Paint is most important.

jayjay99 · 04-04-2018, 11:23 AM

Hi everyone. How do you guys take car of the paint work on your pride and joy.

jayjay99 · 04-04-2018, 11:25 AM

I liquid or past wax every 10 months. In between I use spray on wax or car detailer spray. I haven't got out the hose in the past 5 years.

**GasoLane** · 04-04-2018, 01:44 PM

Opti-Coat

jayjay99 · 04-04-2018, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Opti-Coat

Thanks for the reply. I thought nobody cared about how there car actually looks, and how to preserve that look.

roddy1960 · 04-04-2018, 07:09 PM

G'day , All I've been doing til now is use a decent quality car wash , hose off , shammy off or at least take her for a quick (not literally) drive to dry off .

Once she's dry and when I think she needs a wax I whack her under the car port and get out my cream polish and my cheap Orcon Buffer / polisher . Cost me the princely sum of $70 . Came originally with an applicator pad and and a finishing pad but have since bought an extra two finishing pads at $12 each because I like to keep them as fresh as possible .

The trick I've found is to only use a little polish on the applicator and you don't really need much anyway , then swap over to the finisher . My FG XR6 has been done three times now and she comes up beautifully .

A few weeks ago I did the old AU too but I de oxidised her first with some Meguires stuff . Although the clearcoat isn't great I was genuinely surprised how good she came up compared to the hand polish way . Much better.

Re washing ... I just posted a thread a couple of days ago because on Saturday I bought on a whim a basic Karcher high pressure cleaner but with the car wash kit . Normal price via Mitre 10 was $150 but it was a special price of $109 and hoping to learn from the crew in the Car Care bit of AFF if there's things to do or not do .

Always keen to learn a few tips from the AFF mob and so many good methods here to look after the Pride N Joy ..

ford12 · 04-04-2018, 07:54 PM

Dont go opticoat.
While I'm sure there are good experiences with this coating my personal experience is it started to fail before 12 months of being applied. It was done by a guy called Dave, his company was called obsession for detailing. Supposedly one of the best detailers around. He's not in business anymore.
Get your self some car Pro hdro 2. Literally spray it on and high pressure washer it off. Little bit expensive but we'll worth it.

CyberWasp · 04-04-2018, 07:54 PM

I have been using Prima Hydro Max once a month or so on the BT50 since new.
It is 2 products in 1. A Sealant and a Polymer Spray.
It is the easiest product ever to apply.
Lightly spray and buff off with a microfiber towel. Can do the car in less than 10 mins. No effort or elbow grease needed.
Always get comments on how good / shiny the ute looks.

Express · 04-04-2018, 10:56 PM

I always make sure I remove bird poo, tree spa or anything that looks destructive as soon as I see it with a detailing lube and a microfiber cloth before it eats or etches into the clear coat or paintwork, I don’t wait until the next wash as that is often too late even for cars with ceramic paint sealers.

I wash using the two bucket wash method with Duragloss Car wash Concentrate as I’m too lazy to use a foam lance.

I use a microfibre wash mitt, waffle weave drying towels & mircofibre buffing cloths to minimise swirls.

I use a detailing lube after each drying.

I machine polish when needed which is not very often (maybe every 3 or 4 years with garaged car that’s driven a few times a week) and follow up by protecting it with a thin layer of hand applied Carnauba Wax, I used to use ceramic paint sealers but prefer the softer look of wax and I’m happy to wax more often if it’s needed and I've found the hype for the ceramic sealers is just that, hype.

I clay bar before a polish and will clay occasionally as a spot cleaner for tar or other difficult to remove contaminants.

I find the secret to keeping the paint looking good is to be gentle and use products that don't require the need to use pressure to remove marks as that just produces swirls and scratches, always clean regularly and remove straight away anything that may leave a permanent mark and I carry some detailer and a mircofibre cloth in the boot for these occasions in case I'm out when a bird may leave it's mess on the car.

I could say a lot more as I'm a nutter with too much time on my hands but that is basically what I do.

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Mercury Bullet · 05-04-2018, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Opti-Coat

And photoshop when it needs a wash.

**GasoLane** · 05-04-2018, 11:10 AM

For all the naysayers here (I'm looking at you Pete!)........

14 years old, Opti-Coated 4 years ago ....................... (The racing stripes are coz I just had a new windscreen fitted)

Express · 05-04-2018, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

For all the naysayers here (I'm looking at you Pete!)........

14 years old, Opti-Coated 4 years ago ....................... (The racing stripes are coz I just had a new windscreen fitted)

image

Your Merc looks fantastic in that photo.

I've had Opti-Coat and a couple of other brands on a few of my cars and if you look after them well they'll preform well but nothing like the blurb the manufacturers and resellers wish you to believe as they mark and swirl if not really cared for and re-applied as necessary.

Unfortunately a lot of people are sold the product believing it's an apply and forget force field surface protector when in fact it's far from it, it needs the owner to look after it as you obviously do.

Still it would be interesting to see a close up photo of the finished surface with a light across it showing if the paintwork has swirls or not.

.

**GasoLane** · 05-04-2018, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Express

Still it would be interesting to see a close up photo of the finished surface with a light across it showing if the paintwork has swirls or not.

Now I've got to work out how to hold a light and a camera at the same time

Interceptor · 05-04-2018, 12:26 PM

wonder why the OP got banned.....

NTF6 · 05-04-2018, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayjay99

I liquid or past wax every 10 months. In between I use spray on wax or car detailer spray. I haven't got out the hose in the past 5 years.

How do you get the road grime off your car then?

NTF6 · 05-04-2018, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interceptor

wonder why the OP got banned.....

It could be lovford under a different guise.

marty351 · 05-04-2018, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Interceptor

wonder why the OP got banned.....

Because he luvs fords.

I used nu-finish back in my younger days and was always impressed. But I see polish as like engine oil, they all work, but to what extent is up to the consumer.

NTF6 · 05-04-2018, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ford12

Dont go opticoat.
While I'm sure there are good experiences with this coating my personal experience is it started to fail before 12 months of being applied. It was done by a guy called Dave, his company was called obsession for detailing. Supposedly one of the best detailers around. He's not in business anymore.
Get your self some car Pro hdro 2. Literally spray it on and high pressure washer it off. Little bit expensive but we'll worth it.

Sounds interesting, is it really that easy to use?

Where I live I could only do it in the dead of winter, panels and sun would be too hot according to the product details.

I'm all for easy car washing.

NTF6 · 05-04-2018, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty351

Because he luvs fords.

I used nu-finish back in my younger days and was always impressed. But I see polish as like engine oil, they all work, but to what extent is up to the consumer.

And some go on easy and will suck the elbow grease clean out of your arms and shoulders trying to get it off!

**GasoLane** · 05-04-2018, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Express

Still it would be interesting to see a close up photo of the finished surface with a light across it showing if the paintwork has swirls or not.

This is the only light I have and you're right, there's some cobwebbing there

The metallic in the paint makes it a little hard to see in the pic.

Vesper Martini · 05-04-2018, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NTF6

It could be lovford under a different guise.

Yeah saw some more on the anti diesel hate/agenda

roKWiz · 05-04-2018, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

This is the only light I have and you're right, there's some cobwebbing there

The metallic in the paint makes it a little hard to see in the pic.

image

Where's that bulbar gone and how does it go against good ol country locust splatter ?
Had to google Opt coat and found what it was, on a Tesla forum of all things.

**GasoLane** · 05-04-2018, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Where's that bulbar gone and how does it go against good ol country locust splatter ?
Had to google Opt coat and found what it was, on a Tesla forum of all things.

Lol for the bullbar and a CarBra for the bugs etc.

roKWiz · 05-04-2018, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Lol for the bullbar and a CarBra for the bugs etc.

Ahh, forgot about CarBra's

Express · 05-04-2018, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Now I've got to work out how to hold a light and a camera at the same time

Even a moderator must have one friend who could help hold the light?

I have a bank of halogens that I use when I'm polishing and it always amazes me what imperfection they can show up.

.

Express · 05-04-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

This is the only light I have and you're right, there's some cobwebbing there

The metallic in the paint makes it a little hard to see in the pic.

image

It still looks good under that light and shows how well you look after the car but it’s also proof that everything swirls unless of course you never touch it.

I’m not here saying ceramic sealers aren’t a good thing, just that they aren’t bullet proof and too many people pay for it thinking they can abuse the paintwork on the car or not look after it and the coating will protect it which isn’t the case.

For those people who are still prepared to look after their cars after the coating is applied and love that crystal clear effect it has on the paintwork then ceramic coatings are ideal.

For someone like me who likes the softer lush look of a good quality wax and understands that regardless of which option I choose I will still have to put the same effort in to keep them in good condition then wax is a good choice.

Horses for courses really.

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**GasoLane** · 05-04-2018, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Express

Even a moderator must have one friend who could help hold the light?

I have a bank of halogens that I use when I'm polishing and it always amazes me what imperfection they can show up..

I forgot to mention that it hasn't seen a garage for over two years.

Express · 05-04-2018, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

I forgot to mention that it hasn't seen a garage for over two years.

Shame on you leaving that nice CLK out in the weather, it just go to show how good MB used to paint them.

My old C63 is about 8 years old now and has never been polished and when people comment on it they think I must do it every weekend.

Admittedly it spends it's days in a garage but I do drive it in all weather conditions and she still shines like she's brand new.

As I said, it's how you look after the car and always treat them softly when cleaning them.

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