New guy, new car, fresh start.

[w9nwrwi]

I am probably beating a dead horse here, I have searched the subject on the forum but there is so much info that its almost overwhelming with all the different Meguiar's products..

Just purchased a new car, 2011 Hyundai Sonata Limited, color is radiant silver. Presently 1100 miles on it and has been washed 4 times using something other than Meguiar's. This product will be sent to the back of the shelf. Nope, it was not Dawn dish soap, just another common car wash product.
I have had many cars in my 60 some years but I don't think I ever took the effort to take good "detailing" care as I will with this new one (retired and have the time).Today's products seem to really present themselves well but oh so much to choose from.

So my question is; what would you folks consider a good basic selection of items for the exterior of the vehicle to keep it sharp. We are located in
Wisconsin and winter care is a factor of course.

I have the interior covered I think with Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer Wipes. (They work just fine) but maybe need a recommendation for leather seats.

I do have a old bottle (probably 3 years old or more) of Gold Class clear coat liquid car wax. Does it have a shelf life?

Would like to keep the car looking sharp between washes so what is the proper Quick Detailer (exterior use ) for use on a brand new vehicle?. Car is garaged.

Probably have more questions but lets just start with these items, and I apologize if this has been addressed before and my lame search did not turn up anything that was specific to my questions.


Thanks,

Chuck

[Murr1525]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

Most basic, with no defects to remove, this is what I would do:

1. Wash - Gold Class, 2 buckets ,Grit Guards, good towels, etc.
2. Clay - Smooth Surface Clay kit
3. ColorX
4. Wax - Nxt 2.0 is pretty top of the line, but Gold Class will work. There is also a new Gold Class +.

You can use QID on leather, but one of the Gold Class Leather Cleaner/Conditioners will help more.

Ultimate Quick Wax is good after future washes.... QD is good for removing light dust, but light. Not heavy dirt.

[Murr1525]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

And of course your glass, wheel, tire, APC, trim, etc products......

[agp56]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

On the getting ready for winter care side of things a late fall detail with 2 coats of NXT 2.0 will go a long way. In this area you can usually catch a few good days in October or even early November - with you being north of me, your timeframe may well be earlier.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

Gold Class shampoo
2-3 water magnets
2 grit guards
Hot Shine Tire Shine
Ultimate Protectorant
A good All Purpose Cleaner
Ultimate Quik Detailer
A few brushes
Gold Class or NXT 2.0 wax
That should get you going and keep your new Car looking great.

If your wax is not subjected to extreme temperatures, especially freezing. It should last 3-5 years.

[ClarkWGriswold]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

If you do the two coats on NXT before winter, just make sure to give it some cure time (12 hours as I recall) between coats.

[w9nwrwi]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

Thanks for the ideas folks,

So noted and will purchase appropriately.
Tried some UQD today, excellent.


Chuck

[Ryan_Bihun89]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

good luck with detailing ( or taking care of your car ) and Welcome.

[Shawn T.]

Re: New guy, new car, fresh start.

Paint Cleaners: Swirlx and Ultimate Compund; possibly Scratchx but not totally necessary. Order of aggressiveness from least to greatest: SwirlX, SctratchX 2.0, Ultimate Compund. Be sure to use ScratchX 2.0 and not the original formula as the original is weaker than SwirlX.

Polishes: Either Deep Crystal Polish or M07 show car glaze. They are both very good and will add great depth to the paint.

Microfibers: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY!!!!! I would recommend about 12 to begin with. Walmart has decent quality ones but you could always go with the incredible Supreme Shine Microfiber from Megs.

Wax: I like Gold Class, only tried NXT once and it was very good also. It really comes down to a personal preference. If you plan on applying the wax by hand, I recommend the paste but for machine application I suggest the liquid. The differences in the paste and liquid versions come down to a personal preferences.

Cleaner Wax: Cleaner Wax (A12), the consumer version, is very good and does a nice job of providing a little more muscle to remove slight oxidation and very mild swirls. Colorx is a much stronger cleaner wax, comparable to M06 Cleaner Wax. I have yet to use it but I have heard nothing but good reviews. These can be used if you are running low on time and still want to mildly correct, polish and wax the car.

Dressings: I like M40 Vinyl & Rubber Cleaner Conditioner for tires and some exterior trim. I also like Supreme Shine Protectant for tires and outdoor trim. Natural Shine Protectant is great for interiors and for people who prefer a low gloss on their trim pieces.

Quick Detail Spray: Quik Detailer is great and does a fantastic job. Ultimate Quik Detailer is equivalent to M135 as it utilizes the hydrophobic technology (the product is “afraid” of the water and therefore the water will either bead or sheet off the car).

Spray Wax: Quik Wax is a good product but Ultimate Quik Wax is even better. You can use these after you wash the car in order to boost the already established wax. This should really be used as a booster wax more than the base layer but it will work great either way.