💦 Detailing TCG Detailing Thread

[HILROD]

I will have her let you look at it while its new.

 

[Rent Free]

20% off sitewide chemical guys last day PSA

 

[Rebel]

Just had 80-90% of my car repainted. I read that I should wait roughly 30 days before waxing, and was considering putting on a clear bra. Any thing else I should be doing to take care of the paint? Car looks beautiful at the moment.

 

[bnr32]

so who has a tried and trusted method for removing wiper scratches from a windshield?

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

I will have her let you look at it while its new.

Just had 80-90% of my car repainted. I read that I should wait roughly 30 days before waxing, and was considering putting on a clear bra. Any thing else I should be doing to take care of the paint? Car looks beautiful at the moment.

one of the body shop guys should chime in, but I would wait the 30 days and then proceed with whatever protection you decide on

so who has a tried and trusted method for removing wiper scratches from a windshield?

You can try a glass polish with a glass polishing pad.
If you do not have a machine, it may be difficult to remove the scratches.
I'm not sure how effective the glass polish is via hand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMi5PtyqUI8

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

[MENTION=10447]crooks[/MENTION] [MENTION=6359]N20GT[/MENTION]

try using an iron remover to remove stubborn deposits, wash with a good quality soap and then use a topper. CarPro Reload, or any other silica spray sealant.
This should help restore some of the beading and hydrophobic properties to the lower sections

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

[MENTION=10447]crooks[/MENTION] [MENTION=6359]N20GT[/MENTION]

try using an iron remover to remove stubborn deposits, wash with a good quality soap and then use a topper. CarPro Reload, or any other silica spray sealant.
This should help restore some of the beading and hydrophobic properties to the lower sections

Will do, thanks! Is this the extent of maintenance you'd do to a ceramic coated vehicle? Any other sort of polishing that'll help bring out the smoothness & shine without compromising the coating?

 

[Pressure Ratio]

Just had 80-90% of my car repainted. I read that I should wait roughly 30 days before waxing, and was considering putting on a clear bra. Any thing else I should be doing to take care of the paint? Car looks beautiful at the moment.

It depends on the paint they used. As well as if it was baked or not. Most places don't bake paint anymore. I would ask the body shop that painted the car. They should know based on the paint manufacturer's recommendations.

 

[greasy]

Random thought here, but I’m just not that impressed by ceramic coatings on cars. I know it’s all the rage, but I don’t know if I buy the “performance” of the coating. I feel like the car with ceramic is harder to keep clean/attracts more dirt. I also despise how unslick the paint feels.

I just detailed the girlfriend’s ride over the weekend and the Wolfgang 3.0 Sealant is the cat’s payamas.

 

[Mook]

In my opinion, ceramic on daily drivers (while nice) is not worth the cost and effort to maintain. My car still looks AMAZING when I wash it but I have shit baked into the doors b/c of how much crap the front tires of the R throws up in the winter...and the only way to fix it is to buff the doors and likely remove the ceramic in the process. In the winter, its really hard to keep the car clean and maintain the ceramic.

For a summer car, I think its absolutely worth it b/c of how easy it is to actually clean the car but for a 12 month a year car....I say save your money.

Ceramic on rims is awesome tho...mine clean up SUPER easy with usually just a blast of the hose.

 

[Mook]

My paint feels fantastic still...not sure what cars you're feeling that feel like that, Jim.

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

Will do, thanks! Is this the extent of maintenance you'd do to a ceramic coated vehicle? Any other sort of polishing that'll help bring out the smoothness & shine without compromising the coating?

The reason why I suggest the iron decon is because it removes some embedded contaminants. Coatings are not supposed to be clayed, even with a fine grade mitt / towel
Carpro has essence i believe... which is a product that can be used to polish an existing coating and prepares the surface for a topper or another application of a coating.... I have yet to research this fully.

Random thought here, but I’m just not that impressed by ceramic coatings on cars. I know it’s all the rage, but I don’t know if I buy the “performance” of the coating. I feel like the car with ceramic is harder to keep clean/attracts more dirt. I also despise how unslick the paint feels.

I just detailed the girlfriend’s ride over the weekend and the Wolfgang 3.0 Sealant is the cat’s payamas.

WG is definitely the slickest product I have felt. Coatings are not slick but if you top cquartz with reload per the directions, the reload adds the slickness.
I've been using bead maker as a drying aid on my truck and the paint feels slick ( not WG slick ) but decent.

I have not experienced the "static" effect with the vehicle attracting more dust

I did have this issue when using griot's speed shine as a drying aid years ago

In my opinion, ceramic on daily drivers (while nice) is not worth the cost and effort to maintain. My car still looks AMAZING when I wash it but I have shit baked into the doors b/c of how much crap the front tires of the R throws up. In the winter, its really hard to keep the car clean and maintain the ceramic.

For a summer car, I think its absolutely worth it b/c of how easy it is to actually clean the car but for a 12 month a year car....I say save your money.

Ceramic on rims is awesome tho...mine clean up SUPER easy with usually just a blast of the hose.

I have it on both a DD and a garage queen.
As mentioned earlier in the thread, if you want to fine polish your paint often, then a coating is not for you.
all depends....

My paint feels fantastic still...not sure what cars you're feeling that feel like that, Jim.

Opti gloss coat on the Cobra ?

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Random thought here, but I’m just not that impressed by ceramic coatings on cars. I know it’s all the rage, but I don’t know if I buy the “performance” of the coating. I feel like the car with ceramic is harder to keep clean/attracts more dirt. I also despise how unslick the paint feels.

I just detailed the girlfriend’s ride over the weekend and the Wolfgang 3.0 Sealant is the cat’s payamas.

This has been my experience too. Polishing my wife's car this past weekend made me once again fall in love with how smooth the paint feels after polishing. My DD taurus paint was always in great shape without any ceramic, and it was black. It got clayed once a year and polished 2-3 times a year, that's all it took.

I'm going to try the ironx + carpro reload and see how it feels. If I like it, great, if not I'm going to polish the coating off. It's been a year anyways so it'll probably start to wear off by the end of the fall.


Which brings me to my next question: what's the least abrasive polish + pad one can use to get a consumer-grade (blackfire) ceramic coating off? Lighter the better, abrasive stuff scares me. Lol

 

[SleeperLS]

WG sealant is the bestest

 

[greasy]

Even when I had Chicago Auto Pros do the Cobra, I forget what they used, but I was not impressed with the performance of the coating. On my fun car I will take the WG all day. For the cost, ease of application, the gloss/slickness I am not sure it can be beat.

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

In my opinion, ceramic on daily drivers (while nice) is not worth the cost and effort to maintain. My car still looks AMAZING when I wash it but I have shit baked into the doors b/c of how much crap the front tires of the R throws up in the winter...and the only way to fix it is to buff the doors and likely remove the ceramic in the process. In the winter, its really hard to keep the car clean and maintain the ceramic.

For a summer car, I think its absolutely worth it b/c of how easy it is to actually clean the car but for a 12 month a year car....I say save your money.

Ceramic on rims is awesome tho...mine clean up SUPER easy with usually just a blast of the hose.

I feel the opposite, I did the coating 80% for protection and 20% for looks. A car that only sees good weather is easy to keep perfect using nothing more than light polish/buff once a year. A DD could use tougher protection IMO...hence the coating.

If I polish mine off, i'll probably pay someone to reapply it before winter

 

[Mook]

Thats my point tho (which I didnt really do a great job of explaining, per usual). Its great for protection (and has the benefit of looking amazing when clean) but it requires upkeep...which is hard to do in the winter when the car is getting buttfucked by salt and the elements....the ceramic on my car is offering protection, but since I didnt do a great job at upkeep, there is crap baked IN TO the ceramic itself....which sucks because it will need to be buffed which will likely remove the ceramic on the doors which means I would have to spend more money to reapply.

If the R was a summer car, this wouldnt be an issue...but since its a daily, I would have been better off with polish.

Like anything else, mileage will vary.

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Thats my point tho (which I didnt really do a great job of explaining, per usual). Its great for protection (and has the benefit of looking amazing when clean) but it requires upkeep...which is hard to do in the winter when the car is getting buttfucked by salt and the elements....the ceramic on my car is offering protection, but since I didnt do a great job at upkeep, there is crap baked IN TO the ceramic itself....which sucks because it will need to be buffed which will likely remove the ceramic on the doors which means I would have to spend more money to reapply.

If the R was a summer car, this wouldnt be an issue...but since its a daily, I would have been better off with polish.

Like anything else, mileage will vary.

I'd rather have road debris & salt beating up a replaceable ceramic coat than beating up your clear coat.

 

[Mook]

My hood has plenty of chips in it and it has ceramic....its not unstoppable

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

the 2 "compounds" I use are Menzerna FG 400 and Griot's Garage Fast correcting cream.
Either of these paired with a foam cutting pad or a MF cutting pad should remove the existing coating.

 

[Gav'sPurpleZ]

I ordered this but autogeek's website did not mention the suggested use of the carpro gloss pad
luckily they are available on amazone.

https://www.carpro-us.com/compounds...nce-plus-non-abrasive-gloss-agent-500ml-17oz/

 

[Aircal]

Washed Wolfganged waxed....

 

[Aircal]

Old school Whelsys Bleach White on the tires

 

[IDAFC21]

I ordered this but autogeek's website did not mention the suggested use of the carpro gloss pad
luckily they are available on amazone.

https://www.carpro-us.com/compounds...nce-plus-non-abrasive-gloss-agent-500ml-17oz/

Interesting. Will be patiently awaiting a review!

 

[DanJ]

I hadn’t used the WG DGPS 3.0 last year and went back to it this year. I like it a lot.

I’ve been watching YouTube videos on gtechniq C5 application (Gav you’re on the first page of results) and it doesn’t look too bad. Need to pickup my wheels this week and get it done.