Cheap detailing alternatives that are as good or better than expensive products

[Diamond Dog]

Leather seats in "most" production cars (except for ultra high end) are "coated leather" meaning the pores are basically sealed with a thin plastic like color and finish. For antique cars or ultra high end with open leather pores I have read many rave reviews about a product called Leatherique. Personally, I have been using the Zaino Leather in a bottle on my B8. Not convinced it does much to retain the supple moisture but it goes on matte and smells like new leather seats! I also like browsing on Autogeek.net or even Amazon because you can get some really great feedback if you take in the consensus of the individual product reviews from actual purchasers. Thus, from reading what others have posted, I am about to pull the trigger on some Microfiber Madness Crazy towels and an Incredisponge from Carpro-US.com.

I know this thread was originally intended for cheap detailing alternatives. Cheap isn't usually going to give you the best results. One cheap alternative however is using Denatured Alcohol to remove tree sap.

I am glad someone else brought this up. No one seems to dispute this. I bought into this whole "leather is live, needs to breathe....so use these expensive products to feed it" thing until someone told me what you posted. I love Car Pro PERL and it is inexpensive if you consider that you dilute it. I pretty much dilute 3 to 1 and use it for everything.

I posted this on another thread:



Here is something unexpected and affordable as you dilute it due to the application.

Leather is plastic coated in most cars so there is a misconception about how to treat leather in many cases.

Vinyl, leather, tires. - Car Pro PERL. Dilute it 2 to one for tires. 3 to 1 for leather and vinyl. See my posts in this forum about how leather is plastic coated. Only need to apply to exterior every 3 months, interior every 6 months tires every month. In between I just use detailing spray

Here is a review

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...rpro-perl.html

As far as the incredisponge, why not go touchless if you are concerned about scratching. ,I went "touchless" with an AR pressure washer, their foam cannon, a leaf blower and Optimum Waterless diluted 10 to 1 for a detailing spray (talk about inexpensive and works a lot better than Chemicals Guys synthetic detailer IMHO as it doesn't streak) to wipe off any streaks or spots the leaf blower may leave behind. My car is Opticoated so it makes blowing off the water really easy. Also Opticoated the wheels and with the pressure washer and foam cannon, I stopped using expensive wheel cleaners months ago. Just pressure washer, Wheel Woolies, and regular car soap. I scrub wheels as I let the suds sit on my car and then rinse everything off before all the soap dries.



I wrote reviews on the pressure washer as well as the foam cannon on this forum. I wish more people would write reviews.

I think my car looks shinny with the products I use and I have not waxed it once after Opticoating it 8 months ago and using the products and methods I mention. You can click on the pictures and they will enlarge.











those photos above were not retouched and are true depictions of the shine. Here is the glamor shot: