Recommendation of the cleaning supplies

[dlasing]

Hi all,

I just bought a 2011 335i convertible. What is your recommendation of the leather, vinyl, exterior, wax and wheel cleaners? Should I go for the BMW brand?

Thanks,

[Edison@Jlevi SW]

We have had a lot of success with the Adams Polishes brand of cleaners. They have everything from tire shine to regular car wash to a full polishing kit for yearly detail sessions.

[buggywhips]

I've used Zaino Brothers products for years and love their stuff.

www.zainostore.com

[E92!Dreier]

I recommend the poorboy's and Chemical Guys lines of products. They are exceptionally high quality, and available at a more than competitive price.

Google 'detailed image' and you will find my vendor, george - he has both lines in their entirety.

[spitpilot]

For wheel cleaners...make sure you DON'T buy any that have acid warning label..way too harsh on the clear coat..my BMW dealer had Meguiar's "Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner as their reccomended product in the parts dept.."Safe for all factory-coated wheel types". Of course they wanted $12/bottle or something like that...I bought 3 bottles at a "buy 3 and save" sale at my local Kragen's Auto for $10! LOL... Cleans good and is "PH balanced" to prevent clear coat etching!

[manoosie]

Is plain old armor all ok? I have lots of the stuff...

[spitpilot]

Is plain old armor all ok? I have lots of the stuff...

Way too shiny for me...I used to use it..really slather it on my daughter's VW Rabbit convertible top..kept the UV at bay for about 15 years we had the car in the family..but for some time after each application..the top would shine like a new dime!...For more natural look, try Meguiar's "Professional Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner/Conditioner" #40...I've used that for years 'n years on all interior (non leather) surfaces with good results..and it kinda has a "new car smell" to it as well. For leather I"ve used Zymol, and lexol..which are two step "cleaner, then protector" products, and for the last several years had good results with something called "Turtle Wax Emerald Series" Leather Cleaner & Conditioner. My 10 year old Passat's leather all looked like new when I sold it recently...and the Turtle Wax was the only product I ever used on it's leather seats and leather portions of the trim...Wax...I use One Grand's "Blitz Wax" paste....preceded by clay bar if needed, then 3M Imperial hand glaze. If you keep the car up well, wax twice a year..only need to glaze 'n wax..takes about 1 1/2 hours to do a good job on that process...about 2-3 hours if you have to clay bar clean first.

[LuvMyE92]

Griots makes some excellent stuff, you can't go wrong there. Especially noteworthy is his wheel cleaner (safe for our wheels) interior cleaner and quick detailer. His leather care is good too, but I prefer Lexol leather care, easier to apply.

www.griotsgarage.com

Armorall and the like are not good and in fact may actually shorten the life of some plastics. You don't want shiny crap reflecting when you're trying to drive.

[Boston Mike]

If you want the best in the world.....Zymol

[eisenb11]

I tried Meguiar's for the wheels and I have some really nasty brake dust areas that just don't want to come out. Even rubbing with a slightly abrasive sponge doesn't get it out.

Anyone know if there is anything non-corrosive that will get those out... or am I going to have to whip out the big guns?

[RonNSoCal]

I would contact Meguires, they have a help line. I would think a good fairly aggressive car polish would do the job. I bought some when I attended a Meguires weekend detailing workshop in Irvine. Be sure the wheels are not hot when you are trying to clean them. A mild rubbing compound would probably work too, but I would be careful. You do not want to take off the clear coat. Always start with the least aggressive cleaning product first.

[spitpilot]

I tried Meguiar's for the wheels and I have some really nasty brake dust areas that just don't want to come out. Even rubbing with a slightly abrasive sponge doesn't get it out.

Anyone know if there is anything non-corrosive that will get those out... or am I going to have to whip out the big guns?

\

Key to car care is "don't let things slide"..if you don't wax for years, or clean brake dust until the wheels are black...it's not gonna be EZ!... I wash every other week, wax twice a year, detail interior at least once a year...never a problem with brake dust comin off with Meguiar's and a fairly soft wheel brush (lug nut brush too with the BMW)...If you have stubborn brake dust, a "cleaner wax and lots of elbow grease will cut it. The time spent will teach you to clean wheels good at least once a month!

[eisenb11]

\

Key to car care is "don't let things slide"..if you don't wax for years, or clean brake dust until the wheels are black...it's not gonna be EZ!... I wash every other week, wax twice a year, detail interior at least once a year...never a problem with brake dust comin off with Meguiar's and a fairly soft wheel brush (lug nut brush too with the BMW)...If you have stubborn brake dust, a "cleaner wax and lots of elbow grease will cut it. The time spent will teach you to clean wheels good at least once a month!

I actually do clean my car at least once a month. Wax 3-4 times / year. I didn't start using wheel cleaner until recently, though... just car soap and water.

Looks like I'll have to look into this cleaner wax stuff.

[grantguy327]

I have the entire Meguire's line and I've been really pleased thus far. Their clay kit and Tech Wax 2.0 is top notch. I use the Hot Rims All Wheel cleaner and it works fairly well. The only complaint I have with their product line is their Tire Cleaner/Gloss ... really sucks (Hot Wheels) ... you're better off going with their Golden brand of that stuff.

[LuvMyE92]

Key to car care is "don't let things slide"

This much is true.

I wash every other week, wax twice a year, detail interior at least once a year...

Amateur! Ha! I wash weekly, wheels every time, wax every few months, clay-bar annually, detail the interior about every other car wash (i.e. twice a month).

[Kernel Kurtz]

If you have a dark colored car, try Klasse all-in-one synthetic polymer topped with a premium carnauba wax like Pinnacle Souveran. Both are super easy to apply, long lasting, and the depth is incredible.

[Cir14]

If you want the best in the world.....Zymol

Just waxed my car last week w/ Zymol & it was easy to apply, came off effortlessly & looks great

[Bandit335]

Definitely ZYMOL, but not the cheap stuff at autozone or walmart that is actually made by TurtleWax. You want the Zymol products that are sold directly from their website. It is a bit expensive but lasts years. I think around $40 for the wax, but again it lasts a long time. They have different products for different colors, types of vehicles, and even makes. BTW, this is also the comapny that BMW has recommended for years.

[Hollywood D]

I have a lot of chemical guys stuff. Their wheel cleaner is okay, it leaves a little bit of a film on afterwards. I might try Sonax next, I hear that is really good. I use the 303 Aerospace for the interior. Leaves a nice matte finish, I don't like the shiny look. And I got a Bissell steam cleaner for the car. Works good, use it a few times a year to keep the carpets clean. My interior is black anyways though so it doesn't show that much dirt to begin with.

I also wash once a week.

[gary88]

I use Wolfgang leather cleaner and conditioner, great stuff.

For wax I use P21S Carnauba.

[RonNSoCal]

I am also a fan of Klasse all in one. It is not cheap, but it works well. It is German, of course. I also use the glaze which is equivalent to a wax, only is a synthetic. Takes just a little, otherwise it is hard to remove.

Adams spray mist is great for keeping the shine and cleaning off light dirt and bugs. It is pink and smells like bubblegum and can be used in the sun, but I think it works better in the shade on a cool surface. You can even use on glass although I prefer Stoner's invisible glass for glass cleaning. By using these products on the exterior, I rarely wash my car with water, but use Zymol car shampoo when I do. Because it so rarely rains in SoCal, you can get away with using spray-ons and microfiber rags instead of actually having to use soap and water.

The most difficult job is keeping the wheels clean. I must wipe mine down at least three times per week using the Adams spray usually, or a dry microfiber rag if they are not too bad. The sports wheels look great, but have a lot of sections to deal with that make them a job to keep clean. When I think about it, I use throw away plastic gloves to keep my hands from getting so dirty from the brake dust. I usually do not have to clay my car very often unless I park under a tree and get sap on the finish that is stubborn to remove. Thankfully I am retired or would not have so much time to devote to keeping my car looking like new all the time.

[manoosie]

Can you guys link to the exact products you guys get? I go to these websites and there are hundreds of products... thanks.