So, thought I might try to contribute something that may be of benefit to others for once.
I have done another thread similar to this some time ago, but that was limited to polishes
and I have tried some more products since then.

I like to keep my cars clean, and as such I try out a variety of different products for
different applications. There are some members here who will swear by certain products,
some more expensive than others.

I am looking for the best products for a consistent finish that I deem acceptable,
whilst being readily available for a decent cost.

Here goes...

Car Wash


Amour All Heavy Duty Car Wash
Auto Glym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner

I have in the past used generic dishwashing liquid when all else fails. Doesn’t really do
any harm, but I don’t recommend it. Leaves bad streaks if you don’t get it all off. I
generally use the two products pictured here. The Armour All does a fine job and you
don’t have to use a lot of it, but I prefer the AutoGlym. The AutoGlym seems to go
further and it is easier to wash all the suds/foam off with less streaks. I use a Karcher
high pressure sprayer with foaming attachment for both of these.

Polish


Kitten Cream Polishing Wax No.1
Meguiars Deep Crystal System Polish
Auto Glym Super Resin Polish
Auto Glym Ultra Deep Shine
NuFinish Liquid Car Polish

The key things I looked at when using each of these was
1) Ease in which the polish went on, and how far a 20c sized squirt went,
2) How easily is polished off again, and how much residue it left and
3) Smoothest finish to the touch.

Firstly I washed the car with the Karcher High Pressure Cleaner and the
Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner.

Autoglym Super Resin Polish
Glides on without much effort without having to use too much.
Comes off with very little effort and no residue leaving a great finish.

Auto Glym Ultra Deep Shine
Glides on without much effort without having to use too much.
Comes off with very little effort and no residue leaving a great finish.
Pretty Comparable to the Autoglym Super Resin Polish.

NuFinish Liquid Car Polish
Very similar to the Autoglym, again it glides on without much effort but
probably uses a bit more for the same amount of surface area.
Comes off with very little effort and no residue leaving a great finish.

KITTEN Cream Polishing Wax No. 1
Goes on easily enough, spreads well, but takes a fair bit of effort to get it off.
Leaves a good finish but not a good as the previous two.
I went back over the areas where I used this with the Autoglym.

Meguiars Deep Crystal System Polish
Goes on easily. Spreads well. A bitch to get off cleanly.
Leaves a chalky residue everywhere. Left faint swirl marks on the paint.
Needless to say I went back over the areas where I used this with the Autoglym.

The Verdict
The Auto Glym's are pretty comparable to the NuFinish. Both left the car looking great.
The Kitten does a decent job, but takes a lot more work. The Meguirs is a waste of time.
Don’t bother with that particular Turtle Wax pictured either.
My pick is the Auto Glym Ultra Deep Shine.

Waxing and Scratch Repair


Mothers Pure Carnuba Wax
NuFinish Scratch Doctor
Kitten Polish + Touch Up Paint

For waxing I use Mothers Pure Carnuba Wax. It is easy to put on and take off.
Leaves a great finish everytime. Never had a need to try anything else. For
scratchs I use NuFinish Scratch Doctor. It is a great product which has given
me some really good results on light scratches.

Another technique I have found that works well is to use the Kitten Polish and
mix some touch up paint with it, then polish out the scratches. The Kitten polish
works well for this as it is a thicker paste style polish, rather than a liquid type.



Rubber and Vinyl Cleaning


Armor All Protectorant Original
Auto Glym Vinyl and Rubber Care
Big Wipes Automotive Exterior

Like most I have used the usual Armor All Protectant for years. I then tried the Auto Glym.
The Auto Glym is a far better product. Works well and leaves a nice finish that doesn’t seem
as greasy as the equivalent Armor All Protectant product. It left a much more even and
consistent finish all the plastic/rubber surfaces. Smells better too.

The elcheapo Big Wipes are as expected...shit. They are realy only a cleaning product not
an ongoing protective product, so I use these mainly for mudflaps, inside wheel arches type work.

Wheel Cleaning


Meguiars Hot Rims Non Acid Wheel Cleaner
Auto Glym Custom Wheel Cleaner
Armor All Wheel Cleaner
Meguiars Hot Rims Mag and Aluminum Polish

As most know I have OZ Racing Superturismos on my car. Usual story, whilst they look great,
they are a bitch to clean.

For general brake dust residue I can t go past the Armor All Wheel Cleaner. Simply spray on,
leave for a minute of two, spray off with the Karcher High Pressure. The brake dust just glides
off. The other work, but not as well. I finish off by adding Armor All Wheel Protectorant as well.



I have some caked on brake dust that was on the rims when i purchased them, none of the
sprays or the polish will budge it.



Next option to remove it with out damage/scratching the finish on the wheels is this...



Glass


Amour All Glass Cleaner
Auto Glym Fast Glass
Windex

The Armor All and Windex work as expected. They clean fine, but trying to get a streak
free finish is painful. The Auto Glym Fast Glass is brilliant. It works so easily with absolutely
no streaking first time. Just make sure to use a soft clean dry cotton cloth or a microfibre
cleaning cloth.

DO NOT APPLY ANY OF THESE TYPES OF PRODUCT TO THE INSIDE OF YOUR WINDOWS
IF THEY ARE TINTED. The ammonia found in these will aid in the destruction of your tint film.
Just use a soft clean dry cotton cloth.

Some other cleaning products I have used that work well are...



Auto Gylm Leather Care Cream



Armor All Windscreen Wash Additive

For applications/buffing etc I use microfibe cleaning cloths and/or cheese-cloth.
I use a electric buffer to APPLY the polish, but remove by hand to make sure I get into
the difficult spots. Drying a generic synthetic chamois.



Anyway, these are just my thoughts, by no standard a scientific measure, but may be
of use to someone, sometime, somewhere. Keeps my cars looking reasonable

http://www.perth-wrx.com/vb/picture....pictureid=1544

Opinions/experiences welcome.

__________________
[COLOR=RoyalBlue][B][I]Titanium Reinforced[/I][/B]
MY00 Impreza WRX | MY11 Liberty GT Premium[/COLOR]

great thread and love the pictures taken of each product. I'm an autoglym slut, if its good enough for the royal family's rollers then its good enough for me

__________________
Funny looking German Subaru

This is a great thread
heaps of info on good products to keep ya car clean

Good 1

__________________
MY01 WRX
Turbo-back exhaust
Turbosmart vaccum lines
Turbosmart boost gauge
Turbo Timer

Its a work in progress ;)

IF IN DOUBT FLAT OUT!!

a good read and write up...

excellent effort, will give some of the products a try

__________________
98 gf8 Rip

Last pic...scares me when people put the buffer or cloths on the rocks like that... I know it's picky but you'd be picking up small particles of dirt that are just going to rub into the paint & scratch it.

Really the most informative thread I've read for a long time. well done.
I certainly took some ideas on board and will try them over the next weekend.
Thank you!!

__________________
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
In a Subaru you can cover a great distance in a short period of time or a short distance great period of time.
The journey is more important than the destination.

Glass cleaning tips:

* Don't use household window cleaners, as said above if they have ammonia it ruins the tint. The manority are now all l ammonia-free anyway but it's still not ideal for auto glass.

* Only do the glass when the car is in the shade or cool to touch, if it's too warm the cleaner will just evaporate too quick & won't actually clean the glass.

* Use a clean cloth, old cut up towel is fine, fold into quarters & use a new side each window.

* Don't stress if it streaks, do a few windows then get a clean microfibre cloth, fold into quarters & buff the window. Streaks will disappear. If it's a warmer day you may have to buff them sooner than if it's a cooler day. Leaving them too long makes the streaks hard to remove.

* Get some plastic razors from Woolies etc, near the batteries, lubricate the window with the cleaner & run the razor over the glass to remove contaminants before cleaning.

Saint_23
Very informative, thanks.

Wheel cleaner- some wheel finishes, eg polished, may be damaged by acid cleaners so use an acid free (and alkali free type) even if they appear not to be quite as effective.

Dishwash liquid- Safe on your hands and safe to drink, but do not use on duco, you will get rust as soon as it rains if not before.

Have used the Armorall Upholstery cleaner on my carpets and seats. This works well and made the seats look like new.

I also have a polish called 'Synpol'. Works well and does not leave white smears on rubbers etc. Can be used to polish glass, plastic (flat not dimpled), chrome and paintwork.

Toni

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#185

Great info Saint.

I'm looking at applying some paint protection for the new car when it arrives.
Anyone used Nonolex Premium Paint Sealer or Dodo Juice Wax products?

Am looking to order from this place, seems to have a good variety of stuff.

http://www.carcareproducts.com.au/