Not on about waxes but other things:

 

Wheel Cleaner: Premium or the Cheapest you can find? (A pH neutral wheel cleaner could be classed as a Premium cleaner, AutoSmart Smart Wheels a cheap one for instance)

 

Bleeding Fallout Remover (Premium would be a high gel content (since most use the same base chemical you can't increase or decrease it's strength) cheapest would be a non-bleeding fallout remover)

 

Tar Remover (Premium would again be a high gel content and/or "citrus" based, cheapest is the heavy solvent like Tardis)

 

I could add Snow Foam, Shampoo etc but where do you stop.

Being totally honest, I started with budget. I've read reviews and tried expensive, but for wheel cleaners, detergents, window cleaners etc I tend to go with the chemists, so Angelwax, car chem and bilt hamber are three decent ones. There are more.

Then going on to the finishing touches, like tyre dressings for example. The boutique companies seem to do a lot or R&D with the chemists to get some belters. Like the Definitive wax brands. So I bounce around with those.

Waxes are a different kettle of fish. There are a few companies that have hadd a play with formulas and have come up with lovely concoctions like Obsession Wax and BMD. There are many more. Some work with the chemists to come up with great waxes through R&D. I think Autoperfection went this way, and have come up with two waxes that I own samples of.

You get some great products from all over the price spectrum, which is why I find it all quite addictive. I love finding a bargain, but I also love finding a decent product, regardless of price.

I try to aim for value for money like for instance my main weapon for waxing is collinite 476s I get very good results, easy to apply and take off, it's very durable and a tin just seems to last for ever.

As for others bits and bobs I usually do a bit of research, ask some questions and take advice from the helpful people on here then look about to see what's on offer then make my choice.

Wax is to personal hence why in the OP I didn't ask about it.

 

So 2 answers and it seems price.

If it reviews well by independent users and it is reasonable, I'd give it a go personally. Reviews are more important than price for me.

Its a really good question for sure. I love testing products and have worked through

low medium and premium brands to try and find the product that works for me.

When i find the product that performs well.... whether it be low, medium or premium price;

i then look to buy in 3.78L or 5L tubs and refill my 500ml dispensers. So - always making it "value"

Examples on the garage shelves include...

5L KKD BLizzard SF

3.78L Britemax Cleanmax Shampoo

5L Autobrite Citrus Wash

5L Autobrite FAB

5L Sonax BSD

5L CarPro iron-X

3.78L Meguiars Last Touch

3.78L Meguiars APC

5L Car-Chem IPA

All of the above form the core of my detailing regime.... produce good results and don't break the bank really.

Thereafter... then i dabble with samples and new brands or group buys as and when they come along.

Hope that helps.

I started off with cheap products from Halfords etc & they worked ok, or so I thought. Then I got a bit more involved in trying other products. I'm a firm believer in you get what you pay for to a certain extent. Buying bigger sizes ie 5L over 1L is much more economical especially when you have found something you like.

 

At the end of the day, if you are happy with a cheap/expensive product then stick with it. The problem i've found is that there are so many products to try, which can become expensive

As a newbie to this in many ways. Before I'd always use well named brands that are the sort you'd find in Halfords. Which in it's self there is nothing wrong with those products.

 

It's easy to think that if you spend more you'll get a better product, which is not always the case.

 

My best advice is to spend some time on here reading the reviews of products and then give it a go.

 

Set a smaller budget to start with and see how you get one. In all honestly I've probably spent including the pressure washer £200 tops (black Friday sales etc).......but I don't think I'll need to replace most things for a few years. And that's from fresh, out with the old stuff and got new better stuff.

Started with budget stuff but soon realised that you do only get what you pay for and need to fork out a bit for decent stuff, still try my best to get value for money and make the most of special offers when they are running

 

Just simple things like stocking up with 5l bottles of shampoo or snow foam instead of buying 1l or smaller, go for the 25l if you're a bit extreme haha

Edited 11 February, 201610 yr by Harry1212

Bit of both - I'm a big advocate of GTechniq but also value products like Poorboys Natural Dressing, Chemical Guys New Look Trim Gel and most of the AG range.

At the end of the day, its often down to what works for you.

Yeah I'm more into budget stuff tbh, as I don't clean the car anywhere as often as I should.  I do love natural look dresing and new look trim gel.  The former smells amazing!

Premium but lower end on price - after a certain amount of money spent you are mostly paying for Marketing.

 

(On those products you have asked about)

 

Does anybody buy Premium APC for example?

I like to experiment with different things, usually mid price range products that are maybe on offer picked up from car care web sites, I have never bought very high end stuff as my skill set probably wouldn't justify the cost.

I've just recently tried chemical guys stuff for the first time, I think they represent good value and will definitely be trying some more.

If something is cheap and I think it will do the job I will try it, someone will probably tell me off but I buy the little "baby sponges" from tesco, (think they are 60p for 2?) use them as one time applicators and bin them, at 30p each they're a bargain.

 but where do you stop.

 

Very good question

 

I tend to mix up my products I use, but I will never be buying anything stupid expensive.  Bought some carpro hyrdo2 on a whim, and still not opened the bottle as too scared to use it

 

Most polishes I pay around £25/£30 for a litre bottle, same for sealant.  Waxes usually Collinite - £20ish a tub??

Premium but lower end on price - after a certain amount of money spent you are mostly paying for Marketing.

 

(On those products you have asked about)

 

Does anybody buy Premium APC for example?

 

Absolutely - Premium but with discount or Group Buy or Sale prices..... always works for me.

 

On APC - i've never gone down to Asda level APC testing.... but i started out with Meguiars APC years ago;

and its never let me down in all the various dilutions..... so its probably one product i've never changed! 

Very good question

 

I tend to mix up my products I use, but I will never be buying anything stupid expensive.  Bought some carpro hyrdo2 on a whim, and still not opened the bottle as too scared to use it

 

Most polishes I pay around £25/£30 for a litre bottle, same for sealant.  Waxes usually Collinite - £20ish a tub??

 

 

 

hahaha - been there before - bought some great products - waiting for the "right" car to use it on.... then i find 12 months have passed! 

 

As you say - i've taken to buying polishes in 1L and the price works out a lot smarter.

 

I'm liking the Menzerna PowerLock reviews you are giving as well Jason.... where's good to get hold of that at a good price? Thanks.

I've always bought from the guys at CleanYourCar. Sound advice and a great range of products

I've always bought from the guys at CleanYourCar. Sound advice and a great range of products

 

Likewise - once i got past the Halford's Autoglym section.... i found Tim and Dave at CleanYourCar a great resource.

 

Still use them once or twice a year for a big order; and would recommend them to anyone starting out... 

Mine a mixture of both so I can compare and contrast and to be honest I don't really notice much difference apart from the nicer looking packaging on some of the premium products.

My most used product has to be autosmart apc which gets used for household cleaning duties as well as on the car :-)

I find car cleaning products is like good food and drink. Buy what you can afford.

Like Coops I'm a big advocate of Gtechniq, it's neither cheap nor expensive but keep an eye out for discounts and register on their website for a member discount.

Some of what I buy is inexpensive such as Adam's Gloss Guard and Bilt Hamber Surfex HD, Korrosol and Autowheels.

I buy bulk in some products such as Gtechniq:-

Gwash = 8.95 for 250ml, 12.95 for 500ml, 19.99 for 1Ltr and 45 for 5Ltr. So 5Ltr works out far economical.

QD = 5.99 for 250ml, 10 for 500ml and 37.94 for 5Ltr. So again, 5Ltr works out far economical.

Likewise - once i got past the Halford's Autoglym section.... i found Tim and Dave at CleanYourCar a great resource.

 

Still use them once or twice a year for a big order; and would recommend them to anyone starting out... 

 

Even better when they are a short drive from your house

Even better when they are a short drive from your house

 

I bet! Did you go to the weekend meet at their warehouse? I missed it unfortunately.

 

But i got a nice surprise call from Dave at CYC yesterday - with some new stock items due in this week;

i was offered a sample to try.... and they will kindly pop that in my order placed over the weekend.

 

Great service as always from CYC 

I bet! Did you go to the weekend meet at their warehouse? I missed it unfortunately.

 

But i got a nice surprise call from Dave at CYC yesterday - with some new stock items due in this week;

i was offered a sample to try.... and they will kindly pop that in my order placed over the weekend.

 

Great service as always from CYC 

Don't want to derail the thread but no I didn't.  Getting ready for and subsequently having a new baby in the house has been my main reason for being so quiet.  Same applies to detailing.

 

I am also not sure if I am allowed back as pre-easter I swapped the Superb for a Tiguan so no longer rocking a Skoda.

 

Keeping this slightly relevant I now have my white Tiguan and the wifes new red Polo to do new car protection details on.  I will be using a mix of bulk bought products from mid range suppliers like Autobrite for their APC, Very Cherry non acid wheel cleaner and interior dressing,  Meguiars shampoo and tyre dressing both retail size bottles inexpensive but good, I have a 5 litre of Wolfs Chemicals Iron remover for decon.  I didn't pay more than 50% rrp on any of it.  I am still debating what paint protection to use, favouring a full Sonax Brilliant Wax, NPT and BSD.  The Tiguan probably something from my Obsession Wax collection

Edited 30 March, 201610 yr by Sparkly