So refreshing Jon, well done mate. Too many guys on youtube saying what the manufacturers want them to say in order to get free stuff. Without doubt the number one channel to watch if you are into detailing. I can't tell you how much I have learnt over the last 4 years or so from watching your channel 👍
I agree with you, no good having a million pound (if one existed) ceramic coating but never wash the car. People mention to me that my car always looks good, and my response is yeah that's cause I clean it regular. To sort of bring it full circle though, good protection makes the all important wash stage much easier and more satisfying to me.
I absolutely agree. I'd rank the protection before the decon as it makes cleaning the car so much easier and contamination stick to the protective layer instead of the paint. On a new or prepped car that is. For an old banger, Jon is spot on. 😊
@@flemmingjensen3202ah but... If you don't properly decontaminate the paintwork and polish to 'level out' the clear coat then the protection won't last as long... To me there is no order, all stages work in conjunction with each other... I think the point is that you could have all the best protection in the world, but if you don't keep in top of your maintenance wash then what's the point in any of it?!
Completely agree Jon. Of course I’ve made that pitfall and gone protection crazy and hurled materials but what you say is the truth 100%. The bottom line is how good a car looks is down to how often, thoroughly and diligently you maintain it.
One of the most important videos I‘ve ever seen and one that I will link A LOT in detailing groups because no matter how often I tell people that topping and layering does not work the same questions keep popping up on a daily basis. Thanks for that!
As always Jon another clear and concise video explaining without pushing products what you consider the best way. I wish a lot more of these guys and girls who comment, and their are some great comments would join the Patron channel, if they only knew for 3.2p a day, yes thats 3.2p a day they can have so much more insight and direct contact with you and it would help repay all the great videos you continue to produce, it not cheap for you to continue doing what you do and I would hate to see you one day just get fed up, you are appreciated and should be, I sound like your PR man lol but I would just like the guys and girls to know how cheap it is to join a great channel with a lot more to see and take part in that just your video, keep up the stella work bud.
100% bang on 🍻. I’ve enjoyed cleaning cars since I was about 12 years old, at 16 I started in a body shop and I’ve now been a professional painter for 15 years. My passion for cleanliness and polishing/detailing has stayed throughout my career especially in my own cars. Everything John just laid out is totally true, the cleanliness of the paint is the foundation to everything. If it’s not clean or it’s covered in tar and pollen, it doesn’t matter what you put on top of it. Also totally agree on the not layering up products, I think it’s always best to get the maximum from as little product as possible.
Again, spot on, simple advice & thoughts - that aside… We all may have differing opinions on products our host friends bring to us, but I’m sure we can all agree on one. In this weird world we are all coping with; a BIG shout out to all hosts for their hard work and dedication, for holding our interest and feeding our passion. MORE than that, to the web sites and suppliers we all use, whose staff are turning in and getting the goods to our driveways & units to fulfil our anticipation - again a BIG thank you to you all whether it be manufacture, supply or distribution. Support them where you can. [even if just shampoo].
I clean mine twice a week with foam, shampoo and vac. Every 3 or weeks I use glass cleaner, wheel fall out remover , Interior detailer, leather cleaner, polish exhaust and tyre dressings. I'm sick of my neighbours saying I'll have no paint left on lol
Just some fake earphones is one way to ignore those nosey neighbours. Pretend to listen to music. You worked hard to buy the car, and if the end result makes you feel good, then keep cleaning it. It's very good exercise as well. Who cares what the curtain-twitchers think!
I can’t wash my car without comments from neighbours etc. Usually the same thing ‘mines around the back’....it wasn’t funny the first time. Two years later its tedious. I wash once a week; snow foam, two buckets, wheels, glass, interior vac / wipe round. Gets a full day twice a year. Seems to be working well.
Hi John. been following you for ages and buying loads as sometimes recommended. Enough to last for 20 years. From 8.30 mins hit the button and I think was one of the best things you've ever said. Its all about what keeps you happy. If you wax one or two times a year , a product would last for years. Ive got loads stacked up. Bought a polisher as well and products to go with it... a year ago ... thinking I was gonna be polishing every fortnight 😃😃😃 Never used. Sweating about using it on my beautiful car. Modern products are so good now. Got a regime now roughly based on your advice and recommendations 2 car family. So I buy too much stuff. 😀. So do cleans and washes that are not required. BUT ITS SO MUCH ENJOYMENT on my lovely toy. Thanks John for your channel PS Ceramic spray waxes are the best detailing products in past few years.
This is honest, down to earth information! I agree completely with you, my pick up truck is by no means perfect and is long overdue a light polish.. but the fact it gets a wash every 1-2 weeks and the paint protection is kept up, it looks better than most half its age! Awesome video, thank you!
Cheers John, the thought of machine polishing makes me break out into a cold sweat . Thankfully I have been concentrating on the cleaning so got the steps ok :)
Yep - I have clay and machine polishing phobias. Love looking after the car as well as possible but I operate at a level below that of serious detailing. That said, you can learn a lot from the detailing community in terms of best practice.
@@samcourt6228 I used it for the first time on Tuesday. I only did the bonnet and two front wings because the weather turned. I used a single stage polish and it didn’t come out too great. I’ll need to practice I think. On the plus side I didn’t wreck the car which was my biggest fear!
I wash every week and that’s why my car looks better than most. It’s rarely dirty. What makes my car look better than the next clean car is the fact the paint has been machine polished and kept at that standard by safe wash technique. The main difference between a detailer and someone who washes his car regularly is machine polishing.
Same here. It’s been a slippery slope ever since first venturing into a detailing sub section on a forum a few years ago! 😂 Even my other half comments about the smoothness of the paint and beading. Most of my mates take the pee about how clean my car is, but always vote mine in for taxi duties.
I remember seeing a Vauxhall Vectra in the Tesco car park and thinking to myself "That's the same colour Vectra I had, looks tidy" I then realise it was my old car I traded in a year or so before! I could still see all my hard work had paid off and made the car look so much younger than it's years. It was a bluey / purple type colour. I said a final goodbye to it and chuckled to myself.
Exactly right about claying. I've not had to use a clay bar for some years. Because I've been able to drive brand new cars and protect them to a high degree for day 1. But this weekend I found hundreds of tar spots on my white Audi A1. I used increasingly desperate amounts of tar remover, applied as a spray and left to dwell. Which made no difference at all. After more than 30mins barely making any difference I broke out the clay bar and it was so effective. Granted the spray may have softened the tar spots. But a microfibre and a fingernail was doing nothing on the spots. Clay bar.... pretty much removed them on first pass. I have renewed respect for the clay!
I agree. Before I started watching RUclips my routine was to hose the car down, wash with a sponge and a car shampoo like Zipwax or similar, hose down again and dry with a chamois. I used to use Turtle Wax Original about every quarter and my car was absolutely the best looking on the street. I had swirl marks but not as many as my neighbours! I have moved on from that now of course.
Couldn’t agree more. I had a China Blue Gti6 which was done by Kelly at KDS before he got massive!! I used to wash and dry that car religiously every week. I would decon maybe every four weeks or so. I would add the odd hit of protection every 2 months or so dependant on the longevity of the wax I was using. In the winter I used to go for 476 double coat wax and wash it every week. It only needed a top up after 4 months over the winter period. Hard graft but the result was one of the best looking China blue Gti6’s in the country. Protection is all about less is more. Cleanliness is the opposite work harder and do more of it.
I agree. As someone who’s new to detailing I found myself obsessed with trying to find the best wax/protection possible. As if there’s a product that exists that’s better than all the rest . But I realized what makes my car look the best is consistent maintenance
I did the same, but then realised I needed to wash it, decon it, light polish and then add Bilt Hamber Double Speed (cheap and effective). Then wash regularly and top up if needed with BH QD spray. This is a massive simplification of the amount of products needed for protection (just 2) and also really cheap compared to the ££££ you coud spend chasing a holy grail of protection perfection which does not exist.
Great points. The main theme is "relative" which is the point you made about the gloss meter. The relative I.provemwnt on each step to the previous state is a diminishing return the further along you go. Great improvement with a good safe wash. Slight less with a good decon etc. If.you add results x effort, washing wins.hands.down...
Surely a quick waterless wash with a nice mix containing equal parts of Seal 'n' Shine, BSD, Reload, Optimum No Rinse, Ech2o and Shinee Wax is the way to go? I was going to leave it like this but worried somebody would not see the joke. Great video!
Your so right it doesn't matter what products you have on the car's paint if its dirty its dirty end of. It needs to be cleaned correctly. I have had people go out just as i am starting a wash and come back at the end before all the polish and sealant and said how nice it looks cos it made the biggest difference with really minimal effort.
I got into detailing about 3-4 months ago and have spent a small fortune on gimmicks. I have now settled with starting with a good snow foam (Bilt Hamber) > A good PH neutral shampoo sprayed over the car in panels so the mitt is coming into contact with suds and lubrication the minute it touches the panels > dry car well with high quality towel and quick detailer with hydrophobic coating as a drying aid. Always brings my car up like a show piece and I’ve never used a clay bar or machine polisher. It would upset me too much as it does now if I had spent 10 hours machine polishing a car to drive my daily work commute and get it filthy in 2 days like it normally does (I live rural).
100% agree with what you said about layering products. What about adding layers of the same protection? I.e. Perfecting the paint then adding 3 layers of the same ceramic coating instead of 1. Does this give benefits or not?
I guess it depends on the product. Reg holds the world record for using up a pot of wax ( I think he got through a pot of R222 in like 3-4 weeks). I dont personally see the benefit of waxing like every time. Lots like to dress the paintwork with SI02 sprays now. Again I think you can just end up putting too much material down. I guess as well the less you are buffing out products maybe the less scratches? Not sure. Personal preference comes into this, the world wont end if you like to dress your paintwork everywash with something.. But I just dont think its critical I think is more the point.
@@ForensicDetailing I'm pretty sure, 90+ % of Reg's wax ended up in his cloths and eventually down the drain when he washed them. Layering may be good in some cases, but you need to know what you're doing and how the products react.
@@ForensicDetailing Hi John. Lovely to see someone so respected in the community saying that the world won't end if you do things your own way. If we are all stressed out about getting it all perfect, which I am very guilty of, it takes all the fun out of the activity and actually means you get out there less maintaining your hard work. Thank you x
Wise words, Jon. All too easy to be tempted into buying and trying the latest, high-tech wonder products, assuming they'll make your car look better and make your life easier. The reality - as always - is that it all comes down to getting the basics right, and putting the necessary effort in. It's not a 'sexy' message, but it's the key one.
By no means am I an expert but I am slowly getting in to detailing. Learned a lot from your videos already - even now own a polishing machine :). My 7 yr old car needed a good sorting and has had it (stages 1-4) but still has some stone chips to sort, my wifes 5 year old had a bit of all stages (not all panels). My daughters 1 year old had a good wash and decon of lower panels and my sons brand new car only got a wash. It has Auto Glym life shine and came with a pack and when he said why are you not doing a polish etc, I explained that it was a brand new car and should only need a good wash (used bilt hamber not the auto glym shampoo in the life shine pack) as it was only 2 weeks old. What I do not know is how long the life shine protection will really last but I will make sure it gets a good decon in Spring as you recommend. Thanks for what you upload and hope you keep it up.
Hey Jon, I have a question, if a vehicle I'm working with has cancer spots where the clear coat has gone from UV, will the sealants and waxes still stick to the bare paint without clear coat? If so, maybe with a reduced durability?
Been off a few month, got rid of the abarth, bought a Skoda yeti, joined the reserves, just bought a 92 nova looking forward to using your tips and tricks again
I agree to a point Jon but, personally, I think all of the stages are of equal importance, it's just that some need to be done significantly more often i.e. regular maintenance washes! The protection is only ever going to be as good as the surface its applied to, which puts, in my opinion, the decon AND polishing on the same level. If your car isn't protected the the maintenance wash will be a much tougher, longer, less enjoyable process... There's an argument to be made for every stage but I think a good detailer should know that each stage is important and cutting corners in any one will undoubtedly lessen the impact of the others.
they are all important for sure but equally? So your taking your car to a show. the car is filty and covered in mud or other choice the car is waxed or not waxed? Which is the most important thing to sort. If you say you have to clean it of course jon! then you just disagree'd with your point :) I am just being awkward though I understand what you mean and you are right.
I'm definitely going to have to listen to this one a couple of times just to get all the information. What I did get is the priorities and which types of paint corrections are most beneficial and when. Thanks again Jon.
Very brave Jon, almost the opposite of what you need to do on a detailing channel. You are right, the 52 weeks of the year is about the decon, wash and “maintain” your work. It will look great and be easy the next weekend too. Each time planning your next wax or sealant.🤔
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Recently got back into detailing and have spent a fortune on products to clean an A8, which is a big car just to clean !! Last wash was bilt hamber pre wash , gyeon essence two bucket wash followed by Koch Chemie PW in the Lance ... I then went round with a light mist of bouncers done and dusted the results were impressive... tho you have to put in the horse power. Worked for me.
Totally agree. But one thing I would say is that an lsp with gloss enhancing, defect covering etc properties become more important/effective when the paint work is not well corrected and refined.
true that yes.. horrid paintwork will benefit from more like packing out with wax or glaze. But it does not change the general rule. even with horrid paintwork. Washing it often is more important. decon'd it more important. Machine polishing to get the paint good more imporant. Then finall the LSP part less imporant than the 3 other things.
Until lockdown (during which the car has barely been used) I had washed my car weekly (and cleaned inside), with few exceptions. After 7 years and getting on for 150k miles it still looks great when it's clean which for a black car is hard to maintain. I've never corrected the paint (although I have a plan to do so this year) and it's been mildly clayed a couple of times for a deeper clean. It's not perfect, but better than many vehicles of a similar age, it usually gets a coat of Collinite to get through the winter and them usually various Sonax products for the summer. Of late I've been increasingly lazy with Meguairs Hybrid Ceramic or some Autoglym Polar Seal for quick spray 'n' seal solutions.
John , you are the teacher , we are just weekend warriors who think we know best , we don't , you know best as you do this with a passion and a knowledge of what you do .
Spot on Jon. I use Gyeon Cancoat at the moment & apply it each summer after a decon & light polish. I then use a Si02 topper every 3 months to keep the self cleaning/hydrophobicity there. I might add some si02 detailer in there occasionally as well but other than that nothing else goes on my own car.
job done there really isnt it brian. You can spend a lifetime hunting but somehting like cancoat + SI02 spray is as good as it gets if you want to try the latest gen of products.
I agree. The protection or finish can only last if you look after it and the way we do that is to wash and clean regularly using safe practices and processes. It always starts with the wash...
Hi Jon, Great video. when i bought my new car told the dealer not to touch it. When I picked it up I decon, then two bucket wash then air dry with a micro fibre, then I Gen3 it 6 months after I used soft99 wax on it then very other time I was it I put Car pro Elixir on the body work. Would you say that was to much Jon?
I have nothing to back this up but purely anecdotal experience makes me think that the vast majority of cars on the road are rarely cleaned and, especially this time of year, covered in dead leaves/mud/traffic film/ water spotting with brake-dust laden wheels and dirt triangles on the screen. I firmly believe that if your car has none of that, you're already looking vastly better than a good 80% of cars on the road. For the bulk of "daily drivers" being cleaned safely, thoroughly and often and given a coat of SRP and a good wax every few months will be more than enough!
Looks like I'm doing something right for a change-I'll have to go and tell the missus😂 Always do the 2BM after TFR and jetwash to get as much off as possible without touching the car and do the decon and reapply twice a year. I've not machine polished my car yet as It's only done 10k and spends most of it's time in the garage but can see me doing it on the spring. I've used Hellshine Abyss for years now together with their QD as an occasional top up and it lasts 6 months and I still have loads left so see no point in changing.
Makes perfect sense to me because I think I have fallen into the trap of having too many protection boosters for want of a better phrase. AG Aqua Wax, Optimum No Rinse Wash and Wax, Meguairs Gold Class Quick Detailer and now I've added GT Quick Detailer and also their Sigma spray. Some of these products shade into the "drying aid" category but I guess it wouldn't do any harm just to do a straightforward wash every now and then with a shampoo with no gloss enhancers or similar.
Honestly I think it's down to the usage of the car. I have customers that only ever have my Bronze Exterior (which includes a basic wash and QD) that only ever have that but don't use their cars everyday and keep them in a garage and they come up nice every time. I also have had others who do that but no garage and the car is used a lot who really do need a bigger valet once or twice a year but don't. I also have customers who have the Bronze regularly then have a larger one with a good wax once or twice a year. So I really do think it's down to usage and even if its garaged or not.
The old addage prevention is better than a cure. I'm no expert but if your car is used daily/regularly, maintainance is going to be key. Maintainance is easier with good protection, it all goes hand in hand but either way, maintainance is always number one. As you said, wash properly, wash regularly gives you the best chance of getting good results every time.
Gotta agree with you with a BUT. The but is that if paint is corrected properly with the first 3 stages, you have done the best you can to get it right. Then protecting it becomes important or you will be doing decon and polish again pretty soon and eroding the small amount of clear you have available. Most of the dirt from a well protected car will get removed before you touch it, removing a lot of opportunity for putting damage back in. My view is that to get the paint up to scratch, wash decon and polish is key. Once it is done, then it is time to lock that in is protection. Then the regular maintenance washes on a protected car Inflict far less damage than it would to unprotected paint because everything flies off with the prewash. Summary, those stages do different things. They are equally important.
Not just me then !! I keep telling people you've got to go back to come forwards. Once the basics are correct then polished,waxed or sealed , maintenance wash every week takes no time at all,maybe a cheeky detailer every 4weeks or when needed. Good advice though Jon
Ive chasing the ultimate combo for the paintwork, wasting money on products, chasing unrealistic water beading. While there are many good products out there, ive just decided to stick with Shine Supply Signature Shine. Hard to beat the look of a high quality pure carnauba.
Very informative mate, really appreciated that vid! And that is the exact order I base my detailing on too. Although I was also one of the people under the illusion the protection ’built up’ over time but it’s nice to know the truth. So I am not going to ‘wash off’ or reduce my wax paste protection by doing a prewash followed by a gentle wash using a lambs wool mitt? I’ve been worried about washing off my protection and may have been applying too much wax.
I'd put the Decon 1st as your using fallout removers/ APC then 2nd wash with snowfoam / shampooing 3 claying / Polishing 4th proection thats the order I wash my cars in but good and interesting video john .
Good video Jon. The only thing I would pick small fault with is the linear way you have laid out the steps. Personally I think its a cyclical process myself. Yes runs in the order you are stating, but a good quality protection does affect the wash process, and possibly even the decon and polish stages too. So a cyclical diagram makes much more sense to me as each step it intrinsically linked to the step following it and the step preceeding it.
Jon, So listening to your advise, I use TAC systems moonlight once a year after steps 1,2,3. Then after each was I use a very light coating of Tac Systems Shinnee wax as a topper to enhance the gloss. Once a month instead of using Shinnee wax I top up (well I think I am) the moonlight with Tac System Quarts max. The car always looks good (in my opinion) and nevr looks to be overloaded with product. So my question is, am I doing this right, or unnecessary overloading with product??
mate, you are done. finished complete. game over. Because I have that same combo on my shelf and I do EXACTLY the same. I have BH wax and QD and cleanser polish combo, and my high tech combo is what you just said. I also have there water glass the green spray and rinse product IVe yet to test. IVe tried everything and the combo you are using ticks all the boxes and is good value can sit on the shelf and the products dont spoil. Moonlight you can use on trim and wheels if you want, calipers etc.. very very cheap and easy to spread and buff, easy to remove if you need to strip it.. job done.
@@ForensicDetailing jon that’s great to know and thanks for reply.I also use BM auto foam and shampoo for step 1 because A- they are great to use and B- because of the anti corrosion properties they contain. Keep up the good work your efforts are greatly appreciated.
I’ve just bought a new (to me) car. I’ve promising myself I’ll clean it regularly. I always promise myself this but I end up doing it less than once a month cos I have three kids AND I’m lazy. The paint is very good looking. The car has been cared for. I’ll admit even before kids when I was washing weekly I was only ever really protecting. I think I did a bit of polish once. Is missing out steps 2 and 3 (lazy) going to cause me problems? I was going to wash and then wax on Sunday.
Dear John sir, i want to expose you on a product we produce here in Greece in a car paint manufactor famus in EU and USA. The product is called HB boddy 770 antisil, and it is avaliable in UK also. It is an antisil panel.wipe similar to Upol but i think it performs great. Maybe some day you want to.put to the test paint prep IPA products like car pro eraser, geyon prep e.t.c VS solvent based like hb boddy 770 , u-pol e.t.c on wax oils polish removal. Much love sir
looks like a solvent mineral spirit based one. The man problem with these can be in winter times if you dont have a workshop they can be really slow flashing. so they are more profe4ssional workshop use only.. IPA and water flashed though very rapidly even in winter. A very important pro of IPA and water is the evaporate rate and low flash point. but yer they are not as powerfull as the mineral spirits one. I will keep an eye on this thank you marios I might buy it to try. much love to all the wonderfull people of greece. If I ever am in greece I will come find you and we will share a beer :)
@@ForensicDetailing love you sir thanks for the info. And your responce. Have a nice sunday. Many here love your chanell!!! Keep up your great work sir. My kind regards
Couldn't agree with your comments more. I put in alot of time every weekend to get my car, wheels, interior and arches clean. One point you have raised which has made me thing. I have gyon mohs on the car but every time I was I use either gyeon wet coat or auto finesse lather, do you think I shouldn't be doing this?
Thanks for the video John,, just brought a new car and fairly new to detailing (always kept car looking nice though) and there is so many videos of ppl trying different products my brain was washed into thinking i need to buy loads of them, ill stick to good old washing it properly. and using a 6 month ceramic spray, cheers
Bilt Hamber products are fantastic value for money to build up your detailing "toolkit" when starting out. I have been following John's channel for years now and always get complimented on how good my cars look despite never having corrected any of the paint (yet) and just keeping them clean. If you take good care of a newer car it will really hold on to the condition for much longer and need less correction later in life. Welcome to the community!
@@dangtdetail2794 Bilt Hamber Autofoam doesn't hang around afterwards like the Polar Blast snow foam does. A nice benefit to BH products is that as well as being cheap, most of them are biodegradable. You won't get the same thick foam but it actually cleans the car, where I found the Polar Blast mostly just looked cool and stayed on the road for ages afterwards. I would sooner invest in lots of different brushes and three proper buckets than a million products to be honest, as I find those much more useful in keeping fiddly bits clean like in the wheel arches; especially important in the winter to keep the rust out. How have you found ceramic sprays? I am yet to try any.
@@SerenaBluee i've only used turtle ceramic spray wax. i have a perl white car so it was easy to apply ie never noticed any streaking and i put another coat on 24 hours later and im pleased to be honest, feels very slick and the water beads are insane i did put it on over gyeon wet coat 2 months old, i did chemically decon the car prior to putting the ceramic on, only put it on 1 week ago so, its still going strong. i have ordered some brushes but at the moment i'm using clean makeup brushes to do the grill and other areas. thanks for the reply's it means a lot.
Yet we all get suckered into buying protection products time and time again! If I added up all the protection product I have and got its maximum duration each time, I could protect my car for 500+ years. 😆
Hahahaha !! Funniest comment here ! At least your car will still be around when humans become extinct. The Aliens will enjoy it then lol.. On a more serious not. Protection products should only ever be applied AFTER the paint has been cleaned, polished and whatever it requires anyway.
yer spot on dave. we have all done it. I had like 30-40 waxes, and about 20 sealants once. I do enjoy it though, its fun trying new things but it doesnt make that much difference.
@@DetailingandtheBeast No need mate. With a 500 year guarantee they won't need instructions. It may go for another 500 years with all that protection slapped on lol..
John what is the best current heavy cutting compound. I deal with alot of cars/Jeeps that have been butchered by brushes/poor washing and some cowboys with machine polishers. I'm looking for something with a real heavy cut and that finishes down decent as well. Its to get good results and save some time as most people where I live don't want to pay for multiple stages of polishing. Something that can cut and then I can run over it with a finishing polish to tidy it up and leave it respectable. Thanks in advance. Eamon
Koch H9 or Scholl Concepts S2 black I recomend but of them cut well but are smooth to use and buff well very nice gloss finish. If your on a real tight budget Farecla SFC101 finished with SFF101.
Washing Decontamination Clay Protection (nxt sealant and collinite 845) Can I skip compounding and polishing cuz i don’t have the skill nor the machine for that. Is that enough for diy detailing at home ? Please give some advice on this
you wash to remove dirt you decontaminate to remove contamination You clay to remove contamination You polish to remove swirls and improve the gloss You protect to protect the sruface from contamination. If there is no dirt you can skip wash if there is no contamination you can skip decon/clay if there are no swirls and paintwork is glossy you can skip polish if car has good protection you can skip protection only you can asses each of the stages above. its highly likely it will need a wash, the other stages I cannot comment on with seeing the car. this is not trying to be a smart or clever answer this is the best answer anyone can give you.
Good video again Jon, quite surprised when you mentioned good old TAC systems Moonlight was a favourite, when in a previous video you said Turtle wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic coating was better
I bet I never said that :) it came up top in a shootout test or TW came second didnt it and the non ceramic tw came first? but they are not really comparible. Moonlight is a proper lightweight ceramic, TW is a water based SI02 spray wax type thing. I think the the TAC product makes a better base line sealent. Ive just finished my 6 month sealant test and moonlight outlasted it in sort of more real "time" durability testing rather than chem hits.
@@ForensicDetailing It was a shootout you did last year near the end on november, where believe it or not it actually came out last in your test, behind both TW products and Meguiars ceramic and Fusso. personally i found Moonlight incredibly easy to use, buffs off so easily, and looks so well, though its no were near as slick as Hybrid solutions, but in comparison i struggle to buff TW HS off, so much so that i mixed it with Car Pro Reload to help me buff it off and funnily its then quite a nice product, who would have thought it !!!
Please make a video that says: 1) Learn how to clean your car without scratching it 2) Occasionaly clean out the rocker drain holes, dog legs and other rust prone areas 3)Spritz a little quick detailer on it as you dry 4) KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR POLISHER AND SAVE SOME PAINT FOR THE NEXT OWNER!
Could you please advise, i'm getting a new car that will be arriving in the winter, i don't have a garage and would like to give it some protection before any winter maintenance. I live in a rural area with loads of seriously muddy / gritty lanes so i need to be very careful when touching the vehicle, i do not have a garage and have only ever hand polished. Would it make sense? to clean by the following process (i have not got any of this yet so feel free to change anything). Jet wash, lower areas with citrus wash?, jet wash, APC (Bilt Hamber Surfex HD), jet wash, snow foam (Bilt Hamber), jet wash, shampoo (Bilt Hamber), jet wash, hand polish ( Autoglym SRP or new Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions polish & Wax ), and lastly some of the new Turtle wax Ceramic Spray Coating.
Ya. Setup looks great just choose 1 paste wax or spray wax. If you want to “top up” or use something as a drying aid after a wash just use a simple quick detailer - the tw ceramic spray isn’t ideal in that.
Hi, what is the main difference between an interior cleaner versus interior detailer? With so many products available i am overwhelm and really don't know what to choose. I am thinking to a product with nice scent or unscented for maintenance weekly cleaning , and another one for more heavy jobs when needed or more deep cleaning. I have leather seats , for that i will use a dedicated leather cleaner than leather protectant, but i have also leather on doors , so i will need a detailer which work also on plastic and leather ...dash. Thank you!
hello sir. interior cleaner is detergent. interior detailer is a glossing agent (spray and shine) I use surfex HD at about 40:1 to clean my interior. I use carpro perl at about 5:1 sprayed on a microfiber applicator and rubb on any faded interior plastic or trim. Note both products I recomend to you are super concentrates so they cost you pennies and literally last you the rest of you life. get 5 litires of Surfex HD and 1 litre of carpro PERL. dilute them down as instruction on the bottles. boom.
@@ForensicDetailing Thank you John! I am "scared" to use Surfex on interior , but i will try . Pearl is my choice for tire and engine plastics , but didn't know i could use it for interior. I was thinking to use something from Adam's , Poorboys , AutoFinesse ...or ONR for weekly maintenance. Regards, Sorin.
@@sorin0311 surfex is safer on interiors thn most APC as its surfactant based with no hydroxides or nasty materials, just keep the concentration down.. start at 50:1 perhaps mate.
@@ForensicDetailing Great, told you i am a total noob ! That was the explanation i need ! Thanks! . Can i use it to clean also seatbelts and headliner? Both are light beige and after 5 years and 170k km think they need some cleaning.
Ok so i apply paste wax it says 3months. Not beading after 1month so wash - decon or wash - decon - more stuff or new stuff? and no this is not intented to be a trick question but just a question. Yes i was very very drunk.... :D
you could be masking it when you wash it (some shampoos do this) or you could be eroding it away. I can say try TAC systems moonlight after proper prep. 2 coats for added bling and YOU WILL BE impressed maintain the bling with TAC systems shinee wax.
In my opinion surfex hd is more effective and better as a pre wash than any snow foam. I've got a nilfisk PW and put the surfex in the detergent lance which is blasted out at high pressure. Very satisfying and very effective.
It's basically key to preventing scratches and swirls during the contact wash process. Snow foam to break the dirt from the surface, power wash to rinse it off. Minimal amounts of dirt remaining on the surface to prevent it being rubbed across the paintwork. The more effective the snow foam, the better result you'll get. Bilt Hamber Auto Foam is already proven to be the strongest/highly concentrated snow foam that you can buy.
@@shona5512 I love Auto Foam. You can see the dirt coming off quickly as it runs down and cuts through a surprising amount of grime on alloys. And Auto Foam smells absolutely wonderful. Perfect wash product.
I've decided that Polish should be classed as Abrasives, though I can't find a definitive answer as to whether 'polish' does or does not contain abrasives. Seems to vary so much. Any polish that is creamy seems to have at least some abrasive qualities, such as the famed AutoGlym Super Resin. It's only when you move to totally clear products, such as AG Extra Gloss Protection that you may assume it might be non-abrasive. Not enough manufacturers put 'cut and gloss' info on the bottles as Menzerna does across their range. Even their Power Protect Ultra Finish & Wax has a Cut 2, Gloss of Maximum 10. It's baffling, and I'm a relative novice with a shelf full of detailing product.
within the detailing scene the defining characteristic of the word polish is something which burnishes a surface through abrasion (aka contains abrasives).. however the manufacturing industry of these materials calls any product which makes the surface shine a polish potentially even if its a detail spray with no abrasives, you will see Formula for sprayable surface polish, and its a detail spray for example.
I think the number 1is buying too much stuff. I’ve realised now I can spend the next 2-3yrs working through what I’ve bought in the last 3-5yrs of getting a bit more serious about looking after the cars rather than the local machine/hand wash for a fiver. Especially detail sprays and waxes. Cheers John
you know what I think your probably right there as well. But the reason we buy stuff is because with think like the product will make a difference. but its sort of the same theme isnt it. Its like "us" and how often and how well we do this thats the important thing.. But again its not so glamourous a thing as the idea that spending money will help us.
I love ur video so keep up good work. Just a quick one I have been using autoglym for many years and so I wanna try something new like dodo juice do u think much of it and have u done any reviews on it? Many thanks
you can literally use anything, have some fun exploring it I used to use Sour power shampoo and it was great, I like the born slippy concentrate because it was like the first clay lube concentrate that saved me money. these are worth taking a look at
Who thinks John needs a podcast? I could listen to him all day 😂
I second that
He needs a live stream. I would would watch
If John is up for it I will send him the best camera set up on the market along with mics brand new to support it. This is a great idea!!
Yesss
Honestly.
So refreshing Jon, well done mate. Too many guys on youtube saying what the manufacturers want them to say in order to get free stuff. Without doubt the number one channel to watch if you are into detailing. I can't tell you how much I have learnt over the last 4 years or so from watching your channel 👍
cheers buddy appreciate the kind words.
Between the two of you I have learnt lots!
@@carltonwray7015 not sure you leant much from me other than how to drink coffee and eat cake 🤣
@@ForensicDetailing well put together videos with no hided Bull or product placement! I missed out the Essex lad Mr Paul Dolden!
@Twitter @wraysting
@@ObsessiveCarDetailer Just like your easy nonsense way! Twitter@wraysting
I agree with you, no good having a million pound (if one existed) ceramic coating but never wash the car. People mention to me that my car always looks good, and my response is yeah that's cause I clean it regular.
To sort of bring it full circle though, good protection makes the all important wash stage much easier and more satisfying to me.
I absolutely agree. I'd rank the protection before the decon as it makes cleaning the car so much easier and contamination stick to the protective layer instead of the paint. On a new or prepped car that is. For an old banger, Jon is spot on. 😊
@@flemmingjensen3202ah but... If you don't properly decontaminate the paintwork and polish to 'level out' the clear coat then the protection won't last as long... To me there is no order, all stages work in conjunction with each other... I think the point is that you could have all the best protection in the world, but if you don't keep in top of your maintenance wash then what's the point in any of it?!
@@SparkleanAutos I get the point. And I did say "new or prepped car". No point in protecting old contaminated paint.
Completely agree Jon. Of course I’ve made that pitfall and gone protection crazy and hurled materials but what you say is the truth 100%.
The bottom line is how good a car looks is down to how often, thoroughly and diligently you maintain it.
One of the most important videos I‘ve ever seen and one that I will link A LOT in detailing groups because no matter how often I tell people that topping and layering does not work the same questions keep popping up on a daily basis.
Thanks for that!
thank you Andreas
As always Jon another clear and concise video explaining without pushing products what you consider the best way. I wish a lot more of these guys and girls who comment, and their are some great comments would join the Patron channel, if they only knew for 3.2p a day, yes thats 3.2p a day they can have so much more insight and direct contact with you and it would help repay all the great videos you continue to produce, it not cheap for you to continue doing what you do and I would hate to see you one day just get fed up, you are appreciated and should be, I sound like your PR man lol but I would just like the guys and girls to know how cheap it is to join a great channel with a lot more to see and take part in that just your video, keep up the stella work bud.
100% bang on 🍻. I’ve enjoyed cleaning cars since I was about 12 years old, at 16 I started in a body shop and I’ve now been a professional painter for 15 years. My passion for cleanliness and polishing/detailing has stayed throughout my career especially in my own cars. Everything John just laid out is totally true, the cleanliness of the paint is the foundation to everything. If it’s not clean or it’s covered in tar and pollen, it doesn’t matter what you put on top of it. Also totally agree on the not layering up products, I think it’s always best to get the maximum from as little product as possible.
Again, spot on, simple advice & thoughts - that aside…
We all may have differing opinions on products our host friends bring to us, but I’m sure we can all agree on one. In this weird world we are all coping with; a BIG shout out to all hosts for their hard work and dedication, for holding our interest and feeding our passion. MORE than that, to the web sites and suppliers we all use, whose staff are turning in and getting the goods to our driveways & units to fulfil our anticipation - again a BIG thank you to you all whether it be manufacture, supply or distribution. Support them where you can. [even if just shampoo].
This is THE best advice any car detailed or weekend warrior could be given. Couldn’t agree more
I clean mine twice a week with foam, shampoo and vac. Every 3 or weeks I use glass cleaner, wheel fall out remover , Interior detailer, leather cleaner, polish exhaust and tyre dressings. I'm sick of my neighbours saying I'll have no paint left on lol
mine say the same hehe
Just some fake earphones is one way to ignore those nosey neighbours. Pretend to listen to music. You worked hard to buy the car, and if the end result makes you feel good, then keep cleaning it. It's very good exercise as well. Who cares what the curtain-twitchers think!
I can’t wash my car without comments from neighbours etc. Usually the same thing ‘mines around the back’....it wasn’t funny the first time. Two years later its tedious.
I wash once a week; snow foam, two buckets, wheels, glass, interior vac / wipe round. Gets a full day twice a year. Seems to be working well.
This is far too logical for RUclips
Hi John. been following you for ages and buying loads as sometimes recommended. Enough to last for 20 years. From 8.30 mins hit the button and I think was one of the best things you've ever said. Its all about what keeps you happy. If you wax one or two times a year , a product would last for years. Ive got loads stacked up. Bought a polisher as well and products to go with it... a year ago ... thinking I was gonna be polishing every fortnight 😃😃😃 Never used. Sweating about using it on my beautiful car. Modern products are so good now. Got a regime now roughly based on your advice and recommendations 2 car family. So I buy too much stuff. 😀. So do cleans and washes that are not required. BUT ITS SO MUCH ENJOYMENT on my lovely toy. Thanks John for your channel
PS Ceramic spray waxes are the best detailing products in past few years.
Ive got enough wax to cover the Taj Mahal :)
This is honest, down to earth information! I agree completely with you, my pick up truck is by no means perfect and is long overdue a light polish.. but the fact it gets a wash every 1-2 weeks and the paint protection is kept up, it looks better than most half its age!
Awesome video, thank you!
Cheers John, the thought of machine polishing makes me break out into a cold sweat . Thankfully I have been concentrating on the cleaning so got the steps ok :)
Yep - I have clay and machine polishing phobias. Love looking after the car as well as possible but I operate at a level below that of serious detailing. That said, you can learn a lot from the detailing community in terms of best practice.
I have a machine polisher, pads, polish , panel wipe, wax, cloths, towels, the lot!!
Scared to try the polisher!😱
@@jamieabel59 it’s not too bad, just bloody laborious if doing a two stage with a DA.
@@samcourt6228 I used it for the first time on Tuesday. I only did the bonnet and two front wings because the weather turned. I used a single stage polish and it didn’t come out too great. I’ll need to practice I think. On the plus side I didn’t wreck the car which was my biggest fear!
I wash every week and that’s why my car looks better than most. It’s rarely dirty. What makes my car look better than the next clean car is the fact the paint has been machine polished and kept at that standard by safe wash technique. The main difference between a detailer and someone who washes his car regularly is machine polishing.
"you can come and do mine next mate!!!" :) :) adding machine polishing to your arsenal takes things to the next level this is true.
Same here. It’s been a slippery slope ever since first venturing into a detailing sub section on a forum a few years ago! 😂
Even my other half comments about the smoothness of the paint and beading. Most of my mates take the pee about how clean my car is, but always vote mine in for taxi duties.
I remember seeing a Vauxhall Vectra in the Tesco car park and thinking to myself "That's the same colour Vectra I had, looks tidy" I then realise it was my old car I traded in a year or so before! I could still see all my hard work had paid off and made the car look so much younger than it's years. It was a bluey / purple type colour. I said a final goodbye to it and chuckled to myself.
Exactly right about claying. I've not had to use a clay bar for some years. Because I've been able to drive brand new cars and protect them to a high degree for day 1. But this weekend I found hundreds of tar spots on my white Audi A1. I used increasingly desperate amounts of tar remover, applied as a spray and left to dwell. Which made no difference at all. After more than 30mins barely making any difference I broke out the clay bar and it was so effective. Granted the spray may have softened the tar spots. But a microfibre and a fingernail was doing nothing on the spots. Clay bar.... pretty much removed them on first pass. I have renewed respect for the clay!
Great video, very clear and reaching sound conclusions. Wash your car well every week and it will be the best looking in the car park....
I agree. Before I started watching RUclips my routine was to hose the car down, wash with a sponge and a car shampoo like Zipwax or similar, hose down again and dry with a chamois. I used to use Turtle Wax Original about every quarter and my car was absolutely the best looking on the street. I had swirl marks but not as many as my neighbours! I have moved on from that now of course.
I think this is one of the best videos you have done.
Could you do a video about how you do your weekly maintenance wash? Id be interested to see how far you go and what products etc you use. Cheers
Couldn’t agree more. I had a China Blue Gti6 which was done by Kelly at KDS before he got massive!!
I used to wash and dry that car religiously every week. I would decon maybe every four weeks or so. I would add the odd hit of protection every 2 months or so dependant on the longevity of the wax I was using. In the winter I used to go for 476 double coat wax and wash it every week. It only needed a top up after 4 months over the winter period.
Hard graft but the result was one of the best looking China blue Gti6’s in the country.
Protection is all about less is more.
Cleanliness is the opposite work harder and do more of it.
I agree. As someone who’s new to detailing I found myself obsessed with trying to find the best wax/protection possible. As if there’s a product that exists that’s better than all the rest . But I realized what makes my car look the best is consistent maintenance
I did the same, but then realised I needed to wash it, decon it, light polish and then add Bilt Hamber Double Speed (cheap and effective). Then wash regularly and top up if needed with BH QD spray. This is a massive simplification of the amount of products needed for protection (just 2) and also really cheap compared to the ££££ you coud spend chasing a holy grail of protection perfection which does not exist.
Great points. The main theme is "relative" which is the point you made about the gloss meter. The relative I.provemwnt on each step to the previous state is a diminishing return the further along you go. Great improvement with a good safe wash. Slight less with a good decon etc. If.you add results x effort, washing wins.hands.down...
Surely a quick waterless wash with a nice mix containing equal parts of Seal 'n' Shine, BSD, Reload, Optimum No Rinse, Ech2o and Shinee Wax is the way to go? I was going to leave it like this but worried somebody would not see the joke. Great video!
Your so right it doesn't matter what products you have on the car's paint if its dirty its dirty end of. It needs to be cleaned correctly. I have had people go out just as i am starting a wash and come back at the end before all the polish and sealant and said how nice it looks cos it made the biggest difference with really minimal effort.
I got into detailing about 3-4 months ago and have spent a small fortune on gimmicks. I have now settled with starting with a good snow foam (Bilt Hamber) > A good PH neutral shampoo sprayed over the car in panels so the mitt is coming into contact with suds and lubrication the minute it touches the panels > dry car well with high quality towel and quick detailer with hydrophobic coating as a drying aid. Always brings my car up like a show piece and I’ve never used a clay bar or machine polisher. It would upset me too much as it does now if I had spent 10 hours machine polishing a car to drive my daily work commute and get it filthy in 2 days like it normally does (I live rural).
100% agree with what you said about layering products. What about adding layers of the same protection?
I.e. Perfecting the paint then adding 3 layers of the same ceramic coating instead of 1. Does this give benefits or not?
I guess it depends on the product. Reg holds the world record for using up a pot of wax ( I think he got through a pot of R222 in like 3-4 weeks). I dont personally see the benefit of waxing like every time. Lots like to dress the paintwork with SI02 sprays now. Again I think you can just end up putting too much material down. I guess as well the less you are buffing out products maybe the less scratches? Not sure. Personal preference comes into this, the world wont end if you like to dress your paintwork everywash with something.. But I just dont think its critical I think is more the point.
@@ForensicDetailing I'm pretty sure, 90+ % of Reg's wax ended up in his cloths and eventually down the drain when he washed them.
Layering may be good in some cases, but you need to know what you're doing and how the products react.
@@ForensicDetailing Hi John. Lovely to see someone so respected in the community saying that the world won't end if you do things your own way.
If we are all stressed out about getting it all perfect, which I am very guilty of, it takes all the fun out of the activity and actually means you get out there less maintaining your hard work. Thank you x
Wise words, Jon. All too easy to be tempted into buying and trying the latest, high-tech wonder products, assuming they'll make your car look better and make your life easier. The reality - as always - is that it all comes down to getting the basics right, and putting the necessary effort in. It's not a 'sexy' message, but it's the key one.
By no means am I an expert but I am slowly getting in to detailing. Learned a lot from your videos already - even now own a polishing machine :). My 7 yr old car needed a good sorting and has had it (stages 1-4) but still has some stone chips to sort, my wifes 5 year old had a bit of all stages (not all panels). My daughters 1 year old had a good wash and decon of lower panels and my sons brand new car only got a wash. It has Auto Glym life shine and came with a pack and when he said why are you not doing a polish etc, I explained that it was a brand new car and should only need a good wash (used bilt hamber not the auto glym shampoo in the life shine pack) as it was only 2 weeks old. What I do not know is how long the life shine protection will really last but I will make sure it gets a good decon in Spring as you recommend. Thanks for what you upload and hope you keep it up.
You're absolutely right Jon.
Funny is,that im also use BSD on Fusso.
But only as drying aid in 1:3 dilution.
And it works well.
Hey Jon, I have a question, if a vehicle I'm working with has cancer spots where the clear coat has gone from UV, will the sealants and waxes still stick to the bare paint without clear coat? If so, maybe with a reduced durability?
Been off a few month, got rid of the abarth, bought a Skoda yeti, joined the reserves, just bought a 92 nova looking forward to using your tips and tricks again
I agree to a point Jon but, personally, I think all of the stages are of equal importance, it's just that some need to be done significantly more often i.e. regular maintenance washes! The protection is only ever going to be as good as the surface its applied to, which puts, in my opinion, the decon AND polishing on the same level. If your car isn't protected the the maintenance wash will be a much tougher, longer, less enjoyable process...
There's an argument to be made for every stage but I think a good detailer should know that each stage is important and cutting corners in any one will undoubtedly lessen the impact of the others.
they are all important for sure but equally? So your taking your car to a show. the car is filty and covered in mud or other choice the car is waxed or not waxed? Which is the most important thing to sort. If you say you have to clean it of course jon! then you just disagree'd with your point :) I am just being awkward though I understand what you mean and you are right.
Fantastic summary, and so true. We all like the idea of buying the best results. But the truth is simplicity.
I'm definitely going to have to listen to this one a couple of times just to get all the information. What I did get is the priorities and which types of paint corrections are most beneficial and when. Thanks again Jon.
Very brave Jon, almost the opposite of what you need to do on a detailing channel. You are right, the 52 weeks of the year is about the decon, wash and “maintain” your work. It will look great and be easy the next weekend too. Each time planning your next wax or sealant.🤔
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Recently got back into detailing and have spent a fortune on products to clean an A8, which is a big car just to clean !! Last wash was bilt hamber pre wash , gyeon essence two bucket wash followed by Koch Chemie PW in the Lance ... I then went round with a light mist of bouncers done and dusted the results were impressive... tho you have to put in the horse power. Worked for me.
Totally agree. But one thing I would say is that an lsp with gloss enhancing, defect covering etc properties become more important/effective when the paint work is not well corrected and refined.
true that yes.. horrid paintwork will benefit from more like packing out with wax or glaze. But it does not change the general rule. even with horrid paintwork. Washing it often is more important. decon'd it more important. Machine polishing to get the paint good more imporant. Then finall the LSP part less imporant than the 3 other things.
Until lockdown (during which the car has barely been used) I had washed my car weekly (and cleaned inside), with few exceptions. After 7 years and getting on for 150k miles it still looks great when it's clean which for a black car is hard to maintain. I've never corrected the paint (although I have a plan to do so this year) and it's been mildly clayed a couple of times for a deeper clean. It's not perfect, but better than many vehicles of a similar age, it usually gets a coat of Collinite to get through the winter and them usually various Sonax products for the summer. Of late I've been increasingly lazy with Meguairs Hybrid Ceramic or some Autoglym Polar Seal for quick spray 'n' seal solutions.
always good stuff... I find washing the cars and detailing is really relaxing... I fall in the pitfall stacking products.. it's just fun to experiment
Same here. Got so much. I think hydra wax bilt hamber and done and dusted bouncers are great products with korrosol to remove fall out is good
John , you are the teacher , we are just weekend warriors who think we know best , we don't , you know best as you do this with a passion and a knowledge of what you do .
I completely agree with you. I wash my metallic black car most weeks of the year. I apply aqua wax most washes as they tend not to last as long.
Spot on jon , makes perfect sense..i washing my vw caddy twice a week as on the road 6 days a week....
Must be a clean van its having the time to do it. When i got my st I cleaned it every day lol
Wash: ONR
Decon: Surfex HD
Polish: BH Cleanser Polish
Wax: TW ceramic spray
Shines like a diamond and stays clean for ages
Spot on Jon. I use Gyeon Cancoat at the moment & apply it each summer after a decon & light polish. I then use a Si02 topper every 3 months to keep the self cleaning/hydrophobicity there. I might add some si02 detailer in there occasionally as well but other than that nothing else goes on my own car.
job done there really isnt it brian. You can spend a lifetime hunting but somehting like cancoat + SI02 spray is as good as it gets if you want to try the latest gen of products.
I feel like I’m back in school watching this video! Great points tho!
I agree. The protection or finish can only last if you look after it and the way we do that is to wash and clean regularly using safe practices and processes. It always starts with the wash...
You are spot on John.
Hi Jon, Great video. when i bought my new car told the dealer not to touch it. When I picked it up I decon, then two bucket wash then air dry with a micro fibre, then I Gen3 it 6 months after I used soft99 wax on it then very other time I was it I put Car pro Elixir on the body work. Would you say that was to much Jon?
I have fusso coat on my car and was just about to order Sonax bsd i am glad i watched this first :)
I have nothing to back this up but purely anecdotal experience makes me think that the vast majority of cars on the road are rarely cleaned and, especially this time of year, covered in dead leaves/mud/traffic film/ water spotting with brake-dust laden wheels and dirt triangles on the screen. I firmly believe that if your car has none of that, you're already looking vastly better than a good 80% of cars on the road. For the bulk of "daily drivers" being cleaned safely, thoroughly and often and given a coat of SRP and a good wax every few months will be more than enough!
Excellent advice as always, just started using TAC moonlight and really pleased with it so far!
good isnt it Alan, top it with Shinee wax. and you are done. High tech combo and my 4 year old bottle of moonlight is still working great.
Looks like I'm doing something right for a change-I'll have to go and tell the missus😂 Always do the 2BM after TFR and jetwash to get as much off as possible without touching the car and do the decon and reapply twice a year. I've not machine polished my car yet as It's only done 10k and spends most of it's time in the garage but can see me doing it on the spring. I've used Hellshine Abyss for years now together with their QD as an occasional top up and it lasts 6 months and I still have loads left so see no point in changing.
Excellent video Jon. Such a simple process we over complicate. Common sense.
Makes perfect sense to me because I think I have fallen into the trap of having too many protection boosters for want of a better phrase. AG Aqua Wax, Optimum No Rinse Wash and Wax, Meguairs Gold Class Quick Detailer and now I've added GT Quick Detailer and also their Sigma spray. Some of these products shade into the "drying aid" category but I guess it wouldn't do any harm just to do a straightforward wash every now and then with a shampoo with no gloss enhancers or similar.
Honestly I think it's down to the usage of the car. I have customers that only ever have my Bronze Exterior (which includes a basic wash and QD) that only ever have that but don't use their cars everyday and keep them in a garage and they come up nice every time. I also have had others who do that but no garage and the car is used a lot who really do need a bigger valet once or twice a year but don't. I also have customers who have the Bronze regularly then have a larger one with a good wax once or twice a year. So I really do think it's down to usage and even if its garaged or not.
I agree John. Like everything in life, you can’t skip or bodge the prep. Bad prep bad results....... glaze aside 😂
Jon, I’ve always said 85% of the process is the washing.. maybe 5% each on the other parts, maybe it’s not quite as even as that..
Fully agree, sadly I guess most cars coming for detailing have been neglected. So the detailer is in correction mode!
The old addage prevention is better than a cure. I'm no expert but if your car is used daily/regularly, maintainance is going to be key. Maintainance is easier with good protection, it all goes hand in hand but either way, maintainance is always number one. As you said, wash properly, wash regularly gives you the best chance of getting good results every time.
Gotta agree with you with a BUT. The but is that if paint is corrected properly with the first 3 stages, you have done the best you can to get it right. Then protecting it becomes important or you will be doing decon and polish again pretty soon and eroding the small amount of clear you have available. Most of the dirt from a well protected car will get removed before you touch it, removing a lot of opportunity for putting damage back in.
My view is that to get the paint up to scratch, wash decon and polish is key. Once it is done, then it is time to lock that in is protection. Then the regular maintenance washes on a protected car Inflict far less damage than it would to unprotected paint because everything flies off with the prewash. Summary, those stages do different things. They are equally important.
:) love it, made me chuckle.
Spot on John.
Appreciate the down to earth explanation. Great stuff.
Not just me then !! I keep telling people you've got to go back to come forwards. Once the basics are correct then polished,waxed or sealed , maintenance wash every week takes no time at all,maybe a cheeky detailer every 4weeks or when needed. Good advice though Jon
Just a thought... wash, decon, protect, machine polish. I was thinking this because machine polishing is finite as the clear coat is only so thick?
Always informative. I learn stuff every vid. Thank you.
Ive chasing the ultimate combo for the paintwork, wasting money on products, chasing unrealistic water beading. While there are many good products out there, ive just decided to stick with Shine Supply Signature Shine. Hard to beat the look of a high quality pure carnauba.
Very informative mate, really appreciated that vid! And that is the exact order I base my detailing on too. Although I was also one of the people under the illusion the protection ’built up’ over time but it’s nice to know the truth.
So I am not going to ‘wash off’ or reduce my wax paste protection by doing a prewash followed by a gentle wash using a lambs wool mitt? I’ve been worried about washing off my protection and may have been applying too much wax.
John this video was spot on. Thankfully I've got a spot remover!
I'd put the Decon 1st as your using fallout removers/ APC then 2nd wash with snowfoam / shampooing 3 claying / Polishing 4th proection thats the order I wash my cars in but good and interesting video john .
this video is not to do with the order of your wash process mate.
Very informative Jon, thanks! I was getting in the habit of putting stuff on every week thinking 'is this good and/or necessary?'.
Great up date thanks
100% on the money in my humble opinion
Just bought a ego blower to dry the car with
It seems to get great reviews
This is why I love spray wax, takes 5 minutes and I just apply whenever the car gets washed during the drying process
Best real advice ever. Thank you.
Good video Jon. The only thing I would pick small fault with is the linear way you have laid out the steps.
Personally I think its a cyclical process myself.
Yes runs in the order you are stating, but a good quality protection does affect the wash process, and possibly even the decon and polish stages too.
So a cyclical diagram makes much more sense to me as each step it intrinsically linked to the step following it and the step preceeding it.
Great advice Jon...I'm a patreon and its a great community, Baz
:) hey baz :)
Jon,
So listening to your advise, I use TAC systems moonlight once a year after steps 1,2,3. Then after each was I use a very light coating of Tac Systems Shinnee wax as a topper to enhance the gloss. Once a month instead of using Shinnee wax I top up (well I think I am) the moonlight with Tac System Quarts max. The car always looks good (in my opinion) and nevr looks to be overloaded with product. So my question is, am I doing this right, or unnecessary overloading with product??
mate, you are done. finished complete. game over. Because I have that same combo on my shelf and I do EXACTLY the same. I have BH wax and QD and cleanser polish combo, and my high tech combo is what you just said. I also have there water glass the green spray and rinse product IVe yet to test. IVe tried everything and the combo you are using ticks all the boxes and is good value can sit on the shelf and the products dont spoil. Moonlight you can use on trim and wheels if you want, calipers etc.. very very cheap and easy to spread and buff, easy to remove if you need to strip it.. job done.
@@ForensicDetailing jon that’s great to know and thanks for reply.I also use BM auto foam and shampoo for step 1 because A- they are great to use and B- because of the anti corrosion properties they contain. Keep up the good work your efforts are greatly appreciated.
I’ve just bought a new (to me) car. I’ve promising myself I’ll clean it regularly. I always promise myself this but I end up doing it less than once a month cos I have three kids AND I’m lazy. The paint is very good looking. The car has been cared for. I’ll admit even before kids when I was washing weekly I was only ever really protecting. I think I did a bit of polish once. Is missing out steps 2 and 3 (lazy) going to cause me problems? I was going to wash and then wax on Sunday.
Dear John sir, i want to expose you on a product we produce here in Greece in a car paint manufactor famus in EU and USA. The product is called HB boddy 770 antisil, and it is avaliable in UK also. It is an antisil panel.wipe similar to Upol but i think it performs great. Maybe some day you want to.put to the test paint prep IPA products like car pro eraser, geyon prep e.t.c VS solvent based like hb boddy 770 , u-pol e.t.c on wax oils polish removal.
Much love sir
looks like a solvent mineral spirit based one. The man problem with these can be in winter times if you dont have a workshop they can be really slow flashing. so they are more profe4ssional workshop use only.. IPA and water flashed though very rapidly even in winter. A very important pro of IPA and water is the evaporate rate and low flash point. but yer they are not as powerfull as the mineral spirits one. I will keep an eye on this thank you marios I might buy it to try. much love to all the wonderfull people of greece. If I ever am in greece I will come find you and we will share a beer :)
@@ForensicDetailing love you sir thanks for the info. And your responce. Have a nice sunday. Many here love your chanell!!! Keep up your great work sir.
My kind regards
Couldn't agree with your comments more. I put in alot of time every weekend to get my car, wheels, interior and arches clean.
One point you have raised which has made me thing. I have gyon mohs on the car but every time I was I use either gyeon wet coat or auto finesse lather, do you think I shouldn't be doing this?
you dont need to be using wet coat every wash Mike. use the gyeon QD eveyr wash and the wet coat 2-3 months maybe mate.
Thanks for the video John,, just brought a new car and fairly new to detailing (always kept car looking nice though) and there is so many videos of ppl trying different products my brain was washed into thinking i need to buy loads of them, ill stick to good old washing it properly. and using a 6 month ceramic spray, cheers
Bilt Hamber products are fantastic value for money to build up your detailing "toolkit" when starting out. I have been following John's channel for years now and always get complimented on how good my cars look despite never having corrected any of the paint (yet) and just keeping them clean. If you take good care of a newer car it will really hold on to the condition for much longer and need less correction later in life.
Welcome to the community!
@@SerenaBluee Thank you, i'm currently using Autoglm polar blast/wash and when that runs out im getting Bilt Hamber ones.
@@dangtdetail2794 Bilt Hamber Autofoam doesn't hang around afterwards like the Polar Blast snow foam does. A nice benefit to BH products is that as well as being cheap, most of them are biodegradable. You won't get the same thick foam but it actually cleans the car, where I found the Polar Blast mostly just looked cool and stayed on the road for ages afterwards.
I would sooner invest in lots of different brushes and three proper buckets than a million products to be honest, as I find those much more useful in keeping fiddly bits clean like in the wheel arches; especially important in the winter to keep the rust out.
How have you found ceramic sprays? I am yet to try any.
@@SerenaBluee i've only used turtle ceramic spray wax. i have a perl white car so it was easy to apply ie never noticed any streaking and i put another coat on 24 hours later and im pleased to be honest, feels very slick and the water beads are insane i did put it on over gyeon wet coat 2 months old, i did chemically decon the car prior to putting the ceramic on, only put it on 1 week ago so, its still going strong. i have ordered some brushes but at the moment i'm using clean makeup brushes to do the grill and other areas. thanks for the reply's it means a lot.
Like most things in life, learn the basics and then good at the basics and you're 90% of the way there.
Yet we all get suckered into buying protection products time and time again!
If I added up all the protection product I have and got its maximum duration each time, I could protect my car for 500+ years. 😆
Hahahaha !! Funniest comment here ! At least your car will still be around when humans become extinct. The Aliens will enjoy it then lol..
On a more serious not. Protection products should only ever be applied AFTER the paint has been cleaned, polished and whatever it requires anyway.
@@tonymontana897 you saying the aliens wont clean and prep paint properly??
I better leave an instruction manual for them. 👽👽👽👽
yer spot on dave. we have all done it. I had like 30-40 waxes, and about 20 sealants once. I do enjoy it though, its fun trying new things but it doesnt make that much difference.
@@DetailingandtheBeast No need mate. With a 500 year guarantee they won't need instructions. It may go for another 500 years with all that protection slapped on lol..
John what is the best current heavy cutting compound. I deal with alot of cars/Jeeps that have been butchered by brushes/poor washing and some cowboys with machine polishers. I'm looking for something with a real heavy cut and that finishes down decent as well. Its to get good results and save some time as most people where I live don't want to pay for multiple stages of polishing. Something that can cut and then I can run over it with a finishing polish to tidy it up and leave it respectable. Thanks in advance.
Eamon
Koch H9 or Scholl Concepts S2 black I recomend but of them cut well but are smooth to use and buff well very nice gloss finish. If your on a real tight budget Farecla SFC101 finished with SFF101.
Thanks John
Washing
Decontamination
Clay
Protection (nxt sealant and collinite 845)
Can I skip compounding and polishing cuz i don’t have the skill nor the machine for that. Is that enough for diy detailing at home ?
Please give some advice on this
you wash to remove dirt
you decontaminate to remove contamination
You clay to remove contamination
You polish to remove swirls and improve the gloss
You protect to protect the sruface from contamination.
If there is no dirt you can skip wash
if there is no contamination you can skip decon/clay
if there are no swirls and paintwork is glossy you can skip polish
if car has good protection you can skip protection
only you can asses each of the stages above. its highly likely it will need a wash, the other stages I cannot comment on with seeing the car. this is not trying to be a smart or clever answer this is the best answer anyone can give you.
Question Jon. So do i really need to put garage therapy 2 sigma on top of garage therapy 3 sealant.
you dont need to. You can use the normal garage therapy QD. But you will get a lot of slickness from the sigma QD.
Thought when I purchased 2 sigma i thought it was a waste of time and money. So thanks for that.
Good video again Jon, quite surprised when you mentioned good old TAC systems Moonlight was a favourite, when in a previous video you said Turtle wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic coating was better
I bet I never said that :) it came up top in a shootout test or TW came second didnt it and the non ceramic tw came first? but they are not really comparible. Moonlight is a proper lightweight ceramic, TW is a water based SI02 spray wax type thing. I think the the TAC product makes a better base line sealent. Ive just finished my 6 month sealant test and moonlight outlasted it in sort of more real "time" durability testing rather than chem hits.
@@ForensicDetailing It was a shootout you did last year near the end on november, where believe it or not it actually came out last in your test, behind both TW products and Meguiars ceramic and Fusso. personally i found Moonlight incredibly easy to use, buffs off so easily, and looks so well, though its no were near as slick as Hybrid solutions, but in comparison i struggle to buff TW HS off, so much so that i mixed it with Car Pro Reload to help me buff it off and funnily its then quite a nice product, who would have thought it !!!
Not much free stuff coming your way now. Half the company's will be out of business now your said you don't need it.
I’m sure some of these detailing RUclipsrs do push certain products
He's gonna get many soaps and decon products haha
All the decent product manufacturers who have nothing to hide, love people like Jon who give a honest review and have a great following!
I’m a moonlight fanatic for sure! But also I really like the NV nova products.
Please make a video that says: 1) Learn how to clean your car without scratching it 2) Occasionaly clean out the rocker drain holes, dog legs and other rust prone areas 3)Spritz a little quick detailer on it as you dry 4) KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF YOUR POLISHER AND SAVE SOME PAINT FOR THE NEXT OWNER!
Could you please advise, i'm getting a new car that will be arriving in the winter, i don't have a garage and would like to give it some protection before any winter maintenance.
I live in a rural area with loads of seriously muddy / gritty lanes so i need to be very careful when touching the vehicle, i do not have a garage and have only ever hand polished.
Would it make sense? to clean by the following process (i have not got any of this yet so feel free to change anything).
Jet wash, lower areas with citrus wash?, jet wash, APC (Bilt Hamber Surfex HD), jet wash, snow foam (Bilt Hamber), jet wash, shampoo (Bilt Hamber), jet wash, hand polish ( Autoglym SRP or new Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions polish & Wax ), and lastly some of the new Turtle wax Ceramic Spray Coating.
Ya. Setup looks great just choose 1 paste wax or spray wax. If you want to “top up” or use something as a drying aid after a wash just use a simple quick detailer - the tw ceramic spray isn’t ideal in that.
@@NipponStiqqyPaint Thanks for the response.
Hi, what is the main difference between an interior cleaner versus interior detailer? With so many products available i am overwhelm and really don't know what to choose. I am thinking to a product with nice scent or unscented for maintenance weekly cleaning , and another one for more heavy jobs when needed or more deep cleaning. I have leather seats , for that i will use a dedicated leather cleaner than leather protectant, but i have also leather on doors , so i will need a detailer which work also on plastic and leather ...dash. Thank you!
hello sir. interior cleaner is detergent. interior detailer is a glossing agent (spray and shine)
I use surfex HD at about 40:1 to clean my interior.
I use carpro perl at about 5:1 sprayed on a microfiber applicator and rubb on any faded interior plastic or trim.
Note both products I recomend to you are super concentrates so they cost you pennies and literally last you the rest of you life.
get 5 litires of Surfex HD and 1 litre of carpro PERL. dilute them down as instruction on the bottles.
boom.
@@ForensicDetailing Thank you John! I am "scared" to use Surfex on interior , but i will try . Pearl is my choice for tire and engine plastics , but didn't know i could use it for interior. I was thinking to use something from Adam's , Poorboys , AutoFinesse ...or ONR for weekly maintenance. Regards, Sorin.
@@sorin0311 surfex is safer on interiors thn most APC as its surfactant based with no hydroxides or nasty materials, just keep the concentration down.. start at 50:1 perhaps mate.
@@ForensicDetailing Great, told you i am a total noob ! That was the explanation i need ! Thanks! . Can i use it to clean also seatbelts and headliner? Both are light beige and after 5 years and 170k km think they need some cleaning.
Jon can you do an update of your current product you have? How has it evolved?
Will do m8
Ok so i apply paste wax it says 3months. Not beading after 1month so wash - decon or wash - decon - more stuff or new stuff? and no this is not intented to be a trick question but just a question. Yes i was very very drunk.... :D
you could be masking it when you wash it (some shampoos do this) or you could be eroding it away. I can say try TAC systems moonlight after proper prep. 2 coats for added bling and YOU WILL BE impressed maintain the bling with TAC systems shinee wax.
Great vid John how important is snow foam in the wash part of the proces.
In my opinion surfex hd is more effective and better as a pre wash than any snow foam. I've got a nilfisk PW and put the surfex in the detergent lance which is blasted out at high pressure. Very satisfying and very effective.
It's basically key to preventing scratches and swirls during the contact wash process. Snow foam to break the dirt from the surface, power wash to rinse it off. Minimal amounts of dirt remaining on the surface to prevent it being rubbed across the paintwork. The more effective the snow foam, the better result you'll get.
Bilt Hamber Auto Foam is already proven to be the strongest/highly concentrated snow foam that you can buy.
@@shona5512 I love Auto Foam. You can see the dirt coming off quickly as it runs down and cuts through a surprising amount of grime on alloys. And Auto Foam smells absolutely wonderful. Perfect wash product.
Felt attacked when you said Fusso coat with BSD on top
its in one of my cool combo video. nothing wrong with the combo. its just the first products that came into my head.
I've decided that Polish should be classed as Abrasives, though I can't find a definitive answer as to whether 'polish' does or does not contain abrasives. Seems to vary so much. Any polish that is creamy seems to have at least some abrasive qualities, such as the famed AutoGlym Super Resin. It's only when you move to totally clear products, such as AG Extra Gloss Protection that you may assume it might be non-abrasive. Not enough manufacturers put 'cut and gloss' info on the bottles as Menzerna does across their range. Even their Power Protect Ultra Finish & Wax has a Cut 2, Gloss of Maximum 10. It's baffling, and I'm a relative novice with a shelf full of detailing product.
within the detailing scene the defining characteristic of the word polish is something which burnishes a surface through abrasion (aka contains abrasives).. however the manufacturing industry of these materials calls any product which makes the surface shine a polish potentially even if its a detail spray with no abrasives, you will see Formula for sprayable surface polish, and its a detail spray for example.
I think the number 1is buying too much stuff. I’ve realised now I can spend the next 2-3yrs working through what I’ve bought in the last 3-5yrs of getting a bit more serious about looking after the cars rather than the local machine/hand wash for a fiver. Especially detail sprays and waxes. Cheers John
you know what I think your probably right there as well. But the reason we buy stuff is because with think like the product will make a difference. but its sort of the same theme isnt it. Its like "us" and how often and how well we do this thats the important thing.. But again its not so glamourous a thing as the idea that spending money will help us.
I love ur video so keep up good work. Just a quick one I have been using autoglym for many years and so I wanna try something new like dodo juice do u think much of it and have u done any reviews on it? Many thanks
you can literally use anything, have some fun exploring it I used to use Sour power shampoo and it was great, I like the born slippy concentrate because it was like the first clay lube concentrate that saved me money. these are worth taking a look at
New subscriber love detailing love the videos eager to learn as much as I can doing it on the side of my permanent job
welcome love your passion for detailing