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Ripley Unveiled
This past weekend my wife and I made a significant purchase--a 2009 glacier blue Honda CR-V EX. "She who must be obeyed" had made it known that she really did not like her 2004 Taurus sedan, though she assured me that it had nothing to do with my minimal detailing skills. With signs that the economy may be bottoming out, it seemed like a good time to purchase a new car. Surprisingly, she expressed an interest in a small SUV and specifically a Jeep! "A Jeep?" I asked. "Yes," she sternly replied, "a Jeep. I like the way they look." I learned long ago not to argue with my wife when she has that look, so last Thursday evening we went car shopping. We test-drove the Jeep Patriot, the Honda CR-V, and the Toyota RAV4. To Christine's disappointment, she preferred the greater visibility allowed to the driver by both the Honda and Toyota, and their rides were smoother than the Jeep's. The choice between the CR-V and the RAV4 was easy. The Honda was over $1,000 less than the comparably equipped RAV4--plus, we have good good luck with Hondas over the past twelve years. My 1997 Accord, which my daughter is driving, is still going strong at 115K miles and has had no significant mechanical problems.
I did some internet research the following day, including subscribing to the special Consumer Guide car buying service, solicited quotes from other Honda dealerships within a 50 mile radius, and on Friday afternoon I tendered an offer via email to our salesman, which he promptly accepted, which of course immediately raised in my mind whether I should have made a lower offer ... I will never get the hang of negotiating. My father was a wizard when it came to financial negotiations. I am a dolt.
On Saturday morning we picked up the vehicle.
"Can't I at least drive MY car for a few hours," asked SHMBO. "Honey bunch," I replied (well, maybe I didn't say "honey bunch"), "I need to prep and wax the car. I want her looking her best for you. Besides, I have all this detailing product sitting in the basement going to waste ..." And so I moved into the garage for the rest of the day.
First, I washed the car with Optimum No-Rinse. Given that the dealer had just washed the car earlier that day, I decided that a quick ONR wash would be sufficient. Did I just say "quick"? Egads, washing even a "small" SUV takes an eternity compared to washing my sporty S2000. Why in the world did I agree to this purchase? Because, of course, my agreement wasn't invited. My job was simply to sign on the bottom line. I will admit, though, that I like having a vehicle with some cargo space.
Second, I proceeded to clay the car. I began with the hood and front end. I am embarrassed to admit that in my three previous claybarring experiences, I have dropped the claybar twice. Not this time, I swore to myself! I was only five minutes into the task when the claybar smiled at me and jumped out of my grasp, laughing manically all the way to the ground. And before you ask--yes, I had broken the original Meguiar's claybar in half, so I still had a piece to spare. The claybar may have a mind of its own, but I was prepared.
While claybarring, I noticed dark speckling or spotting on the plastic and metal trim on both the driver and passenger sides. I first tried some APC+, with no results. I then grabbed my tub of Hot Rims Mag & Aluminum Polish and carefully rubbed some on the metal trim. The spotting disappeared. Excellent. For the black plastic trim I used M40. At first I didn't seem to make much progress, but as I worked the M40 more vigorously, the spotting disappeared--at least I think and hope it did. I then proceeded to clean all of the cladding with M40. My goodness, I have never owned a car before with so much exterior plastic. I suspect I will be purchasing a couple more bottles of M40 in the very near future.
It was late when I finished cleaning the trim and cladding, so I went inside and played some internet bridge. The next morning I returned to the garage and cleaned the paint with Four Star Ultimate Pre-wax Cleanser. I had bought this some time ago and welcomed the opportunity to try it. I probably did not need to execute this step--after all, it's a new car which had just been clayed--but I felt compelled. How often will I have an opportunity to prep a new car for its first waxing? I wanted to provide the best possible surface for the bonding of my sealant. The cleanser was easy to apply and remove. I did not discern any difference in gloss, but I did not expect to see a difference.
Finally, it was time to wax! I chose Ultima Paint Guard Plus. There is something almost surreal about UPGP. You spray a single squirt onto the microfiber applicator and spread it on the paint surface, one squirt per section. I cannot tell whether the sealant is getting applied to the surface or not. I cannot see it. Faith, the Bible teaches, is "the conviction of things not seen." Using UPGP requires a sustained act of faith. One just has to trust that the car is getting sealed as one moves the applicator from side to side, up and down. One advantage of UPGP--a huge advantage if one has lots of cladding--is that one may also apply it to plastic and metal trim. I know that the appearance of black plastic degrades over time. I do not know if a sealant can help postpone or slow down this degradation, but I would think that it would provide some protection. We shall see. By the way, the UPGP does show up when it is applied to the black trim. Sometimes faith needs confirmation.
Ultima Paint Guard Protection dries clear. There is no residue to wipe off. It is truly a wipe on and walk away product. As I said, using UPGP is a surreal experience. How is it possible to wax without buffing? Isn't that contrary to nature or something? The instructions state not to touch the surface for at least an hour. It is then good to go. Subsequent coats should be applied a minimum of twelve hours apart, to allow the cross-linking of the synthetic polymers. It creates a shiny and slick surface. I honestly do not know if the UPGP "look" is "better" than the other synthetic sealants I have used (NXT, Reflections), but it's nice, durable, and oh so very easy to use.
Here are so pics of my wife's new detailed vehicle. She has named it Ripley. I do not suggest that you get in the way of SHMBO when she is driving her Ripley. Think Aliens ...
A photographer I am not! I know, I know, don't quit my day job ... only, I don't presently have one. Oh the freedom of the unemployed! Haha!
Cheers,
P.S. I welcome all suggestions on the proper care of the CR-V.
I did some internet research the following day, including subscribing to the special Consumer Guide car buying service, solicited quotes from other Honda dealerships within a 50 mile radius, and on Friday afternoon I tendered an offer via email to our salesman, which he promptly accepted, which of course immediately raised in my mind whether I should have made a lower offer ... I will never get the hang of negotiating. My father was a wizard when it came to financial negotiations. I am a dolt.
On Saturday morning we picked up the vehicle.
"Can't I at least drive MY car for a few hours," asked SHMBO. "Honey bunch," I replied (well, maybe I didn't say "honey bunch"), "I need to prep and wax the car. I want her looking her best for you. Besides, I have all this detailing product sitting in the basement going to waste ..." And so I moved into the garage for the rest of the day.
First, I washed the car with Optimum No-Rinse. Given that the dealer had just washed the car earlier that day, I decided that a quick ONR wash would be sufficient. Did I just say "quick"? Egads, washing even a "small" SUV takes an eternity compared to washing my sporty S2000. Why in the world did I agree to this purchase? Because, of course, my agreement wasn't invited. My job was simply to sign on the bottom line. I will admit, though, that I like having a vehicle with some cargo space.
Second, I proceeded to clay the car. I began with the hood and front end. I am embarrassed to admit that in my three previous claybarring experiences, I have dropped the claybar twice. Not this time, I swore to myself! I was only five minutes into the task when the claybar smiled at me and jumped out of my grasp, laughing manically all the way to the ground. And before you ask--yes, I had broken the original Meguiar's claybar in half, so I still had a piece to spare. The claybar may have a mind of its own, but I was prepared.
While claybarring, I noticed dark speckling or spotting on the plastic and metal trim on both the driver and passenger sides. I first tried some APC+, with no results. I then grabbed my tub of Hot Rims Mag & Aluminum Polish and carefully rubbed some on the metal trim. The spotting disappeared. Excellent. For the black plastic trim I used M40. At first I didn't seem to make much progress, but as I worked the M40 more vigorously, the spotting disappeared--at least I think and hope it did. I then proceeded to clean all of the cladding with M40. My goodness, I have never owned a car before with so much exterior plastic. I suspect I will be purchasing a couple more bottles of M40 in the very near future.
It was late when I finished cleaning the trim and cladding, so I went inside and played some internet bridge. The next morning I returned to the garage and cleaned the paint with Four Star Ultimate Pre-wax Cleanser. I had bought this some time ago and welcomed the opportunity to try it. I probably did not need to execute this step--after all, it's a new car which had just been clayed--but I felt compelled. How often will I have an opportunity to prep a new car for its first waxing? I wanted to provide the best possible surface for the bonding of my sealant. The cleanser was easy to apply and remove. I did not discern any difference in gloss, but I did not expect to see a difference.
Finally, it was time to wax! I chose Ultima Paint Guard Plus. There is something almost surreal about UPGP. You spray a single squirt onto the microfiber applicator and spread it on the paint surface, one squirt per section. I cannot tell whether the sealant is getting applied to the surface or not. I cannot see it. Faith, the Bible teaches, is "the conviction of things not seen." Using UPGP requires a sustained act of faith. One just has to trust that the car is getting sealed as one moves the applicator from side to side, up and down. One advantage of UPGP--a huge advantage if one has lots of cladding--is that one may also apply it to plastic and metal trim. I know that the appearance of black plastic degrades over time. I do not know if a sealant can help postpone or slow down this degradation, but I would think that it would provide some protection. We shall see. By the way, the UPGP does show up when it is applied to the black trim. Sometimes faith needs confirmation.
Ultima Paint Guard Protection dries clear. There is no residue to wipe off. It is truly a wipe on and walk away product. As I said, using UPGP is a surreal experience. How is it possible to wax without buffing? Isn't that contrary to nature or something? The instructions state not to touch the surface for at least an hour. It is then good to go. Subsequent coats should be applied a minimum of twelve hours apart, to allow the cross-linking of the synthetic polymers. It creates a shiny and slick surface. I honestly do not know if the UPGP "look" is "better" than the other synthetic sealants I have used (NXT, Reflections), but it's nice, durable, and oh so very easy to use.
Here are so pics of my wife's new detailed vehicle. She has named it Ripley. I do not suggest that you get in the way of SHMBO when she is driving her Ripley. Think Aliens ...
A photographer I am not! I know, I know, don't quit my day job ... only, I don't presently have one. Oh the freedom of the unemployed! Haha!
Cheers,
P.S. I welcome all suggestions on the proper care of the CR-V.
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