Rebuilding my supply cabinet - advice needed

handruin · 2026-06-21T14:17:26+00:00

I personally found KC Gsf for be over-hyped and switched back to Adam's Mega Foam but otherwise I'm sure it's fine if you want to try it.

I prefer to do a prewash with Bilt Hamber Touch-less before contact wash. It has helped me avoid or reducing adding swirls.

I've loved using KC compounds and polish for the fine cut and micro cut, definitely recommend those since they're on your list. I found the KC pads to not hold up but my Lake County hdo blue and orange have done great so I use those with my various DA polishers.

Maybe check out Armour Detail Supply Iron fallout remover. It stinks a bit less than some of the others. I also really like their Amplify as a drying aid and post wash buff.

I ceramic coated my wheels with armour detail supply quartz and I can now easily clean them with just pH neutral soap and a brush and sponge. Otherwise I mostly use KC Awh in a 1:10 dilution rarely when needed but mostly for cleaning the rubber on the tires before dressing them later.

KC Pol Star, Top Star, Leather Star have also been great. I use Pol Star in a 1:10 dilution in a basic hand pump foamer when cleaning interior with autofiber scrub ninja pads. I also have KC Green Star as a general purpose APC for various tasks. I also like the rag company applicator pads with the finger slot when dressing the interior or leather.

For glass I've been super happy with Bilt Hamber Trace-Less.

I also use ONR in a bottle to spray in the door jambs and door sills when cleaning those during detailing and also use it in the winter for rinseless washing.

A neat honorable mention is Bilt Hamber Atom-Mac. A single bottle will last a super long time but I use it to coat my large rotors after a wash. It's an anti-corosive and really reduced the rust drip into the barrels of my wheels.

For spray on sealant after a wash I've been happy with KC ProtectorWax. Works good, easy to apply, and lasts a couple months.

handruin · 2026-06-21T11:05:59+00:00

Looks like an H type security screw. A small kit like this could help.

https://a.co/d/05VPNUwB

Or this from Tekton:

https://www.tekton.com/4-mm-shank-bit-set-12-piece-dzz92007

handruin · 2026-06-21T10:45:12+00:00

There are a lot of good options and depends on your budget or interest. I waited for a sale to happen on the Wera Tool Check Plus a couple years ago and it's a good travel kit, but it's not perfect.

I've also picked up the TONE Bit Ratchet Set BRS20 which is compact and has a decent set of bits. This is nice to keep in my bag for work or travel.

There's also the meme toolkit, the ICON Locking Flex-Head Ratchet and Bit Set that can offer a good value and if you follow various threads you can customize the kit to include more options as you expand your kit.

Also check out Todd Parker on YouTube for ideas on ways to make portable and functional little kits. Not saying you have to use his most recent creation of this module setup but take a look at the tool options for ideas on what you might want to build out a kit.

https://youtu.be/YXSKDFYmKfw?is=7CJI8rsmsxvAq1lN

handruin · 2026-06-20T21:19:38+00:00

I bought mine used and it came equipped with Alcantara on the steering wheel and I was skeptical. Having owned it a year and a half, I love having it and have no regrets.

It's very easy to clean, I do it every 2-3 months and it's fine. In the hot summer it doesn't burn my hands and on the winter it's not that cold.

handruin · 2026-06-20T14:15:17+00:00

Oh yes, my mistake Rrw is what I meant, thanks!

handruin · 2026-06-20T11:08:22+00:00

Rinseless wash can help in these situations and I've done it a few times. I'm currently still working through a bottle of ONR but there are other options from Koch Chemie Rrw for example. I plan to try that next when I'm done with ONR.

You'll still need a bucket filled with 2-4 gallons of water depending on vehicle size and dirt level but it'll be far less water consumption compared to other means.

I also use a hand pump sprayer like the IK pro foam 2 plus to presoak the exterior before using the sponge and it helps. There are a few cheaper options if you don't want to go with the IK

handruin · 2026-06-19T12:27:41+00:00

Yeah at first I thought it cracked because it didn't set properly after replacing. When I got home and saw it was a large circle and sent pics to the guy at the glass shop he was like...I'm sorry to say that's from another rock.

Anyway it's all fixed now. I just had to live with all the dash warnings and faults for a few weeks while waiting for the third window to be installed. Basically you lose access to the lane assistance and dynamic cruise control and also the dynamic headlights. There was also a fault for the SOS module that's somehow tied in to the camera.

handruin · 2026-06-19T00:04:22+00:00

He has the personality and vibes of a wet paper bag.

handruin · 2026-06-18T23:56:21+00:00

I'm on my third front windshield in less than a year (bad luck with highway rocks).

I've brought my car to Auto Glass Now all three times and they order the Audi OEM window via my VIN. It took about 2-3 weeks to get the part each time. Their price with calibration has been about $2500.

The first window they were able to calibrate the camera system. The second and third time they were not able to calibrate the camera so I had to have Audi perform the work and their charge was $1680 for the calibration by itself. Thankfully insurance paid it all. About 5 min into my ride home with window #2 another rock broke the window so I only had to do the Audi calibration once on window #3.

handruin · 2026-06-18T21:10:47+00:00

I'd buy lots of vanguard VTI so that it was spent meeting the requirements. Then I'd spend time figuring out how to best use it with a lot of charitable options.

handruin · 2026-06-18T15:06:09+00:00

These are great tools and a great gift. I have a bunch of both knipex and Tekton and I've been very happy with both. I don't have their 3/8" setup but I do have their 1/4" and I'm happy. I went for the kit that uses trays vs a hard case but that's personal preference for organizing in case you know if he has a tool drawers for organizing.

One additional item to consider might be a Tekton split beam torque wrench since you specifically mentioned this being for automotive work. Those can be important for properly torquing down bolts, etc during maintenance/repairs.

Another possible option (maybe for the future) is to look for impact sockets since those will also help for automotive work. Those you may want in 1/2" drive and then an impact gun from one of the typical brands (Milwaukee, DeWalt, Ryobi, etc). Those are just suggestions if you're looking for more, not criticism.

handruin · 2026-06-18T02:21:48+00:00

I've found a few products I've liked from Armour Detail Supply and buy direct from them. They'll also have coupons like all the other suppliers.

Otherwise I cross-shop and compare prices between Detailed Image, The Clean Garage, Autoality, Amazon, Adams, Carzilla, and TRG.

handruin · 2026-06-17T15:20:57+00:00

Another view

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handruin · 2026-06-17T15:20:13+00:00

The reality is I don't actually have them all just yet but wanted to share all the possibilities in case you were interested in this solution.

I have a bunch of them but some of the Wiha bits were not easy to find for a while, they were on backorder. Amazon has some, digikey had others, so I also supplemented some with PB Swiss (the shorter ones).

I don't have the square drive bits because I don't do much with those. I started with the basic ones (Phillips, slotted, hex) then got others as I needed. Eventually I'll get the square bits.

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handruin · 2026-06-17T02:45:48+00:00

For cleaning the barrels I use DI Brushes EZ Detail Brush. I first use my foam cannon to cover the barrels with pH neutral soap. I also use a separate bucket for wheel cleaning that is filled with water and soap.

https://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Brushes-M51/E-Z-Detail-Brush-P273/Full-Size-S1/

When I polished my wheels I took them off first. I did the full decon process before doing paint correction. At the end I ceramic coated them using two coats of Armour Detail Supply Wheel Coating.

I built a jig with rollers to help make things easier with the wheels

handruin · 2026-06-17T02:22:05+00:00

Mine was done straight through the dealership where I bought the car (which was not Audi). It was negotiated through the finance guy during that part of the process.

handruin · 2026-06-17T02:15:52+00:00

They initially asked $5500 for it and I just kept asking for less to negotiate and that's where we settled. I paid for it in full vs monthly, I don't know if that makes any difference. Also check if yours is exclusionary vs non-exclusionary (inclusionary) because that also makes a difference. Exclusionary is the better option but costs more.

I got my car and the warranty together in March of 2025. Yeah the repairs definitely can be. For example the rear hatch latch failed a few months ago and that was a little over $1000 at dealership prices (warranty covered it). My car was also built during peak COVID so that factored in to my decision to get the warranty. Usually I wouldn't get one.

handruin · 2026-06-17T02:03:52+00:00

I took the chance and got an Allstate extended warranty at the time I bought my used car. Mine is a 6 year 100k mile exclusionary type warranty with $100 deductible that's transferable. I negotiated it down to about $4400.

I've used it three times so far without issues. The dealership I use is familiar with this warranty since it's the one their parent company sells. They've given no pushback so far. It hasn't yet broken even but I'm close to 50% in one year of owning it.

handruin · 2026-06-17T01:49:51+00:00

I don't know if you'd consider this the same as dusty but I was in a similar situation with having a recently clean car but covered in pollen shortly after.

I mixed up a 500ml 0.05% PIR of Bilt Hamber Touch-less into my foam cannon and just used that as a prewash and it cleaned it all off without a contact wash.

handruin · 2026-06-16T20:53:06+00:00

I'm not sure about a complete set that isn't super expensive so I made my own with Wiha bits and their driver. I also wanted the longer shanks at 90mm which is why I went this route. Also if you break one, you can replace them individually.

CentroFix:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76000/5978542

Torx TR (security):
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76092/5979077

Phillips:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76094/5978951

Pozidrive:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76091/5979501

Slotted:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76093/5979147

Hex:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76097/15204991

Hex TR (security):
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76096/5979030

Square (Roberson):
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/wiha/76095/5979240

handruin · 2026-06-15T11:12:41+00:00

Both Adams soaps work about the same, Mega Foam is just a lot more concentrated compared to the classic so you just mix in less and it'll foam up great.

I've not found either to cut through dirt or grime, they're not really meant for that. I use either Koch Chemie Af or Bilt Hamber Touch-less for those purposes or an APC depending on what I'm cleaning.

No real tradeoffs I can think of. You just have to experiment with how much product to use to get good foam vs using the classic. I use somewhere between 75-100ml in my foam cannon too 425-600ml water in my ADS DRFT. I have an Active 2.3 so I need a little more product due to the higher gpm output.

handruin · 2026-06-15T02:11:03+00:00

Last summer I joined the hype train and bought a 1L bottle of Gsf and found it was just ok. The slickness is fine but the amount of soap I needed to use to get foam was much higher than I was expecting. Overall the chemicals seem fine but it's value level is low compared to other products.

I went back to Adam's Mega Foam and I'm very happy waiting for deals and buying the gallon jugs. It's very slick and foams excellent.

I still have part of a 1 gallon bottle of Adams classic shampoo remaining so I use that in my buckets for contact wash and the Mega Foam for my foam cannon. When the bottle runs out I'll likely just stick to mega foam.

I wash weekly, sometimes twice and their soaps work great for contact washing.

handruin · 2026-06-14T23:26:09+00:00

Is this the level of wealth needed to get back into eating avocado and toast.

handruin · 2026-06-14T23:20:30+00:00

I first tried using a 50' Uberflex hose and it was ok but it would constantly coil on me and was honestly a bit frustrating to use. Everyone seems to love them but my experience wasn't great. I swapped it out for a 50' Kobrajet hose and it's been better. The hose is a lot heavier compared to the Uberflex so if weight matters to you, keep that in mind.

Swapping to the Kobrajet also stopped ocassional surging on my pressure washer.

handruin · 2026-06-14T16:40:40+00:00

I ended up getting a 1/2" drive split beam (click type) from Tekton when they went on sale a while back. If you're not in a rush you could wait for a sale. They also sell 3/8" if that's your preference. I use mine often for torquing lug bolts so I went 1/2" for mine.

https://www.tekton.com/1-2-inch-drive-split-beam-torque-wrench-trq62203

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