Optimum Poli-Seal - not slick?

Ok - somewhat newish to the detail side of things. I have used Meguiar's Cleaner Wax foooreeever. That sets me off as one of the AIO product people. I read about 30 pages on each end of the Official Ask a Detailer thread (wow 176 pages?!?). Now that I have my truck, wife's car, and daughter's car, I thought it would be good to get a "professional" level product to ease my work load. Picked up the CG Waffle drying towel - whoa - crazy cats that is a dream compared to the cotton towels I was using (I know, should've read about cotton terry bath towels first, but, they were from our wedding registry, whats a guy to do?), read through the rest of the recommended list and purchase accordingly (but only the AIO option).

SOP old way every 6-ish months - wash with Meguiar's Gold, clay bar with Meguiar's and the quick detail spray, buff with old t-shirt, apply Meg. Cleaner Wax with MF pad from WalMart, buff with old t-shirt turning frequently.

SOP new way - wash, same soap, CG Waffle towel. Clay, same. Apply PoliSeal with Wolfgang German applicator. Buff off with CG El Gordo MF towels.

Anyway, I look for durability first. Deep gloss a close second. When I would use the Cleaner Wax, it was so super slick I would test a good job by tossing my towel on the hood and watching it slide off (with me catching it). The Poli-Seal doesn't do that. It looks awesome, but isn't "slick" by any measure. Is that expected? Did I do something wrong? I liked the way the Cleaner Wax "felt" because I was able to just tell when it was "gone".

 

Did you apply this by hand? Probably the abrasives in the AIO haven't broken down and that's why it doesn't feel smooth.

 

Well, yes, hand applied.

You mean I get to buy a PC 7424?!?! I can't wait to tell my wife I neeeeeed one!

 

You'll need a machine to get any correction/swirl removal with an AIO. McKees 360 has the best corrective ability and best longevity of any AIO I've ever used and I've used a lot. I don't think there's a better AIO on the market right now.

If working by hand, then a chemical cleaner is good. Duragloss 105 would be my choice. Applied in conjunction with DG 601 it will last several months, no doubt. And it is also a fantastic chemical paint cleaner (no abrasives).

 

As mentioned really need a DA to get the full benefit of Poli Seal. Also, look up the Rag Company. In my opinion, they have better microfiber than CG.

 

Rag Company - interesting. I see they have home & beauty products, I should be able to convince my wife to order some (she's been using e-cloth) and meet the $49 free ship. The piston based Jolly Roger marketing captured me more than anything (and some good reviews here) and compared to the cotton terry old towels, they were amaze-balls.

Well, now I know on the PoliSeal. So new hand applied SOP (Rev C):

1 - wash same as above
2 - clay bar same as above
3 - step saver tip from Duragloss website - 4 parts #105 : 1 part #601 apply then buff

when ready for correction (in my laziness) purchase the DA, use the McKees 360 - or I guess use up my PoliSeal at that time.

Thanks for the help, was reading the Paint Sealant thread as well, some of those fast wax sprays have my attention, super time saver there.

 

The new Blackfire SiO2 Spray Sealant is amazeballs. Great water behavior and self cleaning. Haven't used it long enough to comment on longevity. Deeper gloss than DG Aquawax. More of a carnauba look.

 

If you really want some long lasting shine, DG 111/601 is great. And the mixing trick is a good time saver. Something interesting about the DG 601... when I mixed some with 111 in a little bottle with a small nozzle/spout on top, and I squeezed the bottle lightly, I could see little puffs of steam/fog coming out of the bottle. Some kind of chemical reaction happening. Crazy.

 

DG is an under rated brand in my opinion. Everything I've used has been top notch.

 

I use Chemical Guys Jet Seal and it is slick. I can tell when the product is gone and it lasts about a year. Of course longevity is all about care.

Quality products will be slick and make future washes much easier.

I would not be worried about buying AIO or time saver products. #1 you should only be doing mass detail about 1-2 times per year, not every other weekend. #2 cheaper products tend not to last and just require more application which in the end doesn’t save time. The more often you touch your paint the more swirling you install.
Im not a speed wax fan. The biggest reason has to be I refuse to buy a sealer marketed as a wax lol. If they are comparing a superior product to an inferior one then it must not be very good.

 

I believe Jet Seal is an acrylic-based paint sealant.

 

I'll second BF Si02 and Mckee's 360, both great products. Bf holding up well after 2 months.

 

Ok, update time. Ms Santa got me a Griot's Garage 6" DA. Used Scratch X 2.0 with the orange correcting pad as my polish, was scared to use anything more aggressive after bad experience with lambs wool and a rotary in high school. Started on the roof, so was out of view if anything bad happened. Used SOP Rev C above. Then, on the roof, used the Optimum PoliSeal since I had it, but noticed it is a carnauba based product which doesn't typically have good longevity. Used DG 105 on the hood.

The polish took out the swirls, but can still see some remaining scratches if I get the light/reflection just right. Based on an old AutoGeek chart, the ScratchX is on the finest end of polishes, right before a glaze. I guess that makes sense now. The question in my mind was what is a "slight defect" vs "needs correction". So used the adage of use the least aggressive method first.

The DG 105 was certainly "slicker" ie. lower perceived friction vs. the PoliSeal - even with the same prep. They both are super smooth, no rough bumpys felt, but the friction feels less on the 105. Kinda like the back of the iPhone vs the Apple logo, both are smooth and flat, they just have different friction (even tho the measured surface roughness would be different)

FWIW - that was my experience. And will be trying the CG Jet Seal or BlackFire SiO2 as maintenance sprays.

 

The BF SiO2 is great stuff. I've been really surprised with the longevity. Months. I'd skip the jet seal. It's acrylic based and older technology.

And FYI, ScratchX isn't really intended to be used as a polish on the whole vehicle. Doesn't hurt anything, but that's not it's intended use. It's more of a "by-hand spot cleaner" in my mind. You'll find Ultimate Compound/Polish to be more user friendly and effective with a DA.

If you can feel a defect with your fingernail, it's too deep to "correct". On my own family daily drivers, I never do "correction" work. I simply polish the vehicles to remove swirls, and whatever scratches remain, that's the way it's gonna be. Just not worth it in my mind to chase after defects and thin the clear coat.

DG 105 has great longevity, it's a strong chemical cleaner. Really deep cleans paint and brightens it up. But you don't get much, if any, correction from it.

 

I'll agree with what he just said.

 

I really appreciate this comment. It's the back and forth balance of "I want a good looking vehicle vs. My vehicle is a tool for use to go out and play".

I just ordered the BF SiO2 spray today with the ever present AutoGeek 25% coupon. Planning it's first use on my wife's Sorento.

 

I’ve used some The Last Coat TLC2. Wipe on wipe off, all surfaces. Two months in still beads and rolls off, while silver is forgiving even after driving in rain truck still looks clean.

 

You want a good sealant, try Jescar Powerlock. I let the sealant cure, then top it off with

$21 collinite 845 insulator wax-easy to use carnauba+polymer wax sealant-high gloss shine+durable hydrophobic beading & long lasting paint protection for cars/boats/trucks/rvs & motorcycles (16 fl oz)

collinite 845.