Traffic Film vs. Clear coat

[Carsten]

Hello

Im from Denmark where we have a lot of rain most of the year.
Im following a guy called Scott from Dallas Paint Correction and Detaling on Youtube.
He maintain cars by washing them in something we dont have over here... Purple Power Vehicle and Boat.* It is NOT ph neutral and he uses it to make sure there is no Traffic Film left on the clear coat.* He claims the old oils and chemicals in Traffic Film eats trough the wax or sealant and attacks the clear coat over time.* A normal ph neutral car soap will not be able to remove it because its designed to be gentle to what ever wax or sealant we have used.*
After each wash he gives the paint a layer of Meguairs Fast Finish to reprotect it again.
What are your thoughts about this ?

[Don]

Re: Traffic Film vs. Clear coat

A good wax/sealant should be able to shed road film easily when using a dedicated car washing soap. It's widely believed that soaps that are too strong/not designed for washing car paints can over time damage rubber, trim, plastics and even your paint. With that being the case, why would you ever use a product specifically designed for heavy de-greasing on your car's paint as a routine wash product?

This guy obviously knows or must suspect that he is doing damage, why else would he have to reapply Fast Finish after EVERY wash?

I can understand waxing your car after every wash because you WANT to, or because you have OCD and NEED to, or even because you don't have anything better to do that day or you're going to a car show later, but I can't understand why you would use something on a regular basis that would REQUIRE you to rewax the car because you stripped all the protection off unless the car NEEDED polishing first, which will remove any sealant or wax, not just a routine wash.

[Blueline]

Re: Traffic Film vs. Clear coat

It's widely believed that soaps that are too strong/not designed for washing car paints can over time damage rubber, trim, plastics and even your paint. ?

While I would agree with the general gist of your post, but don't count me in as one of the believers of the above statement. While I do use a dedicated vehicle soap now, I and my Father before me, used to use whatever was under the kitchen sink to wash our cars. In his later years, his car was fifteen years old, not driven much, but washed religiously every week (something for him to do) with dish soap. The rubber, trim, etc. looked fine. If dish soap was so destructive, there would be plenty of women (and men) out there with some pretty disgusting hands from washing dishes. I understand it will strip wax off, but destroy or degrade rubber and trim? Damage paint? I think not.

[Don]

Re: Traffic Film vs. Clear coat

While I would agree with the general gist of your post, but don't count me in as one of the believers of the above statement. While I do use a dedicated vehicle soap now, I and my Father before me, used to use whatever was under the kitchen sink to wash our cars. In his later years, his car was fifteen years old, not driven much, but washed religiously every week (something for him to do) with dish soap. The rubber, trim, etc. looked fine. If dish soap was so destructive, there would be plenty of women (and men) out there with some pretty disgusting hands from washing dishes. I understand it will strip wax off, but destroy or degrade rubber and trim? Damage paint? I think not.

I know on other forums, the general consensus is that the oil-stripping properties of dish soap may leech the (oils/resins/polymers) out of the rubber & plastics, especially if those surfaces are never treated with a dressing or coating. Combine that with the degrading effects of the sun and you have a recipe for shortening the lifespan of these items. I'd rather play it safe and will only use dish soap ONCE on a car that I'm about to detail, that I have never done before.

[twisty roads]

Re: Traffic Film vs. Clear coat

Hello

Im from Denmark where we have a lot of rain most of the year.
Im following a guy called Scott from Dallas Paint Correction and Detaling on Youtube.
He maintain cars by washing them in something we dont have over here... Purple Power Vehicle and Boat.* It is NOT ph neutral and he uses it to make sure there is no Traffic Film left on the clear coat.* He claims the old oils and chemicals in Traffic Film eats trough the wax or sealant and attacks the clear coat over time.* A normal ph neutral car soap will not be able to remove it because its designed to be gentle to what ever wax or sealant we have used.*
After each wash he gives the paint a layer of Meguairs Fast Finish to reprotect it again.
What are your thoughts about this ?

first thing to remember is this guy's business is detailing! He wants to make his patients satisfied enough to return, cut costs, and increase his profit margins. Below is a link to how inexpensive this product (purple power) is

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Purple-Power-Degreaser-Concentrate-2-5-Gallons/16778257?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2495&adid=22222222227019585099&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=40839618992&wl4=pla-78652671272&wl5=9031610&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=16778257&wl13=2495&veh=sem

finishing with MFF, he can charge a "wash and wax" detailing fee to increase his cost of doing a wash. I don't know his specific pricing packaging but I would assume he has a wash, wash and hand wax, 1 step correction, 2 step correction package. To some degree, if I was a professional detailer, I would like to start with a clean slate with every wash and a stripping wash product makes sense. However, on my own personal care where I know how often, what products, and the degree of clean I put into washing my car I would never use a product of this type.

The pH rating of Purple Power is 13 (typical range of 0-14 but not limited to) so it is highly concentrated and a strong base. On clear coat, the pH rating is slightly mitigated due to the clear coating, but don't think about putting that stuff on bare aluminum or let dry on the paint.

I think a regular wash and waxing regimine will suffice for keeping your car clean.

[Carsten]

Re: Traffic Film vs. Clear coat

I Think I Will continue the way I do it now... I mix Meguairs Ultimate wash & wax with shampoo plus in a bucket and wash the car with my microfiber madness incredimitt. Rinse and dry with the water magnet, and finally a mist of X-press spray wax. The car is only 1 month old and when I got it, I gave it Ultimate Fast Finish...
One question.... now the car isent always 100% dry when I apply the X-press wax. That works fine.
But if I want to replace the X-press wax with Fast Finish once in a while, how Will it react to a bit of water ?