*Official* Ask A Detailer Thread

Yeah I think I’d stick with one or the other, especially with all the info I’ve been getting.

 

Good Morning Detailing pro's I am looking for a better option....

Frankly the Meguiar's Hybrid Ceramic Wax doesn't seem to last that long and dirt, dust and grime seem to stick (especially on the lower door parts) in a week or two.

There has to be a better Ceramic coating like the Optimum Glosscoat mentioned above

• what other brands are the one recommended the most
• how long do the better options last,
• how easy and fool proof is the application and
• does it make the cleaning of the truck much easier? Like maybe just rinsing.
• a plus would being able to apply to the plastic like I can the Mequiars

FWIW I have been pretty good with my truck's exterior. I should mention that I am in the rust belt but I have Claybar'd it, then been using Mequire's Ceramic coating spray wax stuff in the blue bottle, cleaning regularly, I even Woolwax the underside every fall. So I don't mind putting in the effort if it pays off.

Any thoughts, advice, wisdoms are greatly appreciated. thanks!

 

Ceramic coatings would be the next step. Which one is mostly subjective and you could get a dozen different answers and they'd all be right. My pick would be something by Carpro.

Ease of application is pretty high with most of these so that shouldn't be a big deal.

As for rinse and walk away that's pretty much bullshit other than a light dusting. If you're driving on wet roads you're going to need to wash it at some point. Plus if you hose it down without washing you'll at least want to blow or drive it off to keep the hard water spots away. Which is one downside to coatings, the water beads so well it will just sit on the flat surfaces till the sun dries it away.

Longevity 1-2 years, maybe longer if it lives in a garage.

Ease of cleaning imho is the main benefit of a coating. If you don't wash regularly then no point in applying anything.

 

Thanks for the response, much appreciated……
I clean my truck regularly and hate it when she’s dirty so I am with you there…

Are all the additional/extra sprays necessary especially if you claybar? Like carpro Iron x, carpro eraser and carpro reload? These nearly double the cost….

 

For the most part you can mix and match these products, wouldn't have to be Carpro. Some of them I'd say are more crucial if your planning on polishing. But on the flip side there is no better prep for any sealant/coating than mechanical polishing. If you've got remnants of the Megs spray on there then the next product you use wont bond as well and you wont get all the benefits of the coating and have reduced longevity.

An iron remover does what it does, if your paint is covered in iron it's great, better than claying it off or have the clay drag it all over your paint. If you've got very little then clay is ok and iron remover isn't cheap. It varies on location but if you drive in traffic enough you'll accumulate stuff on the lower extremes.

Eraser is pretty much a water/isopropyl alcohol mix, you could make your own if you want. I can't remember the ratio but I think you don't want much more than 25% alcohol overall. However the products made for this (paint prep) do a slightly better job as they've got other cutting chemicals and things to make it less grabby on the towel than an IPA solution. Especially after polishing where you need to wipe up the oils and don't want to mark it up wiping down with a towel. Unlike an iron remover at least it has other uses as a cleaner but it's also auto paint safe.

Reload is recommended for just after applying a coating to prevent water spotting while the coating is still curing. If you can keep it inside for the first 24-48 hours then you could do without. You probably could even use the Megs HCW but would suck if they had something in it that messed with the coating as it's still curing. Otherwise Reload isn't that great as a standalone sealant, like you've seen with the Megs I'm sure it's similar. Reload can be used as a topper but I wouldn't use it on a good coating. I use their Elixir product to spray on the towel when drying, maybe spray sparingly on the surface every few months. But don't use Elixir for the step after coating because it has their rinseless wash product in it.

Check this site to look up any given Carpro product for the best info: https://www.carpro-us.com/
Not necessarily to buy them but they have detailed instructions on how best to use them.

If you need something in more video form this guy covers their stuff in detail: https://www.youtube.com/c/CarCraftAutoDetailing/search?query=carpro

 

Thanks so much for your insight. Greatly appreciated!

 

So I purchased the CAR Pro CQ Quartz UK edition for my Ceramic Coating of Choice....and here's my game plan for application....

1-Wash (a thorough wash to remove and strip as much as possible going to use Meguiars Gold because that's what I have)

2-Clay bar hopefully it won't be to bad as I did it about year ago but I have the clay bar so why not?

3-Polish if it's needed I think I have taken decent care and frequently use the ceramic wax as stated above and it looks fine but will examine more closely, if there's blemish's then I will polish. My main goal here is to protect the paint and make it easier to clean/stay cleaner longer... I think it looks pretty nice as it is.

4-Wipe down as the website from the chemical guys says "a cleansing wipe-down to remove any oils, waxes or silicones that may still be on the surface" might buy a spray bottle of Carpro Eraser or chemical guys version or what ever quality product I can find.

5-apply the Ceramic coating, 1 section at a time criss cross/circular unitl dry and buff so it will adhere/bond and about 1-2 hours later at a second thin coat especially on the bottom of the doors....

6-Apply the Reload Spray spray and wipe....... sounds easy enough.

7-Sit back.... in my favorite lawn chair and admire how wonderful my truck looks all whilst enjoying a cigar and heavily hopped NEIPA.


I'm curious how long this will last and how much easier it will be to clean my truck is this stuff worth it etc etc.....

Also my hopes are that it will prevent at least to some degree the occasional bird dropping, bugs and tar from sticking or at least make it considerably easier to get them off.....

I'll probably report back here and maybe I'll make a thread on the whole process... hard to say....

Thanks again @gorram for the info!

 

I got my truck ceramic coated using IGL about 4 months ago. Supposedly it's a five year coating but I'm guessing that is only in lab like conditions.

Bird dropping come off much easier. Just alittle water and a microfiber. It was suggested that you should be more careful while polishing the roof due to thinner clear coat because of UV damage. Also some smaller tools would help out alot for getting into tight spots like around emblems

Sounds like you have a good plan but remember to get all of the previous cleaners and wax off before applying

 

Cool thanks for the tips and input, my hope it to make it easier to clean and have it look better most of the time....

 

That's exactly why I did mine and also some extra UV protection. Also after you've coated it make sure you use an appropriate wash soap. I don't think you would want to wash with any soap that have waxes or stuff added to it. I was recommended to use this



It's supposed to be gentle and effective

 

My plan was to use Meguiars Gold as I have a bottle of it already....

 

That's the first time I've heard not to use wash&wax car soaps on ceramic coated cars. Do you have a source as to why? My understanding is that any PH neutral soap would be fine. Non PH car soaps are alkaline or acidic, strip off waxes and sealants, and leave spots if left to dry in the sun.

I know of a few specific ceramic car soaps like CarPro Reset, Jay Leno's Ceramic wash, and several cheaper versions sold at Wally World.

I'm partial to Adam's blue shampoo, Adam's purple ultra foam shampoo, and Jay Leno's pink wash and wax. I've also heard really good things about Koch Chemie GSF (Gentle Snow Foam). Jay Leno's also got a new ceramic shampoo I'd like to try...

https://www.lenosgarage.com/products/ceramic-wash-shampoo

I do know Adam's blue and purple soaps have gloss enhancers added. Adam's mega foam red soap doesn't and is a bit too foamy for my needs.

 

What do you mean by : "Non PH car soaps are alkaline"

 

Well I didn't do the best in chemistry, so I'll explain it like this. You ever test pool chemicals? If your pool is too alkaline you add muriatic acid to lower the PH and the alkalinity. Likewise, you can add baking soda to increase PH and alkalinity.

PH is measure of how acidic something is on a scale of 0-14. Below 7 it's considered acidic, the lower the number the more acidic it is. On the other hand, a PH of above 7 indicates it's a base. A PH balanced car soap has a PH of around 7 meaning it's not acidic or alkaline and won't strip or remove other "elements" like waxes or sealants. Sorry I can't explain it any further than that.

https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/ph-scale-0

If you want to strip or remove waxes or sealants use a dedicated car soap for that like these below:

https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-strip-wash

https://www.lenosgarage.com/products/clean-strip?variant=45514653961

However, it's not recommended to use those soaps on a regular basis as they're "hard" on painted surfaces. Kind of like using a degreaser everyday to shower instead of a dedicated soap.

 

Meguires gold was also a good suggestion from a detailer that has been in the business for over ten years. I just had no car wash solution so he sent me 3 suggestions and both what you and I have were in there

 

While I'm not a Chemist, I'm just an Engineer, that has taken more chemistry credit hours than I cared to. I didn't enjoy most of my chemistry classes and usually got a "C" passing grade. With that said, I do have a good working knowledge of the subject. Your understanding is quite good except for your use of the term and the concept of alkalinity. For a solution to be alkaline, it has to have a Ph of above 7. everything below 7 is acidic. In other words a base or basic solution is by definition alkaline.

 

Some people are crazy

 

Few questions:

1. In what order should waxes, sealants, and ceramics be put on?
2. Is it necessary to put on 3-4 layers of different products on? Or would 1-2 products suffice? I have a 1st gen with single stage white paint so longevity is paramount.

I just did my hood with Chemical Guys butter wet wax, then Chemical Guys jet seal, then Meguiars ceramic wax. In that order. After a few YouTube videos I think I may have put those on in the wrong order?

 

It's all in the details...

In this order from longest lasting products to least, but you don't need all three.
1. Ceramics
2. Sealants
3. Waxes

I'd do a ceramic coating or a sealant then top with a spray wax after weekly washing if you want more gloss/protection. If you start to pile on too much it'll get greasy and you won't get the full benefits of any of those products. No need to strip all that off either. The next time you notice the coatings or waxes losing their effect you can start over.

 

Ah, that explanation makes more sense. Interestingly enough, it appears strip wash car soaps are offered in both low PH versions (acidic) and high alkaline versions (PH above 7). Did I mention I wasn't good at chemistry? I guess I'll take the "C" for being partially correct.

https://carwash-soap.com/car-wash-chemistry-high-vs-low-ph-presoak