New new user, new car, some questions

T

trmiv

New member
Hello all. My wife and I just purchased a titanium green 2007 Ford Escape. Of course I want to keep it looking its best, so I need some advice. We live in apartment, and I'm pretty busy so I needed something I can do relatively quickly. A friend on another forum recommended properautocare.com, and I went there and bought their Bare Essentials kit, which includes Menzerna Auto Shampoo, Menzerna One Step Acrylic Jacket, Vinylex along with a microfiber mit, big blue towel, etc.



Anyway, then I stumbled on this forum, and I've been doing some reading. Did I make a decent choice with this Acrylic Jacket stuff? I really need some protection that can last, since I don't always get the time to do a full wax on my car. Would it be a good idea to top it will something else to protect the car for longer? I was also planning on using something like Eagle One Wax As-u-dry to shine the car up after washings.



Also, would the Vinylex stuff be good for using on the gray plastic molding on the bottom of the Escape, or is there something better? I don't want the molding to have that "wet" look, just to be protected without being overly shiny.
 
303 protectant sounds like what you should use on the interior...not sure about your exterior tho, maybe optimum no rinse?



-Pete
 
Thanks for the reply. I'm talking about the gray molding on the exterior, like in this pic:



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The Vinylex is better suited for interior applications, but for exterior, the 303 aerospace protectant would be a good bet.



I read the review of Klasse AIO vs. the acrylic jacket by Menzurna on properautocare.com, it seems you have a good product that should provide mild cleaning/polishing while offering an effective level of protection - if it is anything like AIO. Not having used it, I could not say for sure.



Stay away form wash/wax combos. Use a good shampoo to clean your car, like Menzurna auto shampoo. Somthing faster that does not require air or ground delivery would be Meguiars Gold Class car wash - I still think it's one of the better washes even after trying Pinnacle, Adam's, and Zaino car washes. If you are trying to maintain the look and feel of the acrylic jacket, you should invest in a detail spray designed for acrylic protectants, like the Menzurna High Gloss Acrylic Shield. (avalible on properautocare.com) That will also help prolong the protection and maintain the gloss and shine of your LSP.



Good luck, hope my oppinions help some.
 
I got the Menzerna auto shampoo with the kit I bought.



Is there a cheaper detail spray I can use with an acrylic sealant other than the Menzerna one? $20 a bottle is a steep for something I'm going to use that often.
 
trmiv said:
I got the Menzerna auto shampoo with the kit I bought.



Is there a cheaper detail spray I can use with an acrylic sealant other than the Menzerna one? $20 a bottle is a steep for something I'm going to use that often.
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I love Menzerna HGAS but it is a bit expensive and hard to find. Another high quality "topper" is Wolfang's Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant but it too is not cheap. Most any top brand QDs will work as long as they are acrylic/polymer based and I know $20 is steep but you get what you pay for. If all you want is a dedicated QD for touch up work, fingerprints and light dust, you can't go wrong with Poorboys SW. The Wolfgang and HGAS are part sealant (using formulas from their related lsp) and should be considered gloss enhancers and they rejuvenate and prolong the lsp's protection. The Poorboy SW adds a little gloss but not much, however, it is a superior cleaning product that can be used on wax or acrylic sealant.



Maybe the best bet, dollar for dollar, and one that you can find (usually) at a local Napa or Carquest is the Duragloss line. It has received rave reviews here and elsewhere for being quality products at reasonable prices. Their Fast Clean and Shine is a pretty good cleaning QD that leaves a nice gloss and their Aquawax (not a wax at all but acrylic) should be considered more of a topper and applied when the car is clean. It can be applied as you dry after your rinse although most of us prefer to use it as a topper product when the car is dry. My guess is these are the "cheapest", high quality products you can find.
 
Thanks for the advice. Right after I posted what I did above, I found a few people talking about the Duragloss Aquawax, so I ordered some of that already along with some 303 Protectant, and some Poorboys Spray and Wipe
 
I'm actually a little concerned about using the Menzerna One Step Acrylic Jacket now. One thing I didn't even think about before I ordered it was the gray plastic trim on the bottom of the Escape. It says the AJ stuff will leave marks on that, and it sounds like a pain to mask it off since I'd have to be pretty careful. Plus there is the rack on top. I'm thinking it might be easier if I just use Klasse All-in-one, since that can be used on the smooth plastic, right?
 
trmiv said:
I'm thinking it might be easier if I just use Klasse All-in-one, since that can be used on the smooth plastic, right?
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AIO is designed primarily as a paint cleanser. With a 2007 vehicle, IMO there is no reason to use it on the brand new plastic. I don't know what it will do to the plastic, but at the very least you will just waste product (not that you will use up the bottle any time soon). Your biggest concern with those pieces should be UV protection and of course keeping them looking as good as your paint. Stick with the 303 on that - you could always try different products later if you are disappointed.
 
I'm not saying use it on the plastic, but unlike the One Step Acrylic Jacket, it sounds like I can get some on the plastic and not worry as much about the staining. It will be hard to avoid getting stuff on the plastic when I'm doing the paint, and there is a ton of plastic'd I'd have to mask off. It sounds like the AIO would be easier on this car. I still have the 303 to apply directly for protection to the plastic.



I went ahead and ordered the Klasse combo for this vehicle. I'm going to use the Menzerna on my wife's car (2004 Mustang) since it doesn't have the plastic to worry about.
 
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