Some questions I have

[240SX]

Hey all,

I've been doing alot of reading here and on other forums about detailing. I think I'm ready to tackle my first project. I have an 1989 Nissan 240SX that hasn't been driven for like 8 years. The interior is pretty dirty, as you can imagine, and theres lots of nooks and crannies I have to get into. And a crapload of vinyl and plastic. Unfortunately, i'm in Canada so we don't have APC here.

My first question: Is Meg's QID good enough to clean a really dirty car, or is it, as the name implies, for quick detailing. If not, what can I use.

My second question: If Meg's QID can be used to clean my dirty interior, should I buy Meg's #40 (The Vinyl/Rubber cleaner) or is this redundant.

Last question: Does Meg's QID do the same thing as Simple Green, or does one clean better than the other?

Thanks for any help

[Maserati Mario]

Re: Some questions I have

I would use something stronger, APC or the like
I like 40, but not on a really dirty car
And I don't like Simple Green
Your probably going to need something stronger than QID, SG just might work
Start with QID then SG and if that doesn't work go with and APC

[240SX]

Re: Some questions I have

I would use something stronger, APC or the like
I like 40, but not on a really dirty car
And I don't like Simple Green
Your probably going to need something stronger than QID, SG just might work
Start with QID then SG and if that doesn't work go with and APC

Again, I'm in Canada so we don't have APC here. And i don't want to have to pay $35 to have it shipped here

You say you don't like Simple Green, what about Turtle Wax ICE total interior care, any better than Simple Green? If not, what do you recommend as a substitute for APC that I can use for my interior.

I just don't want to end up buying 20 different products in order to use them once.

[CieraSL]

Re: Some questions I have

Try this website: Meguiar's (Canada). I'd say try to get APC+, because I'm told it's more versatile than APC and doesn't foam up as much. If you can't get what you need off Meguiar's Canada, you might just order from Auto Detailing Solutions. Make sure you have a decent size order though to make shipping worth your while.

[Maserati Mario]

Re: Some questions I have

I ment use some kind of all purpose cleaner, not necessarily Meg's
I use Purple power diluted like 10:1
You just need a "cleaner/degreaser"

[Eddie6th]

Re: Some questions I have

if your car interior is as dirty as you say,I would remove the 2 front seats and wash with an aqua vac(not leather obviously).If you get good weather they can be dry in the sun in no time as the aqua vac should lift out the water.
While the seats are out,you can get good access to all the areas that you'll want to clean.Your job will be easier.
Meguiar's interior detailers and dash cleaners are fine,but you'll want to remove some of the soiled dirt from your plastic surfaces.for this i use a bucket with a small amount of warm water,sponge and meguiar's car shampoo.Make a lot of foam in the bucket but squeeze the sponge before applying.Don't soak your interior and get things wet.I have a lot of crevices on my plastic dash(skin effect) and the dirt is really tough to come out.I find a little nail brush does the trick here,but not one with extremely stiff bristles.Be carefull when cleaning near or around the lens/cover on your instrument panel.they scratch very easily.

Cheers!

[240SX]

Re: Some questions I have

I plan on renting a Rug Doctor when I take out the seats, so that takes care of the upholstery and carpet.

Can you give me some more info about this Meg's shampoo. I can't find anything like that online here in Canada. Do you mean like regular car wash shampoo?

Also, I still need an all purpose cleaner that I can find in Canada. I can't find Purple Power here. Will any cleaner/degreaser work on my interior?

Thanks for all your help guys. I'm kind of new to this stuff so I ask alot of questions.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Some questions I have

Hi 240X,yeah,just the normal auto shampoo.i normally use the soft gel which has a pink color.you should be able to find at least one of Meguiar's shampoos.i can't give you advice on a particular product,as i don't live in Canada.If you're unsure about a particular product,test it on a small hidden area and see how it works.What kind of dirt are you dealing with here? Cigarette tar,oily contaminents,etc,etc.......It sounds severe to me,if soap can't deal with this.
keep in touch.

[240SX]

Re: Some questions I have

Hi 240X,yeah,just the normal auto shampoo.i normally use the soft gel which has a pink color.you should be able to find at least one of Meguiar's shampoos.i can't give you advice on a particular product,as i don't live in Canada.If you're unsure about a particular product,test it on a small hidden area and see how it works.What kind of dirt are you dealing with here? Cigarette tar,oily contaminents,etc,etc.......It sounds severe to me,if soap can't deal with this.
keep in touch.

I actually have a case of Mother's soap laying around somewhere so i'll give that a shot.

The dirt is pretty much just many years of human neglect and alot of dust. I'll give the soap a shot this weekend, and if that doesn't work then i'll have to look for something stronger.

[Eddie6th]

Re: Some questions I have

I havn't heard of that soap.If you really have trouble getting a hold of Meg's interior cleaning products then you could try a couple of squirts of ('Grassx' in Italy) mixed in with the bucket of soapy water.you should be able to find this in any supermarket.It's basically a heavy duty dish soap/degreaser.Again,test it on an unseen area to dtermine if it will cause any discoloration etc.. Over here it's a flourescent yellow and comes in a spray bottle...but in another country could be a different colour and name.

[Maserati Mario]

Re: Some questions I have

Will any cleaner/degreaser work on my interior?

Basically yes, just get/mix some "cleaner" and work a small area and see if anything what happens to the plastic/fabric.
ALWAYS DO A TEST SPOT

Thanks for all your help guys. I'm kind of new to this stuff so I ask allot of questions.

We we're all new at some point.
So post away! Some of use have no lives! (not me, I've very busy! !)

[CieraSL]

Re: Some questions I have

Also, I still need an all purpose cleaner that I can find in Canada. I can't find Purple Power here. Will any cleaner/degreaser work on my interior?

I would try to find Greased Lightning Orange Blast. It would come in a bottle something like this:



or this:


You can usually find them at Wal-Mart (I assume you do have a Wal-Mart, don't you? ) in the automotive aisle. Leaves a nice orange scent, and it's not overly strong. Hope this helps!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Some questions I have

My first question: Is Meg's QID good enough to clean a really dirty car, or is it, as the name implies, for quick detailing. If not, what can I use.

QID is for light cleaning, not removing built-up grime and dirt. You would like QID AFTER you do the initial clean-up to maintain the interior.

My second question: If Meg's QID can be used to clean my dirty interior, should I buy Meg's #40 (The Vinyl/Rubber cleaner) or is this redundant.

See product recommendations below. I'm assuming your 240SX has a vinyl interior?

Last question: Does Meg's QID do the same thing as Simple Green, or does one clean better than the other?

QID is a LIGHT cleaner. Simple Green is an aggressive, heavy duty cleaner and you could cause damage if you use it incorrectly. (Test in an inconspicuous area first).

QID is like QD only for the inside, that is it's for removing fingerprints, dust and smudges off of about any surface except for glass and fabrics/cloth.



The Canada Meguiar's website lists this product,

M39 Vinyl Cleaner

Hands down one of the best cleaners for dirty vinyl on the market. It's the twin product to M40, so first you clean with M39 and then you condition and protect with M40

This would be a great comb to clean and restore any vinyl, plastic and rubber in your car.


M3916 Vinyl Cleaner


M4016 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner



Both of these products have been around for 25 plus years and have a very strong and loyal following meaning you wont' be treading into unknown territory trying them out on your car.

[Sal329]

Re: Some questions I have

Clean your interior with water/woolite mix 10:1. Then use #40 to protect the interior

[240SX]

Re: Some questions I have

So does M40 do the same thing that 303 Aerospace Protectant does, because I was planning on using that.