Best Car Care products?

[TomNJ]

I thought I'd start a discussion on car care products. I've "refurbished" a number of cars over the years and one of the most enjoyable experiences for me is cleaning/reconditioning an old car inside and out to make it look new again.

Here is my list of the top products I've used:

Vinylex - I use it on everything from rubber to plastic to vinyl (I don't use it on Leather). It's great for dashboards and vinyl seats and lasts way longer than any other product (much better than Armor All) I've found. Look at the reviews on Amazon.com if you don't believe me. It's pricy ($10 a bottle) and sometimes hard to find (Pep Boys and Advance Auto Parts carry it), but well worth it.

Mothers Chrome Polish - Before you use steel wool or paint polish on your chrome or stainless steel, give this stuff a try. It smells like laundry detergent, but gets amazing results. It doesn't scratch the chrome at all (unlike paint polish and steel wool) and dissolves all the oxidation and dirt. Use it on the stainless steel windshield frame of your Spider...my 71 now looks like new again. Just keep rubbing this stuff in using a soft cloth until all the oxidation, dirt, pitting and rust (light rust) is gone.

Solder Seal Gunk Glass Cleaner - I was using Windex on my car windows for years and never really liked the results. One day I asked the guy at the local auto parts store what he recommended for glass and he said "Well, the Gunk Glass Cleaner has always been cosidered the best". To be honest, I never thought very highly of Gunk products, but decided to try it. Boy was I surprised, it works fantastic, no streaks at all.

Zymol Cleaner Wax - I've tried many different Waxes and this stuff remains my favorite. Being a cleaner wax (the blue colored one) it takes dirt out of the paint as well (necessary if you live in city areas where there is a lot of pollution). It smells nice too, with a tropical coconut scent. Being carnuba based, it won't make the paint oxidize like silicone-based waxes do.

Mothers Scratch Remover - This is one of the best polishes that can be used for anything from removing a scratch to polishing out the entire car. I've tried a lot of products (Maguires, Dupont #7, Turtlewax Polish, 3M, etc) and the Mothers Scratch Remover is my favorite.

Berkebile 2+2 Instant Gum Cutter - Works much better than others I've tried. I always have to have some on hand. It also can be used for many cleaning tasks including removing glues, tree sap, etc. from paints, plastics, etc. It won't harm good paint on your car, but can remove cheap spray paint from a surface. I've used it to remove glue or paint from my hands as well.

Marvel Mystery Oil - After researching freeing up a seized motor and then trying it myself, this stuff seems to be the best for that.

Seafoam - Seafoam started out as a product that would deep clean the inside of your engine, but it turns out to have many uses, cleaning your fuel system and even removing water from gas in your tank. Check out YouTube for videos on what people are doing with Seafoam, it's amazing stuff that really works.

PB Blaster - My favorite for loosening bolts and rusty parts. I find it more effective than WD-40.

Rain-X De-icer Windshield Washer Fluid - Ever see those window washer jugs in the auto parts store where the liquid is orange and it says it has Rain-X in it? You will never go back to the blue stuff. It not only works well as a de-icer, but puts a "film" on the glass that repells water, which means you won't use your wipers as much and it will resist water and ice build-up. Ice can be taken off the windshield easier. Unlike the old Rain-X product, it doesn't leave streaks as it wears off. This stuff is a must-have. TIP: I even apply this to ALL windows of my car with a paper towel, which means water is repelled even on the side windows and it seems to last quite a while. It's not expensive considering you can buy a gallon for about $5. You'll be able to see better in inclimate weather, which is a safety benefit.

SEM Spraypaints - Whether it's priming/painting a spot on the body or refinishing vinyl, carpet or plastic parts...I like SEM products. Their Promax Enamel is very durable, much better than Duplicolor and Plasticote from my experience. They don't have the color choices of Duplicolor obviously, but they offer basic colors and a clearcoat that can be added over a different product. Read the warning labels on the can though, this is strong stuff with some nasty chemicals (just like all professional quality paint) so use a respirator.

POR-15 - I'm sure many of you know about this rust stopping paint. It works very well. Not only is the paint great, but the chemical called "Metal Ready" that comes with the kit can be used along with other products to etch and dissolve rust. I had a few deep surface rust spots on the hood of one of my cars in the early 1990's when POR-15 came out. I used it on the spots before having the car re-sprayed. Even 8 years later when I sold the car, the rust still had not come back.

Did I miss anything?

[mdrburchette]

Good list. I use most of everything you recommend. Here's something I can include on your list:

Duragloss leather conditioner. Awesome stuff that keeps leather nice and supple.

[Jimb]

I too have been using many many different products over the years, and I now use Autoglym for polishing/scratch removal, followed by Maguiars #16 paste wax, followed by Autoglym seal coat.
I use Autoglym glass polish...nothing comes close that I've tried, and I use 303 for all rubber/vinyl/plastic. Leatherite for leather conditioner followed by 303 for a UV protectant.

Cheers,
Jim

[mdrburchette]

Can you buy Autoglym in the States?

[pope]

My only addition is to skip the orange Rain-X bottle because it dyes the plastic washer reservoir orange and is kinda messy when it sprays on the windshield and runs around the side glass orange. Better bet is to buy the concentrated bottle of it. It is clear and you just add half a bottle to the reservoir and fill up with water or cheap fluid. Other wise the same.

[Jimb]

Also, a little trick for applying a lot of these products is to slip a mens dress sock (preferrably made from nylon) over your hand and then spray your palm. It makes it so much easier to wipe things like the dash, tires etc. Nylon doesn't absorb as much as wool so less is wasted.
When using a product like Autoglym on the glass, a sock is sooooo easy to rub it on...simply let it dry for about 3 minutes, then with a clean sock wipe it off. Absolutely no streaks. We even use this on our house windows it's so easy.
I use different size artists paint brushes for detail work like 303 on doorlock rubbers, windshield washer nozzles and door rubbers etc.
Cheers,
Jim

[baltobernie]

I'm partial to "Invisible Glass", an reasonably priced aerosol available in many auto parts stores. It also does a terrific job on storm windows. (Mike, you'll havta explain these to the Cali guys )

I also like Meguires "Ultimate Detailer" in the spray bottle.

BTW, professional detailers advise not using fabric softener or dryer sheets on cloths used on glass. They claim these products are a major contributor to haze and film.

[mdrburchette]

Bounty towels also have a chemical on them to help with absorption that will cause a haze or streaking.

[JDOliver]

Meguiars natural shine for plastic and rubber parts is fantastic. Its almost like a spray wax. Its the only thing that I am really dead set on for products.

[james124]

This is terrific info.
What do use on the vinyl rear window and what's the best way to apply it? I'm always afraid to scratch it or make it opaque. Thanks

[mdrburchette]

Here's something for cloth tops:
http://www.duragloss.com/product.asp?pid=347


And for the back glass:
http://www.duragloss.com/product.asp?pid=285


I have not tried these products, but I have used Duragloss and have been extremely pleased with the results.

[4babycar]

I have used the Megular's plastic polish for the rear vinyl window and it worked great. It was just applied with paper towel. It took a completely fogged over and opaque window and brought it back to clear in about 15 minutes of work. The window didn't say clear but for about 3 months but I attribute that to being typical for vinyl windows, the top being old, and the car being stored outside.