DFB's Garage

DFB said:
UNDERRATED -

Armour Detail Supply Adapt –

This might be a surprise to have an ADS product listed here, mainly because the brand has rapidly grown to be an industry benchmark. And yet so many sleep on Adapt, which is actually one of my favourites from ADS. I think being classified as a “water-less wash” boxes Adapt into a corner and turns buyers away.

I absolutely love Adapt as a drying aid, the added lubrication for safe water-less washing proves useful here too. It’s great on door jambs and light interior dusting or cleaning gloss trims. I also think Adapt smells nicer than Amplify, and has a slicker feel under the towel.



Meguiars Hybrid Ceramic Detailer –

Also sold in the Detailer range as M799 Pro Ceramic Bead Booster, this is a product that I’ve loved using over the years. And yet it doesn’t really get mentioned. And that's a shame because it really is a great product, super easy to work with, available everywhere.

In my case, I use HCD as a drying aid, which provides excellent gloss and slickness with minimal effort required. It’s only failing is the dated fragrance, and the price at full retail. Great product shunned by the brand snobs, which included me before I decided to give it a shot.



Opti-Coat No Rinse –

I believe this is the most underrated rinse-less wash product on the market. In recent years, Si02 infused rinse-less washes have become increasingly popular, and yet Opti-Coat No Rinse has existed long before this fad took off. As with the rest of the Opti-Coat Maintenance Line, this yellow version of Optimum No Rinse was designed to maintain Opti-Coat ceramic coatings, although you can use it on any LSP. I love the slickness of this product, both under the wash media and the final result, and I prefer the mango scent compared to blue ONR.

There are three reasons why Opti-No Rinse isn’t more popular. Firstly, up until recently you could only buy the maintenance line from Opti-Coat installers, usually sold as an add on sale to a professionally applied coating. Secondly, its only available in a small 473ml bottle. And thirdly, its more expensive, which relates to lack of a bulk quantity bottle size. Still, I really enjoying using this product, its waaay better than some of the more popular options on the market.



Carpro Reload 2.0 –

Reload was one of the first ceramic spray sealants to hit the market. Like any new and pioneering product, there were some peculiarities with Reload. What many don’t know is how Carpro subtly updated the formula over time, which addressed some of the application quirks. And with the latest Reload 2.0, it’s a night and day difference to the original. And yet, people completely sidestep Reload because someone somewhere once had it be a little streaky. Then there is the supposed lack of durability. I think people expect too much from a spray and wipe product like this, especially those who are hammering down with alkaline pre-wash soaps, then wondering why a sealant doesn’t last long enough.

Reload 2.0 fixed the application quirks, boosted the longevity, while remaining one of the slickest and glossiest spray sealants available. I also love Reload on trim, it producing subtle but long-lasting enhancement and protection without the potential risks that come with a ceramic coating on these surfaces. And I say long lasting because it takes the same effort to apply as a trim dressing, but won't wash off in the rain or at the next wash. And while Reload isn’t as hydrophobic as a full ceramic coating, it’s hardly a disappointment in that department.



Gtechniq Tri-Clean –

Most of what I’ve tried from this brand has been average at best, Tri-Clean is different. In response to the Covid pandemic, Tri-Clean was developed in conjunction with Biocote®, who are said to be a leader in anti-bacterial technology. As the name suggests, Tri-Clean does three things –

- Provide strong cleaning ability
- Provide disinfectant and anti-microbial properties
- Provide odour-absorbing properties that eliminate rather than cover up odours

Tri-Clean is pH neutral, meaning it can be safely used on all interior surfaces, including leather and Alcantara. I like the way this product wipes on, then flashes away to clean, non-greasy residue free finish. The only thing I don’t like about Tri-Clean is the Pine O Clean/Lysol-like scent, it is a disinfectant after all.



Honorable Mentions -

- Opti-Coat M-Wash, such an amazing soap that no one talks about. Expensive though.

- Optimum Power Wheel & Tire Cleaner, extremely capable, well above some the go-to's in this class.

- Opti-coat Clean & Protect, unlike similar products, this one actually delivers streak free results.
Click to expand...
Gotta agree on Megs Detailer here, I have always liked it. Bought a gallon of M799 a few years ago and use this so I can have the 799 straight not diluted. Here in Canada our Canadian Tire stores are dropping the Detailer from the inventory so are discounting it. I grabbed quite a fee bottles for $13. I spray after pretty well every wash and can be as spray happy as I want.
When my 799 is gone I will look to Reload 2.0 now as well, sounds like I would like it too.
 
Silly Rabbit said:
Gotta agree on Megs Detailer here, I have always liked it. Bought a gallon of M799 a few years ago and use this so I can have the 799 straight not diluted. Here in Canada our Canadian Tire stores are dropping the Detailer from the inventory so are discounting it. I grabbed quite a fee bottles for $13. I spray after pretty well every wash and can be as spray happy as I want.
When my 799 is gone I will look to Reload 2.0 now as well, sounds like I would like it too.
Click to expand...

Technically, M799 would be closer to Carpro EliXir, as in a drying aid/quick detailer. M799 is far better.

Reload? I'm not sure what Megs equivalent would be.
 
Wash day for the Jaaaaaaaag.

Having sat in storage uncovered for a few weeks, it was super dusty. Both the wheels and body were cleaned with Reset, Amplify the drying aid, interior via Pilot, glass done with Eraser.



For the tyres, these were initially scrubbed with Wise Guy, followed by a pass with Eulex. I then applied two layers of Ghost.





These are the factory fitted Dunlop Sport Maxx RT from 2015, which really need replacing even with only 15,000km on them. Ideally, I'd put Michelin Pilot Sport 5 on the car, or maybe Continental Sportcontact 7.
 
DFB said:
Wash day for the Jaaaaaaaag.

Having sat in storage uncovered for a few weeks, it was super dusty. Both the wheels and body were cleaned with Reset, Amplify the drying aid, interior via Pilot, glass done with Eraser.



For the tyres, these were initially scrubbed with Wise Guy, followed by a pass with Eulex. I then applied two layers of Ghost.





These are the factory fitted Dunlop Sport Maxx RT from 2015, which really need replacing even with only 15,000km on them. Ideally, I'd put Michelin Pilot Sport 5 on the car, or maybe Continental Sportcontact 7.
Click to expand...
I really like Continentals, I put them on the Qashqai, I had them on my Berlina Sportwagon, and after driving the Shark 6 with them, I want to put them on the FJ too. I hear Michelins are good also, but I've never driven on them.
 
Deyon, per your review, I bought Opti-Coat RW, looking forward to trying it out

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
 
DFB said:
Technically, M799 would be closer to Carpro EliXir, as in a drying aid/quick detailer. M799 is far better.

Reload? I'm not sure what Megs equivalent would be.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't the Ceramic Detailer be more like EliXir? Both are detailers. Megs Detailer is M799 diluted. Where M799 straight is more a coating topper type product??
 
Silly Rabbit said:
Wouldn't the Ceramic Detailer be more like EliXir? Both are detailers. Megs Detailer is M799 diluted. Where M799 straight is more a coating topper type product??
Click to expand...

My mistake.
 
Easter Musical Cars continues.........................

Mustang was given it's first wash in months.

Washing -
Tyres- Shine Supply Wise Guy
Wheels - Brake Buster (foamed) + Hydr02
Rotors - Atom Mac

Details -
Paint - Carpro Reset
Drying Aid - ADS Amplify (paint, exhaust tips, door jambs, engine bay)
Glass - Rupes Reveal Lite (so good)
Wheels - ADS Amplify
Tyres - OG Tire Dressing
Black Trim - Carpro Reload 2.0



From there, Mustang swapped places with Old Blue, back under its cover. Then the Ranger came back home, Jag back into storage.

That all means my long weekend is done with, back to work tomorrow.

 
Microfiber purge!

These towels and wash mitts have been taking up space in my cabinets for too long. Some of them were set aside for trashed vehicles, I'm not sacrificing my good stuff for use on someone's hacked up car. Some were sidelined because they didn't suit my preferences and therefore rarely used. Some are being replaced with something different/better. Some had reached a wear point I wasn't happy with. Some were odd-bods that I bought to sample or were sent as freebies.





Not pictured, but several made it into the rag pile for dirty jobs, maintenance, servicing ect. What is pictured has been listed for sale.

With towels, I want uniformity rather than a messy assortment from different suppliers, different weave type and different colours. For each detailing task, I want a matching set of towels in the same colour, then stored together in a sealed storage container. This includes Bulk Drying, Drying Aid, Door Jambs, Glass, Polish Removal, Coating Removal, Interior, Engine Bay, Wheels, Beater/Multi-Purpose................... all of the same type and from the same brand. Matching sets.

You may question my sanity by wanting/having that, but it helps keep everything consistent and organized. It also helps with recognition, be that during use, when laundering, or when folding and storing. So, there is method to my madness.
 
I get it, it's just I don't have enough space to allow separate storage. I have this tub I've labelled as Premium, and in it I have all my, you guessed it, premium MFs, but some of them I've never used, it's like I'm waiting till I get something good to use them on, and the rougher the FJ gets the less I want to waste good MFs on it. The Qashqai is quite finicky, there's some MFs that just a pain to use on it. Sounds weird doesn't it.
 
Big Dave said:
I get it, it's just I don't have enough space to allow separate storage. I have this tub I've labelled as Premium, and in it I have all my, you guessed it, premium MFs, but some of them I've never used, it's like I'm waiting till I get something good to use them on, and the rougher the FJ gets the less I want to waste good MFs on it. The Qashqai is quite finicky, there's some MFs that just a pain to use on it. Sounds weird doesn't it.
Click to expand...

Not weird at all. Microfiber is subjective and takes a lot of trial and error to find what works for you. For example, everyone seems to love twist-loop for glass cleaning and drying towels, but I don't like them at all. I also hate wash mitts, I much prefer the flexibility of a wash pad.
 
As planned, I got a few hours of bliss in the garage today.

The first job, applying the ADS Clean label to its own Pressol bottle, then mixing up a batch to use on the Wildtrak.



Clean is a citrus-based All-Purpose Cleaner. Most APC's on the market are heavily alkaline, but Clean is pH balanced and considered non-caustic. The cleaning power comes from the orange oil formulation, and it certainly has that orange-like aroma to it. Clean was designed to have a generous lathering effect, which means it can even be used in a pump action foamer or foam cannon. The lathering ability doesn't necessarily corelate to cleaning performance, but its a nice visual indicator as you scrub.

Clean is supplied as a concentrate and must be diluted before use. Which dilution ratio you go with will depend on the level of cleaning performance you need, and the surface material it will be used on.

Heavy Duty Cleaning - 4:1
This would be suitable for cleaning wheels and tyres, engine bays, bug removal, rubber floor mats and wheel wells.

Medium Duty Cleaning - 10:1
This mid-range dilution would suit dirty door jambs, heavy leather cleaning, dirty carpets and plastics, and spot stain removal.

Light Duty Cleaning and Maintenance - 20:1
This heavily diluted solution would suit mild interior cleaning.

I personally don't use APC on interior surfaces, so my use of Clean would be restricted to exterior use at the full strength 4:1 dilution.

First test subject, the rubber floor mats from the Wildtrak.







As you can see, Clean lathered up nicely when agitated with a brush. After rinsing and drying, the mats were misted with P&S Swift and wiped with a towel. Certainly not as-new condition, but that's not because the products used were lacking, rather the result of being 7 years old. For this task, Clean worked very well.



I also used Clean on the tyres and wheel arches. The tyres weren't too dirty, but the wheel arches were. For tyres, the lather is very important as it's a strong indicator as to how clean or dirty they are, while also giving the impression you are achieving something. My benchmark here is Brake Buster, which lathers up so nicely. Clean doesn't quite hit that benchmark, but its not far off and managed to do exactly what I needed here.











It's important to note that Clean doesn't replace a dedicated tyre cleaner, it's more geared towards well maintained sidewalls, hence not turning brown on this occasion. If you needed more than what Clean offers, that's where the dedicated tyre cleaner would shine. The key here is using the appropriate product for the level of cleaning required.



To finish, I went with the excellent 3D Ceramic Matte Tire from the GLW Series. I think when you have such big sidewalls like this, you want something that isn't too glossy as it ends up being visually too much. This 3D stuff easily fulfills that requirement.



The wheel arches here might look dirty, but they are just beaten up after 7-years on the road. Wildtrak's used a different wheel arch liner to the rest of the range, they have a glossy grey finish instead of black.
 
Going back to 2019, I bought four new buckets from Waxit. These were sold with either standard grit guards or the Dirt Lock type. Well, I bought two of each because I couldn't decide which one to get.



The concept of the Dirt Lock grit guards is they better trap dirt at the bottom of the bucket. Where a standard grit guard merely stops the wash mitt from touching the bottom of the bucket, the Dirt Lock's allow dirt to fall through but prevents it from being drawn back up to the surface as you dunk. Sounds like the perfect solution.







That theoretical perfection didn't pan out. The whole concept of a grit guard is that it sits at the bottom of the bucket. And yet, these Dirt Locks would not stay at the bottom, they'd just float to the top. Didn't matter how hard I wedged them into the bucket, as soon as it filled with water and started washing, they would just float to the top of the water. I persisted with this for quite a while till I gave up and went with a standard grit guard. Doesn't matter how fancy and superior this Dirt Lock design was, its meaningless if they don't actually stay in the bucket.





This was quite frustrating, especially considering the price difference.

Dirt Lock Grit Guard - $26.95
Standard Grit Guard - $13.95

The only saving grace was the pad cleaning kit attachment that worked with these Dirt Lock items. This is basically a paired down version of a Lake Country Pad Washer. Ever since, I've had two of these things sitting at the back of the cabinet, virtually useless.

It's telling that Detail Guardz redesigned the rubber feet to help keep them wedged against the side of the bucket. This applied to new Dirt Lock's, as well as a retrofit kit, of which has only just gone on sale in Australia. So, I thought I give the Dirt Lock's another try.







The original foam grips.



"Improved" rubber feet.





Installed with a firm push, I filled the bucket with water and got on with the job...........................................................................and..................................................

Yep, as Taryl Dactal would say, Junk Junk Junk.........................




So, another fail, and more disappointment. It's telling Waxit no longer sell these things. I don't know, maybe my buckets are junk? Yet a standard grit guard doesn't float. Meh, junk is junk.
 
DFB said:
Going back to 2019, I bought four new buckets from Waxit. These were sold with either standard grit guards or the Dirt Lock type. Well, I bought two of each because I couldn't decide which one to get.



The concept of the Dirt Lock grit guards is they better trap dirt at the bottom of the bucket. Where a standard grit guard merely stops the wash mitt from touching the bottom of the bucket, the Dirt Lock's allow dirt to fall through but prevents it from being drawn back up to the surface as you dunk. Sounds like the perfect solution.







That theoretical perfection didn't pan out. The whole concept of a grit guard is that it sits at the bottom of the bucket. And yet, these Dirt Locks would not stay at the bottom, they'd just float to the top. Didn't matter how hard I wedged them into the bucket, as soon as it filled with water and started washing, they would just float to the top of the water. I persisted with this for quite a while till I gave up and went with a standard grit guard. Doesn't matter how fancy and superior this Dirt Lock design was, its meaningless if they don't actually stay in the bucket.





This was quite frustrating, especially considering the price difference.

Dirt Lock Grit Guard - $26.95
Standard Grit Guard - $13.95

The only saving grace was the pad cleaning kit attachment that worked with these Dirt Lock items. This is basically a paired down version of a Lake Country Pad Washer. Ever since, I've had two of these things sitting at the back of the cabinet, virtually useless.

It's telling that Detail Guardz redesigned the rubber feet to help keep them wedged against the side of the bucket. This applied to new Dirt Lock's, as well as a retrofit kit, of which has only just gone on sale in Australia. So, I thought I give the Dirt Lock's another try.







The original foam grips.



"Improved" rubber feet.





Installed with a firm push, I filled the bucket with water and got on with the job...........................................................................and..................................................

Yep, as Taryl Dactal would say, Junk Junk Junk.........................




So, another fail, and more disappointment. It's telling Waxit no longer sell these things. I don't know, maybe my buckets are junk? Yet a standard grit guard doesn't float. Meh, junk is junk.
Click to expand...
You and I are identical on buy every new gadget and such. I have more & more in 3 big containers and I hop one day I'll get the chance to use them!
I'm not sure if I ever posted my finished garage? Then I turned around and sold the home.
 
Today I tried a product that's been sitting in my cabinet for a very long time, one that I never got around to using, Bilt Hamber Auto Wash...........................



For the most part, I sidelined this product because it just didn't grab me, the lack of scent in particular. And yet, Auto Wash certainly has some big selling points -

- Multi-award winning
- A super concentrated chemistry (1:2000 dilution)
- Offers up to 100 washes from a 500ml bottle
- Contains no colours, fillers, waxes
- Offers long-term anti-corrosive properties

Maybe this is the perfect soap for those rust-prone Chinese-made MG's and LDV's......................:ROFLMAO:

I used Auto Wash purely as a bucket wash, no foam cannon. To 10-litres of water, you only need to add 5ml of Auto Wash. Even at such a lean ratio, the soap has impressive suds, although not as lush as foaming the soap onto the car. It's slick, cleans well and without the foam, rinses with ease.

Overall, if you bucket wash like this, Auto Wash is impressively cost effective and certainly does the job. But for me, it lacks an X factor and doesn't really suit my method of washing.
 
Washed 3 vehicles in 3 hours today!

First up, an exterior wash of this massive caravan. After blasting off the cow manure from the wheel arches, I worked one side at a time by foaming with Bilt Hamber Touch-less, wheels and tyres included. While that soaked, I used some Wise Guy to help clean the wheels, tyres and wheel arches. Rinse, repeat. Following that, a bucket wash using NV Snow, then another rinse and an application of Hydr02. Actually, there was still beading left from the last time I applied Hydr02 in September last year, not bad at all.





I actually rocked up this morning expecting to clean the caravan, but I got two "while you're here's" from the client. That's ok, I brought enough stuff with me. I would've much preferred to wash the 200-Series Landcruiser and Forrester at home with full access to my tools and chemicals, but such is life.

The same process applied here, Touch-less and Wise Guy followed by NV Snow, then Hydr02. No interior work, I would have needed another 3 hours for that. Were the two cars perfect? No, but not far off and very good considering the lack of resources on hand. Customer is happy, and that's the main thing.
 
I recently read a post regarding 303 Protectant as a tyre dressing, something I've tried before but a very long time ago. So, today I thought I'd revisit it after Ranger's weekly wash.

303 don't market this product as a tyre dressing. Instead, they market it as an enhancement and UV protectant for interior plastics, leather, vinyl and exterior black plastic trim. But they also say it can used on rubber, and tyres are rubber so.....................



In this case, I applied using a Curveball-style brush. It lays down very wet, similar to other runny dressings like Perl, Hyper Dressing and Shine All. Once on the tyre, leave it to absorb for 5 - 10 minutes, then come back and level off with a towel.

The beauty of 303 Protectant is the subtle finish it leaves behind. So, if that's your preference for tyres, 303 is going to be a fantastic product to use. And unlike the boutique brands, 303 is available in pretty much every automotive store.

Is this my preferred tyre dressing? Absolutely not. But is it a great product to use on tyres? Yes, absolutely.

By the way, in the photo above, can anyone tell what I forgot to do?
 
DFB said:
I recently read a post regarding 303 Protectant as a tyre dressing, something I've tried before but a very long time ago. So, today I thought I'd revisit it after Ranger's weekly wash.

303 don't market this product as a tyre dressing. Instead, they market it as an enhancement and UV protectant for interior plastics, leather, vinyl and exterior black plastic trim. But they also say it can used on rubber, and tyres are rubber so.....................



In this case, I applied using a Curveball-style brush. It lays down very wet, similar to other runny dressings like Perl, Hyper Dressing and Shine All. Once on the tyre, leave it to absorb for 5 - 10 minutes, then come back and level off with a towel.

The beauty of 303 Protectant is the subtle finish it leaves behind. So, if that's your preference for tyres, 303 is going to be a fantastic product to use. And unlike the boutique brands, 303 is available in pretty much every automotive store.

Is this my preferred tyre dressing? Absolutely not. But is it a great product to use on tyres? Yes, absolutely.

By the way, in the photo above, can anyone tell what I forgot to do?
Click to expand...
After the FJs last wash I was going to use 303 on the tyres, but when I was looking for it I found Hyper Dressing sitting at the back of the shelf, so went with that.

The only thing I see out of place is maybe the tyre pressure is low, but that could be how those tyres sit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top