New Car Advice

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

Here are some photos…hope these post!

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

Sorry about all the white space but between my cut and paste and the small entry window, I couldn't get a good perspective. Here's the front hood

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

[davey g-force]

Re: New Car Advice

Shame we can't see the pics..

Try hosting them on Photobucket (or similar).

[billddrummer]

Re: New Car Advice

Hi All!

As I posted in my intro post, just purchased a silver 2013 Hyundai Accent hatchback.

Love the car, great mileage, cool styling, awesome bells and whistles.

A bit of background:

I commute from Reno NV (4500 ft elevation) to Truckee CA (5800 ft elevation, central Sierra Nevada mountains) along I-80, through sagebrush and mixed conifer forest, approximately 40 miles one way. Parking at my workplace is open to the elements and significant sun exposure, tree sap, road dust and varnish overspray from material sprayed to maintain wooden office buildings nearby.

Normally, the region receives significant winter precipitation (rain, sleet, snow), and highway maintenance includes application of traction compounds (sand) during the winter months.

This winter has been mild, but it's the exception rather than the rule.

I would like to keep this vehicle looking as good as possible considering these conditions.

Another complication: I have covered parking at my apartment complex, but no facilities for hand washing. I use an automatic car wash nearby for basic wash (they use a Turtle Wax formulation in the wash bay).

I'd like some advice on the correct product mix to keep the paint on the car, and looking as good as it possibly can look.

I consider it competition.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

bdd

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

Wondering if anyone has a home brew for clay lubricant. My son has been helping detail my cars and now the neighbors are hiring him but he's going through half a bottle of lube each car. He used the synthetic block (http://www.chemicalguys.com/Chemical...clay_block.htm) and loved it. It did a great job on the windows too. I experimented on the glass with the rinse bucket after he had finished washing the car. The rinse bucket (w/ grit guard) basically has diluted car shampoo and seemed to make an OK lube (at least for windows). He used regular lube for painted surfaces. He's got more customers lined up but the lube goes quick. The thought hear is we could make a clean bucket of diluted car shampoo and see if that lube works for painted surfaces

[The Guz]

Re: New Car Advice

Look at D155 last touch in the detailer line. You can dilute it down to be used as clay lube.

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

Shame we can't see the pics..

Try hosting them on Photobucket (or similar).

posted them in the galleries section of this forum…I assume you search for punkguins. thanks!

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

Thanks for the tip. How much do you dilute it to?

[h_bomm]

Re: New Car Advice

Thanks for the tip. How much do you dilute it to?

It is a 1:1 ratio, so a 50/50 mix. One gallon of Last Touch will make 2 gallons of lube. I just bought some for clay lube as well because like you, I was going through it like crazy. Haven't had a chance to try it yet since its still the dead of winter here, but everything I heard and read, it works really well

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

I read on an autopia forum about clear coat and paint thickness. Paraphrasing, clear coat is typical 1.5mils or 38 microns and paint is about 4mils or 100 microns thick (modern cars maybe 100 to 200 microns thick, older cars twice as thick as that).

Also, one of the sources said if you use Meguiars 205 and an black LC pad, you could be taking about 1 micron away each time. This implies after 9 or 10 years ( 2 polishes a year), half the clear coat could be gone.

I figure that experience trumps the numbers. So, for you experienced detailers who have worked on modern paint for longer than 10 years, have you ever seen clear coat dissappear after too many details? And, can I prevent that by putting on a sealant in multiple applications each time I polish?

FInally, they refer to expensive paint gauges to measure the paint before detailing. OK, I gotta a new car so I'm good but do you guys use those consistently? If so, what have you found each time before and after a polish and wax job? Since the digital gauges are really expensive, I also noticed the simple non-powered magnetic one that is like $30 on eBay (vs. $250 or greater for the electronic type). Do those magnetic ones work?

Thanks!

[davey g-force]

Re: New Car Advice

M205 would not remove 1 micron. Maybe M105 with a wool pad would, but even that's stretching it..

[punkguins]

Re: New Car Advice

M205 would not remove 1 micron. Maybe M105 with a wool pad would, but even that's stretching it..

I guess your saying I don't have to worry about clear coat being polished off for the lifetime of my car? I would like to know if I could polish at least twice a year with an LC orange or black pad and M205 at a setting of 5 and trying to apply 15lbs of pressure. Also, for older cars, does it warrant a gauge to measure paint thickness

[davey g-force]

Re: New Car Advice

Assuming you have enough paint there to start with, then yes you'll be fine.

If you can afford a PTG then it's a good idea. Actually, I believe there's a few affordable ones around these days but I have no experience with them...

[The Guz]

Re: New Car Advice

I guess your saying I don't have to worry about clear coat being polished off for the lifetime of my car? I would like to know if I could polish at least twice a year with an LC orange or black pad and M205 at a setting of 5 and trying to apply 15lbs of pressure. Also, for older cars, does it warrant a gauge to measure paint thickness

If you maintain your car in between polishing sessions, a polishing pad and M205 would be all that you need.