Would like some advice on what cleaning products are the best for my new 2008 ES350 (black inside and out). Can Armorall be used on the inside dash (manual just says a damp cloth)? Or is the a better product? Also, what is the best wax for a new car. Consumer reports says Turtle Wax but I have used that before and on my old BLACK car, it wasn't that great. Just wondering if other Lexus owners or viewers of this Lexus Owner's Club have other experiences and advice. Thanks!!

I'm sure SW (and others) will chime in on the detail aspect.....I personally stay clear of armorall. It's slippery, give off a schene that reflects off the dash in the sunlight.

If you want to keep the dust & such off the dash & door armrests.......I highly recommend a swiffer & put it in the glove compartment. I usually have my car professionally detailed with a paint sealant which last for a year + as mine is kept in the garage.

Thanks Lexusfreak! Good advice. Looking forward to SW's reply. Do you know what wax your detailer uses?

Stay away from any and all "over the counter products" - those you find at your local auto parts store that can scratch your paint and more. Instead research http://autopia.org/ where professionals and detailing enthusiasts go for all detailing advise and discussion. I have an 07 ES 350 and I get all my products (high quality) from online detailing supplies stores such as http://www.autopia-carcare.com/, http://www.autogeek.net/, http://www.pakshak.com, etc. You can read all my posts at http://autopia.org/ that show how I take care of my car and look at pics (my name there is also detaildoc). One more thing, stay away from your dealer's free car washes, they only scratch your paint and under no circumstances allow them to detail your car, they are not professionals and they use low quality products that harm your car's finish (inside and out).

Rightlook.com

They supply my detail shop.

The most amazing chemicals I've ever used.

Your post is the best going! I agree 100%

What are you trying to acheive with a wax? Example, wetness, slickness, gloss, depth, shine, durability, longevity......Consumer reports on wax is a joke. Most "dot.com" sites are junk too so be careful. Go to autopia and have fun! the place is the benchmark for pro's. You will never stop learning....

When people pimp a product ask them to compare it to the others they have tried. If you wax your car like all the time, a cheap wax might be okay for ya.

PS. I like optimum prodcuts for my dash or PB natural look. But armorall can be used.

My 2007 ES 350 has a dealer applied "Enviro Package". I think it may be some sort of Teflon product. Are there any limitations to the type of wax I can use on this finish?
Thanks

Thanks Detaildoc. Phew, I feel like a virgin out here. What does ONR stand for? Is the Lowes Grout sponge for washing or drying the car? Sorry but I didn't realize the aspects of car detailing (or what I used to call washing and waxing my car). Of course when you go from a Pontiac Bonneville to a Lexus, I guess I better learn if I want to keep my black Lexus looking good!

I would appreciate a "Car Detailing 101" if you have the time sometime. Not only to exterior washing and waxing, but also what to use on my Lexus UL wheels (I used something on my Bonneville wheels and they never looked the same...don't want to do that again). And, also for the inside (I am looking into the swiffer and try to work the dash that way and with a wet cloth), but what about the leather (black perforated Lexus leather).

Anything you can do to help is greatly appreciated. Looks like I have alot to learn! Even if you don't have time to reply to this, I appreciate the reply you did post. Thanks again!

ONR = Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine. Nomral sponges are poor on paint. Use a MF sponge.

Thanks mburnickas! I am new to all of this.....alot to learn on my part. So every piece of info is helpful!!!! Thanks again.

ONR = Optimum No Rinse. The Grout Sponge from Lowes is for washing your car. It is ultra soft and won't cause swirl marks. For the leather, I strongly recommend Sonus leather cleaner and conditioner, which you get from autopia. It is great, very mild and effective and actually brings back the new leather scent instead of using heavy perfumes to create a temporary effect. Below is a list of products that I use to maintain my vehicle (these are the actual links). Forget the swiffer, not for the interior or exterior as it can scratch. Lexus has ultra soft clearcoat and it is easy for low quality products to scratch it. When washing, always use a two bucket system, one with the shampoo and the other for with water to rinse out your sponge. Wash one panel at a time and then rinse out your sponge in the rinse bucket then put it back in the shampoo bucket for more suds. Never wash or dry in circular motion, always in a straight line. When drying, it is better to blot dry (patting the paint with the towel) rather than the traditional way. Drying is where most of the scratching takes place. Never use a microfiber towel from an autoparts store or walmart, kmart, etc. Not all MF towels are created equal. Those are not of a good blend of fibers and are guaranteed to scratch your paint. Technique is the other half of effective maintenance. There is a lot that goes into it, you can read a lot more here: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/how-to.html. Read all the articles, they will instruct you well. The other part of maintenance is learning to remove swirl marks effectively and safely by polishing with a dual action machine such as the Ultimate Detailing Machine. These articles and the autopia forum will be very useful to learn more about it. STAY AWAY FROM CAR WASHES AND DEALER CAR WASHES AND DEFINITELY DON'T EVER RUN YOU CAR THROUGH THOSE MECHANICAL CAR WASHES AT THE GAS STATIONS.

shampoo: Ultima Paint Guard Wash http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ult-5022.html
Sponge: Lowes Grout Sponge by Proline: http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=prod...&lpage=none
drying towel: The Sonus Der Wunder Drying Towel http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-dwdt-2.html
wheels: Sonus Tire & Wheel Care Kit http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-wheel-kit.html
leather: Sonus leather cleaner and conditioner with the Sonus Applicator http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-600-610.html
Interior (dashboard, vinyl): Sonus Cockpit detailer and Sonus Total Eclipse: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-600-610.html and http://www.autopia-carcare.com/son-700.html
Paint Protection: Ultima Paint Guard Plus: http://www.autopia-carcare.com/ult-1004-100.html

If you purchase from them, use the coupon "autopia" for a 10% discount. Their customer service is excellent, you will be very happy with them.

not knocking ya, but diversify and get out of autopia store. There are better items/prices online like danase, CG, autogeek etc. Also you can use one bucket method with ONR and be fine. I have done this in NewEngland winters (salt/sand) and been 100% mar free. There is a post on it.

But I use a MF wash mitt from chinamart. It is as soft as PB/CG towels (drying) but for washing. The problem with sponges is they do not have the same effects as a MF. For $4.XX well worth it in my eyes. Your MPG may vary....I started using the one bucket method based on Scottwax on autopia...works mint and only need like 1.5 gallons of water in winters (max).

Lastly, unless it is hot out, you can wash 1/2 a side of a car with ONR then dry and be fine. It is on hot days it will dry to fast. At least this is what I found in TX. If you have hard water, you will need to take a QD to clean it up after washing (to get CA/Mg stains off).

Oh, for leather cleaner you can use Woolite at 10 to 1 or 6 to 1...or spend more $$ on a cleaner.

Not much I can add, you guys have done fine.

Only thing I will add is I have used over the counter products before that I found okay.

I also purchase a lot from AG, Danase, Excel Detail, Pakshak, etc, but rather than sending a person who is new to detailing all over the net, I thought it'd be best to get him started at Autopia. Once he goes through that site, he will learn more about the others and about other products. Autopia is still the best site to start.

Please allow me to add my 0.02 if I may

Can Armorall be used on the inside dash (manual just says a damp cloth)?

That particular brand, all do very popular it is very high on the chemical content, it is a very “sticky” product and your dash will “attract” lots of dust, there are other products far superior that the one you mention.

You want a product that will “protect the surface, a product that creates a UV barrier to prevent premature cracking, fading and hardening. The product you mention fails to accomplish those goals.

Also, what is the best wax for a new car. Consumer reports says Turtle Wax but I have used that before and on my old BLACK car.

That was their test and their results, some people agree some people disagree; many articles from many sources can be misleading to the new consumers, educate yourself and little by little you will find a product that will deliver for you.

Some of the advice mentioned before is “right on” I like to think that the most important and first thing to learn is”what, NOT to do” as an example as mentioned earlier,” free car washes” “low quality products” etc, if you learn how to avoid some of the most common mistakes, the learning curve will be a little more easy

I agree regarding Armor All. It is just a greasy product that will attract a lot of dust and not only not provide sufficient protection, but may actually lead to premature drying and cracking. In addition, it leaves an extremely shinny and oily finish, which is not a desirable look amongst professionals and enthusiasts. In fact, if you pay a detailer to detail your car and they leave your interior looking like that, then that is one good way to tell they are not professionals. The desired look is matte or satin finish (of course, some people do like that greasy look).

I believe Consumer Reports tested only those over the counter waxes, which are really not top of the line products. According to CR, Turtle Wax was the best, but I would call this just the lesser of all the evils. The following brands are truly some of the best used by professionals and enthusiasts and which provide superior protection with longer durability and will leave an outstanding finish that is glossy, wet, deep, and warm. One more thing, the gloss and final result is more dependent on the paint preparation. If you car's paint has a lot of contamination (which requires claying) and swirl marks (which requires polishing), a wax won't finish as well.

Clearkote Carnauba Moose Wax, Pinnacle Souveran, P21S and p21S 100%, Collinite, Lusso Oro, Swissvax, Zymol Vintage (not the one you find at Albertsons or AutoZone), Meguiar's Professional Line of Waxes, Duragloss. Meguiars is one of the few products with an over the counter line that is actually satisfactory (e.g. Meguiars NXT 2.0 Wax), but their professional line is better. Still, the Meguiar's towels are not the greatest.

I agree, the Autopia store is a good "one stop shop" for a new person looking for some basic products to build a collection.

Yes, and also a great place to start learning about detailing. David has put together some great articles that will be very helpful for a beginner. See you there SW03ES.

I'm there, I'm "GoodnClean" on the Autopia forums for all you cross Autopia posters.

Hey you guys are great! Thanks alot! I really appreciate your help. I also went on the Pinnacle website and the videos there were great and right on to what all of you said (of course they were selling their products). I can't wait till the snow/winter goes away here in PA so I can do my own "detailing". I have to admit though that I have run my car through the automatic car wash (just the water/soap jet systems NOT the ones that touch the car with those heavy, ugly dirty rags) to get the salt off the car. Hope that hasn't done anything to the car...doesn't appear to.

Anyway, thanks alot (if you have an opinion about Pinnacle products would like to know your thoughts).

Naa you'll be fine, even an occasional cloth carwash won't hurt.

Their Carnauba Paste Wax gives an amazing finish, but does not last very long. They are good products.

I agree. There are other waxes out there you might like. Try them. LOL

Go for a sealant so you don't have to wax it once a month! hahah

If you do, I recommend Ultima Paint Guard Plus or Zaino (Z2 and Z5)

Those two are great products, and probably much more easily accessible than mine. I use the rightlook.com "polymer paint sealant" at my detail shop, I had it last upwards of 9 months on my old car with no problems. Great product, but it'd probably be a lot easier to go buy a very similar product than wait for one to ship!

Also for normal waxes I've had good results with Meguiar's NXT products, and Zymol. (If you can only buy from an "autozone" type store)

I'm not a fan of sealants on anything but light colored cars. To me they look too plasticky, I like the depth of a carnuaba.

Agree, however, if you top Zaino or Ultima with Z8 (which I do) you end up with the warm look of a nuba. Somehow, Z8 adds the depth and warmth of a nuba. You can also top the sealant with nuba and enjoy the look of the nuba while still having the long term protection of the sealant underneath. I sometimes top Ultima with some P21s100%.

Try some JW stuff. There AJ is very close (almost 100%) to Cg5050 nuba

I agree, but when you wax regularly like me, are you really getting any added protection for the effort from the Zaino?

You guys are too good!!!! My head is spinning! Whew! But, man, I have learned alot. And, I am afraid to ask another question, but I am assuming that I should wax the car first and then put on a paint sealant?

I sometime wonder if I should have had the dealer do the TMZ for me at $400.... But I kept hearing from Consumer Reports or others that it wasn't worth it. Oh well, but at least with all of your expertise and help, I can have some fun on my own! Thanks again!

You don't have to do both. Some people prefer the look of a sealant, others the look of a wax. Other, such as myself, prefer the look of both combined. Experiment and see for yourself. However, if you choose to combine, you need to apply the sealant first, then top it with the wax. The reason for this is that sealants need a clean surface free of oils in order to bond to the paint. If you apply the wax first, the sealant won't bond, so it won't last. Sealants actually bond to your paint, while waxes stay on top of the paint. So sealant first, then wax.

And you made the right decision to skip the dealer's paint sealant. For one, its a ripoff, and for two anytime they touch your paint they will destroy it.

From now on tell 'em to skip the wash when its in for service

yea but it is an Toyota approved product as monarch would push! LOL

lol......monarch is done here isn't he?

Yep, we let the door hit him on the way out lol

But was an an OEM door.LMAO...

Thanks! Again, you guys are great!!!! I am looking forward to the spring so I can try some of this stuff out. I think I am going to get the Pinnacle wheel cleaning kit and their bucket (I am definitely doing a 2 bucket system! I plan to use their bucket for the "dirty water" part because of the grate at the bottom)). Then, I think I may do the Ultima product for the body shampoo. Definitely going to use the grout sponge from Lowes' to wash the car with as some of you suggested. And I still have to decide between sealant and wax (I am used to the carnouba wax and like the look...I have never tried a sealant before so I am leaning to the wax...I like paste wax over the liquid I think). I was thinking of the boar's head long handle brush to clean the roof with (I have a panoramic glass roof so I think this should be ok). One thing that I don't think I will ever try is the clay bar....something about this "scares" me. I want to do my Lexus somewhat professional (maybe not to you guys' expertise). But since I used some off the shelf product on my last new car (Black Bonneville) wheels and it really messed them up...I just don't want that to happen to my Lexus (gee, I did step up huh...Pontiac to a Lexus...whew! ha ha). Thanks again!!!!

Good for you, sounds like you are heading on the right direction. If you try the Sonus Green Clay from Autopia with their lubricant you will be fine. It is very mild and won't marr the paint. If you decide to clay, make sure you wash the car first and it is completely clean. For added protection, don't dry it yet, leave it wet so that the water and the lubricant together add more lubricity.

Thanks detaildoc! Maybe when I get some experience, I will go for it!

Only the best hahaha

Just a few pics of what your ES 350 can look like using Ultima products.

detaildoc, you da man!!!! Whew, looks good! I am going to start in a few weeks. My car looks like heck after these first few winter months...but getting ready for the spring. Looks like you are ready!!!!

By the way, what did you use on your Panoramic roof?

Thanks! I put a lot of effort into it. It is a hobby for me and it really relaxes me. Yeah, it is hard to keep a car looking nice during the winter. I am looking forward to the spring myself.

Lol! It does not have a panoramic roof, it is just that I keep the paint in a mirror like condition. I can probably shave with it. If you have a panoramic roof, I would just use a good glass cleaner and a couple of high quality MF towels. I recommend Meguiar NXT Glass Cleaner, which you can get from autogeek. The best MF towel for glass that I have come across is this one at Pakshak.com http://store.pakshak.com/waffle-weave-micr...el-16x16-1.html

Thanks detaildoc!!!! This is what I have to get in shape. This is when I first bought it in Dec. It is alot dirtier now but I hope to return it to this after your help!!!

Looks nice. Is that obsidian? Just FYI, that color is a single stage paint and no clearcoat, yes, no clearcoat. I don't know why Lexus did not put a cleacoat on that color. That means you have to be extra careful when polishing and make sure not to use a too aggressive polish/pad combo. On the plus side, nothing looks better than a properly detailed black.