meg's QID...

Hey, I completely forgot about that stuff! Maybe because I think of it sorta like Endust, not really a "dressing". Actually, I use the QID all the time, dusting the interior with it sprayed on a MF. Props for mentioning it..



globe9- Check your local yellowpages (or, heh heh, the internet equivalent) and find the local autobody/paint supply store. They'll have a *lot* of stuff in stock and will drastically expand your notion of "OTC". Often they'll even order something specific without any extra charges.

 

[black03mach]

i detail my work truck with otc products only (i have alot of product to use up since i've ordered my favorite boutique products in bulk (which isnt saying otc is bad))



for washing i really like meguiars gold class or ultimate wash and wax

drying i like the carrand waffle weave towel you can find at autoparts stores

clay i use the meguiars clay kit (comes with a nice microfiber and a good QD)

QD- maroon bottle of megs quick detailer (i do have m34 that i also pick up local)

polish- ultimate compound and swirlx

sealant-dg105

wax-s100 from harley dealer (similar to p21s)

spray wax- duragloss aquawax

trim shine - mothers back to black

interior- megs quick interior detailer

tires- duragloss non silicone dressing (looks identical to z16)



in all honesty the truck looks as good as my wifes mdx or my corvette (well maybe not the vette as that car is swirl free) and its proof that it isnt the product but the technique and the time spent



and like accumulator said- local autobody/paint supply stores are going to be your new best friend