G/Techniq C4

Accumulator said:
I am a little paranoid about the "drip dry" thing though...seems like I never quite DI-rinse well enough to get *all* the regular/merely softened water out of all the nooks and crannies though :think:
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….CRS touts their system as drip-dry, but I don't like to do that either. However, I also don’t like to hand dry. Instead I prefer to use forced air to coax the water off of the panels and from crevices and then follow up with a towel & QD where needed. I also have “issues” in regard to non-DI water leaking from some crannies depending on the vehicle and/or the particular section where I’m using the air. On my own cars though, I have identified these problem areas and try to flush them with DI water as best I can during my final rinse (roof rails, mirrors, gas doors, fender to bumper seams, grille, etc.). This typically works well for me resulting in a >95% dry, spot free finish but I sometimes need to address some isolated areas with a towel & QD where minor spotting has occurred from persistent “leaky” sections and/or stray “non-DI”/contaminated droplets.
 
Kean- Yeah, I spend forever with the AirWand and my compressor. Seems my current vehicles are simply *awful* with regard to retaining water!
 
ok.... I washed the wife's car today and took a couple of pictures to show the beading characteristics of the C4 on the plastic bits I applied it to. While I don't take this beading as any sort of meaningful indicator at this point, I thought I could use it as a base line for future follow ups. ....FWIW:



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Kean- I agree, the beading does at least provide a baseline and you can see if/when/how something changes. Just looking at the pix, I gather the surfaces cleaned up easily.
 
These bits were not that dirty except for some surface dust/dirt but I would say they cleaned up with little effort. .....and much easier than a dirt-retaining protectant/dressing might.
 
Here are just a couple of snapshots showing some beading 3 months later (FWIW):



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....in this prewash photo you can see some fading around the letters on the bumper cover. This fading is not dirt and remains even after the surface is dry. I prepped the plastic using an IPA solution as per the directions (paying special attention around those edges with cotton swabs). However, I will still admit there is a possibility my prep may be the cause:



cab0ade4.jpg




I will take some more shots when I can. The cowling needs to be redone. In the sun, it doesn't look as faded as it did with in the initail pictures but still doesn't have that "healthy" look. IMO/IME (so far) I believe part of that is the fact that C4 doesn't seem to be that great of a restorative product and more of just a clear coating.



....I will be ordering Valugard ETR in the near future for use on an Avalanche. I may just try it out on the cowling to see how it goes (since it includes a dye and semi-perm coating).
 
C4 is a nice product ... But after trying Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant I think it is a better buy and works just as well. But only time will tell.
 
Kean said:
Here are just a couple of snapshots showing some beading 3 months later (FWIW):



6cf6bd3a.jpg


3b69d97c.jpg






....in this prewash photo you can see some fading around the letters on the bumper cover. This fading is not dirt and remains even after the surface is dry. I prepped the plastic using an IPA solution as per the directions (paying special attention around those edges with cotton swabs). However, I will still admit there is a possibility my prep may be the cause:



cab0ade4.jpg




I will take some more shots when I can. The cowling needs to be redone. In the sun, it doesn't look as faded as it did with in the initail pictures but still doesn't have that "healthy" look. IMO/IME (so far) I believe part of that is the fact that C4 doesn't seem to be that great of a restorative product and more of just a clear coating.



....I will be ordering Valugard ETR in the near future for use on an Avalanche. I may just try it out on the cowling to see how it goes (since it includes a dye and semi-perm coating).
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Wow! This is disappointing. I purchased C4 over a month ago and still haven't tried, but I was totally disappointed with the amount you get for $75 and now you are saying it won't last even close to a year.



Did you ever put an kind of sealant over the C4?
 
[quote name='Kean']....in this prewash photo you can see some fading around the letters on the bumper cover. This fading is not dirt and remains even after the surface is dry. I prepped the plastic using an IPA solution as per the directions (paying special attention around those edges with cotton swabs). However, I will still admit there is a possibility my prep may be the cause:





Depending on the condition of the plastic, some may need more than IPA. Some will need a waterspot remover like MX7,

Rocky Mountain, ACS, P&S, or Mark V (to name a few) to clean before using C4. Like painting, prep work is the most important step. C4 will not look good a month later on a poorly preped surface. If you take the time and do it right C4 will look amazing for 18 + months.
 
samhian said:
Wow! This is disappointing. I purchased C4 over a month ago and still haven't tried, but I was totally disappointed with the amount you get for $75 and now you are saying it won't last even close to a year.



Did you ever put an kind of sealant over the C4?
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I never applied anything over the C4. In fact, that is the sole purpose of me selecting this product (so I wouldn’t have to).



You shouldn’t find anything conclusive in what I have shared within this thread to make you think C4 won’t perform well for you. Any “issues” I have mentioned could be caused by several factors (including my prep). What I will say is that I believe this product has little (or no) restorative ability when it comes to worn, faded finishes. It will help “darken” but any unevenness or patchiness will likely show through. This product is a far cry from something like Black Wow in that regard. However, if the surface is in good condition or restored to a point where it looks decent before application, I think your results will be much better.



As far as durability, I believe the product is still there. If the beading isn’t an indicator the condition of the plastic should be. If I had left the plastic unprotected, it would look the same as what it did in the initial photos. Having said that, I am still a little baffled by the fading around the lettering. The rest of that plastic piece looks pretty good. ….probably not as dark as it was after initial application but still good enough that I wouldn’t feel the need to add something.





Legacy99 said:
Depending on the condition of the plastic, some may need more than IPA. Some will need a waterspot remover like MX7,

Rocky Mountain, ACS, P&S, or Mark V (to name a few) to clean before using C4. Like painting, prep work is the most important step. C4 will not look good a month later on a poorly preped surface. If you take the time and do it right C4 will look amazing for 18 + months.
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The surfaces I applied C4 to had not been “dressed” with any product for about a month before application. Prior to that (IIRC) I was using Fuzion and DG AW.



I still have a bottle of CG WSR in one of my detailing cabinets. I may just re-prep the cowling and the bumper guard (using the WSR and washing with CG CWC) before re-applying the C4. I have already started applying Opti-Coat to other parts of her car (including the hood) and will be doing the full vehicle sometime this month. ….I may as well take car of this at the same time.



Have you ever had to remove C4? Any thoughts if the WSR would be strong enough to cut through? ….or do I even need to (will C4 accept another layer of itself on top of an existing coat)?
 
just got my c4. plan on using it on the wife's dd. prepped the bumpers and grill using opc and ipa. then applied the c4. they look really good. noticed the biggest difference on the rear bumper and grill. still have to do the roof rack and door handles.
 
Tbh I used 3d trim care on my car and it's going on 90 days and still just as black and water repellant as the day I put it on. Mud, dirt, etc come right off after a wash. The product is thick like maple syrup and I use a cosmetic applicator to put it on.



I think most trim care products are the same, the difference lies in the time and effort you take to prep the area.
 
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