I'm getting pissed....how can I make white paint "POP".

N

Nicky Pass

New member
Here is my process I've been working on since this past weekend:



Wash with Zaino Z7 wash



Clay the entire car with Z18



Megs #9 with PC....start at 3....then 4.....then 5....then full blast. I did this twice.....since the paint is good shape, this got out 99% of the swirls



Then I used 1Z Metallic Polish with PC and a white pad



Zaino Z5......2 coats so far.



Should I top the Zaino...if so, what should I use....I was thinking PS21S/S100....Souvern.....NXT. I've seen some white cars that look better then mine....so I need it to look better than it does now.





220945_253_full.jpg
 
White is a hard color to make "pop", but it does have a lot of other advantages. Anyway, here is another thread that may give you some ideas:



Link
 
I dunno- assuming no bonding issues between the MP and the Zaino, I can't think of any way to improve it all that much. On white, I don't think any of the products you listed should give more "pop".



All I can think of is to try to remove the last 1% of the marring. Sometimes it's the slight refraction of light from tiny marring that makes the difference. I assume you're inspecting under halogens/high wattage incandescents and natural sunlight. Maybe try using magnification when you inspect and be sure to look from all angles, varying the angle of illumination too.



On my silver cars, it's spotting the little flaws (and then correcting them) that makes the difference.



Watch comparing your car to others...there are just too many variables.
 
That link is depressing....everyone says white won't pop. I want it to look like it was just painted. Looking at certain angles, you can really see the gloss....but at other angles....the paint almost looks flat:( I guess I should have bought a red or black car:o
 
~One mans opinion / observations~



A mate of mine has a white Cadillac and his final inspection process is ‘Dark Field Microscopy’



Start by looking at the vehicle in the dark; once your eyes have dilated completely turn on a halogen spotlight. Direct the beam away from you and at a low angle (you’ll be able to see even the most minor paint film surface imperfection) this is 100X more sensitive than viewing a vehicles paint film surface in normal light. This viewing technique is used in many scientific fields.



Warning: Don’t use this method unless you are prepared to see every minute flaw in a paint surface



~Hope this helps~



Knowledge unshared is experience wasted

justadumbarchitect / so I question everything/ Jon
 
I would also maybe try steering away from carnaubas and start leaning toward sealants instead. How about AIO + SG?
 
Zaino is a sealant....I've read that topping Zaino with a carnuba makes the shine deeper and the paint wetter looking....I haven't topped the Zaino yet...the car is chillin in the garage with its 2nd coat of Z5....then there will be a few coats of Z2 to follow....I was just thnking topping it would make it look better.
 
I see, I forgot about Zaino. The reason we top sealants with carnauba IS to get a deeper gloss but I am thinking that it can be easily mistaken as almost a dulling effect on a white car. Just like metallics and other light colors, all you want is shine and reflectivity. Maybe its kind of what Accumulator said, maybe you are having a bonding or compatibility issue with Zaino over MP. MP has waxes in it that could be causing some issues. What if you used AIO before the Zaino step to prep the surface better, or did you already do this with a Zaino product?
 
TOGWT's inspection method is what I was talking about. You'll see whatever's causing your dissatisfaction. I spend more time inspecting than I do polishing (and considering how hard my Audis' clear is, that's saying something).



Zaino is *so* reflective (when used on a properly prepped surface) that I only like it on white. Anything you put over it will, IMO, almost certainly degrade the optics. You might make it look "warmer" or deeper, but I dunno if you'll like it better.
 
I thought the #9 twice and the 1Z MP (I gave it 24 hours of cure time before the Z5) was a great prep. I'd be willing to try AIO but I'd have some stripping to do. I like where I'm at, I was wondering if there is something I can do to take it one more step to get the car to shine and reflect better.
 
Actually, the photo looks very good.

Perhaps you are dissatified with something that we can't

see on the photo.



The experience with my white car (it is pearl white with gold flecks) is Zaino works best. Really sparkles in the sun and

have a wet look on a cloudy day.

The other combo I have tried:



1. VM/EX-P. This is quite good - almost as good as Zaino. I think it is a wetter look but not as much pop.



2. NXT. It is sort of flat - I don't know why. Others like NXT on white, though.



3. AIO/S100. Very clean look - but no pop.



4. Liquid Sourveran/Paste Sourveran. No pop.



5. UUP. Warm, wet look - what do they put in that sealant anyway - it's incredibly slick.



6. Zytle cleaner wax - actually it is not bad - a bear to work with, though.
 
I haven't posted in a while....SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME....

What is this Natty's I'm hearing about? I'm willing to try anything!:bounce
 
Natty's is Poorboy's carnauba wax. I just did a VM/EX x 2 on my white X, looks pretty good to me. Have some pics/thread in the Click/Brag section.
 
look back in the Click and brag section for pictures of user bunmango S2000.



Its white, obviously, but more importantly the sealant used was UPP. After hearing so much about it I gave it a shot on my very well prepped 02 white Jetta. Amazing, POP like I have never seen before. Slicker than anything. Beads rediculous, and durability is on par with the rest of the sealants. 2-3 coats seems to be the sweet spot and makes white really POP.
 
Just what some of the other guys said........1Z MP has fillers and waxes in it. It really shouldn't be used before a sealant. That might be part of the problem, your not getting Zaino's full effect.
 
I did my white Cobra about a week or 2 ago. I got some nice reflection, wet look with VM & EX-P x2. Still have some very small scratches/swirls but I am getting some SSR for that next week.





http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43920





In the pictures posted that is just one coat of EX-P, the second coat helped alot. Know what you mean about white, I wanted it for so long and after about a week I was wishing I would have gotten something else. :nixweiss
 
Letting your eyes adjust and then looking at your paint with an intense light at a particular angle is far from ‘Dark Field Microscopy’.



Why obfuscate a simple process.



If you care to learn about Dark Field Microscopy...which by the way does require a bit of sophisticated equipment...do a search....there are a number of good articles on the net.



Here is a simple link. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/methods/microscopy/dfield.html



Since defects in paint do not run in the same direction, changeing the direction of your light source and your viewing angle will identify more defects as the light is refracted.
 
Mr. Chemist said:
Letting your eyes adjust and then looking at your paint with an intense light at a particular angle is far from ‘Dark Field Microscopy’.



Why obfuscate a simple process.



If you care to learn about Dark Field Microscopy...which by the way does require a bit of sophisticated equipment...do a search....there are a number of good articles on the net.



Here is a simple link. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~bioslabs/methods/microscopy/dfield.html



Since defects in paint do not run in the same direction, changeing the direction of your light source and your viewing angle will identify more defects as the light is refracted.
Click to expand...



I read your reply



Pondered it for a minute and this is what popped into my head:



"What the hell are you talking about":nixweiss

"More importantly, why are you attempting to make something rather simple, sound utterly complicated":nixweiss

And these thoughts were followed by:

"Shut up"



To answer the QUESTION:

As stated, UPP on white is killer.



I too would revise your process with the zaino. Zaino needs a totally clean surface to bond to. Applly nothing under zaino, but zaino. No wax, no glaze, no nothing. Polish, then go right to zaino.



Keep in mind the zaino cars I have seen have a very polished look to them, almost as if wrapped with saran-wrap. They lack depth, wetness, and "personality." Provides a very "sterile" shine. Not great for white. Black, red, blue colors like that you can get away with it. For white you need something different, I recommend in order of preference for white POP:



UPP

Wolfgang

Blackfire

EX-P

NXT



any of these should do it.
 
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