Make White "Pop"?

S

ShineyWhiteRex

New member
Being a newby to this site and detaling, I've finally gotten my car to the cleanest state I've ever seen it in. I havent full removed the swirls in it due to lack of knowledge and being a little scared to go to harsh on my paint, but as I keep practicing I'm certianly getting better. The car, btw, is a 2002 Aspen White WRX (if it makes a difference). I was wondering what some of you guys do to make white "pop" or shine anymore. I love that my car is wonderfully clean (in fact hard to look at in direct sunlight it gets so bright), but I would love it to shine more so it's somewhat more reflective. Thanks for your advice.



James
 
What are your current products/procedures? Knowing what you're using and doing now will go a long way in helping know what to suggest. If you've been on this sight for any lenght of time you'll know that the actual process is of much greater importance than the whatever the product is.



BTW, nice car! I had been seriously considering at an '06 STI before I decided on an Evo MR instead. :D
 
To get it to "pop" completely, you need to remove as many swirls as possible. Regardless of whether you see them or not, they are refracting light and taking away from the overall shine. After that use a good finishing polish(Menzerna) and use a clear sealant, like EX-P, Zaino, or UPP(I've only used EX-P). Top it with a wax for maximum wetness but less reflectivity. Don't be afraid to get a little agressive with your paint, it won't do *too* much damage unless you are a monkey using a rotary. Get a PC. Happy detailing!
 
So far for me, Werkstatt's Prime and AJ really made my X look the best. Make sure you have alot of contrast, any black on the vehicle clean up and make shine.
 
I haven't tried the Werkstatt twins on white yet, but Clearkote RMG, Collinite #845 and Natty's Blue really made the car looking pretty wet and "pop"
 
Duh! I totally forgot to even mention my products. Being new, I just opted from a kit from the site here. I got a PC with the Sonus SFX pads (1,2,3) and a buffing bonnet plus the perfect shine kit. I went over the car with the SFX-2, to start lighter and go heavier if needed, and did the whole car. I did switch to SFX-1 on the trunk and hood....though the hood still needs some serious therapy. I sealed everything with Klasse AIO twice with a curing time of about 10-12 hours inbetween coats and did each panel twice with the P21S. I will try this weekend to go over the car again and really work my best on the swirls, which I agree distract my eye as well as the light. I will definetly get to ordering these products and try them out as variety is the key to getting the best shine.



P.S. Geese you make me jealous! To have a choice between those two cars would be a blessing...being only 18, I would take my WRX in a heartbeat again....I absolutly love the car...as well as yours. Maybe when I get a full time job after college I can be as lucky as you! :spot



Thanks everyone :chuckle:
 
I did an 05 white STI this past saturday. Optimum & an orange pad got rid of the swirls

I then used my new fav product from CG (glaze) and topped it with CG sealant/



I can't post pictures for awhile but it came out beautiful.



There are many ways to make white paint pop. Use synthetic sealants.
 
Yeah, I would take care of any marring first and foremost. It is a wild goose chase to eliminate "all" the marring, but you can do pretty well with the PC.



Then, it's a matter of which products you want to finish with. There are a lot options, and a lot of good people here with good ideas.



Once you do that, good washing and drying techniques will keep it looking awesome.



BTW, Welcome! This is a fun place to be!
 
tdekany said:
There are many ways to make white paint pop. Use synthetic sealants.
Click to expand...



I'll second that somewhat. I've tried a lot of combinations on white, and nothing I've found yet looks as good as Finish Kare Pink Wax topped with Duragloss Aquawax. Getting the surface glossy and swirl free first is very important too, I like Menzerna FPII via rotary, but the SFX lineup via PC should give you the results that you desire. White can look almost as good or better than a dark color in the right lighting :



DSC00162.jpg
 
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