^ you otta give griots garage a shot they got some extremely good s**t i was a die hard meguiars user until i started using their stuff!

Many people swear by one product or another. Really what it boils down to is what you are comfortable with and what yields the best results for you. There really is no "bad" product on the market today. Almost all of the off the shelf products are of decent quality and will suit your needs. However with a bit more research and more specifically what it is you want to achieve, you will then find the best combination of products.

I personally use mostly Poorboys brand. Have been for many years and after dozens of car shows there is not a single one that I don't get comments on how new my car looks. They are shocked in amazement to hear the mileage and year.

http://www.poorboysworld.com

Car Soap: Megs Gold Class

Swirl Removers: PB SSR1, SSR2, SSR3

Sealants: PB EX-P, PB Wheel Sealant

Glaze: PB Black Hole

Wax: PB Natty's Paste Wax Red, and blue

Tire Shine: PB Bold N Bright

Leather: PB Leather Stuff

Wheel Cleaner: Megs Gold Class with microfiber sponge (if you keep clean then you will not need any abrasive or toxic chemical product) However for dirty wheels I use PB Spray & Rinse Wheel Cleaner

Interior: PB Natural Look Dressing

Quick Detailers: PB Spray & Gloss, PB QD+

meg's 105 for cut
menzerna polishes (intensive polish and final finish)
chemical guys m-seal
pb tire shine diluted a bit

diluted woolite is an awesome interior/leather cleaner. many detailers will use it, not because its cheap but because its safe/effective.

Menzerna is good stuff. I've only used it for heavy duty polishing.

Off topic but can i ask when i end up using swirlx and then using next wax 2.0 right after i always end up with swirl marks? is it because i just have a black car? i think swirlx did not make a difference in the end haha i do not know

Me too. I still use Meguair's Nxt Tech 2.0, but otherwise mostly all Griot's Garage products. Their detailing spray and leather cleaner/conditioner in particular are fav's. The only product from them I haven't found to work well is their glass cleaner. On our "RainX-like water shedding" windshield plain ol' Windex seems to work better for me.

Here's my usual stuff:

Car Soap - Meg's (recently NXT, but kinda dried out my hands - not sure if it was a fluke yet anyone else had this?)

Clay Bar - Meg's Smooth Surface (though to be honest I just bought it and didn't use it - yet)

Wax - I've used Meg's in the past, but now i use System One spray wax pretty much exclusively (it's a spray carnuba wax) Super easy to put on and really makes the paint "pop". I've tried it both with the car wet and with the car dry and got great results - i like dry best but wet obviously saves some time.

Tire Shine - System One again - it's called Black Licorice and it leaves a nice clean look (not too shiny, spray it on my towel and wipe it on)

Leather - I've been trying different things, most recently settled on the System One spray for that too. Used to use Meg's Quick Interior wipes but then i ran out and the spray wax seems to work well there, so i haven't replenished the wipes yet.

Rim Cleaner - I use Eagle A2Z Foaming Wheel/Tire cleaner (in the normal bottle) - it's been working great so far, usually requires a little elbow grease as well if the wheel/tire are heavily dusted.

Interior cleaners - System one spray again here too. I guess I'm lazy but it really works well, even looks like it repels dust on the dash - i notice less getting on there between washes now.

Hope that helps.

Not sure, but it sounds like you're trying to remove swirls by hand... which is next ot impossible.
either invest in a good PC/rotary and products or take it to a detailer.
waxes/sealants only hide swirls at best, and even then, I've never found a product to even remotely compare to proper paint correction in the first place.

meguiars is not bad, it's got some decent products (I use meguiars m105 for extra cut compound when needed), but in general, nxt and other meguiar's stuff isn't very good. There are better choices for the money.

Here's a mazda6 we did awhile back:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2653/...c2e5c03292.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/...01e233ae7d.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2621/...f2e470ffa4.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2666/...d9539360e9.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2512/...359796932c.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/...7a60869ced.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2461/...e64acc9b8c.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2540/...b6e091a570.jpg

NXT is a polymer based product. It's good for short spans of paint correction and shine but does not fold a candle to the longevity and depth of a true carnuba wax. That's why I use Poorboys Nattys Blue or Red for my car. Flake pops, the depth is amazing, and most importantly it lasts a very long time.

I heard that NXT 2.0 last longer between applications than carnauba. In my experience this past year, that seems to be true, at least for an additional month or two. It sure as hell is easier to remove than carnauba, lol. I used NXT when I first got my car, then a year later I started using Griot's Best of Show carnauba wax. I applied Griot's right before sevenstock (~9/25/09) so it's almost time to reapply. I'll check it during the upcoming christmas break. It's still holding up pretty well thus far in the mild California climate.

Here's what I have gravitated to....

Wax - Turtle Wax Ice (for ease of use and no white residue in crevasses)

Speed Detailer - Mequiar's Quick Detailer

Tire Shine - Mequiar's Hot Shine

Leather Care - Mequiar's Gold Class

Clay Bar - Mequiar's (just got some Griot's for a try)

Car Soap - Turtle Wax Ice

Results for an '04 Wisconsin year-round daily driver ....

Attachment 268670

You be the judge....

Looks great bro. I got some questions about how often you should use stuff:

1) how often should you clay bar?

2) how often should you wax? i know you should wax before winter, but when else

3) how often should you use detailer spray ?

Yup, mine is an 04' North Eastern daily driver as well. In winter mode now.

Oh man, then you have not tried Nattys Paste Wax. It's the smoothest carnuba. Goes on like butter and wipes right off. Polymer products are designed for easy removal.

ARE, all of your questions are dependent on various conditions, thus it's tough to say what would be best for your car. However...

1. The easiest way to tell if your car needs to be clayed is after a good wash the surface still feels slightly rough.

2. A good wax will last for many months. If the water stops beading on the surface then you know for sure it is time, otherwise you can wax as often as you like.

3. The spray can be used anytime you feel it needs a touch up. I only recommend using it for very slight dustings or minor water spots and such. Beware not to wipe off any heavier grit or you may scratch the paint.

Although pics hide many fine details, here's a couple pics.

http://www.altspace.com/rx8/tint1.jpg

http://www.altspace.com/rx8/sunrise91809/sunrise9.jpg

Thanks for the great info. I know youre a good detailer so ill talk your word for it. Other wise your car looks great as always lmfao

I agree. I usually clay bar once per year in the spring to clean off the winter's accumulation of grime. And of course wax at the same time. I tried a second claybar in the fall the first year, but I found it made an insignificant difference. Then, I definitely wax again before winter. I may do additional waxings during the summer if I get a nice day and I have noticed the water doesn't bead up as it should. I also use the detailer whenever I want a little touchup, like for a local car show night, or I'm just too lazy for a complete waxing. As I'm sure Alt finds, lots of people can't believe it when I tell them is is an '04. That makes it worthwhile. :ylsuper::ylsuper::ylsuper:

i used menzera polish and i love nattys red its a great shine.

Im not trying to be a dick or anything but you need to take after shots in direct sunlight to really see that you got good paint correction. Any black car looks good in the shade but once in direct sunlight before lsp is apply reveals the true progress of correction

i agree 100%, except its not always so easy to get a customers car out in time for sun shots. always pressed on time, this mazda6 was delivered late so we had no time to constantly move in and out just for shots. i assure you it was quality work though.

heres another, not a black but its got sun shots.
outdoor 50/50 CLK, no lsp
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/...7c7af02c07.jpg
el camino 50/50, not sunlight, but under halogens, no lsp
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2476/...22a487fa27.jpg
cayman S
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2555/...f7fc217c6a.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3526/...eebdba8feb.jpg
swirls
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/...f23680c1f4.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/...53b881a04a.jpg
finals
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3483/...1a402a4c1a.jpg
sunshots
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/...7897db4366.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2606/...8c96a02a5e.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3119/...b56f8091_o.jpg

/threadjack

i was not questioning the quality of work. It looks like you know what you are doing and to the normal guy a pic in a shade will do. I have been doing paint correction so i know how it works. Your work looks terrific and it shows in the 50/50 no lsp. :beerchug:

Exactly! Nattys Red is awesome and it smells good enough to eat. ;)

Car Soap: Optimum No Rinse

Clay Bar: Whatever I have...optimum or claymagic

Wax: If you have a machine, poli-seal is amazingly fast and durable. With real good prep, opti seal topped with either optimum car wax or supernatural (metallics). Or Zaino Z5 topped with OCW...mostly what I want to play with at that time.

Tire Shine: Zaino

Leather: Zaino -- smells good.

Rim Cleaner: Optimum No Rinse or Power Clean

Interior cleaners: prestone on stains, otherwise just a good vacuuming/blotting

Ok Im looking at changing my car car products and im torn between the Zaino product and the griot's product.

^ don't be torn.... try both. ;)

That could get expensive....lol