Quote:
Originally Posted by sel1005
Just traded my old trusty 2004 Limited V8 on a 2021 TRD Prem, and wanted to see if my thoughts on detailing products were OK given changes in recent years. Would appreciate any input, advice, cautions, etc:
Wash: Meguilars Gold and soft cotton towel, chamois to dry
Windows: Rain X
Wax: Mothers carnauba
Quick Detail: Griots spray
Tires, dash: 303 Interior / Exterior
Softex seats: Mothers VLR
Using microfiber towels or applicator pads on pretty much everything
How does the above sound to keep the new TRD looking good? Thanks
|
Let me offer my thoughts. I've been detailing part time out of my home for over 25 years. Recently, when I officially retired, I took on a part time job detailing for a local Toyota dealership. Yes, dealer detailing is different than what I do at home, but I get to use the dealership's used cars as a bit of a laboratory to test different products and processes. That said, here's my thoughts.
I think your wash and dry process is pretty solid, but nobody uses chamois anymore because there are less (possibly) damaging products out there today. In fact I'd take a high quality cotton towel over a chamois. Better yet, get a few really high quality microfiber drying towels. Make sure to take care of them differently than regular towels though.
I like 303 Areospace protectant, but one has to remember that it washes off in the next wash or rain storm.
The big thing I'd suggest doing differently is the wax. Traditional carnauba waxes are nice, but they can be a pain to apply and remove in certain conditions. More importantly, they don't last very long. The best you can really expect is about 2-3 months under optimum conditions. Use the wrong wash soap (like dish washing soap), and you can remove it instantly.
I'd suggest a couple of alternatives. The easiest for home detailing is a synthetic / polymer sealant. I happen to like Menzerna / Jescar Power Lock. It goes on and comes off much easier than traditional wax. Better yet, it lasts about twice as long.
Another alternative is a ceramic coating - as has already been mentioned. I like Carpro Quartz UK, but that's just personal preference. A decent ceramic coating can easily last a couple of years. The downside is that to really do ceramic coating right, you need to polish / correct the surface first, then apply and level the coating very carefully. Unless you have some experience with a coating. I'd recommend going to somebody who has. Although they're much easier to use than a few years ago, they're still tricky to get right.
Hope that helps.