Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

[DENALI]

Looking to make an order with ADS in the next day. I have $400 to spend on products to start with. I am not going into the detail business but i buy and flip a couple trucks a month so i need to have my own products on hand instead of farming it out.
Here is what i am thinking so far
Meguiar's G110V2 Six Pack Special (i may just get pads and use my air DA)
Hi-Tech Long Bristle DA Shampoo Brush (or should i get short bristle?)
6.5" Ultimate Microfiber DA Bonnet (will these work over the 7" soft buff 2 pads?)
Meguiar's Professional Sampler Kit (is this worth it or better to piece meal products?)

Everything else is still up in the air. My areas of concern since these are diesel trucks is engine bay cleanup, wheel wells, and of course very dirty interiors with grease/oil stains in carpets and seat bottoms.
Would i be better off with APC or APC+?

Thanks in advance for your input.

[boiler7904]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

Personally, I'd skip the DA Bonnets and get some MF Towels. ADS' blue MF towels are a good towel at a fair price especially if bought in the multi packs. Towels will have more uses for you starting out.

To me the sampler kit is only worth it if you want / need all of the products. If there are 2 or 3 things there you don't see a need for, you'd be better off buying individual products. Another thing is that there are 2 different dressings and a couple of compounds that you may not need starting out. As skills improve, you'll want a variety of things to choose from.

Having both APC and APC+, I like APC more. Either should work well for you. APC foams up more when agitated with a brush or when used in an extraction machine if that makes a difference.

Other things you're going to want just starting out are a couple of Grit Guards for your buckets, various brushes (for interiors, wheels, tires, etc.), various MF towels for drying and interior cleaning, and a gallon of wash solution (I like Gold Class for use by hand or Super Soap in my foam gun).

[agp56]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I recommend that you also get the short bristle DA brush in addition to the long bristle. Short bristle is which I prefer for shorter nap carpet. I ordered gallons of the chemicals that I needed as I already had some items on hand and had all the microfibers I needed.

The APC/APC+ question for me is close to a toss-up. I went with APC+ due to the lesser foaming properties.

I second the previous recommendation for grit guards for your buckets.

Where are you in the Sunflower state?

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I'd get 12 pads at that price ($49/6).
Honestly the most annoying thing I find with detailing is washing and drying pads. They eventually wear out. I don't think 12 is too much.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I also prefer the short bristle d/a brush.

[FinalTouchDetail]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

If I were to limit myself to products for exterior work on a car I would get the following

DA + 3 (minimum) pads for compounds/polish and 2 (minimum for finishing polish/wax)
Wash Concentrate
Claybar Kit
M105
D151
NXT 2.0
Ultimate Quick Detailer
Ultimate Quick Wax
D171 Water based Dressing for vinyl, rubber and plastic dressing
12 Microfiber Towels
2 Waffle Weave Drying Towels
2 Waffle Weave Window Towels

With that you could do complete a lot of work and add on items as you get the money for it.

[DENALI]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

Well i think this is my order

FREE Shipping on all orders over $150.00

Shopping Cart
Item	Options	Unit Price	Qty.	Cost
Meguiar's Professional Sampler Kit [remove]	Select : All Purpose Cleaner Plus Towel Color : Gold	$125.95		$125.95
6.5" Ultimate Microfiber DA Bonnet [remove]		$2.00		$12.00
Clay Bar Storage Box [remove]		$1.59		$1.59
Stoner More Shine Less Time - Vinyl & Plastic [remove]		$4.99		$4.99
1-Gal Meguiar's D110 Hyper Wash [remove]		$23.99		$23.99
Meguiar's Interior Quick Detailer Spray [remove]		$5.99		$5.99
2-Pak Odor Bomb (Mix & Match) [remove]	Scent 1 : Neutral Scent 2 : New Car	$10.98		$10.98
Meguiar's Wheel Brightener Bottle 32 oz. [remove]		$1.99		$1.99
Meguiar's D140 Wheel Brightener 32 oz. [remove]		$8.49		$8.49
Meguiar's M21 Synthetic Sealant 2.0 16 oz. [remove]		$17.99		$17.99
Meguiar's Deep Pile Microfiber Wash Mitt [remove]		$4.99		$4.99
SM Arnold Sheepswool Wash Mitt [remove]		$9.95		$9.95
Curved Foam Tire Dressing Applicator Pad [remove]		$1.49		$1.49
Hi-Tech Short Bristle DA Shampoo Brush [remove]		$10.95		$10.95
Meguiar's G110V2 Six Pack Special [remove]	Pad Choice 1 : Soft Buff 2.0 Polishing Pad (Yellow) Pad Choice 2 : Soft Buff 2.0 Polishing Pad (Yellow) Pad Choice 3 : Soft Buff 2.0 Polishing Pad (Yellow) Pad Choice 4 : Soft Buff 2.0 Finishing Pad (Black) Pad Choice 5 : Soft Buff 2.0 Finishing Pad (Black) Pad Choice 6 : Soft Buff 2.0 Cutting Pad (Burgundy)	$189.99		$189.99
12-Pak Premium Microfiber Towel [remove]	Color : Blue	$11.95		$11.95
Case of 6 Meguiar's Water Magnet Drying Towels [remove]		$38.94		$38.94
Meguiar's M40 Vinyl & Rubber Conditioner 16 oz. [remove]		$9.99		$9.99
Buff & Shine Heavy Duty Microfiber Glass Towel [remove]		$1.95		$3.90
Grit Guard Mix & Match 2-Pack [remove]	Color 1 : Black Color 2 : Red	$15.90		$15.90
Subtotal:				$512.01
Total:				$512.01

[FinalTouchDetail]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I see you found an extra hundred bucks to spend, lol

[AndrewR/T]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

Get a gallon of M40. You'll end up going through a bottle in a week. I use it under the hood, for the frame, tires, wheel wells, and rubber door seals.

[DENALI]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I see you found an extra hundred bucks to spend, lol

LOL yeah.... as long as i dont tell the housedragon i should be safe

[tucsondude]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I apparently am slow and no good at drying, but i would personally skip the 6 water magnets, and invest that money into more of the blue microfibers, i just use 2-3 smaller mfs and wring 1 out often. I can go through 16 MFs on a sentra easy(full detail).

Although apparently I haven't figured out how or for what to use an MF DA bonnet either.

I use apc all around the house for everything, that doesn't need disinfected. However I personally use dishsoap and apc+ for cleaning mfs and gear. Apc + for engine bays, wheels, renting an extractor, etc.

ooohhh apc will remove dried doggy #2 when, mrClean and a female have failed.

[DENALI]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

I added a gallon of the M40 to my order.

I may have to start doing this for other people instead of just the vehicles i am flipping. This adds up! I guess it wouldnt be quite so bad if i wasnt getting the DA but still its quite a chunk to lay out. I do believe it will pay for itself when it comes time to sell a truck, if not by adding value by making a quicker sale of it.

[tucsondude]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

Also old clean pencilbox/tupperware > claybarbox.

[DENALI]

Re: Starting out $400 to spend help with order!

ooohhh apc will remove dried doggy #2 when, mrClean and a female have failed.

I will have to keep that in mind. My house dragon wont go near the K9 #2 for love nor money.