Looking for some recommendations of products to...

[Niko Molina]

...buy in decent size to begin my detailing business.

-Car wash soap
--Meg's GOLD Class soap has been used on my car for awhile and I really like it. I've never used any other soap so I don't have anything to compare it to. Am I missing out on not using a different(better?) soap or should I stick to Meg's GOLD Class?

-Compound
--I'm using Rupes Bigfoot Polisher and foam pads that go with it. I'm leaning towards Meg's M105 Ultra Cut Compound. Good choice?

-Polish
--Leaning towards Meg's M205 Ultra Finishing Polish

-Wax
--I'm looking for a Carnuaba wax recommendation. One that will produce best result.
--I'll also have Meg's NXT 2.0 that I will let the customer choose which type of wax they want. (i.e. Carnuaba better 'pop' but lasts quite a bit less than NXT which is very durable)

-AIO
--Need a recommendation here. Never used one. Will be for my production level cars.

-Tire cleaner/dressing
--I've just used Meg's tire foam for my car but surely there is a much better way of detailing tires.




Thanks in advance!

 

[CDot]

Disclaimer: I'm a hobbyist, not a pro--but here's my two-cents


Car wash soap
I think most here would steer you to a "detailer-level" car shampoo like
Duragloss 902
Megs HyperWash/Shampoo Plus
Optimum Carwash
Chemical Guys Maxi-Suds/Citrus Wash & Gloss
PLUS a Rinseless wash like ONR or Megs Rinsefree Express Wash

Gold Class is one of the good OTC "detail enthusiast" soaps, but not pro-level.

Compound + Polish
I can't advise for this one as I love Megs Ultimate Compound, but not sure of many pros use. A ton of the pros on here love the Menzerna line of products for compounding/polishing.

Wax
Are you looking for a paste wax or liquid? Considering a spray wax as well?

AIO
I don't have much experience with these, but a lot of ppl rate these fairly high:
Duragloss 101 & 105
Megs D151
XMT 360
PB Polish & Sealant
Klasse AIO
BlackFire Total Polish & Seal.

Tire cleaner/dressing
Lots of people here like
Sonax Full Effect
Tuf Shine
Chemical Guys Diablo Gel
Megs Wheel Brightener
Mothers Wheel & Tire for cleaning

Optimum Opti-Bond
Pinnacle Black Onyx
CarPro PERL are very popular dressings.

In general, it might be a good idea to start with an entire line of products if you don't have experience using a bunch of different products. Meguiar's "Detailer" Line of products covers a good basis for a lot of stuff--especially if you're looking at saving some money on start-up.

 

[parttimer]

I too am a hobbyist but do work on the weekends.

I use the Gold Class wash and conditioning shampoo, works fine for more, otherwise Detailers rinseless wash and gloss which I also use as pad conditioner and lube for nanoskin towels.

If you're already using Rupes for pads, try their compounds out. Menz 2500 is great for a one step, I follow it with Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant. I also use that for an AIO on dark cars. Otherwise I have Duragloss 105 and Blackfire Total Polish and Seal.

For just a "wax" Collinite 845 can't be beat, or Megs yellow wax.

Tire cleaner I use APC, wheel cleaner depends on the wheel, Sonax FE or Wolfgang Uber for "not bad" wheels, Megs Wheel Bright for BAD wheels if I can.
Tire coat is Wolfgang Black Diamond tire gel or Tuff Coat.

 

[allenk4]

I am steadily learning that you can probably fix almost any paint defect using:

- DA

-M105

-M205

-Orange pad, White pad, Grey pad


That being said, it is too much fun trying different products and techniques that I read about here on the Forum.

 

[tbnielsen]

Besides a car wash soap I second getting a rinseless wash type product as it has so many uses: clay lube, QD (good for wiping down door jambs as well), and of course as a rinseless wash for washing lightly dirty cars before a polish.

I think M105 and 205 for compound and polish are good choices, and you can always add other products.

When I did production type detailing I really liked D151 as an AIO.

If you want to stay within the same line of products I've had good results with Meg's #21 for a sealant.

For tires I like Opti-Bond. And for a spray wax I like OCW and Aquawax.

For wheels I like Sonax full effect and the similar products that change color while working. It's very effective. There might be even more efficient products but those are often hazardous to use. As an example Meg's Wheel Brightener contains Ammonium Bifluoride which is some really nasty stuff.. Here's a short text from an article on the use of Ammonium Bifluoride (ABF) in some wheel cleaner products:

- - -
While most carwash owners can be fairly certain that their employees are not intentionally ingesting wheel cleaner, ABF can be just as deadly if it comes in contact with skin or is inhaled as a mist.

Chemists say it's the flouride ions in HF and ABF that make many wheel cleaners and pre-soaks so potentially dangerous. Whether fluoride ions enter body tissues as the result of inhalation or skin contact, they cause deep, progressive burning that may quickly lead to multi-organ failure and death. Long-term exposure to even minimal amounts of ABF can lead to brittle bones, weight loss, anemia, and calcified ligaments.

"ABF is extremely hazardous and can be harmful to several target organs in the human body, including the lungs, skin, eyes and kidneys," warns Roger McFadden, technical director and senior chemist with Coastwide Laboritories, Portland, OR.

McFadden says one of the most frightening aspects of fluoride poisoning is that its effects are not immediately apparent. Unlike hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, damage caused by HF and ABF takes place slowly. By the time a victim feels the effects, it's too late to reverse the damage.
- - -

:bolt:

 

[Niko Molina]

What's the difference between Meg's gold class and their professional soap?

 

[The Guz]

I'm a hobbyist as well and these are the products I use for family and/or friends cars.

Car wash soap
Meguiar's D111 Shampoo Plus (works great)

Clay
Meguiar's D155 Last Touch (works great. can be used as a QD or diluted for clay lube)

Compound
I have Ultimate Compound which is a good OTC compound.

I have these as well. I have M101 on order.

Meguiar's M105

Meguiar's M101

You may want to consider including some meguiar's microfiber cutting disks and possibly the finishing disks. It's been said that M205 on a microfiber finishing disk + rupes is a defect killer.

Polish
Meguiar's M205

Sealant
Meguiar's M21

Carnauba
Meguiar's M26

Spray Wax + Detail Spray
Meguiar's D156
Meguiar's M135 (can not be used as clay lube)

AIO
Meguiar's D151 (never used it but it's very popular)


Tire cleaner/dressing
Meguiar's Hyper Dressing (never used it but it's very popular and cost effective)

Meguiar's Non-Acid Wheel & Tire Cleaner (works great)

Misc
Meguiar's D101 All Purpose Cleaner
Meguiar's D114 or D115 rinselss wash (havenot used any of these)

I may have forgotten something

 

[CDot]

What's the difference between Meg's gold class and their professional soap?

I don't know the specifics, but many times, companies formulate their OTC soaps to be a little less potent depending on the line. Other times, it's just that the shampoos become "more modern" as time goes on. Gold Class is an older line.