r/AutoDetailing

I know it’s been discussed ad nauseam, but seeking feedback on some “ceramic” products that have accumulated on my shelf. My daily sits under a tree getting very dirty and sticky between weekend washes. I’ve used Griots 3-1 & TW Hybrid Ceramic and neither seem to last more than 2-3 weeks. To my fault, i’ve not properly prepped (clay, decon, polish) so I didn’t expect the best.

This weekend I’m going to clay, decon, and pull the car in the garage for a one step and I want to apply a ceramic spray to hopefully make it easier to clean the tree debris off in the future. Which one of these should be the best? In my experience 3-1 lasts better then TW HCS but I also have this Adam’s spray that seems to promise more then the other 2. Also would like to apply TW Pure Bead on top of whatever I use. Feedback?

Also if anyone has experience with this Glass sealant would appreciate. Trying to find something better than RainX.

Fusso coat is goated

I tried waxing my car and it left this faded white patch? I’ve tried washing it off with no luck. Any ideas on how to go about fixing this?

A neighbor was giving these away so I grabbed them. They are mostly full, but I was wondering if they are worth keeping and using. So I came to you wizards.

So I’ll preface this with saying I’m not a Detailer. So I tried to save myself money as the used car I bought had light dog scratches. I successfully got the scratches out with compound however I can’t seem to get the haze/smudges etc off for the life of me. I’ve tried polishing it multiple times and now I’m starting to scratch it side ways.

Does anybody have any advice on how to fix this? I regret touching it tbh and I won’t do it again LOL

Started with a one step which removed a good chunk of the swirls, then moved onto a heavy compound & pad but it’s barely helped with these long deeper scratches. As title says what has caused these scratches and how far would I have to go to remove them? They don’t catch at all on my fingernail and the surface overall feels super smooth to the touch.
TIA

Completed this job recently focusing on bringing back depth to the clear coat and tackling high-traffic interior wear.

Process breakdown:

Exterior:
• Foam pre-wash + two-bucket contact wash
• Chemical decontamination (iron remover) + medium clay bar
• Single-stage machine polish to clear light oxidation and enhance gloss
• 12-month ceramic sealant application on paint and exterior trim
• Wheel wells, face, and barrels deep-cleaned and dressed

Interior:
• Deep blowout with tornador/compressed air
• Full extraction on floor mats and upholstery
• Multi-step leather cleaning and matte UV conditioner
• Non-greasy interior protection across dashboard and door cards
• Streak-free glass finish

Running a fully equipped mobile rig around West Michigan (Oceana / Muskegon area). Always learning and refining techniques—critiques, pad recommendations, or sealant combos you guys prefer are welcome!

Non professional use, just my car. I hate big shop vacs, but I used to work in plumbing and guys would use these for water, dust, and things of that nature. Seems like it’d be nice and convenient for being so small? Anyone use one for cars and have any feedback?

I have a high performance fwd car with 5 years of burnt rubber on the side skirts. I’ve tried bug and tar remover, wd-40, and degreaser with a DA and finishing pad and little came off. The dark spot is where I just spent an hour experimenting. plastic razor blade gets the chunks off but scratches the crap out of it. Something has to work

So i have bought this Bigboi a couple weeks back and it's the second time i use it. It's connected via brass quick connects, that have teflon tape around them, to a 50ft flexzilla hose that's connected to a mckillans swivel gun. Is this something to do with the power or the machine? If i have no nozzles on it, it doesn't pulse, but with them connected or with a foam cannon connected, it acts strange. How can i fix this? I noticed my foam cannon also underperforming.

I’ve had my car washed a few times after I was gone during a storm in my area that left my hood coated in dirt as it was parked under a balcony above my driveway. I tried to use some spot cleaner and it appears to not be making a difference. Does this mean its damage to a clear coat or do I need to do a more aggressive cleaning approach?

Just got the car and noticed this marking in the interior liner on one of the doors. Doesn’t look like it sits on the surface as wiping it down with water and interior cleaner doesn’t help.

Does it look like a permanent discoloration of the faux-leather here? It’s kind of a bummer for a new car…

I had a company apply ceramic coating yesterday. I am very confident this mark/residue was not there before but they say it was existing. The car sitting, this was me looking at the car as they finished. They had three people working on the car the entire time.

First they said it was failed clear coat, then later said it was external material etched from not cleaning it for long periods.

Picture 1, you can see the stain very clearly and it can be felt to the touch.
They said they clay barred and polished it and the residue didn’t come off. This was the finished product after the ceramic coating on the car.

Picture 3 and 4, I did a localized wash and got the stain residue off and smooth to the touch. I don’t understand why they couldn’t get it off when they washed the car.

Could this be dried polish or some other solution? Just wanted to get some responses on what it could be for my own information.

Update question: if the mark was left from bird poop, why were they not able to remove it or make it less apparent in picture 1, but I was able to almost remove it entirely with dish soap in picture 3 and 4?

Overall, they did a good job and I’m happy with it. The car has its fair share of scratches, rock chips, and dents and dings. I am very confident this stain wasn’t there before though.

Ive neglected her car for while. This was her roof. Someone slid a box on it. Not 100 but way batter than before. Microfiber pad, 3D One. 2 passes. Sealed with 3D ceramic wax.

Not sure if this is the right place for this question, but has anyone ever seen grid lines like this show up on a CarPlay or other display after a detail?

This was my first ever detail and I’m bummed by this.. the shop tried to tell me that’s “just what CarPlay screens look like” in a car I’ve owned 6 years. It looks a bit less noticeable when the screen is on, but it’s not really the aesthetics I’m worried about - could it be water damage that will get worse over time?