Well, gosh, I haven't been on this site for awhile now. I noticed that Mike was saying he has found the best combination of microfiber products for car care. I'm always curious about those so Mike, would you tell me what you are using, how you are using them, etc., etc.? Thanks. . . Rox

 

Hey Rox!

Long time, no see!

Yeah, I'm using premium microfiber now for buffing, QDing, etc.... I use the "Elite" towels from www.microfibertech.com . IMHO, they are much better than even the best cotton towel I had ever used.

Here's some of the things I like about the MF:
1) This particular towel will NOT scratch or leave any light marring, or swirling whereas store bought MF usually will.
2) They will not lint or leave little fuzzies all over the place
3) They are, IMO, the perfect size for buffing and QDing. They aren't too large or too small. And, I usually only need 1 of these towels to buff off 1 or 2 coats of Zaino. And, of course 1 for QDing with Z6. I keep several handy though!
4) They are much more absorbent and really "grab" the residue from the car. Which means they make buffing easier, quicker, and basically more fun!
5) These particular towels have more microfiber strands per inch than almost any other towel on the market (over 221,000!), which is what makes them so effective and efficient at picking up residue.
6) They're cheap!
7) I don't have to deal with any light marring anymore!
8) They clean other surfaces, like glass, with just water as the cleaner! The MF is so grabby it will pick up films without the need for other cleaning chemicals, i.e. using a glass cleaner with cotton for instance.

All in all, MF seems to make cotton obsolete IMO. The only cotton that I use anymore is the Viking wash mitt. And, I may pick up a MF wash mitt sometime soon, if I can find one suitable.

Hope this helps!

Oh yeah, here's some more reading on MF if you like, even though that site is extremely overpriced on their MF towels. http://www.properautocare.com/micwhatbigde.html

And if you decide to try any MF towel, follow these care instructions: (the MFTech.com towels come with a little care sheet too)
Mike

 

Can you dry the car after washing with the mf towels?

 

i used one of the big gray MF towels to dry basically my whole car last weekend when i washed it. it was the first time i used one of their towels and i was amazed at how much water it absorbed! it did not leave any lint on my finish either.

 

Thanks, guys, as always you have given me some great information. You know I trust you implicitly, Mike, so I will order some of these MF towels from the link you provided. As to the Proper AutoCare site, I always used to get the email newsletter from them but it came across so jumbled it didn't even make sense.

And Aircop, sounds like you had super luck with the grey towel for drying. You found this to be true, too, Mike?

It's getting harder and harder to find the Viking wash mitts around here now so I've looked at Detailer's Choice, they SEEM to be pretty soft, what do you think of those?

Thanks again. . . Rox

 

Why is that Mike? Are they gentler than 100% cotton?

I tried the Meguires MF's a couple of years ago and felt that they were rough on my finish.

 

The premium MF is very soft and plush, as good or better than cotton toweling. I have not used Meguiar's MF so I can't vouch for their quality. I do know that, like cotton towels, there are varying qualities of MF. Some are rougher feeling. For instance I have some el cheapo Viking brand MFs that feel pretty rough, and they do cause marring too....that's not good at all for use on paint. It all boils down to the quality of the product. I can assure you Meguiar's does not make their own MF towels. There are only a few sources that manufacture MF currently, as the machines are ultra-expensive. Maybe Meguiar's gets theirs from a source that isn't so hot....don't know really. With the MF that contains 221K fibers per inch, these are very soft and plush usually. I have not noticed a single tiny hint of marring with MF, since I began using it on my paint. Pay for quality, and you will be rewarded handsomely!

Another really good source for MF is www.dftowel.com .


moparman,
Sure, you can use MF exclusively for drying if you like. There is a grey MF and Big Blue for drying purposes. Drying MF is usually waffle weave so it's more absorbent. The Big Blue will absorb much more water than the Big Grey, however the Grey is softer. I have used the grey towel without any issues. I know there are many many who absolutely LOVE the Big Blue though. The Elite towels aren't really made so much for drying as they are for buffing.


Rox,
I can't vouch for the quality of Detailer's Pride products. I seem to remember some saying that they were OK, but I can't remember. Something strange that I noticed a week or so ago was that I found the coveted 100% cotton Vikings at a local Bass Pro Shop in town. I "always" check out the car care section of any store I visit! Anyhow, hanging on the shelf was the 100% cotton Viking, complete with the little cotton logo....the real deal! Just like this one.... http://community.webshots.com/photo/...76856901zyoFkF

Mike

 

I've heard NAPA carries the Viking mitts. I have some small MF towels I got at Autozone. I've only used them to clean the dash and windows. Work very good for that.

 

Hey Mike, thanks for the link.

I just placed my order with these folks. I have followed your advice for quite a while now, and it has always been spot-on.



I started applying Zaino my Camaro SS, 454SS, and my wife's Cadillac Seville several years ago, and will never switch.

Thanks,

Jim

1997 Camaro SS
1992 454SS Truck

 

Hmmm, so which one or ones should I order, the microtech or the df towel?

What happened to the Absorber and the California Duster? Have they fallen from favor? Guess I HAVE been gone awhile. I take it Zaino is still King??? I hope THAT hasn't changed, whatever would I do without my Z6?

Rox

 

I believe you....but maybe I need more convincing. How can a polyester/nylon blend towel be more gentle to the finish of my black cars than cotton?

 

That's exactly what I thought before I started using them. In fact, I was very hesitant to use MF on my paint, because my first experience wasn't too good either (with another brand of MF that was low quality).

I know that MF theoretically goes against everything we've siad in the past, like always use just pure cotton on the paint (which I did for many years). That's another reason I was skeptical to use MF again for buffing. So, I'm not sure exactly "how" the polyester/polymide is softer or actually more paint friendly than cotton, but it sure seems like it to me. Some of the quotes I've read about MF say..."Softer than silk, yet bull-dog tough" and "Our microfiber products are extremely soft, they never scratch any surface, but at the same time they are sturdy and tough on dirt." What MFTech.com say about scratching: "Microfiber itself will not scratch a surface. Though, since microfiber material clings to dirt, dust and grime it can pick up materials that can scratch the surface that you are cleaning. This is why recommend regularly cleaning your microfiber products." From my experience, I believe what they are saying, even though it's hard to imagine that polyester/polymide is better than cotton. But, it is! hehehe If your current towels are living up to your standards, you may not want/need to change.



Rox,
I still use and love my Absorber, however I do not use my CCD much anymore. This is just my personal preference, as there are many more folks that DO use the CCD and love it too. I just don't find a need for it much anymore on my paint. The Absorber and waffle weave MF is my personaly fav combo for drying. Is it the best? Can't say, because others have their own ways too, like leaf blowers, Cali Water Blades, etc. I just use what keeps my finish in the shape I want it, i.e. flawless. Not that it's perfect for everyone, but it works for me. Sometimes change is good, because you have to keep pushing the envelope to find the results you are after, perfection in my case, nothing less.

I personally like ordering from MFTech.com as it's just an easy web form and nothing more. I really don't care much for PayPal which is the way the DFTowel is set up for ordering. Both sources carry the highest quality MF available for good prices, although the DFTowel is a bit more expensive.

For those that are afraid, like I was, to use polyester/polymide Microfiber, the DFTowel would be a great option for you, because his towels are more natural, and not made from synthetic fibers, like all the other MF out there.


Hope this helps!

Mike

 

Can these Microfiber towels be bought in stores or are they mail/internet order only products?

 

For now, only the best MF can be bought over the internet. The local stores that are selling MF is not safe for use on the finish, but it does work great for glass, etc. The premium MF that is much better quality (and paint friendly) is only found through certain internet sites.

The most popular MF internet sites are:
www.microfibertech.com
www.dftowel.com
www.pakshak.com
http://www.neatitems.com/micro.htm

I trust MFTech because their towels are higher quality than most others. The "Ultra" brand towels at MFTech, are what most other dealers are selling, which is a step below the Elite. The "Elite" towels are superior to most others. Only www.properautocare.com sells a comparable towel, but for much more $$ i.e. way overpriced.

After doing a lot of research and comparisons on different brands, I found the Elite from MFTech to be the best quality, for a good price, and was easy to order.

 

Hey Mike, do they work with Z6 detailer?