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Going to give the car a good proper deep clean ready for Autumn. What is the best stuff to use for shampoo/wax/polish? I'll be buying from Halfords if that makes any difference.
Try autoglym conditioner which just removes, and then use a wax separately.
Fairy liquid. 😁
It's a bit like asking which bike brand is best, but you won't go far wrong with autoglym stuff.
I'm sure the forum's favourite ex-professional car washer will be along in a minute with more options.
Autoglym is fine but the Super resin polish is fair more faff than it needs to be.
From Halfords I'd be looking at the Meguiars or Autofinesse products.
Wash, clay, polish, then wax.
+1 Meguiars Shampoo. Comes up lovely and smells good too 😉
Halfrauds have a sale on ATM
2ltrs car shampoo
Bucket
Sponge
5 microfibre cloths
£4.50
Super resin is probably best used when a good clean/polish is needed as it's good at getting rid of tar and other crap. Tend to use this occasionally. Traditional turtle wax (in the tin) is good for a quick polish (but not shifting in grained dirt).
We also use Colour magic pigmented polish on my son's red car, with autoglym deep shine protection - works fab.
As for a shampoo, I've found Tesco's wash and wax best value/lasting (dark green and very thick).
Look at wo wos (made in scotlannd)
Yes, you can spend THAT much on car cleaning.
Just done mine
Aldi car wash n wax
Clay bar
Last of a 12 year old bottle of autoglym super resin polish (I don't do this often)
2 coats Natty's poor boy wax (smells like bubble gum)
Takes far too long.
Not Halfords but. Bilt hamber auto foam, bilt hamber shampoo, gyeon wet coat for the win. Don't mess around waxing that's old school, it's all about the ceramic coating. The wet coat you just spray on a wet panel and blast off with power washer. Job done and water will bead off for about 3 months.
Autoglym.
As mentioned by fossy in his post...the Tesco wash & wax is very good ..and reasonably priced .
I'm using Simoniz Car Shampoo & Carnauba Wax ( Apple Mint Fragrance) at the moment ..my car loves it and reckons it has never smelled so good 😁
( it was on offer at Costco )
Also a fan of Autoglym products ..(polishes) ..
If you are using Halfords, i would definitely be using Autoglym.
Shampoo
Tar Remover
Magma (fallout remover)
Clay
Super Resin Polish
HD Wax
Don’t understand the comment above saying SRP is a faff, goes on and buffs off ridiculously easy. Probably applying too much!
Bilt Hamber is a great shout if you are tempted to not use Halfords..
https://countydetailingsupplies.co.uk/brand/bilt-hamber/
Use CDS10 code and get 10% off and free delivery over £25.
@stevemuzzy is right, you can spend a lot on products if you get into detailing.
Autoglym here too. Although I did borrow a mate's Meguiars polishing mop & pastes when I 1st got the car to remove the swirls.
Gave it a full going over recently with Autoglym SRP & Extra Gloss protection on the outside and leather cleaner/cream on inside.
I do love the smell of a freshly polished car 😁
I can also recommend the small polishing sponges for applying the polish ! Saves a whole load of wasted product and can be rinsed out. Bought a load off Amazon after the traditional turtle wax came with one in the tin.
An alternative (this being stw we all love posting an alternative but unwarrantied example) would be to give it to a detailer for a day or two, recently left my new car (VW Tiguan) at a local detailers for the full new car detail/protection including decontamination, machine polishing, CQuartz professional ceramic coating, £400 all in and any future washing will be a doddle along with knowing the paintwork/outer surfaces/wheels are fully protected for the next year.
He also does a winter prep detail for older cars which includes decontamination/machine polish,waxed and sealed for less than £200.
Autoglym is fine but the Super resin polish is fair more faff than it needs to be.
Really? I find it so easy to use - it goes on quickly and wipes off so easily. I'd recommend it to anyone. I don't polish my cars often (I don't bother at all with our lease car) - I reckon the other car we have (which is 12 years old) gets polished once a year but it comes up so well with that stuff.
Personally I wouldn't clay it unless you're going to machine polish with something with a bit of cut afterwards. Clay has a high likelihood of marring the paint surface, even if you use a good lubricant.
SRP will hide this marring but it will come back when the fillers it leaves behind come out (3-6 months).
Someone further up mentioned Bilt Hamber. I used their Korrossol fallout remover and it works and absolute treat. Stinks to high heaven though. I then used Autofinesse stuff from Halfords to polish and seal.