Sorry guys and gals...very long post, but highly pertinent advice.


Last 2 weeks, I hv been bombarded by queries from detailing enthusiasts, experienced detailing pros and club members regarding product choices, and most of them handed me loads of printouts from overseas detailing websites/forums. During our conversation, lots of premium and super-premium brands were mentioned by these car owners, and doubtlessly, these are the brands mentioned in the abovementioned websites.

I am not surprised by this kind of “brand-focused”conversation, because in this age and time, whenever any beginner starts to jump into any new-found exciting activity ie: car detailing, engine mods, ICE, mountain biking, photography etc etc, the websites and forums could be the primary source of easy info.

Those websites provide an interesting angle of how other enthusiasts are detailing their cars in their country. It's helpful to see how others do it and perhaps we can extract bits and pieces from their methods (where applicable) and use it here intelligently.

What’s prevalent in foreign detailing websites/forums.

Lots of premium and super-premium enthusiast brands that most avg Msians hv not heard of before!
Hmmm…if those whitemen are so supportive of those brands, and the pics look so good, then surely those prdts must be darn good, isn’t it? There has to be something special about those products, right? Hold on

IMO, the Msian pro detailing industry is still in a developing stage, with a very narrow view, and very limited exposure to foreign brands and their actual usage+efficacy. The only brand that most avg car owners (not detailing enthusiasts) hv heard of, are Meguiars and Autoglym. Mention other brands, and most will draw a blank. Only these 2 brands are booming in Msia due to massive money being dumped into them. Autoglym is making a big comeback in Msia, I'm told.

There’s loads of other super-premium brands out there that have no presence in Msia, and therefore, seen as something "special". The desire to be a-cut-above-the-rest has drawn many new enthusiasts to seek out these other brands, and the Internet is again a primary advertising and sales tool.

While many drool over those other premium brands that’s not officially available here, we have to acknowledge that they are just another brand. Is Michelin better or Contis??
Moons ago, Toyo was never here. Then it came to Msia officially. Is Toyo better vs Yoko? Stupid question isn’t it?

Just use whatever you can get locally in a smart, researched manner, and you can get splendid results. If you see a nice car identical to yours, ask the owner how he did it. Learn from it, and consult other knowledgable friends. Question their methods, challenge their approach, and try it on your own car by borrowing a bit of those prdts.

Nothing’s wrong with Megs or Autoglym or Mothers, or 3M.
Of course lah….if you’re using the website-popular Pinnacle, Poorboys, DG, Einszett, Chemical Guys, Collinite etc etc…it’ll certainly make the car owner look more knowledgable, discerning and professional!!!

So guys…don’t get carried away with the brands. The diff is never earth-shattering. On our generally crappy OEM paint, simply applying those expensive stuff in one afternoon with no understanding might not bring a smile to your face after all the hard work

2. Wow!! Super nice photos! Those cars appear super glossy and very impressive indeed. Therefore, that brand A,Band C that were used on that car must surely be fantastic products isn’t?
Not necessarily so!
Never accept anything, and make a conclusion just by looking at a pic. In reality, that nice car you just saw on your monitor could hv lots of additional surface prep work done to it previously, that was not revealed. Look at the various demo clips and nice pics….many of those cars could already hv either very good OE paint or expensive respray jobs, sanded down previously etc etc. You’ll never know. Just think deeper and you’ll realize.

Yes, digi pics in certain circumstances are useful in highlighting specific things such as paint defects, reflections etc. But have you realized that un-modified digi pics of silver, white and light coloured cars often don’t look wonderfully impressive on those websites? On the contrary, black and dark colours appear to be more impactful.

Funny thing is…that stunningly detailed silver car looks great when we look at it in real life. But in photos, the impact of the silver car is just not there. Our eyes see and capture the image differently from the camera.

Car colour, camera angle, lighting conditions, surrounding colours (pavement colour, wall colour, cars parked next door etc etc), time of the day, exposure settings etc etc can all affect our perception of how a car looks in a photo..and even in real life.

For me, I am not a huge fan in posting pics, and even when I have to, it’s just to help illustrate a point, and I rarely spend the huge amount of time to strategically position a car numerous times under the ideal lighting and perfect angle, within a suitable environment just to shoot a pic of the entire car It’s always better to see the real thing and trust that the car owner tells you 100% of what’s done in the detailing process

3. Product, Brand, Product, Brand…….(sigh!)
Many popular sites are always talking bout Brand A vs Brand B, which prdt is the “best”, water beading, which product lasts longer, how to make this colour or that colour “pop”….., and each single question triggers a mountain of responses from diff people who drive diff cars, with diff colours with diff paint systems, living in diff climatic conditions, under diff usage conditions!!!!!!!! It’s all about brands, brands, brands….
In Msia, it’s a totally different story. The average CKD cars here have OE paintworks that looks crappy (and it’s probably full of deep, fine scratches anyway, thnks to our "special car washes") and its frequently baked in the hot sun daily. Worse, most people don’t even wash a few times a week. Therefore, Brand A’s “splendid” results reported by the orang putih enthusiasts, most of the time, may not be applicable to our local conditions.

The really important stuff that any detailing enthusiast shd keep in mind:

1. Always question the remarks, reviews and comments seen on foreign websites. Question…and question again. If the product claims appear outrageous, or contradicted by other websites, then you know there’s something amiss.
(eg: many Zaino loyalists make stupendous durability claims about Zaino, but in some sites, users are not impressed. I am not overly impressed with its durability, but more than impressed with its looks).

2. Don’t trust any digital pics completely. It's just a rough impression. Ever realised that even highly detailed UK cars always look only average in photos due to their gloomy wet weather? On the contrary, detailed American cars, under bright sunny conditions, and parked on their usually light-coloured front pavement always look better?

3. If your current products and methods are serving you well, keep to it, and do it as often as you can.

4. The secret is “How often you do it”….and not what you use to do it.
Even if you use a budget, locally-made product, and you do it each weekend, it’ll look much much better than a pro-detailed car that’s not maintained at all. There’s nothing wrong with locally made polishes and waxes.

5. Eventually, it’ll…..COME!
Even without using any professional techniques, if you keep attacking a respectable quality OE paintwork every week with even el-cheapo products, you’ll realize it keeps looking better and better as time goes on. There’s this crazy guy in Ampang who uses Klasse AIO on his silver FD every weekend with a Bosch machine, and after a few mths….wow! Must be seen to be believed!

6. What’s true and applicable in other environments, might not be applicable here.
Imitate/replicate 100% the mods done to a UK EVO 10, and you’ll realize that same 25psi boost might blow your EVO engine here (diff temps, diff fuels etc etc). Always question, question, question.

I know the crazy guy from Ampang wh uses Klasse AIO every weekend Real car detailing nut!!! Must go to him when free for a home detailing session hahahahha

ChrystKevin is another good example. Washes his Sparkle Grey FD daily, and takes care of his FD extremely well. To me, he is a genuine and committed car lover who has a consistently fantastic looking Civic.

I don't think he's an expert and hunter of expensive products. But still, the remarkable condition of his car shows what i call "true love". It's something that comes from long-term love and care, and not merely doing a huge detailing job and then expecting magic to happen.

Kelyee and Netken are another 2 crazy fellas who really place great importance on the paintwork aesthetics of their FDs

Haiyo, sifu pluto never overcome from those "branded vs non-branded worth or not worth" argument until today

The most important assumption in this type of argument is whether :

1. Consumer is so stupid that they are easily fooled by advertisement
2. Consumer is in fact rational in spending their hard earned money

If I have lots of money, why should I drive a civic ? I would buy a BMW 3 series which cost 2-3 times more. But is BMW's intrinsic value really worth so much more ? I dont think so, but that's judgemental. To a rich man, its worth it. To a poor fler like me, I think all BMW owners are fools. My argument is the same as the long comments above

I dont think there is a straight "right" or "wrong" here. "Worth it or not" is relative. And "Premium" products always will have their niche market

In fact, IMHKNNO, spending hundreds (some thousands) per month on car detailing is a waste of money. My not as shinny car still moves as fast as yours and bring me from A to B, and still look decent enough with normal wash/wiping 2-3 times a week I put a low value on car detailing simply because this is not my hobby. But to others who are into this hobby, they love it and put a high value on their hobby. And I agree that many of these people were all taken in when they see the results of some nice "before and after" photos, premium or non premium brand alike.

So, to sifu pluto, those buying "premium" products are "fools". To me, those into car detailing are also "fools" (just to show you the relativity)

Ok ok, I know I shouldn't be here.......hahaha

haha.., it's good to hear both side of the argument..

me a car detailing nuts.. i do my own research.. i test it on my car and some friends car.. (manual lah! no machine one.. , not-so-rich-yet. )

it's really subjective lah, to put really in perspective.

Brand is perception. Some ppl feel good when they use certain brand. Some ppl (like Bro. Pluto), thinks otherwise.. - it's not the brand.. but how you apply certain product. which is also true in a way.

I have seen my friend just using malaysian brand car wax to polish his car, and the result still looks OK to not-so-discerning-eye like me. (normal ppl lah ) .

It's your car, it's your money ppl. really up to you how you want to maintain the looks of your car. I didn't wash my car everyday (living in apartment), so I just washed it weekly. But I make sure every 3 months or so.. I really clean and detail it with my own waylah - using liquid clay and polish.

As long as the water still beads.. the car looks clean and shiny, I'm already smiling from end-to-end already. .

Sifu Chen - dun be so humble lerr ...

Get a FD or CTR and join the clan .....

Not again.. pengsan!!

Some bros r into modding, some into bodykits, some into detailing.. so it depends on each person's preference.

Also the products used also depends on own preference.. whether cheap or expensive, as long as the owner happy and satisfied.. ok loh..

I have never agree on running down any products eg. detailing, whether normal or premium products.. they all cater for different levels of the consumer market. Your money, your preference lah..

The point here in this Car Care section is to share the experience of using the product, as in many detailing websites.. so that we all can read and learn from it. Accept or not, depends on each individual person. I see a lot of like PM you, let you know later, talk to you later.. pls lo.. its abt sharing, if so secretive pls do not bother to post.

Like sifu Pluto, he has vast undisputed experience and knowledge in this field.. so we should be grateful he shares it with us.

every coins always got two sites of story.

I do agree with Pluto statement and i strongly believe he is sincerely wanted to share is knowledge to us.

On the other hand, i thinks Jelly is right too.

To me, that is not right or wrong. What is important is it is bring value to me. If it bring value to me, be it cheapo or expensive brand, it doesn't matter, because it worth every single cents i invested in. Thus
each of of us have our own value system.


While some people like to champion his own belief and wanted to show to the world he know best but he/she might forget that some one out there may know better but choose to remain silent.

End of the day, as far i am happy, end of story.

It's funny that some of you don't get's jelly chen's message here lo. But again, some of you are already brain washed by certain methods and arguments. Again, opinions are like asshole everyone has one so don't take it personal.