Ordered from this guy:

https://www.lazada.com.my/-i155761833-s1845...lFlag=true&mp=1
https://www.lazada.com.my/-i155755927-s1845...lFlag=true&mp=1

Have not seen or heard of fake Soft99 products, so unable to advise, sorry.

In any case this is a rather niche market, so not sure if ppl are interested to pirate detailing products unless its easy to do so (such as 3M claybar and many brands polishing pads). So far havent seen creams/liquids/paste products that get pirated, maybe just similar/same formula but relabeled different brand name.

As polishing is pretty much out of the question for removing watermarks on side mirrors, the next best solution is weak acid. The common home based remedy is white vinegar.

U could try this method: hold a tissue or cotton pad on the side mirror, spray vinegar on it so that the tissue/pad stick on the mirror without dripping down, and let it sit for 3-5 mins. Wipe clean and see if it works. If still have, then repeat the process.


Good to know. Seems like that's the 2nd 3M product after claybar that has been pirated. Perhaps the brand in general is a target for piracy.

Depends on which starting point u are looking at. Meguiars covers pretty much the complete range. Compound/polish is paint correction step already, wax is final protection step. As V429 mentioned, the starting point is at car wash step.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jay8KUMYb4

This will help u choose some products throughout the entire process.

http://cquartz.com.my/

This is the official distributor for Carpro products in Malaysia. Dont think there are other retailers selling, especially their more niche products like glass polishes.

Then u can always do the other way around by polishing first then only send for stone chip repair.

For removing watermarks in side mirrors, just replied with a possible DIY solution, but its not a 1 round settle type of solution. In my many google searches for answers over the years, this suggestion of white vinegar has popped up many many times and vouched by many testers. I have found that it has a limited effect, but perhaps also during my last test I was not patient enough to redo the process over and again multiple times. However, the theory behind it sounds solid enough, acid breaks down the mineral deposits of watermarks.

From my experience with wax and sealants, they offer extremely minimal protection (if at all) to swirl marks and scratches. The main protection offered by wax and sealants are mostly weather and environment related, which is dust/dirt/rain/etc. Swirls and scratches are made by external forces, such as improper washing technique, cat climbing on the car to chill, open/close door (door handle scratches), etc.

However, as V429 mentioned, if your swirls are minor, and your wax/sealant has fillers, they provide a temporary mask to the swirls and gives it an even shine.

Erm, as far as I know wax cleaners and AIO are 2 different products with different functions.

Wax cleaners are as per its name, stripping old wax with extremely mild polish, perhaps removing extra fine swirls and bringing back the shine of your car.

AIO on the other hand, functions as a hybrid compound/polish/mild wax. With the right pad combination, it can remove some light scratches, swirls and leave abit of wax on the car. It is most commonly used by car dealers before delivering car to customer.

However, please dont be mistaken on why ppl still use other single products when there’s such an AIO. A specialized compound can remove more severe scratches, a specialized polish can bring out the shine better, and a specialized wax can protect the shine longer.

As I know sealants advantage is in its protection durability, which is longer than wax. For shine, wax is still generally better. For your case since u already have a sealant present, a spray wax would be best as your topcoat to your sealant. U could try Meguiars Gold class or ultimate quick wax.

Personally I think for home use, pressure washer can be abit overkill if your natural water pressure is already strong enough. Also, I find that at the final part of the wash, it is better to remove the sprayer head and have water flow direct from hose, because then u can fully maximize the water sheeting properties at the final rinse, and drying car becomes much faster.

Personally I dont specifically clean watermarks, but instead just wash the car regularly.

Watermarks will only be harder to clean if it was baked in by the sun. In more severe cases, yes u will require to compound in order to remove the watermarks.

When u say frequently, it sounds like u mean weekly/monthly, so definitely for compounding and polishing its a definite no-no to do so frequently. I think u can polish quarterly or half-yearly, and compound half-yearly or yearly. However it also depends on how aggressive u go during each/compounding/polishing session.

May I suggest that u try washing regularly instead? That is always a good start to long term car care. Just my 2 sen.

Apart from V429's question if your car is white, did the water spots appear after rain then baked in the sun? Also, if your car is black, then watermarks are usually more obvious than other colours.

Yes, the rain has been frequent and heavy these few days, but commonly occur in the evening only.

Waxing frequently also depends on your meaning of frequency. I think spray wax can be applied weekly, but liquid/paste wax is probably more of a monthly activity. Wax can become a protection layer for the rain water to eat on instead of directly on paint.

Wiping the car after every rain can be abit excessive. Cars are meant to provide convenience of travel for us, not be a burden. Also, wiping the car after rain instead of doing a proper wash increases the risk of rubbing dirt on your paint and causing swirls.

If removing old wax/sealant, IPA works best. But for polishing oils, personally I prefer diluted dishsoap.

IPA u can either get cosmetics grade from Magicboo shops, or electronics grade from shops in Jalan Pasar in Pudu.

Lol, welcome to the club! I think many of us over the years of detailing may have bought, tried, didnt like it or it didnt work as hoped, then kept it until too old and eventually donated or threw stuff away. Guess its all part and parcel of learning what works for u and what doesnt.

For machine standpoint, there is rupes, osren, and shinemate, the common DAs in the market. Sorry I cant say much about osren as I am using rupes.

However, for beginners into DA polishing, I would like to suggest finding a machine that can change between 3" and 5"/6" backing plates. Commonly these machine would probably only be 8mm orbital throw, but it is a good start.

From pads standpoint, I would suggest going with Lake Country or Meguiars pads, as they are very well tried and tested, so u will find alot of reviews and tips on using them.

From products standpoint, there are a number of brands of compounds/polishes, so its entirely up to u to decide. Meguiars, Osren, Cartec, Menzerna, just to name a few. My arsenal is on Meguiars M105/205 combo, but M105 is not easy to work with, so I would be moving to M101 for compounding after this.

Beyond that, u will need some good microfiber towels that u use exclusively for buffing off excess compound/polish. Also have a used but good toothbrush handy to brush off excess compound/polish in between cycles. U will also need a proper torchlight for inspection after each session just to see how good/bad your work done so far.

If I missed anything else, please anyone feel free to correct me.

Good to know. Take it a step at a time. Remember that car detailing is a very personal thing, so everyone has their own levels of budget, tolerance towards defects, and practices. Watch youtube videos to learn about best practices and how-tos, but adopt them to suit your own time and flexibility (or laziness level, hehe). Most importantly, enjoy the process, because detailing is alot of sweat (and sometimes blood), and enjoy the results u produce each time.

Lol, I did used to get those back and shoulder pain when I first started machine detailing, then I start to learn proper body movement techniques to reduce them. The key idea is to reduce overstretching your arms when machine polishing, but instead keep your chest a more consistent distance to the machine where possible. Also, I tend to be cleaning the pad more frequently in between polishing, so that is a part rest period there.

Hmm, I have seen the product in google searches before, if not mistaken it is cerium oxide, the most common polishing powder/compound for glass. However, as it is in pure powder form, I didnt buy it because I would have needed to add my own lubrication to get it to work, and imagined it would get rather messy, so end up opted for Carpro Ceriglass.

Lol, thats why I dont squat or bend. I either sit on a bangku or sit on the floor. I also sudah tua lor.

Just sharing additiona tip, get a sturdy plastic 2 step stool to be your companion. The top step is great to put your basket of tool (polish bottle, cloth, toothbrush for pad, torchlight, etc), and when u polish rooftops it provides the right height to do so. The lower step is great for sitting on when polishing upper half of any door, and u can push it away and sit on the floor when going down to lower half of the door. If u find the floor abit hard to sit “bersila” for extended periods of time, u can buy a chair cushion from ikea or any old pillow can also be used to cushion your floor sitting. For mid areas like bumper and front/rear fenders, u can opt to kneel on the cushion instead.

Just some comfort tips while detailing. Less energy spent fighting body aches and pains means more energy for detailing.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/meguiardirect.my/posts/

Meguiars Direct FB page having discounts for anyone wanna get it!

Never used Turtle wax wash shampoo before, my upgrade was from Kit wash shampoo to Meguiars NXT shampoo. Personally I liked it better than Meguiars Gold Class.

Yes, while detailing depends on each individual budget, some things are better spent on more expensive ones because they definitely work better. In detailing we will have many trials and errors at our own expense, but once we have settled for some of the right stuff, the spending goes down.

Did u try putting it into your washing machine to wash?

Another method u can try is, buy the lint roller from daiso, then roll on your towel and see if the roller/'s sticky paper picks up the residue.

Lol, well that is true, but I make do with what I have. I have thought about getting a proper moving trolley from ikea before, but I thought to myself where I am going to put it and what I'm going to do with it after detailing done and I couldnt find a satisfying answer for myself, so I end up no buy.

In any case my basket of stuff is packed neatly, so reduce the chances of stuff flying off or falling down.

I know it might sound like wasting water, but generally I dont mix my detailing towels with other clothes. This is to avoid lint sticking onto microfiber cloths. Perhaps u could wash them together after ur next car wash.