r/Detailing

Hi Everyone. Joined this community few days back as I'm about to get delivery of cherry red Signature plus AT in a week.

I've a query regarding coating. I'm sure about getting graphene coating, although I haven't done much research. Perspective is to keep the shine, considering the color I've picked.

Now dealer is offering autorexxz graphene coating for 20k with 2 yrs coverage. And 3M delhi store is offering 26k for 3 yrs. Dealer will do it before delivery, which seems a safe option. But 3M will keep it overnight, which I'm not comfortable with, although store is official 3M car car studio.

Need suggestions pls.

Studio I'm going to for PPF keeps insisting that the brand of film doesn't matter as long as the application is done well. Sounds like something someone says when they want to use a cheaper product. But also kind of makes sense because a bad install ruins even a good film. Who is right here, does the film brand actually matter or is application really everything?

Heard a lot about this product so I decided to buy the 5L jug hoping it would be better than my usually process. I calculated my PIR using some food coloring in my foam cannon and calculated 156mL to use to achieve my 2%. I hadn’t done a wash in about 4 weeks so this was a true test of its ability. I actually used 4% PIR the first time and was very unimpressed. It didn’t even take off standard road grime after a 5min dwell time. I ended up doing a second 2% contact wash again with 5min dwell time, and even with that I still had some stuck on bugs.
This can’t be the standard with this product right? I know using it in a pump sprayer is preferred because you use less product but even following the PIR percentage left me with serious doubts going forward.
Is there something I should change going forward other than getting a small pump sprayer?

I’ve been trying to pat dry our two cars after using rinseless wash, and not having great luck with one of them.

Using TRC liquid8tor towels. Have had these towels for 3 years, always used Rags to Riches soap, hang dry on indoor rack. They are not as soft as when new.

My process for washing: wet entire car with rinseless wash, sponge contact, wet car again before drying. I work in a garage, so out of sunlight.

One car is a light color, don’t notice any issues. The other is a dark blue. When done with contact wash I can see the drops with encapsulated dirt, normal when using rinseless. But if I pat dry, the towel will not pick up all the dirt, I can clearly see the outlines of the droplets that were holding the dirt. I have to drag towel across surfaces to completely remove.

Anyone else pat dry rinseless? Ivan says you can blow dry rinseless, and I can confidently say that doesn’t work!

Thanks for any advice.

I see online armour currently has a 25% off everything sale for July 4th and free shipping over 150$, I’ve used their glass coating, decon soap, and shampoo+. Trying to see what other products you all think are worth it by them because I’ve been wanting to try out more, but with this deal I’m definitely trying to get a few new things to try out

Sadly, I need the money too badly to pop it open and use it for my first time...pop my mega foam Cherry.

I was using up my Adams Car Shampoo first, and I'm almost out of it, but maybe another 2 washes. I supplement my bucket with some turtle wax stuff that works okay, and use car shampoo in the foam cannon. It's works alright, but was really excited for that Mega Foam experience.

And unfortunately, Florida's unemployment program is so busted on purpose, and they left the website broken for the entire long weekend, I have no idea if or when I will ever get any money being unemployed. I'm trying my best to game the AI application process but so far no luck, really hoping I can get some under the table details or something to hold me over

So I need help in the form of generous pockets, or more internet friendly advice in the form of something that will give me anywhere near the suds for a lot less money. And I'm talking about the large gallon of it because its literally half price...when I had some cash in my account a couple weeks ago, it didn't even occur to me to pay for the small squeeze bottle for twice the cost per ounce....but I'm after something that is under $30 that gives me decent foam, and more importantly the cost per ounce is closer to the .44 mark.

Like I said, economically, it's a serious bummer, but I could really use the extra $20.

Edit: I am bad with money, sure, but I've never been concerned with how much is coming out of my account on the first of the month, or I wouldn't have bought it to begin with. But I need another option as I need it on hand for neighbors vehicles when they ask to have it done, as they do from time to time. Thats just some quick cash under the table, it won't hold me over more than a week. It's not like it justifies the cost of the Mega Foam with where my account sits

Just curious what people are reaching for on a regular basis. I do a proper wash maybe once a week but I want something I can use between washes to knock off dust and keep things looking decent without pulling out the whole setup.

Been using the same thing for a while and honestly not sure if there's something better out there. What's your go-to quick detail spray right now and what made you land on it?

Washing detergent?
Washing machine Temperature?

Anything else that can help me look after my microfibres cloths

So what is the actual purpose of a ceramic spray wax? Its hydrophobic but what does that actually do for the paint? Does it make the car look better too? I ask because I keep applying it just because people tell me to for "protection" but I have 0 idea what the protection even is or if its worth the cost.

Why not just not apply it and clean the car every 2 weeks instead? Wouldnt that make the car look new and shiny anywyas. What does it add?

I got a couple of deep stone chips and I wanted to fix them. Here is what I did:

1. Filled them with one of those paint pens until it was a little bit higher than areas around it.
2. Used 1500 sandpaper only on the extra paint, used 2000 to flash it, and 3000 for the small area around it.
3. Used a RYOBI buffer and the components that came with it (2 pieces of cloths) to polish and buff the area using Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish.

The result is good and I cannot see them even under direct sunlight but if I get the light in the right direction then I see the hazy areas that I sanded.

In the YouTube videos I watched, after polishing those sanded areas seem perfect but mine doesn’t. What did I do wrong and how can I fix it?