The Maxima.org Detailing Product Review Thread
 

This thread is designed to share your experiences and opinions of products you have used to detail your Maximas. As with other threads or this nature, product bashing will not be tolerated. There will also be some threads from the original Cleaning Your Max sticky in this post since that thread contained a lot of reviews.

Example of a review format:

Clay Magic

Pros: Very soft and pliable, very effective in removing contaminants, Natural Clay, Price
Cons: Will leave residue on un-lubed areas if you aren't careful (residue can be removed with a MT and the lube)

I used the Clay Magic kit on the Maxima last weekend and found that the product is very easy to use. I found it very easy to form into the requisite patty and break off pieces from the bar. The bar was a bear to get open because it was somewhat sticky (but that's a good thing in this case). After claying, the finish felt very smooth and it made the application of AIO a breeze.


Mothers

Pros: Very effective in contaminant removal, largest bar in the three
Cons: Difficult to shape and break off, Price is highest (Mine ran me around $17 at Pep Boys), I did not get more than 3 good uses out of it before I had to toss it.

The first thing I noticed about this bar is that it was very hard to shape. No matter what amount of brute strength I used, this bar took a lot of force to break apart and/or form into a useable shape. It had gotten to the point where I wanted to use a saw or serrated knife to cut the bar into pieces. The supplied QD is a very good lubricant (I still have some left). After claying my '94 Maxima, a '92 Accord, Part of a '99 Navigator, and an '00 Concorde, I had to toss the bar.


Meguiar's

Pros: Very pliable, inexpensive, QD is a good lube
Cons: Can leave a lot of residue, bar is smaller than Clay Magic

This item is inexpensive but the adage of "You get what you pay for applies here." I like the fact that the bar is easy to open but the bar is smaller than the Clay Magic and the Mothers. As far as ease of use, the bar would leave moderate residue on the thinly lubed areas. The finish was smooth but not as smooth as the Mothers or Clay Magic. I liked the pliability of the bar but the extra work to make sure that the residue was gone made me give that kit to a friend of mine. I did clay more cars with it than with the Mother's.

My personal preference is the Clay Magic because it gives me the best balance between pliability, ease of use, and effectiveness.

Mothers aluminum/mag Polish
Pro: leaves surfaces shiny and very smooth. Works well on my sawblades, Injen CAI, and misc. engine parts. $3.00 for a jar. I've only used half of it in over 6 months, and I do frequent polishing.
Con: none

Meguiars Gold Class Wax
Pro: easy to apply, quick drying, stays glossy and smooth for weeks, easy to remove, and smells great. Easy to obtain. (WalMart)
Con: I think bugs also like the smell. Moderately priced.

Meguiars & Mothers Clay bar
 

I have been using the mother's clay for a year on several different automobiles. The bar is soft, very much like play dough but effective. I appreciated the fact that it was yellow and showed the continants it picked up after each rub. A small peice of clay pulled apart for each application. Came in handy when you accidentally dropped a piece.

Btw, youre meant to throw it out once it touches the ground.

Meguiars was a different experience. I suspect that the bar wrapping wasnt completely sealed as some of the ends were a bit hard. I bascially cut the hard parts off and used the inner bar.

The bar was pasty and came off in bits when you pulled it apart. it was a bit tough to work with and did not pick up as much as the mother's bar did. The clay bar application took a bit longer as each application did not clean as well as i had hoped. (compared to the mothers).

I am pleased with the quick detail spray from both manufacturers and would recommend the mothers' clay over the meguires. The price is comparable as i paid roughly $14 for each kit.

Hope my experience helps ease your detailing efforts.

Regards,
AJ

Rim/tire Brush...
 

All I know is it is called a rim/tire brush. Here is a pic.


http://prod.bsis.bellsouth.net/coDat...15861brush.JPG

Works AWESOME. It cleaned my rim perfectly. Got into the gaps and even the under side/top of the rim

Mr. Clean Auto Dry
 

PROs: cleans car very effectively, system is easy to use, don't have to spend alot of $$$ at the car wash, and does a throe job.
Cons: the items that come with the gun run out quick. Moderately use them.

I finally purchased this system a week ago. I tore it out of the box and filled it up with the items that it came with (soap & autodry filter). Pour soap into gun, pop filter into gun, and start shooting. It's very easy to use, loved it as soon as i started using it. It does everything that they promised.

303 Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner
 

PROS
Effective: OMG, cleaned up oily greasey dirt stains that have been set into my carpet since I bought the car almost a year ago (Who knows how long they've been there before that).
Ease of use: The stains lifted out very easily with a few sprays and light agitation with a damp terry towel.
Inexpensive: $7.45 for a 32oz spray bottle at autopia-carcare.com. Considering you only need a quick shot directly on the stain, this one bottle will probably outlast your next 3 cars.

CONS
Although it's not just a spot cleaner, you cannot adjust the spray nozzle to mist the product on the surface being cleaned. It will only spray a stream of cleaning solution. Not a huge deal though. Still a very worthwhile product.

duPont Tire Glaze in a Spray Bottle... AWESOME. It's a liquid bit it's not stick like gel and lasts ALOT longer then the spray foam. Highly recommend, can be purchased at advance auto parts for 6.50 WITH a full rebate this month

platinum series turtle wax is a good product but for the money i would still go with the eagle one wet wax. the shine stays for a long time and it will ward off rain water very well. for the people with the chrome, never dull wadding polish is the best wax for chrome.

Eagle One - Wax as you dry
 

Pros:
ease of application - wash car and spray on and wipe dry
price - $4.99 - not bad for what it does
shine - had a semi dull neglected black car...shined it up quite nicely. better than my quick detailer spray.

Cons:
not sure how long this will last with some time on the road and rain.

conclusion:
good stuff for a "fast" wash and wax look. it does feel smooth like it was waxed..but again..not sure how it protects. it does work better than the quick detailer spray.

Rating:
*** out of *****

I'll also comment on the eagle one wax as you dry. Very good, easy to use product. Rained like crazy the other day and the water beaded off the car. When it dried, there were no water spots anywhere. I strongly recommend it to anyone.

Wicked Products - Lightning Shine metal polish

Available only at Peterbilt dealers in the parts department. Cost up here in Canada is $9 a bottle.

Pros: Easy to work liquid polish, excellent results, cheap. It's what all the truckers use on their wheels and fuel tanks. A small amount goes a very long way, and it buffs off easily.

Cons: None.

Conclusion: I've tried just about every polish imaginable, and have found
this to be most cost effective, and yields the best results out of all the polishes I've used.

Tips for use: I also happen to be a professional aluminum polisher, I've done many show trucks, so I'll let you in on a tip. Shake it well. After you've rubbed in the polish really good with firm pressure, take your clean soft buff rag and dip it into some flour. Yes, flour! Buff the polish off with the flour and it will come off very easy, and eliminate any leftover hazy residue that you normally have to work at a bit to buff off.

Remember, this is not an off the shelf product from any parts place, it is exclusive to Peterbilt dealers.

http://ace.imageg.net/graphics/produ...1189910reg.jpg

Turtle Wax Color Cure Car Polish with Chip Stick

I just tried this yesterday. The Chip Stick works great for covering up all of the rock chips I have on the hood and blends in fairly good. However, the chip stick was useless on scratches, whether they were minor or scratches that chipped the paint.

As for the polish itself, I'm not that impressed by it. I feel that the car polish provided doesn't give the same shine, as you would get by other products.

Final Verdict: I feel like I paid $10 for a white chip stick to hide the many chips i have on my hood.

Makita 9227c Polisher
 

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0...1.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Pros: Light Weight, Easy to use, Quality fit and finish,
Cons: Guesstimating the RPMs between the numbers on the speed dial.

When I checked this machine out at the store, the thing that struck me first was its light weight. The light weight makes it very easy to control the machine while buffing vertical panels.

Another strength is that handling the machine is not an awkward experience. The design of the machine makes it very easy to fit in your hand. In addition, the enclosed handle makes it easy to orient it for right or left hand use.

The speed dial is very easy to read but the notches between the numbers don't give you any idea as to the exact speed you have the buffer at. However, if you use the machine between 2 (900 RPM) and 3 (1500 RPM), you should not have any problem.

The buffer came with a velcro hook and loop pad, allen wrench for the handle, case, and wool polishing pad. The case was very easy to pack (including the pads) and has pockets if you need to store polishes or waxes to carry with you.

I definitely recommend purchasing the buffer. However, if you have not used one of these machines before, I'd definitely recommend working with a PC.

Eagle One - Wax As You Dry
 

Great shine, easy to use, and you can kill two birds with one stone. Wash and wax in one shot. Gotta love it.

Pedro

Eimann Fabrik Hi Intensity

Pros:

- Extremely flexible
- Highly effective without being acidic


Cons:

- (3rd Gen Specific) If used full strength, this will strip the lettering off of your switches.

For years and years, I used a dedicated tire cleaner and wheel cleaner. Over time, I wanted a product that could do both so that I could save time. In 2001, I learned about Eimann Fabrik's Hi-Intensity and decided to give it a whirl.

When applied to the tires, this product is excellent. It removes all of the previous protectants as well as the dirt. When applied to wheels, it is excellent in removing brake dust. I used it full strength for that purpose. At full strength, you can clean wheel wells, engines, and other tough areas.

When diluted, you can use this product to clean vinyl, carpet, and even upholstery. Personally, I preferred to dilute it so that it can be used on vinyl. Even diluted, this product cleaned the vinyl very well.

If you decide to use this on carpet or upholstery, make sure you test in an area for colorfastness. Also, be careful using it near certain switches since it can strip the paint for those switches off (if used at full strength).

But for the money, this is a product that is definitely worth keeping in any detailer's arsenal since it has a wide variety of uses.

Hot Shine High Gloss by Meguiars
 

I bought this the other day. It is a little more expenisve but there is less waste since it is a normal spray rather than spraying foam. Has a very good shine. Works well and smells liek candy.
http://www.meguiars.com/store_meguia...oduct_g121.gif

[QUOTE=DanNY]
conclusion:
good stuff for a "fast" wash and wax look. it does feel smooth like it was waxed..but again..not sure how it protects. it does work better than the quick detailer spray.[QUOTE]

After reading this I went and got some at Kragens for 5.99 and tried it out. It worked great and is good for quick wax. I can't say how long the shine will last though cause I just put it on today.

Eimann Fabrik Black opal Tire shine.

BEST tire shine in a bottle out there. Ive tried EVERY tire shine product out there and this is still my favorite!!! Also has a nice smell!!!

s100 carnauba wax, wax applies like butter, leaves no residue or stains on rubber trim. cheap price (around 15 dollars) and a lot better than turtble wax or anythign else i've used.

Meguiar's Deep Pile Chenille Mitt:

I have used a variety of wash mitts over the years but none are remotely as plush as this mitt. The first time I touched this mitt, I instantly compared its softness to my goose down pillows. With its deeper pile, it can hold more water/soap thus making the product last longer.

Overall, I am impressed with the quality feel and fit of this mitt. After the first laundering, I hope to give some feedback on how easy they are to clean.

Eagle One: Wax as you Dry
 

After hearing good word on Eagle One's Wax As you Dry product, I decided to try it myself. Great shine! But it wasn't very good after rain. Dirt got stuck on it and made weird patterns. However, after washing the shine came back...Which isn't shabby at all.

Now going to try DuPont's Teflon Wax...Hope it fends off dirt better.

Turtle Wax F21

Pros: A shine that will last around 4 months outside in direct, heat and sunlight. 2 months in a rainy climate. Lasts longer when used on interior pieces.

Cons: The stuff runs easily, and smears glass. Can be used on the rag first, but takes a lot more to get the same result.

I compared this against Black Magic, Armor All, and Meguires. Turtle Wax lasted the longest out of all 4.

Black Magic Liquid Wax

Pros: easy to use, and allows rinse washing for about a month

I've found Turtle Wax to give a better shine. But I've yet to find a liquid wax that will compare up to the old style.

Meguires One Step Leather Care.

Pros: Will make old junkyard leather look new. Cleans the most stubborn stains. A little bit goes a long way

Cons: The smell gets to you after awhile.

I was amazed at how well this stuff worked. I picked up a set of leather from a junkyard. The front seats sat out in snow, rain, and direct sunlight for about a year. 2 applications, and the sunbleached rear headrests were black again. The front seats took 3 applications. But the leather stayed soft for about 6 months.

Meguires Deep Crystal car wash.

Awesome stuff, just 4 cap fulls in a five gallon "Homer" bucket and even after washing the entire car still had tons of suds. Cleaned very well, even taking dried bugs with a little extra elbow grease. Rinsed clean even took the old tire spray off without scrubbing. Totally worth the 5$.

Hate to say it, Dawn liquid dish soap.
Pros: Cheap, gets rid of the oily messes that regular driving leaves, leaves a great shine, and the aromatherapy makes cleaning the car relaxing :nervous: (I ain't gay.)
Con: None so far.

Leaves a great shine!?!?!?! LOL :spit:

It is unfriendly to wax, it dries out any rubber around the car, and doesn't do sh*t for some road grime. Get yourself some halfway-decent car wash soap.

In addition, it doesn't lubricate worth a sh*t either, so you'll end up with a ton of new swirls after each time you wash your car. I see yours is black, so all the more reason to use something else to wash your car with.

Napa Blue Max Bug and Tar Remover - Part Number 2510 - link

Pro: Cheap, effective, great with tree sap
Con: Strips wax

small story hehhe
A few months ago I parked under a tree at a friends house and got a ton of tictac to jelly bean sized tree sap drops on my hood. Well I figured it would have been easier to let them dry/harden instead of touching really sticky sap.... BAD IDEA! The sap basically resembled hardened epoxy. The Blue Max works great. Now you will have to try to remove as much of the sap as possible, or get it as thin as possible (ie. it's not a big deal if it smears in terms of clean up). Spray the Blue Max on, let it sit for a few mins then clean up with a rag. You might have to do it a few times and put some elbow grease into it if you let it get as hard as I did, but if it's fresh it should clean up without much effort.

Nu Finish
 

Nu Finish Worked Great For Me.

Pros:easy To Apply, And Leaves A Great Lasting Shine.
Cons: A Little Pricey For The Size Plus You Will Use Almost Half In One Waxing.

Meguiar's NXT Generation Car Wash $5.99

PROS: Really leaves a spot free rinse, just two capfuls does the trick (recommended four but im not wasting it like that) so it lasts a long time, works fantastic

CONS: Its really thick so u have to be careful when pouring it.

Meguiar's NXT Generation Tech Wax $13.99 (worth it)

PROS: Works great, easy to apply, pleasent smell, leaves a fantastic shine

CONS: Requires multiple layers for meticulous users*

*(one will never bead the water right....two works good...today i just put three on top of the previous two...ill post pics later)

Product: Black magic tire gel About $6.00 - (its a piece of foam with a little red handle which contains the liquid).

Pros: Nice lasting shine.

Cons: Gets on hands and broke apart and went all over driveway (Big mess).

Dawn dish washing detergent will strip wax off your car. Good when you are planning to clay, polish, and put on fresh coats of wax.

Pro: Probably clean enough to lick and taste your car.
Con: Removes wax. Your car is now bare naked to elements.

Zaino Polish (Z-5 Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches)

Pros: Removes swirl marks after multiple coats (3 coats). Will not cut away clear coat layer like most other polishes do. Superb shine. Very thin coat of polish is recommended; which also makes it easy to wipe off.
Cons: Not really helpful on deeper scratches. Need to apply multiple coats.

*For serious swirl marks, they recommend using thicker coats.

Theres really no pro to using Dawn. You are right it does strip wax off, but your clay and polish are going to remove it all anyways. It also dries and fades up rubber trim

Pros: none
Cons: Removes wax, makes trim brittle and faded

Zaino Polish (Z-2 PRO Show Car Polish for Clear Coated Car Finishes)

Pros: Super easy to apply (because is less viscous than Z-5) and wipe off. Excellent shine and deep gloss gives that wet look.
Cons: None.

Meguiar's Nxt Generation Speed Detailer
Easy to use, just spray, wipe, and dry. Leaves a nice shine too.

Eagle 1 wax as you dry.
 

This is a really great product - particularly for guys like me with spouse, house and offspring and thus less time to fuss over our Maximas. Wash car, leave wet, spray on small amount of product, towel dry. A complete no brainer. Leaves a really nice shine and a very slick feel and even smells nice. Lasts reasonably well - particularly with repeated applications - though not as long as some high dollar / high effort products. I highly recommend it.

Jaeger

Mothers Power Ball & Plastic Polish
 

Very easy to use, and good results. The polish did a good job at removing yellowing/hazing, but wasnt ment to remove any real surface scratches.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...rs_polish3.jpg

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b5...rs_polish2.jpg