SgtLip

Welcome back. Let the shining begin.

Good Day All,
 
Just wanted to show off my wife’s 2013 Impreza after the 2 time using the Ceramic w.w.  The base is a coating, I applied over two years ago.  I have used another brand but after using Adam’s, the pop and gloss is far better.  
I also noticed that the product rejects dust and airborne contamination better too.  We haven’t had any appreciable rain in nearly a month...
 
This product is a winner.   
 
Thanks!

This write up will provide the products and steps taken to convert my 2017 Chevy Colorado Daily Driver from Ceramic Paste Wax to Ceramic Spray Coating.   The truck's last major detail was June 9, 2019 which means that the CPW has been on the vehicle for 111 days.  The CPW was in near perfect condition and there is not a single negative statement I could make toward CPW.  If you want a high end paste wax, I would absolutely recommend CPW.  It is on and for the foreseeable will remain on several of my vehicles.
 
Total time spent:  9 hours 30 minutes
 
Prior to starting the conversion, I planned the steps and made sure I had the necessary products.  After the first cup of coffee, I start getting everything ready (5:30 AM).   The items that were readied for action and put on the Detail Cart:
3 Buckets:  3.5 gallon wheel bucket, 5 gallon rinse bucket and 5 gallon soap bucket. Step Stool Platform
Foam Gun, Tire Brush, Wheel Woolie, Wheel Well Brush, Microfiber Wash Mitt, 4 microfiber applicators, revive applicator
Towels: 8 borderless gray, 6 single soft, 6 double soft, ultra drying towel, Green Glass Towel
Tire & Rubber Cleaner, Eco APC, Eco Wheel Cleaner, Strip Wash, Glass Cleaner, Revive Hand Polish, Clay
Surface Prep and Ceramic Spray Coating were left in the climate controlled room
Swirl Killer, 4 White Pads - more on this below.   Finishing polish
1 Gallon Meyers Lemonade - gotta keep hydrated and Music, classic Rock to be precise
 
The tires, wheels and wheel wells are always first.  Tire & Rubber cleaner is the first product along with a good tire brush.  After the tires, I do the wheels and on the Colorado the wheels clean very well with Eco Wheel Cleaner.  The wheels had been maintained with Ceramic Boost which really helped keep them clean.  The wheel wells were next and the Colorado has fabric and Eco APC along with the wheel well brush cleans them up nicely.  Then they are just rinsed off with a hose and I've found the Eco APC does not foam as much as the regular APC.
 
Next up was the strip wash, 4 ounces in the foam gun and a healthy squirt into the soap bucket.  I covered the truck and let it sit for a few minutes and then covered the truck again.  At this point the weather was perfect, it was about 10 minutes before sun up and 70 degrees.   My routine for washing is starting with the passenger side top, hood, drivers side top, drivers side front fender and then go around the vehicle one panel at a time.  I do not do the underside of wheel wells, door jams, fuel cover or front lower valance until everything else is done to prevent grit, sand or other grime from getting on the wash pad. 
 
The strip wash was very effective in removing the CPW  on the body and CB from the wheels, but it did not affect the CSC that I had previously put on the black parts of the truck and tonneau cover.  The first picture shows the water being pushed away with a gray towel.   Once the truck was dry, it was into the garage to start the real work.  The baggie test was performed along with a visual inspection for any issues. The body was smooth, given that it had just been done and was well protected.  I was fully expecting to be able go with Finishing Polish and nothing else.  Unfortunately, someone (to remain nameless) did a rather poor job on the roof and it needed a bit more attention, so back to the cool room, grab the correcting polish and an Orange pad.  
 
I worked the roof with the correcting polish and was rather happy, so I switched to the white pad and finishing polish and WOW.  It is probably important to know that this is the first time the Swirl Killer ever touched the truck, the previous corrections were with an extremely old polisher.  On to the hood with with finishing polish and I realized the roof looked better than the hood, so I decided to step back and work the entire truck with correcting polish.  I grabbed three more Orange pads and went at it, followed by the white pads and finishing polish.   My process for changing pads and/towels is always in pairs.  If the pad needs to be changed, then change the towel, if the towel needs to be changed, then change the pad.    While the recommended method is to do a 2x2 area at a time, I like following body lines when possible.  The doors on the Colorado have a big center section , maybe 2x3 and two small sections maybe 1x3 and I do each of them as separate panels, no tape required. 
 
I used Revive on the Tail Lights since I really like how it brings out the clarity of the lenses.
 
After the correcting and finishing polish, it was lunch time followed by another inspection of the truck and then it was ready for Surface Prep, followed by another inspection and then out came the CSC.  I grabbed a MicroFiber applicator since I prefer to spray the applicator instead of the body and it was at this point that I did use some colorful adjectives when the tiny sprayer broke.   This is the third small sprayer that has broken, two were on Glass Boost and now one on Ceramic Spray Coating - Yes, I will be contacting the sales office.  I'm not large and I don't abuse the bottles or tools and the only problem I've had with anything from Adam's is these tiny or toy sprayers.   I grabbed another sprayer, put it in the bottle and it worked - thankfully.  Update: I have been informed that they have been replaced with a better sprayer.
 
Starting with the roof, I applied the CSC.  While it is clearly understood that Red vehicles are superior to anything else, it is hard to see the rainbow effect on them.  I found that I needed to look at an angle to see the color changes to know when to wipe it down.  Everything went very easy for laying the CSC and wiping it off and in most areas I was able to do two panels just as the video references.  I consider the hood to be two panels itself.  Once all the panes were completed, I went back in the same manner that I do with the wash and hit the areas that I skipped, picture #3 is a door jam and yes, I know I need to vacuum again.  The final step was to do the wheels with CSC.
 
The last two pictures were taken after I completed the truck and parked it outside this evening.
 
It was a long day, but I am happy with the results and so is the wife. 
 
Thank you @Rich for the information you provided on doing the Equinox
Thank you @zw470 for showing the wheels, otherwise mine would not have been done.
 
 

2019 Chevy Suburban LT RST
  I’m getting closer to the finish line... 18 hours!!! Day 1 - 4 hours 1. Strip Wash 2. Iron Remover 3. Wash with Mega Foam 4. Dried with Master Blaster Day 2 - 7 hours 5. Rinseless Wash 6. Clay bar all surfaces 7. Finishing Polish with white pads Day 3 - 7 hours
8. Wash with UltraFoam Shampoo
9. Dried with Master Blaster
10. Ceramic Surface Prep
11. New Ceramic Spray Coating - final wipe with suede microfiber towels
12. Wash and clean all windows, sunroof, headlights, fog lights & tail lights
13. Ceramic Glass Coating   Any final advice? If not, it’s time to chill out and enjoy the fall with a cold drink and some college football.   Jeff

Just image-Googled it. Adam's isn't even in the first 30 images....but it is one of the easiest to draw. Probably a non-detail enthusiast...or a CG fan ??...as an Adam's fan likely wouldn't want to say it can't be used, official guidance or not.
 
And for the record, it's all Adam's for this AIR FORCE guy!!! 

I can use the waterless wash as a drying aid? I’m not too confident I am going to get it anytime soon 

LOVE IT. And they ALL look beautiful. 
 
My wife is a White freak. So her Lexus is white.
I had a Yellow 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek Special Edition I purchased new in 2015. I took a job in Texas and it came to an end. I decided to buy an RV for the job in West Virginia and couldn't use the Subaru Crosstrek. So I and traded it for a 2016 Ram Stinger Yellow 1500 Sport. After two years I sold the RV at the end of the job and didn't need the truck. Sold it and got the 2018 Subaru Forester XT Touring. It's the last year they put the turbo in the Forester so the picking was slim. I could only find White or Black. I got the white one and had it vinyl wrapped in Yellow. So I guess you could say I like Yellow cars/trucks. And surprisingly, people still say they didn't see me when they pull out in front of me. Go figure. I heard the police look out for red vehicles. That was another reason why I never went back to red.
 
They look nice.
 

I really like the Terrain.  I ended up with a Equinox Premier because I got a better deal, but the Terrain Denali I was looking to buy was what I really wanted (really really wanted the XT5 Cadillac) in my budget. Very nice in the red!! 

All but his kid's... 😁

LOVE IT. And they ALL look beautiful. 
 
My wife is a White freak. So her Lexus is white.
I had a Yellow 2015 Subaru XV Crosstrek Special Edition I purchased new in 2015. I took a job in Texas and it came to an end. I decided to buy an RV for the job in West Virginia and couldn't use the Subaru Crosstrek. So I and traded it for a 2016 Ram Stinger Yellow 1500 Sport. After two years I sold the RV at the end of the job and didn't need the truck. Sold it and got the 2018 Subaru Forester XT Touring. It's the last year they put the turbo in the Forester so the picking was slim. I could only find White or Black. I got the white one and had it vinyl wrapped in Yellow. So I guess you could say I like Yellow cars/trucks. And surprisingly, people still say they didn't see me when they pull out in front of me. Go figure. I heard the police look out for red vehicles. That was another reason why I never went back to red.
 
They look nice.
 

@SgtLip to answer the question in the other thread - Yes, I do believe Red vehicles may be a theme.
 
We didn't have the Terrain the last time I updated this thread, so I'll add a picture here.  Plus this thread doesn't include the completed Mustang, 
 
For the record, I couldn't reach a deal on the '77 Vette, so I'm still looking for another vehicle that needs some love.
 
 

Thanks for the feedback. I was beginning to think no one knew!

The mini plush is indeed a 16x20 towel. I have it and it works great! Not large enough to dry a car. It’s mean for drying door/trunk jambs or your wheel faces. It’s the same material as the Ultra Plush Drying Towel. The Ultra Plush Drying Towel is a 29x36 towel, while the Great White Drying Towel is 24x36.

@SgtLip, Sprayable Compound is a product they leaked a while back but hasn't been released yet. I've had the chance to use it and it's incredible. Works really, really well. I'll post a video of my results with one pass later today...

You're going to love it!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ICBLBL0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ordered the new ceramic spray. Paid for 3 day shipping 8 days ago and it still isn’t here. Shipping says it will be here Saturday. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

Just wanted to check in, say hi and say this is a great forum!!!
 
Sorry for the long title but I’m darn proud of my new purchase. Very rare car.
 
1 of 22   2017 model year with exact same configuration (only 3 options ever available; Manual Trans, sunroof and full size spare). This one is manual with no sunroof or full size spare. 
 
1 of 62   Exact same configuration all model years 2014-2017
 
1 of 327 Heron White with manual transmission ever produced. 
 
1 of 2260 Total Heron White (Manual and Automatic)
 
1 of 12856 Chevy SS’s ever produced (all colors, all model years 2014-2017, all transmissions)
 
Compare that to the 941,100 Ford F150’s 291,071 Accords sold in 2018 ALONE!!!!
 
I don’t mean to brag, but I’be wanted this car since 2014 and finally got one. Had to drive to Connecticut from Chicago just to buy it. When I bought it, there were only 12 manual’s in the entire US for sale. 8 of them black. It was the only white one at that time. 
 
So so needless to say, I’m going to baby this thing!!!!!
 
 






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Welcome Keith to your newest addiction from a fellow Chicago area resident. I'm in the western burbs, If there's anything you want to try let me know. I won't hold it against you being a cubs fan either  

I solved the washing machine thing....I just bought a new one to dedicate to microfibers. They sell those small compact ones and a guy on the FB detailing page had a big right up on one. I guess I will soak immediately after every use and wash at the end of the week. I am going to wash in All free and clear. Can I spray Simple Green directly on the tough stains on the towel to remove them? should I do that in the soak or before I wash?

I guess if I was independently wealthy, NO!!!
But when you need to spend so much on towels to do specific jobs, why buy the large when the mini will do?
It's called price comparison or evaluating ROI.
Besides, someone gets paid to write and post this information. Millennial's, doesn't anyone take pride in their work anymore?

I recommend 'cleaning' the washer before putting in your expensive towels, and cleaning it again when you are done to keep all the grime out of the regular wash.
 
Before you start: Use the washers 'clean' setting, if it has one.  If not pick up some Tide Washing Machine Cleaner, and use it according to the directions.
 
As other have said, pre-soak the towels to help remove product from them.  It is up to you how you break them down, but I do 'wash' towels (wash, dry, glass, mitts), 'polish+wax' towels, work towels, black towels (some will run, some will not), and finally my terry cloth work towels.  Always two rinses.
 
To leave the machine ready for other laundry run the Tide Washing Machine Cleaner thru it according to the directions.
 
 
I would be careful with the commercial machines.  You don't know what has been thru them that could affect your towels, and the hot settings could damage your towels.
 
 
This my addition to the 'How to wash the microfiber towels?' thread:
 
I attended a class at Mobile Tech Expo on Friday presented by The Rag Company titled 'Microfiber 101'.  A whole hour on microfiber, and it was very interesting! 
They do recommend pre-soaking, if you have time, and an APC will work, but as Dan said, MFBR will work fine too.  They also recommended soaking a coating (or H20 G&G) towel ASAP to remove as much residue as possible.  It is up to you if you want to use the coating removal/leveling towel again on paint, or demote it.   They recommended adding a few ounces of distilled white vinegar to the bleach tray, but NOT to the wash.  If added with the soap it will reduce the cleaning level of the soap.  It was also recommended to skip the Hot setting, as MF can melt at 140F, and some hot water heaters may be set to that, or higher.  I use the Hot setting for my white polishing towels without issue, but your results may differ.  And just a few things that 'everybody already knows' about microfiber:
Never use bleach or fabric softener Never use anything above Low heat on the dryer Never use dryer sheets when drying NEVER wash cotton towels with MF towels  

Perfect!  HAHA!  Thanks!  Definitely need to add that!  
 
I straightened up my supplies after two long days, and realized how much my arsenal has morphed in the last 3 months.
 
Before and After.......
 

Sounds like you have the same conclusions I have been drawing. I have a bunch of products that are totally useless to me since I have ceramic coating on my cars. 

I really wish Adam's would tell you what is in their products. Seems like most paint sealants have polymers in them. Does Adam's? They say you can use SiO2 toppers so who knows. I do not like how vague they are with what is in their products