Recommended products for my cars ?

[thedoc46]

Hi, I'm new to this forum.

I'm looking for some advice on which Meguiars wash / polish and wax to keep them clean and shiny and in tip top condition.. I live in SW Florida so my cars see a LOT of sunshine during the day, as they're left to sit outside, but in the evening they're put away in a garage. We're only ever a few miles away from the coast. They each do around 10k per yr.

I have three cars in my household.

A brand new 2015 VW Gti. Which will be washed every week by hand using just a bucket sponge and hose.. Then dried with a chamois leather. Which wash / wax do you recommend? Should I really ever polish this car? given it'll be babied its entire life ?

A 2013 VW Tiguan SEL That had PermaPlate thrown in for free when we purchased the car. (don't worry i'd of said no to it if it wasn't free lol) that has also been washed by hand, every 'other' week. Then every six months, i've been using the permaplate protection cream (looks maybe like wax) product they gave us for free. A bird did its business on the hood a few months ago, and the permaplate did NOTHING to stop a mark on the clear coat. Again, looking for recommendations on which product to use on this SUV. Not sure if it needs it, but i will do a clay bar treatment on it this weekend, before using the permaplate wax (unless you guys suggest a Meguiars product)

A used 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. That unfortunately gets a little neglected. Maybe gets washed once every 3 months, and waxed once a yr (if its lucky !!! )

Needless to say the paint on the mini-van is feeling a little rough, so today i purchased the Meguiars clay bar kit, and this weekend, i'll work hard to restore finish. Given this paint has been neglected, which treatments / wax do you recommend ? It's also had a bit of a respray on one of its rear panels. Previous owner.

No cars have any real swirl marks to speak of, as I never ever take them to a carwash so if there any real need to purchase a polish ?

I only have my hands, but am open to making my life easier, and am prepared to buy and learn how to use an orbital or rotary tool for the waxing, that i'll be looking to do every other month per car... (I guess i just enjoy it)

Truth of the matter is, i like Megiuars cos you actually have a proper support foundation, and will just stick with your products from here onwards.. But man, its ever so confusing on what i should be buying, every time i get myself down the store. I end up walking out with nothing, cos i say i need to do more research.

I did buy your tire spray the other day. The more expensive aerosol hot shot (i think) version to blacken up the Tiguan tires. and was left very disappointed. It didn't seem to make them shine at all really.. and i spent a good amount. Up until now I've only ever been using black magic spray, and well its little messy, so went looking for an alternative.

I've just been using turtle wax car wash and turtle wax polish up until now.. and of course the permaplate products for the Tiguan. even though i know its probably BS But ready to make the switch.

Please advise on good Meguiars products for the likes of me.

Thanks in advance.

[The Guz]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

There are a lot of products available and you did the right thing by joining and doing your homework on which products will work for you.

No cars have any real swirl marks to speak of, as I never ever take them to a carwash so if there any real need to purchase a polish ?

I would be really surprised that you have no swirls on the paint. They are bound to happen. But they can be limited by using the proper wash techniques. Definitely check out this thread on the proper wash technique.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?41790-Meguiar-s-Quik-Tips-Video-Series-Washing

I would upgrade to a 2 bucket wash with grit guards as well as better wash media and drying towels. For wash media check out the Meguiar's Wash Mitt. This this is nice and soft and it works very well. As far as drying media consider the Meguiar's water magnets or the Edgeless Avalanche Super Plush Drying Towel from The Rag Company. This thing is big and soft.

As far as what car wash to use well that's a toss up on what you are looking for. Locally I would look at Gold Class or Ultimate Wash & Wax. The difference is the Ult. Wash & Wax leaves a little wax behind to give that freshly waxed look. It's not a substitute for a wax as it is not intended to be as durable as a wax. Can't go wrong with either one.

As far as protection goes you have a few options. You have the typical carnauba wax which gives you about 1-3 months protection. Then you have sealants (aka synthetic waxes) such as NXT and ultimate wax (which is slightly more durable than NXT) which give about 4-6 months of protection. Then you have the new Paint Protect 365 which gives protection for 1 year. The surrounding environment plays a factor in the durability of the protection you choose.

You also have cleaner waxes which are carnauba based but are all in one products meaning they clean, polish and protect. Examples of these would be white wax, black wax, colorx, A12 (maroon bottle). White wax would be the one that offers the most cleaning ability. These fall in the 3 month category. These won't remove defects such as individual products like ultimate compound or ultimate polish but it will still clean up the paint nicely

It really depends on what your goal is and how much time you have. If it's purely protection then Paint Protect would be the way to go. If you want more shine then go with ultimate wax or NXT. If your goal is looks then a carnauba is the way to go. If you are stretched for time then a cleaner wax would be the way to go.

I would recommend you consider a Dual Action Polisher or the DA Power System. Your arms will thank you later. Plus you will get better results and of course it's faster.

Even if your cars don't need all these products I would invest in a clay kit, ultimate compound, ultimate polish and either ultimate wax or paint protect 365. Seeing as you have 3 cars I would think you would want the longest protection especially on the van. In this case you should get Paint Protect 365. It's has the least amount of maintenance with just washing.

A brand new 2015 VW Gti. Which will be washed every week by hand using just a bucket sponge and hose.. Then dried with a chamois leather. Which wash / wax do you recommend? Should I really ever polish this car? given it'll be babied its entire life ?

To start things off a polish is what gives the car some shine. If you are satisfied with how it looks then by all means just protect the paint.

One thing you may want to google is what is often referred to as "DISO" (Dealer Installed Swirl Option).

I would definitely clay it as new cars can have surface contaminants on the paint from delivery such as rail dust from being delivered by truck. Gogle the baggie test. That will tell you if you need to clay.

For this car I would
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Polish (depends on the condition of the paint)
4. Seal with Paint Protect 365

A 2013 VW Tiguan SEL That had PermaPlate thrown in for free when we purchased the car. (don't worry i'd of said no to it if it wasn't free lol) that has also been washed by hand, every 'other' week. Then every six months, i've been using the permaplate protection cream (looks maybe like wax) product they gave us for free. A bird did its business on the hood a few months ago, and the permaplate did NOTHING to stop a mark on the clear coat. Again, looking for recommendations on which product to use on this SUV. Not sure if it needs it, but i will do a clay bar treatment on it this weekend, before using the permaplate wax (unless you guys suggest a Meguiars product)

For this I would:

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Ultimate Compound (optional but it will make that bird bomb look a little better by removing what it can)
4. Ultimate Polish
5. Seal with Paint Protect 365

For time constraints
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Cleaner Wax

A used 2008 Chrysler Town and Country. That unfortunately gets a little neglected. Maybe gets washed once every 3 months, and waxed once a yr (if its lucky !!! )

Needless to say the paint on the mini-van is feeling a little rough, so today i purchased the Meguiars clay bar kit, and this weekend, i'll work hard to restore finish. Given this paint has been neglected, which treatments / wax do you recommend ? It's also had a bit of a respray on one of its rear panels. Previous owner.

For this one:

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Ultimate Compound
4. Ultimate Polish
5. Seal with Paint Protect 365

For time constraints
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Cleaner Wax

Hope this helps. What colors are these cars?

[thedoc46]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

Wow thanks for taking the time out to reply.

The Gti is candy white, and the minivan and SUV are both maroon. What do the pro's use for the tires? I have the spray, and today i purchased a foam applicator. I did buy the hotspot Meguiars aerosol spray but was left un-impressed. The only thing I've not tried is a gel. I really really liked the way my Gti was delivered by the dealer. The wet tires have lasted almost a month now. I may just go down there and ask them what they use. Very impressed. The black magic spray i've used in the past, lasts for about a week MAX.

There are a lot of products available and you did the right thing by joining and doing your homework on which products will work for you.



I would be really surprised that you have no swirls on the paint. They are bound to happen. But they can be limited by using the proper wash techniques. Definitely check out this thread on the proper wash technique.

http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?41790-Meguiar-s-Quik-Tips-Video-Series-Washing

I would upgrade to a 2 bucket wash with grit guards as well as better wash media and drying towels. For wash media check out the Meguiar's Wash Mitt. This this is nice and soft and it works very well. As far as drying media consider the Meguiar's water magnets or the Edgeless Avalanche Super Plush Drying Towel from The Rag Company. This thing is big and soft.

As far as what car wash to use well that's a toss up on what you are looking for. Locally I would look at Gold Class or Ultimate Wash & Wax. The difference is the Ult. Wash & Wax leaves a little wax behind to give that freshly waxed look. It's not a substitute for a wax as it is not intended to be as durable as a wax. Can't go wrong with either one.

As far as protection goes you have a few options. You have the typical carnauba wax which gives you about 1-3 months protection. Then you have sealants (aka synthetic waxes) such as NXT and ultimate wax (which is slightly more durable than NXT) which give about 4-6 months of protection. Then you have the new Paint Protect 365 which gives protection for 1 year. The surrounding environment plays a factor in the durability of the protection you choose.

You also have cleaner waxes which are carnauba based but are all in one products meaning they clean, polish and protect. Examples of these would be white wax, black wax, colorx, A12 (maroon bottle). White wax would be the one that offers the most cleaning ability. These fall in the 3 month category. These won't remove defects such as individual products like ultimate compound or ultimate polish but it will still clean up the paint nicely

It really depends on what your goal is and how much time you have. If it's purely protection then Paint Protect would be the way to go. If you want more shine then go with ultimate wax or NXT. If your goal is looks then a carnauba is the way to go. If you are stretched for time then a cleaner wax would be the way to go.

I would recommend you consider a Dual Action Polisher or the DA Power System. Your arms will thank you later. Plus you will get better results and of course it's faster.

Even if your cars don't need all these products I would invest in a clay kit, ultimate compound, ultimate polish and either ultimate wax or paint protect 365. Seeing as you have 3 cars I would think you would want the longest protection especially on the van. In this case you should get Paint Protect 365. It's has the least amount of maintenance with just washing.



To start things off a polish is what gives the car some shine. If you are satisfied with how it looks then by all means just protect the paint.

One thing you may want to google is what is often referred to as "DISO" (Dealer Installed Swirl Option).

I would definitely clay it as new cars can have surface contaminants on the paint from delivery such as rail dust from being delivered by truck. Gogle the baggie test. That will tell you if you need to clay.

For this car I would
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Polish (depends on the condition of the paint)
4. Seal with Paint Protect 365




For this I would:

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Ultimate Compound (optional but it will make that bird bomb look a little better by removing what it can)
4. Ultimate Polish
5. Seal with Paint Protect 365

For time constraints
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Cleaner Wax




For this one:

1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Ultimate Compound
4. Ultimate Polish
5. Seal with Paint Protect 365

For time constraints
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Cleaner Wax

Hope this helps. What colors are these cars?

[davey g-force]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

Excellent reply Guz.

I agree, if you think you don't have swirls, you're not looking hard enough!

[thedoc46]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

OK guys, i think i've done enough research now , and yep now that i look hard enough I've got very minor faint swirls. So I'm about to buy the DA kit, with the maroon, yellow and black pads... Compound, polish and wax.... Not sure i need to compound the Tiguan or Gti, but as you say nice to have for any bird stains. (damn birds !!! lol) I've also gone out and bought some Meguiars Gold car wash, an extra bucket, a new mitt, and some grit guards.

I'm going to buy some Paint Protect 365 and use that mainly on the minivan, but for the Gti and Tiguan, i actually find it therapeutic to wax so, i think i'll stick with either a synthetic or carnauba wax... Still not decided on that one... Probably the carnauba, given i enjoy putting in the time and effort. Every 60 days or so. Maybe even more often, if I have the DA kit.. I need to do a little more research on the DA kit, but i do have a dewalt corded drill... Just need to know on what speeds i should be using for each stage. (compound, polish and wax) and how do i know what RPM my Dewalt is putting out... Its a hammer drill, i'll get the model later when i'm infront of it... It has the 1,2,3...... speed dial, then hammer and drill setting. No idea what rpms they relate to though. How do you know ?

Still open minded on the drying after a wash. Traditionally, and I've been using a couple of chamois leathers for the last 20yrs, and its been doing a great job . One for the panels, and one for the seals and what not. Are these NOT recommended ? Do they add to the swirls or something ? I guess they are pretty tough textured. But do an EXCELLENT job on the windows and panels at removing water. I've tried the synthetic chamois and have been left unimpressed... Perhaps I'll try that meguiars water magnet out. I've also purchased the meguiars clay kit, and will be tacking each car one by one, once i get my DA kit to polish and wax after the claying.

Also what do you guys recommend for wheel protection ? and getting the tires really nice and black? I went down to VW and asked their guys what they used, and they use something called TRT Prime Shine, which says multi purpose for all vinyl, rubber and plastic trim.. They paint it on the tires. It seemed to have a lowish viscosity. Perhaps the same as black magic.. I even went home and poured what black magic i had in a jar and painted it on.... Though better than anything i've used thus far, it still doesn't seem to have the deep black pro look of what the fellas over at VW use.... So still open to suggestions on the best tire shine !

Here's my car.

[The Guz]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

What do the pro's use for the tires?

I typically use D163 Tire & Trim Gel from the detailer line. Works very well and is my go to. Lately I have been using the ultimate black tire coating on my daily driver as I want something that lasts a little longer than D163. I have started to like the ultimate black tire coating.

[davey g-force]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

I wonder if you can top UBTC with a dressing like D163 for an extra bit of shine?

Guz, have you tried this?

[The Guz]

Re: Recommended products for my cars ?

I wonder if you can top UBTC with a dressing like D163 for an extra bit of shine?

Guz, have you tried this?

I have not tried that. I'm not sure if it would bond to the tire since UBTC is on the tire. I just topped UBTC after about a month with a fresh coat, after washing the tire with just soap and water. It's been a love/hate relationship with UBTC . I gave it a second chance and I am liking this more and more on a daily driver as coatings are just so easy to maintain. On my Camaro that sits in the garage more often, D163 is great.