The car chat detailing thread!
 

This thread is meant for just general back and forth car detailing discussions! We've got an auto detailing forum, but the moderators are OK with having a running thread in car chat as well.

So, to kick it off...how is everybody's spring car prep coming? I'm so busy I haven't washed mine in a week which is super unusual for me. Anybody have any cleanup/detailing projects going on or on the horizon?

I still need to ceramic coat my Highlander and my GS. I have the supplies all purchased and ready to go. Now I just need some time and a few nice days.

We also purchased a travel trailer, which will be ready in May, so between now and then I need to get the Tacoma ready for towing (brake controller, mirror extensions, etc.).

I used to be on a weekly cadence but now at a 3 week cadence. Car only leaves to go on short errands or gym runs so its pretty clean. I washed yesterday though and just use 2 bucket method along with Opti-seal as drying agent to give some protection. Got it down to 1 hour total wash time :D

I learned the hard way not to do paint correction for days then top it off with a "wax" which lasts a few weeks. Now I only ceramic coat a good kit is $100 but it lasts for years.

Spring prep for me is clean up as much salt as possible from my winter beater, remove the wheels/tires clean and bag them. My other cars were put away for the winter fully detailed.

Which ceramic coat did you buy to use?

Yeah I'm back to all my normal driving so mine get pretty dirty...

Yeah I'm a big fan of ceramic coatings...

In the past I've used CQUK but I wasn't that thrilled with it last time so this time I'm using GTECHNIQ EXO V4 and CSL.

Yeah that’s the coating I used on the Mercedes, worked great!

Great reviews on the GTECHNIQ products, so I am looking forward to trying them out.

I hope we have a lot of fun with the camper. I am having a parking pad paved in our back yard for it, including full RV hookup, so we can make our own private backyard camping spot with a fire pit and such. I'm going to get a screen and movie projector so this summer we can have outdoor movie nights, and we can use the camper kitchen and bathroom as needed while we are out there.

It will pull fine behind the Tacoma, but I am starting to work on the wife about trading in the Highlander for an SUV that can tow so it'll be more roomy than taking the truck. The truck is plenty comfortable for the 4 of us on a trip, but gets tight with the 80 lb dog (COVID baby) on board.

I washed my car last week by hand for the first time in a while. Previously had just been spraying it down with a foam cannon. The nightfall mica on our GX and the estoril blue on my S5 are both such high maintenance colors in terms of how quickly they get dirty. On the positive side, I recently have been trying a Ceramic spray wax from Car Guys and it is incredible! Applied it about two months ago and water still beads up really nicely in addition to a strong shine.

One of the best ways to get members to come together. We have a manual car wash in my garage at our condominium. I use it on occasion.

I hand wash the GS and the Highlander, but I bought a membership to our local car wash for the Tacoma because it stays outside so it more frequently needs to be washed, and frankly, I don't want to hand wash it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that truck, but it's a truck. I can deal with swirls and what not.

I as well, also like the spray ceramic's....I've been using sealants for yrs, mostly Wolfgang deep gloss paint sealant. Would like to try the Wolfgang Si02 paint sealant. Between the Mothers spray ceramic, Meguiars Hybrid ceramic & Turtle wax ceramic spray, I find the Turtle wax ceramic to work the best believe it or not. I also use Wolfgangs Uber compound using a 5.5'' m/f pads, followed up w/ Wolfgangs finishing glaze, using a 5.5'' black pads. Even thou the Uber compound is by Menzerna & is so close to their FG400, I like the finish a tad better. Yea IK its some what more, I find its worth it, time wise & how the product just works & has a long work time as well, & it comes off so easy as well....I use a Boss 15 w/ 5.5'' pads......Down the road, I'd like to get a Rupes duetto, p/c style housing.

Have you tried a waterless spray wash? I find it to be quicker if the vehicle isn't to dirty.....

Yeah I’ve used all kinds of waterless washes, optimum no rinse etc. I use a carwash typically and quick detail afterwards, I just haven’t had time...

Steve, I bought a whole pressure washer setup per your recommendation last year... to use it exactly once, lol. It's just sitting in my shed, I might take it out this weekend to at least wash the underbodies of my cars after the winter salt.