What are the best car cleaning products on the market? Before I spend some money I would like to know what is the best for the job. Glass cleaner, Tyre shine, Bumper shine, Polish, Alloy wheel cleaner, Car wash.
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You'll find LOADS of info in earlier posts.
But check www.maguiars.co.uk they seem to be current favourites, not tried them, yet.
Still rate Mer polish best.
VB
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Still rate Mer polish best.
Agreed.
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Yep, Mer for me.
Spent a couple of hours yesterday washing and Mer-ing. Looks wonderful, but you can blame me for the awful weather!
Terry
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I'll spell it right this time www.meguiars.co.uk
This got me thinking, does anyone recall Porzelack?
It used to be 3 stages of polishing
Rapid - like T cut first
Perfect - next stage
Brilliant - final finishing coat
I remember it being a VERY popular product 20 yers ago.
A remarkable shine could be acheived, with only a reasonable amount of elbow grease.
Done a Google search, looks like we're out of luck in UK, available in USA & parts of Europe only.
VB
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I used Porzelak in the early 80s for my dad's Capri II chrome bumpers. It was a hard green paste in a tin.
Autosol does the same job
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Autoglym,autoglym, autoglym.
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Autoglym,autoglym, autoglym.
>No, no, no.
These products are okayish, but are overpriced and over rated. I used to swear by the Super Resin Polish, but since having bought some "trade only" Carnauba Wax polish on EBAY, I realise how short a period of time the autoglym finish actually lasts for.
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What's the one "By Royal Appointment?"
(Not that I can imagine Liz and Phil wielding the hose, sponge chamois and squeegee ...)
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Autoglym. Highly recommended
Every one of their products seems to be the best on the market. Just this weekend I bought some of their "Bumper Care" as I was fed up with other liquid "trim waxes" which just seem to rinse off with rain or when you wash the car next. It's a thick green gel which forms a waxy barrier. Absolutely tipped it down here last night and it's still there - so far so good.
Not cheap at £6 a bottle mind but it's economical in use so should last a couple of years.
I've also used their spray upholstery cleaner (not the foam variety) and the super resin polish for several years - both with very good results.
However IMHO nothing surpases Carplan Triplewax wash 'n' wax - the original and best with plenty of suds, unlike these low foam newcomers
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What\'s the one \"By Royal Appointment?\" (Not that I can imagine Liz and Phil wielding the hose, sponge chamois and squeegee ...)
thats \"solvol autosol\" i think,its a chrome cleaner.
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Go to the Products Test section of the www.autoexpress.co.uk They dish the dirt on all of the cleaning products that they have tested.
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I'm a recent Maguiars convert from Autoglym - both are top quality but the shine from the Maguiars polish is incredible. I'm due another polish and this time I'll finish it off with the Autoglym Resin sealant which works well.
Other Autoglym products I rate are:
Autoglym Fast Glass - no dust, smears - excellent.
Intensive Tar Remover - quick and very effective
Tyre Dressing - good colour and if you wipe it over with a rag it doesn't shine like a guardsman's boots!
I don't have alloys but when I did Wonder Wheels worked best for me. I use Halfords Advanced Car Wash but I'll see what other posters here rate.
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Great! that should keep me going for a while, Thanks for everyones help.
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I remember Porzelack well .... they had a great range of products and gave us a beutiful electric polisher to go with it .... nowadays I rate Mer the best and Autoglym is good ....With Mer use a damp cloth and ' minimum ' quantity wax its so easy if the paint work is already good .
P.S. Where do I buy a good electric polisher for car work ( not one of those amateur random action ones )
Regards John
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I recommend the concept range available from brown brothers its not the cheapest stuff on the market but is exceptionaly good
eg 5 litres polish,,£25
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John, the guys who ´detail´ their cars for shows use Porter + Cable polishers, made in the USA.
A Google search ´porter cable polisher´, exclusively from the UK, will give you a number of suppliers.
Although bear in mind I bought one of those ?12 orbital buffers and it made the Barchetta´s annual wax job miles easier - got great results with Autoglym polish and resin, as recommended by HJ.
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Tyre shine: Try Armorall 'Protectant'. Has a multitude of purposes, can be used inside (on dashboards etc)and out (unpainted plastics and any rubber). Quite good as its not that intense shine you sometimes get with others, but makes your tires look new. Available at Wilkinson?s for about £2.50
Bumper shine Autoglym bumper care. Definatly better than most. Still washes off, but it takes a few downpours before it gives in. Meguiars version of this (trim detailer?) is also supposed to be good
Alloy wheel cleaner 'Wonder wheels' I don?t have alloys so haven't used it myself, but my dad loves the stuff. seems to win quite a few awards too
Polish (wax): Not a fan of Autoglym, very overrated. Many other brews have caught it up or surpassed it in terms of finish. Not as good at protecting your paintwork as you might think. Personally (as i keep banging on about) I use BiltHambers 'Autobalm'. No hard work at all, no dust, superior shine and is 100% waterproof (The only wax to prevent rust on untreated metal)
Each to their own though
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I don't polish much but MER is good and, when have done the car properly, you can put 2 capsful of MER into warm water, and use the mixture as a wax-wash. Lift the blades off the screens or you'll have smeary marks for ever, or until you use Autoglym glass cleaner!
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As we're back here again, I'm able to report .....
Mer is still used on anything I'm selling & the Omega.
www.meguiars.co.uk has TOTALLY converted me for Mrs V's Mx5 which was new when this post started!Only ever had their wax & washes - expensive, but well worth it.
VB
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I've tried pretty well every type of glass cleaner around and, in my view, AutoGlym's Glass Cleaner does exactly what it says on the bottle.
Biggest problem is getting it back off the other half...:-(
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Try Autosmart www.autosmart.co.uk
Ive been a valeter for 9 years and they have always been the best - autoglym is vastly over priced for what it is. As ever, the product is only as good as the person applying it!
If you dont polish your car too often, it can be worth using a cleanerwax before you do the final polish too.
Autosmart dont sell in the shops, the best stuff never does.
How about 5 litres of polish for £14? Sounds alot until you work out the price per litre compared to what else is on offer.
I clean cars for the wealthy folk of this world and they comment on how good the products I use are ( I even sell them it on the side ) and how long lasting the finish is.
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Go to www.autoexpress.co.uk and go to product tests for some info on products...
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stunorthants does this polish have chalk in it?as i might try if it doesnt.
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I cant remember for sure, does it have any info on the website?
They have a range of polishes - I use their Carnuba Gold polish on my own car and the Mirror Image polish on customers cars which is the cleaner wax I mentioned. And yes I do offer the Carnuba wax to my customers but at extra cost lol.
If it doesnt say on the website, ringing the local distributor will be able to tell you - they are very knowledgable about their products and they do sell to the public and my local one has a mini-showroom in an industrial unit. Theres no minimum purchase either unlike many direct to trade suppliers.
Ive just looked on their website and they even have products to get round the drought ban lol.
www.autosmart.co.uk/Polishes.htm
It doesnt say about chalk but they should be able to tell you anyway :)
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I haven't used polish on mine for ages, but drying it with a chamois seems to maintain the shine. Is it anything to do with the natural oils in chamois leathers? At one time Rolls Royce used to teach chauffeurs the best techniques to use. Are there any chauffeurs (or ex chauffeurs) in the Back Room?
--
L\'escargot.
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I was trained to valet cars at a Rolls-Royce/Bentley main dealer, does that count :)
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