Chemical Guys What do you think

[AAA96]

Hey everyone, I have been using Wolfgang for most of my detailing supplies in the past. Is anyone familiar with chemical guys? Apparently the soap I need for my gunmetal pearle is the “blacklight hybrid” soap. All good their products sound as confusing as marijuana strains. Haha. Any other detailing brands you recommend?

[Steve M]

I'd just stick with what you know and like. I've tried different things from time to time over the years, and they're all pretty much the same. I tend to value ease of use over everything else - if something is hard to buff off, it goes in the trash. I don't have time for that garbage. I also don't like anything that is even remotely finicky.

Personally, I like Menzerna products for compounds and polishes...they are reasonably priced for what you get, and are pretty easy to work with. For a sealer, I like some combination of Blackfire and Collinite 845. I've also used Klasse AIO and their sealant glaze, but the AIO dusts a fair amount (in my experience), and the sealant glaze is finicky (has to go on super thin, or it is incredibly hard to buff out). I know Wolfgang has a good following, but I've never tried any of their products.

Soap? Meguiars Gold Class. Why? Because I can find it at least 15-20 stores in a 20 mile radius. When I need something like that, I don't want to have to wait for it to ship to my door.

[AAA96]

I'd just stick with what you know and like. I've tried different things from time to time over the years, and they're all pretty much the same. I tend to value ease of use over everything else - if something is hard to buff off, it goes in the trash. I don't have time for that garbage. I also don't like anything that is even remotely finicky.

Personally, I like Menzerna products for compounds and polishes...they are reasonably priced for what you get, and are pretty easy to work with. For a sealer, I like some combination of Blackfire and Collinite 845. I've also used Klasse AIO and their sealant glaze, but the AIO dusts a fair amount (in my experience), and the sealant glaze is finicky (has to go on super thin, or it is incredibly hard to buff out). I know Wolfgang has a good following, but I've never tried any of their products.

Soap? Meguiars Gold Class. Why? Because I can find it at least 15-20 stores in a 20 mile radius. When I need something like that, I don't want to have to wait for it to ship to my door.

Thanks for the info!!!!

[Junkman2008]

The fact that chemical Guy's products sound confusing is part of their marketing ploy. When you create a bunch of products that do the same exact thing, just changing the color of the product is not going to make people buy it. So you need to be able to describe the same product in as many different ways as possible to confuse the consumer into thinking that they are getting something drastically different when they buy two products that do the same thing. Dazzle them with bulls*** is what I call it. Remember, detailing is NOT rocket science so don't make it so.

Look at it this way. Kroger sells milk with their name on it. So does Albertson's, Lucky's, Dillons, Smith's, Scott's Food & Pharmacy, Harris Teeter, Costco, Publix and Walmart. Now do you think that they all get that milk from specially branded cows? There are only so many chemical companies out there producing these products. A LOT of them come out of the same manufacturing facility. As a wholesaler of these products, you can have them made a specific way so yes, there are differences between brands but don't get caught up in the fancy words on the bottle and start "chasing the shine." Find a product that works TO YOUR SATISFACTION and roll with it. You don't spend what it cost to own a Viper without understanding what you are buying, just because your neighbor likes the way it looks parked next door to HIS house. :D

[ViperJon]

All these products are made in the same ten vats in the same factories in China, dyed a different color and given a different scent.

[AAA96]

Meguiars Gold it is!

[ChargerMan426]

Products are fine and usually go on sale on Amazon Prime Days which just so happen to be coming up next month.

[Junkman2008]

All these products are made in the same ten vats in the same factories in China, dyed a different color and given a different scent.

Well, not ALL of them are made in China. Some of the better quality brands are made right here in the good ol' US of A. Hi-Temp is one of them made right here.

[cso19]

I use chemical guys products and like them. Are they better than anything else? Who knows. Just finished doing a full detail on my viper with chemical guys products, wash, clay bar, paint correction polish, glaze, seal, wax. Car looks great and the garage smells great.

[ChargerMan426]

I use chemical guys products and like them. Are they better than anything else? Who knows. Just finished doing a full detail on my viper with chemical guys products, wash, clay bar, paint correction polish, glaze, seal, wax. Car looks great and the garage smells great.

It’s like oil everyone has their brand they like for whatever reason.

[Junkman2008]

It’s like oil everyone has their brand they like for whatever reason.

BINGO, but some of us like to show the proof in the puddin' as to why we would recommend a given product. That's my thing. I could be just some random guy on the internet or I could do this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XGwQDVbOgo

[Fisher]

All these products are made in the same ten vats in the same factories in China, dyed a different color and given a different scent.

I agree, just every owner chooses what he personally subjectively likes and uses it.

[SLP]

Here's what I generally use:

Soap: Chemical Guys Mr. Pink or Meguiars Gold Soap (weekly)
Claybar: Generic/amazon Clay Mitt or Clay sponge (every 6 months)
Sealant: Jescar Powerlock (applied every 6 months after clay)
Wax: Collinite 845 (applied every month)

Also FYI certain soaps are not better for certain colors of paint. Blacklight hybrid is not what you "need" per sae. Certain soaps have different properties (e.g., stripping/cleaner soaps, wax soap etc.) but I think this one is just a standard soap (which is good) with marketing hyping it up. Watch out for the marketing gimmicks in the consumer detailing industry. reddit.com/r/autodetailing is a great resource.

[Junkman2008]

Here's what I generally use:

Claybar: Generic/amazon Clay Mitt or Clay sponge (every 6 months)

Why do you clay every 6-months?

[SLP]

Why do you clay every 6-months?

Because I park outside and have a lot of contams where I live. I use a fine clay sponge with quick, light, lubricated minimal passes.

[ChargerMan426]

Here's what I generally use:

Wax: Collinite 845 (applied every month)


While that won’t hurt anything that a bit extreme for Collinite 845. That’s 6-12 months on a DD that sits outside type of wax. It’s long lasting ability is why people use that. If you’re doing it once a month use their 915. Makes colors pop more and should last a little over a month on something that’s a DD outside.

[SLP]

That's true, I guess I'm a bit overzealous hah

[Junkman2008]

While that won’t hurt anything that a bit extreme for Collinite 845. That’s 6-12 months on a DD that sits outside type of wax. It’s long lasting ability is why people use that. If you’re doing it once a month use their 915. Makes colors pop more and should last a little over a month on something that’s a DD outside.

If the wax you use makes the color pop, then your paint needs polishing. Wax is a protectant, not a shining agent. If the wax contains polish, as in a AIO (which I consider a lazy man's wax), then that type of product can change the look of your paint. But a straight wax or sealant should not do anything for the look of your paint. If it does, you haven't polished it enough or correctly. The video that I posted earlier in this thread called, "Guess the Wax?" There is not one drop of wax on that paint. That is paint perfected by polishing. No matter what wax I follow that polishing with, the look of the paint is not going to improve or change. Polishing is what makes jewelry, windows, brass, leather and anything else you can think of that you may want to shine. As a military man, I've proven that to myself way more times than I care to remember. A true Wax is used to protect the shine you get from polishing. Hi-Temp's Midnight Express is a sealant that contains polish. So it protects AND shines in one step. A typical AIO.

[Junkman2008]

That's true, I guess I'm a bit overzealous hah

Claying is something that is NOT done on a schedule, it is done when the baggy tells you that it needs to be done. You have a gauge on your car that tells you when you need gas. You don't run to the gas station every times you drive your car because you can see when it needs gas. Claying has a gauge that lets you know when claying is necessary. It's called "the baggy test."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=900rjH-FKHA

[ChargerMan426]

If the wax you use makes the color pop, then your paint needs polishing. Wax is a protectant, not a shining agent. If the wax contains polish, as in a AIO (which I consider a lazy man's wax), then that type of product can change the look of your paint. But a straight wax or sealant should not do anything for the look of your paint. If it does, you haven't polished it enough or correctly. The video that I posted earlier in this thread called, "Guess the Wax?" There is not one drop of wax on that paint. That is paint perfected by polishing. No matter what wax I follow that polishing with, the look of the paint is not going to improve or change. Polishing is what makes jewelry, windows, brass, leather and anything else you can think of that you may want to shine. As a military man, I've proven that to myself way more times than I care to remember. A true Wax is used to protect the shine you get from polishing. Hi-Temp's Midnight Express is a sealant that contains polish. So it protects AND shines in one step. A typical AIO.

Soooooo idk. I've never personally noticed myself but I've always just assumed that it was me just me not noticing things since why else would we use carnauba wax vs synthetic sealers right? I'll spend about 3 days when I first buy a compounding then polishing, then sealing, then if its another toy car (read nice weather and lives inside) I'll do a coat of a Carllinite 915 wax. For the DDs they'll usually get a daily wipe down with quick detailer or ONR with a spray wax after and a full two bucket once a month. Typically once in the spring and once right before salt goes down they'll get clayed, if needed, and polish, if needed, before another Carlonite 845 for the next 6 months.

[ChargerMan426]

So since you're active right now Junkman... I have to ask.... why the name Junkman if you're whole internet presence is doing auto detailing? I remember YEARS ago showing my dad one of your videos (he passed in 2013 so yeah its been a while i've been watching and reading your posts) and he said, why would someone take detailing advice from a guy who says he has junk lol.

[SLP]

Claying is something that is NOT done on a schedule, it is done when the baggy tells you that it needs to be done. You have a gauge on your car that tells you when you need gas. You don't run to the gas station every times you drive your car because you can see when it needs gas. Claying has a gauge that lets you know when claying is necessary. It's called "the baggy test."

Absolutely, the bag is truly revealing. It just so happens that my contaminants build up in my area about every six months, so that's when I take care of it. Good point though, everyone who clays should know about the baggy assessment.


So since you're active right now Junkman... I have to ask.... why the name Junkman if you're whole internet presence is doing auto detailing? I remember YEARS ago showing my dad one of your videos (he passed in 2013 so yeah its been a while i've been watching and reading your posts) and he said, why would someone take detailing advice from a guy who says he has junk lol.

He's a legend! Similarly I saw his videos around ~2014 and got further into the detailing world because of videos from him and Larry at ammo NYC

[Junkman2008]

So since you're active right now Junkman... I have to ask.... why the name Junkman if you're whole internet presence is doing auto detailing? I remember YEARS ago showing my dad one of your videos (he passed in 2013 so yeah its been a while i've been watching and reading your posts) and he said, why would someone take detailing advice from a guy who says he has junk lol.

Back in 1981, I was chasing women around the college campus of Eastern Kentucky University. I saw this one hot chick that I definitely wanted to hook up with but I didn't know her name. That never stopped me before so I called her by what she was wearing. I said, "Hey tight jeans and pink top!" She responded by telling me that if I wanted to speak to her that I had better call her by her name. When she told me her name, she then told me that I couldn't speak to her unless I was a member of her brother fraternity, or a little brother to her sorority. I saw how much hell her brother fraternity's pledges were going through and I thought to myself that if I was going to get abused, I would rather it be women abusing me. So I pledged as a little brother to her sorority.

Before you can pledge, you have to be given a name by the sorority sisters that you wear on a shirt during the entire time that you are pledging. You wear no other shirts, as that shirt marks you as their territory and all other sorority women know not to contact you. You belong to the sorority to which you are pledging. To give us a name, they lined up the guys pledging, ask them questions and gave them a name depending on their answers to the questions. When the sorority sisters got to me and were looking me over, one of them grabbed my ass and squeezed it real hard. She told her other sisters standing there that I had a lot of junk in my trunk.

"The Junkman" was born. :D

[ChargerMan426]

Now we all finally know the Junkman origin story!

[Junkman2008]

Soooooo idk. I've never personally noticed myself but I've always just assumed that it was me just me not noticing things since why else would we use carnauba wax vs synthetic sealers right? I'll spend about 3 days when I first buy a compounding then polishing, then sealing, then if its another toy car (read nice weather and lives inside) I'll do a coat of a Carllinite 915 wax. For the DDs they'll usually get a daily wipe down with quick detailer or ONR with a spray wax after and a full two bucket once a month. Typically once in the spring and once right before salt goes down they'll get clayed, if needed, and polish, if needed, before another Carlonite 845 for the next 6 months.

Man, sorry to hear about your dad. :(

The differences in the different types of waxes has to do with their longevity. Synthetic sealants (man made) have a longer lasting protection than say, EVERYTHING else. Carnauba paste waxes make a great topping for sealants as they protect the sealant, which is protecting the paint. So the type of wax that you choose should fit the environment that you are subjecting your car to. A guy who parks his car on the street in NYC all year long should not be using what a guy in northern Florida is using. They see two different climates all year long and the addition of harsh chemicals that get sprayed all over the road in places like NY, North Dakota and Chicago means that you had better be using a good sealant if your car lives outdoors. Arizona and southern Texas see similar climates so those guys would be using something similar.

When you look into the fine details of the products you are using, understanding what the contents do will help you figure out what you should be using and how often it should be used. I would NEVER use a quick detailer to remove dust from my car as all you are doing is making sandpaper. You are pushing MOUNTAINS of dirt around on the surface of your paint and that damage will show up over time. If your paint is in the condition that I keep mine in, that damage will show up RIGHT AWAY. Most people don't realize how much damage they are doing until you show them. Here's a guy at The Chrysler Nationals up in Carlisle who thought that his paint was flawless. I told him to bring me his car:

45736

This is what HE and everyone with a untrained eye saw:

45738

Then I used my camera to show him what his paint REALLY looked like:

45737

That's what detail spray and a microfiber towel will do to your paint, ESPECIALLY if you do it all the time. Once I fixed that spot, his paint looked like a mirror without one drop of wax on it.

[Junkman2008]

Now we all finally know the Junkman origin story!

Lol! You all are a very select group! Lol! Oh, by the way, 2008 was my Marine Corps boot camp platoon number. :D

[ChargerMan426]

Man, sorry to hear about you dad. :(

That's what detail spray and a microfiber towel will do to your paint, ESPECIALLY if you do it all the time. Once I fixed that spot, his paint looked like a mirror without one drop of wax on it.

Thanks man, only 52, died while I was deployed....but lets not get down in the dumps and keep this detailing session going :)

I keep my cars like that, at least they look like that right after a full paint correction session. What do you do for a light dusting then? I figured a quick detailer with a quality MF towel (Rag Company man myself) doing a one pass per side of the MF (like Mike Phillips over at AutoGeek posted years ago) was the best way. I notice the small swirls do come back but IDK of a better way to do it so I just try a limit things as much as i can then do another quick polish right before winter or right after winter. Its always noticeable with the black harleys but as I'm sure you know...once you get into paint correction you see every little swirl regardless of color.... sometimes I wish I could just have a car and not really care, just get from point A to point B but that's not how I was raised lol.

[Junkman2008]

Thanks man, only 52, died while I was deployed....but lets not get down in the dumps and keep this detailing session going :)

I keep my cars like that, at least they look like that right after a full paint correction session. What do you do for a light dusting then? I figured a quick detailer with a quality MF towel (Rag Company man myself) doing a one pass per side of the MF (like Mike Phillips over at AutoGeek posted years ago) was the best way. I notice the small swirls do come back but IDK of a better way to do it so I just try a limit things as much as i can then do another quick polish right before winter or right after winter. Its always noticeable with the black harleys but as I'm sure you know...once you get into paint correction you see every little swirl regardless of color.... sometimes I wish I could just have a car and not really care, just get from point A to point B but that's not how I was raised lol.

Here's the problem with constantly buffing on your paint.

There are no clear coat fairies!!!

Those cute little fairies that appear in your garage at night when everyone is sleep and respray clear coat on your car do NOT exist! That's why you can't keep constantly buffing on your paint. You only have so much clear coat and you want as much of it to remain on the car as possible. So how do I get rid of dust on my car? I WASH IT, 2-bucket style. If the dust is just a little on one part of the car, I use a quick detailer like this (and any quick detailer will work, you don't have to use anything special):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDevg-0x0jI


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqdjRwsXoOM


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gVU4C_6wOE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PeMi05kZyY

The thing you commented about the black Harley's..... yes..... you sir are becoming unplugged from the paint matrix. Welcome aboard! :D

[ChargerMan426]

Agree on the missing clear coat fairies....need to find them! Check out this video about just how much you would need to polish to break a clear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBGT7tNqV1w

[Junkman2008]

That video is VERY misleading!

He's using a Rupes polisher, which is nothing but a OVERPRICED PC-7424. They are oscillating polishers and they may even have a dual-action polisher. But that is NOT a ROTARY polisher. In my over 150 videos, you will never see me showing anyone how to use a rotary polisher. You can burn through the clear coat IN ONE PASS with a rotary polisher. A oscillating polisher WILL NOT generate the heat it takes to burn through the paint like a rotary polisher does. That's why I show novices how to use a oscillating polisher. If you screw up, you will mostly end up with paint that still looks like trash but YOU WON'T burn through the paint unless you just get stupid with it and do something like what the guy in the video was doing. Like he said in the video, YOU CAN wipe paint off of an edge because the paint and clear coat is at it's most thinnest in those areas but for the most part, oscillating polisher, which are completely different from a dual-action and rotary polishers, are pretty safe to use. That's why I teach with them.

[ChargerMan426]

Yeah I don't see a time where I'll pick up a rotary polisher myself. I'm not doing production line work, just enjoying time with my cars. So I have a griots garage I bought like 10 years ago and a long throw I bought earlier this year when we bought the wife her SRT Jeep. the Griots is now my 3" machine for tight areas and motorcycles with he long though (a china copy of a Rupes big foot) is for 5" pads.

Being another detailing nut, what are you thoughts on this new wave of ceramic coatings? The previous owner had just had a "professional level" ceramic coating installed a few months before I bought the car. While it seems nice I actually don't like it on the Viper as part of the enjoyment I get is taking some time in the evening out in the shop and waxing my cars. Its a relaxing experience and a ceramic coating takes that away. For a DD sure all day every day...unless there is something I'm missing with this new ceramic and graphene movement we're seeing in the detailing world right now.

[Junkman2008]

You and I share a similar passion when it comes to rubbing on our cars. I find it very therapeutic. It's my "me time" and I enjoy caressing my lady. As for ceramic coatings, I look at them like the stuff for people who don't know how to care for their paint. It allows them a level of carelessness if you will. However, bad practices will eventually be the downfall of their paint. So count me out of the coatings game, I will stick to best practices when it comes to caring for and protecting my paint. :cool:

[SA Heat]

Thank God I've been using the Cali duster and doing waterless wash/detail spray mostly the correct way according to your techniques.....I just like using a plusher towel.

Thanks for posting, Junkman.

[Junkman2008]

The pleasure is mine, sir. :)