Has anyone ever ordered through autopia-car.com? I'm asking because i tried to call them because i was going to order via phone and i left a message and they never responded back to me. So i was going to go ahead and order what i wanted online directly from the site, however, i just wanted to know how soon can i expect the products. If anyone knows pls let me know.

Thanks,

 

I haven't, but I read that www.autogeek.net is good and recommended by autopia forum members.

 

I've ordered from autopia online two different times recently with no problems at all. The products (pads then polish) came quickly and well packaged.

 

I've been away from this section for a long time... (owning a detail company I should really be here more often, lol)

To get to the question, Yes, Autopia is a very reputable company, with a terrific record for customere service... You should feel confident purchasing from them.

 

David Byron and his company have a very good reputation for sales service, as was suggested the products always arrive well packaged and on time.

As for delivery it normally is dependant on what you requested, normal or expediated.

If you have a problem go to their website Autopia.org and send them an e-mail, I'm sure they will help / work with you to resolve it.
JonM

FWIW- Autogeek are a forum sponser with a sales/service reputation that is second to none

 

I've ordered from Autopia online a few times...all great experiences.
Also great expereinces with autogeek, properautocare, topoftheline, pinnaclewax and a few others I can't remember.

 

Hey guys... Thanks to all for all the positive feedback. I'm going to go ahead and order somethings now and hopefully i can have it by Friday and if not Friday then definitely Sat. Hopefully the rain here will stop also so i'll be able to give it a good wash and maybe waxing for the weekend????? As far as the process, if i'm going to wax, i was thinking of doing these steps... PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG OR NEED TO TAKE OUT SOMETHING OR ADD SOMETHING!!!

1) Wash (Meg. NXT Car Wash w/ a sheep skin wash mit)
2) Dry (the Sonus Waffle Weave from autopia.... has anyone used this? It's part # MF-200 and it's $14.95... Let me know what you think of that or if it's something better)
3) Quik Detailer (similar to a clay process from what i've read on autopia)
4) Wax (Meg. NXT) (buff out with Supreme Shine MF towels)

Is this correct? Should i apply a polish?

 

A quick detailer or QD as it's commonly referred to is just that and usually done in between washes. More info found here. QD's will not perform the function of a claybar, used mainly to remove imbedded contaminants from the surface. Polishing chemicals (with abrasives) or pre-wax cleaners will enhance the paint surface and give it depth while removing/filling blemishes, imperfections and swirls. The final barrier (wax) is then applied to protect the finish from the environment.

Should you clay and polish? I first did it about two weeks after getting my TL and I'm glad I did it. I could not believe what was on the claybar. Now it's usually done at about 5-6 month intervals with regular washes and waxes in between.

 

Thanks a lot Hawhyen51... So a couple more questions...

1) So i can take out the QD as this won't help me. And what do you mean in between washes? You're not suggesting that i could wash my car say on Sat. and then come back and use the QD say on Sunday evening or Monday w/o washing it over? Or could i just rinse it w/ water, wipe it down, dry and then QD?

2) Is the clay bar process a hard thing to do? Is it just like putting on a wax in terms of applying it and wiping it off? Or does it take a buffer or some sort of machine to do so? What do i use or what kind of applicator would i use to put it on? A pad? I'm asking all these questions so i'll have everything i need when i place my order. I currently have NXT Car Wash, NXT Tech Wax, MF towels, wash mit, Sonus Waffle Weave, Soft touch Auto Dryer, Wash Brush (for the underbody and lower panels of car) and NXT Gen. Tire cleaner.

If i order clay bar, would it come w/ an applicator to apply it with? I know i'm asking a lot guys but i'm learning something here! So hopefully that'll make you feel better as far as replying back.

 

ac2001clx, no prob. Let's take this one at a time, claybar first. Instead of giving a lenghty explanation, see this thread by exceldetail called Proper Claying Technique. This will explain the entire claying process and it is well worth the read. Another source would be Autopia's "How To" library and Better Car Care . In short, the clay is used along with a lubricant by rubbing it on the surface of the car.

Quick detail - The process I use is first wash the car off with water, depending on how dirty it is, I may use car wash. Dry it off completely. I'll spray the QD on the MF and apply it to the surface and buff it. I use a 2nd MF polishing cloth to wipe down the entire car. The library will have more info and I'm sure others will chime in as to their process/routine.

Supplies and Equipment - You may want to get another wash bucket and a grit guard. I use 2 buckets when washing, one with the soap solution and the other with clear water to rinse the wash mitt. If you use this method, you'll see how dirty the rinse water gets. You might also condsider a tire and a wheel brush. One more thing, you may as well get some polish. Look at the Sonus Perfect Paint Finish Kit. The kit includes SFX Ultra-Fine Detailing Clay (SON-3100-2), Glyde Lubricant (SON-300), Paintwork Cleanser (SON-400-8), Der Wunder Polishing Towel, Pkg/2 (SON-DWPT-2), and an SFX Professional Applicator (1) for $39.95. (Just a suggestion if you order through Autopia).

Hope this helps you out. If I missed something, ya'll jump right on in.

 

So when you use that 2nd MF polishing cloth, you're just using that by itself right? So you're not applying the QD over again?

And just one more question/concern... In regards to the MF towels, i noticed that if you buy a single one, then the size is bigger then say if you were to buy a pack of 2 or 3. So what do you suggest as far as this? Would one do me fine? And where do you get the MF polishing cloth? I'm looking for some great MF towels. Some good ones for drying and also good ones to use for applying the QD, polish, and wax.

I should be finished after this..... MAYBE!!!!! :-)

 

I usually use a 16 x 16 towel for wiping and buffing. I use a 24 x 40 (?) Waffle Weave for drying. I have a dozen or so 16 x 16 MF cloths and I basically use them for everything. A good number of the members get their MF towels from exceldetail who by the way is a forum member. For product application, I would use a foam/MF pad pictured here.