I would second the use of Meguiar`s products that fit the bill for professional and hobbyist detailer alike. I`ve used all three vehicle product lines: Consumer, Professional, and Detailer. I like the Detailer Line because it is cost-effective and produces the results I like.
That said, there is a reason that there are SOOO many car-care chemical manufacturers out there. Each has their niche and advantage. I have been using Optimum Polymer Technology products more and these four REALLY stand out for me as a hobbyist:
1) Power Clean All-Purpose Cleaner. Expensive, but a great degreaser and cleaner for exterior work. Try it on tail pipes FULL STREGTH to remove carbon build-up or to remove road paint on vinyl trim/lower body cladding.
2) Optimum Metal Polish. Really good at cleaning chrome and offering some protection for metals. Really good for bug residue without scratching chrome or brushed aluminum/stainless steel trim. Try it on tail pipe tips after cleaning them with Power Clean.
3) Opti-Bond Tire Gel. This one I tried as a suggestion from members in this forum for a no-gloss-natural-rubber shine. Works as advertised AND I`ve used it on plastic wheel wells to get them back to that new black plastic look. The down side is it does not last for more than 3-4 weeks, but I`ll live with that. Easy to apply with a tire sponge without the `slime" and sling or having a tire shinier than the paint.
4) Optimum Carpet and Fabric Cleaner & Protectant This one was also from suggestions by Autopians. I had used Power Clean on carpet floor mats but the industrial smell was terrible and lingered for weeks. So I thought this would be a good alternative and it is. Cleans very well on tough stains with a pleasant smell. Works great on fabric headliners with a microfiber towel-only wipe/extraction method (You DO clean the interior roof headliner, don`t you??)
Expensive, but it does work, especially on fabric seats. If you have kids or clean soccer-mom vans or SUVs, OC&FC&P might be worth considering adding to your car-car chemical cleaning arsenal.
I must add, if you want to try Chemical Guy`s products, check out your local Walmart. Here in Green Bay, WI they are stocking some of their products. Yes, they are more expensive than their usual car-care product offerings (at least for the usual Walmart shopper), so they may be in Clearance Isle if you wait long enough.
And if you have been on the fence about McKee`s 37 products, go to their website and check out the Car Care Kit 12 Pack (actually 13 as a bonus) offering for $149.99 plus shipping of 16 oz. (or 8 oz) products combinations that you can mix-n-match from. If PA Detailer is correct, this may be a very good opportunity to try them and see how good they really are and still be left with enough product for additional uses to make your own evaluation of.