Chemical Guys thoughts and observations

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Srt-cummins

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So I have been seriously dabbling in the detailing of my own vehicles world for just over a year now. I was a lurker that just bought whatever my local auto parts store had on sale before but got a bit more serious after being on this and a couple other sites and discovered some different chemicals. So, I started with Adams polishes (learned about it from a YouTube video) and liked most of what I tried(think the spray wax is garbage..lol).

Then I discovered chemical guys and started trying there products as well. so far my chemical guys results have been less than stellar and I feel if I had tried them first I’d have given up and went back to the auto parts sales. Every product I have tried, the squirter has leaked all over my hand while using it from the trigger. I don’t know if they just don’t have a good design but I end up wasting a lot of product if I leave it in there bottle. Does anyone else have this problem with there products? Also I went to my local chemical guys detail garage and talked to the staff and bought some products and so far have been very unimpressed. I tried their detail spray as well as drying aid and it left a film on my vehicles I had to scrub to get off. It was not streak free as advertised. Also there tire kicker slung all over the side of my truck even after letting the truck sit for over 12 hrs...

now, I will say that I love their interior scents as well as the watermelon snow foam and have had decent luck with a big mouth foam cannon from chemical guys but I’m reluctant to try anything else as my results so far have been less than stellar.

So to wrap this up I just wanted to share my thoughts and experience with Chemical guys and see if anyone else had the same issues or ideas of better products I should try.
 

McBroom

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I had a bottle of chem guys interior cleaner and it was pure trash. However I'm a diehard meguiars fan
I use 100% Meguiar's products.
Question: before you started changing products did you completely dewax the truck with some dawn dish soap?
That's the best way to have a clean slate to begin the detail process.
1- dawn dishsoap rinse X2
2- clay bar with detailer spray to keep moist
3- sealant Griots is the best.(wait 24 hours after applying)
4- polish
5- wax

Hint when using spray waxes between washes...
Spray your clean microfiber towel with 2 X's then wipe the truck off doing 1 panel at a time...
This is the method that @Pull Ya taught me and he shows his truck regularly at car shows and events.
He details the inside of the gas cap door also.

Blue Mule
 

Damion

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I’ve had great luck with CG wash soap and synthetic detailer. I also love the VRP product. The butter wet wax works very well too.

I have tried their foam blaster 6 foam gun and while the idea is good the foam only shoots out about a foot. I can’t reach the center of the hood from the fender with the foam. I am currently waiting to hear back from chemical guys on a resolution to my problem.

I really want to try their hydro slick wax though
 
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Srt-cummins

Srt-cummins

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I had a bottle of chem guys interior cleaner and it was pure trash. However I'm a diehard meguiars fan
I use 100% Meguiar's products.
Question: before you started changing products did you completely dewax the truck with some dawn dish soap?
That's the best way to have a clean slate to begin the detail process.
1- dawn dishsoap rinse X2
2- clay bar with detailer spray to keep moist
3- sealant Griots is the best.(wait 24 hours after applying)
4- polish
5- wax

Hint when using spray waxes between washes...
Spray your clean microfiber towel with 2 X's then wipe the truck off doing 1 panel at a time...
This is the method that @Pull Ya taught me and he shows his truck regularly at car shows and events.
He details the inside of the gas cap door also.

Blue Mule

No, I didn’t. I wasn’t doing a full detail but just a quick wash to between. And this issue wasn’t limited to just my truck it was also on our charger as well. I only do what I’d call a full detail about twice a year and then just general hand washes between. I have well water that is really hard and will leave water spots and that’s why I was using the drying aid and detail sprays as they seem to help me not have water spots. The last full detail I did I used a strip wash on them and then clay bar, paint sealant, and waxed. I have been looking at polishers just haven’t fell down that rabbit hole yet. Really am
Just scared that I’ll go too far and then have to repaint some. Lord knows these factory paint jobs are so thin you can damn near see through them sometimes...lol.
 

Midnight Storm

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I’m pretty into mcguires product also, but I do rock nothing but CG in my foam cannon. I buy it by the gallon. Mr. pink, honeydew or watermelon snow foam. It’s all good.
 
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Pull Ya

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You might spend a little time doing some research on "autopia". It is a world wide detailers site. They discuss and review products they use and post pictures of their results. Very interesting and informative. The web site also has a store you can look through. They sell professional products that most of the guys use. I think they also sell spray bottles and sprayers. They usually have some sort of sale going or they have a discounted shipping rate. Look for the sales cause some of the stuff can get pretty expensive. I think the last few sprayers I got was from the local beauty supply place. Hate it when sprayer leaks or clogs up. I have never tried CG products so I can't comment on them. Meguire's makes some decent products, I use a few but most of my products come from autopia.
Jay
 

Tim Garceau

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One of the best quick wipe products I’ve used, the smell will liven up your garage for days.

9AB12E58-EE4E-4A27-BAC0-629D104BED77.jpeg

I use their water based tire shine as well because, rwl.

D4AC04B4-BB63-44AE-80E7-FB1AFC3E2940.jpeg
 

emjohn4

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I had a bottle of chem guys interior cleaner and it was pure trash. However I'm a diehard meguiars fan
I use 100% Meguiar's products.
Question: before you started changing products did you completely dewax the truck with some dawn dish soap?
That's the best way to have a clean slate to begin the detail process.
1- dawn dishsoap rinse X2
2- clay bar with detailer spray to keep moist
3- sealant Griots is the best.(wait 24 hours after applying)
4- polish
5- wax

Hint when using spray waxes between washes...
Spray your clean microfiber towel with 2 X's then wipe the truck off doing 1 panel at a time...
This is the method that @Pull Ya taught me and he shows his truck regularly at car shows and events.
He details the inside of the gas cap door also.

Blue Mule

Seriously, doesn't everyone? I'm actually amazed at how many people skip that step! Every car I have owned, I include the inside of the filler door - as well as door jambs.
 

McBroom

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Seriously, doesn't everyone? I'm actually amazed at how many people skip that step! Every car I have owned, I include the inside of the filler door - as well as door jambs.
I was only giving him the basic exterior rundown. When I do mine it'll take me a week. I have bad shoulders and back so I can only do a couple hours a day. I believe I've wore my body out. I've put it in 4 shows during the last 2 years.
Not bad for a get it filthy on Monday and show it on Saturday.
I enjoy showing it cause when I do get to show it I learn a lot of new tricks in detailing. Along with the comaderie that goes along with it.

Blue Mule
 

Kinetic

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You won't see CG products used by top level Pro's...there's a reason for that. I don't use a single CG product myself.
 

emjohn4

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I was only giving him the basic exterior rundown. When I do mine it'll take me a week. I have bad shoulders and back so I can only do a couple hours a day. I believe I've wore my body out. I've put it in 4 shows during the last 2 years.
Not bad for a get it filthy on Monday and show it on Saturday.
I enjoy showing it cause when I do get to show it I learn a lot of new tricks in detailing. Along with the comaderie that goes along with it.

Blue Mule

I'm in a similar boat - lots of upper back / shoulder pain. Don't know how or why (for me), but it is what it is. I love the ceramic coatings because while I don't show my truck, it makes it so much easier to keep clean. And religious maintenance of the 'minor' areas, such as the gas cap, door jambs, tailgate edges, door edges, etc, makes the routine washes go so much easier.

We bought a 'new to us' 2018 Pacifica last week - only 20k miles on it. But the paint...while in great condition as expected, is so rough! I doubt the prior owner waxed it once. Yuck! I'm dreading the first clay bar, detail, polish, ceramic coat...for the same exact reasons!
 

Pull Ya

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Beer and tylenol---LOL
Jay
 

Pull Ya

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gablett

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I really like their interior dressing. Can’t remember what it’s called. It’s a milky white color.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

ctrevino8

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Chemical Guys has so many different products and most are all trash. Yes their products all smell good, but that is about it. For just a little more than what their products cost, you can get stuff from CarPro or Gyeon, that actually perform like they should. There is a reason most professional detailers stay away from Chemical Guys products. There are several detailers on youtube that have tested the Hydro Slick and Hydro charge, and they don't hold up past a basic wash. not worth the $30+ they cost.
 
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Srt-cummins

Srt-cummins

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You might spend a little time doing some research on "autopia". It is a world wide detailers site. They discuss and review products they use and post pictures of their results. Very interesting and informative. The web site also has a store you can look through. They sell professional products that most of the guys use. I think they also sell spray bottles and sprayers. They usually have some sort of sale going or they have a discounted shipping rate. Look for the sales cause some of the stuff can get pretty expensive. I think the last few sprayers I got was from the local beauty supply place. Hate it when sprayer leaks or clogs up. I have never tried CG products so I can't comment on them. Meguire's makes some decent products, I use a few but most of my products come from autopia.
Jay

I think I’ve stumbled upon it but didn’t look at it too much. May have to revisit and really look at it..lol.


One of the best quick wipe products I’ve used, the smell will liven up your garage for days.

View attachment 190852

I use their water based tire shine as well because, rwl.

View attachment 190859

That’s speed wipe is one of the products I tried and it left the vehicles all streaky and nasty looking. It’s bad when even my wife was asking what was different as she helps me clean the vehicles most of the time.
 

Tim Garceau

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Interesting, the only speed wipe I have never tried was the orange(sherbet).

What is your base coat? My old man has a wax base and it works well for him but mine is ceramic.
 

Pull Ya

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Srt--IMHO it's worth your time if your serious about detailing. Sometimes it's a lot easier and cheaper to learn from others experiences.
Jay
 
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Srt-cummins

Srt-cummins

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Interesting, the only speed wipe I have never tried was the orange(sherbet).

What is your base coat? My old man has a wax base and it works well for him but mine is ceramic.

All my vehicles are waxed...I haven’t bought into the ceramic coatings as they are super expensive and should the need arise, they will cause complications with paint work down the road. Not that it would be impossible to paint over just make it a lot more difficult and introduce complications I’d rather avoid.
 

Moose Knuckle 34

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Their waterless carwash is awesome for a cleaner wipe down than just a detailer. It's like 10.00 per bottle at Walmart. Their pink quickdetailer is the bomb as well. But any ceramic detailer like jax wax will take it to another level.. imo.
 
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