Honda S2000, Infiniti M56, Chrysler 200, don't leave Bar's Leaks in a cold car

[Scottwax]

2003 Honda S2000. I detailed it about 11 months ago, needed some polishing again. Sides weren't bad but the hood and trunk lid were. Tough to go over the owner with proper washing techniques when he can't be there when I work on his car. Maybe next time he has me out for his other car we will be able to talk about the best way to keep his soft Honda clear swirl free.



Meguiars #105, Optimum Hyper Compound and 3D HD Cut were all too aggressive for the agreed upon two steps for the car. Too much hazing. Finally settled on Meguiars D300 Correction Creme and a 6" Meguiars MF cutting pad. It still was leaving some haze but compared to the other three, it was really minor. 3D HD Polish was able to handle the light hazing.



ONR wash, no claying, paint still really smooth

Meguiars D300 Correction Creme using a Meguiars 6" MF cutting pad and my Meguiars G110 v2 DA

3D HD Polish using an Optimum MF polishing pad and my G110

ONR Wash and Wax to remove dusting (cool day, very low humidity)

Clearkote Carnauba Moose Wax

Meguiars #105 followed by Optimum Metal Polish to clean the exhaust tips

ONR Wash and Wax diluted 32:1 to clean glass

Armor All to dress tires/fenderwells



Before:

After:

Half 'n half shots (tough to get with the angle of the sun and high thin clouds)

All finished!

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2012 Infiniti M56. We take care of this car every two weeks and have been for about 14 months now. It was polished when first purchased, since then, ONR washes, now ONR Wash and Wax. Felt it was time to seal the paint again, especially since the trunk lid had picked up some scuffing and marring.



ONR wash

Optimum Hyper Polish using an Optimum MF cutting pad and my Meguiars G110 to spot polish

Optimum Opti-Seal to protect

Armor All on tires/fenderwells

 

[Scottwax]

2012 Chrysler 200. Now that Fiat has taken over, the Sebring name, synonymous with low grade rental cars, has been deservedly retired. While the basic structure of the Sebring lives on until a major redesign, the exterior has been freshened up, the interior received a HUGE upgrade and it now has a 286 hp V6 engine as an option (which this car has). Not really a huge fan of the chrome mirrors or 200 emblems on the C-pillar, the rest of the car is a gigantic step forward.



This particular 200 belongs to my ex-wife's mother. Its become a tradition of sorts that anytime I'm up in northern Kentucky, she has me detail her car. I had spent the weekend with my son in Covington (right near Cincinnati/Newport area), then headed down to Dry Ridge (30 or so miles south) to spend the day with my ex-wife's youngest son, who while not my own son, I still consider him one, as he thinks of me as his father. Anyway, after a really cold weekend with temperatures struggling to get to the freezing mark and flurries Saturday and snow early Sunday morning, Monday turned out to be a pretty good day with the high hitting the low 60s.



Since the 200 was pretty new and I had plans that afternoon followed by a dinner and then heading back towards Dallas that night to get ahead of approaching bad weather, this was more of a make it clean and shiny detail.



ONR wash, Opti-Raser pink (mild) to clay

Optimum Hyper Polish using an Optimum MF cutting pad and my G110 to spot polish the trunk lid and right rear fender

Optimum G-P-S using an Optimum MF polishing pad and my G110 to polish and protect

ONR Wash and Wax diluted 32:1 to clean the glass

Armor All on tires/fenderwells

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Now the Bar's Leaks incident...



A few months ago, I didn't realize the lube goons had overfilled my radiator overflow tank, or that the top on it had a small crack. So while driving, the coolant would expand, leak through the top and onto the radiator near the neck and along the top seam where the plastic top meets the metal tank. Thought I had a really slow leak, picked up some Bar's Leaks to put in to see if it would seal what appeared to be a minor leak. Then I realized what the real issue was, removed the excess coolant from the overflow tank and problem solved. Forgot the Bar's Leak was still in the back of my car on the floor under the passenger seat.



Then I went up to northern Kentucky this past weekend and it got cold. Cold enough the empty jugs of ONR I keep water in froze enough to get slushy, so did my Armor All (see, its water based!) and my mix of ONR wash and wax cut 32:1 with water. And the bottle of Bar's Leaks? It exploded and leaked onto the carpet and mat behind the front seat on the passenger's side of the car.

16 oz of goop and I didn't see it until yesterday (Wednesday) when I was washing the grime from the trip off my car. :wall



Used Optimum Power Clean cut 3:1 and a stiff nylon bristle brush. Mat came out perfect, the carpet, not so much. The coloring of the Bar's Leaks, combined with the different material Honda uses on the carpets vs their floor mats appears to have permanently stained the carpets. I wasn't getting any color transfer at all while cleaning.



See? The mat came out great

But the carpet...

The mat does hide most of it.

Lesson learned. Really didn't think about it because I'm not used to dealing with temperatures well below freezing for 3 days in a row. Highs were near 30, lows around 15.

 

[maxepr1]

Nice work guys! Love the M56 and the 200, seems the paint is still got lots of depth. Even though they are fairly new. Man you been down here to long Scott! Liquids and cold, not so much! At least it wasn't a 6 pack of beer that exploded all over the back seat of you truck. Found on the way to work, man was I getting looks when I got there stinking of beer!

 

[Scottwax]

It was so cold this weekend. I don't know how people live with the cold all winter. Having to regularly drive on snowy and icy roads, bundle up every time they have to go out. Have to live with a filthy car for weeks on end because the weather is so bad. Ugh.



And no such thing about being down here too long!

 

[maxepr1]

It was so cold this weekend. I don't know how people live with the cold all winter. Having to regularly drive on snowy and icy roads, bundle up every time they have to go out. Have to live with a filthy car for weeks on end because the weather is so bad. Ugh.



And no such thing about being down here too long!

That's what I said when we broke the record with 70 days of all that heat! Good coat of wax and power wash of salt every few weeks.

 

[Scottwax]

That's what I said when we broke the record with 70 days of all that heat! Good coat of wax and power wash of salt every few weeks.

I'll take highs of 100 every day of the year if it means it never, ever drops below 70 degrees again.

 

[maxepr1]

I'll take highs of 100 every day of the year if it means it never, ever drops below 70 degrees again.

Your a sick man Scott...lol

 

[IHA Mark]

Great job as always. Your work is really excellent and consistent. It really amazes me that you do such much just out of the trunk of your car, especially since I have a huge truck and trailer. Different things work for different people I guess, but your work really makes me think I carry around way too much stuff.

 

[Thomas Dekany]

Wonderful work Scott!!!



BUT! What happened to the interior pix on the 200? I couldn't wait to see it!

 

[Scottwax]

Great job as always. Your work is really excellent and consistent. It really amazes me that you do such much just out of the trunk of your car, especially since I have a huge truck and trailer. Different things work for different people I guess, but your work really makes me think I carry around way too much stuff.

Thanks!

Wonderful work Scott!!!



BUT! What happened to the interior pix on the 200? I couldn't wait to see it!

Just did a wipedown and cleaned the carpets and mats so I didn't take any.



Here is a picture I found on google images:

 

[mikenap]

Nice job on all of them Scott, and sorry about that spill in your car.

 

[Bill D]

My era Cadillac actually requires Bars Leaks for every coolant change. At the time, I believe only the powder was available, and thats what I continue to use. Despite that, this thread will remind me to keep any unopened Bars leaks, powder or not, away from the inside of my car.



I wouldnt doubt some near future combination of product and technique will eventually get that better.

 

[Scottwax]

My era Cadillac actually requires Bars Leaks for every coolant change. At the time, I believe only the powder was available, and thats what I continue to use. Despite that, this thread will remind me to keep any unopened Bars leaks, powder or not, away from the inside of my car.



I wouldnt doubt some near future combination of product and technique will eventually get that better.

Thanks Mike! Bill, pretty sure the stain is now set. Floor mat hides it, car will be 9 years old in May, has 120k miles on it now. Its something I can live with at this point.

 

[NotQuiteAPro]

Excellent work as always Scott. I agree with you on the 200 they really did a bang up job revitalizing the model, but the chrome mirror and emblem seem sorta cheapish IMO.



Do you feel like steam or extracting would help get the stain out of the carpet?

 

[Scottwax]

Excellent work as always Scott. I agree with you on the 200 they really did a bang up job revitalizing the model, but the chrome mirror and emblem seem sorta cheapish IMO.



Do you feel like steam or extracting would help get the stain out of the carpet?

Wet vac wasn't doing anything. Stain is set.