Lowiepete
08-04-2016, 17:20
Hello Folks,
Introduction
Of course, the slightly warmer and longer days of spring herald the expectation
of renewing intimate connection with the car's paint and getting it to look its
very best. Before I launch into the products bit, I want to use the intro for
this missive to describe an overall approach to detailing.
At the time of writing my car will be 3 years old in 3 months time and so far it
has not had... a power washer anywhere near it, not even the wheel arches
a polishing machine
or a clay bar applied to it, other than once on the wheel backs
What that means is that it does not take aggressive means of cleaning in order
to maintain a good shine. Indeed, I think this missive will demonstrate the
yang, of the benefits of a gentler approach.
Some Basic Attitudes Discussed
I know, this paragraph is going to talk about some of the shibboleths of car
detailing. Every time I see snowfoam on a car, a little part of me shivers.
This is especially so when there is nothing on the ground to catch any of
the spent liquid. When you think of the pain that oxygen deprivation causes in
mammals, I dread to think what it does to marine life. You don't ever want
to experience a dead river; the sight, the smell, the sheer desolation!
Why do I have this attitude? Because, if you pre-spray ONR and allow that
to dwell, it will give any snowfoam a full and complete run for its money
when it comes to cleaning ability, with almost nil run-off by comparison.
Oh, and I haven't mentioned the preparatory work and clearing up work that
is saved.
As for avoiding any machine polishing, well, it's all in the wash technique. I'm
pretty well convinced that what I'd call the major swirls on my paintwork were
caused during the first winter's experiment with ONR. Considering the softness
of the Renault paint, I so far haven't found the need for a machine polish. It
has been a "maybe" topic for countless months, but I still don't find any
pressing need. Again, it's a plus for the "gently-gently" approach.
When I first took delivery of the car, there was some roughness in the paint
and any serious detailer I spoke to drew attention to it. However, the regular
spring and summer clean-backs of the surface have now rendered it very
smooth. Indeed this leads me well into the proper start of this section of
the product run-down.
Pre-Wax Cleaners
Of course, before applying any of these products the car needs to be very
thoroughly washed. Usually, by mid-April, the road salt is put away for use
later in the year, so that risk has gone. Up to now, I've tried a whole variety
of PWC products, most if not all with satisfying levels of success.
The P21S/R222 PWC is a firm favourite and is certainly easily applied and
removed. The Raceglaze product is similar, though slightly thicker than the
P21S which, in my hands, made it slightly easier to apply to the pad.
However, probably my favourite product was Optimum's Poli-Seal. Of course
this not so much a PWC but an AIO and the base for the following coats of
wax was noticeably better, for just as much work as the other two products.
Each time I've cleaned back the paint, so it has got that tiny bit smoother.
What this has shown is that products applied in the interim have been doing
their protective bit. However, the apple-cart has been well and truly upset
by the arrival of the gTechniq P1 polish.
Currently, I do now have mixed feelings about doing both a summer and winter
prep. Of course I always look forward to both, but the amount of work that's
involved does leave its mark. It'll take several days for my hands to recover
from all that rubbing. Yeah, it'll be the equivalent of a tickle by most of you,
but the discomfort doesn't get easier to cope with. I guess you know where
this is going; I'm seriously considering doing an "annual" clean-down instead.
The main reasons for this are that I can achieve such a fantasticly good
basic surface clean with the P1 and the protection products I use are by no
means spent at the time they presently get removed. I guess that's the
beauty of using 21stC products, although I'm not ready to go down the
entire nano-road. The sheer satisfaction of using a wax is not going to be
thrown away yet awhile.
Waxes / Sealants / Glazes & Hybrids
As you can probably tell from the sub-title, I've waved my PayPal at a very
wide variety of potions. Most, but not all, have been pastes, which have been
a preference for most of my life. The hard Simoniz wax of the 1960's was a
beast to get the best out of, but the satisfaction when it went well was off
the scale. No clear-coat paints back then, either.
Of the plain carnauba waxes that I've tried, there's...
Valentine's Concours
Valentine's Road & Track
CG 50/50
Collinite 476S
Harlys Wax
Optimum Car Wax (Liquid)
Megs Nxt Wax (Liquid)
The first two are very good waxes. They both have a common drawback in
that you have to pick a suitable day for application. If it's too warm, or too
breezy or there's high humidity, then both application and removal needs to
be well judged to avoid it being hard work. Otherwise, fantastic finish,
particularly from the Concours. Both last well.
In stark contrast to this is the CG 50/50 - a breeze to apply and remove with
matching performance in both looks and durability. While the Collinite is quite
legendary in performance, the high polymer content gave my paint a far too
cool blingy finish that I wasn't keen on. Out of the lot, it's probably the Harlys
that presents the best all-round ease of use, finish, protection, satisfaction
and value for money.
My "spit and polish" test using the Harlys earlier this year was a huge success.
My passenger door still has not been stripped back and it's only in certain
lights that you can tell. Although having had several coats of various QDs it's
still repelling water. Anyone who questions the durability of the Harlys has
either not applied it in ideal conditons or they have mistreated it since. Again,
I believe it's back to the "gently-gently" approach that's winning through.
http://s5.postimg.cc/eqcie16pj/r11coupe42.jpg
The car just a few days into the Spit'n'Polish test. Wheels show that it does get driven :)
The Megs liquid wax was nothing to write home about, while the OCW is a
regular refill into my armoury. I tend to use it more like a QD, though for a
liquid, it stands on its own for shine and durability. As with all the Optimum
range, application is so simple.
Sealants
After using Collinite and seeing its glassy finish, I've not been that drawn to
using sealants, mostly because to my eyes the silver metallic flake doesn't
respond well to that glassy look. It's just not to my taste - I prefer the warm
and deep look to the cool and stark. However, never to be missing from my
armoury is FK1000p - yeah, another cool and stark finisher that demands
some extra work, but, for its price and performance, it's no wonder that it's
very popular!
The one thing I like most is that it will take almost anything on top of it, as
long as you allow time for it to fully cure in ideal conditions. The combination
of the FK with Harlys or CG 50/50 on top is really very satisfying. On the
wheels, nothing I've tried beats it for durability. On the other hand, I've
experimented with various mixes to try and get some better flake-pop out of
the wheels. On its own, the looks from FK don't quite get there.
http://s5.postimg.cc/tlx9gedyv/r11coupe17.jpg
The car with front panels wearing just one coat of 50/50
Of course, there's another sealant that I've used, OptiSeal. Now that is one
serious contender for the bling awards, but for me it has several down sides.
Just like the FK, it has some serious solvents in it that sweep away all or most
of what's gone on before. Just watch how easily FK1000p will remove tar
spots from wheels! There's no question that Optiseal is also easier to apply
than almost any other sealant.
For me, it's just the finish I'm not keen on and I'm not sure that it matches
the longevity of protection that the FK provides. I could be wrong on this last
point! The OptiSeal is reserved for the days when the ease of use has to
have a higher priority than the resulting looks.
Glazes & Hybrids etc.
Among my investigations, trials and experiments, have been a mix of a few
products that seem to defy any form of classification. Strangely, they all
come from the Chemical Guys stable. My first go with a CG product was their
MF cloth cleaner which I was not impressed with. That to the extent where I
was fairly ambivalent about trying anything else of theirs. Until, reading the
HFE reviews here that was. You already know how I feel about that product.
This was followed by trialling CG's Wet Mirror Finish - this was actually a 2nd
choice because my first wasn't presently in stock. There is one common
problem with all of CG's "mayonnaise style" products; getting a consistent and
even amount of product onto the pad. Almost inevitably, you end up with too
much on the pad and you begin to work against yourself. In common with
most, if not all, quality products, less is more!
Going back to the WMF - if you can keep a consistently thin coating, it
performs well as a base for FK1000p - though you do need to let it harden
overnight. Otherwise, the FK solvents are more than likely to wipe it away.
I tried this on my wheels with some success and I'm likely to repeat it at
the point when the SwissVax Pneu runs out. Nothing goes to waste here!
More recently, I've been trialling CG's BlackLight LSP - neither a sealant nor
a wax, and apparently a new breed of coating altogether. A breeze to apply
subject to the aforementioned consistency barrier, and just as easy to buff
off. The closest way that I can describe the resulting surface is that it looks
and feels like a cured wax that has also had a QD like FK425 applied to it. It's
kinda plastic but much less glassy than a sealant. 2 coats and it seems to
present a good protection barrier. It's still under test here, but no cause for
any concern thus far.
The other potion I've tried is the V7 Hybrid which seems to be recommended
for going on top of the BlackLight. To me, the V7 wasn't that much better
than Megs UQD at a vastly inflated price. It also doesn't seem to go as far
as the UQD which was quite surprising. I'm not sure that I'll be feeling bereft
enough to buy a second bottle.
Bringing Things Together
Putting things together, I'm getting to a point where there are now some core
products that I'll always replenish. The excitement of trying other products
has worn off a tad, mostly because I keep coming back to the core. Having
said that, I've just learned that I've been a prize draw winner with a box of
potions coming from Serious Performance. So, that'll be quite an adventure
and I'm really looking forward to writing about things other than ONR :)
So, it comes down to some core products...
Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels
Polish - gTechniq P1 / Optimum PoliSeal
QD - FK425 / Optimum Car Wax
Sealant - FK1000p
Wax - Harlys
Tyres / Trim - FK108AS
Glass - gTechniq G3
So 3 products each from Optimum and Finish Kare I guess is no surprise.
Having washed the car today, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the
protection offered by the CG Black Light so far, though the large and irregular
beads do take some wiping away. I was quite surprised at how relatively clean
the car was; it's hardly been touched for almost a month! That is quite likely
to become another core product if its protection continues. Maybe it'll be the
Harlys for summer, and BL for winter.
If you've been following this, there's one product that's not in the core list
which may be a tad surprising; the CG 50/50 wax. Totally brilliant product, but
I hesitate at the 40 quid price tag. The Harlys, at around half the price more
than justifies its presence in the list.
The Future - Bits yet to Solve
When I first joined this forum, my major desire was to be comfortable about
maintaining my own machine, and displaying the results without being a tad
embarrassed. Luckily, far from it, even if you guys do set the bar pretty high!
The eye-opener for me has been the wide range of products that I've been
able to either adapt or adopt to suit my needs.
However, even as someone with gammy hands, I'm not yet ready to go with
the longer-lasting nano treatments, tempting as they are. It's good to know
that they exist, but I'll save them for when I'm more or less forced into it by
being confined to a wheelchair; long may that day be put into abeyance!
One of the drawbacks with using the "mayonnaise" style products from CG has
been to get an even and regular blob of it on the applicator pad each time you
go to replenish it. It's just too easy to overwhelm it. So, finding a good pump
dispenser that my hands can cope with is probably number one task on the list.
Conclusions
Of course, with the classic lines of my car, no product is going to be tested
to its limits, and with such a range of potions to hand, there's little excuse
for the car to look shabby at any time. Anyway, back to the point, and my
preparations for a summer prep. As I've already hinted, I think 2012 is going
to herald a change in approach. Of course, with it being a trial, I'm nowhere
near a point of advocating this regime, though I do have a sneaking suspicion
that it will work well enough to satisfy even my fussiness.
Basically, in April I will be giving the car a very thorough clean back with the
P1. If needs be, I'll even have two goes at this. As ever, it's all in the prep,
so I'll pay it as much attention as it needs, bearing in mind my physical limits.
From there, certainly 2 coats of FK1000p, with at least an overnight wait
twixt the first and second. I know that you can layer the FK within just 40
minutes or so, but in mid-April I feel that it's too soon in the year for that.
I'll now need these coatings to protect for 12 rather than 5 or 6 months!
Now, the choice of what comes next. Probably, it'll be just one coat of WMF
followed by 2 coats of CG 50/50. The wax is a toss-up - it could be replaced
with the Harlys. The thinking here is that I will top-up the carnauba as the
sacrificial layer probably in late July or early August and again as late as I
dare toward the end of September maybe early October. All being weather
dependant of course.
I may well experiment with the BlackLight and apply that in place of the
WMF - it apparently takes either a sealant or a wax on top. So, it'll be very
interesting times to come.
This article was first posted in December 2011 - the posts that follow will
show the progression of my experiences and how a basic set of favourite
go-to products emerges and slowly gets amended over time.
If you've reached this far, I hope you've enjoyed your reading...
Regards,
Steve
Introduction
Of course, the slightly warmer and longer days of spring herald the expectation
of renewing intimate connection with the car's paint and getting it to look its
very best. Before I launch into the products bit, I want to use the intro for
this missive to describe an overall approach to detailing.
At the time of writing my car will be 3 years old in 3 months time and so far it
has not had... a power washer anywhere near it, not even the wheel arches
a polishing machine
or a clay bar applied to it, other than once on the wheel backs
What that means is that it does not take aggressive means of cleaning in order
to maintain a good shine. Indeed, I think this missive will demonstrate the
yang, of the benefits of a gentler approach.
Some Basic Attitudes Discussed
I know, this paragraph is going to talk about some of the shibboleths of car
detailing. Every time I see snowfoam on a car, a little part of me shivers.
This is especially so when there is nothing on the ground to catch any of
the spent liquid. When you think of the pain that oxygen deprivation causes in
mammals, I dread to think what it does to marine life. You don't ever want
to experience a dead river; the sight, the smell, the sheer desolation!
Why do I have this attitude? Because, if you pre-spray ONR and allow that
to dwell, it will give any snowfoam a full and complete run for its money
when it comes to cleaning ability, with almost nil run-off by comparison.
Oh, and I haven't mentioned the preparatory work and clearing up work that
is saved.
As for avoiding any machine polishing, well, it's all in the wash technique. I'm
pretty well convinced that what I'd call the major swirls on my paintwork were
caused during the first winter's experiment with ONR. Considering the softness
of the Renault paint, I so far haven't found the need for a machine polish. It
has been a "maybe" topic for countless months, but I still don't find any
pressing need. Again, it's a plus for the "gently-gently" approach.
When I first took delivery of the car, there was some roughness in the paint
and any serious detailer I spoke to drew attention to it. However, the regular
spring and summer clean-backs of the surface have now rendered it very
smooth. Indeed this leads me well into the proper start of this section of
the product run-down.
Pre-Wax Cleaners
Of course, before applying any of these products the car needs to be very
thoroughly washed. Usually, by mid-April, the road salt is put away for use
later in the year, so that risk has gone. Up to now, I've tried a whole variety
of PWC products, most if not all with satisfying levels of success.
The P21S/R222 PWC is a firm favourite and is certainly easily applied and
removed. The Raceglaze product is similar, though slightly thicker than the
P21S which, in my hands, made it slightly easier to apply to the pad.
However, probably my favourite product was Optimum's Poli-Seal. Of course
this not so much a PWC but an AIO and the base for the following coats of
wax was noticeably better, for just as much work as the other two products.
Each time I've cleaned back the paint, so it has got that tiny bit smoother.
What this has shown is that products applied in the interim have been doing
their protective bit. However, the apple-cart has been well and truly upset
by the arrival of the gTechniq P1 polish.
Currently, I do now have mixed feelings about doing both a summer and winter
prep. Of course I always look forward to both, but the amount of work that's
involved does leave its mark. It'll take several days for my hands to recover
from all that rubbing. Yeah, it'll be the equivalent of a tickle by most of you,
but the discomfort doesn't get easier to cope with. I guess you know where
this is going; I'm seriously considering doing an "annual" clean-down instead.
The main reasons for this are that I can achieve such a fantasticly good
basic surface clean with the P1 and the protection products I use are by no
means spent at the time they presently get removed. I guess that's the
beauty of using 21stC products, although I'm not ready to go down the
entire nano-road. The sheer satisfaction of using a wax is not going to be
thrown away yet awhile.
Waxes / Sealants / Glazes & Hybrids
As you can probably tell from the sub-title, I've waved my PayPal at a very
wide variety of potions. Most, but not all, have been pastes, which have been
a preference for most of my life. The hard Simoniz wax of the 1960's was a
beast to get the best out of, but the satisfaction when it went well was off
the scale. No clear-coat paints back then, either.
Of the plain carnauba waxes that I've tried, there's...
Valentine's Concours
Valentine's Road & Track
CG 50/50
Collinite 476S
Harlys Wax
Optimum Car Wax (Liquid)
Megs Nxt Wax (Liquid)
The first two are very good waxes. They both have a common drawback in
that you have to pick a suitable day for application. If it's too warm, or too
breezy or there's high humidity, then both application and removal needs to
be well judged to avoid it being hard work. Otherwise, fantastic finish,
particularly from the Concours. Both last well.
In stark contrast to this is the CG 50/50 - a breeze to apply and remove with
matching performance in both looks and durability. While the Collinite is quite
legendary in performance, the high polymer content gave my paint a far too
cool blingy finish that I wasn't keen on. Out of the lot, it's probably the Harlys
that presents the best all-round ease of use, finish, protection, satisfaction
and value for money.
My "spit and polish" test using the Harlys earlier this year was a huge success.
My passenger door still has not been stripped back and it's only in certain
lights that you can tell. Although having had several coats of various QDs it's
still repelling water. Anyone who questions the durability of the Harlys has
either not applied it in ideal conditons or they have mistreated it since. Again,
I believe it's back to the "gently-gently" approach that's winning through.
http://s5.postimg.cc/eqcie16pj/r11coupe42.jpg
The car just a few days into the Spit'n'Polish test. Wheels show that it does get driven :)
The Megs liquid wax was nothing to write home about, while the OCW is a
regular refill into my armoury. I tend to use it more like a QD, though for a
liquid, it stands on its own for shine and durability. As with all the Optimum
range, application is so simple.
Sealants
After using Collinite and seeing its glassy finish, I've not been that drawn to
using sealants, mostly because to my eyes the silver metallic flake doesn't
respond well to that glassy look. It's just not to my taste - I prefer the warm
and deep look to the cool and stark. However, never to be missing from my
armoury is FK1000p - yeah, another cool and stark finisher that demands
some extra work, but, for its price and performance, it's no wonder that it's
very popular!
The one thing I like most is that it will take almost anything on top of it, as
long as you allow time for it to fully cure in ideal conditions. The combination
of the FK with Harlys or CG 50/50 on top is really very satisfying. On the
wheels, nothing I've tried beats it for durability. On the other hand, I've
experimented with various mixes to try and get some better flake-pop out of
the wheels. On its own, the looks from FK don't quite get there.
http://s5.postimg.cc/tlx9gedyv/r11coupe17.jpg
The car with front panels wearing just one coat of 50/50
Of course, there's another sealant that I've used, OptiSeal. Now that is one
serious contender for the bling awards, but for me it has several down sides.
Just like the FK, it has some serious solvents in it that sweep away all or most
of what's gone on before. Just watch how easily FK1000p will remove tar
spots from wheels! There's no question that Optiseal is also easier to apply
than almost any other sealant.
For me, it's just the finish I'm not keen on and I'm not sure that it matches
the longevity of protection that the FK provides. I could be wrong on this last
point! The OptiSeal is reserved for the days when the ease of use has to
have a higher priority than the resulting looks.
Glazes & Hybrids etc.
Among my investigations, trials and experiments, have been a mix of a few
products that seem to defy any form of classification. Strangely, they all
come from the Chemical Guys stable. My first go with a CG product was their
MF cloth cleaner which I was not impressed with. That to the extent where I
was fairly ambivalent about trying anything else of theirs. Until, reading the
HFE reviews here that was. You already know how I feel about that product.
This was followed by trialling CG's Wet Mirror Finish - this was actually a 2nd
choice because my first wasn't presently in stock. There is one common
problem with all of CG's "mayonnaise style" products; getting a consistent and
even amount of product onto the pad. Almost inevitably, you end up with too
much on the pad and you begin to work against yourself. In common with
most, if not all, quality products, less is more!
Going back to the WMF - if you can keep a consistently thin coating, it
performs well as a base for FK1000p - though you do need to let it harden
overnight. Otherwise, the FK solvents are more than likely to wipe it away.
I tried this on my wheels with some success and I'm likely to repeat it at
the point when the SwissVax Pneu runs out. Nothing goes to waste here!
More recently, I've been trialling CG's BlackLight LSP - neither a sealant nor
a wax, and apparently a new breed of coating altogether. A breeze to apply
subject to the aforementioned consistency barrier, and just as easy to buff
off. The closest way that I can describe the resulting surface is that it looks
and feels like a cured wax that has also had a QD like FK425 applied to it. It's
kinda plastic but much less glassy than a sealant. 2 coats and it seems to
present a good protection barrier. It's still under test here, but no cause for
any concern thus far.
The other potion I've tried is the V7 Hybrid which seems to be recommended
for going on top of the BlackLight. To me, the V7 wasn't that much better
than Megs UQD at a vastly inflated price. It also doesn't seem to go as far
as the UQD which was quite surprising. I'm not sure that I'll be feeling bereft
enough to buy a second bottle.
Bringing Things Together
Putting things together, I'm getting to a point where there are now some core
products that I'll always replenish. The excitement of trying other products
has worn off a tad, mostly because I keep coming back to the core. Having
said that, I've just learned that I've been a prize draw winner with a box of
potions coming from Serious Performance. So, that'll be quite an adventure
and I'm really looking forward to writing about things other than ONR :)
So, it comes down to some core products...
Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels
Polish - gTechniq P1 / Optimum PoliSeal
QD - FK425 / Optimum Car Wax
Sealant - FK1000p
Wax - Harlys
Tyres / Trim - FK108AS
Glass - gTechniq G3
So 3 products each from Optimum and Finish Kare I guess is no surprise.
Having washed the car today, I have to say that I'm very impressed with the
protection offered by the CG Black Light so far, though the large and irregular
beads do take some wiping away. I was quite surprised at how relatively clean
the car was; it's hardly been touched for almost a month! That is quite likely
to become another core product if its protection continues. Maybe it'll be the
Harlys for summer, and BL for winter.
If you've been following this, there's one product that's not in the core list
which may be a tad surprising; the CG 50/50 wax. Totally brilliant product, but
I hesitate at the 40 quid price tag. The Harlys, at around half the price more
than justifies its presence in the list.
The Future - Bits yet to Solve
When I first joined this forum, my major desire was to be comfortable about
maintaining my own machine, and displaying the results without being a tad
embarrassed. Luckily, far from it, even if you guys do set the bar pretty high!
The eye-opener for me has been the wide range of products that I've been
able to either adapt or adopt to suit my needs.
However, even as someone with gammy hands, I'm not yet ready to go with
the longer-lasting nano treatments, tempting as they are. It's good to know
that they exist, but I'll save them for when I'm more or less forced into it by
being confined to a wheelchair; long may that day be put into abeyance!
One of the drawbacks with using the "mayonnaise" style products from CG has
been to get an even and regular blob of it on the applicator pad each time you
go to replenish it. It's just too easy to overwhelm it. So, finding a good pump
dispenser that my hands can cope with is probably number one task on the list.
Conclusions
Of course, with the classic lines of my car, no product is going to be tested
to its limits, and with such a range of potions to hand, there's little excuse
for the car to look shabby at any time. Anyway, back to the point, and my
preparations for a summer prep. As I've already hinted, I think 2012 is going
to herald a change in approach. Of course, with it being a trial, I'm nowhere
near a point of advocating this regime, though I do have a sneaking suspicion
that it will work well enough to satisfy even my fussiness.
Basically, in April I will be giving the car a very thorough clean back with the
P1. If needs be, I'll even have two goes at this. As ever, it's all in the prep,
so I'll pay it as much attention as it needs, bearing in mind my physical limits.
From there, certainly 2 coats of FK1000p, with at least an overnight wait
twixt the first and second. I know that you can layer the FK within just 40
minutes or so, but in mid-April I feel that it's too soon in the year for that.
I'll now need these coatings to protect for 12 rather than 5 or 6 months!
Now, the choice of what comes next. Probably, it'll be just one coat of WMF
followed by 2 coats of CG 50/50. The wax is a toss-up - it could be replaced
with the Harlys. The thinking here is that I will top-up the carnauba as the
sacrificial layer probably in late July or early August and again as late as I
dare toward the end of September maybe early October. All being weather
dependant of course.
I may well experiment with the BlackLight and apply that in place of the
WMF - it apparently takes either a sealant or a wax on top. So, it'll be very
interesting times to come.
This article was first posted in December 2011 - the posts that follow will
show the progression of my experiences and how a basic set of favourite
go-to products emerges and slowly gets amended over time.
If you've reached this far, I hope you've enjoyed your reading...
Regards,
Steve