mc2hill

No, just a clean surface. Use Adam's Coating Prep or diluted IPA to wipe down the paint after a strip wash - use Adam's Strip Wash or add 2-3 oz of APC the wash solution. The clay will remove surface contaminates (do the 'baggie' test to determine if claying is needed). Polishing will remove swirls, etc. from the paint, and allow it to looks its best under the coating.

I have a similar problem with my truck. There are 'crows feet' where the paint under the clear coat is cracked. I have found working a smaller sections helps. I spray Detail Spray in 1/4 of the hood, and wipe with the already damp part of the towel, then flip to the slightly damp side, then fold the towel a dry 'inside' section. I sometimes will redo a section to get it looking better.

I have the polishes in a Sterilite latching tote (18 gal, I think) that is tall enough to for the bottles to stand, with some room on the top for applicators. My wife is not too pleased that this is in the house, but it is better than replacing them all once a year.

If they are not etched in to the paint (they do not appear to be) they should come out with machine polishing. Finishing Polish should do it, but they may require Correcting Polish.

Most thin liquids will be OK in the garage for 2 years or so (cleaners, shampoo, VRT, etc.) without issue. But I recommend keeping your polishes, waxes, and sealants in the A/C to keep them from separating in our 6 months of summer.

Congrats on the SK! You will need at least 2 of each polishing pad - microfiber, correcting, and finishing. You can get by with one sealant pad (black or red). A few tips for a long throw polisher: Work on your technique. These tools want the pad flat on the paint at all times, as it will help with pad stalling. Take a video of you self using the tool to check your have the pad flat on the surface, not tilted to the side or forward/backward. Go slower than you think It requires very little downward pressure Machine polishing tips: ALWAYS do a test spot - find a flat surface (usually the hood or trunk) that is representative of the overall condition of the paint. Tape out a 2 ft. x 2 ft. square, and try the least aggressive method, making 4-6 passes (in a cross hatch pattern, with some overlap in each pass) over the test section. Now wipe off the polish and check the results - does it meet your expectations? If yes, then your have your plan for the rest of the car. If no, apply more polish to the pad and do another section pass. Reevaluate, and if you need more correction, then move up the next level of aggressiveness in the pads and polish. Paint is VERY thin (about the thickness of a post-it note), so use the least aggressive method possible. It is much cheaper to do a 2nd pass with a milder pad/polish combo than to repaint the panel...ask me how I know! Clean the pads often - about every few sections with foam pads, and after every section for MF. Use a pad brush, or even better an air compressor.

Welcome Mark! Are you close to Adam's Headquarters?

The 3M #03131(3/4") Performance Masking tape is a great all around detailing tape, and is available in most auto parts stores. Most high quality tapes can be re-used during a detail, saving a little money - e.g. tape window trim on one side, polish, move tape to other side. If you want something more like the old Adam's tape check out Fine Line tape or the 3M #06526/06529 Precision Masking tape. I keep 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", and 1 1/2" tape on hand., but use mostly 3/4". For headlights I use 3M blue painters. It's a little cheaper, and I go thru a lot when I wetsand.

This is a sunset shot from when we were 'down the shore' in July.

Congrats @falcaineer! I noticed your new 'badge' this morning.

That means the START of car show season here! My client/friend called recently and asked if I wanted to help him take the Old No. 2 1913 Race Car to the Classic Daytona 24 event in November. I am IN!

Sorry for the confusion. You mentioned the new wrap on the Subi had not been coated, and I was giving an alternate to applying a coating to that.

I would recommend starting with Correcting Polish and a MF pad.

I am very familiar with Crystal River! Our Accord is not wrapped, but it does share the same climate at your vehicles. Yes, Paint Sealant is an Adam's product, and works best when applied to 'bare' paint. Just wash with Strip Wash (or add 2-3 ounces of All Purpose Cleaner to the wash bucket), and you are ready. No need to clay unless the paint does not pass the 'baggie' test. Place your hand in a plastic bag (ziploc, grocery bag, etc.) rub your hand lightly over a clean section of the paint. If it feels smooth you are done! If it feels rough it needs to be clayed. I have not used the coating-type waxes, but perhaps others that have will chime in. As for Rinseless Washes, you are a prime candidate for them. Since we don't have to deal with salt on our roads, and I would guess you are mostly driving on paved roads, a Rinseless Wash is a great time saver. I can wash, seal (H2O G&G), and dry our Accord in 20 minutes, with no swirls. I usually take about 40 minutes at a leisurely pace, enjoying the garage therapy, but can do faster if I want to. And the Rinseless wash can be done inside the garage if the weather isto hot or rainy.

For the longest lasting protection, a coating is the way to go. But you can protect the wrap with Paint Sealant, or other Adam's products. Since you have the time you may find those more enjoyable. For my wife's Accord I use Paint Sealant in the spring and fall, and top it with H2O Guard & Gloss every 2-3 months as part of a Rinseless Wash. Others have been happy with using the Coating-type waxes and boosters as their LSP (Last Step Product).

That is the only one that I am aware of. They also have done the Barrett Jackson auction on the spring in that same area.

Thanks for the mention Chris. Sounds like we have an SME (Subject Matter Expert) in @SgtLip! But to add to this, yes you can polish glass, but temper your expectations. And as Donald said, you can make it worse. It takes a special tools and polishes to tackle glass, and you can make it wavier than when you started.

That works fine when all the polishing is done, but the replies above were for 'on the fly' pad cleaning while you are still polishing the vehicle. Once I finish with a polishing pad I spray them with APC and place them in bucket face down, with a upside down Grit Guard to keep them under water. Once I am completely done with all the polishing I spin on the Gamma Seal lid and let them soak for a day or so. To clean them I spray with a pad cleaner, APC, or MF detergent, and scrub them on the Grit Guard to remove any remaining polish. Then rinse until the water is clear and place them face down on the Grit Guard to dry for a few days. And I have finally found a way to get a sealant pad clean - place in a container with Tide Free & Clear (full strength) for a few day, and it will rinse clean!

I prefer cleaning with air, if it is available. As you mentioned, there is less chance of damaging the pads with the air. I use the brush when I am mobile, and it does a good on flat faced pads and waffle pads. I have some pads that are cross-cut and the brush chews them up. I clean foam pads after 2-3 section passes to remove the dried polish and polishing 'residue, keeping the pad more 'like new' longer. For MF pads I clean after ever section pass, and also swap pads each pass, to keep them from heating up to much. I just replace my Rupes backing plate after getting lazy with MF pads - worked 4 sections, only stopping for a quick brush of the fibers, and I melted the center of the backing plate. I usually use about 5 pads per vehicle, and save older pads for below the beltline. I will often polish the bottom part (below the beltline) first, as that is the part I like doing the least.

Welcome Travis!

Yes, a Mark Twain quote, I love it! We are at 75% don't clean in my family. My wife likes a clean car and lets me know when it not being maintained to her specifications, and my son & his soon to be wife don't care. I taught my son the proper methods, and he has helped me on a few details, but he has yet to take an interest in keeping their cars cleaned.

Interesting! The Family Handyman article they linked to was mostly spot on though - don't wash with Dawn, use 2 buckets, etc.

Part of the drying time will be determined by how much Adam's Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner was used. If you soaked the fabric, it could take several hours to dry. To speed up the drying time you could try removing the extra moisture with a wet/dry vac, or point a fan at the cleaned area.

Great work Ray, but sorry you had to work on a vehicle that had a poorly chosen color option.

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