Your NSX Car Cleaning Kit?

[nsx_454]

Hello! I'm curious about what goodies you all use to clean, protect, and detail your supercars.

I am awaiting my born date for my '21 and realize my car cleaning and detailing products and kit needs a serious upgrade. I'd love to hear about your favorite products (cleaners, accessories, towels, etc.) Thanks in advance for any ideas!

 

[The King]

Check out Ammo NYC. All kinds of good videos on detailing there. Check out the detailing forum on Prime. Lots of good advice and recommendations on products.

 

[docjohn]

life was so simple when it was zaino vs zymol....

 

[Honcho]

life was so simple when it was zaino vs zymol....

Geez, that takes me back.

I've been through everything, like most NSX owners. Ammo NYC is a great source of info. Here's what I've settled on after all these years:

• Rubber, Vinyl, Leather and Black Plastic: 303 Protectant (works great for dressing the engine too)
• Rubber seals: Honda Shin-Etsu silicone grease (303 also works where you don't want smudges)
• General Polish/Wax: Optimum Poli-Seal- it cleans, polishes and has a little bit of sealer in it too. You can use it and do nothing else.
• Top-Coat Sealer: Optimum Opti-Seal- amazing stuff, a little goes a long way and it lasts 6+ months
• Show Car Wax: Chemical Guys 5050 Paste Wax- when you want to win that 1st place in your local car show.
• Show Car Polish: Menzerna Micro-Polish- removes all those halos and tiny scratches in the clear coat, like a jewel polish.
• Wheel Cleaner: P21S
• Quick Detailer: Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Detailer- the ONLY one that doesn't streak!
• Leather Care: Chemical Guys Leather Conditioner- NOT for Ivory seats (use Lexol instead)!
• Glass: 000 Steel Wool and a 70/30 mix of alcohol and distilled water, then squeegee and microfiber wipe with Invisible Glass cleaner

 

[nsx_454]

Ooooo thank you! Great tips and very much appreciated the detailed reply [MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION] .... Off for more research.

 

[Honcho]

Ooooo thank you! Great tips and very much appreciated the detailed reply [MENTION=18194]Honcho[/MENTION] .... Off for more research.

No problem. I should also mention that I use a Porter Cable random orbit polisher and lake country pads with all this stuff. This combo also worked great on my GT-R, which has a much harder clear coat then the soft paint on the NSX. I suspect the NC1 also has a really hard clear.

 

[Arkaid]

Paul's list above and recommendation on the Porter Cable / Lake Country pads is excellent. I've also struggled over the years to find a decent routine but think I have what works now. I'm no pro by any means, so your mileage may vary with this. I use the same 303 marine for rubber/vinyl/plastic surfaces and shin-etsu for seals but slightly different waxes (only because I had one of those big coupons at autogeek and said hey may as well buy all at once lol)

• Polish / Swirl Remover: Wolfgang Swirl Remover 3.0
• Glaze: Wolfgang Finishing Glaze (I believe this is the same formula as Menzerna 3500)
• Top-Coat Sealer: Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
• Paint Cleaner: Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer (I only really use this before sealing and waxing if there aren't any swirls in the paint at all)
• Wax: P21S Carnauba Wax (or if you have a black/dark colored car, Natty's blue is also great)
• Wheel Cleaner: Sonax Full Effect
• Quick Detailer: Meguiar's Ultimate or Griot's Speed Shine
• Leather Care: Leatherique, with Gliptone cleaner in between the deep cleans

I always clay bar before laying down any product, and then depending on how heavy the swirls are, will either use both the Swirl Remover and the FG, or the FG alone. And then I always like the look of the DG sealant with the P21s on top - will usually just wait a day or so for the sealant to set in before I use the wax on top.

 

[nsx_454]

[MENTION=33027]Arkaid[/MENTION] - thank you for the detail .... esp. the wax tip. I have been driving a white car as a daily, and my NSX (when it arrives) will be black....appreciate it.

 

[docjohn]

If you are perfectionist be prepared for pain with a black car in the NE...

 

[Honcho]

[MENTION=33027]Arkaid[/MENTION] - thank you for the detail .... esp. the wax tip. I have been driving a white car as a daily, and my NSX (when it arrives) will be black....appreciate it.

You poor, poor soul LOL. My first NSX was black and it was a daily struggle. After 6 hours of detailing, you blink and the thing gets halos. That's how I developed the above routine/kit!

Agree with [MENTION=33027]Arkaid[/MENTION] on the clay. Twice a year, I would clay it and use some Optimum Intensive Polish to correct the clear coat and then work up to the Menzerna Polish and Opti-Seal. Other times, I was "lazy" and would just use some Poli-Seal to clean/de-swirl and then Opti-Seal. I like the Optimum polishing products because they are very work-tolerant and easy to apply/wipe off.

 

[drtonyprimo]

Ceramic Coating

Used to spend countless hours detailing my toys!
Actually enjoyed doing it for the most part!

But here’s a really good analogy…….

All my sport cars were stick!
Hell…. It’s not a sports car without 4-6-8…. On the floor!

And then I got the GTR… DUAL Clutch!
Never had a stick since!

Loved the detailing…… until I got my first Ceramic Coating!…….

Now all I need…..is a bucket & water! Nuff said…..

 

[DannySX]

Paul's list above and recommendation on the Porter Cable / Lake Country pads is excellent. I've also struggled over the years to find a decent routine but think I have what works now. I'm no pro by any means, so your mileage may vary with this. I use the same 303 marine for rubber/vinyl/plastic surfaces and shin-etsu for seals but slightly different waxes (only because I had one of those big coupons at autogeek and said hey may as well buy all at once lol)

• Polish / Swirl Remover: Wolfgang Swirl Remover 3.0
• Glaze: Wolfgang Finishing Glaze (I believe this is the same formula as Menzerna 3500)
• Top-Coat Sealer: Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
• Paint Cleaner: Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer (I only really use this before sealing and waxing if there aren't any swirls in the paint at all)
• Wax: P21S Carnauba Wax (or if you have a black/dark colored car, Natty's blue is also great)
• Wheel Cleaner: Sonax Full Effect
• Quick Detailer: Meguiar's Ultimate or Griot's Speed Shine
• Leather Care: Leatherique, with Gliptone cleaner in between the deep cleans

I always clay bar before laying down any product, and then depending on how heavy the swirls are, will either use both the Swirl Remover and the FG, or the FG alone. And then I always like the look of the DG sealant with the P21s on top - will usually just wait a day or so for the sealant to set in before I use the wax on top.

That's a pretty good list for serious detailing!

 

[Superhatch]

I've recently started using a nanoskin instead of claybar on my cars and really love it. It's just washable instead of having to fold clay, and I've done 3 of my cars with it and it's still good. I just use it with whatever lubricant you normally use when claying a car.

https://www.nanoskinusa.com/products/autoscrub-sponge-fine-grade

I've also started waxing my windshield after cleaning it similar to what Hancho listed above and really liked the results. Super quiet wipers and great beading longer than when I just do a clean.

 

[The King]

I've recently started using a nanoskin instead of claybar on my cars and really love it. It's just washable instead of having to fold clay, and I've done 3 of my cars with it and it's still good. I just use it with whatever lubricant you normally use when claying a car.

https://www.nanoskinusa.com/products/autoscrub-sponge-fine-grade

I've also started waxing my windshield after cleaning it similar to what Hancho listed above and really liked the results. Super quiet wipers and great beading longer than when I just do a clean.

Pretty sure wax will build up over time, unless you strip it off before reapplying. Have you ever tried Rain X? I've used it for many years. Hardly have to use the wipers at highway speeds.

 

[Superhatch]

Pretty sure wax will build up over time, unless you strip it off before reapplying. Have you ever tried Rain X? I've used it for many years. Hardly have to use the wipers at highway speeds.

I'll have to keep an eye out for buildup with the wax. I've used rain-x in the past but something about it seems to have changed over time. I don't find it as good as it used to be.

 

[The King]

I'll have to keep an eye out for buildup with the wax. I've used rain-x in the past but something about it seems to have changed over time. I don't find it as good as it used to be.

Can't say that I have noticed a whole lot of difference in Rain X over the probably 40 plus years I've been using it. I do tend to reapply it quite often however!

 

[v-tecpwr]

I'll have to keep an eye out for buildup with the wax. I've used rain-x in the past but something about it seems to have changed over time. I don't find it as good as it used to be.

There is 2 different bottles now. Window cleaner w/ rain-x and just rain-x. The window cleaner one is terrible and doesn't work very well. I have been using the regular rain-x for years and it still works the same for me.

 

[topsailor]

Paul's list above and recommendation on the Porter Cable / Lake Country pads is excellent. I've also struggled over the years to find a decent routine but think I have what works now. I'm no pro by any means, so your mileage may vary with this. I use the same 303 marine for rubber/vinyl/plastic surfaces and shin-etsu for seals but slightly different waxes (only because I had one of those big coupons at autogeek and said hey may as well buy all at once lol)

• Polish / Swirl Remover: Wolfgang Swirl Remover 3.0
• Glaze: Wolfgang Finishing Glaze (I believe this is the same formula as Menzerna 3500)
• Top-Coat Sealer: Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant
• Paint Cleaner: Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer (I only really use this before sealing and waxing if there aren't any swirls in the paint at all)
• Wax: P21S Carnauba Wax (or if you have a black/dark colored car, Natty's blue is also great)
• Wheel Cleaner: Sonax Full Effect
• Quick Detailer: Meguiar's Ultimate or Griot's Speed Shine
• Leather Care: Leatherique, with Gliptone cleaner in between the deep cleans

I always clay bar before laying down any product, and then depending on how heavy the swirls are, will either use both the Swirl Remover and the FG, or the FG alone. And then I always like the look of the DG sealant with the P21s on top - will usually just wait a day or so for the sealant to set in before I use the wax on top.

 

[topsailor]

do you use a da type polisher with the paste wax

 

[BmanNSX]

I use the following items:

Detailing:

• Heavy Compound - Meguiar's 105
• Medium/AOI - Griots Garage Fast Correcting Creme
• Polish - Sonax Perfect Finish
• Sealant - Jescar Power Lock +
• Wax - Collinite 845
• Spray Detailer - P&S Bead Maker
• DA Polisher - Rupes LHR15
• Pads - Buff and Shine Uro-Tec (Micro fiber, maroon and white pads)
• Microfibers - Various

Commonly used for the weekly wash:

• All Purpose Cleaner - Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner
• Degreaser - Meguiar's Super Degreaser
• Wheel Cleaner - Meguiar's Iron Decon
• Dressing - Meguiar's Hyper Dressing (diluted in two different ratios; tires vs interior plastics)
• Soap - Adams Car Shampoo
• Alcantara Cleaner - Sonax Cleaner
• Window Cleaner - Invisible Glass

 

[Arkaid]

do you use a da type polisher with the paste wax

Sorry! I am just seeing this now. For the paste wax (typically my very last step), I usually don't use the DA - I just do it by hand with a foam applicator. For the sealants I'll use the DA with a pad (with zero cutting ability) and then hand top it ~24 hrs later with the P21s.