Scythe

I recently stumbled across 100$, and want to spend it on my car... i dont think there are any mods that are worth 100$, and figure i could spend it on somethign to help keep my 2IS looking sexy... maybe buffing kits, scratch removers? something like that.. anything from tools or products... i currently own the Brookstone Detailing Kit (Really just a washing kit... hose head/knozzle thing, shammy towel, sponge scrubber, tire brushes)

any advice would be appreciated

warrionex

The best investment for the buck is no other than the mush have P.C. 7424.

$ 99.00 Price
$ 6.50 S&H
$105.50 Total

www.tool-plus.com

UDel

PC is definitely a good investment but the PC and the pads,backing plat, polishes is going to run well over $100.

I would say microfiber rags, towel, mit(Vicking or Vroom are pretty good and can found at Kmart, Autozone, Target), 2 wash buckets, grit guard, car shampoo/optimum no rinse, quality wax, tire cleaner spray/gel, rain-x for windsheilds, leather cleaner/conditioner, claybar/lubricant, scratch-x/quiks or some scratch remover, Lexus touch-up paint, Aerospace 303 to wipe/protect interior and rubber/plastic exterior peices. You should come in around $100 for all this stuff if you shop around.

GatorWPB

Excellent Excellent advice!!
Investing in these products really will make a difference in the appearrance of your car.
For me, I went with mostly MacGuire's so my total was about 40 more than that. I also got paint cleaner and polish. But it was mostly local stores, online Im sure you can save a bunch. Get the NXT 2.0 wax if you can.
Even applying many of these products by hand (without PC) will make a big improvement
Havent tried the Aerospace 303, but theres lots of good dash products on the market.

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

yes a PC would be good a good investment..but still need to buy polishing products and etc +++.....
which will add up to more than $100

so might as well get some1 to do a quick detail on the car...like wash, 1 step polish, wax...

GatorWPB - its Meguiar's not MacGuire's LOL!!

GatorWPB

Ooops, LMAO!! It was late.

Scythe

^^ good call, although maybe i can get the girl to buy the PC, and i spend for the products? i dont want her buying multiple items because well... she'll mess that up lol..

i take it meguiar's is a top-of-the-line brand? do they make a good scratch remover?? i've tried MotherS scratch remover and it basically did nothing lol, and i've heard of other scratch removers being ineffective

UDel

You really cannot remove scratches just by rubbing/applying some scratch x on it or any scratch remover, they only somewhat hide them as long as they are not too deep. With really small shallow scratches/scrapes those scratch removers do a decent job but eventually it wears off after washing. The Quik stuff seems to get the best reviews but I have never tried. In order to get rid of deeper scratches you would need to use a more agressive method like touch up paint, then wetsanding touchup down, and finally polishing off with a PC the sanding marks. If they are not too deep you might be able to just wetsand and then polish, but sometimes it is better just to live with the scratches so you don't end up making things worse.

mysteryan

Well, if you're looking for a new LSP, Ultima PGP can be had for about $75 for 12oz. I've just tried it, and I've got to admit, it's one of the best LSPs. Of course, your paint should be in good condition (well polished or minimal swirls). In that case, a decent machine like the PC can't really be had for $100. Sure it's $100 for the machine (excl tax/shipping). But you need to get the pads. Upgrade the backing plate and maybe counterweight. A cutting polish and a finishing polish as well. For under $100, I would get:

Assumes you have the essentials (shampoos, mitts, etc)
Detailing Clay: $20 (Available OTC)
Hand polishing kit: $22 (Sonus Hand Polishing Kit)
Ultima PGP 4oz: $35 http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ult-1004-100.html
Decent microfibers: $20
Totals about $97

I know detailing by machine is a great deal better, but with a limited budget, hand is the only choice. And the Sonus bundle is like 100x better than trying to ScratchX the whole car. Remember most OTC polishes are "pure polishes" which means they are glazes and only mask scratches with fillers that washes off quite easily. And if you're a fan of Zaino, you'd probably love Ultima.

mysteryan

ScratchX actually contains diminishing abrasives, so it does correct. It's good for spot corrections (assuming it's a pretty light scratch). Just takes a lot of time more time than some people realize. Your arm would probably feel like it's about to fall off once you've finished fixing a scratch. Attempting to use it on an entire car effectively by hand is just nearly impossible.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

I did that on my trunk after my sister washed it with a brillo pad. Finished half, about 55% reduction in scratches/swirls, in about 3 hours of elbow grease . Broke down and bought my PC Starter Kit from detailedimage. It works quite well though, just be sure to switch hands a lot...or else your arm that you use will be bigger than the other

radicalrev

iTrader: (2)

the best way to find out if you can fix the scratch by a scratch remover is by sliding your fingel nail across the paint...if you can feel the scratch with your finger nail, then any scratch remover will not work...with a PC it MIGHT work...but if it is too deep...there is nothing you can do but what UDEL said (touch up paint, wetsanding, and polishing it out) even so i don't recommend it doing by yourself especially if you are new to wetsanding or the PC...

LexusIS-TL

If you're concerned about your car's body, may I recommend a product called Rejex to invest in?

http://www.corrosionx.com/rejex.html

It's used on aircrafts too and keeps contaminants, etc. off of the clearcoat. Plus, it makes it easy to wash.

Scythe

well i think i've decided on the PC... although i'm a little lost on what it can do -- can i use it to buff out the scratches that i cant seem to rub out with just the weak scratch removers?? what i put a drop of whatever product and then just use the PC rather than my arms to rub it out??

mysteryan

Depends on how bad the scratch is. In any case, it'll look a lot better. And a lot more effective than hand rubbing it. Menzerma Super Intensive Polish a good compound to polish with to get rid of scratches. Use that with maybe an orange LC cutting pad and I'm pretty sure your scratch will be gone.