Hey Perfectlap, clear your inbox!

[Frodo]

Tried to send this as a PM to Perfectlap, but was thrwarted by a swamped inbox, so I'll just throw it up for general discussion and, if possible, some feedback from PL himself. Went something like this...

"First let me start by saying that your 847 posts about car detailing (I just made that number up) are most impressive. You sound like somebody who’s got a reasonably good idea of what he’s talking about. Just detailed my car (2001 S, seal grey) over the 4th of July weekend and, sorry to say, I used few of your suggestions, falling prey instead to the use-what-you-got philosophy.

What I did:
1) Wash. (Some sort of fancy soap…Meg’s I think.)

2) Clayed. (Would have used clay bar, but my kid just got some of the “Liquid Clay Bar” so I cheaply misappropriated some of his. Seemed to work well, though I am inclined to follow your suggestion of using the Sonus green clay next time.)

3) Dried. (Used a chamois…sorry. Post claying, the finish was SOOOO smooth I just can’t imagine the chamois is in the least bit damaging. IMHO. I may waffle weave dry next time I wash and dry without claying, however.)

4) Meg’s paint cleaner.

5) 3-M Imperial Hand Glaze. (I think the paint cleaner worked well. I say that because the one place I didn’t use it was on the narrow strip of paint around the windshield---I was afraid of the cleaner adversely reacting with the rubber border just in front of the paint. Interestingly, when I 3-M’d the car, while the paint glossed up beautifully, the applicator uniformly came up clean as a whistle, with one exception. Yep, when I did that strip around the windshield---a few square inches---the pad came up BLACK.)

6) Zymol wax. Did this three times. I used the liquid, which was a cleaner wax, which (after all the aforementioned prep) I’d be the first to agree was probably unnecessary (the cleaner part, that is). Again, all I had available as far as wax (other than the “NuFinish” polymer I use on my ’96 Camry).

The results were verging on breathtaking…like looking into a grey, shimmering pool of water, irrefutably three dimensional. I’d have posted pics, but that’s one of about a hundred things on my list of things I need to learn how to do. Maybe next time.

Anyway, take heart. You have had substantive (not just inspirational) influence. Just three days ago, ordered the FK 425, 146, some Optimum No Rinse, Duragloss Aqua Wax, RaggTopp, Oxo Feather tipped brush, etc. (I tried to order some FX100 but they were out.) I look forward to duplicating your results with these products.

A couple of questions while I have your attention. My Zymol is nearly depleted; I’m inclined to get some of their paste wax, though I’m not sure it’s worth the money. My second choices would involve a choice between something like P21S, S100, or Souveran. My first question is whether it’s OK to go JUST with a carnauba, or am I setting myself up for problems by not using a sealant? Maybe the Poorboys EX with carnauba would be a good choice? (I take it that it’s a combo of synthetic sealant with carnauba?) Do you use it (or say the Werkstat Acrylic Jett) by hand, or does it need random orbital action for application?

Another question is: As good as my paint looks (and I think it looks great---I see no swirls even under halogen lamps), is polishing really necessary? (Beyond just continuing with the 3-M hand glaze, which I guess is a mild polish).

BTW, have you tried the distilled water (on a MF towel) polished out with a piece of wadded up newspaper on your dirty windshield? Works well…

Anyway, thanks for your pearls of wisdom. You are indeed a 986forum exterior detail institution."

[Perfectlap]

.........pm sent.

[Frodo]

Nothing showed up...you sure you hit the "Submit Message" button?

BTW, where in Jersey are you? Spent the first half of my life in south Jersey, about 15 minutes from the Delaware bridge. I still miss the tomatoes and all the other fresh produce (and bay-caught fish for that matter).

Headed down to Avalon in a few days. (A few towns south of A.C. Folks have a shore home there.)

[Perfectlap]

arggghhh...that was a lengthy response that didn't make its way to you. C'est la vie.

anyhooters,

regarding your questions.

I don't think its a huge sin not to use a sealant if you are someone who will be detailing frequently and the paint is rarely "bare". The sealant is usually formulated by the same company that produces the polish to bond with one another. But in my experience the Poorboys EXP or EX work well with most non-Zaino brand polishes. In your case you would of applied the sealant immediately after you used the Meguiar's paint cleanser. Let the sealant cure for 8 hours and then you're done with the seasonal polishing/sealing.

regarding the swirls, if you did have any, the polish would not work to correct swirling. You would need a dedicated rubbing compound of swirl remover which have much harsher abrasives than the mild abrasives found in nearly all polishes and paint cleansers. Some polishes have fillers that cover up swirls temporarily.

As far as you monthly post sealant wax toppers (which is what the 3M hand glaze is, a finishing wax) you can go the bio route (Carnauba) or the synthetic route. If you go with a bio like Souveran or S100 or P21s you'll get couple weeks out of it if the car is outside allot. Longer if you top with FK 425 and you cut down on the dust that bio waxes attract. These are great on dark cars.
These Carnaubas really don't do it for me on light colored cars so I go the lower maintenance, longer lasting synthetic route.
I use Pink Wax or 1000P high temp paste wax from FK1. Either sets up nicely as a "base" wax over the sealant and lasts nearly two months. After washing I can use glossy sprays like $8 Duragloss Aqua Wax (wet look) or the $15 Optimum Spray Wax (sharper candy apple type look) or $20 liquid Souveran (better for dark cars) over the 1000P base for shine boost rather than re-applying the paste wax. No matter what the 425 spray goes over everything before I drive off, wheels, glass, paint, dash.

I wouldn't use that chamois on the paint. The soft top is good but when you are drying you don't want any dragging or squeaking. The best route is spray the damp car with a quick detailer or a diluted Optimum No Rinse mixture in a spray bottle and buff the panel dry with the waffle weave. Avoid dry rubbing at all costs. You can use 425 for the 'lubricated drying' method but you'll use up allot of product, better to apply it once the car is fully dry. For cleaning the trim and weather stripping you can't go wrong with Klasse All In ONe even though I now use Werkstatt Prime Strong as my go to paint polish. Make sure you ask for the pre-VOC Klasse all in one formula if they still sell it. The eco laws have had a bad effect on many polish reformulations.


Also, try the spit shine method to waxing. 1-Spray the freshy washed/clayed CLEAN panel with a quick detail spray, any will do. 2-Apply the wax to the damp panel using a damp foam applicator. 3-let it haze/dry for a few minutes (while you do the next panel) 4- respray the panel. 5- Buff out using the non-furry/short nap side of microfiber or a high quality waffle weave. The key here is to use speed not pressure. The combination of the speed and the water will give you very bright shine with max lubrication. much like shining shoes... If you applied too much wax and have to rub hard to get off the wax just spray more quick detailer, don't rub hard, that's how you etch the clear coat. The 425 spray helps loosen dried wax too.


"A couple of questions while I have your attention. My Zymol is nearly depleted; I’m inclined to get some of their paste wax, though I’m not sure it’s worth the money. My second choices would involve a choice between something like P21S, S100, or Souveran. My first question is whether it’s OK to go JUST with a carnauba, or am I setting myself up for problems by not using a sealant? Maybe the Poorboys EX with carnauba would be a good choice? (I take it that it’s a combo of synthetic sealant with carnauba?) Do you use it (or say the Werkstat Acrylic Jett) by hand, or does it need random orbital action for application?

Another question is: As good as my paint looks (and I think it looks great---I see no swirls even under halogen lamps), is polishing really necessary? (Beyond just continuing with the 3-M hand glaze, which I guess is a mild polish). "

[Frodo]

Thank you. Thank you. (Once for the answer that arrived, once for the one floating aimlessly, lost somewhere in the ether.)

Sorry you had to do it twice. It may be me---I sometimes have that effect. I can break the check-out register computer simply by placing my items on the conveyer belt. The good news is…my Boxster seems to like me.


Quote: "In your case you would of applied the sealant immediately after you used the Meguiar's paint cleanser.”

Does that mean that use of the hand glaze after the paint cleaner was probably redundant?


Quote: “If you go with a bio like Souveran…you’ll get couple weeks out of it if the car is outside allot.”

Wow. With the Zymol I’ve been going MUCH longer than that, like a couple months. (Judging by the only criteria I know: The wonderful gloss---post-washing/drying---remains intact, and water still beads like crazy.) The car is garaged, but I drive it pretty much every nice day (no winter weather driving), including, often, to work (where it is parked outside, but is shaded). I think I’ve only been caught in the rain twice in the year I’ve had the car.


Quote: “No matter what the 425 spray goes over everything before I drive off…”

What I had in mind. But you’d still recommend sealing the carnauba with their FX 100 first, right?


Thanks again for your persistence. If you don’t feel like responding to this, hell with it, don’t worry about it. I’m slowly figuring this all out.

(I was being facetious with the “847 posts about car detailing” but I got to thinkin’ about it. I’m thinking it’s entirely possible you have WELL OVER that number.)

[Perfectlap]

the 3M hand glaze over the paint cleaner was not redundant. The 3M line is a three step much like other over the counter brands. You just skipped the 2nd step (sealing). The hand glaze probably contains some carnauba or carnauba-like oils that would not be found in a paint cleanser. 3M hand glaze if very good I saw it on my last visit to a high end body shop. I guess they use it on the old surrounding panels of freshly painted panels to make a nice even shiny presentation when the owner picks his/her car.

Zymol is very good. A bit of a pain as its not as concentrated as a Zaino or Optimum so you have to put more elbow grease into it. The pure Carnaubas like Souveran are used for show cars that rarely spend time outdoors. They are the best for layering if you are after a 'pool of water' type reflection but they don't last very long as they wash away easy with rain fall and car soaps and dust. The FX 100 sealant glaze spray is the way to go if you plan to use only Carnaubas. Just wait a few hours for Carnauba to dry before sealing it with Fx100. And wait a day before you add the 2nd layer of Carnauba. I once did 10 layers on a black car and it was blinding. But not easy as the paint had to be carefully wiped down to remove dirt before the next layer of Carnauba was applied. FX100 has little particles of Carauba that are crushed and smeared during buffing. You have to be careful when applying FX100 by spraying it into a foam applicator and not spraying it directly onto the paint since the little bits get airborn and end up on the soft top and then you have to rinse the top.
p.s.
get a high quality sprayer for the 425. It comes out too thick if you use a cheap sprayer and you'll end up wasting. Autogeek.net has a nice one that holds 32 ounces. FK1 use very cheap spray bottles to keep costs down.

[Frodo]

Thank you, sir. You are a gentleman and a scholar. (At least as far as I can tell from here.)