Would washing, waxing, and claying be enough?

[86geek]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I am curious about the DIY aspect since my car is getting a full repaint this summer and I may try the DIY if it works well (more just because I like doing that stuff than because of price).

Tcoat if your car is being repainted take it to a detailer to get it ceramic coated. I'm suggesting this because it's labor intensive to prep the car before the ceramic coating is applied. Prepping the car and auto paint correction will cost big bucks when doing any type of ceramic coating by any auto detail shop.

Also since you're getting a new paint job done there shouldn't be much paint correction done to your car before the ceramic coating is done. You'll have to wait 30 days after your car is painted before the ceramic coating can be done.

For me it was worth getting ceramic coating since my car sits 24/7 in the hot hawaiian sun. Peeps compliment me all the time on how shiny my car looks after 2 1/2 years. Washing the car is a breeze because the dirt doesn't stick to the car like glue.

Cquartz Finest tends to be much more expensive than Optimum Gloss Coat. Optimum replaced Opticoat Pro with Gloss coat. At the time I chose Opti Coat Pro because it carries a 5 yr warranty vs 2 yrs for Cquartz Finest.

What color are you repainting your car? Hot Lava again?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by 86geek

Tcoat if your car is being repainted take it to a detailer to get it ceramic coated. I'm suggesting this because it's labor intensive to prep the car before the ceramic coating is applied. Prepping the car and auto paint correction will cost big bucks when doing any type of ceramic coating by any auto detail shop.

Also since you're getting a new paint job done there shouldn't be much paint correction done to your car before the ceramic coating is done. You'll have to wait 30 days after your car is painted before the ceramic coating can be done.

For me it was worth getting ceramic coating since my car sits 24/7 in the hot hawaiian sun. Peeps compliment me all the time on how shiny my car looks after 2 1/2 years. Washing the car is a breeze because the dirt doesn't stick to the car like glue.

Cquartz Finest tends to be much more expensive than Optimum Gloss Coat. Optimum replaced Opticoat Pro with Gloss coat. At the time I chose Opti Coat Pro because it carries a 5 yr warranty vs 2 yrs for Cquartz Finest.

What color are you repainting your car? Hot Lava again?

Same colour yes. I didn't plan to paint the whole thing just my now matt finished front bumper (flying salt/sand from the sanders in winter) and get the 4,892 1/2 little dings PDRed but I stumbled into an opportunity to get the whole car done for free so am going for it.
Ya if it is that much work to ceramic coat then the pleasure factor of doing it myself disappears and I will indeed get it done. I have never had a car done before but I have not heard one single con to it. Hmmmm I wonder if the place doing the paint is into that...

[radroach]

Originally Posted by JD001

Had it done.. Its a very long process as prepping the car correctly is critical and takes time. The finished job is very impressive and for my next new car I will also opt for the clear film protection as ceramic coating won't stop stone chips.

What's the prep? If its just claying and polishing then that's no problem for the average detailer with the right tools.

[JD001]

Originally Posted by radroach

What's the prep? If its just claying and polishing then that's no problem for the average detailer with the right tools.

The car is washed, any wax/polish removed, contaminates removed. Paint is corrected and polished etc before application. I didn't watch the guy as it was very drawn out, from memory over 4hrs..

[radroach]

@JD001 yeah that's like an average saturday cleaning for me Some iron-x, clar bar, and a DA like a Porter Cable 7424XP kit (or Rupes if you're a fancy lad) is pretty much all that's needed for a 100% prep work.

Also I want to add to the thread that nobody has mentioned my favorite step, pure polishing or heavy glaze. If you want your car to look perfect, you cannot skip this last and most important step before waxing (or anytime really). After cleaning, I use a product like Meguiar's Ultimate Polish, which is a pure polish that contains no abraisives. Works awesome on my GBS paint as it makes it look darker and wetter.



I apply it with a DA polisher and finishing pads to spread it thinly and evenly. The polish is hard to spread by hand and using a DA makes it 10x easier. You'll need microfibers and spray wax to remove it all, it is a lot harder to remove than wax after it dries so you can only do a panel at a time.

[NLS8520]

Basic wash items:

2 bucket with grit guards.
High quality microfiber drying towel.
High quality microfiber wash mitt.
Dedicated wheel bucket and mitt/tools.
Nice hose nozzle.

That is the basic equipment to wash your car to a higher standard lets say. In terms of claying, unless you have some unusual circumstance, claying is needed maybe 1X a year. Claying has a possibility of marring the finish just by the nature of what your asking clay to do, your gliding a piece of clay over the lubricated finish to sheer off contamination. Unless your going to machine polish I would probably skip the polish step, again that would only need to be once every few years. If your washing correctly you should not have a need to polish honesty.

Your choice of shampoo is great, I would consider a different protection product however if you are dedicated to a wax I would get Collinite 845. Its affordable and durable. If you are looking to purchase something local for protection, i would look into Meguiars Ultimate Wax, and top that with Meguiars Ultimate Fast Finish. Sealants would be my choice over a wax, Sonax polymer net shield or Menzerna power lock would probably be my go to for a sealant.

[spd]

@Tcoat It took me about 12 hours total to finish it on my car. Wash, Iron-X, wash, clay bar, paint correction, polish, ipa, then finally two coats of Cquartz. I'm not a pro though and there were quite a few breaks/general ****ing around in that time. You don't necessarily have to do all that, but any swirls or scratches you have will be locked in and the previous owner of my car installed quite a few swirls. With new paint it'd be pretty easy assuming you don't get bad buff marks from the shop.

Cquartz itself applies similarly to a wax or other paint sealant. Basically, apply in overlapping pattern, wait a few minutes, buff off. The professional Cquartz Finest lasts longer and the installers are hand picked, probably for their ability with paint correction and polishing as that's where all the labor is.

I have to get out and actually take real photos of it, but I just finished earlier this week and it's been raining ever since. Needs 48hrs to cure fully and has to stay dry during that time. Not supposed to wash it for at least one week too. But yes, it sure is shiny. This is somewhat exaggerated by the shitty photo.

[Ultramaroon]

needs moar stretched

[Scrappydoo]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Same colour yes. I didn't plan to paint the whole thing just my now matt finished front bumper (flying salt/sand from the sanders in winter) and get the 4,892 1/2 little dings PDRed but I stumbled into an opportunity to get the whole car done for free so am going for it.
Ya if it is that much work to ceramic coat then the pleasure factor of doing it myself disappears and I will indeed get it done. I have never had a car done before but I have not heard one single con to it. Hmmmm I wonder if the place doing the paint is into that...

How did you score a free respray?

[JD001]

^^^^exactly what I've been thinking^^^^


If Tcoat is going for a complete car respray he should consider adding a bit more attitude to the Lava paint by adding more sparkle.. so it pops!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Scrappydoo

How did you score a free respray?

Originally Posted by JD001

^^^^exactly what I've been thinking^^^^


If Tcoat is going for a complete car respray he should consider adding a bit more attitude to the Lava paint by adding more sparkle.. so it pops!

Believe it or not I am actually a nice guy and people like me! My neighbor at the cottage owns a large body shop and truck stop. The body shop specializes in custom paint jobs for rigs. We were chatting a couple of weeks back and I pointed out how bad my front bumper looks and asked him how much it would cost to give it a quick spray. He said why do just the bumper and not the whole car? I chuckled and said that was more money than I wanted to spend. He replied that if I could leave the car for a week his guys could do it during down time and he would lend me his Fiat 500. I asked how much? He said "cut my grass for the summer". His grass is maybe 200 square feet and my grandson cuts it anyway.


I will stick with the stock colour but you want to bet there will be more than one coat of clear on it.

[JD001]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Believe it or not I am actually a nice guy and people like me! My neighbor at the cottage owns a large body shop and truck stop. The body shop specializes in custom paint jobs for rigs. We were chatting a couple of weeks back and I pointed out how bad my front bumper looks and asked him how much it would cost to give it a quick spray. He said why do just the bumper and not the whole car? I chuckled and said that was more money than I wanted to spend. He replied that if I could leave the car for a week his guys could do it during down time and he would lend me his Fiat 500. I asked how much? He said "cut my grass for the summer". His grass is maybe 200 square feet and my grandson cuts it anyway.


I will stick with the stock colour but you want to bet there will be more than one coat of clear on it.

Sounds like a nice cosy relationship..

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Believe it or not I am actually a nice guy and people like me!

Haha... Bullshit. You had me there for a sec.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Haha... Bullshit. You had me there for a sec.