car detailing
08-11-13, 11:49 AM
#1
car detailing
Hey guys,
I'm new to this whole car paint protection thing. So I got my atomic silver 2014 lexus IS350 f sport awd 2 weeks ago. What's the paint or whatever protection that I should get done for my car and wheels (if any) ?
Thanks for all your help in advance!
I'm new to this whole car paint protection thing. So I got my atomic silver 2014 lexus IS350 f sport awd 2 weeks ago. What's the paint or whatever protection that I should get done for my car and wheels (if any) ?
Thanks for all your help in advance!
Last edited by chowner; 08-11-13 at 12:53 PM.
08-11-13, 04:40 PM
#2
Wash, wax, & seal by a professional detailer. Check out Autopia.org for reputable detailers in your area that won't make swirl marks in your paint.
08-11-13, 05:00 PM
#3
08-11-13, 06:05 PM
#4
Well I think the first question should be are you planning to do the detailing yourself or are you willing to pay? What's the current condition of your paint and are you wanting a swirl free finish or are you just wanting a bit of extra shine and some protection?
If you're detailing yourself and don't have many swirls or don't really care about swirl marks much then do a wash/clay and then top it off with some 22PLE/Opti Coat 2.0 for long lasting protection over time or some sort of paint sealant and then top it with a carnauba wax for that extra shine and depth. Maybe even a second layer of wax after the first layer has cured for 24 hours.
Now if you're wanting someone else to do the detailing then the first thing you're going to want to decide is the answer to the question that I asked earlier.. What are you looking for out of the detail? Do you just want protection or a swirl free finish? Are you looking for just a wax and then re apply every month to keep the protection going or something that can just go on and protect for 6 months-year that way all you have to do is the regular 2 bucket wash as maint? Also you ARE going to want to ask any detailer that you're checking with is what products are they going to use on your car and what are their washing methods? What I would be looking for if I were going to pay someone is someone who takes advantage of the 2 bucket method. This basically instills that you do not put dirt back into the panels of your paint as you are hand washing to prevent more swirls and paint damage. I would also ask what wax and paint sealant will they use or can they do something along the lines of Opti Coat or 22PLE. If you have choices then ask for the choices. There are some very cheap and amazing waxes such as Collinite 845 and 476 that you yourself can buy for under $20 and apply yourself that you will not be disappointed with. Even if you do pay someone I would still buy either one of those to add to your preventative maint.
It really boils down to what you want out of the detail, so i'd really think about that first and then go from there. Just saying you're looking to get a detail is such a broad statement and you can get many answers, so by narrowing down exactly what you want will not only help you but the detailer that will be detailing your car also.
I second checking out some detailing websites also just for some information.. Like G8r said autopia.org is good and I also like to dwell on detailingbliss.com myself.
Good luck and if you have anymore questions i'll be more than happy to answer as i'm sure others will be too.
If you're detailing yourself and don't have many swirls or don't really care about swirl marks much then do a wash/clay and then top it off with some 22PLE/Opti Coat 2.0 for long lasting protection over time or some sort of paint sealant and then top it with a carnauba wax for that extra shine and depth. Maybe even a second layer of wax after the first layer has cured for 24 hours.
Now if you're wanting someone else to do the detailing then the first thing you're going to want to decide is the answer to the question that I asked earlier.. What are you looking for out of the detail? Do you just want protection or a swirl free finish? Are you looking for just a wax and then re apply every month to keep the protection going or something that can just go on and protect for 6 months-year that way all you have to do is the regular 2 bucket wash as maint? Also you ARE going to want to ask any detailer that you're checking with is what products are they going to use on your car and what are their washing methods? What I would be looking for if I were going to pay someone is someone who takes advantage of the 2 bucket method. This basically instills that you do not put dirt back into the panels of your paint as you are hand washing to prevent more swirls and paint damage. I would also ask what wax and paint sealant will they use or can they do something along the lines of Opti Coat or 22PLE. If you have choices then ask for the choices. There are some very cheap and amazing waxes such as Collinite 845 and 476 that you yourself can buy for under $20 and apply yourself that you will not be disappointed with. Even if you do pay someone I would still buy either one of those to add to your preventative maint.
It really boils down to what you want out of the detail, so i'd really think about that first and then go from there. Just saying you're looking to get a detail is such a broad statement and you can get many answers, so by narrowing down exactly what you want will not only help you but the detailer that will be detailing your car also.
I second checking out some detailing websites also just for some information.. Like G8r said autopia.org is good and I also like to dwell on detailingbliss.com myself.
Good luck and if you have anymore questions i'll be more than happy to answer as i'm sure others will be too.
08-11-13, 06:15 PM
#5
Thanks for your post luxurygs3 . Well I just bought the car brand new 2 weeks ago, so the paint is as new as it can get. I want someone else to do it as I am very new at this and dont wanna screw around. I want to keep it shining for a long time and of-course the protection too. I don't want those swirl marks on the car and all I want to do is just go for a simple car wash for maintenance.
08-11-13, 09:01 PM
#7
Thanks for your post luxurygs3 . Well I just bought the car brand new 2 weeks ago, so the paint is as new as it can get. I want someone else to do it as I am very new at this and dont wanna screw around. I want to keep it shining for a long time and of-course the protection too. I don't want those swirl marks on the car and all I want to do is just go for a simple car wash for maintenance.
You'd actually be surprised at how bad dealer preps are for new cars. Phil from Detailers Domain is always posting write ups of 'new' cars from the dealer who's cars have minor swirls in them from the get go. I believe a stage 1 correction usually takes care of that.
Are you a pure fan of OC 2.0 Syd? I only ask because it seems like that's ALL you ever talk about in your posts in the detailing forums. It's purely a question though not an attack at all so don't take it that way. I've looked at PP2LE and it seems to have some awesome reviews, as well as OC 2.0. Is it one of those things where you either like one or the other? As far as I can tell durability, protection and depth is close to about the same, 22PLE is just newer and hasn't been tested and proven as much at OC 2.0 from my understanding. Am I correct?
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08-11-13, 09:30 PM
#8
No problem!
You'd actually be surprised at how bad dealer preps are for new cars. Phil from Detailers Domain is always posting write ups of 'new' cars from the dealer who's cars have minor swirls in them from the get go. I believe a stage 1 correction usually takes care of that.
Are you a pure fan of OC 2.0 Syd? I only ask because it seems like that's ALL you ever talk about in your posts in the detailing forums. It's purely a question though not an attack at all so don't take it that way. I've looked at PP2LE and it seems to have some awesome reviews, as well as OC 2.0. Is it one of those things where you either like one or the other? As far as I can tell durability, protection and depth is close to about the same, 22PLE is just newer and hasn't been tested and proven as much at OC 2.0 from my understanding. Am I correct?
You'd actually be surprised at how bad dealer preps are for new cars. Phil from Detailers Domain is always posting write ups of 'new' cars from the dealer who's cars have minor swirls in them from the get go. I believe a stage 1 correction usually takes care of that.
Are you a pure fan of OC 2.0 Syd? I only ask because it seems like that's ALL you ever talk about in your posts in the detailing forums. It's purely a question though not an attack at all so don't take it that way. I've looked at PP2LE and it seems to have some awesome reviews, as well as OC 2.0. Is it one of those things where you either like one or the other? As far as I can tell durability, protection and depth is close to about the same, 22PLE is just newer and hasn't been tested and proven as much at OC 2.0 from my understanding. Am I correct?
. i've had HB, 22PLE and OC 2.0 on my cars. HB is not as durable as some may think and the durability does not last 12 to 24 months and it is not scratch resistant. 22PLE is great when gloss comes into play, but again, not as durable as some may think. OC 2.0 has lasted the longest of all the coatings i've put on my cars. i have no scratches, swirls etc. on my car. so far so good with the OC. i haven't tried nano-lex or the Techniq coatings, i may try them one day but for now i'm stuck on OC 2.0. i forgot to answer your question... yes as of today i am a pure fan of OC 2.0, that is until something better comes along. i've done Zaino, Blackfire, Chemical Guys, i've been around the block with these products. but i also post about Nano Hydro, Sonax,, Auto finesse, those are other products that i use, but when someone asks which protective coatings do we recommend i am going to suggest OC 2.0... IMO i haven't found anything better, not saying that there isn't, i just haven't stumbled across it yet.
08-12-13, 08:02 AM
#9
Here is my take on these coatings...
Opti-Coat claims protection that will last a lifetime - 22ple & CQuartz Finest claim protection that will last about 2 years ("at least 2 years" in the case of CQF). To me, 2 years is all that is needed out of a coating. No matter how careful you are with your vehicle, there will be minor surface defects that will need to be removed with a basic polishing every 2 years in which case the coating would be removed anyways.
I have applied OC and 22ple VX1 Pro to several cars and currently have 22ple VX1 Pro on both of my personal cars. My IS250 has been coated for about a year and 22ple still performs wonderfully. One benefit that most owners will appreciate of any coating is the ease of maintaining your paint after application. Washing and drying is noticeably easier, as dirt simply wipes away from the surface, and water sheets away leaving minimal drops on the surface that need to be wiped away with a microfiber drying towel.
The main benefit of these coatings, to me, is that they are MUCH thicker than a layer of sealant or wax. CQF claims an added 2-3 microns of material (OC claims 1-2 microns). This is very important to me. For car owners who make a habit of machine polishing their vehicle every year or two, you will be removing a small amount of your clear coat each time you polish... granted you want to use the least aggressive product/pad that will allow you to see the desired results each time you polish, but you can still be removing 2-3 microns with a medium/finishing polish. This is not detrimental to the paint, even if repeated every other year for 10 years, however it is ALWAYS beneficial to have more clear coat than less clear coat. If you have a coating on your paint, the minor surface defects (ie swirls and light scratches) will reside in the coating and not in the paint, therefore when you polish your vehicle you will be removing the coating and not the paint (or at least very little paint).
All coatings provide superior protection and durability to traditional forms of protection, so IMO you can't go wrong with any of them.
With that being said, I am planning to remove 22ple from my IS in the next month or two (whenever I have time) and apply CQuartz Finest to try it out for a while. This is not because I am unhappy with 22ple by any means... it is just because I am weird and like to try new things very often.
-Zach
Opti-Coat claims protection that will last a lifetime - 22ple & CQuartz Finest claim protection that will last about 2 years ("at least 2 years" in the case of CQF). To me, 2 years is all that is needed out of a coating. No matter how careful you are with your vehicle, there will be minor surface defects that will need to be removed with a basic polishing every 2 years in which case the coating would be removed anyways.
I have applied OC and 22ple VX1 Pro to several cars and currently have 22ple VX1 Pro on both of my personal cars. My IS250 has been coated for about a year and 22ple still performs wonderfully. One benefit that most owners will appreciate of any coating is the ease of maintaining your paint after application. Washing and drying is noticeably easier, as dirt simply wipes away from the surface, and water sheets away leaving minimal drops on the surface that need to be wiped away with a microfiber drying towel.
The main benefit of these coatings, to me, is that they are MUCH thicker than a layer of sealant or wax. CQF claims an added 2-3 microns of material (OC claims 1-2 microns). This is very important to me. For car owners who make a habit of machine polishing their vehicle every year or two, you will be removing a small amount of your clear coat each time you polish... granted you want to use the least aggressive product/pad that will allow you to see the desired results each time you polish, but you can still be removing 2-3 microns with a medium/finishing polish. This is not detrimental to the paint, even if repeated every other year for 10 years, however it is ALWAYS beneficial to have more clear coat than less clear coat. If you have a coating on your paint, the minor surface defects (ie swirls and light scratches) will reside in the coating and not in the paint, therefore when you polish your vehicle you will be removing the coating and not the paint (or at least very little paint).
All coatings provide superior protection and durability to traditional forms of protection, so IMO you can't go wrong with any of them.
With that being said, I am planning to remove 22ple from my IS in the next month or two (whenever I have time) and apply CQuartz Finest to try it out for a while. This is not because I am unhappy with 22ple by any means... it is just because I am weird and like to try new things very often.
-Zach
08-12-13, 08:21 AM
#10
Here is my take on these coatings...
Opti-Coat claims protection that will last a lifetime - 22ple & CQuartz Finest claim protection that will last about 2 years ("at least 2 years" in the case of CQF). To me, 2 years is all that is needed out of a coating. No matter how careful you are with your vehicle, there will be minor surface defects that will need to be removed with a basic polishing every 2 years in which case the coating would be removed anyways.
I have applied OC and 22ple VX1 Pro to several cars and currently have 22ple VX1 Pro on both of my personal cars. My IS250 has been coated for about a year and 22ple still performs wonderfully. One benefit that most owners will appreciate of any coating is the ease of maintaining your paint after application. Washing and drying is noticeably easier, as dirt simply wipes away from the surface, and water sheets away leaving minimal drops on the surface that need to be wiped away with a microfiber drying towel.
The main benefit of these coatings, to me, is that they are MUCH thicker than a layer of sealant or wax. CQF claims an added 2-3 microns of material (OC claims 1-2 microns). This is very important to me. For car owners who make a habit of machine polishing their vehicle every year or two, you will be removing a small amount of your clear coat each time you polish... granted you want to use the least aggressive product/pad that will allow you to see the desired results each time you polish, but you can still be removing 2-3 microns with a medium/finishing polish. This is not detrimental to the paint, even if repeated every other year for 10 years, however it is ALWAYS beneficial to have more clear coat than less clear coat. If you have a coating on your paint, the minor surface defects (ie swirls and light scratches) will reside in the coating and not in the paint, therefore when you polish your vehicle you will be removing the coating and not the paint (or at least very little paint).
All coatings provide superior protection and durability to traditional forms of protection, so IMO you can't go wrong with any of them.
With that being said, I am planning to remove 22ple from my IS in the next month or two (whenever I have time) and apply CQuartz Finest to try it out for a while. This is not because I am unhappy with 22ple by any means... it is just because I am weird and like to try new things very often.
-Zach
Opti-Coat claims protection that will last a lifetime - 22ple & CQuartz Finest claim protection that will last about 2 years ("at least 2 years" in the case of CQF). To me, 2 years is all that is needed out of a coating. No matter how careful you are with your vehicle, there will be minor surface defects that will need to be removed with a basic polishing every 2 years in which case the coating would be removed anyways.
I have applied OC and 22ple VX1 Pro to several cars and currently have 22ple VX1 Pro on both of my personal cars. My IS250 has been coated for about a year and 22ple still performs wonderfully. One benefit that most owners will appreciate of any coating is the ease of maintaining your paint after application. Washing and drying is noticeably easier, as dirt simply wipes away from the surface, and water sheets away leaving minimal drops on the surface that need to be wiped away with a microfiber drying towel.
The main benefit of these coatings, to me, is that they are MUCH thicker than a layer of sealant or wax. CQF claims an added 2-3 microns of material (OC claims 1-2 microns). This is very important to me. For car owners who make a habit of machine polishing their vehicle every year or two, you will be removing a small amount of your clear coat each time you polish... granted you want to use the least aggressive product/pad that will allow you to see the desired results each time you polish, but you can still be removing 2-3 microns with a medium/finishing polish. This is not detrimental to the paint, even if repeated every other year for 10 years, however it is ALWAYS beneficial to have more clear coat than less clear coat. If you have a coating on your paint, the minor surface defects (ie swirls and light scratches) will reside in the coating and not in the paint, therefore when you polish your vehicle you will be removing the coating and not the paint (or at least very little paint).
All coatings provide superior protection and durability to traditional forms of protection, so IMO you can't go wrong with any of them.
With that being said, I am planning to remove 22ple from my IS in the next month or two (whenever I have time) and apply CQuartz Finest to try it out for a while. This is not because I am unhappy with 22ple by any means... it is just because I am weird and like to try new things very often.
-Zach
08-12-13, 08:24 AM
#11
no offense taken... it's all good. i've had HB, 22PLE and OC 2.0 on my cars. HB is not as durable as some may think and the durability does not last 12 to 24 months and it is not scratch resistant. 22PLE is great when gloss comes into play, but again, not as durable as some may think. OC 2.0 has lasted the longest of all the coatings i've put on my cars. i have no scratches, swirls etc. on my car. so far so good with the OC. i haven't tried nano-lex or the Techniq coatings, i may try them one day but for now i'm stuck on OC 2.0. i forgot to answer your question... yes as of today i am a pure fan of OC 2.0, that is until something better comes along. i've done Zaino, Blackfire, Chemical Guys, i've been around the block with these products. but i also post about Nano Hydro, Sonax,, Auto finesse, those are other products that i use, but when someone asks which protective coatings do we recommend i am going to suggest OC 2.0... IMO i haven't found anything better, not saying that there isn't, i just haven't stumbled across it yet.
. i've had HB, 22PLE and OC 2.0 on my cars. HB is not as durable as some may think and the durability does not last 12 to 24 months and it is not scratch resistant. 22PLE is great when gloss comes into play, but again, not as durable as some may think. OC 2.0 has lasted the longest of all the coatings i've put on my cars. i have no scratches, swirls etc. on my car. so far so good with the OC. i haven't tried nano-lex or the Techniq coatings, i may try them one day but for now i'm stuck on OC 2.0. i forgot to answer your question... yes as of today i am a pure fan of OC 2.0, that is until something better comes along. i've done Zaino, Blackfire, Chemical Guys, i've been around the block with these products. but i also post about Nano Hydro, Sonax,, Auto finesse, those are other products that i use, but when someone asks which protective coatings do we recommend i am going to suggest OC 2.0... IMO i haven't found anything better, not saying that there isn't, i just haven't stumbled across it yet.
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