HERE'S a question: do you use a professional car wash?
03-07-14, 09:57 AM
#32
Good point.
What I have a problem with is the fact it is way too cold to be doing anything by hand in the winter outside. Water seems to freeze as soon as I am able to even wipe it off in MOST cases throughout winter. I don't have a heated garage either, so it seems as if I am only offered those three options. Leave on the salt and grime, take her through a touch less wash, or a full automatic cloth wash.
Needless to say, I need some serious paint correction after every winter. Makes me wonder how thin my clear coat has gotten.
-Sky
What I have a problem with is the fact it is way too cold to be doing anything by hand in the winter outside. Water seems to freeze as soon as I am able to even wipe it off in MOST cases throughout winter. I don't have a heated garage either, so it seems as if I am only offered those three options. Leave on the salt and grime, take her through a touch less wash, or a full automatic cloth wash.
Needless to say, I need some serious paint correction after every winter. Makes me wonder how thin my clear coat has gotten.
-Sky
It sounds like you would be the perfect candidate for a semi-permanent paint coating like CQuartz UK or Opti-Coat. These coatings are very chemical resistant and will provide years of good protection so you will not have to worry about the road grime that accumulates over the winter. I'd be happy to provide more info if you'd like.
If you do not have a heated garage, I would simply suggest touchless washes or coin-op power wash and leave it at that... while this will not remove all of the dirt and grime, it will certainly be a heck of a lot better on your paint than an automatic brush wash.
03-07-14, 01:24 PM
#33
The thing is that your clear coat is already incredibly thin from the factory... with proper care you should not need "serious correction" ever. Routine light polishing is normal and will not remove enough material to cause concern over the life of the car, but if you require heavy cutting with a compound year after year after year, you need to reconsider your maintenance plan unless you only keep your cars a few years at a time... if that is the case, I feel sorry for the next owner.
It sounds like you would be the perfect candidate for a semi-permanent paint coating like CQuartz UK or Opti-Coat. These coatings are very chemical resistant and will provide years of good protection so you will not have to worry about the road grime that accumulates over the winter. I'd be happy to provide more info if you'd like.
If you do not have a heated garage, I would simply suggest touchless washes or coin-op power wash and leave it at that... while this will not remove all of the dirt and grime, it will certainly be a heck of a lot better on your paint than an automatic brush wash.
03-07-14, 01:59 PM
#34
Traditional protection, like a natural carnauaba wax or polymer sealant provide short term protection against things like acid rain, bird bombs, bug guts, and other forms of environmental contamination. These products leave a super thin barrier between the outside world and your paint. While this is certainly better than no protection at all, it does not take much time for caustic contamination like bird droppings to penetrate the thin layer of wax and start doing damage on your paint.
Semi-Permanent Coatings provide a much thicker, stronger layer of protection that will last years with proper maintenance. These coatings are very resistant to contamination and chemicals so they are very durable, and they are much (hundreds of times) thicker than an average layer of wax. These coatings make the vehicle easier to clean and maintain because it is harder for dirt to stick to them.
My car has been coated with 22ple VX1 Pro coating for 1.5 years now. This particular coating is a Silica (SiO2) based coating, which essentially leaves a layer of glass on your paint.
This photo was taken a little over a year after the coating was applied. As you can see, it is still extremely glossy!
Maintaining a coating is simple - routine washing is key, of course. I recommend washing the vehicle at least every 2 weeks (this is regardless of if the vehicle has been coated or not). You can then decontaminate the paint very quickly by using CarPro IronX every 4-6 months, and then top it with CarPro Reload after the IronX. It really doesn't get any easier than that!
Let me know if you've got any questions!
-Zach
Semi-Permanent Coatings provide a much thicker, stronger layer of protection that will last years with proper maintenance. These coatings are very resistant to contamination and chemicals so they are very durable, and they are much (hundreds of times) thicker than an average layer of wax. These coatings make the vehicle easier to clean and maintain because it is harder for dirt to stick to them.
My car has been coated with 22ple VX1 Pro coating for 1.5 years now. This particular coating is a Silica (SiO2) based coating, which essentially leaves a layer of glass on your paint.
This photo was taken a little over a year after the coating was applied. As you can see, it is still extremely glossy!
Maintaining a coating is simple - routine washing is key, of course. I recommend washing the vehicle at least every 2 weeks (this is regardless of if the vehicle has been coated or not). You can then decontaminate the paint very quickly by using CarPro IronX every 4-6 months, and then top it with CarPro Reload after the IronX. It really doesn't get any easier than that!
Let me know if you've got any questions!
-Zach
03-07-14, 02:04 PM
#35
Traditional protection, like a natural carnauaba wax or polymer sealant provide short term protection against things like acid rain, bird bombs, bug guts, and other forms of environmental contamination. These products leave a super thin barrier between the outside world and your paint. While this is certainly better than no protection at all, it does not take much time for caustic contamination like bird droppings to penetrate the thin layer of wax and start doing damage on your paint.
Semi-Permanent Coatings provide a much thicker, stronger layer of protection that will last years with proper maintenance. These coatings are very resistant to contamination and chemicals so they are very durable, and they are much (hundreds of times) thicker than an average layer of wax. These coatings make the vehicle easier to clean and maintain because it is harder for dirt to stick to them.
My car has been coated with 22ple VX1 Pro coating for 1.5 years now. This particular coating is a Silica (SiO2) based coating, which essentially leaves a layer of glass on your paint.
This photo was taken a little over a year after the coating was applied. As you can see, it is still extremely glossy!
Maintaining a coating is simple - routine washing is key, of course. I recommend washing the vehicle at least every 2 weeks (this is regardless of if the vehicle has been coated or not). You can then decontaminate the paint very quickly by using CarPro IronX every 4-6 months, and then top it with CarPro Reload after the IronX. It really doesn't get any easier than that!
Let me know if you've got any questions!
-Zach
Do you daily drive that particular car through winter?
03-07-14, 02:15 PM
#36
Lexus Fanatic
Your car looks great Zach...
03-07-14, 05:34 PM
#37
It is maintained exactly like I mentioned in my previous post and cleans up like this...
Here's a few other vehicles that I have coated recently with CQuartz Finest Paint Coating (follow the link to find an authorized installer near you)... this is one of the most exclusive coatings on the market. It provides a thicker, glossier, and better layer of protection than other coatings and features a 2 year warranty.
**paint coatings should be installed by professionals, or DIYers who are well versed in the process required to prep the vehicle for the coating. The car must be thoroughly washed, decontaminated, polished, stripped, and then coated.**
Let me know if you've got any questions
Thanks!
03-07-14, 08:45 PM
#38
Lexus Champion
I put Opti Coat 2.0 on both of my cars today.
03-07-14, 08:47 PM
#39
Lexus Champion
Other picture didn't post. Oops. Here's my IS with Opti Coat today. I'm looking forward to the easier maintenance.
03-09-14, 06:14 PM
#41
My car is driven every single day... rain, snow, etc.
It is maintained exactly like I mentioned in my previous post and cleans up like this...
Here's a few other vehicles that I have coated recently with CQuartz Finest Paint Coating (follow the link to find an authorized installer near you)... this is one of the most exclusive coatings on the market. It provides a thicker, glossier, and better layer of protection than other coatings and features a 2 year warranty.
**paint coatings should be installed by professionals, or DIYers who are well versed in the process required to prep the vehicle for the coating. The car must be thoroughly washed, decontaminated, polished, stripped, and then coated.**
Let me know if you've got any questions
Thanks!
03-09-14, 06:21 PM
#42
Lexus Fanatic
Make sure you know what you're doing when applying it, its not like applying a sealant or wax. You really need to know how to work with it or you should have a professional do it.
03-10-14, 09:22 AM
#43
I have developed what I believe is a good compromise for my winter car care, and it seems to have worked pretty well for the past several years. I'll be happy to share it with anyone that cares, but be forewarned that it does include automatic car washes, and an extra careful spring detail.
Car washes can (and usually will) cause swirls. They CAN do worse than induce swirls. Just know what to expect, and you get to decide if the convenience outweighs the extra detail you'll probably have to do at some point.
Side story, just because dealers often get such a bad rap:
This year, I decided to try the brand new car wash at our dealership, simply because it's free. After 2 or 3 washes of our RX (Starfire Pearl), I saw no unexpected issues, and decided to try it on our IS (Smokey Granite Mica). The short version is that it left several minor scratches, and 1 that was significant that I didn't want to try removing on my own. The dealership handled the resulting issues as well as I could have ever wanted! I fully expected a big fight, but there were no questions asked, no denial of responsibility, and no complaints. Literally, the manager just shook his head, asked it I would approve of them trying to polish out the scratches, before asking what kind of loaner I wanted while they fixed it. I was stunned. After expressing concern about the clearcoat thickness, I left the car and took home a 2014 IS as a loaner. A couple of days later, I spotted where they had burned the paint, and back it went. There was still no argument. They simply asked where I wanted them to take it to be re-sprayed. I drove their brand new CT (my choice) for nearly 3 weeks while the paint shop fit it in, and did a PERFECT blend, keeping in mind that I'm more than a little compulsive about the paint.The dealership was billed nearly $1000 for the paintwork, and never even hinted that they were unhappy. Their only concern was that I was happy with the repair, and were very apologetic for causing the problem in the first place. I was VERY impressed!
Car washes can (and usually will) cause swirls. They CAN do worse than induce swirls. Just know what to expect, and you get to decide if the convenience outweighs the extra detail you'll probably have to do at some point.
Side story, just because dealers often get such a bad rap:
This year, I decided to try the brand new car wash at our dealership, simply because it's free. After 2 or 3 washes of our RX (Starfire Pearl), I saw no unexpected issues, and decided to try it on our IS (Smokey Granite Mica). The short version is that it left several minor scratches, and 1 that was significant that I didn't want to try removing on my own. The dealership handled the resulting issues as well as I could have ever wanted! I fully expected a big fight, but there were no questions asked, no denial of responsibility, and no complaints. Literally, the manager just shook his head, asked it I would approve of them trying to polish out the scratches, before asking what kind of loaner I wanted while they fixed it. I was stunned. After expressing concern about the clearcoat thickness, I left the car and took home a 2014 IS as a loaner. A couple of days later, I spotted where they had burned the paint, and back it went. There was still no argument. They simply asked where I wanted them to take it to be re-sprayed. I drove their brand new CT (my choice) for nearly 3 weeks while the paint shop fit it in, and did a PERFECT blend, keeping in mind that I'm more than a little compulsive about the paint.The dealership was billed nearly $1000 for the paintwork, and never even hinted that they were unhappy. Their only concern was that I was happy with the repair, and were very apologetic for causing the problem in the first place. I was VERY impressed!
03-10-14, 01:35 PM
#44
............
Side story, just because dealers often get such a bad rap:
This year, I decided to try the brand new car wash at our dealership, simply because it's free. After 2 or 3 washes of our RX (Starfire Pearl), I saw no unexpected issues, and decided to try it on our IS (Smokey Granite Mica). The short version is that it left several minor scratches, and 1 that was significant that I didn't want to try removing on my own. The dealership handled the resulting issues as well as I could have ever wanted! I fully expected a big fight, but there were no questions asked, no denial of responsibility, and no complaints. Literally, the manager just shook his head, asked it I would approve of them trying to polish out the scratches, before asking what kind of loaner I wanted while they fixed it. I was stunned. After expressing concern about the clearcoat thickness, I left the car and took home a 2014 IS as a loaner. A couple of days later, I spotted where they had burned the paint, and back it went. There was still no argument. They simply asked where I wanted them to take it to be re-sprayed. I drove their brand new CT (my choice) for nearly 3 weeks while the paint shop fit it in, and did a PERFECT blend, keeping in mind that I'm more than a little compulsive about the paint.The dealership was billed nearly $1000 for the paintwork, and never even hinted that they were unhappy. Their only concern was that I was happy with the repair, and were very apologetic for causing the problem in the first place. I was VERY impressed!
Side story, just because dealers often get such a bad rap:
This year, I decided to try the brand new car wash at our dealership, simply because it's free. After 2 or 3 washes of our RX (Starfire Pearl), I saw no unexpected issues, and decided to try it on our IS (Smokey Granite Mica). The short version is that it left several minor scratches, and 1 that was significant that I didn't want to try removing on my own. The dealership handled the resulting issues as well as I could have ever wanted! I fully expected a big fight, but there were no questions asked, no denial of responsibility, and no complaints. Literally, the manager just shook his head, asked it I would approve of them trying to polish out the scratches, before asking what kind of loaner I wanted while they fixed it. I was stunned. After expressing concern about the clearcoat thickness, I left the car and took home a 2014 IS as a loaner. A couple of days later, I spotted where they had burned the paint, and back it went. There was still no argument. They simply asked where I wanted them to take it to be re-sprayed. I drove their brand new CT (my choice) for nearly 3 weeks while the paint shop fit it in, and did a PERFECT blend, keeping in mind that I'm more than a little compulsive about the paint.The dealership was billed nearly $1000 for the paintwork, and never even hinted that they were unhappy. Their only concern was that I was happy with the repair, and were very apologetic for causing the problem in the first place. I was VERY impressed!
).There is a reason true professionals charge what they do. It takes a lot of time, practice, skill, knowledge, and equipment to properly polish a car safely. Dealerships would rather pay untrained (or improperly trained) employees low wages and fork over the cash for the occasional repair bill instead of taking pride in their detail department and hiring knowledgeable employees that are worthy of a very good paycheck.
Just my take on the matter.
Last edited by zmcgovern4; 03-10-14 at 01:43 PM.
03-10-14, 03:20 PM
#45
I didn't take that as negative! Everything you say is accurate, except I wasn't justifying what they did to my car. I was commenting on how they addressed their mistake, once they made it. I was absolutely impressed.
As for the wash, it was equipment failure, and stuff happens sometimes. I was just in the wrong place in line, and it broke on MY car! I should't have given them the opportunity to make a mistake. It was bad judgment on my part, but it's a car. I'll get swirls in it anyway, because I drive it every day. It's why I polish it 2 or 3 times a year. I actually know there's a risk in using a car wash, and I do it anyway if there's a reasonably good reason. Just not at the dealership, again!
There is no excuse for burning the paint, though. My attitude was that they weren't going to be able to remove the scratch without going through to the base coat, so I figured I had nothing to lose by being cooperative. I let them try to fix it because I was confident that it was going to be repainted either way, and I was right. I blame the detailer for not owning up to his mistake and telling someone that he burned the paint. That DOES bother me, and I hope he isn't there anymore. There is NO doubt in my mind the manager and service guys that were managing the repair would have known without question that I would see where it was burned, and make them fix it before I saw it, had they known it was there. It seems I have a reputation for being a little bit picky.
The good news is that as hard as try to find it, I can't see where they blended the paint. They did an awesome job, as they did when I screwed up and put a scratch in my other car myself. Can't see that repair, either.
As for the wash, it was equipment failure, and stuff happens sometimes. I was just in the wrong place in line, and it broke on MY car! I should't have given them the opportunity to make a mistake. It was bad judgment on my part, but it's a car. I'll get swirls in it anyway, because I drive it every day. It's why I polish it 2 or 3 times a year. I actually know there's a risk in using a car wash, and I do it anyway if there's a reasonably good reason. Just not at the dealership, again!
There is no excuse for burning the paint, though. My attitude was that they weren't going to be able to remove the scratch without going through to the base coat, so I figured I had nothing to lose by being cooperative. I let them try to fix it because I was confident that it was going to be repainted either way, and I was right. I blame the detailer for not owning up to his mistake and telling someone that he burned the paint. That DOES bother me, and I hope he isn't there anymore. There is NO doubt in my mind the manager and service guys that were managing the repair would have known without question that I would see where it was burned, and make them fix it before I saw it, had they known it was there. It seems I have a reputation for being a little bit picky.
The good news is that as hard as try to find it, I can't see where they blended the paint. They did an awesome job, as they did when I screwed up and put a scratch in my other car myself. Can't see that repair, either.
Last edited by User 41924; 03-10-14 at 03:48 PM.
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