How would you critique my $800.00 cart?

Harsh

Harsh

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I have always been into keeping my vehicles clean, but I have never done the full treatment. I have always washed and waxed, and when I had my 1990 Corvette I clayed it once. Some recent damage to my wifes car has made me decide to invest in some nice equipment and learn how to really detail the outside of the car.

2008 Toyota Avalon Touring in Magnetic Gray Metallic (basically a charcoal metallic).

The damage is a few small spots on the hood where she wiped away some bird poo with paper towels and caused some swirling.

Also, some rock chips.

I plan to get an air brush to fix the chips, and then after a few days of cure time good detail job.

Although I have never used a buffer of any sort on a car, I do have mechanical ability and I used to be a cabinet maker so I am familiar with orbital sanders, which I know is different from this but I figure I have an idea on how to control a buffer and what it will feel like.

I have decided after reading on here that the Flex 3401 is probably best. (feel free to correct me if you feel the need).

I am considering getting all Wolfgang supplies, due to the sale and it seems like nice stuff but I don't see much talk on here about it, is going with the Wolfgang a mistake? Should I consider something else?

After clay I plan to use the flex. I guess my last question is should I use Sealant or Wax? I current have the [FONT=&quot]8 Oz Fuzion Estate Wax Kit in my cart, as well as the Flex 3401 Wolfgang Kit which includes the finishing glaze and deep gloss paint sealant. Am I wasting money by getting the Wax? Should I use on over the other?

I also have the Polishin Pal and Wolfgang Clay Kit (the pad used to help make claying the car a little easier), the Wolfgang leather care cockpit kit, Wolfgang Wash and Dry combo, Langka complete paint chip repair kit, and DP Polishing Pad Rejuvinator kit.

I am open to all advice. I currently have about $800.00 in my cart as I am starting from scratch, but this is quite a bit more money that I planned to spend. What do you think?
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You have quite the price built up. The Wolfgang line is a little pricey for my liking compared to other brands however I love the Wolfgang sealant. You will not be dissapointed with Blackfire or the Optimum line as well as collinite #845 for a bang for your buck final lsp. I am sure more people will chime in with some suggestions!

I have used the flex 3401 from my friend and it has been awesome. Lately however Meguiars MF system has been taking over and you can correct your paint in two steps with any orbital polisher. Both machines are great and the flex is nice if you ever plan on doing a side business. This is where you should consider the cost of the 3401, How often will you use it?
 
Rather than asking about what to buy, you should be writing about how you got your wife to go for an $800.00 order!

OPINION OF NON-PRO DETAILER:

The kits are better for gifts IMO. Without knowing what the cars look like, it's hard to say if a Fuzion kit is the way to go. There a bunch of great sealants and waxes that fall way below the Fuzion price point. I use and love it but on a car that gets detailed more than it gets driven. It's all about the prep work anyway. Checker Auto Turtle wax will look pretty good on a well preped car.

You didn't mention micro fibers. You'll need several good towels to start with. You can grab a sack of Costco generics to use on everything but paint but spend the extra money on good towels so you don't ruin all your hard work with the Flex.

Everything Autogook sells is very good quality, even the less expensive stuff. You will notice one of the best loved waxes is 15 bucks (Collinite 845). It depends on if you are doing a daily driver or going to Pebble Beach in your Veyron.

You should be able to come in under 8 including the Flex but not to worry, you'll be back for more stuff regularly:props:
 
First thing, lower your budget. Maybe 250-300 dollars. You can get a lot for that money, but until you practice and learn more about detailing you won't know what your missing in your detailing collection. Research and watch videos, practice it, watch more videos, research products, practice, watch videos and by car number 12 you will have pro like results. It takes a while to learn what tire dressing, brushes, towels that you like and fit your style of detailing. I would rather save money and buy quality products like collnite 845 and griot DA.

Get a DA like griot's or the flex. Imo the griot is all you will ever need. It has a lifetime warranty and everything.

Wax/sealants have alot of marketing. 95% of great results in paint prep. Its washing,claying, removing swirls. the last 5% is wax/selant. spending +100 dollars on wax won't increase your results to much. if you want long term protect +2 years then try opti coat 2.0, but for first order I won't bother.

for compound/polish I love megs m105/m205. There are a million reviews on these two. they just work like a charm every time. If you want an over the counter product then megs ulimate compound/ulimate polish. m105 will correct better and you will get better results. stunning results.

pads I like surbuff pads and hydro lake country 5.5" pads. I have CCS pads and they work well. Lots of reviews on flat LC pads and also on megs microfiber system. Honestly any pad system with a DA with a compound/polish and you will get good results. Amazing results will come with experience and good technique.

For car wash, I love optimum no rinse. Its just amazing and has changed my life.

to protect tires I really like megs endurance shine. high gloss, after a few days its less glossy and last a few weeks.

if you got 800 bucks to spend and stone chips in your car take it to a body shop. yes you fill and correct stone chips but its a pain. those small brushes don't work well. a syrine can work better. but its best to air brush it. old metalic paint is almost impossible to match, the paint gets bleached by the sun, so its lighter than original factory paint.

get a grit guard.

towels, i love large 3'x2' walfe weave towels. for paint I use some yellow chemical guy towels. I got 50 for 30 bucks. for glass and door jams/wheels/interior just cheap harbor freight microfiber towels. and some terry cloth white towels are rags for grease and dirty jobs.


For the wife I doubt she will notice your work on her car. take her on a hot air balloon ride, wine tasting, horse back riding on the beach, to salsa classes, take a cooking class and make her dinner once a week, join a poetry circle together, buy her some lingerie and toys, do things she wants to do.
 
Get a DA like griot's or the flex. Imo the griot is all you will ever need. It has a lifetime warranty and everything.
.[/QUOTE]

Is there a big difference from PC and Griot? Im looking at these and the Megs. and Only thing so far I see, in difference, is Griot has lifetime warranty. What does that warranty cover? parts? electronic problems?
 
CAMAROZL1 said:
Get a DA like griot's or the flex. Imo the griot is all you will ever need. It has a lifetime warranty and everything.
.
Click to expand...

Is there a big difference from PC and Griot? Im looking at these and the Megs. and Only thing so far I see, in difference, is Griot has lifetime warranty. What does that warranty cover? parts? electronic problems?[/QUOTE]

It covers everything. I know someone that had a V1 that he messed up by drilling the BP with a drill and they sent him a new V2 for free.
 
CAMAROZL1 said:
Get a DA like griot's or the flex. Imo the griot is all you will ever need. It has a lifetime warranty and everything.
.
Click to expand...

Is there a big difference from PC and Griot? Im looking at these and the Megs. and Only thing so far I see, in difference, is Griot has lifetime warranty. What does that warranty cover? parts? electronic problems?[/QUOTE]

I think the griots DA has more amps, which means more power. griot has 7amps, and pc has 3.7amps. thats almost half the power so the pc is more likely to get bogged down and won't be able to do as aggressive correction. yes good technique can over come this. i think a newer pc came out recently with 4.3 amps, its the 7424xp.

my DA broke last December, with no questions asked UPS picked up the broken one and sent me a new one. I wasn't charged for shipping. It was a mechanical break down, a bolt had snapped. It may of been user error or a weak part. Either way I was so happy to get a working model again at no cost to me.
 
Rayaz:
"Rather than asking about what to buy, you should be writing about how you got your wife to go for an $800.00 order!"

Remember the part where I said I was repairing her car? :props:

Actually, my wife loves her car and very much likes for it to look nice. I have taught her how to detail the engine bay, how to wash and wax but this job that is needed now is bigger than we have ever done so we are starting from scratch. I figure we shoudl get good quality stuff so I dont have to buy again, just replenish supplies when needed. Also, I did receive some money for the paint chip damage from a General Contractor who caused the chips on the side of the car. so, i still dont want to waste money, but I do want to buy nice stuff that will last and look great.

Rayaz:
"I use and love it but on a car that gets detailed more than it gets driven."

The car is a daily driver, so are you saying Wolfgang Fuzion is a wax that looks great but needs to be applied more often and perhaps be on a garage queen type car?

I guess I am looking for a good quality product that will be easy to use, but more importantly provide great looking results with some longevity. If I have to chose between longevity and looks I woudl I need longevity because I dont have time to do this every month...

As far as the Flex, it just seemed to me that people were saying that it makes the job easier and just overall worked better and is a better tool.

Another assumption I made was that I shoudl stick with the same brand for everything, looks like maybe that is not the case. My thought was the brand would be made to work well with each product, sounds like a coulple of the responses like to mix up the brands.

Look forward to hearing your replies. I really would like to make my mind up by this evening or Wednesday at the latest. Look forward to the 20% fall deal.

Weavers:
"if you got 800 bucks to spend and stone chips in your car take it to a body shop. yes you fill and correct stone chips but its a pain. those small brushes don't work well. a syrine can work better. but its best to air brush it. old metalic paint is almost impossible to match, the paint gets bleached by the sun, so its lighter than original factory paint."

I have looked and not had much luck finding someone who will do the touch up work. I woudl gladly pay someone who would do the work. The body shop quotes, which is what the GC used to pay me for the damages, were all for painting the entire side of the car. I woudl rather keep my factory paint in tact so the GC got off lucky and paid out the damage, now I am stuck figuring out the details... After a little research I decided to get some Dupont supplies and an airbrush and try it out for myself.
 
Griots Garage DA with 25' cable
Meguiars Microfiber cutting disc
Meguiars D300
Lake Country flat white and black 5.5" pads
Menzerna P203
Clay
Optimum ONR
Microfiber towels
Sealant: Duragloss 501 and 111, Four Star UPP, Optimum Opti seal, Collinite 845 and Menz Powerlock are all great choices (so are others)
There are a few other things like glass cleaners, wheel cleaners, tire shine....
 
The Flex 3401 is a great machine and probably stands alone when compared to others. It's design is well thought out and like most German products precisely made. This polisher is well balanced and comfortable to use for extended periods but it don't come cheap!

If you truly have your heart set on this machine then there's little reason not to get it. If you're looking for a good machine then I'd personally recommend the Porter Cable 7424xp. There are several of this style to choose from however this is what I use and recommend.

Wolfgang has a nice line up from polishes to waxes to tire and trim but they don't come cheap either. Autogeek sells many other products that are just as good for a lot less.

Wolfgang Fuzion is a gorgeous show car wax but if durability is one of the qualifiers then it wouldn't be my first choice.. If durability + a gorgeous shine is your goal then I'd start with a quality sealant.

Sealants

  • PRIMA Hydro-Seal
  • BlackFire Wet Diamond
  • Menzerna Power Lock
  • Ultima Paint Guard Plus
  • Klasse High Gloss Sealant
Wax

  • Collinite 845
  • Prima Banana Gloss
  • BlackFire Midnight Sun
I'd recommend you take a good look at some of the other product lines here that will perform equally well for a lot less money. Put your list in one column and an alternative list in the next then total it up..you can do allot better, I'm sure of it..
 
I guess i should chime in. Personally, i think $800 is a bit much, but i also think $500 is a lot and i spent $540 just yesterday with no interior stuff and no paint chip kit, so.....i guess it depends what all you want to do.

I do agree that you need some buckets, or at least some grit guards for your wash buckets. Also, lots of towels.

Here is what i bought, im hoping to be happy with the correction/finish when done with my detail.

Wolfgang Duo PC kit ------------------------- $190

Wolfgang Deep gloss sealant----------------$32

Wolfgang Detail spray-------------------------$16

Wolfgang Clay Kit------------------------------$35

bucket with dolly and seat system----------$55

bucket with guard & lid-----------------------$30

Guzzler drying towel kit-----------------------$28

12 mf towels-----------------------------------$36

6 pack of extra pads--------------------------$36

4 red wax pads(hand application)-----------$10

Dodo Born To Be Mild shampoo-------------$20

Dodo Wookies fist wash mit----------------$40(splurged on this)

brass shut off valve--------------------------$7

Fire Hoze Nozzle------------------------------$20

Collinite #845---------------------------------$15

After the 10% discount, total came to-----$537.34 w/free shipping

I can easily see getting to $800+ adding a flex and paint chip kit.

I do see some things missing in your setup, i still see things missing in mine. I feel like i do an ok job cleaning the interior with the products i have(ive only had the car 2 months, the interior is surprizingly good)

I could have added APC, tire stuff, interior cleaners/protectors, glass cleaners, brushes an expensive wax, ect.

It would probably be quite easy to spend over $1000 if youre like me and research, and add the best stuff, and make sure you have EVERYTHING you need.


I think your best bet is to find a happy medium, $800 is quite a bit to spend.


Shawn
 
I think I have some shopping cart mods to make this evening... Now I read something about the Flex not having a backing plate and I guess this limits the size of pads you can use. Any suggestions on this, is it something I need to consider?
 
BTW, thanks for all of the replies so far. Great information and advice to consider. I love forums... A newb can come in, express an interest and the next thing you know you have guys with years of experience helping you out... Seriously guys, I appreciate your time and opinions!
:dblthumb2:
 
I think what you read is that the flex doesnt come with a backing plate. You have to buy 1, this allows the 5.5" or 6.5" pads to be used.

Shawn
 
Harsh said:
I think I have some shopping cart mods to make this evening... Now I read something about the Flex not having a backing plate and I guess this limits the size of pads you can use. Any suggestions on this, is it something I need to consider?
Click to expand...
There are new 4" and 6" backing plates for the 3401. Read about them here. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...40410-new-4-6-backing-plates-flex-3401-a.html
Personally I'd stick with a griots 6 or one of the other ro's. With the new microfiber pads out and from what I'm reading there are several more companies coming out with them and they will
give you better correction than a flex with foam pads in most cases.

I have a pcxp and a griots and all the pcxp gets used for is 4"
work. The griots blows away the pcxp in performance. Twice the power for the same money. A lot of people are now saying their flex sits on the shelf because the flex and the mf systems really don't work very well. I have thought about a flex 3401 but I think I will now go to a rotary.

Also IMHO You can't go wrong with the Wolfgang products, the polishes are outstanding! And right now the WGDGPS 3.0 is my sealant of choice. Now with the fall sale and the Wolfgang Rollback ( through Thursday ) you won't get a better buy on them for a very long time so this is your best shot to add them to your supplies.

Most of the stuff you have is quality stuff. What I suggest is you call in your order and talk with Nick, go through your order and fine tune it. He will treat you right and get you quality items you need, Nick is awesome help and it will be worth your time for sure.

What I would do is order a GG6 and the Meguires MF 5" starter kit, add 4 each of the finish and cutting pads (you will go through some while learning) then add the 4" pads along with a 3.5 backing plate and you will be set to tackle most correction you will ever have. Add any sealants or waxes you like and even add some Lake Country hydro- tech thin pads and some other polishes to play with. If you shop correctly with this 20% off sale you can get way more than you have for $800. And by all means if you have a $800 to spend then get lots of good stuff.
Keep this in mind, you will be spending more in the future!:buffing: Again Call Nick you won't be sorry!
~~ Yale
 
Yea, you shouldn't need more than a DA. I don't have experience yet (it's sitting at home) but the Meguiar's DA microfiber starter kit - 5" has been getting great reviews and results. Then you don't need all the extras. As far as LSPs go, I like Menzerna powerlock for a sealant and the Pinnacle liquid souveran (but I got mine on BOGO so it was an easy choice to make). Collinite 845 is also extremely popular for its durability and ease of use.
 
Buckskincolt -

I tried to call NIck but was told he is on vacation this week. I ended up talking to another guy who seemed to think I was on the right track with choosing Wolfgang products. So, at the end of the day my cart total went up instead of down... I can;t wait to get my new toys and start learning... All in all with the Wolfgand being on sale last week and the 20% off I saved over $300.00...

Thanks for all of your help guys!

1 WG-8900 - Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover Kit with CCS pa
1 BFPK-500-CCS - Dual Action 6.5 inch XL Foam Pad Kit
1 WG-9950 - Wolfgang Fuzion Estate Wax Connoisseurs Kit
1 WG-7000 - Wolfgang Leather Care Cockpit Kit
1 WG-WDC - Wolfgang Wash & Dry Combo
1 WG-5201 - 64 oz. Wolfgang Carpet & Upholstery Restorer
1 SAMPLES - One Free Sample Per Order
1 WG-TRIO1 - Wolfgang Concours Series Trio 1
1 WG-4200 - Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator
1 WG-8800 - Wolfgang Polishin Pal Clay Kit
1 HNBK-WOLF - Wolfgang Car Care Handbook
1 HNBK-PIN - Pinnacle Car Care Handbook
1 PAD-TOOL - Foam Pad Conditioning Brush
2 COBRA-600JR-6 - 6 Pack Cobra Deluxe Jr. 600 Microfiber
3 GS-PAD - Sheepskin Wash Pad
1 FLEX-1000 - FLEX XC3401 VRG Dual Action 6.5 inch Pad K

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Harsh said:
Buckskincolt -

I tried to call NIck but was told he is on vacation this week. I ended up talking to another guy who seemed to think I was on the right track with choosing Wolfgang products. So, at the end of the day my cart total went up instead of down... I can;t wait to get my new toys and start learning... All in all with the Wolfgand being on sale last week and the 20% off I saved over $300.00...

Thanks for all of your help guys!

1 WG-8900 - Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover Kit with CCS pa
1 BFPK-500-CCS - Dual Action 6.5 inch XL Foam Pad Kit
1 WG-9950 - Wolfgang Fuzion Estate Wax Connoisseurs Kit
1 WG-7000 - Wolfgang Leather Care Cockpit Kit
1 WG-WDC - Wolfgang Wash & Dry Combo
1 WG-5201 - 64 oz. Wolfgang Carpet & Upholstery Restorer
1 SAMPLES - One Free Sample Per Order
1 WG-TRIO1 - Wolfgang Concours Series Trio 1
1 WG-4200 - Wolfgang Polishing Pad Rejuvenator
1 WG-8800 - Wolfgang Polishin Pal Clay Kit
1 HNBK-WOLF - Wolfgang Car Care Handbook
1 HNBK-PIN - Pinnacle Car Care Handbook
1 PAD-TOOL - Foam Pad Conditioning Brush
2 COBRA-600JR-6 - 6 Pack Cobra Deluxe Jr. 600 Microfiber
3 GS-PAD - Sheepskin Wash Pad
1 FLEX-1000 - FLEX XC3401 VRG Dual Action 6.5 inch Pad K

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Click to expand...
That's an awesome order!
I don't think you will be sorry going Wolfgang, really nice stuff. I see you ended up going with a flex that's awesome, there might be a bit of a learning curve to it but you should get fantastic results.
This was definitely the time to buy Wolfgang!
Congratulations, keep us posted with pictures as you go! And don't forget to post in the unpacking thread!
 
Yeah, I decided from reading that the people who have the Flex love it. Some of the others have the GG or PC and I see mixed reviews, but the Flex seems to be rated well consistently. We will see. Yeah, the WG sale and the 20% was a nice thing to fall into. I can not believe I have the Fuzion wax, I can not wait to see the finished product...
 
I definitely want to see this one on the thread where people post pictures of opening their shipments...
 
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