My 1st detail questions?

[captpyro]

Ok, I am going to detail my new 2008 VW Passat Lux, 2 weeks old, next weekend, Deep Black in color and hard paint.

I ordered my supplies and will take delivery this week. I will be using a pc for the job.

It was suggested by you experts, SuperBee & Accumulator, to use just 1Z Paint Polish and/or 1Z Metallic Polish and the cover it with Collinite 845 for duability. I will wash it with a foam gun and BHB. My questions are these:



What soap is recommended for foam gun, ratios?



What if I have swirl marks, such I use a glaze? What kind and how/when to apply?



Do I put anything over the Collinite?



What kind of QD can I use with this wax?



How often can I wax over the Collinite? Any prep for this?



I have leather interior, what is recommended for care and longevity for this?



What is recommended for cleaning the dash and door panels that isn't to glossy or slippery?

:werd:

I know that these are alot of questions but I am kinda anul about this stuff.



You guys do rock!!



Thanks,

captpyro

 

[imported_Denzil]

Hey captpyro, welcome to Autopia! Anyway, below you will find my answers for your questions.



What soap is recommended for foam gun, ratios?

Well, I just used Meg's Deep Crystal Car Wash and it's really not that great. I hear that DP Xtreme Foam and CG CWG are pretty good. I think Meg's GC will do pretty good too.



What if I have swirl marks, such I use a glaze? What kind and how/when to apply?

If you have swirl marks and you want to fill them in with a glaze, you can use it. Glazes typically, from my understaning, only last a few washes so swirl marks would thereafter reappear. There plenty of glazes out there, just do a search for "glaze" in our forums. As for application, you can do it by hand with a foam/cotton applicator or by PC.



Do I put anything over the Collinite?

You could put another layer of Collinite.



What kind of QD can I use with this wax?

I'm pretty certain any QD will be okay to use with Collinite.



How often can I wax over the Collinite? Any prep for this?

Um, as far as I understand from reading the forums, applying Collinite often is not really necessary but it's up to you. One thing I do suggest is that before applying the first layer, it'd be ideal for you to prep the paint by doing an IPA/H20 wipedown or a wax/grease remover wipedown.



I have leather interior, what is recommended for care and longevity for this?

OTC, you can purchase Lexol Leather Cleaner and Lexol Leather Conditioner.



What is recommended for cleaning the dash and door panels that isn't to glossy or slippery?

As far as cleaning the interior, I typically use a Woolite-water mixture, typically 1:10. However, I just purchased a SteamFast SF-275 steamer and I'll be moving up to that for my cleaning duties.



I hope what I've told you has been helpful. Good luck!

 

[BigJimZ28]

What if I have swirl marks, such I use a glaze? What kind and how/when to apply?

I would use the PC and polishes to remove the swirls that is why you bought them

 

[Accumulator]

What soap is recommended for foam gun, ratios?

I use Griot's Car Wash. ~6 ounces in a gallon jug, the rest water. I fill the foamgun from the jug and adjust the foamgun setting to get what I want. I go for the weakest setting that still gets the dirt off. I'd try similar dilutions of any other shampoo and you might look into DuraGloss or Meg's #62.

What if I have swirl marks, such I use a glaze?

The 1Z polishes do a bit of filling so they're sorta like polish + glaze. I dunno if another glaze would really help much as IMO the filling abilities of most glazes are highly over-rated. As BigJimZ28 quipped, just try to get things as good as you can in this regard using the PC and the 1Z stuff and accept that things won't turn out 100% perfect.

Do I put anything over the Collinite?

I've experimented with topping it with "beauty waxes" and IMO it's not worth it. Try different "leaves-stuff-behind" QDs like Griot's SpeedShine and Fk425, they'll add a little something and are good to use when drying as they help minimize marring from any residual dirt.

What kind of QD can I use with this wax?

Any. My recommendations are the Griot's and FK425.

How often can I wax over the Collinite? Any prep for this?

I think you mis-spoke as the Collinite *is* a wax. See above comment on topping it. I just refresh the Collinite now and then, sometimes gently claying with Sonus green Ultra-fine clay if I think it's warranted.

I have leather interior, what is recommended for care and longevity for this?

If I were to recommend something I havn't used I'd probably say to try Sonus. To be honest, I don't treat my leather hardly *ever* and it stays fine for many, many years. But I don't park outside much so :nixweiss

What is recommended for cleaning the dash and door panels that isn't to glossy or slippery?

Look to products from 1Z and Sonus. Meguiar's Interior QD is kinda nice too, but it doesn't leave much of anything behind.

 

[SuperBee364]

CaptPyro...



Denzil, BigJim, and Accumulator have pretty well covered all the bases, but I wanted to add just a couple things. First off, this http://www.autopia.org/forum/detail...accumulator-s-non-marring-wash-technique.html If you follow Accumulator's procedure, you will find that the swirls won't come back nearly as fast, if at all.



Second, about glazes... when you don't have the time to polish out the swirls/defects with a PC, a good glaze before the Collinite will help cover them up. Some glazes with good filling abilities: ClearKote Red Moose Machine Glaze, Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze, P21S Paintwork Cleansing Lotion, Swissvax Cleaner Fluid. Anyway, any of these will help hide small defects and swirls.



One last thing... Remember that using a BHB is a very gentle wasy to wash your car. So gentle, that there may still be stuff on your car after using the BHB. Anything that is left on your car will turn to a mar/swirl causing abrasive if you then dry your car with any type of towel. Your best bet is to not touch the car with anything after using a BHB to wash. Use a leaf blower to dry, then hands off.



I have learned to accept a small amount of stuff still on the paint after using a BHB to wash. It's a reminder to me that I need to wax again. At which point, I'll do an ONR wash after my normal wash to remove anything left over from the BHB. Then I'll apply the wax.



Oh, almost forgot...I hate shiny interior dressings, too. ONR at normal wash strength makes a really nice, shine free interior cleaner.

 

[imported_Denzil]

CaptPyro...



Denzil, BigJim, and Accumulator have pretty well covered all the bases, but I wanted to add just a couple things. First off, this http://www.autopia.org/forum/detail...accumulator-s-non-marring-wash-technique.html If you follow Accumulator's procedure, you will find that the swirls won't come back nearly as fast, if at all.



Second, about glazes... when you don't have the time to polish out the swirls/defects with a PC, a good glaze before the Collinite will help cover them up. Some glazes with good filling abilities: ClearKote Red Moose Machine Glaze, Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze, P21S Paintwork Cleansing Lotion, Swissvax Cleaner Fluid. Anyway, any of these will help hide small defects and swirls.



One last thing... Remember that using a BHB is a very gentle wasy to wash your car. So gentle, that there may still be stuff on your car after using the BHB. Anything that is left on your car will turn to a mar/swirl causing abrasive if you then dry your car with any type of towel. Your best bet is to not touch the car with anything after using a BHB to wash. Use a leaf blower to dry, then hands off.



I have learned to accept a small amount of stuff still on the paint after using a BHB to wash. It's a reminder to me that I need to wax again. At which point, I'll do an ONR wash after my normal wash to remove anything left over from the BHB. Then I'll apply the wax.



Oh, almost forgot...I hate shiny interior dressings, too. ONR at normal wash strength makes a really nice, shine free interior cleaner.

Oooh, might have to try that one out. Maybe I can skip APCs all together! LoL.

 

[imported_Chris223]

Do I put anything over the Collinite?

You could put another layer of Collinite.

I thought 845 contained a lot of solvents which means trying to layer it will just remove the previous layer?

 

[SuperBee364]

There's alot of speculation on this. I think it's kinda like Elmer's Glue; once it dries, it is no longer solveable by it's liquid counterpart. Plus, Accumulator has done some layer testing with Collinite, and he says it does. That's good enough for me, right there.

 

[Accumulator]

Yeah, just let each application set up for a while before adding the next one. I usually wait overnight. If that's not feasible, just add more after each of the next few washes. I dunno if you can apply it sooner than that without the solvent-action/like-removes-like thing happening :nixweiss



Don't get too aggressive about the subsequent applications; don't rub it in really hard or anything like that, just lay a thin application over what's already on there.



I tried layering 845 after somebody here (sorry, forget who it was ) said how multiple applications held up a *lot* longer on his wheels; I tried it on some areas of the beater-Blazer and yep, the layered sections beaded/stayed slick longer than the adjacent single-application areas.

 

[Eisen Hulk]

So it's the #845 that people are using...I accidentally ordered the #885....

Yeah, just let each application set up for a while before adding the next one. I usually wait overnight. If that's not feasible, just add more after each of the next few washes. I dunno if you can apply it sooner than that without the solvent-action/like-removes-like thing happening :nixweiss



Don't get too aggressive about the subsequent applications; don't rub it in really hard or anything like that, just lay a thin application over what's already on there.



I tried layering 845 after somebody here (sorry, forget who it was ) said how multiple applications held up a *lot* longer on his wheels; I tried it on some areas of the beater-Blazer and yep, the layered sections beaded/stayed slick longer than the adjacent single-application areas.

 

[Accumulator]

So it's the #845 that people are using...I accidentally ordered the #885...

No worries, the 885 is the big-can version of the 476S paste that *I* like best The 845 is just Collinite's version of a liquid wax.



Put the 885 on reasonably thin with a damp applicatolr, let it dry completely before you buff it off. Incredible beading and durability, and *great* dirt-shedding...simply a wonderful wax IMO.

 

[SuperBee364]

I have both the 845 and the 476s, and my experience with them is the same as Accumulators. 476S gets the nod for ease of cleaning, but 885 certainly isn't hard to clean, either.

 

[Eisen Hulk]

Thank you, sir. I finally had to bite the proverbial bullet and see what all of the Collinite hype was all about. I'll have it in a couple of days.



I really appreciate the tips.

No worries, the 885 is the big-can version of the 476S paste that *I* like best The 845 is just Collinite's version of a liquid wax.



Put the 885 on reasonably thin with a damp applicatolr, let it dry completely before you buff it off. Incredible beading and durability, and *great* dirt-shedding...simply a wonderful wax IMO.