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      04-01-2011, 02:21 PM   #1
flash3
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Question Car Wash Supplies

Hey All,

I've got a few coupons/certificates for Advanced Auto Parts and want to pick up some car wash supplies (rags, towels, liquid wash etc) from there this weekend.

Can you guys recommend what I can/should use on my X3?

---

For washing the car, I was planning on using this:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...T|GRP2074_____

For drying the car, I was planning on getting this:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...T|GRP2074_____

For the wash, this:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...T|GRP2074_____

For a quick wax, I was thinking of picking up this:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...T|GRP2074_____

For the tires, I was going to pick up this:

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...T|GRP2074_____

Last edited by flash3; 04-01-2011 at 02:55 PM..
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      04-01-2011, 05:18 PM   #2
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First, e90post's car washing/waxing forum is an excellent resource for this info. LOTS of great tips and such in there!

http://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=13

Personally, I don't buy car washing/drying products from brick and mortar shops. I prefer to stick to the online shops like autogeek, detailers domain, detailed image who carry higher end products that you won't find at autozone and stores like that. Sticker price is about the same too thanks to all the coupons and deals out there.

With that being said, Meguiars products generally tend to be the best they offer if you must buy at your local retailer.

I definitely wouldn't buy the drying towel you linked. Waffle weave towels will give you much better performance than a conventional microfiber towel. One large waffle weave towel is all you'd need to dry an X3.

Tire cleaners are a very personal preference. If you want that dripping wet look (which some don't like). The Meguiars Hot Shine high-gloss is really good in this department:http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...7CGRP2074_____

Meguiars Hot Rims is a good off shelf product for cleaning your wheels:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...7CGRP2074_____

I haven't tried an off the shelf car wash in a LONG time, so can't comment there. Same for the quick wax you linked.
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      04-01-2011, 06:43 PM   #3
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Don't buy anything from advance. They sell crap. Autogeek.net is where a lot of BMW enthusiasts go. They're a great company staffed by friendly, helpful people. I've been dealing with them for years.
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      04-01-2011, 07:00 PM   #4
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A Shamwow!

The wash mitt will lose the little things. I'm not a big fan microcloth to dry. I agree Hot Rims does a pretty good job of rim cleaning. Turtle Wax Ice is kinda weird stuff. The wax works great on patio furniture, haven't tried the wash.

I'm old school, so Carnauba wax is my preferred exterior wax. In 40+ years of cars the best wax I ever used was top of line Blue Corral Pure Carnauba (In todays dollars probably about $65 a tin). I've had good luck with Meguiar's Professional Mirror Glaze(will change it in future). For the black plastic I just started using Meguiar's Ultimate Protectant. The best black protectant I've used. After four years of college by the pacific ocean I detailed my daughter's 2004 325i and it brought the plastic right back. If you follow the directions, Invisible Glass does a great job on the windows. Follow BMW directions on your interior. I have read cases where continued use of interior protectants started to remove the finish on Bimmer's dash. For car wash I use Meguiar's Classic gold. For claying I used Clay Magic.

Oh yeah, cold beer.
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      04-01-2011, 07:55 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sand99 View Post

Tire cleaners are a very personal preference. If you want that dripping wet look (which some don't like). The Meguiars Hot Shine high-gloss is really good in this department:http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...7CGRP2074_____

Meguiars Hot Rims is a good off shelf product for cleaning your wheels:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...7CGRP2074_____

I haven't tried an off the shelf car wash in a LONG time, so can't comment there. Same for the quick wax you linked.
I think I may pick up these two this weekend and get the wash from the sites you mentioned.

What do you apply/wipe the wheels/tire with? A microfiber cloth or is there a towel one can get for tires?
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      04-01-2011, 07:59 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flash3 View Post
I think I may pick up these two this weekend and get the wash from the sites you mentioned.

What do you apply/wipe the wheels/tire with? A microfiber cloth or is there a towel one can get for tires?
A sponge.
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      04-01-2011, 08:00 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MA78 View Post
Don't buy anything from advance. They sell crap. Autogeek.net is where a lot of BMW enthusiasts go. They're a great company staffed by friendly, helpful people. I've been dealing with them for years.
Not sure what happened to my post.

What are some simple washes you would recommend from that site? I am looking for something where I can pour into a bucket, mix water, dip my cloth in and then wipe the car down with it, and then spray it down with water.

Also, any spray & wipe waxes?
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      04-01-2011, 08:18 PM   #8
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I use Zaino and am very pleased with the results.
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      04-01-2011, 08:33 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nahoa View Post
I use Zaino and am very pleased with the results.
I googled Zaino and it seems that's more of a wax, granted I saw only two sites. Is there a wash made by them as well which is simple/quick to use?
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      04-01-2011, 08:34 PM   #10
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A friend of mine use to detail cars for a living and still does from time to time. Here is an email he sent me when I asked him for advice on products for my BMW......

"I don't have any experience with BMW products. You may want to google search. There are only several companies making car care products, so much of it is rebranded. I'll try to focus on what I know below.

For washing, I like to use microfiber or lambswool wash mitts. You can also find sponges wrapped in either of these materials. In terms of detergent, any of the Meguiars more expensive ones are fine (NXT, Gold Class, Ultimate). Duragloss, sold at Carquest, makes a very good detergent. Try to wash from the cleanest parts of the car to the dirtiest. I actually keep a separate wash mitt for the lower (dirty) parts of the car. I usually go 1) hood, roof, trunklid 2) glass 3) fenders, upper half of doors 4) lower half of doors, bumpers 5) rocker panels. For drying, I use microfiber towels. I really like waffle weave microfibers for drying (http://www.autogeek.net/cobra-guzzler-hd-towel.html). I actually bought a large microfiber meant for drying from Target or Walmart once and it was of good quality. I do not recommend chamois (natural or synthetic). I have a suspicion that dirt can get stuck between the chamois and the paint and cause micro-scratches. Also, there isn't any good way that know of to clean chamois (with microfiber, just launder like any other towel). I usually follow every wash up with spray wax. I actually only use traditional wax on my car every few months.

For wheel care, you can buy wheel cleaner from any auto parts store (store brands are fine). If they aren't too dirty, you can actually use a wash mitt you dedicate for wheel cleaning and the same detergent and water you use to clean your paint. This is actually my preferred method, but I do have to use wheel cleaner when the brake dust is really bad (usually in spring). A wheel brush like the one in that kit is great. Also, a flat scrub brush (like one you would clean a spot on carpeting), is good for quickly scrubbing the sidewalls of tires. In terms of tire gloss, I really don't like shiny tires, but I do like black tires. I try to stick with anything in stores that says "matte" or "natural". I haven't tired http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...p?T1=MEG+G4116 but I've been meaning to. I usually just spray on the tire and then wipe with a sponge that I keep around for that purpose. The best product I've used for tires and interior plastics is called 303 Aerospace Protectant, but it's really expensive.

In terms of waxing and polishing... I've had good luck with an inconspicuous product called Collinite Insulator Wax (http://www.autogeek.net/collinite-in...r-wax-845.html). You can find it locally at some Advance Autos and perhaps Carquest. Another good product (and actually, a pretty good lineup), is Duragloss (http://www.duragloss.com/catalog.asp?catid=89) sold at Carquest. The benefit of Duragloss over Collinite is it is available as an all-in-one product. It is not as durable as Collinite, but it is more convenient. In fact, I've actually used Duragloss 101 and then Collinite before winter with good results. I'm not particularly sure of the differences in the lineup, but it looks like people online really prefer 105 and 101 to 111. I think I'd go for 105 (total performance polish) if I were buying again. On this note, for spray waxes, Duragloss Aquawax is excellent as well as Mothers Synwax Spraywax. Meguiars also sells spraywaxes that are good. You only need a spritz per panel, wipe with a clean microfiber. One bottle should last you a long time.

For waxing technique: I apply a spritz of spray wax to a foam applicator (http://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Natur.../dp/B0002SPBZ4, you can buy these in any local store) just to get it wet. Then I put a dab of wax or polish on the applicator. I go in the same order as washing. I do linear motions in the same direction as air would flow over the panel at spped (whoa I'm pretty crazy). It's really difficult to explain this online, so if you need help perhaps we can have a demo day. I let the wax get a haze, then buff off. I do not apply wax to the entire car and then buff off. I usually do half the hood, then the adjacent fender, then buff off the hood. Waiting too long means a lot more effort buffing. It isn't detrimental to the paint. I should note that all of these products will not damage the paint. I buy microfiber towels at Target or Walmart (or an auto parts store). They usually pretty small (less than 2 ft x 2ft). You need 2 or 3 to buff off an entire car. It's a good idea to keep a surplus of these around. They excellent for a lot of tasks, and safe for paint. I wouldn't use a polyester towel on paint.

I have very little experience with leather, but this may be where you want to invest the money you have to use at the BMW Accessories store. Just follow the directions. Also, keep the dash well protected (Meguiars No shine should be good, or the BMW brand).

There are more..errr... invasive paint care procedures(i.e. clay bar to get the paint very smooth, polishing to remove imperfections like swirl marks), but I think I should really show you how to use these in person. They shouldn't be done more than once a year (maybe twice a year for clay barring). If you wash and wax properly polishing will be required less often."
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      04-01-2011, 08:41 PM   #11
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Zaino offers a whole set of products from wash, to polish, detailing sprays, and protectants. No wax.

www.zainostore.com
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      04-01-2011, 09:00 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nahoa View Post
Zaino offers a whole set of products from wash, to polish, detailing sprays, and protectants. No wax.

www.zainostore.com
How is this product? Seems simple where I drop a few drops in a bucket of water and just rub it on my car and then wash off.

http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/...oduct_Count=12
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      04-01-2011, 09:05 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wagsoja View Post
A friend of mine use to detail cars for a living and still does from time to time. Here is an email he sent me when I asked him for advice on products for my BMW......

"I don't have any experience with BMW products. You may want to google search. There are only several companies making car care products, so much of it is rebranded. I'll try to focus on what I know below.

For washing, I like to use microfiber or lambswool wash mitts. You can also find sponges wrapped in either of these materials. In terms of detergent, any of the Meguiars more expensive ones are fine (NXT, Gold Class, Ultimate). Duragloss, sold at Carquest, makes a very good detergent. Try to wash from the cleanest parts of the car to the dirtiest. I actually keep a separate wash mitt for the lower (dirty) parts of the car. I usually go 1) hood, roof, trunklid 2) glass 3) fenders, upper half of doors 4) lower half of doors, bumpers 5) rocker panels. For drying, I use microfiber towels. I really like waffle weave microfibers for drying (http://www.autogeek.net/cobra-guzzler-hd-towel.html). I actually bought a large microfiber meant for drying from Target or Walmart once and it was of good quality. I do not recommend chamois (natural or synthetic). I have a suspicion that dirt can get stuck between the chamois and the paint and cause micro-scratches. Also, there isn't any good way that know of to clean chamois (with microfiber, just launder like any other towel). I usually follow every wash up with spray wax. I actually only use traditional wax on my car every few months.

For wheel care, you can buy wheel cleaner from any auto parts store (store brands are fine). If they aren't too dirty, you can actually use a wash mitt you dedicate for wheel cleaning and the same detergent and water you use to clean your paint. This is actually my preferred method, but I do have to use wheel cleaner when the brake dust is really bad (usually in spring). A wheel brush like the one in that kit is great. Also, a flat scrub brush (like one you would clean a spot on carpeting), is good for quickly scrubbing the sidewalls of tires. In terms of tire gloss, I really don't like shiny tires, but I do like black tires. I try to stick with anything in stores that says "matte" or "natural". I haven't tired http://www.meguiarsdirect.com/produc...p?T1=MEG+G4116 but I've been meaning to. I usually just spray on the tire and then wipe with a sponge that I keep around for that purpose. The best product I've used for tires and interior plastics is called 303 Aerospace Protectant, but it's really expensive.

In terms of waxing and polishing... I've had good luck with an inconspicuous product called Collinite Insulator Wax (http://www.autogeek.net/collinite-in...r-wax-845.html). You can find it locally at some Advance Autos and perhaps Carquest. Another good product (and actually, a pretty good lineup), is Duragloss (http://www.duragloss.com/catalog.asp?catid=89) sold at Carquest. The benefit of Duragloss over Collinite is it is available as an all-in-one product. It is not as durable as Collinite, but it is more convenient. In fact, I've actually used Duragloss 101 and then Collinite before winter with good results. I'm not particularly sure of the differences in the lineup, but it looks like people online really prefer 105 and 101 to 111. I think I'd go for 105 (total performance polish) if I were buying again. On this note, for spray waxes, Duragloss Aquawax is excellent as well as Mothers Synwax Spraywax. Meguiars also sells spraywaxes that are good. You only need a spritz per panel, wipe with a clean microfiber. One bottle should last you a long time.

For waxing technique: I apply a spritz of spray wax to a foam applicator (http://www.amazon.com/Pinnacle-Natur.../dp/B0002SPBZ4, you can buy these in any local store) just to get it wet. Then I put a dab of wax or polish on the applicator. I go in the same order as washing. I do linear motions in the same direction as air would flow over the panel at spped (whoa I'm pretty crazy). It's really difficult to explain this online, so if you need help perhaps we can have a demo day. I let the wax get a haze, then buff off. I do not apply wax to the entire car and then buff off. I usually do half the hood, then the adjacent fender, then buff off the hood. Waiting too long means a lot more effort buffing. It isn't detrimental to the paint. I should note that all of these products will not damage the paint. I buy microfiber towels at Target or Walmart (or an auto parts store). They usually pretty small (less than 2 ft x 2ft). You need 2 or 3 to buff off an entire car. It's a good idea to keep a surplus of these around. They excellent for a lot of tasks, and safe for paint. I wouldn't use a polyester towel on paint.

I have very little experience with leather, but this may be where you want to invest the money you have to use at the BMW Accessories store. Just follow the directions. Also, keep the dash well protected (Meguiars No shine should be good, or the BMW brand).

There are more..errr... invasive paint care procedures(i.e. clay bar to get the paint very smooth, polishing to remove imperfections like swirl marks), but I think I should really show you how to use these in person. They shouldn't be done more than once a year (maybe twice a year for clay barring). If you wash and wax properly polishing will be required less often."
Thanks a lot for this! For the interior (leather and dash) I am going to stick to BMW products.

For the tires, I will pick up a tire shine/gloss and wheel/rim cleaner from the local stores.
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      04-01-2011, 09:12 PM   #14
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Ok is there a product out there that you can apply to the wheels to limit the amount of brake dust from sticking to the rims? They are just hard to keep looking clean.
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      04-01-2011, 09:22 PM   #15
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What do you all use on the black plastic trim on the exterior?
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      04-01-2011, 09:32 PM   #16
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I'm a detailing nut, and could probably write a book about it. But I'm on my iPhone, so you'll have to wait til tomorrow. In the meantime:

Zaino is THE BEST sealant you can buy. I use Zaino products and love them.
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      04-01-2011, 09:34 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MA78 View Post
I'm a detailing nut, and could probably write a book about it. But I'm on my iPhone, so you'll have to wait til tomorrow. In the meantime:

Zaino is THE BEST sealant you can buy. I use Zaino products and love them.
It seems a lot of BMW-ers use Zaino products.

Can you recommend a wash and a spray (for the plastic)?
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      04-01-2011, 09:39 PM   #18
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Zaino.
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      04-01-2011, 09:42 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nahoa View Post
Zaino.
-- Which specific one for the wash and plastic trimming do you use/recommend?
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      04-01-2011, 09:42 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flash3 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by MA78 View Post
I'm a detailing nut, and could probably write a book about it. But I'm on my iPhone, so you'll have to wait til tomorrow. In the meantime:

Zaino is THE BEST sealant you can buy. I use Zaino products and love them.
It seems a lot of BMW-ers use Zaino products.

Can you recommend a wash and a spray (for the plastic)?
The first wash should be with a dish soap to cleanse the paint and strip any dealer waxes. Then you can use any high quality auto soap after that. I use the Zaino wash, but there are many good brands. Meguiars is actually pretty decent.
As for black trim, anything by Einszeitt, Lexol or Wurth will be good.
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      04-01-2011, 09:46 PM   #21
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I skipped the dish soap and clay bar on the new car -- you did those steps?
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      04-01-2011, 09:51 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flash3 View Post
-- Which specific one for the wash and plastic trimming do you use/recommend?
Zaino has only one wash to the best of my knowledge. There are at least three different products for the plastic/trim. Recommend reading and choosing what sounds best to you. There's a "all-in-one" I use that can do paint, porous trim, hard plastic, glass, pretty much everything. There's a product for porous trim, and another for plastic.

There are polishes, sealants, sealant sealers, detailing sprays.
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