Some detailing links

I just finished detailing my 2005 Driftwood Pearl Prius and thought others might be interested in learning about products that are much better and also easier to use than the junk you might buy at the local auto parts store or discount retailer. Here are some links to the most popular auto detailing web site I know of:

http://autopia.org/forums/

http://forums.roadfly.org/forums/detailing/

http://www.detailcity.com

Most of the people that post are truly obsessed, it's not unusual for posters to have a routine that involves applying eight applications of product to their paint (polish twice, apply sealant three times, apply wax on top two more times). There are some good tutorials on how to apply the different products and discussions on what products are best for different paint colors, and what the tradeoffs of each product are in terms of gloss, depth, durability, ease of application, etc.

Since the paint on my Prius is in new condition, all I did was apply a single coat of Klasse All-In-One, followed by a coat of Klasse Sealant Glaze. These products are very easy to apply, each took about 1/2 hour total to apply and remove. Then I put some Blackfire Tire Gel on the tires and that was it. About 90 minutes total to wash, polish, and apply sealant.

Because my car is a light color, and it's, well, a Prius, I didn't feel the need to do anything more elaborate. I chose what I could apply quickly and still give me good durability. For a darker color, or if I needed greater durability, I might have used products from P21S or Zaino, instead of or on top of the Klasse application.

Here's a list of manufacturers whose products have a good reputation. In my opinion, they are all far better than what you can get at Walmart or most auto parts stores, even Meguiars. Most of these products are easier to apply than the mass-market products, and end up costing less per application because you use so little. I used about eight nickel-sized circles (it's thin, so each circle had very little volume) of Klasse Sealant Glaze on my Prius, which means I can probably get at least sixteen applications out of the bottle, for a cost of under a dollar per application.

Klasse
Zaino
P21S
Einszett
Pinnacle
Four Star

There are a few others, like Menzerna and Blackfire which offer a full line of products, but are mainly known for just one of their products.

Anyway, if you want a show car finish, or if you just want to try some products that are easier to apply, and superior in protection and appearance to mass market brands, check out those links. There are also links to online retailers on those sites. I buy from the company that sponsors the Roadfly detailing forum and have had good experiences buying from them.