ghost1001

OK, MINIMUM standards, is probably subjective, but here goes.

Up to this point I have never used more than some car shampoo, turtle wax and armor all.

I just got a black pre-owned 2007 E550, it looks pretty good in and out and would like to keep it that way...but...I have limited time and my arm is the buffer. My wife will ride the sh*t out of me if I spend more that 2 hours doing this once a month or so.

I am willing to:

1) clean the wheels
2) wash the car
3) remove scratches, bugs, tar, spots, etc.
4) wax/protect the car exterior
5) treat/protect ext. trim and wheels/tires
5) clean/protect interior
6) clean/protect leather
7) vacuum car
8) clean glass

My hope is that there is one product/process for each of the steps listed above and that one product can be used in more than one step (like good old armor all; trim, tires, seats, dash.)

I have all the towels and stuff so I am looking for the product recommendations. Any time savers would be great; spray products and pre treated towels would be fine.

Also, I am on a tight budget...but if the product is truly exceptional and will save me time and energy in some way or lasts way longer than a cheaper product let me know.

I thank you in advance for your input.

Kevin

GL Troll

Heck, once a week I spend 2 hours minimum and recently I spent probably 8 or more hours over 2 days. Some people would say I have a problem.

Some time savers:

Spray on one of the P21s wheel cleaners. Except for maybe the first time you should then only need a quick wipe.

Use a good sealant instead of wax. It will last much longer so you don’t have to apply it as often leaving time for other detailing.

Ditch any Turtle Wax or Armor All product. They are crap. Get some 303 Aerospace Protectant the best UV protection you can get. It can be your all-in-one for a variety interior and exterior plastic, rubber, wood. It’s not the best looking on tires but it definitely works.

Two hours a month is only enough for a quick half hour wash once a week. And you should wash once a week.

08s550

2 hours a month with a black car just isn't possible. If you want your car to stay looking good you're going to have to wash it atleast once every 2 weeks if not more often. I've been detailing for years and recently began doing so for others so here's my two cents along with some products and time saving tips that I have from my own experience.

First of all to have your car looking good proper prep is important. If looking at your car in the sunlight do you see fine round circle scratches on the paint? These are swirls and can be a true eyesore especially on a black car. What I would recommend doing is having you car washed, clayed and polished to remove this swirls and then sealed. By doing so your car will look better than 99% of new cars out there. You wouldn't believe how swirled brand new cars can come from the dealership. Once you have it properly detailed initially maintaining that perfect paint is much easier.

I recommend washing using the two bucket method and making sure your buckets have grit guards in them. Use a sheepskin mitt, a proline grout sponge, or a microfiber dreadlock mitt to do you washing. You can use higher end car soaps like p21s, poorboys slick suds, Optimum Car wash, etc. However there are OTC alternatives that work well also, Duragloss is excellent, and so is Meguiars Gold Class. By using these products you will be able to maintain your paint and keep it perfect like the day you had it polished because you are not introducing swirls with your wash method. To dry I recommend a couple waffle weave drying towels from Detailed Image. While drying I also like to use a product like aquawax which will add more protection and slickness to your paint every time you dry your car.

For wheels you should initially have them washed and sealed with a product such as poorboy's wheel sealant. This will allow you wash the wheels almost effortlessly next time with some p21s wheel gel.

For the interior avoid Armor All for sure, it is greasy stuff that is actually bad for your plastics. I recommend 303 aerospace protectant for a matte look with a little shine, or Optimum Protectant Plus for a more matte OEM look. Both are great products that provide UV protection to prevent discoloring of the plastic/vinyl interior pieces.

If you keep up with washing your car a great product is also Optimum No Rinse wash, it cuts down wash time significantly, but it requires proper use to prevent from swirling the vehicle.

The great thing about Mercedes Ceramic Clear is if it polished to perfection then maintaining it is a breeze with proper techniques, it's very resistant to swirls with a correct washing technique.

If you have more questions feel free to ask here or PM me.

ghost1001

OK, Thanks...that is what I thought.

The car is swirl free, the dealer or previous owner actually did a good job with that, the car will be a weekend car and garaged, so that should help.

Here is what I have come up with so far....let me know what you think:

1) clean wheels with p21s, rinse wheels
2) wash car with poor boys soap and a sheepskin mitt
3) dry car...can I use a micro fiber towel?, that is what I have
4) use Klasse AIO over the entire exterior of the car
5) vacuum interior
6) use 303 aerospace on the entire interior of car
7) clean glass

Can I seal the wheels with 303 aerospace or Klasse AIO?
What do I apply the Klasse AIO with, do I buff?


So far 3 products, which would be great.


Thanks for all the help.

Kevin

Greg@DI

Kevin,

I think you got some pretty good advice overall from the posters above.

3.) I highly recommend getting one to two Waffle Weave Drying Towels. They are paint safe, silk edged and super absorbent. It's much more effective than some of the thinner and non-waffle weave microfiber towels.

6.) I love the 303 products. I would clean almost the entire interior with the 303 Cleaner and Spot Remover. I use it on the carpets, vinyl, plastic, etc. Therefore you can clean the doors, console, trim, engine bay, etc. with one product. If you want even better value get the concentrated version of this cleaner (303 Fabric and Vinyl) cleaner. After your done you can protect anything that is rubber, plastic, vinyl, leather with the 303 Aerospace Protectant. This is premier UV protectant and it leaves a nice matte finish.

If you want to be really efficient you can use a cleaner and protecant in one like the Chemical Guys Silk Shine Dressing and Protectant. This has some light cleaning properties and good UV protection.

I would buff on the Klasse AIO with a clean foam or microfiber applicator pad. Then remove the excess product with a clean microfiber towel.

You can seal the wheels with the Klasse AIO after they are clean and dry. You can also use it to help clean and protect the glass, exhaust tips, coated wood grain, etc.

We have the P21S Wheel Gel and all the rest of these products at Detailed Image. We also offer MBWorld members 10% off, coupon code "10offMBW". Let me know if you have additional questions.

Greg @ Detailed Image

08s550

Kevin

Good to hear that your car is in good shape with no swirls. I think Greg pretty much covered the rest of your questions. I too recommend drying with two waffle weave towels from detailed image(I've tried many different brands of towels, and I've found these to be the best), as regular microfibers just aren't as absorbent and the waffle weave towels are much larger. Also, especially since your car is black, I recommend topping the Klasse with a carnuba wax such as p21s 100% or Souveran. I would choose any of the waxes from the following link (except the regular p21s, a I've heard it has no UV protection) depending on your budget. http://www.detailedimage.com/Wax-C16/. I have p21s 100% and find that it is very easy to apply and remove.

Pat

Sunir

There's some good advice on this thread. I too am looking ot minimize steps but get great results with long lasting protection. Klasse AIO is a polish and sealant in one as is the Poorboys...so that would help by polishing and sealing in a single step...

So if I did by hand, every say 5 months or so on my black SL500:

(1) Wash
(2) clay bar
(3) Klasse AIO or the Poorboys polish with Sealant
(4) Souveran wax

Would this be a good process? Should I add a step for the Menz FMJ between (3) and (4) above as a it's a glaze/sealer type protectant right?

I am looking to come up with a straightforward routine to use 2 to 3 times a year, spending much longer than what I plan to do say a couple of times a month, which is an upkeep routine...quick hand wash, dry and spray wax (Souveran spray) followed by a quick detailer mist and wipe. figure bout an hour every few weeks for the upkeep.

GL Troll

The only reason to add FMJ between 3 and 4 is as an extra layer. It has no glaze properties as far as I know. However, it’s probably wise to stick to one brand when layering. The theory is that there may be some chemical incompatibility otherwise. So you might layer Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze over AIO. But this step is optional.

The line between a quick detail spray with sealant/wax and a “spray on wax” is thin or nonexistent. I don’t see a need to QD after spray wax.

Greg@DI

Considering your goals I think your process is pretty effecient. I don't think a coat of the FMJ would be necessary though if you're trying to keep it straight forward. The Klasse AIO offers pretty good protection. The FMJ would help add some more shine and protection but it's not a must have for your routine. I would probably try to shoot for every 3 - 4 months repeating this process to ensure the AIO is still fully protecting your vehicle, however if you don't have the time it may not be possible.

I don't think a glaze would be necessary at all in this situation. If you were to add any step I would definitely suggest a light polish instead. You would notice significantly more results in my experiences.

Greg @ Detailed Image

08s550

I too don't think FMJ is necessary especially considering you want to save time. I would also look into purchasing some aquawax and use it as you dry your car, it adds protection and leaves a very slick finish.