Diamond Brite (etc)

JonathanRyan

JonathanRyan

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So I'm in the market for a new car. I'm lazy and I hate washing cars. I also don't really like having a dirty car and am too mean to go to the hand car wash down the road (srsly, it has the longest queue in town - there is an actual burger van than serves food to people in the queue).

Obviously the dealer will try to sell me Diamond Brite or something similar for about £500. Google says it's OK but the chemicals are about a tenner and the people applying it generally just slap it on.

Is there something of a similar price that (a) works better and (b) will be as easy for me as handing the car over for a bit and waiting while somebody else does it? Kind of like the Ducks Back you get from Halfords but for paintwork.

(Oh and since I've spent 15 mins on detailing sites trying to get answers - what is a clay bar and why would I use one on a car?)
 
Clay bar is a bit like silly-putty (or blue tack) and it is used for 'polishing' the tiny bits of dirt/sap/gunk off the paintwork, you end up with a very smooth surface for you to polish.

WRT Diamond Brite, the best thing to do is to jsut get the car polished with a resin, does basically the same thing and any local mobile detailer will do it for you.

That said, these things aren't magic, you will still need to get the car washed if you want it to look clean.
 
I have been quoted about £200 for the diamond brite stuff. Seen it at that price in quite a few different places.

Clay bar removes the air pollutants off the paint. It's what gives paint that rough feel. Black paint seems to need it more than any other colour.

There are plenty of spray on lazy waxes now that mean no effort. Just rinse the car with a hose and spray or pour in this wax stuff and buff. Dead easy. I've been using Autoglym aqua wax and that seems pretty good. There's also demon shine which is a pour or spray on with a hose one. I haven't used that yet.

I am very lazy as well when it comes to car washing. I use a hose then a bucket with the soap and nobbly glove type wash mitt. Really doesn't take that long. Then rinse with the hose and apply the lazy spray wax.
 
srichards said:
I have been quoted about £200 for the diamond brite stuff. Seen it at that price in quite a few different places.
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Interesting. I strongly suspect the main dealers just make up a price and then maybe discount the package for you if you kick up. £200 seems way more reasonable.

Nawty said:
That said, these things aren't magic, you will still need to get the car washed if you want it to look clean.
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Yep - I get you. It's just I'm amazed by the nano coatings you can get for glass and thought something like that should both reduce cleaning (dirt won't stick to it) and make it easier.
 
I had my last new car treated with this

https://www.cdn.renault.com/content...transport-and-protection/GEN_3_A5_Leaflet.pdf


The protection it gives is unbelievable,ime lazy and dont wash my cars,we have a sycamore tree that drips sticky resin stuff twice a year and coal fires with crap that sticks to it,every few months i would take it to a local hand wash but did not allow them to dry it,just traded it after 31/2 years and the finish was perfect.

The garage i just bought my new car from dont do that so i had to have Life Shine will see if its as good.
 
mikew said:
The garage i just bought my new car from dont do that so i had to have Life Shine will see if its as good.
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The life shine stuff is good, certainly helps.

If you don't want the care kit, let me know as I use it and am running low, :)
 
andyred said:
The life shine stuff is good, certainly helps.

If you don't want the care kit, let me know as I use it and am running low, :)
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I still have the Renault one somewhere i never even considered using it,I may use the Life Shine though it just depends if i feel up to washing and polishing the car,with my luck the days i feel fit enough will be bright sunshine :(
 
mikew said:
I still have the Renault one somewhere i never even considered using it,I may use the Life Shine though it just depends if i feel up to washing and polishing the car,with my luck the days i feel fit enough will be bright sunshine :(
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Hopefully you get out there and clean it, It's good stuff and works well :)
 
Dealer gave my car the Diamond Brite treatment for free including the maintenance kit. Never used the maintenance kit but the car always looks fairly clean between washes and dirt, grime and bird mess isn't hard to remove as a result.
 
I work in a main dealer and would not pay the prices asked for D/bright or GardX or what ever, I know what I buy it in for and how much it gets charged at, it's also only as good as the guy/gal who puts it on the paint/interior, me, I'm happy with a decent wax and sealer 2 or 3 times a year.
 
Had 1 car with D/Bright and present car with Gen3, so far Gen3 seems to outshine D/Bright.
 
nilagin said:
Dealer gave my car the Diamond Brite treatment for free including the maintenance kit.
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I'm wondering if that's the reason for the huge price "OK, you twisted my arm, I'll throw in £500 worth of paint protection....."
 
mj4456 said:
I work in a main dealer and would not pay the prices asked for D/bright or GardX or what ever, I know what I buy it in for and how much it gets charged at, it's also only as good as the guy/gal who puts it on the paint/interior, me, I'm happy with a decent wax and sealer 2 or 3 times a year.
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That is probably about the best compromise.
To get the very best finish a lot of frequent elbow grease is unavoidable.

However, it is a human trait to look for the easiest solution and that opens the door for the sale of "sucker products".
The world (and especially the car world) is full of very overpriced solutions to common tedious jobs. Usual old ploy - fork out a load of dosh / only need to do the job once / car will have a showroom finish for donkeys years etc.etc. Heard it all ad infinitum. Certain retail outlets are packed to the gunnels with products that come with ridiculous claims. Loads of folks buy them.
 
JonathanRyan said:
what is a clay bar and why would I use one
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Just to add what others have said about them, they can also be used to clean the windscreen.

Take a look on here Jonathon, for some ideas of what's available http://www.bilthamber.com/ (other manufacturers/suppliers also available)

Invest in a couple of large microfiber towels/cloths too. (y) eg; https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kent-Q6100-Extra-Microfibre-Drying/dp/B0030B9U6Q (Think I got 2 for under £10 @ Tesco)


I'm sure the guys on here who do the car care/detailing will be able to point you to their preferred products & give advice.
 
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A few cars back I paid about £500 for whichever super-duper sealer finish my local dealer was using at the time.
Waste of money tbh, never again.
I've been using Armorall shield sealant (£20ish in halfords) on my present car which has been really good and lasts a few months between applications.
It goes on and buffs off really easily too.
Thinking of trying
http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/sealants/gtechniq-c2-liquid-crystal-v3/prod_1040.html
Gets good reviews and can be diluted and used as a detailer every few washes to top-up the finish.
Whatever you choose, remember that after you've applied your new finish and got the car gleaming the local pigeons will poop on it as soon as you go indoors followed by rain overnight that will deposit sandy dust all over your pride and joy;):)
 
Would a clay bar over the windscreen get rid of the annoying bug splats? Somehow they seem to almost etch into it!
 
Jonathan if you are happy to detail the car once a year or every 6 months you can keep it looking good for a lot less money as said above.

I have been detailing my own car for years all by hand on my drive.

These Gtechnic type coatings are not something to pop on in your garage they are normally done under a sterile environment by a pro the surface has to be super clean free of any dust or marks so as to get the desired finish.


The slick feel is achieved by claying the car but if you are after a nice clean shiney car and not worried about how the paint feels then a hand polish followed by a sealer or wax will do the job and no need to spend a fortune of waxes its the all in the prep the wax just adds protection and more gloss.

Autoglymn Super Resin Polish followed by Autoglymn Extra Gloss Protection both available in Halfords or Argos will keep you car looking OK and you can do this twice a year then after each wash use a Quick Detailer to get that just waxed look its very quick and easy.

When I detail my car this is what use.

Clay - Sonus green but there many clay bars out there.

Polish- AG Super Resin

Seal - AG Extra Gloss

Wax - Victoria Concours

QD - Meguiars Last Touch this makes a good clay lube as well as other duties.

Wheels are sealed with a wheel wax

Tyres - Chemical Guys New Look Trim Gel.

Here's a few shots of the results


6702676039_20af28d3bc_b.jpg


18346382939_93c7281b68_b.jpg


18567757735_b06e63806d_c.jpg
 
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Lots of good advice here - thanks (and if anybody else has input I'd be grateful).

I think what I am hearing is.....

1. Don't bother with car dealer coatings - especially not at the prices they charge.
2. Don't even think about a "once and forever" coating - these things are science fiction/pure marketing hyperbole
3. Wash the car frequently and think about using one of these mysterious detailing sprays
4. Polish, seal and wax it occasionally

I.e. spend an hour a fortnight on it plus maybe 3 hours 2 - 3 times a year. Sound about right?
 
Not far off. The full wash/dry/wax treatment takes me a bit longer.
Especially if you have talkative neighbours who interrupt the process....
Once you've got the car sealed/ waxed, avoid the hand car wash type places like the plague as they tend to use harsh traffic film removers that will strip off your nicely applied protective layer.
Buy a decent mild car wash. I have a mild wash and one which is designed to strip wax that I use in spring to start from scratch I.e. wash/clay mit/dry/polish/seal so read the label to get the right one.
Have fun!
 
JonathanRyan said:
Would either of you (or anybody else) be able to suggest a decent wax and sealer? Happy to do something every 6 months or so.
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I use Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba wax.

With all waxes/sealers the finish you get is very much influenced by the basic state of the paintwork. There is nothing that can be applied that will make a surface that is not thoroughly clean / blemished / scratched / has tar spots etc. look like a new polished mirror.

A heavily used car will require more attention than a lightly used car.

BTW wash (not scrape) off bird crap PDQ. That can soil paintwork.
 
As stated by many above, preparation of the paintwork is key to a good finish, so do clay the car after being washed; (not after every wash, ~twice a year as it strips off the polish and wax) use the 2 Bucket wash system and invest in some decent wash gear; wash mitt / microfibre towel etc; before starting your polish / wax process.

As a result of injuries; I cannot wash/wax my car as often as I would like, so have gone for durability over looks............

My current favourite which is a long lasting and easy to apply combination is :

Autoglym Super Resin Polish
Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection
Autoglym High Definition Wax (was using Collinite 476 / 915 previously)
 
So............after all that we finally agreed that GuardX was worth £150. Since nano coating the seats would cost me about 25 quid and I pay 50 a year for Ducksback on the glass I thought it was worth the extra for the bodywork and guarantee. Let's see how it lasts.
 
JonathanRyan said:
So............after all that we finally agreed that GuardX was worth £150. Since nano coating the seats would cost me about 25 quid and I pay 50 a year for Ducksback on the glass I thought it was worth the extra for the bodywork and guarantee. Let's see how it lasts.
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Did you get the pack with this - the wash / wax and bottle of conserver - this helps to keep the shine and water dispersant properties ?

If you want to keep the shine, despite what they "may" have told you, then you still need to wax it.

Get a good quality wax and the depth of shine will be wonderful
 
andyred said:
Did you get the pack with this - the wash / wax and bottle of conserver - this helps to keep the shine and water dispersant properties ?

If you want to keep the shine, despite what they "may" have told you, then you still need to wax it.

Get a good quality wax and the depth of shine will be wonderful
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Yes I'll be getting the pack when I pick the vehicle up. I'll see how the GuardX goes but if it looks good for 6 months I'll be happy then I'll look at waxes etc.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Yes I'll be getting the pack when I pick the vehicle up. I'll see how the GuardX goes but if it looks good for 6 months I'll be happy then I'll look at waxes etc.
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Best advice I got from the manager of after sales (who deals / uses GardX and the like) was to wax the car as soon as you can from when you pick the car up, as it'll be in the best possible condition, having just been treated / sealed and will give you a really deep shine and make it easier to clean etc...

Following my discussions with him and some investigations, I went for Autoglym HD wax - very easy to apply, wait for it to bond and then wipe off / buzz up. Having used it several times now, it's easy to use and gives me very good results, a good deep shine.

Collinite was another one I was considering and Bilt Hamber do some as well...

What car did you go for ?
 
Waste of money IMHO. Never got it when I got my new car last year. I do my own cleaning and there are a load of products out there that work well for significantly less money.

How long they last is dependant on what you what the car with and it's environment.
 
andyred said:
What car did you go for ?
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Well I was literally minutes from buying a brand new Ioniq with very nearly all the toys, but the salesman wanted to go home so he let me cool off. I cooled off, realised that for the next 6 months I would rather have a large car that I don't mind putting marks on than a brand new one so.....I bought a second hand Honda Civic Tourer :) I'll change it fairly soon but this summer is going to be too complicated to have a car I need to fuss over.

But yeah, I think I'll get some wax on before the GardX goes all dull.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Well I was literally minutes from buying a brand new Ioniq with very nearly all the toys, but the salesman wanted to go home so he let me cool off. I cooled off, realised that for the next 6 months I would rather have a large car that I don't mind putting marks on than a brand new one so.....I bought a second hand Honda Civic Tourer :) I'll change it fairly soon but this summer is going to be too complicated to have a car I need to fuss over.

But yeah, I think I'll get some wax on before the GardX goes all dull.
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Sounds very nice, the tourer looks a nice car - bit like the A4 / 3 series, there the avant / estate version for me, looks the nicer style...a couple of neighbours have the civic and rave about them - 1 is on his 3rd...

Pity you too far away or you could have tried some of the HD wax I have...
 
andyred said:
Pity you too far away or you could have tried some of the HD wax I have...
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Ah thanks - very kind.

Meanwhile I need to sell Smartacus so I've invested in some Autoglym Aqua Wax. Yes, the stuff for lazy people :)
 
JonathanRyan said:
Ah thanks - very kind.

Meanwhile I need to sell Smartacus so I've invested in some Autoglym Aqua Wax. Yes, the stuff for lazy people :)
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I've been using that. I really like it. So easy to use. I probably should polish the car properly at some point and apply it after.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Ah thanks - very kind.

Meanwhile I need to sell Smartacus so I've invested in some Autoglym Aqua Wax. Yes, the stuff for lazy people :)
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Actually it's not that lazy as you have to buff it.

I use megs ultimate quik wax but I bought the us gallon version which is D156 synthetic x press spray wax which works out a lot cheaper. I use it as a drying aid like the aqua wax but a lot easier to use. Car has a coating of autoglanz synthseal first then after each wash I too up with the quik wax
 
srichards said:
I've been using that. I really like it. So easy to use. I probably should polish the car properly at some point and apply it after.
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On reduction at Halfords ATM if you're running out. 12 quid. In other news, my local Halfords has 3 full aisles of car cleaning stuff........
 
JonathanRyan said:
Ah thanks - very kind.

Meanwhile I need to sell Smartacus so I've invested in some Autoglym Aqua Wax. Yes, the stuff for lazy people :)
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Yep, got that and it's great - been using it for quite a while now and works very well with the HD wax I have. A spray to 2 to a panel, wipe over and then dry / buff.

A good tip: if you want to use it when the car is dry (as a quick wax) it works well, but spread it with a damp microfibre cloth and then buff :)


I've used it on a few neighbours cars (that haven't been looked after / polished / waxed) and even I was amazed at the difference the aqua wax made to the shine / feel of the car after 1 application - they were very chuffed with the results...
 
A quick shot of my wife's car from the other weekend. Having used the aqua wax

IMG_1629.JPG

And daughters boyfriends car - which was last washed before this 5 months ago

View attachment 102347

Very pleased with both.
 
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