CQuartz for Wheel experience.
05-04-15, 04:18 PM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
CQuartz for Wheel experience.
OK so I've been hearing so much about CarPro's CQuartz I figured I would give it a try on my Winter Wheels which are stock except they are Silver. I'm scared to try it out on my new car paint as my last experience(20 years ago) with a coating didn't go so well and wrecked the paint.
Spent at least 60 hours preparing the wheels for the CQuartz until they where finally clean. They have a few nicks in them from this winter but overall they where in good shape.
Ordered the 50ml Cquartz kit. It came with five suede micro clothe applicators, 2 stickers that look like holograms no idea what they are for? And an application block. And a single little piece of paper that said it was v2 so only leave on for 5 minutes max.
That's it, that is ALL the instruction they give you! Friggin incredible buy a 50ml bottle of Elixir for $90 CND and NO instructions. Searched the Internet and found some instructions and videos, but all very elementary. All I really wanted to know was the correct application temperature as I live in a cold climate, and any instruction specific to doing wheels.
The Garage was between 40-55F when I did the work and the application of the Cquartz was done around 45F.
First wheel I do a couple spokes and wait five minutes watching the surface the whole time. Didn't see any hazing but after about 15 minutes I could see small liquid surface droplets develop. So I cleaned off the residual product which glided off easily. So now I'm concerned it may not have had time to dry? Did the same for the rest of the wheel including the inside of the wheel which is nicely painted. Surface ended up smooth as silk and shinny !
But I' still concerned if the Cquartz had time to bond? So the next wheel I decide to do the whole exterior of the wheel in one shot, took about 45 minutes to apply. Looked the same as the first wheel and there where a couple of small spots that took a little rubbing to get the residual off.
Next wheel I divided into three sections and made sure I applied LOTS of CQuartz so I could actually see it on on the wheel paint. Wiped off easy with the same end result.
Finally the last wheel I put the juice on thick and did the whole wheel (inside and out). This time I did see a little hazing along with the surface droplets. Took about 70 minutes to do the whole wheel and this time it felt like I was taking off a polish. A little effort but not much.
Put the wheels outside in the sun/shade and inspected each wheel with a magnifying glass to see if I could see any difference between wheels. They all looked the same and feel the same.
Ended up using 45ml of the product,partly because I did one wheel per day and used a new applicator cloth for each wheel and because I couldn't tell how much product was actually adhering to the wheel.
Conclusion:
No real instructions with product, which I did not appreciate
Don't know if the low application temp. is going to impact performance of the product?
Didn't really know how long to leave product on and it didn't seem to matter at 45F?
The wheels look AWESOME, I just hope they are protected.
It's a LOT of work preparing those 10 spoke wheels !
Has anyone put Cquartz on a Liquid Platinum paint job?
I'm curious if you can see it haze over when this v2 product dries? All the videos I saw used dark colored vehicles.
As I mentioned before I'm very hesitant to put a sealant on my new ride especially with poor vendor documentation with Cquartz. However I MUST protect my exposed paint very soon before the car gets scratches, etc. In our part of the country we need as much protection as you can reasonably get from a product as our roads get salty, muddy, you name!
Or should I use a different product that comes with detailed vendor instructions so the end user knows how the product should be applied and any watch out fors..
Spent at least 60 hours preparing the wheels for the CQuartz until they where finally clean. They have a few nicks in them from this winter but overall they where in good shape.
Ordered the 50ml Cquartz kit. It came with five suede micro clothe applicators, 2 stickers that look like holograms no idea what they are for? And an application block. And a single little piece of paper that said it was v2 so only leave on for 5 minutes max.
That's it, that is ALL the instruction they give you! Friggin incredible buy a 50ml bottle of Elixir for $90 CND and NO instructions. Searched the Internet and found some instructions and videos, but all very elementary. All I really wanted to know was the correct application temperature as I live in a cold climate, and any instruction specific to doing wheels.
The Garage was between 40-55F when I did the work and the application of the Cquartz was done around 45F.
First wheel I do a couple spokes and wait five minutes watching the surface the whole time. Didn't see any hazing but after about 15 minutes I could see small liquid surface droplets develop. So I cleaned off the residual product which glided off easily. So now I'm concerned it may not have had time to dry? Did the same for the rest of the wheel including the inside of the wheel which is nicely painted. Surface ended up smooth as silk and shinny !
But I' still concerned if the Cquartz had time to bond? So the next wheel I decide to do the whole exterior of the wheel in one shot, took about 45 minutes to apply. Looked the same as the first wheel and there where a couple of small spots that took a little rubbing to get the residual off.
Next wheel I divided into three sections and made sure I applied LOTS of CQuartz so I could actually see it on on the wheel paint. Wiped off easy with the same end result.
Finally the last wheel I put the juice on thick and did the whole wheel (inside and out). This time I did see a little hazing along with the surface droplets. Took about 70 minutes to do the whole wheel and this time it felt like I was taking off a polish. A little effort but not much.
Put the wheels outside in the sun/shade and inspected each wheel with a magnifying glass to see if I could see any difference between wheels. They all looked the same and feel the same.
Ended up using 45ml of the product,partly because I did one wheel per day and used a new applicator cloth for each wheel and because I couldn't tell how much product was actually adhering to the wheel.
Conclusion:
No real instructions with product, which I did not appreciate
Don't know if the low application temp. is going to impact performance of the product?
Didn't really know how long to leave product on and it didn't seem to matter at 45F?
The wheels look AWESOME, I just hope they are protected.
It's a LOT of work preparing those 10 spoke wheels !
Has anyone put Cquartz on a Liquid Platinum paint job?
I'm curious if you can see it haze over when this v2 product dries? All the videos I saw used dark colored vehicles.
As I mentioned before I'm very hesitant to put a sealant on my new ride especially with poor vendor documentation with Cquartz. However I MUST protect my exposed paint very soon before the car gets scratches, etc. In our part of the country we need as much protection as you can reasonably get from a product as our roads get salty, muddy, you name!
Or should I use a different product that comes with detailed vendor instructions so the end user knows how the product should be applied and any watch out fors..
05-04-15, 05:47 PM
#2
Were you using CQuartz Classic or UK? CQuartz Classic is not meant to be used in temps as low as you mentioned applying it in.
There is plenty of great information online about all of the CQuartz products... application is incredibly simple, hence the lack of detailed instructions. Prep the surface by cleaning and polishing as needed. Wipe with CarPro Eraser. Wipe CQ onto surface. Then wipe off before it gets too tacky. Done.
CQuartz UK can be applied in temps down to 40F, however the best bet is to simply wait until you can work in warmer temps (above 60F). Also CarPro's CQuartz DLUX would be my recommendation for wheels as it is a lower cost alternative that provides great protection on plastic trim and wheels.
These products do not haze like a traditional wax or sealant might. Instead, you spread the liquid coating onto the surface, and as the carrier fluid flashes (evaporates away) and you must wipe away residual carriers that remain on the surface once the coating has begun to bond to the paint. This time period can vary drastically, which is why you must do some testing. Apply to a small area, then wait a couple of minutes and try to wipe away. If the coating wipes away cleanly without leaving any high spots, then you have not waited too long. You must work in the specified temp range, or else the carrier fluids may not flash away, and therefore the coating may not adhere properly to the substrate.
Also, there is no real benefit to applying heavily. 45mL on a set of wheels is very excessive. 50mL can easily do a large SUV and the wheels.
Let me know if you've got any other questions... we are authorized CQuartz Finest installers and also work with CarPro's CQuartz UK, DLUX, and Forte coatings regularly.
-Zach
There is plenty of great information online about all of the CQuartz products... application is incredibly simple, hence the lack of detailed instructions. Prep the surface by cleaning and polishing as needed. Wipe with CarPro Eraser. Wipe CQ onto surface. Then wipe off before it gets too tacky. Done.
Originally Posted by www.CarPro-us.com
Specifications:
Recommended working temperatures: 50F to 90F
If environmental temperatures are below 50F consider CQuartz UK.
CarPro USA Preparation Tips:
IronX decontaminate your vehicle before polishing.
To gain the most from Cquartz it is recommended that your vehicle have all painted surfaces clean and polished to a high standard.
There should not be any wax, sealant, polishing oils, or oil of any kind left on the paint before application. That would hamper the penetration of Cquartz and seriously compromise durability.
Directions:
Apply in shade only and not on hot surfaces
After polishing your vehicle use CarPro Eraser to wipe down the surface to ensure no oils are left from polishing
Wrap a mf Suede (included) around the applicator block (also included)
Shake CQuartz well and apply a few drops to the applicator
Wipe across a section of paint first up and down and then left and right
Ensure complete coverage.
NOTE: UPDATED VERSION - Timing for wipeoff is much less now. (usually between 2-5 minutes)
Wait until some slight resistance to wipe and then immediately remove.
CarPro USA After Tips:
A second layer will add even further hardness & thickness to the coating
Vehicle can be parked in direct sun any time after removal of excess hazed product
Keep surface dry for at least one hour after application
Wipe any water off the surface during the first 24 hours after application
Avoid washing with any soaps for the first 7 days
Precautions:
Do not apply in direct sun or on hot surface
Do not re-use 4" Suede applicators after 1 vehicle as they will crystalize and could scratch paint if re-used
Do not re-use the towels you used to buff off with unless you immediately toss them in a bucket of APC after use to avoid glass crystals forming on them
Wear hand protection (disposable gloves)
We always recommend using our CarPro Face Mask or other respiratory protection as a precaution with any chemicals from any company.
Recommended working temperatures: 50F to 90F
If environmental temperatures are below 50F consider CQuartz UK.
CarPro USA Preparation Tips:
IronX decontaminate your vehicle before polishing.
To gain the most from Cquartz it is recommended that your vehicle have all painted surfaces clean and polished to a high standard.
There should not be any wax, sealant, polishing oils, or oil of any kind left on the paint before application. That would hamper the penetration of Cquartz and seriously compromise durability.
Directions:
Apply in shade only and not on hot surfaces
After polishing your vehicle use CarPro Eraser to wipe down the surface to ensure no oils are left from polishing
Wrap a mf Suede (included) around the applicator block (also included)
Shake CQuartz well and apply a few drops to the applicator
Wipe across a section of paint first up and down and then left and right
Ensure complete coverage.
NOTE: UPDATED VERSION - Timing for wipeoff is much less now. (usually between 2-5 minutes)
Wait until some slight resistance to wipe and then immediately remove.
CarPro USA After Tips:
A second layer will add even further hardness & thickness to the coating
Vehicle can be parked in direct sun any time after removal of excess hazed product
Keep surface dry for at least one hour after application
Wipe any water off the surface during the first 24 hours after application
Avoid washing with any soaps for the first 7 days
Precautions:
Do not apply in direct sun or on hot surface
Do not re-use 4" Suede applicators after 1 vehicle as they will crystalize and could scratch paint if re-used
Do not re-use the towels you used to buff off with unless you immediately toss them in a bucket of APC after use to avoid glass crystals forming on them
Wear hand protection (disposable gloves)
We always recommend using our CarPro Face Mask or other respiratory protection as a precaution with any chemicals from any company.
CQuartz UK can be applied in temps down to 40F, however the best bet is to simply wait until you can work in warmer temps (above 60F). Also CarPro's CQuartz DLUX would be my recommendation for wheels as it is a lower cost alternative that provides great protection on plastic trim and wheels.
These products do not haze like a traditional wax or sealant might. Instead, you spread the liquid coating onto the surface, and as the carrier fluid flashes (evaporates away) and you must wipe away residual carriers that remain on the surface once the coating has begun to bond to the paint. This time period can vary drastically, which is why you must do some testing. Apply to a small area, then wait a couple of minutes and try to wipe away. If the coating wipes away cleanly without leaving any high spots, then you have not waited too long. You must work in the specified temp range, or else the carrier fluids may not flash away, and therefore the coating may not adhere properly to the substrate.
Also, there is no real benefit to applying heavily. 45mL on a set of wheels is very excessive. 50mL can easily do a large SUV and the wheels.
Let me know if you've got any other questions... we are authorized CQuartz Finest installers and also work with CarPro's CQuartz UK, DLUX, and Forte coatings regularly.
-Zach
Last edited by zmcgovern4; 05-04-15 at 05:52 PM.
05-04-15, 06:11 PM
#3
Furthermore, I have reached out to the US Rep for CarPro in search of the the main point of contact in Canada...
I was told you can contact Troy @ AutoObsessed, or you can reach out to Corey @ CarPro-US with any questions you have.
Corey's customer service is 2nd to none... don't hesitate to reach out to him.
I was told you can contact Troy @ AutoObsessed, or you can reach out to Corey @ CarPro-US with any questions you have.
Corey's customer service is 2nd to none... don't hesitate to reach out to him.
05-04-15, 06:17 PM
#4
You first should of done more research before buying especially doing it yourself to make sure your comfortable in doing it correct.I never used cquartz but I've used optimum gloss coat and I used about 7cc with a heavy coat on the car. My wife car is pearl white so it was hard to see if it flash. But once it was all done and in the sun I could see the difference. After the first wash with out using soap just pressure wash all dirt came right off that a benefit of coating done rite.
really awesome businessman
05-05-15, 12:28 PM
#6
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Thank You Zack !
I bought all my product's at Auto Obsessed, great store and people!
I probably should have posted here before I did the job. But I didn't want to bother you guys and figured it should be easy to research, and did find a lot of good info. just not what I was looking for.
Heck I was on the Carpro site for a while, in the forum etc. and didn't find the information zmcgovern4 posted Just followed zmcgovern4's link which brought me to the store and presto there is all the info. 
Did do all the necessary prep work though 
So it looks like it will be a crap shot to see if the product holds due to the questionable application temperature. I was able to see the product carrier evaporate at times, when applying as per instructions and not so much when applying heavily. So I probably have high spots or varying degrees of product thickness, but as long as it doesn't peel I should be ok. The wheels will be well cured before they get the ultimate test as I hope winter is at least 4 months away lol
I realize I used way too much product. However trying to ensure you get perfect coverage on a ten spoke wheel without being able to see much, lead me to go overboard as I want every nook and cranny protected after doing all the work to prep them!
A couple of Questions.
Can I still use the 5ml I have left over from the wheels or does it go bad after opening?
I'll be purchasing another kit to do the rest of the car if and when winter is REALLY gone! It's hard though in this climate, one day it's 80F and the next it's snowing and I want the car fully protected before I start using it on a daily basis. Not to mention the wife gets a little cranky when I don't let her park in the garage
Any tricks to better see the application path on Platinum paint so I don't mess a spot? I'm using a couple Snap On LED Lamps for light. I'm thinking it will be a lot easier to see than doing the wheels.
Any idea on what those two holographic looking strips in the package are for? Almost look like they might be test strips?
Thanks Guys
I bought all my product's at Auto Obsessed, great store and people!
I probably should have posted here before I did the job. But I didn't want to bother you guys and figured it should be easy to research, and did find a lot of good info. just not what I was looking for.
Heck I was on the Carpro site for a while, in the forum etc. and didn't find the information zmcgovern4 posted
Just followed zmcgovern4's link which brought me to the store and presto there is all the info. Did do all the necessary prep work though So it looks like it will be a crap shot to see if the product holds due to the questionable application temperature. I was able to see the product carrier evaporate at times, when applying as per instructions and not so much when applying heavily. So I probably have high spots or varying degrees of product thickness, but as long as it doesn't peel I should be ok. The wheels will be well cured before they get the ultimate test as I hope winter is at least 4 months away lol
I realize I used way too much product. However trying to ensure you get perfect coverage on a ten spoke wheel without being able to see much, lead me to go overboard as I want every nook and cranny protected after doing all the work to prep them!
A couple of Questions.
Can I still use the 5ml I have left over from the wheels or does it go bad after opening?
I'll be purchasing another kit to do the rest of the car if and when winter is REALLY gone! It's hard though in this climate, one day it's 80F and the next it's snowing and I want the car fully protected before I start using it on a daily basis. Not to mention the wife gets a little cranky when I don't let her park in the garage
Any tricks to better see the application path on Platinum paint so I don't mess a spot? I'm using a couple Snap On LED Lamps for light. I'm thinking it will be a lot easier to see than doing the wheels.
Any idea on what those two holographic looking strips in the package are for? Almost look like they might be test strips?
Thanks Guys
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