Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Waxes And Polishes
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Today's (5/9) NY Times's auto section had an article about them.
The so-called "touch-free" car washes are noted as being less effective at removing grime because, obviously, no brushes contact the car. However, the article notes that SOME, in order to be more competitive, apply a "pre-soak" of hydroflouric acid, to remove road tar and the like.
I CERTAINLY don't want that on my car!
-Spyderturbo
Are you talking about on the actual WINDOWS, or on the window moldings? The moldings is what I was speaking of... if you are speaking of the actual windows.. then the best way to solve ANY problems is with newspaper... it is extremely time consuling, and personally I've only done it once. I see no need to go THAT overboard, I mean I think a toothbrush on the tires is enough for me. :P
-Herr Darkness
I am glad it worked for you also. In practical terms, it is nice to have one product that really works and also to do more than one thing.
It also goes to prove how optically clear it is. One can try putting carnuba based wax on the windshield, but it is more than obvious what will happen.
I watched the Prolong Paint sealant infomercial for the 3rd time today on TV ..
Looks like a great product( if an ad can be believed) ..
The ad goes to the extent of spraying a can of paint on a car which was treated with Prolong paint sealant and then the demonstrator just wipes the paint off clean with a towel ..
another scenario ...shows another guy spraying sand at a high pressure onto the paint and the paint is still undamaged ...
I have seen this product in Target or somewhere but havent used it yet ... will probably wait till my pile of meguiar's run out ..
has anyone else used this product ..?
Buddaseed,
I'd suggest getting a better wax on the car, (which woiuld require claying first, and then you can most likely wipe it off with Z-6 (for Zaino) or that Meguirs comes with a surface cleaner similar to Z-6 as well..
It is NOT a good idea to use a car cover, no matter how soft it says it is, or how water repellant, or how much it says water will go only one way through it. The reason is that no soft cover can stay perfectly still on a car in the wind. Also, no matter how soft, it's still going to wear throught the paint and in a LOT less time than you might think. I know cars that have been ruined in just a couple months time.
NEVER use a car cover outside. I don't even like to use them overnight at car shows when it's calm. If the car is that important and fragile, then buy an enclosed car hauler. Otherwise, vandals can get through any cover and they usually just draw attention to YOUR car, and again, they will all hold moisture and deteriorate your paint.
Don M.
Don M
Used to be indecisive , but now you are not so sure.
Do any of you know the best way to clean and care for them? Specifically, can they be washed in a washing machine? Thanks in advance for any advice.
Tomcat
I have used my car cover for about four months or so now, and I have had no problems with it scratching the surface. I did fork out $150 for it, and the moisture seems to be correct, I do take it off and let it breath on nice days and when it IS on, I bunjee cord it to the underside of the car (Making sure the hooks do not touch the exterior, nor under any circumstances would they). No scratches, the car has stayed cleaner and brighter than ever for a certainly noticeable longer period of time. I looked around when shopping for them, and this seems to be the best there is.. and was worth forking the $ over for. Not to argue the point, but I just wanted the other side shown.
-Herr Darkness
It's a cool message board if you have a Honda/Acura even though it's a blatant advertisement for the polish. However, I have to hand it to them, customer testimonials are the best advertisements. Check it out...
M
I have used Finish First. It is a polymer sealant product similar to Klasse and Zaino. The prep cleaner does a good job of removing wax, etc. prior to applying the sealant.
I found the end result to be slightly less glossy after 2 coats vs. Klasse or Zaino. It is definitely easy to apply and remove. I have nothing negative to say about it. It is less expensive than Zaino. The car wash is excellent and seems equal to Zaino but again less expensive.
The May issue of Corvette Fever ranked Finish First and Zaino as their recommended paint finish products.
Do you recommend any product that is made of the same materials that the clearcoat is made of? Or simply straight, where can I buy the clearcoat liquid to fill up the holes? It is strange that nobody has ever talked about such liquid in this board though I think it is essential. Is it never available, requiring professional skills to apply, or is there any better replacement (like polymer sealants, etc.) that people think better to use?
-Spyderturbo
Have you tried using Z5 to polish out those water marks?
I was less than impressed: it's a gel that is mixed with some sort of pink liquid. Maybe the two didn't combine properly because of the small sample bottle. It left a nice shine at first, but it has gotten streaky over the past few days.
Anyone else had any experience with this?
No, but I tried Car Kit Scratch Out, recommended by a Kragen staff. These products do not harm clearcoat, nor fill in the etched areas of clearcoat. It is non-abrasive so its scratch removing function is not obvious, either. Anyone please help #734 and #735?
wc3george:
How long does Endurance last? I've tried No Touch and it lasted just for a week or so. No Touch looks like a spray gel which does not require rinsing. Just spray on and it will dry and shine.
I used the first package on my Grand Prix, the second (just the gel because liquid just poored out) on my 300M. So far they both look good. It has been a week.
I learned a lot about tires from Larry Reynolds at carcareonline.com. Two things destroy tires - UV light and ozone. Rubber is clear/translucent. Tires are black because they contain carbon black which absorbs the UV and converts it to heat. With time it becomes white to gray. Ozone will eat up the rubber so even if the tire is locked away in the garage it will decay, i.e. dry rot. To fight the ozone, wax is added to the tires and as you drive the wax gets oozed out to fight the ozone. Tires that aren't driven eventually have all of the wax broken down by ozone and rot. Silicone dissolves the wax and so allows dry rot.
I clean my tires with Westley's Bleche-White from the Auto Zone. I then use one of the white liquids like Zaino for tires, Black Again, etc. This makes the tires really black. I then use Tire Treat. This is clear rubber in a can which fills in the cracks in the tire and coats it with rubber. It allows the tires to stay black longer. It is made by W.M. Barr & Co. in Memphis, TN. I got mine from the Herrington catalog at 2 cans for $15.00 plus shipping. One coating is supposed to last up to 30 car washes. I did my tires in January and they still look good.
I would greatly appreciate some responses.
I'll be interested to see how long it lasts. I've used another gel -- something like Tire Wet -- that worked okay, but the applicator was junk. Very hard to get the stuff out of the bottle and on the tire.
Am deciding on a color for my new Lexus and am being told that on their black cars they do not put a clear coat over it. Can you please explain the advantages and disadvantages if any for this. Also, what are the best products in your opinion for black cars for waxing/polishing. This would be my 3rd black car (it's been about 6 yrs tho since I owned one) and I think the others had a clear coat on them.
Any and all replies ASAP would be appreciated.
Thank you!
Pros
Z-1
Easy to apply
Is not removed
Z-2
Easy to remove
Long lasting
Good smell
Z-16
Long lasting
Z-6
Easy to use
Good smell
Z-7
Cleans well
Smells good
Cons
Z-1
Not to great of a smell.
It's very hard to tell how much to use when applying to a white care.
Z-2
Easy to use too much on a white car leaving streaks which are very hard to remove.
Z-6
Cheap spayer.
Z-7
none
Z-16
Not easy to apply.
Doesn't leave a good finish.
There are few general negative aspects of the Zainos products. Their botles are not great. They crack very easily. Some of the labels are made with an inkjet printer. This means the ink will bleed if the label gets wet.
You can tell it's summer because the TV is full of auto appearance products.
I have NOT used Prolong. I did see the TV infomercial and read the information on the box at WalMart. It appears to be yet another polymer sealant. Their applicator looks like one from One Grand. Their warranty only covers the "shine", not peeling or chipping. You must apply it at least yearly and save your receipts. They do not say how you get the "shine" back if their product isn't effective. The box says you must remove oxidation before application but doesn't tell you how (i.e., 3M Imperial Hand Glaze, etc.). It contains AFMT which is also in their oil products.
The infomercial shows mineral spirits, etc. unable to remove it but this is true for all sealants as they bond to the paint. The sand blasting segment is interesting in that they did not treat only part of the hood and then show the difference between treated and untreated. Besides if this is true then why does the warranty exclude chipped paint. They say "It looks good" not "It's not damaged".
My guess is at $20.00 for 10 ounces it is equal to what's out there, not a true "Summer Wonder". Does anyone remember other "ultimate" products to replace all others such as Touchless or Autofom with Fomblin A from Blue Coral?
Absolutely.
Only if you drive off road at least one day per month. But it won't be as good as it could be. The claying step is there for a reason. You SUV already has junk, dust, etc. all over it. Claying is very easy and it pays great dividends and is highly recommended prior to applying Zaino.
I'm going to be doing the leather seats in my car with Z-9 leather cleaner and Z-10 leather conditioner. The Zaino literature says that Z-9 and Z-10 are also good for vinyl. Do they really do a good job on vinyl? I'd like to use them on my dashboard, too.
I tried the Z-9 cleaner on my vinyl. It did no harm but was not magic. The Z-9 did a good job on my dash's vinyl. But it was not as effective on that patch of vinyl at the lower foot of my doors where I normally step while getting into the car. The dirt and scuff marks on that vinyl were really embedded and I guess I'll have find an additional product.