Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

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Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by New Duke »

So you're going to a car show but you can't wash, wax and polish it that morning, or maybe even the day before. So it's been sat for a day (or two) after detailing but before the show and has got a bit dusty, even in the garage. Maybe you even had to drive it a bit on the day in between the cleaning and the show so it has a bit of road fleck on it and a bit of brake dust on the wheels.

I'd rather not turn up to a show at all than drive it dusty/dirty there. Especially being black, it's a dust sheet within a day of cleaning.

So the internet seems to suggest quick detailers to solve this problem and get the car shiny again the morning of the show. I've watched videos on various techniques too.

BUT. Even with always presenting a clean side of the microfibre cloth and only applying light pressure, it still looks like wiping dust/grit against the paintwork. Which goes against every action I take in the wash cycle: snow foam, rinse, 2 bucket wash with noodle mitt (a separate one and different PH neutral wash for the wheels), multiple microfibre towels for each stage for the drying and subsequent wax and polish cycles. All focused on minimising any contaminants contacting the clear coat.

Any yet people seem to spray these Quick Detailers onto a dusty car (via a microfibre cloth) and just wipe?! It's hurting my brain.

Long ramble for a simple question; do any of you lot use Quick Detailers? If so which ones? And are there any alternative solutions?

I'm currently looking at Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer (cos the internet loves it), and Surf City Garage Black Edge (because I like Killer Chrome and my car is black). I'm just MEGA nervous about the whole concept so need the wisdom of the herd.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by Goobie »

I’ve used this either after a wash in the sun to help with water marks or a quick hose down then spray n wipe situation. Like you’ve said, I don’t see how spraying on and wiping over after some miles etc is a good idea regardless.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by bigpete8 »

I've used Wilko Waterless wash and wax I was more than happy.
I wouldn't risk it on a new car (or newly painted) but very much doubt it will do more harm to my 10 year old paint with 55k of stone chips.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by warpc0il »

You don't want swirl marks in the clearcoat even on an older car.

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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by bigpete8 »

Without wanting to sound like an advert:
Mitt does very much lift the dirt and wash n wax provides a surface for it to glide over the paint without causing damage.

I suspect it's no riskier than traditional sponge and bucket for the swirls...
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by New Duke »

Thanks for the thoughts guys, at least I'm not the only sceptic.
bigpete8 wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 9:37 am
I've used Wilko Waterless wash and wax I was more than happy.
I wouldn't risk it on a new car (or newly painted) but very much doubt it will do more harm to my 10 year old paint with 55k of stone chips.
Yeah silver cars are ideal for that. Look less dirty, harder to see scratches, don't get as hot in the sun! Problem is my black one really shows up how much dust and grit settles when you look at it from an angle. Checked today 24 hours after washing and waxing and it had a fine dust/grit film, that you just wouldn't spot on a lighter coloured car. Ignorance is bliss in that regard.

Maybe waterless wash and wax and some quick detailers really do lubricate and lift enough to prevent scratching. It's a gamble for convenience I suppose.
Goobie wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:27 am
I’ve used this either after a wash in the sun to help with water marks or a quick hose down then spray n wipe situation. Like you’ve said, I don’t see how spraying on and wiping over after some miles etc is a good idea regardless.
I hadn't thought about doing a quick hose down then using the quick detailer. Would you then apply it to the wet car and have it dry as you wipe off the spray?
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by exiled--viking »

Rain water and some detail wax in the same spray bottle is what I use rain water leaves no water marks and helps with the wipe on wipe off I use this most when I attended shows with good results also is a good wheel cleaner....just my point of view here's one I did earlier :lol:




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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by Essex2Visuvesi »

If you want super clean watermark free water for washing/rinsing then try RO water. Its used by marine fish keepers and is 99.99% pure H2O
My dad has a filter kit for making his own.... great in screen wash tanks and water injection systems as well
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by warpc0il »

I just use the water collected by the dehumidifiers
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by New Duke »

warpc0il wrote:
Thu Jun 07, 2018 1:01 am
I just use the water collected by the dehumidifiers
Good point, I run one in the garage. About time I used the condensed water for something.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by Juey »

Holy thread resurrection!

I use the Meguiars Ultimate Detailer - works very well indeed.
Ideal for a quick wipe over if it's been sat for a while and got a bit dusty but not dirty. A bit like the waterless wash n wax products it seems to emulsify the stuff it picks up into the cloth and evaporates off the paintwork in a few seconds after a wipe over with a micro fibre cloth.
I also use it after a wash and dry to get rid of the dried watermarks that a slightly wet drying cloth leaves behind if I'm not polishing or waxing.

Autoglym one is awful and leaves horrible smudges behind.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by New Duke »

Juey wrote:
Fri Sep 28, 2018 4:21 pm
Holy thread resurrection!

I use the Meguiars Ultimate Detailer - works very well indeed.
Ideal for a quick wipe over if it's been sat for a while and got a bit dusty but not dirty. A bit like the waterless wash n wax products it seems to emulsify the stuff it picks up into the cloth and evaporates off the paintwork in a few seconds after a wipe over with a micro fibre cloth.
I also use it after a wash and dry to get rid of the dried watermarks that a slightly wet drying cloth leaves behind if I'm not polishing or waxing.

Autoglym one is awful and leaves horrible smudges behind.
Juey have you tried using thick microfibre towels for drying? I discovered these a couple of years ago and since then watermarks are a thing of the past: http://amzn.eu/d/dir00FB

Two should dry the whole car. First one to do a quick sweep and pick up the heavy puddles and the second one to get it bone dry. And BAM, no streaks, even on my black car. It's much quicker than other ways of drying too. Then paint is looks great as is, or is ready for a next stage.

EDIT: In winter I use 3 of these towels to get it bone dry. Because of reduced evaporation and always wanting to have the towel be dry enough to absorb.

These are extra thick towels compared to microfibre clothes, which suck at drying stuff. I haven't touched a leather chamois since getting these.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by Juey »

...yep, use a couple of very thick drying towels.
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Re: Quick Detailers - Yay? or No Way!

Post by warpc0il »

Final rinse with deionised water (or from dehumidifier) and there's no watermarks anyway...
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