GaresTaylan

The dealer provided an additional discount off the vehicle when the mistake was pointed out and they also threw in some maintenance for free. The alternative was waiting around for whenever they could fix it and the lease on my old car was up plus the dealer is quite a ways away from me.

 

While the cyclo may work on the side mirrors given their size, I'm concerned mostly about the thinner side skirts, rear and lip spoilers as well as the black trim encompassing the exhaust. 

 

I've polished by hand with pads before and never seem to get anywhere near the hopeful results so I wanted to see if I was chasing a lost cause. 

Hey everyone. I picked up my new vehicle from the dealer about a week ago. Unfortunately they did a number on it with a hand wash despite my request not to get one. For the most part the paint is in good shape. I was able to get a 2 bucket wash in and get some sealant on before more snow rolled in. I'll get around to the standard correction with my cyclo come spring.

 

In the meantime I have piano black trim that looks terrible. Side mirrors, front and rear spoilers, side skirts, etc. Can these be buffed out easily by hand with the correct hex pads or do I need to look into getting something like a small rupes? Obviously my cyclo isn't going to help much here. 

 

Recomendations on the best steps to follow. Thanks. 

 

Here's a pic of the car and the drivers side mirror.

 

Paint pen with the paint color until filled, then 2 costs clear (other side of paint pen is clear coat), then wet sand, polish, ceramic coat.

Obviously let it dry between coats and before you wetsand

  

Get your paint pen from the dealer they sell the best ones, but do not use the pen tip or the brush that come with it. You can find these types off touch up tip that are precise at any automotive paint supply stores in your area and if you don't know where to get them message me and I'll let you know where to find them.

When you do the touch up paint work do one step at a time let each coat dry several hours before proceeding to the next coat.

I was going to ask you if you run your nail perpendicular to the scratch is it deep?

You can also try to correct this area without touch up and make that line less noticeable.

You can also get the divorce papers ready if she's not really remorseful lol

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.

Thanks for the feedback. I have my color code and found official mopar pens on amazon, but I’ll contact the dealer. I’ll check around for the tips.

 

Really hoping I don’t have to wet sand. That scares me to death TBH. My nail can catch on it when i run it across. It’s hard to tell how deep it is, really.

Any recommendations on pens to try? Being as the white has a bit of pearl in the paint I feel I should be a bit more selective.Is Dr Colorchip worth it?

 

Thanks for the replies.

While moving things in the garage tonight, my wife decided to bang the bladed side of the hedge trimmer into the side of the car. The paint has been corrected a few months back and treated with ceramic coating. Its white paint with a metallic flake in it. 

 

It was difficult to get focus on the pictures. Its not just a scuff, the blade appeared to take a bit of the paint off. If I run my finger across it lightly I can feel a bit of a groove. Enough for a bit of my finger nail to catch on it. 

 

Is this treatable? At my disposal I have:

 

-Revive hand polish

-Swirl & Haze

-Paint Correcting Polish

 

-Cyclo

-Foam and Microfiber cutting pads for cyclo

-Red, blue, orange hex grip pads

Hi Joe,

 

I'm sorry that you're having these issues, and I understand how frustrated you feel right now. To best help troubleshoot this issue, I'll need a little more information if you don't mind:

 

- Make and model of the vehicle, age of the vinyl stripes?

- Are the stripes factory or aftermarket applied?

- Do you have any pictures that you can share of the affected areas?

- Did the stripes have any other issues before applying the Brilliant Glaze and VRT?

 

If there are now layers of uneven product, it may take something like Finishing Polish to remove extra product. I would not recommend Strip Wash or diluted APC just to be on the safe side. I've used Revive Hand Polish with a blue foam Hex Grip applicator to repair some matte black stripes on a Z06 before with good results, but it did slightly darken the stripes. They still had a matte finish with a slight amount of satin sheen to them. I've been finding recently that Ceramic Boost works great as an option for matte stripes as well. If you don't have either of these products, I can send you them on us as troubleshooting items, just send me a PM and I'll be happy to help.

 

Again I do apologize for the headaches. Please let me know how I can help out further.

 

Respectfully,

Dan@Adams

Hi Dan,

 

-2017 Abarth 124 Spider

-Stripes are about 30 days old. Aftermarket but an approved 3rd party by the dealer.

-I will see if I can get some pictures later. I am heading out for work now.

-No problem. They were more or less flawless.

 

The most recent wash was completed using strip wash so I could work on a full clay, correction and ceramic coat. No discoloration or anything before working on the stripes. I have some revive and ceramic boost, but my blue hex is shot and needs replaced. I only have orange and red hex readily available and cyclo pads until I get a new order in. I also noticed when i got home yesterday that the VRT has caused the stripes to be a dust magnet. Nowhere else on the vehicle was nearly as dusty.

Did you watch this prior to doing them?  http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/13404-caring-for-factory-vinyl-stripes/

Yes. This is the video that got me started. It simply doesn't turn out that way at all. Same products and same pad.

I am assuming these are vinyl stripes, but are they matte or gloss?

 

Per the title, matte vinyl. 

 

I applied Brilliant Glaze by hand on my matte black vinyl stripes on my black Dodge Challenger R/T Classic and got the same blotchy and uneven results. The Brilliant Glaze will permanently make matte vinyl stripes darker and more of a "satin" finish. The only way I was able to even it out was to use Brilliant Glaze on the red foam pads on my Cyclo polisher. It actually made the pads black (I got the pads clean again) so the glaze is permanently changing the finish on the stripes. Now the sheen is evened out and essentially looks like there's VRT on it all the time. It looks great for what it is but now it's very difficult to see the black stripes over the black paint unless the light hits it just right. I wouldn't have done it if I knew it would permanently darken them and add a sheen, but as it is, it does look very good.  

 

 

I have been able to make it a little better. I had to really layer the VRT on there and buff and buff with a couple of towels in a cross hatch pattern. It still doesn't look anywhere near how it should. Now that I have researched even further Ive also seen results where people state their VRT runs down onto the paint when it rains. Yikes. 

 

Luckily the black stripes are on white, metallic paint. But it just looks really off now. Im hoping that with subsequent washes it will eventually even back out, but sounds like that isn't the case. 

Normally when I wash I just take some waterless wash to my stripes at the end to even them out a bit. After seeing several posts on the forums as well as reading the thread dedicated to the subject, I decided to try some suggestions. So far I have tried:

 

1. Brilliant Glaze

2. VRT

3. Brilliant Glaze followed by VRT

 

These products have left my stripes an uneven, blotchy mess. I'm beyond frustrated and aggravated. I have applied and buffed, and buffed, and buffed as is mentioned in the video and it just doesn't work. It looks awful. 

 

I have a ceramic coating curing on the paint, wheels and trim. Pulling it out and giving it another wash is not an option right now. What is recommended?

When it comes, don't go crazy and spray it all over the interior or you won't be able to breathe. Spray a little on the carpet or under the seats, but just a little bit. Or like Nathan said, spray it on a towel and wipe it over the seats and leather areas. It won't hurt it, just don't spray it directly onto the leathers. It has its own "scent" but it's pleasant and then it fades away and takes the bad smells with it.

 

Really it's only one spot on the steering wheel and on the shift knob. Nothing else really has the odor attached it it. What's kind of equally disgusting is if I go drive the car for a bit, the smell transfers from the wheel and knob to my skin until I wash my hands. Would love to know what in the world this guy did.

 

As with any of the new products I'll begin with less is more. Thanks.

I ordered some of the neutralizer. I guess I was hoping something I had readily available would make due since it typically takes several days for Adam's shipments to arrive here. 

 

Thanks for the feedback all. 

Sorry to hear that. How often was he in your car? Wow.

You might try LC and/or Odor Neutralizer. Good luck.

As far as I know only on the drive back to the dealership and then from the dealership. That's about an hour per trip.

 

I applied a nice coat of LC and it seemed to fade for a bit, but after it had started to dry some more it was back. This is going to sound pretty nasty as well but for giggles I checked out the set of keys we gave him - yep, same odor on the keys. Was able to douse that in some APC and get it to go away.

 

It's not a funky smell, like poor hygiene or anything. Just as I mentioned before - like someone rubbed themselves down in a daily regimen of cologne they think actually smells decent and didn't wash it off their hands. Really starting to tick me off.

 

I've never owned the odor neutralizer. Sounds like it may be a good time to invest. I was hoping the LC would really soak in and call it a day.

Hey everyone. We took delivery of a new car a few weeks back. One of the things we worked out with the dealership was for them to add some vinyl factory stripes. They agreed and this past Monday they came and picked up the car, gave us a loaner, etc. Today, I received the car back and started to notice an unfortunate odor on the interior. It was almost like a combination of black ice air fresheners and axe body spray - not good. I cleaned everything thoroughly with leather and interior cleaner and left the car open to air out.

 

Long story short, it looks like its coming from the leather wrapped steering wheel and the leather wrapped shift knob, My best guess is, based on what I smelled when the sales guy dropped it back off, is that he bathes in some form of cologne, it was all over his hands and now the leather has soaked it up. I was luckily able to get it out of the alcantara on the seats.

 

I have tried to use the leather and interior cleaner on it almost a half dozen times, but it doesn't appear to be working very well. Any ideas on what I can use? I have a nice arsenal of Adams products at my disposal but I dont know what else, if anything, would really be safe for the leather.

Thanks for the replies. Its a Challenger. The headlights are bit of a headache to get out. It very well could be hard water. Just odd that Ive never had this issue before and why its so darn hard to get off.

 

I still have some revive and a pad. Ill try to use it with a pad by hand and see what happens.

Hey everyone. Ive been using Adams products for years and have never experienced this problem before. Over the weekend I was washing my car and missed the headlights when drying. Came back later when I was claying and noticed the shampoo appeared to have dried. I could not get this to come off for the life of me. I even look some APC to it and also tried the claybar. Its like its in a solid formation on the outside of my headlights now.

 

Just to clarify, these were not on the headlights prior to washing. I remember because a neighbor that had stopped by wanted to see the halos prior to my washing. Pic is below. Any ideas on what to do?

 

I saw a few posts up that the ok was given for following up rinseless wash with detail spray. Im curious if anyone has actually tried that though? 

 

I have to admit Im still a bit skeptical each time i use this. I see a lot of dirt come off with my wet towel and still see a bit come off with my dry towel but not much. I think I would be worried if I come across a cranny I missed and catch some dirt wouldn't I inadvertently grind the dirt into the paint?

Great info all, thanks for that. I get tired of lugging the dyson out to the garage all the time. I looked at the rigid the other day at home depot and it looks like a good size. Nothing too big to lug around. Next pay check I think I'll grab one.

 

Thanks again!

As it stands I've been lugging our home vacuum out to the garage and using attachments when working on the car. Obviously this is a pain and its big and bulky.

 

I've seen posts where people mention the metro vac and how it's the way to go even over a shop vac. I don't see it on the store anymore. Which model is everyone using?

Well everyone - I know this topic is a few weeks old - but today I had the decision made for me. My wife and I celebrated our anniversary today and when I came home I had a shiny new cyclo waiting on me. I don't even remember ever mentioning wanting one to her. She's definitely a keeper!

Hey everyone. I have a 2014 Challenger R/T and a garage full of Adam's products. Gallons of products and everything I need to hand polish a vehicle, which is what I have been doing for years. I have not corrected my Challenger since being purchased. 

 

I'm not overly excited with hand polishing again and am looking to take a step up to machine polishing. It sounds like the Cyclo is the best long term solution for me - but budget is an issue. 

 

As it stands, I have been looking at the starter kit. Unfortunately I am someone that suffers from "upgrade-itis"and start to look at higher kits and suddenly Im looking at spending several hundreds of dollars more than what I may need. 

 

Keeping in mind that I have everything I need already to clay, wash, hand polish etc... which kit would you all suggest that gives me what I need for that correction I'm looking to do but not overdoing it on extras?

 

For example, it looks like the complete kit gets me some additional pads and a paint sealant. The brilliance kit gets me a glaze and americana (Ive only used buttery in the past) but no sealant. I still have plenty of buttery wax at home too, which I would rather go through before I switch waxes. 

 

Would something like the starter kit be fine for now - but maybe step it up and grab some sealant and a pad prior to winter? Ive even toyed with the idea of getting the brilliance kit and using the buttery wax on my wife's car and the americana on mine - then picking up some sealant before winter. 

 

Seemed like a good time to jump on a kit with the special going on. But as someone that does have other expenses I need to worry about, Im looking at what will get me where Id like to be for now - and maybe building out the rest later. 

 

Hope that makes sense. Sorry for being so long-winded.