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We've got some inexpensive detailing brushes that are perfect for this, as well as cleaning in other tight spots (wheel crevices, engine bays, door jambs etc). I'll add them to our product catalog tomorrow
Seeing as the weather is getting a bit nicer (and I'm being generous here!) any recommendations for cleaning and maintaining convertible tops? Thanks in advance!
First, I have a black interior, 996. I have tried meguiar leather cleaner. But I still have hardly noticeable white blotches. Any idea how to remove?
Usually a good quality leather cleaner does the job. But each manufacturer's leather cleaner seems to work best on specific things. For example, the Sonax Leather Cleaner works great on greasy finger marks, but Gyeon Leather Cleaner does an amazing job at lifting general grime and fabric dye. We've also had great results using Leatherique on "weird" stains that lifted away with the Rejuvenator Oil. Also - a good med-stiffness bristled leather brush will help with agitation.
Another thing you could try is rubbing alcohol. It shouldn't damage the leather coating, but be sure to use a leather cleaner and conditioner after to make sure you don't dry out the area with alcohol.
Originally Posted by steam_mill
Second, prior to my ownership, I suspect bird poop. About the size of a quarter. Clear is not lifting. Any ideas? I tried wet sanding. No better.
That spot looks odd. After wet sanding, be sure to use a lighter compound/polish to restore the gloss. Were you careful not to sand through the clear and paint? It looks extremely grey and non-reflective for a black paint with clear coat??
Seeing as the weather is getting a bit nicer (and I'm being generous here!) any recommendations for cleaning and maintaining convertible tops? Thanks in advance!
Just use your regular car wash soap and a wash mitt OR a very soft-bristled brush for additional agitation. Then a fan-shaped spray of water should lift and rinse the roof clean. Try not to scrub too hard - you don't want to cause fraying or uneven wear...
Usually a good quality leather cleaner does the job. But each manufacturer's leather cleaner seems to work best on specific things. For example, the Sonax Leather Cleaner works great on greasy finger marks, but Gyeon Leather Cleaner does an amazing job at lifting general grime and fabric dye. We've also had great results using Leatherique on "weird" stains that lifted away with the Rejuvenator Oil. Also - a good med-stiffness bristled leather brush will help with agitation.
Another thing you could try is rubbing alcohol. It shouldn't damage the leather coating, but be sure to use a leather cleaner and conditioner after to make sure you don't dry out the area with alcohol.
That spot looks odd. After wet sanding, be sure to use a lighter compound/polish to restore the gloss. Were you careful not to sand through the clear and paint? It looks extremely grey and non-reflective for a black paint with clear coat??
Wet sanded 1500 then 2000. Buffed with meguiars ultra cut to get rid of the scratches. Looked exactly the same as it did before my attempt. The stain is perfectly level with the surrounding area. In other word, stain can not be felt by touch. Looks more like the clear is stained.
Actually looks worse in pictures than in person. Pics were taken in relatively low light. Live with it as a battle scar.
Just use your regular car wash soap and a wash mitt OR a very soft-bristled brush for additional agitation. Then a fan-shaped spray of water should lift and rinse the roof clean. Try not to scrub too hard - you don't want to cause fraying or uneven wear...
HTH!
Any particular sprays or conditioners you recommend to ensure the convertible top/fabric repels water/rain or helps with beading? Thanks in advance!
Any particular sprays or conditioners you recommend to ensure the convertible top/fabric repels water/rain or helps with beading? Thanks in advance!
I'm not aware of a simple maintenance spray that can be used to make it hydrophobic.
Gyeon Fabric is an excellent ceramic-based treatment for soft-tops, carpets and other fabrics. You'll want to make sure the roof is clean and dry, and you'll want to mask off the painted and glass areas near the roof. Spray it evenly from about 12" away, and let dry. It typically lasts 6-12mo, depending on how much use it sees.
Thanks for the very helpful tips and advice, I'm sure that I'll be down with my car one of these days.
Background.....I'm comfortable and extremely pleased with the results from doing my own paint correction including my metallic black SUV: I have a Rupes DA Polisher Mark II with complete 3 stage foam pad/polish system that I follow up with a couple of coats of Wolfgangs Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. I have no plans to ceramic anything, it's my personal preference but I prefer to keep my clear coat as original as possible. I don't mind reapplying a couple of times a year.
My question is regarding the PPF on my Carmine Red 991.2. Currently more than half of the car has PPF which I currently maintain with a spray detailer. However, I plan mask off and do a very light DA polish and Wolfgangs on the non-PPF parts of the car, but I really don't have a system for deep cleaning and protecting the PPF. What do you recommend? Clay, Decontaminate, Spray or Paste Carnauba? Apparently Wolfgang's is a mineral based polymer that isn't recommended for PPF. If you can suggest the best non-ceramic procedure and products that would be very helpful,
I’m considering PPF’ing my entire car, but I have a couple stone chips on the hood that I would want to get professionally touched up before the PPF. However, my concern is the PPF will lift the touch ups when it’s time to replace the PPF years later. Is this pretty much a guarantee to happen? Can it be avoided by letting the touch up paint cure for a day or so?
Thanks for the very helpful tips and advice, I'm sure that I'll be down with my car one of these days.
Background.....I'm comfortable and extremely pleased with the results from doing my own paint correction including my metallic black SUV: I have a Rupes DA Polisher Mark II with complete 3 stage foam pad/polish system that I follow up with a couple of coats of Wolfgangs Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0. I have no plans to ceramic anything, it's my personal preference but I prefer to keep my clear coat as original as possible. I don't mind reapplying a couple of times a year.
My question is regarding the PPF on my Carmine Red 991.2. Currently more than half of the car has PPF which I currently maintain with a spray detailer. However, I plan mask off and do a very light DA polish and Wolfgangs on the non-PPF parts of the car, but I really don't have a system for deep cleaning and protecting the PPF. What do you recommend? Clay, Decontaminate, Spray or Paste Carnauba? Apparently Wolfgang's is a mineral based polymer that isn't recommended for PPF. If you can suggest the best non-ceramic procedure and products that would be very helpful,
Hi - thanks for the great questions:
First - a quick/spray detailing product is great at temporarily restoring some gloss and a smooth, slick feeling. We love Gyeon Quick Detailer for this purpose. But it doesn't provide a very durable layer of chemical resistance like a wax/sealant/ceramic coating does. You should always keep your PPF waxed/sealed like you do with your clear coat. PPF is more porous than clear coat and is susceptible to staining from pollen, clay, dirt, dust etc over time. The repellent layer of wax prevents those particles from embedding or binding to the surface.
If your PPF has contamination stuck on the surface, you can safely use both chemical and physical decontamination processes on it. Gyeon Iron is great at dissolving metallic contamination, and you can spot clean with something like Gyeon Tar if there are grease, sap or rubber marks on the surface. If the PPF surface still feels rough to the touch, you can use clay bar/pad to sheer those embedded particles off - but it frequently causes some marring that you'll want to address with a light machine polish after. PPF has a thin "clear coat" that will respond well to a soft polishing pad (Rupes White pad) and mild polish (SONAX Perfect Finish) - but do not try an aggressive compound or compounding pad. You can wear through the clear coat of the PPF if you use too aggressive an approach.
We don't like the traditional paste waxes that leave behind a thick, chalk-like build-up in panel gaps, PPF edges, and on trim gaps. We much prefer using a liquid sealant like CarPro RELOAD - which wipes away perfectly clean with no residue. And yes, RELOAD has some of the "ceramic coating" ingredients in it (SiO2) - but it is NOT a ceramic coating and is applied just like a quick detailer or spray wax. It's equally well suited to "topping up" the hydrophobic characteristics of a ceramic coated surface OR used as a stand-alone paint sealant. It typically lasts for 4-6mo's per application.
I’m considering PPF’ing my entire car, but I have a couple stone chips on the hood that I would want to get professionally touched up before the PPF. However, my concern is the PPF will lift the touch ups when it’s time to replace the PPF years later. Is this pretty much a guarantee to happen? Can it be avoided by letting the touch up paint cure for a day or so?
Thanks!
Not guaranteed, but definitely a possibility. Touch up paint can't bind quite as solidly to the substrate compared to factory paint. Yes, we always wait a day before applying PPF after our touch-up specialist has finished to give the new paint an opportunity to dry/cure completely.
But even if the PPF does pull up the touch-ups in 5-10yrs when you remove the PPF again, it's not a terribly expensive exercise to touch them up again at that time IF it has happened.
01-29-2020, 04:53 PM
