An Approach to Spring Detailing & Summer Prep - Guide Sequence

[Lowiepete]

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.


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.


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

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Introduction

Well, where does the time go? It barely seems possible that 12 months have
passed since I was last writing up a resume of the previous year's trials and
triumphs. You may recall that I had tentatively come to the conclusion that
I could do annual clean-downs, rather than the more usual summer and
winter prep sessions. Best laid plans and all... :wall:

My conclusions back then came down to using some core products that would
always find a place in my armoury. These were as follows...

Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels
Polish - gTechniq P1 / OPS
QD - FK425 / OCW
Sealant - FK1000p
Wax - Harlys
Tyres / Trim - FK108AS
Glass - gTechniq G3

December 2012 Update for 2013

Has anything changed in the interim? Heck yeah! I've had my eyes opened in
a direction that I had not in the least anticipated. I've alluded to this on a
few occasions in posts since, but to say that I was a bit taken aback is really
no understatement. The cause of all this? An early New Year parcel from none
other than Alex at Serious Performance. It was my DW Xmas Draw prize.

I need to describe my feelings when I first opened the parcel. I was almost
totally underwhelmed. With my disability obviating the usual methods of car
washing, things like shampoo, wash mitts (2 different types) and drying
towels (again 2 types) were utterly redundant here. That little lot formed
the basis of a prize for the Folding@Home team, so it did find a good home
in the end...

However, I'd only scratched the surface of the box contents. There were
still more pads and applicators and cloths, a whole variety of them, all of
which I gave cursory glances to, with a keener eye on finding out what
bottles of potions had been included. Apart from the mentioned shampoo,
these amounted to a pre-wax cleaner, a liquid sealant and show detailer.
There wasn't even a good wax? At that point of slight deflation, little did
I know how much my detailing would change, for the better!

It All Began With 2 Cuts

Giving some of the pads a closer inspection revealed that some thought had
gone into their production. There was more to this box of tricks than had first
met my eyes! All of a sudden, here was me, with my gammy hands, able to
hold pads in complete comfort and security.

To say it was a revelation is no understatement! Now, I could relax with my
attempts at applying thin coatings with little or no risk of my launching the
applicator pad into outer space, or the more usual dust-bowl. I can't over-
emphasize how much easier my detailing sessions could be by two simple cuts
into the sides of pads.

The Potions Were Not Bad - Either!

Up to this point I'd not really dealt with Alex at SP, so I'd not taken very
much notice of mentions of his in-house products. Do some research and one
thing that you'll notice is that almost every reference to an SP potion meets
with approval on Detailing World. That's not an easy thing to achieve! Has
it had an effect on my core product list? Absolutely!

Revisiting The Core Products List

Of course, with 3 Finish Kare products in my existing core list, and finding
that Alex was a distributor of FK, there was room to explore their range further.
I'm guessing there'll be little surprise that I've added 3 more of their products
(all new to my experience) to the list...

• Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels / FK#146 Finish Restorer for glass and clay
• Polish - gTechniq P1
• Pre-Wax Cleaner - OPS / SP Paint Cleaner
• QD - FK#425 / SP Show Detailer
• Sealant - FK#1000p / Hybrid of SP Sealant and Wet Glaze 2
• Paste Wax - Harlys / FK#2685 Pink Wax
• Liquid Wax - SP Spray Wax / OCW / CG Blacklight
• Tyres / Trim - FK#350 / FK#108AS
• Glass - gTechniq G3

Additions to the list are shown in green. It's quite surprising to me that there
are 7 in total. However, let's deal with the SP products first. Despite it smelling
almost exactly like Brasso metal polish, the SP Paint Cleaner is quite a performer!
I tested this on a few cars and was delighted with the results every time.
Considering that the product is non-abrasive, it was quite surprising what was
being drawn off paint that at first sight seemed quite clean. The resulting
smoothness was also fairly remarkable.

I should say that on each occasion I was paint cleaning I was also using
another product that was new to me, the SP firm white waffle base cleaning
pad, more of which later! I used the SP Liquid Sealant in two ways. I sealed
the wheels of the Merc C class I do on the Cumbrian farm I stay at. I also
mixed it 50 / 50 with Wet Glaze 2 as a very successful experiment with very
pleasing results.

The SP Show Detailer became an instant hit with me, and it very seriously
challenges FK#425 for top spot as my favourite go-to QD now. So much so,
that I replenished my stock with the 1 US gallon concentrate and not looking
back. At the same time I ordered a bottle of SP Spray Wax, thinking that I'd
test this as a replacement for Optimum Car Wax. I haven't written much
about this yet as tests are ongoing, and indeed, are quite impressive so far.

The Finish Kare range is long established; it certainly goes a long way before
I started contributing posts. Nevertheless, there were a few products that
I've tried for the first time this year, and almost every one of them makes it
to my core products list.

The FK#146 was sold to me as a clay lube. With ONR to hand, and already
an excellent clay lube in its own right, why look for something else, or indeed,
how does it make the list? Well, it's down to versatility. It isn't just a clay
lubricant at which it excells; my first use is as a cleaner. Again, how does it
usurp ONR? Well, for starters, it's a one-cloth window cleaner. It also comes
into its own for taking to shows. If you're a bit uncertain about ONR, then
the #146 will probably give you more confidence as a waterless cleaner.

Next came the revelation that was FK #350 for tyres. Well, and almost
everywhere else that you can use FK#108AS, except perhaps where you
need the anti-static properties. Exceptional value for money, not least
because it's nice and gloopy, so you can water it down to taste.

The FK#2186 Pink Wax is no stranger on Detailing World, and I was thrilled
with it! You do need to be a bit patient with it, doing maybe two or three
swipe tests before you buff it off.

The Swipe Test Explained
To test whether or not a wax that you've applied is ready to buff off, what
you do is quickly and lightly swipe a small area with a single finger. If the wax
smears, it's not yet ready. However, if you get a clean response, it is time to
go in and buff off. Some waxes are not time-critical like this, though many are!

Layer this wax, leaving an hour or three twixt coats will give an unbelievable
depth. A large tin of this will also last a lifetime! I have yet to try this using the
spit'n'polish technique, so I have yet more to explore with this wax.

It Doesn't Stop There!

Probably the greater majority of discussion about detailing revolves around
the effectiveness of various potions, be they cleaners or protectors. Very little
gets said in detail about the cloths and pads that we use. After all, a pad is
a pad, is a pad, right? Well, I used to think so! Rather than repeat myself, I'll
just refer you to a review of some SP pads I did in the summer...

Quite often too, when methods are discussed, very little information is given
on how to use a pad or a cloth. For example, do you use a microfibre drying
towel? If so, do you dampen it first?

If you answered no to that question, then I do ask you to pay particular
attention to these next few paragraphs! MF towels, when used dry, can do
some quite unexpected damage to a smooth surface! However, contrary to
popular belief, that's down to the user, not the towel. If you take nowt
else away from this missive, do take this, the only time you use a dry MF
anything is when you are absolutely certain, beyond all possible doubt, that
the surface is clean. So, for polishing and buffing-off of potions dry MFs are
fine. Not for drying after washing however!

At _all_ other times, lightly dampen them first. That's how they are designed
to work at their best. You can inflict micro-marring with _any_ dry MF cloth,
the pile density matters for nothing in this instance! One of the cloths that
came from Alex was an MF cloth with different densities of pile on either side.
How to use that? Short or long pile to buff off?

Well, being white, I decided that I'd test the cloth on my windows, using
Greased Lightning Showroom Shine as the cleaning agent. It soon became
clear that I use the deeper pile side for the spreading and cleaning, and the
shorter pile side for the buffing-off. At first this may seem completely counter
intuitive! I've written a full review for this cloth

The conclusion that I also came to was that investing in some posh (to me)
cloths was _not_ the waste of money I'd perceived it to be hitherto
There's no question in my mind that while el cheapo Aldi cloths have their
place in most cleaning tasks, investing in better quality items too, does bring
a reward in making tasks simpler to achieve.

There's more about microfibre technology here

The Burning Question

This time last year, before my plans got tipped-up, I'd floated the idea of
only doing a full clean-back once a year rather than twice. So, am I still of
the same opinion? The answer is a qualified yes.


I can't believe that I don't have later pictures of the car than this, however,
I'm not exactly displeased with just how good it looks, even after nearly four
years of busting most of the detailing myths you find here

The reason for my hesitation is deciding upon when. Do I do it just after the
winter, or just before? Would it be better to do it at the height of the season?
That's the conclusion that I'm rapidly coming to, with one proviso! That a
darned good thorough wash is given once the road-salt has been fully
dispensed with.

The warmer days make using clay much easier. Oh, I almost forgot, using clay
was another first for me in 2012! Yes, I bit the fear of dropping it bullet and
managed to fashion a use which suits my gammy hands. Basically, I don't
physically hold the clay at all. What I do is form a cage with my hand over
the clay bar, liberally lubricate the surface and just push the clay around
beneath my palm, letting it float free like a puck. I was actually surprised
that it worked!

OK, after that small deviation, the warmer days also ensure that you can
pick periods when temperatures and humidity are far more predictable and
ensure that whatever potions you use are going to perform at their best.
Quite how this plan is going to be put into action will be the subject of
more posts into this thread. There's still about 3 months for me to mull
over a plan of action before I make a start.

An Acknowledgement

Obviously, despite my initial description above, I was totally thrilled to
receive my parcel from Alex at Serious Performance. I want to fully
acknowledge and thank him for his patience with all our dealings. From
the feedback discussions about product reviews to my asking of some
often dumb questions about various products, I have nothing but praise.
He happens to sell some purty good products too...

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Introduction

Well, after a lot of thought, quite a bit of surface examination, and yet more
rumination, I've set to and eventually made a start on my 2013 clean-down
in August, ahead of taking my car to the Stamford Car Show. I guess I
needed just a tad of motivation, so a chance reading of a group buy offer on
some ArtdeShine wax seemed the way to go.

Let me say at the outset that I probably have enough wax in my collection to
last me at least another two lifetimes! However, ever since these products
began to appear, they've intrigued me. The passion that Alfred in Singapore
and now Matt Row the UK distributor have about how their products perform
is pretty infectious. With good reason. I'll let the pictures do the talking...





...do they initially strike you as being products of some quality? I certainly think so!

Claying First

So, now some decisions had to be taken. Just how was I going to approach this
detailing session? It simply came down to a simple test. What was clear was
that the paint was clean. The protective potions used hitherto had done their
tasks admirably. So, it was just a case of feeling the surface, which yielded
another decision, that a bit of claying wouldn't go amiss.

Following a recent thread I'd read, now that I'm tending to use clay more and
more, I decided to experiment with the supposed 3M stuff offered from China.
I was stunned to find it arrive on my doorstep within a week of ordering it.
Bang on time.

On that thread, views seemed to be quite polarised, both for and against. It's
a bit like the never-ending debates we get over el cheapo MF cloths. However,
to all the people who claimed that it marred their paint, all I can do is ask: How?
Or, more precisely, how, without operator error?

Having read these posts, I was doubly careful, ensuring first of all that the
clay was well and truly soft. That was before I tried working it into a pad.
I simply chopped a 200g bar into 3rds and threw one piece into a plastic
bowl and topped that with water not far off the boil. I then left it for several
minutes until my hands could stand the water temperature.

Working the piece into a small puck to go under my hand was easy. The clay
was certainly doing its thing and I was listening intently for any tell-tale sign.
Once you know what to listen for, it's amazing just how good an audible
indicator can be. So far, and I haven't done the whole car, I've just used one
piece. At the price, I'll be dumping it once the detail is complete.

Certainly, it isn't as easy as pricier clays to get to a malleable state, but
the plus side is that if you drop it, you're not gonna curse anywhere near as
loudly as you would with the more expensive stuff. As for performance, it'll
take someone with a pretty fancy meter to distinguish any differences.

I achieved some very smooth paint with no visible marring, so, for me it was
mission accomplished. As ever, I had a quick go with the Serious Performance
Paint Cleaner, using their white pad, but was fetching off very little dirt.


The paint now clayed, ready for its wax

Now To The Wax

Of course, I was itching to get some wax onto this newly smooth paint. The
Obsidian Wax is a fairly soft paste with a very faint smell. Of course, I did as
much reading as I could; again there were a couple of polarised views, though
these seemed to stem around whether or not to apply it literally by hand.


The first coat goes onto the bonnet and wings

Now, with my motor, any chance I get, I just love appreciating those metal
curves, but for my first go with this wax, I decided upon a method that's tried
and tested with me. I don't know if I'm unique in taking this approach or not,
but almost everyone I speak to about applying waxes seems to make me feel
quite exhausted within moments; they just seem to put so much effort into
the process.


Anyone for flake-pop..?

Of course, it follows that if you apply so much, then so much more effort is
required to buff it off again. Not for me! What I've found, particularly with any
quality product and the ADSOW certainly qualifies, is that less is definitely
more. Oh, and there are some excellent quality waxes at budget prices, how
about FK#1000p and Harlys Wax, straight off the bat...


...and more flake-pop

Get Your Coating Thin!

So, achieving this very thin coating. Chief among this, a good pad. I cannot
recommend enough the soft black waffle pads from Serious Performance. The
first thing to do is to aim the ONR nozzle into the pad and give it a good
priming, squeezing out any excess liquid. Then, very gently dab at the paste
wax. The Obsidian, being fairly soft only needs very light dabbing, just so you
get a faintly visible coating on the pad. From there, use very light, brisk
straight strokes. With the pad being lubricated by the ONR, you'll be surprised
at just how long you can work it. There's no need to rub it round in circles!


Some satisfying reflections. Bear in mind that this is silver paint!

Ideal Conditions

Obviously, avoid any surface that's hot, but you do need a minimum ambient
temperature of 60degF / 15degC. You will get an instant indicator if the
surface is too hot, the spreading just won't happen. You should be able to
work in straight lines in one direction, and then work at a 90deg angle across
the same area.


Yet more flake-pop - getting to be a record!

With the ADSOW, buffing-off could be achieved almost instantly. With a very
thin coating applied, it was a breeze to buff off. What's revealed is not just
an impressive shine, but a slickness that's very satisfying too. The whole
experience retained its aura of quality with, as you have seen, very pleasing
results!

In the end, I ended up writing a full application guide for this wax. Yes, you read that
correctly, who would have thought that applying wax to a car would need a
guide being written?

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Introduction

Well, all too soon, it's that time of year when I get round to writing a resumé
of the previous year's work, and the changes to my routines along the way.
It has been a busy year with some very interesting cars encountered, one
of them quite unexpected! However, this year has also seen a massive leap
in available technology, which helps a person with gammy hands no end!

A Very Rare Breed

Probably the biggest joy was being invited to "advise about detailing" by the
owner of a car that celebrates its 50th birthday in 2016. Enigmatically
described as "my GT" by the owner, it turned out to be a rather beautifully
kept 1966 Gordon Keeble.

The biggest joy came from watching him clay his car, accompanied by the
occasional remark about how enjoyable the process was, and how smooth
the paint was becoming. From feedback received, the end result of our efforts
was much appreciated by show visitors


This is the Gordon Keeble wearing its final wax coating.

Then Another Rare Barge

There was more satisfaction gained later in the year when I finally convinced
a friend of mine that giving his "granny" a good detail would be worthwhile.
The car in question being a 2.8 Ghia X of the species, in all its 1985 finery!

From this...


To this...


There were a few products that I'd not tried before, but probably the most
effective was the wheel cleaner. Despite being quite a vicious form of cleaner,
definitely observe the label warnings(!), the A-Chem Alloy Brite did for the
many years build-up of baked-on brake dust, and the dreadul tyre coating.
The owner had never seen those turbine pattern wheels look so clean!

So, What's New This Year?

Well, to do that, I guess I need to revisit what was in vogue in my armoury
last year and see what the changes have been.

Revisiting The 2012 Core Products List
Of course, with 3 Finish Kare products in my existing core list, and finding
that Alex from Serious Performance was a distributor of FK, there was room
to explore their range further. I'm guessing there'll be little surprise that I've
added 3 more of their products (all new to my experience) to the list...

• Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels / FK#146 Finish Restorer for glass and clay
• Polish - gTechniq P1
• Pre-Wax Cleaner - OPS / SP Paint Cleaner
• QD - FK#425 / SP Show Detailer
• Sealant - FK#1000p / Hybrid of SP Sealant and Wet Glaze 2
• Paste Wax - Harlys / FK#2685 Pink Wax
• Liquid Wax - SP Spray Wax / OCW / CG Blacklight
• Tyres / Trim - FK#350 / FK#108AS
• Glass - gTechniq G3

Additions to the list are shown in green. It's quite surprising to me that there
are 7 in total.

There is one major addition, and one equally major removal, with the latter it's
not just products, but a complete detailing stage! For me this is probably the
most significant step that has been made in years.

Obviously, the entering of ONR into my regime was a complete game changer,
simply because it allowed me to continue with this hobby. However, despite
my early and severe reservations, the ADS clay cloth just takes everything
to a level that I could only have dreamed about this time last year.

Being able to cut out the pre-wax cleaning stage isn't a small step! Although
it always produced good results, so I never skimped on it and the products
were excellent, the toll on my hands made it a step that my hands didn't
much appreciate. On a big car, like the granny, I certainly paid for it in
discomfort later!


December 2013 Update for 2014

So to this year's Core Products List...

• Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels
• Polish - [s]gTechniq P1[/s] Liquid Shine Zero Swirl
• [s]Pre-Wax Cleaner - OPS / SP Paint Cleaner[/s]
• Clay - Redundant too, replaced by ADS Clay Cloth
• QD - SP Show Detailer
• Sealant - FK#1000p / Hybrid of SP Sealant and Wet Glaze 2 / FK #2180 sealant
• Paste Wax - Harlys / FK#2685 Pink Wax / ADS Obsidian Wax
• Liquid Wax - Serious Performance Spray Wax / CG Blacklight
• Tyres / Trim - FK#350 / FK#108AS
• Glass - [s]gTechniq G3[/s] ADS ArtDeGlass

As ever, additions are highlighted in green.

About Those List Additions...

The Liquid Shine Zero Swirl polish, available from Alex at Serious Performance,
was another good find. Nowhere near as expensive as the P1, it works well by
my hand and by my mate Steve's machine. He reported back that it could be
worked for much longer without the pad drying out and there was less sling.

I'll come back to the clay cloth, so the next addition was the FK #2180
sealant. For anyone who doesn't get on with a paste wax, this product is
another jewel that's in danger of falling under the radar. The instructions on
the side of the bottle read like the script of a detailer's dream, and it will
produce results to match!

Through most of the year, my staple waxes have proved their worth. The
Pink Wax looked amazing on the Gordon Keeble, although some panels
ended up with Bouncer's strawberry+cream wax. However, there is a new
kid on the block. For the the ADS ArtDeKotsos Obsidian Wax, I sat down
and wrote an Extended Review and Guide. What other wax has had that
kind of accolade afforded to it?

Why a specific guide? Well, the secret to this wax is in how thinly you can
apply it. Unlike most paste waxes, it's actually very soft and it's way too easy
to overload your pad. I also learned that you can safely apply it in cooler
temperatures too. Many waxes don't give you that flexibility.

The final change came with applying some ArtDeGlass. To begin with I wasn't
very impressed. However, that probably came down to how I had applied it.
These fancy potions from Singapore do need very clean substrates too!

This coating is still under close observation, and I'm still in two minds over
whether or not the beads are just too tiny. Oh, if you like tiny beads, then
the entire ADS range will fulfil any fantasy you may have in that direction!

You'll probably have noticed that I've dropped a few products from my
staples list. Nothing must be read into that beyond the fact that I'm trying
or have explored new products. The FK #146 for example, I had run out of
and Alex had no stock when I came to re-order.

As for the G3, I could very well go back to that after the ArtDeGlass, such
is my split decision over the very tiny beads. All the products that were
previously listed haven't suddenly become useless, far from it, and I'll still
happily recommend them in replies where they are relevant!

The ADS Clay Cloth

I've already written several column inches about this product from a general
user's point of view. What about my approach to it as a disabled guy? When
the invite came from Matt, I did wonder what it was that he was seeing in
how it could make detailing more accessible.

Let's get past the cost hurdle first. The idea of paying out 40 quid for a
rubberised microfibre cloth seems at first sight like extortion. Certainly, once
I had looked at the ADS price list and realised its cost, I was not much looking
forward to receiving this cloth, even on loan! Why has my head been turned?
Because I now see this as the biggest step forward in car detailing that there
has been for a very long time!


Here's my evidence. The wing has had one coat of BWW, but on the bonnet is 9
year old paint that has not been machined, but is as it was after the clay cloth
clean. I even sent Matt @ ADS an email asking if my eyes were deceiving me.

When you consider that the only thing you need to be able to do is to very
lightly push or pull the cloth from side to side at whatever pace you fancy,
with absolutely no additional pressure, how simple can it be? Not only that,
unless there's heavy oxidisation, the finish that you get on the paint can be
enough to totally eradicate one of the most difficult stages of any detail.
That changes it from a very expensive cloth to an indispensible tool!

If the choice for you falls between an expensive wax and this tool, it's very
obvious which direction I'll point you toward. Oh, and don't be beguiled by
pale imitations. When it comes to tools, would you compromise the finish
that you're proud of by going cheap?

Was 2013 All Good News?

I hesitate, but there were products that I didn't welcome with much
enthusiasm. Quite why OPT needed to introduce ONR Wash and Wax I
find really baffling. I guess it's marketing men having their way. Waterless
wash products and rinseless wash products don't need the addition of
wax! Especially when the technique requires a final buffing wipe. That's
purely my opinion, driven by the fact that without the wax additive they
can be so much more versatile, and very much safer too!

I was quite impressed with the way that the Duragloss #931 did its
cleaning, but that evaporated because of its final wipe requirement.
If I have to get the ONR Wash & Shine out in order to carry that out,
then I might as well use it for the whole washing process. Whatever
you do, don't be going at that final wipe with a _dry_ microfibre cloth!

The Most Surreal Moments of 2013?

That accolade goes to when I applied Bouncer's Valentine Wax to both
my own car and to the granny. People passing by were stopped in their
tracks by that wonderful strawberries and cream smell. Delicious!

Saving the Best Until Last

You know when you go out your way to give someone a treat, like a
real treat that they won't forget in a hurry, have you ever wondered
what it is like to be on the receiving end of such kindness? Early in
November I got to find out!

To say that I left a trip I made to Oldham with a bit of a lump in my
throat simply qualifies me as the master of description understatement.
I had already been taken aback by the generosity of ADS Alfred, who
sent me the very first Octagon Formula box to arrive in the UK. Mark
you that this was ahead of his UK and EU distributor, Matt Rowe!

Was Matt phased by this? Not a bit of it. As I was clearly out of my
depth in understanding these coatings, he was very happy to not only
explain them, but also to apply them to my Coupé. This meant making
a 220 mile journey, but boy was I rewarded!

Not only was Matt there, I got a "reception committee" that made me
feel so welcome, I ended up quite overwhelmed. I'm normally the right
gobby one, all full of himself; not on this trip out! It was a long day and
I then had an 80 mile journey up to Cumbria for my overnight stay.

The next morning, after 3 degrees of frost, I found this on my car...


See if you can pick out the area above from this picture...


Conclusions

Last year I was agonising about the frequency of my detailing clean back
sessions; whether to stick with two, or just cut back to one. All of that
was based upon using products and potions that have followed a similar
path for a very long while. Certainly, the biggest change for me when I
was introduced to ONR during 2009.

While previous years have seen small changes, 2013 probably heralds the
biggest change ever in my own detailing. I almost feel like I'm a turncoat,
with me previously eschewing the new fangled coatings in favour of the
time-honoured wax, simply because I thoroughly enjoy the therapy of
waxing the lovely lines of my car.

All of that is about to change! Hitherto, I've avoided that route because
it did seem to outlaw the waxing. Nano coatings and wax are not happy
bedfellows. However, these coatings from the ADS stable are a complete
exception to this rule.

I can still feel how roundly I was admonished for wondering if they would
make wax redundant. Not only that, the way that they repel water just
has to be seen to be believed. The water behaviour behind an ONR mitt
showed that this is the way forward. Though you can, if you wish, still
apply a wax and yes, any wax you like, over the top. How good is that?

Regards,
Steve

[Lowiepete]

Hello Folks,

Introduction

Goodness me, it's that time of the year already, when I look over the past
year's antics. Seems that I've not posted many reports, but that's probably
inevitable, being that the Coupé has been wearing coatings for over 12
months now.

For 2015 I think that I'll be featuring my latest test mule in this thread, a 2009
Renault Megane Coupé. I'm now hardly using anything new on my car, not even
any wax for a while yet, so I'm glad I have another vehicle to work on.

The R5GTT has gone back to the workshop, where it's slowly being taken apart
for respray and engine overhaul. In detailing terms, there probably won't be
much to report until April 2015. I think it's going to look superb though!

Some Cars Revisited

Last year I had the pleasure of helping a guy bring his Gordon Keeble up to
a standard he was pleased with. This year I re-visited, where we worked on
his wife's Mercedes 2 seater with a clay-cloth and gave that a coat of ADS
ADK Obsidian. No photos, but both husband and wife pleased with the result.

We also gave the Gordon Keeble a quick coat of ADK and a few weeks later
in an email from the owner came the accusation that I had teflon-coated it
From the awards and invitations the car was picking up in the marque's 50th
anniversary year, you can probably imagine his triumphant delight!

The Ford Granada was also re-visited, with the clay cloth doing its bit to
clear up the strange patterns on the bonnet. That car also got the ADK
treatment, with FK #1000p sealing those turbine wheels.

A New Test Mule

With the Coupé having received its ADS Octagon Formula in November 2013, I
have been reluctant to put much over it, mostly because it doesn't need it.
So, with new next-door neighbours, came a black Renault Mégane Coupé, which
to my eyes deserved a bit more love than it was getting. Imagine my delight
when my offer to look after it was accepted!

This was on the clear understanding that I would be testing various products on
it. One of the first of these was 50.Cal's Cover Up, a filler glaze. How about
that for serendipity? In places the Mégane's paint looked like it had been Brillo
scrubbed, so it would be ideal, being that removing the swirls by machine was
out of the question.

You might notice that the SP Paint Cleaner has been re-instated in the lists
below. It was this car and its badly oxidised paint which forced that issue.
Nevertheless, it was the first product of choice in circumstances where the clay
cloth doesn't quite cut back to clean paint. That's not a frequent occurrence!

The 2014 Core Products List

Of course, compiling this term report means updating my core products list.
There isn't too much change from last year, but with some of the new potions
coming on stream, it could change quite drastically in the future.

Let's start with last year's list...

The 2013 Core Products List...

• Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels
• Polish - [strike]gTechniq P1[/strike] Liquid Shine Zero Swirl
• [strike]Pre-Wax Cleaner - OPS / SP Paint Cleaner[/strike]
• Clay - Redundant too, replaced by ADS Clay Cloth
• QD - SP Show Detailer
• Sealant - FK#1000p / Hybrid of SP Sealant and Wet Glaze 2 / FK #2180 sealant
• Paste Wax - Harlys / FK#2685 Pink Wax / ADS Obsidian Wax
• Liquid Wax - Serious Performance Spray Wax / CG Blacklight
• Tyres / Trim - FK#350 / FK#108AS
• Glass - [strike]gTechniq G3[/strike] ADS ArtDeGlass

...and now to the 2014 list

• Cleaner / Shampoo - ONR for bodywork, HFE for wheels
• Polish - Liquid Shine Zero Swirl
• Pre-Wax Cleaner - Serious Performance Paint Cleaner
• Clay - replaced by ADS Clay Cloth
• Glaze - .50Cal Cover Up
• QD - SP Show Detailer (now in Version 3) / ADS Nano Gloss Paint Sealant
• Sealant - FK#1000p / FK #2180 sealant
• Paste Wax - Harlys / FK#2685 Pink Wax / ADS Obsidian Wax
• Liquid Wax - Serious Performance Spray Wax / CG Blacklight
• Tyres / Trim - FK#350 / FK#108AS
• Glass - ADS ArtDeGlass

As ever, additions are highlighted in green. The HFE is still shown because I
bought a gallon of it back in the day. The bad news is that Chemical Guys no
longer market it

The Product Highlights of 2014

The first of these has to be the "Cover Up" glaze, although it does have one
slight draw-back: it's not kind to your skin. As a man who quite enjoys a close
connection with paint, wearing protective gloves is still a bit alien. It is worth it
though, the product works and it seems that it'll take all-comers in terms of
LSP covering.

Unlike other products in its class, it has little or no protective qualities of its own.
Regardless of what you top it with though, your protection will only last about
3 months, after which the glaze degrades quite quickly, taking your LSP with it.

The Coupé in good company at the 2014 Fastlane Car Show


Probably the biggest battle this year has been between 3 QD products. The
first of these as a bit of a revelation was the ADS Nano Gloss (NGPS). This has
been an incremental version. V1, which I was introduced to late in 2013, had
a funky green colour and nondescript smell. Version 2 is changed to a more
sober blue but with the addition of a pleasant, slightly clinical smell.

The idea of watering NGPS down to do various tasks not only makes it extremely
versatile, it wins in the value for money stakes too. Quite apart from its superb
finish with notable slickness, it also wins with how easy it is to use, though less
is more! You dilute it for any cleaning purposes, and use it stronger for boosting
protection. How about that for simplicity?

Next came an old favourite, the Serious Performance Show Detailer. Come hell
or high-water, nothing will force this product out of my armoury. This year came
the release of Version 3, with a marked change of colour and claims of a small
increase in longevity. Who cares about the latter, it's such a joy to use. If we
talk about the slickness stakes, there is little to choose between it and NGPS.

Now, we come to a new kid on the block. There's always a danger of experiencing
much of a muchness with QD products, though with this newcomer, it looked very
promising indeed! There were some bold cleaning claims, and possibly even bolder
protection claims on the bottle of Power Maxed QD. Like several manufacturer's
claims, I'm not swayed by such hype, I'm looking for action!

I wasn't disappointed, mostly because my testing was done _before_ I had read
any blurb. That was an interesting exercise, and it certainly tested my mettle as
a reviewer. It comes last in the value for money stakes, and also in terms of its
spray head. There's no doubting it's a top quality cleaner, but I fear I wasted
a lot of product, needlessly.

With both the NGPS and Power Maxed QD there's a trend emerging, where some
QD products could eventually make the physical act of waxing an anachromism.
I absolutely hate that idea, but you cannot stop the march of progress! When
QDs claim to withstand subsequent washing, what's afoot? Is this to be believed,
or should we brush it aside as another part of marketing hype?

Well, in terms of the Power Maxed QD, I got my answer a tad quicker than I had
expected. When it came to me testing other products over it at a later stage I
experienced all sorts of problems. No matter what I tried, whether new product
or established in my armoury, it was having none of it. In my view its marketing
hype was entirely misleading.

This isn't a QD product at all. As I've mentioned, it's a very good cleaner, so it's
actually a waterless wash and wax. However, the "wax" aspect does not play
nicely with following products, whether shampoo, cleaner or protective potion.
This even several weeks later. Whether I'm a reviewer or ordinary user, I'm not
at all keen on products that force an issue like this.

Just because admitting the product is a waterless wash doesn't do it many
favours in the UK yet, the fact that this was compounded by sneaky attempts to
try and tie me to the products of one manufacturer has turned me right off! Even
if it is a good product and its protection lasts a while, an experience like this just
makes me even more wary of marketers!

The Year's Real Highlight

Of course the biggest step change for me in 2014 was taking my car back to that
man in Oldham. The purpose being for him and his mate to wield machines against
its paint for the first time ever, after nearly six years of ownership. I speak, of
course, of Matt & Lee from Obsidian Detailing, who literally slaved over that car in
a partial wet-sand treatment.

The original objective was to remove or flatten the orange-peel and then
re-apply the ADS Octagon kit. Passion aside, time didn't allow for the latter, so
the car received an alternative coating in the form of the TACSystem Sparkle.
Boy oh boy, the finish achieved by these fellahs just has to be seen in the metal!

Just look at the window frame reflections after the damp-sanding


I get compliments that I don't deserve and people wonder out loud just how it is
that it looks so clean! Needless to say, I'm utterly thrilled by the result and I
cannot thank Matt and Lee enough. I just hope that I can do them justice by
looking after it properly. It has become a point of honour to do so!

Regards,
Steve