I've got a new Z and I want to start off the right way as far as caring for the exterior/interior. What products would you recommend to clean it all? rims, leather seats, dash, exterior paint, windows, etc... could some of you guys help me out and suggest some stuff that works well for you guys?

 

I wash mine with pure baby tears...aint nuthin like it.






seriously though...check out the detailing forum. best stuff in the world is Zaino, or so i hear.
https://my350z.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=22

 

I use Meguiar's products. When I brought my new Z home I washed and dried it. Then I used a Meguiar's smooth clay bar followed by Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner and Deep Crystal Polish. Added a couple coats of Gold Class Liquid Wax and finally a coat of Ultimate Quick Detailer. Paint is now smoother than a new baby's behind and shines like a new dollar. Also use Meguiar's soap and a microfiber towel for washing. I use a Mr Clean wash system filtered water as a final rinse when washing so there are no water spots for the spots I miss when drying. In January Meguiar's is releasing a new NXT 2 wax which I'll probably switch to. Also use Meguiar's leather conditioner on my seats.

In between washings I use a California Duster followed by Ultimate Quick Detailer.

 

i use 100 grit sandpaper and sulfuric acid. gives it an original shine













for real though, i use mequiars/turtle wax products

 

Soap and water

 

I use the Meguiar's NXT car wash, NXT wax (only thing about it is it only lasts like 2 weeks)... pretty much NXT everything. My Evo is black, and the NXT just makes it look crazy deep and mirror-like.

2 examples...

 

full detail for me looks like this:

1. Wash with meguiars NXT
2. Claybar with griots claybar and nxt quick detailer
3. Polish with griots fine hand polish
4. Wax with meguiars NXT
5. Wax with Griots Carnuba wax

I use the mr. clean autodry (but not with the mr.clean soap that stuff is really bad it will strip wax immediately). It doesn't save you from drying but it does allow you to spray on soapy water rather than a bucket.

Towels etc:
1. griots microfiber wash pad
2. griots microfiber drying towels
3. griots microfiber towels (for buffing wax)
4. Meguiars wax applicator


For other things I use:
1. Griots vinyl and rubber dressing (for tires)
2. Meguiars NXT metal polish (exhaust tips etc)
3. Griots stainles steal cleaner (water based aerosol, works on lots of metals)
4. Simple green for wheels and some under hood stuff
5. Griots speed shine for quick touch ups here and there
6. Griots interior cleaner

 

There are plenty of suggestions in the detailing forum.

 

I use meguiars NXT car wash for entire exterior/wheels, meguiars speed detailer for touch ups or light detailing. Microfiber towels from meguiars and griots garage for pretty much all interior/exterior (except wheels). Wax/polish/claybar is from Zaino... i used NXT wax in the past but Zaino lasts much longer, with a better shine.

 

I have the full Meguiars line...mostly NXT.

 

Wash with a soap that is compatible with the wax you put on it. Anything else may strip the wax off.

 

I would stay away from all Meguiars car wash products. yes, they smell good but are bad for your trims. It has sodium lauryl in it which cause any type of trim browning. I did a Ph level test on Megs NTX and Gold class wash and both have a higher reading than 8 which isn't good. It's basically garbage to me. I would never use this on a customer's car just because it's not the best thing. i do use Meg's NXT on my beater car though since i don't really care for it.

Most people use a lot of soap as well. Usually a little cap per gallon is only needed or else wax will be stripped right away. Once little cap will sud up enough for you to wash your car.

I, myself, like to use either p21s or duragloss car wash. Both are great and have low Ph level. Both aren't full of ingredients to make the smell better. It's just soap strong enough to take dirt off with suds while light enough not to strip off wax.

 

Interesting. Might need to start using my Pinnacle car wash then. I was trying to finish off what Megs I had left.

 

You can try a test. Next time when you wash your car with the Megs, wash teh car like normal. After rinsing the whole car off with water, go get a microfiber towel and start wiping off around the urethane window trim...do you see a bunch of spots that look like water spots? If you do, you are getting premature browning and staining.

 

Exterior wash- P21S cleansing shampoo (natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals like others)

Wheel cleaner-P21S wheel cleaner (Ph controlled, NON acid that is actually strong and can be used on ALL type of wheels.)

Leather seats- Lexol Two step cleaner and conditioner or Zaino leather cleaner (Lexol has no smell, non shiny look, and cleans well. Zaino smells like artificial leather but does the same job. Lexol has the advantage of lasting longer with a dailly driven car)

Dash- 303 Aerospace (100% UV protection. Gives a satin look on dash. Not a shiney/greasy look. )

Windows-Stoners-invisible glass that is in the spray bottle and not the aerosol can( it works very good and is an over the counter product.)

Medium polish - Menzerna Super intensive polish (Very strong and doesn't dust that much)

light swirl remover- Menzerna Final polish (has no fillers, contains no silicone and is water based. Won't just hide imperfections like other products)

Wax- P21S carnauba wax - Pinnicle Souveran - Poorboy natty's blue ( all great wax. Expensive but well worth it. Great shine that no over the counter product can give)

Tire Shine - Meguairs hyper dressing diluted 3:1 (water based to control shine and comes in bulk sizes that lasts forever)

A lot of this stuff can be purchased at Detailedimage.com...a vendor on this site.

 

Congratulations on your new ride. Caring for it right from the beginning will really help it stay looking great for years to come. Having the right techniques and products will help you keep the vehicle looking pristine. I highly recommend you read our Detailing Guide for good information about each step and instructions for each step. There are a ton of great detailing products out there. I'll highlight some of my favorite products that you can get at Detailed Image with 10% off ("10off350Z" is the coupon code for my350Z members).

Washing and Drying is where most swirls and fine scratches come from so it's especially important to have good technique and products here.
1X Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towels Super absorbent and paint safe!
1X Poorboy's World Super Slick and Suds or P21S Shampoo
1X Sheepskin Wash Mitt or 1X Lake Country Ulti-Mit Both are very safe to use

Wheel Cleaner
P21S Wheel Gel or Poorboy's World Spray and Rinse

Tire Dressing
Poorboy's World Bold n Bright

Leather
Leatherique Prestine Clean and Rejuvenator Oil - Simply the best cleaner and conditioner I've used

Interior Cleaning - Dashboard, Trim, Doors, Engine Bay, Carpets
303 Cleaner and Spot Remover - Excellent cleaner that can do virtually your entire interior

Interior Protection - Dashboard, Trim, Doors, Engine Bay, Leather
303 Aerospace Protectant - Great protection and nice matte finish

Glass
Stoner Invisible Glass
Glass Science Rain Clear Kit - Deep cleaning and seals the glass to repel moisture

Clay Bar
Clay Magic Fine Grade Clay Bar 200g - helps deep clean the clear coat
Poorboy's World Spray and Wipe - great quick detailer and clay lube

Protection
Menzerna Full Molecular Jacket or Poorboy's World EX-P


5X - 10X All Purpose Microfiber Towels - Great for removing excess product on the clear coat, interior dusting, cleanings, etc.

These are many of my favorite products that I use personally. These products should help you complete a high quality detail. If you would like more information on any of these products or anything related to detailing, let me know. If I can help you any further please let me know.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Does no one use Zaino anymore? Did I miss a bad post about them? : /

 

j/k

Do you have a Porter Cable or similar mechanical polisher?
Do you want to use OTC items or 'boutique' items?

If you're doing things by hand and want to use readily available OTC items, I recommend using:
Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo
With Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax

If you want to do a more in-depth by-hand detail, I'd recommend:
Meguiar's Gold Class Shampoo
Clay Bar - Megs, Mothers...
Mother's California Gold Pre-Wax Cleaner
Mother's California Gold Sealer & Glaze
Mother's Reflections Car Wax
Mother's Reflections Top Coat
Seems like a lot of steps, but I'm recommending it because of what you're trying to accomplish at each stage.

Leather Seats: Meguiar's Gold Class Leather Rich Leather Spray

Dash, Doors, & Interior Plastic: Meg's Gold Class Dash & Trim Foam

Windows: Meg's NXT Glass Cleaner

For the 'boutique' items, definitely re-read what Detailed Image and SuperBlack posted.