Kristin, congrats sounds beautiful (pics please, ha ha). Gold Rush looks great with the black hood and highlights. I've had several Challengers and I've used only Adams Products on all of them. You will get many other choices and they may perform similar but people are loyal to certain brands and don't cross over much (like picking a Dodge over a Ford). I have the same hood on my 20th and love it. I will say keep wax and detail sprays away from it. I wash it with the same soap as the rest of the car but when using detail spray to dry or touch my car I only used Adam's Waterless Wash on all my satin black parts. Keeps it very clean and w/o adding any wax to the hood. Works great for me. Best of luck with your new ride.

 

Congrats! I’m buying a TA in the spring and have done extensive research on taking care of this. Talk to a trusted detailer and ask about getting your whole car including the satin finish ceramic coated. That’s what I’ll be doing. You do need to find someone who really knows what they’re doing. Typically once you do this though you can’t be going through commercial car washes. In my case that’s no problem as I’ll be retired and will have a lot of fun taking care of it.

 

I agree with Stratrocs. Take a hard look at the ceramic coating. I had it applied to my 50th Anniversary which has satin hood, roof and trunk. I was curious about what type of sheen it would have after application. Super happy with the final sheen...little more than before but still great contrast with the rest of the gloss areas. Do your wheels too if you can. Makes routine cleaning a breeze.

 

Welcome from Kentucky! Look forward to seeing some pictures of your new car. The main reason I did not get a T/A is because of the satin finish. I live out on gravel roads with hard well water. Hard enough to keep any car or truck clean much less Pitch Black. Could not imagine taking on Satin finish on top of that. Good luck with your new car 👍

 

Professional detailer here, I have my own business. Don’t let the care instructions freak you out. It’s super easy to be overwhelmed and feeling like your additional trim is as fragile as a dandelion.

KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid are the words I live by. Don’t overthink it. You need to be able to clean and protect correct? Don’t worry yourself with all the other minute details that really don’t amount to much more than a lighter wallet. I’ll go through steps for you.

• Car soap: any that rinse cleanly will do. No built in waxes or anything. Adam’s Shampoo, Xtreme Solutions Suds, or OTC products like Meguiars Gold Class will be perfectly fine.
• Protection: Dr. Beasley's Matte series. Honestly, pretty solid recommendation but if you want something you can get at a store, Turtle Wax Hybrid Solution spray works well. Just be mindful to not use something with natural waxes, look for polymer sealants.
• Washer fluid: I use whatever blue washer fluid without bug remover/de-ice because that stuff leaves a horrible film.
• Interior: Mopar total clean is fine but if want something you can easily grab at a store, Turtle Wax ie Meguiar’s Interior detail is pretty nice.
• Glass: Stoner’s is my personal fave, always accessible and cheap. Windex works too, it’s totally safe as long as it’s not ammonia based, spray on the towel, wipe and use a second to buff, never spray directly into glass (that’s how you get staining on vinyl)
• Wheels: use the same soap you use on the car, if your detailing Davy you can dip into iron removers but for now just keep it simple.
• Tires, Griots Satin Tire spray is awesome stuff, use it on the front grill too for a quick dress up and in the wheel wells.
• Microfiber towels: this is where KISS really comes into play, you need a general towel for interior, wiping wheels/tires (whatever cheap brand you can find locally will work fine) For all other needs check out Rag Company, get yourself a drying towel, about 5 buffing towels (usually come in packs of five) for glass waffle weave for the win. For washing I like plush mitts. Two buckets with grit guards one for rinsing the mit in between sections the other bucket for suds. Two mitts would be good, one for the top half one for the dirtier bottom half. You will want a third bucket for just tires and wheels, no need for a grit guard, really it’s overkill.
How to wash basics:
1. Tires and wheels first, rinse thoroughly, use a general microfiber or a dedicated mitt to wash, if you get a tire brush, general detailing brushes and some wheel willies it’ll help the process. Wash and rinse.
2. Body, rinse thoroughly, then wash top to bottom. Rinse mitt in between panels, re-sud and keep at it. Use a different mitt for the bottom half and front. Rinse and dry.
3. Protect.

If detailing isn’t your thing then I would recommend going to a reputable detailer and they can explain the best option for you and your budget. Never go through a car wash of any kind.

If you do decide to do it yourself and concerned about using a product on a particular surface do a test spot. Hit me up if you have any questions.

That should get you started, good luck and congrats on the new Challenger!

 

Professional detailer here, I have my own business. Don’t let the care instructions freak you out. It’s super easy to be overwhelmed and feeling like your additional trim is as fragile as a dandelion.

KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid are the words I live by. Don’t overthink it. You need to be able to clean and protect correct? Don’t worry yourself with all the other minute details that really don’t amount to much more than a lighter wallet. I’ll go through steps for you.

• Car soap: any that rinse cleanly will do. No built in waxes or anything. Adam’s Shampoo, Xtreme Solutions Suds, or OTC products like Meguiars Gold Class will be perfectly fine.
• Protection: Dr. Beasley's Matte series. Honestly, pretty solid recommendation but if you want something you can get at a store, Turtle Wax Hybrid Solution spray works well. Just be mindful to not use something with natural waxes, look for polymer sealants.
• Washer fluid: I use whatever blue washer fluid without bug remover/de-ice because that stuff leaves a horrible film.
• Interior: Mopar total clean is fine but if want something you can easily grab at a store, Turtle Wax ie Meguiar’s Interior detail is pretty nice.
• Glass: Stoner’s is my personal fave, always accessible and cheap. Windex works too, it’s totally safe as long as it’s not ammonia based, spray on the towel, wipe and use a second to buff, never spray directly into glass (that’s how you get staining on vinyl)
• Wheels: use the same soap you use on the car, if your detailing Davy you can dip into iron removers but for now just keep it simple.
• Tires, Griots Satin Tire spray is awesome stuff, use it on the front grill too for a quick dress up and in the wheel wells.
• Microfiber towels: this is where KISS really comes into play, you need a general towel for interior, wiping wheels/tires (whatever cheap brand you can find locally will work fine) For all other needs check out Rag Company, get yourself a drying towel, about 5 buffing towels (usually come in packs of five) for glass waffle weave for the win. For washing I like plush mitts. Two buckets with grit guards one for rinsing the mit in between sections the other bucket for suds. Two mitts would be good, one for the top half one for the dirtier bottom half. You will want a third bucket for just tires and wheels, no need for a grit guard, really it’s overkill.
How to wash basics:
1. Tires and wheels first, rinse thoroughly, use a general microfiber or a dedicated mitt to wash, if you get a tire brush, general detailing brushes and some wheel willies it’ll help the process. Wash and rinse.
2. Body, rinse thoroughly, then wash top to bottom. Rinse mitt in between panels, re-sud and keep at it. Use a different mitt for the bottom half and front. Rinse and dry.
3. Protect.

If detailing isn’t your thing then I would recommend going to a reputable detailer and they can explain the best option for you and your budget. Never go through a car wash of any kind.

If you do decide to do it yourself and concerned about using a product on a particular surface do a test spot. Hit me up if you have any questions.

That should get you started, good luck and congrats on the new Challenger!

This is pretty solid advise.
I will add if you shop Adam's Polishes online, you can't go wrong with any of their products.
For Car Shampoo, use Car Shampoo. It's PH neutral , it's clean fresh and the best overall car wash on the market IMO.
To protect the Satin Finishes on your car, you can use CS3. It has some SIO2 in it and it can be used as a detail spray and a waterless wash. It's probably my very favorite product they make.
You can also use Graphene Detail spray which is designed to be used as a drying agent and or a detail spray on a clean car. Not designed to be used as a dusting spray. Sure you can use it that way but CS3 or Graphene CS3 would be the all purpose better way to go.

I'm a retired detailer but still actively stay up with product knowledge and I'm now just a hobbyist. Adam's polishes is my go to products but I like a lot of the local offerings. Griots Garage , Chemical Guys , Meguirers all make excellent products.

 

Hi everybody -- thank you for all the great advice and the welcomes! I love this place already

So.. I'll be looking at ceramic coating... And I hear you, Moparrebel; this will make me sound pretty lame, but I had no idea how challenging this stuff would be until I saw that little pamphlet. Thank god I did before I did something really dumb that I couldn't fix...

And, thank you SOOOO much Stumblin Steve! That was a LOT to share, and I appreciate all of it. So much!! I will take your advice, KISS and follow all your suggestions. Because you make it sound so easy!! lol

Well, let me work on gathering all this stuff together, and pics soon -- I promise! I have to get her cleaned up first as it was a long journey to get her here...

 

Awesome! Ceramic coating is honestly the best thing next to wrapping your car in PPF. Just be wary of outlandish claims for coatings, it’s not magic 😂 and if they offer more than three coats walk away, anything more than three layers is redundant and does nothing for protection or longevity.

 

If ceramic is not in your budget, prior to ceramic coating I used Chemical Guys Jet Seal Matte, great product. easy on wait 20 mins, easy off.

 

Just remember not to put a lot of pressure on the matte paint when washing or cleaning/treating it or you will eventually wipe the matte down to a shiny finish. Glossy paint is smooth, matte has a micro texture that disrupts the light return.

 

For my T/A, I had the hood wrapped in xpel stealth and then applied Adam's ceramic coating. Way easier to take care of. I'd consider the ppf if you're worried about rocks chipping the paint on the hood, which the ceramic coating won't help with

 

Now that you've got solid advice about the satin finish, you need to be made aware of this finish: some call it piano black. This, too, will scratch if you look at it wrong:

If/when you scratch this panel, buy some of this stuff, with their special cleaning/buffing pads. It works wonders.

One way it gets scratched is from grabbing that panel when closing the trunk. Don't do it! Here's a link to a post about E-Z Pull trunk straps, with more info:

Trunk pull down strap with factory red assist strap.

I came across this red assist strap (1VL64LR9AA) when browsing for parts and had the idea of ordering one to make a trunk pull down strap with. I originally ordered a red pull down strap from GenPartsCo, but the red didn’t match the factory red seat belts and since this was $6 bucks I figured...

www.challengertalk.com

 

HELLLLLP!!!!

HELP HELP HELP Please!

So, I gave my RT it's first bath by myself yesterday. I had to do it in direct sun but figured it was cold enough that the sun wouldn't bake water spots into it. I was wrong.

i got everything off the black satin and the gold paint, NP. But the sun baked our mineral-laced water onto the windows. I figured window cleaner would take care of it... it doesn't. I need some major (hopefully basic) advice on how to fix this. Then I swear I'm' having it detailed professionally from now on. LOL

Let me know if you have any idea. Thanks in advance.

 

Don’t sweat it. If it’s pretty recent 1:1 distilled water and distilled vinegar, or vinegar straight up. Put on microfiber towel, work it in, clean off with glass cleaner.

Next stop would be a dedicated water spot remover. It has a higher acidity level that dissolves the mineral deposits. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the glass with glass cleaner or water to neutralize the acidic properties. I recommend Carpro Spotless, works wonderfully.

If that doesn’t work next step would be to polish. Sounds to me you should be good with either top two suggestions.

 

I feel your pain brother...we've got hard water here in central Indiana. In my experience, this will wash off without issue. You can try using a no rinse car soap if you get soft/conditioned water inside the house.

I've noticed thay when I rinse and dry, I still see spots on the satin but when it's fully dry, no spots.

I recommend a ceramic coat if it's in the budget. Makes caring for all the finishes much easier.

I'm waiting to see your color in the flesh. Really sharp with the satin black. Love it!

 

I feel your pain brother...we've got hard water here in central Indiana. In my experience, this will wash off without issue. You can try using a no rinse car soap if you get soft/conditioned water inside the house.

I've noticed thay when I rinse and dry, I still see spots on the satin but when it's fully dry, no spots.

I recommend a ceramic coat if it's in the budget. Makes caring for all the finishes much easier.

I'm waiting to see your color in the flesh. Really sharp with the satin black. Love it!

I might get the ceramic coat. I also kind of wish I'd gotten the 'clear bra' for the front as I already saw a little chip in the black satin from a rock. Grrrr... anybody have any experience with those.

But sadly neither of those treat the stains on my windows, and I don't have treated water in my house (well slightly but I think that's the same stuff in the hose. I'lll check).

And yeah! It's a weird, memorable, gorgeous color.I hope to take some pics of it here soon (was trying to get it cleaned up for that! lol)

Don’t sweat it. If it’s pretty recent 1:1 distilled water and distilled vinegar, or vinegar straight up. Put on microfiber towel, work it in, clean off with glass cleaner.

Next stop would be a dedicated water spot remover. It has a higher acidity level that dissolves the mineral deposits. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the glass with glass cleaner or water to neutralize the acidic properties. I recommend Carpro Spotless, works wonderfully.

If that doesn’t work next step would be to polish. Sounds to me you should be good with either top two suggestions.

Stumblin Steve!!

I was hoping to hear from you! I'm sure one of these is going to work. I will report back! Thank you!!

Harley Davidson Denim Paint Cleaner. Can be bought at local HD shop. I’ve tried lots of other stuff but this stuff is great. About $12-$15 at HD dealers. Use it on my hood and wheels.

Wow -- that stuff looks cool!!! And we have a big dealership in town, so I'm going to definitely try... thanks!

 

Harley Davidson Denim Paint Cleaner. Can be bought at local HD shop. I’ve tried lots of other stuff but this stuff is great. About $12-$15 at HD dealers. Use it on my hood and wheels.

 

Stumblin Steve!!

I was hoping to hear from you! I'm sure one of these is going to work. I will report back! Thank you!!

Water spotting happens to me too it’s an issue we all deal with 😄

Try detailing a jacked up all black F-250, fighting the sun suuuuuuuucks. Lol

I know I mentioned this in my message to you but I’ll post here for others.

To help avoid water spots try detailing early or late in the day avoiding the sun when hottest. You can use a detail spray as a drying aid which can help avoid spotting. You can also rinse the car with distilled water in a pump sprayer which I’ve done and works very well. Also you can flood the panel with the hose’s natural water pressure which will remove a ton of water quickly leaving only some areas to dry.

Let me know how it goes! You got this 😊

 

You can spend $150-$500 on a water de-ionizer kit if you’re so inclined. Just another option.