Detailing questions (black plastic and wheels/tires)
 

What do you guys usually use to clean the black plastic on your cars? I usually just use my normal wash soap and the back to black. Any other tips?

I was dumb and used a cheap wheel cleaner/wax and it has left white streaks on my textured black forgestars (not heavy or noticeable from a distance). Anybody have any idea how to get this off? Also what tire shine if any do you use and what do you use to clean the tire?

Anybody in the Fort Worth area that wants to detail my 5.0 for me? I used to borrow a friends porter cable on my L but he lives to far away now and I haven't bought one yet. Plus I'm not the best detail guy.

I have always used back to black on the black plastic, and shaker for the Mach when I had it. Try any of the "wheel cleaners" for the stuff on your wheels, see if that gets rid of it. For tire shine I use the Meguiars Hot shine tire gel. as far as the detail goes I would love to help you out but I'm in Wyile and also still need to buy a porter cable....

I use Adams Car Care Super VRT for the plastic pieces and tires as well. For wheels soap and water only, anything else is too risky, less you have cheapo wheels you don't care about.

The stuff I put on my wheels was more of a wax than a cleaner but yeah I know better. Just being lazy and dumb. Thanks for the recommendation.

Car wash soap and water only on the lower plastic and wheels. But I do use a foam grout sponge to wash the plastic and wheels to keep my MF wash mitt from getting too dirty.

I've used Back-to-Black, and Adam's VRT. Back-to-black leave a greasy surface regardless of how many times I wipe it down. Plus the very first time it hit water, it runs like Tammy Faye Bakker's mascara. Adam's VRT is much better, but doesn't hold up well even if the car doesn't get driven/wet. I've used it on my tires and exterior plastic and both starts to fade/dry after a week of being parked in the garage.

My latest favorite is Chemical Guys GEL BLACK FOREVER TRIM & TIRE SHINE. Absolutely dry to the touch on rubber and plastic. leave a nice sheen on the tires that's "just right", IMO. Works equally well on plastic trim as well as tires. Apply it with a sponge, let it dry for at least 30 minutes and then wipe up any excess. Once you've driven a few miles, some may seep out from between the tire and wheel. Just wipe it up and you are good to go. In between wash, if I don't use any heavy cleaner on the tires, I just have to touch up using a thin coat on a sponge.

The ultimate test was when I bought a set of used tires/wheels off Craigslist for my DD Suburban. The tires have about 10K miles on it and I decided to flip the tires so the blackwall is on the outside. The sidewall was badly stained with dirt, brake dust and have a ugly whitish color once I cleaned them up. Apply CG Gel Black and the side wall looks as if they just rolled off a tire manufacture production line. Great stuff.

Francis

Nice! I will have to look into that. I have been using Zaino Z6 to clean mine up and it works good. No residues and leaves the plastic in new looking condition. I'm willing to give something new a try.

As for cleaning off the wax residue try some isopropyl alcohol. Just be sure to wipe it down with a cleaner designed for plastics that has a UV protectant after.

Adams VHT is pretty good for black plastics but for tires I go old school and use Armour all. I have some detail guys tell me its the best cause it lasts long and doesn't throw up onto the body if applied right. Just get some microfibers to clean the plastics, body, and wheels with the two bucket method and you should be golden. Also the OP no rinse wash is awesome. Here is a good website http://www.autopia.org/forum/forum.php Good luck

I detail on the side for extra cash. I use a Adams boar hair wheel brush to clean the wheels. I use MEguiars APC on the tires and P21s for th wheels. Ive lawys used back to balck and never have had a problem on any cars. It seems to last awhile as well.

Where can I pick up Adams Car Care Super VRT locally? I used Meguiars Back to Black and it ran on my door paint like Pam Anderson's mascara. Waste of money.

Re: Detailing questions (black plastic and wheels/tires)
 

I've not found VRT anywhere local and always bought directly from Adams website.

Agree that Back-to-Black running when it get wet. VRT is better, but neither one compares to Chemical Guys New Look Gel for durability.

Cool, I'll take a look at that Chemical Guys New Look Gel

Apparently Chemical Guys have a different name for the product on their website vs. what's on the bottle. :-P

This is what I've been using... http://www.chemicalguys.com/Chemical...tvd_108_16.htm

Mothers back to black. The meguairs stuff is pretty bad ass. Comes in a black bottle. My new favorite right now.