New 2024 LTZ - Detailing help

[Mavsbball]

Just bought a ‘24 LTZ and the amount of detail products is overwhelming.

 

curious what others use as their full list of detailing products?

 

also what items like towels, brushes, etc do I need for a basic home setup to keep my truck looking great?

 

thanks

[dieselfan1]

2 minutes ago, Mavsbball said:

Just bought a ‘24 LTZ and the amount of detail products is overwhelming.

 

curious what others use as their full list of detailing products?

 

also what items like towels, brushes, etc do I need for a basic home setup to keep my truck looking great?

 

thanks

I get all my stuff here....

Autogeek.net 

 

[Mavsbball]

18 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

I get all my stuff here....

Autogeek.net 

 

Cool. I’ll take a look

[The Raven]

YES Autogeek.  Also don't scrutinize too much over the claims (and fanboys) of competing brands.  Just get good stuff...any of the quality products will give you great results.

 

Basic necessities:

Clay bar kit

medium polish

fine polish

wax or coating (don't spend a ton on a fancy coating they aren't worth it)

microfiber towels

terry cloth towels

wax applicators (or old socks)

 

I highly recommend a dual-action orbital polisher but that's just to make your life a whole lot easier.  I use the Porter Cable PC7424XP...but it's like 15 years old now so there may be some new hotness out there i'm not up-to-date on.

 

Everyone will tell you that what they use is the best.  But i've been through most of the stuff out there and really all the quality brand products are solid as long as your process is solid.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2024 by The Raven

[Mavsbball]

44 minutes ago, The Raven said:

YES Autogeek.  Also don't scrutinize too much over the claims (and fanboys) of competing brands.  Just get good stuff...any of the quality products will give you great results.

 

Basic necessities:

Clay bar kit

medium polish

fine polish

wax or coating (don't spend a ton on a fancy coating they aren't worth it)

microfiber towels

terry cloth towels

wax applicators (or old socks)

 

I highly recommend a dual-action orbital polisher but that's just to make your life a whole lot easier.  I use the Porter Cable PC7424XP...but it's like 15 years old now so there may be some new hotness out there i'm not up-to-date on.

 

Everyone will tell you that what they use is the best.  But i've been through most of the stuff out there and really all the quality brand products are solid as long as your process is solid.

 

 

Thanks. Currently thinking I just want a solid soap, thinking Meguires waterless wash between main washes, then looking for a good tire cleaner/shine. 
 

then towels of course

[The Raven]

29 minutes ago, Mavsbball said:

Thanks. Currently thinking I just want a solid soap, thinking Meguires waterless wash between main washes, then looking for a good tire cleaner/shine. 
 

then towels of course

 

Soap is really just lubrication for washes.  You don't have to get real fancy - some have wax additives that claim to protect better - but that's not going to work real well because the water will interfere with proper distribution so you'll end up with really weak protection in spots and no protection at all in other spots.

[Mavsbball]

Makes sense. The dealer is doing the Zaktek (whatever that is) treatments included. I’m sure that’ll give me a level of protection too

[JP642]

Completely agree with Raven on basic materials and Autogeek

A few things to help your sanity

1. Autogeek has a lot of historical how tos - they seem to be mostly detail pro oriented now but in the past they did some really good instruction blogs and videos - the previous in-house pro wrote a book that I still reference

2. Figure out a cheat sheet on the buffer pad color and buffer speed you need for each product - it can be confusing if you are doing multiple steps - I use the Porter Cable buffer as well and you can find a lot of the info on Autogeek

3. You can get clay bar pads now instead of the traditional clay bar in case you drop yours a lot

4. I bought a cheap foam cannon for my pressure washer - it is not required but damn it sure is fun - two bucket method still works as well

5. Don't get distracted by the claims and ingredients - just get a quality product/name and stick with it - I personally like Mothers/Griots/Wolfgang/Lake Country/Speedmaster products - everyone has their list

I personally don't really trust Dealers and their claims on Unicorn tears/Alien spit treatments - if I went to a pro it would be for a professional ceramic application/protection film application - Rant off

[Vincej138]

Really happy with Griots and Adams stuff. I use their snow foam in the pressure washer and their PFM towels to dry, then speed shine afterwards & in between. Then just a set of good micro's

 

Interior I like their basic interior cleaner. It works good on fabric and the vinyl/plastics. Then use Adams interior detailer cause the cedarwood scent is nice and isnt super shiny, more OEM sheen.

 

Griots 3-1 tire/wheel/at cleaner is amazing for floor mats. And their Ceramic tire coating is good for a new looking tire and not shiny.

 

Adams will do mystery buckets every so often which is a good way to get a lot of stuff and try new things. 

[dieselfan1]

If I had to pick a brand that autogeek sells it would Blackfire. Everything I've used with the Blackfire name on it has been top shelf. It's quite a step up from your Mothers and Meguiars.

Wolfgang deserves mention too.

[Mossyoakglock]

19 hours ago, dieselfan1 said:

If I had to pick a brand that autogeek sells it would Blackfire. Everything I've used with the Blackfire name on it has been top shelf. It's quite a step up from your Mothers and Meguiars.

Wolfgang deserves mention too.

 

I'm currently using Meguiars 21 as my main sealant and then I'll refresh it periodically with Griot's Ceramic Speed Shine. This has been a pretty good combination but always looking around for something better and I have been eyeing Blackfire.

 

I'm thinking of trying Blackfire's Paint Sealant and their Si02 spray sealent as a topper/refresher. Have you used either of these and if so, how did you like them?

[dieselfan1]

20 hours ago, Mossyoakglock said:

 

 

I'm thinking of trying Blackfire's Paint Sealant and their Si02 spray sealent as a topper/refresher. Have you used either of these and if so, how did you like them?

I've used the paint sealant. 

Water beads up like a ceramic coating. Lasts probably 4-6 months. Worth it.

[Mossyoakglock]

I think I'll give it a try. I've got a little of the M21 left which I plan on using up in the next week or so and then I'll go with Blackfire. I usually do a full detail 2-3 times a year and top with a spray sealant between.

 

I've had great results with the M21 and figure it lasts about the same since my truck is garage kept. I also think it's overall better than any of the Wolfgang stuff I used. Easier to apply and remove, made the paint slicker and beaded better. Looking forward to trying the Blackfire next.