Car Care Products
02-03-2013, 03:49 PM
#16
Claying is certainly worth it and it is not hard to do. But I will recommend trying it on another car before you attempt it on a brand new Porsche to get a hang of the process. And remember, never ever use a claybar after you drop it.
FWIW, I have used Zaino's products for around 10 years now and have been very satisfied. Cars keep looking like new other than the imperfections that happen otherwise like road chips, dings , etc.
For leather I have simply used the lexol stuff but I am thinking of trying something different for my Porsche.. not sure what yet..
I am sure Griot's makes good stuff since many speak highly of them. I just have not used them. I am thinking of buying their cool wash bucket on wheels and some other items from them.
One of the things I would recommend is to use a polymer coating instead of conventional wax or polish. Wax is great, but well, you have to wax more often to keep the car protected. Polishes protect longer, but they are just that.. a polish (ie: abrasive to some degree even if very very very small). A polymer coating.. for instance, like Zaino is neither, it is applied like a wax and buffed off (by hand.. easier and faster with Zaino instead of using a buffer) and a couple of properly applied coats protect for atleast 4 months, maybe upto 8 months... it depends. The better products that fall into this category are Zaino and Regex. I think the GP place in california who posts here sells something along those lines although I do not know how good or bad it is. And there are other manufacturers as well. Some say regex is better, but I have not used it or tried it mainly because it leaves a very high gloss shine.. almost protection film like gloss. Zaino on the other hand leaves a subtle & protected finish. They have some add on products like a high gloss shine, etc. if you like your car to be concours ready everyday, but I have not used those. Ideally if I had more time or patience to wax every month or trust a detailer to handle my car, I would try Griots or use Zymol again like I used to. Until then I will continue to use Zaino.
And, I will ask a question of my own.. I always have to wash and dry pretty quickly, so as not to leave water spots.. is one of those deionizers either from griots or elsewhere really worth it or a bit over the top? Also, if some someone knows a bit about these de-ionizers, which one has the least running cost in terms of the replenishable items that are needed? I never cared about these before, but for a 991, I am willing to examine these. Maybe I will find another use for these too...
FWIW, I have used Zaino's products for around 10 years now and have been very satisfied. Cars keep looking like new other than the imperfections that happen otherwise like road chips, dings , etc.
For leather I have simply used the lexol stuff but I am thinking of trying something different for my Porsche.. not sure what yet..
I am sure Griot's makes good stuff since many speak highly of them. I just have not used them. I am thinking of buying their cool wash bucket on wheels and some other items from them.
One of the things I would recommend is to use a polymer coating instead of conventional wax or polish. Wax is great, but well, you have to wax more often to keep the car protected. Polishes protect longer, but they are just that.. a polish (ie: abrasive to some degree even if very very very small). A polymer coating.. for instance, like Zaino is neither, it is applied like a wax and buffed off (by hand.. easier and faster with Zaino instead of using a buffer) and a couple of properly applied coats protect for atleast 4 months, maybe upto 8 months... it depends. The better products that fall into this category are Zaino and Regex. I think the GP place in california who posts here sells something along those lines although I do not know how good or bad it is. And there are other manufacturers as well. Some say regex is better, but I have not used it or tried it mainly because it leaves a very high gloss shine.. almost protection film like gloss. Zaino on the other hand leaves a subtle & protected finish. They have some add on products like a high gloss shine, etc. if you like your car to be concours ready everyday, but I have not used those. Ideally if I had more time or patience to wax every month or trust a detailer to handle my car, I would try Griots or use Zymol again like I used to. Until then I will continue to use Zaino.
And, I will ask a question of my own.. I always have to wash and dry pretty quickly, so as not to leave water spots.. is one of those deionizers either from griots or elsewhere really worth it or a bit over the top? Also, if some someone knows a bit about these de-ionizers, which one has the least running cost in terms of the replenishable items that are needed? I never cared about these before, but for a 991, I am willing to examine these. Maybe I will find another use for these too...
Griot's Best of Show Wax lasts about 6 months on a car that's carefully washed, garaged, and seldom parked outside for long. Otherwise, it might last only a little longer than the polymer stuff.
I learned on a trip to California that some places have water that can leave truly horrendous water spots in no time at all. It depends a lot on the water source. Well water may taste good but what it did to my car in a few minutes had to be seen to be believed. The answer however is not to rush- that will only increase the odds of scratching or missing areas. Instead, get in the habit of rinsing with a sheet.
To do this, remove the nozzle and carefully adjust water flow so that water comes out the hose and flows onto the car in a steady stream with no splashing at all. Wash the roof, then rinse holding the hose only about 6" away, which will result in a sheet of water flowing across the car. Now guide the sheet off the car by moving the hose in the direction of the natural water flow. Takes some trial and error in the beginning but its very easy once you get the hang of it. If your paint is clayed and waxed then few if any water drops will be left behind. If you do see water droplets forming at the trailing edge of the sheet it indicates contaminants remaining on the paint. One or two here and there is normal. Much more than that means its time to clay. A lot and its time to clay/polish/wax.
Rinse with a sheet will eliminate the need for deionized or reverse osmosis water. RO really does work though. I really think though that anyone who takes the time to master rinsing with a sheet will find it so enjoyable they'll never want to do anything else.
02-04-2013, 03:36 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
Nice thread and helpful tips. I got some help from some of the fellow members (hint: hh) and researching deeply. I'm leaning towards zymol or dodo juice supernatural wax. So in sequence: wolfgang auto bathe, groits or chemical brothers clay bar (soft/medium) or if its new car get zymol HD cleanse as clay bar substitute followed by either dodo juice supernatural carnauba or zymol concours glaze wax...Washing and cleaning technique is critical ... I'm yet to try myself 
02-04-2013, 06:03 AM
#18
Instructor
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Mine got its first treatment on Saturday with McGuires's Tech Wax 2.0 which I have been using on my other cars for years now.
Easy on, easy off and lasts a long time. No need for clay - not on a new Porsche. They do a very good job of the paint work to start off with. Mine is white - so any swirls or minor scratches are effectively invisible.
Gold class is also good, used that before I got the Tech Wax. Tech Wax lasts a lot longer (and thus is actually cheaper).
Rainier
Easy on, easy off and lasts a long time. No need for clay - not on a new Porsche. They do a very good job of the paint work to start off with. Mine is white - so any swirls or minor scratches are effectively invisible.
Gold class is also good, used that before I got the Tech Wax. Tech Wax lasts a lot longer (and thus is actually cheaper).
Rainier
02-04-2013, 06:42 PM
#19
Rainier, I've seen brand new Porsches, as well as Porsches with brand new paint, clayed enough times to know it will improve the car, and not just a little but just as much as an older car. It stands to reason because when you think about it, even though there may be little time for contaminants to adhere, brand new paint is soft enough that they adhere much more easily. We were finishing up a concours detail tech session here one time and a late arrival drove up in a newly painted 911. He had picked it up from the shop that very morning. With a dozen guys looking on we clayed the hood. Jaws dropped. Mystified looks all around. But don't take my word for it- try it yourself and see.
02-04-2013, 06:53 PM
#20
The random orbiter and polish has cleaned up some pretty nasty looking blemishes that I thought could only be cleaned up by a body shop. It's also great for applying a quick wax coating. Apply and rub most of it off with the orbiter, then use speedshine to wipe off any excess. Waxed my 997 in 30 min a couple weeks ago.[/QUOTE]
Plus one on the random orbiter buffer and associated polishes and different pads. they work very well.
I also bought the bucket with the raised bottom which helps keep grit and contaminants away from your washing mitt.
cheers
Plus one on the random orbiter buffer and associated polishes and different pads. they work very well.
I also bought the bucket with the raised bottom which helps keep grit and contaminants away from your washing mitt.
cheers
02-04-2013, 08:43 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
Microfiber towels are not created equally. Unless they have improved, the Costco towels are garbage - the ones I bought leave tiny microfibers everywhere, and are not nearly as absorbent as a quality waffle-weave towel.
02-04-2013, 10:50 PM
#22
Race Car
To take it another step- I saw a vid on detailing recently that claimed that cars should always be patted dry and never wiped!
02-05-2013, 12:30 AM
#23
Burning Brakes
02-05-2013, 12:59 AM
#24
Burning Brakes
Very true- the junk ones actually fall apart in the washer/dryer! Also- its best to launder them separately from other fabrics that shed fibers so they don't induce swirls.
To take it another step- I saw a vid on detailing recently that claimed that cars should always be patted dry and never wiped!
To take it another step- I saw a vid on detailing recently that claimed that cars should always be patted dry and never wiped!
I bought a detailer's dozen (x14) and they've been all I've needed for months now.
http://metropolitandetail.com/boutiq...1616-edgeless/
02-05-2013, 03:16 PM
#25
And, I will ask a question of my own.. I always have to wash and dry pretty quickly, so as not to leave water spots.. is one of those deionizers either from griots or elsewhere really worth it or a bit over the top? Also, if some someone knows a bit about these de-ionizers, which one has the least running cost in terms of the replenishable items that are needed? I never cared about these before, but for a 991, I am willing to examine these. Maybe I will find another use for these too...
http://www.costco.com/CR-SPOTLESS-De....11751987.html
The unit works as advertised. With new de-ionizing agent, cars can be put in the garage while still wet w/o any fear of spotting. The trick to maintaining agent effectiveness through many washes is to only use the treated water for the final thorough rinse using a power washer, and to drain the unit between washes. Agent refills can aslo be ordered through Costco at some savings.
Spyder
02-05-2013, 04:31 PM
#26
8th Gear
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02-09-2013, 04:29 AM
#27
I found the best car wash is Zaino car wash which does a good job cleaning and will not strip off the wax. It smells good as a bonus.
If you want a really long lasting product I use Rejex, which was originally developed for airplanes to protect the fuselage from exhaust particles.
Rejex leaves the paint extremely slippery, the metal almost feels like plastic its so slick and the best part is that Rejex lasts much longer than regular waxes and polishes.
The water still beads after 4 to 6 months.
I use the California water blade to remove most of the water and then use a synthetic chamois for the rest.
I have a 7 year old Boxster with zero swirl marks, and the paint still looks like new.
Any time I've taken it for service, I specifically say please no complimentary wash, as I'd rather do it myself to make sure it's done right.
If you want a really long lasting product I use Rejex, which was originally developed for airplanes to protect the fuselage from exhaust particles.
Rejex leaves the paint extremely slippery, the metal almost feels like plastic its so slick and the best part is that Rejex lasts much longer than regular waxes and polishes.
The water still beads after 4 to 6 months.
I use the California water blade to remove most of the water and then use a synthetic chamois for the rest.
I have a 7 year old Boxster with zero swirl marks, and the paint still looks like new.
Any time I've taken it for service, I specifically say please no complimentary wash, as I'd rather do it myself to make sure it's done right.
03-06-2013, 06:49 AM
#28
For new Porsche do NOT use any polish on the new paint. As you will actually cause the paint to fade, and the original factory primer - or whatever it is called, to diminish.
Porsche recommends that you use paint preservative after each wash. After some time, months years ..when the original paint luster cannot be obtained, then you should start polishing you "new" car
Cheers
Porsche recommends that you use paint preservative after each wash. After some time, months years ..when the original paint luster cannot be obtained, then you should start polishing you "new" car
Cheers
03-06-2013, 03:34 PM
#29
For new Porsche do NOT use any polish on the new paint. As you will actually cause the paint to fade, and the original factory primer - or whatever it is called, to diminish.
Porsche recommends that you use paint preservative after each wash. After some time, months years ..when the original paint luster cannot be obtained, then you should start polishing you "new" car
Cheers
Porsche recommends that you use paint preservative after each wash. After some time, months years ..when the original paint luster cannot be obtained, then you should start polishing you "new" car
Cheers
body blemishes. Even though it is under the color coat it does affect the cars appearance because some light will pass through the clear and color coats and be reflected back by the primer, effectively illuminating the color coat from within. Because of this effect Porsche uses several (5? 7? I forget.) different primer colors, and it is one of the reasons these cars are so beautiful in different lighting conditions. The color coat is completely covered with a clear coat. The clear coat costs less than color, protects the color coat and improves the perception of depth.
Polishing is nothing more than using a very fine abrasive to remove a very small amount of the top surface layer of paint. Light scratches disappear because the resulting new top surface is now below the deepest level of the scratch. This is why deep scratches remain, and why polishing will, over time, remove all the paint. Because the clear coat does provide the color some degree of UV fade protection I suppose it is technically correct to say that if you polish it all off then the color will fade somewhat faster over the coming decades. But polishing to remove very fine hairlines on a new car will only make it gleam and show its true color even better.
03-06-2013, 04:18 PM
#30
Paint fade is the result of UV exposure over time. Primer is the first coat of paint that is applied directly onto the car body. Altogether, there are three layers of paint: primer, color, and clear. Primer bonds well to the body and helps fill tiny
body blemishes. Even though it is under the color coat it does affect the cars appearance because some light will pass through the clear and color coats and be reflected back by the primer, effectively illuminating the color coat from within. Because of this effect Porsche uses several (5? 7? I forget.) different primer colors, and it is one of the reasons these cars are so beautiful in different lighting conditions. The color coat is completely covered with a clear coat. The clear coat costs less than color, protects the color coat and improves the perception of depth.
Polishing is nothing more than using a very fine abrasive to remove a very small amount of the top surface layer of paint. Light scratches disappear because the resulting new top surface is now below the deepest level of the scratch. This is why deep scratches remain, and why polishing will, over time, remove all the paint. Because the clear coat does provide the color some degree of UV fade protection I suppose it is technically correct to say that if you polish it all off then the color will fade somewhat faster over the coming decades. But polishing to remove very fine hairlines on a new car will only make it gleam and show its true color even better.
body blemishes. Even though it is under the color coat it does affect the cars appearance because some light will pass through the clear and color coats and be reflected back by the primer, effectively illuminating the color coat from within. Because of this effect Porsche uses several (5? 7? I forget.) different primer colors, and it is one of the reasons these cars are so beautiful in different lighting conditions. The color coat is completely covered with a clear coat. The clear coat costs less than color, protects the color coat and improves the perception of depth.
Polishing is nothing more than using a very fine abrasive to remove a very small amount of the top surface layer of paint. Light scratches disappear because the resulting new top surface is now below the deepest level of the scratch. This is why deep scratches remain, and why polishing will, over time, remove all the paint. Because the clear coat does provide the color some degree of UV fade protection I suppose it is technically correct to say that if you polish it all off then the color will fade somewhat faster over the coming decades. But polishing to remove very fine hairlines on a new car will only make it gleam and show its true color even better.
eeexcept for the last sentence
If you read the driver's manual in a new (or old!) Porsche you will notice page - ref "washing". They caution against polishing new car, and must only use preservatives after each wash. Unless you know more and better than the folks in Stuttgart
Again, I'd say your post here is superbly written
