pirahnah3

Spot on man! $100 for the set thou....OUCH comes in a nice bag and all but wow... 
 
and for those that have to have it....heres a link for ya! 
https://bigchill.com/deluxe-cleaning-kit.html

Still looking for that Cinco one.  I def want to add it to my collection 

One would think as it was advertised how few there were, and as stated I believe it was 100 bottles. The next one I would think as far as limited would be the Cinco De Mayo one that sold out record quick. 

The ones next to Vossen ARE Adam’s but it’s not for cars. It’s a collab they did with Big Chill appliances. Comes in a set. 

Im going to agree that a good soaking foam bath or 4 and then a gentle wash to start with, before getting a bit rough is a good way to start, yeah you are bringing it back and minor damage can be fixed but always use the least aggressive first. 
 
That said, I would wonder about a paint gauge....maybe that could shed some light. @shane@detailedreflections has always said check a doorjamb or similar area that usually gets thin paint and is not overly worked to get a good idea of what might be there. 
 
I would also think that after the wash, a lot of the crud will come off and you should get an idea if there is any shine left in her. Even still I might spend the time to look into the paint gauge if you are going to do this type of thing more than once, or if you dont want to deal with the potential of a repaint. 
 
If you dont have the paint gauge and are not planning to get one, I might honestly start with a little area and decon it with clay and iron remover of some sort. Honestly slap a finishing pad on it and see if it shines. IF it does, there is a good chance that there is at least somewhat of a clear left on there. If it wont even show anything you know where you are without wasting DAYS of time. 

@wely324 want a really quick and easy one.....try them with Brilliant Glaze. Doesnt last long but you get a great clean look and it beads like mad for....about the drive home lol. 

Just applied some fresh glass sealant last night, in time for it to rain, but got a great shot this morning from it. Love me some glass sealant! 
 
One thing is make sure the glass is CLEAN before applying it really helps, I quite often will use #0000 steel wool on my glass before application to ensure I get it spotless. 

Agreed with @LSX Maestro on not doing them back to back. They're different base materials; HGG is an acrylic resin and CB silica. Sometimes mixing different products doesn't work well and can reduce the visual appeal of the end result. HGG should last about a month or so, so apply the CB at that point and see what you prefer. Just know the new CB is advertised to last 4-6 months, so switching back may need a strip wash.
 
Here's a great article that talks about layering, too:
 
 

This looks like bird bomb etching to me, but hopefully it is not.  This is a new car, correct?  If so I would return to the Dealer asap and have them note this for future claims.  They may have a skilled detailer available to correct it, or it may even require a respray of that panel.

Essentially, it's damage to the clear coat by whatever was on there. Bird droppings left too long on paint are a common cause. If that's what it is, it won't be fixed by polishing and may require wetsanding, if you want to go that far. Recommend you try both clay and Revive (order both) if the wash doesn't fix it. We can all circle back after those have been tried.

Might be etching, possibly bird dropping residue or damage it caused. Who knows. But wax doesn't remove contaminants and the like. Revive Hand Polish would be ideal to try, as well as clay. If neither of those work, do you have a polisher you could take to it? 

Buy way more pads than you think you’ll use. That’s going to consume pads rapidly. 

@shane@detailedreflections and @pirahnah3, I'll ask...how can I/he tell that's not damage (compromise of) to the clear? I've never encountered something like what's shown and would be really reluctant to polish, especially since I don't own a paint guage, at least not yet.

@8675309'SS and @Mbrazelton  thank you so much!  I don’t plan to go anywhere and always try to contribute some quality posts to this community. I’ve learned my share here, so it’s only fair to return that knowledge to other users. 
 
If we gather enough interest I wouldn’t be opposed to hosting another small clinic similar to the one this spring. It’s sometbing we should get on planning to see if it’s feasible!  
 
I still have an excellent list of feedback that @pirahnah3 was kind enough to provide for me about how to build upon the first one we did. We are always striving to learn and evolve. Some days it seems like we have it together and other days it feels like it’s falling apart.
 
Posts like today’s are random thoughts that cross my mind as I read posts and follow trends here. That’s ultimately what lead to the decision to write it. 
 
Thank you again for the kind words and continued support. 

Lately it seems that there’s been a bunch of questions on the forums with regard to what products go with what.  It can be a confusing world of products especially as new “better” releases come about.
 
The first thing to consider is that just because something new comes along, it doesn’t mean the old product is obsolete. Change can come about for a million different reasons. It could be development, supply availability, changes in production...and the list goes on. 
 
New products also don’t mean they fit in your detailing supply cabinet. We all have different needs based on our tastes, what we used and continue to use and where we want our detailing to go. There’s always a temptation to try new products (and we try a bunch), but it doesn’t always mean it’s a good fit. The point I’m trying to make is to not force a product to fit because it’s the “latest and greatest.”
 
The “ceramic” line of products is a great example. The ceramic boost, wax, coatings are great products. They aren’t the ideal application for every user. Much in the same way that a regular wax isn’t ideal for a ceramic user. 
 
You can mix and match products as you go, but it may not be the best match. Think of it like mixing ingredients in the kitchen. Sure, it might go and not be bad. But it also won’t be the “wow” that makes you want to come back to it time and time again. 
 
When evaluating which products you want to use, consider what your goals are and define them. 
 
How long do you want the product to last?
 
How much maintenance do you want to do?
 
How much work do you want to put in for the project in the beginning?
 
Where is the vehicle kept?  How is it driven?  Is it a daily?  Or a garage queen?
 
What tools do you have or are willing to invest in?
 
What’s your budget look like?
 
Once you know some of those answers (and possibly more), you can put together your product list.
 
If you like the process of waxing your car often, ceramic based products may not be up your alley. You can still achieve a great finish without ceramics. Sealant, glaze and wax provides great durability and finish while allowing you to scratch the itch of needing to wax your ride. 
 
If you want more durability, maybe a coating is right for you. You need to be patient in its prep and application. I’ve mentioned before that great prep equals a great finish. The same is also true. If you cut corners, there’s a good chance it will show in the finish. Keep in mind though that coatings are NOT maintenance free, regardless of advertising hype. 
 
A weekend detailer can often produce the same results as a professional detailer. There’s plenty of access to some great products out there. We use many of the same products available to everyone in our work. Sure, there’s some that are “pro only,” but those tend to be more high end coatings then routine products to use. The biggest differences between the pro and the weekend guy/girl are that pros usually have a deeper arsenal of products, an understanding of products along with their nuances and pros often have a larger selection of tools to get the job done efficiently. 
 
The big thing is to evaluate each product, see how it fits in your scope of practice and to understand when and why to use something. More importantly, know when not to use something because it doesn’t fit in your vision. It can be difficult to resist temptation of the latest and greatest sometimes, but like they say “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” 
 
When in doubt ask questions, experiment and see what works for you. Just test in small doses so you don’t create a bunch of work for yourself fixing something you have done. 
    - No idea why the font carried over like that when I wrote it and copied it over. Oh well!

Awesome thanks @Dan@Adams and @TheWolf great way to trade stuff and share photos of work with other members if we are working on some one on one discussions. 

Folks have you covered and @shane@detailedreflections really gave a great set of directions for ya. Looking forward to seeing some progress pics and some final pics when you bring her back. 

Hopefully this does not become an issue.
 
While I would say that a trade does not need to be even to the penny, scalping or the ridiculousness seen on some ebay posts is not in the spirit of what would be expected in this section of the forum.
 
 

Agreed.  And while you may expect an equal trade, it has to be up to the two people trading whether or not they want to trade dollar for dollar, or just to get whatever they each need.  But just remember that if you get taken in on a deal, there's not much anyone here can do about it. 

My first question is...why?  You’re already protected and you’re going to put a lesser protection over an existing one that has a completely different base. Not to mention using the Ceramic Boost. 
 
“Ceramic” based products are silica based, where others are usually acrylic, carnival or another polymer base. 
 
In my opinion you’re wasting time and product needlessly by applying buttery over ceramic. 

Recommend you read this awesome article to help with decision...
 
 

Thank @shane@detailedreflections. I just know where to look!

@falcaineer I’m glad to see that this post gets referenced so frequently on here. It means I did something very right in writing it. 
 
Being a young business in a VERY large industry, it’s easy to let doubts of your own knowledge creep in. This reinforces that I’ve at least picked up a few things along the way!
 
Thanks for the great references!

I have one daughter who has a degree as a Chef and the other daughter with a Chemistry degree. I'm willing to bet that between them they could "cook" up something and we won't know if we should eat, drink or put it on a car, especially if it smelled like Bacon, tasted like Pizza and had the consistency of a smoothie.