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Norton

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Everything posted by Norton

  1. Yes but, assuming the liner is textured and not just hard plastic, it's manageable.
  2. Happy to TRY to help. Be careful as you escalate the aggressiveness of your tools - you don't want to make a bad situation worse! (Toward that end, I'd avoid the heat gun.) I cover my Shelby throughout the winter months, but it's tucked safely in the garage and the climate here is very dry, so I've never had a problem. If your car is stored outside, you definitely need to give things a chance to air-dry without being sandwiched against the paint. Your pool noodle plan might work but, another consideration when using a cover outside is wind. Over time the action of the wind moving the cover will cause marring/scratching on the paint. As if that's not bad enough, there's no way to keep a certain amount of dust/dirt from making its way under the cover (especially as water makes its way through) where it will increase the probability of paint damage. I'm not sure what kind of cover you have but, if covering the car outside is your only option, make sure it's a quality one designed for outdoor inclement weather use and that both the car and cover are clean every time you put it on.
  3. I was afraid that might be the case. I'm sure others will chime-in if they have other ideas, but I'm not aware of anything besides polishing/compounding or repainting to fix the issue. I hadn't heard it called "color correction" previously but, aside from the use of water rather than Detail Spray, that's a pretty typical paint correction.The biggest negative side-effect might have been marring from the clay bar, since water probably didn't lubricate it sufficiently. That would have been obvious while you were using the clay, and polishing should have removed the marring.
  4. Where are you located? "Seal my car... for winter" implies a colder climate? Assuming that's the case, I'd worry less about shine/gloss and go for something that provides better/longer-lasting protection. With that in mind, I recommend either a ceramic coating maintained with Ceramic Boost, or Paint Sealant maintained with H2O Guard & Gloss. I don't bother with wax or Detail Spray in the winter, since they're less durable than either of the previous options.
  5. I think you answered your own question - if you plan to (re-)coat the car, I wouldn't worry about what may or may not be there from the previous owner. Your observation of trim discoloration does point to probable waxing/sealing, rather than a ceramic coating. (You can clean-up the trim by scrubbing it with Tire & Rubber Cleaner on a Utility Towel.) For the rest of the car, I recommend a bath with Strip Wash (Dawn dish liquid also works, but SW is safer on rubber/plastic moldings.) and Iron Remover. FWIW, I always clay and polish before sealing/coating. If you're going to polish, a Clay Mitt is faster and easier than a clay bar. (If you're not going to polish, you may want to stick with less aggressive Fine Clay.) As I said, I recommend polishing after claying. Whether you polish or not, you'll want to wipe the car down with Surface Prep prior to coating. (Dilluted Isopropyl Alcohol also works, but SP smells and works better.) When that's complete, you're ready to (re-)coat.
  6. While you're not introducing more moisture or anything else into the product, your applicators are becoming saturated with product. In my experience, that makes it hard to apply a thin coat of product and increases streaking. I get better results when I treat my applicators like my microfiber - cleaning and drying them between use. As with most things, I supposed YMMV.
  7. What, exactly, is the "color correction" to which you refer? Did it involve any type of coating? Is the car covered indoors or outdoors? Are you in a dry or moist climate? I've seen that effect previously on a car that was covered outdoors in a moist climate. IIRC, it appeared in areas where the cover became damp and laid directly on the paint for an extened period. Treatability depends on how deep the effect is... I'd try polishing it. If that doesn't work, I'd move to compound. If that doesn't work, you may be looking at repainting the area.
  8. FWIW, I clean mine following each use, let them dry, and store them in the wax containers.
  9. +1. I've used diluted Rinseless as Waterless for years. IMO, it works better than Waterless to pre-treat bug guts on leading surfaces.
  10. Apologies for the unexplained acronym. Mine go in to soak immediately following use. I maintain three vehicles, plus my son sometimes uses my stuff on his truck, so they probably don't sit/soak more than a week or two. Thanks for clarifying my acronym. I forgot to mention I've boiled many of mine at least once, just because I wanted to see how it worked. While I can't say it made them "like new," it certainly didn't do them any harm. FWIW, I've never done anything special to the washer or dryer (aside from making sure they were empty) before processing my MF. Also, if your water heater dispenses 140+ degree water, you risk scalding anyone who inadvertantly pushes the handle too far to the left. Unless someone in your household has a suppressed immune system, something closer to 120 degrees is considered optimal. Obviously, YMMV. Aside from that, I agree with the other recommendations (i.e., pre-soak, no commercial machines, two rinses, vinegar in the bleach tray, no bleach, no fabric softener, no dryer sheets, no other fabrics mixed-in).
  11. I've washed my microfiber in our household washer for nearly a decade with ZERO ill-effects on anything (i.e., the microfiber, the washer, the dryer, or other clothing/fabrics washed/dried separately in the machines). I soak my towels in water with MRB amd white vinegar immediately following use, until I wash them. I pre-treat heavily-soiled areas with APC and wash in hot water with dye-free/perfume-free liquid HE detergent and extra rinse cycle. I dry them on low heat and no softner, usually pulling them before completely dry and allowing them to air-dry for that last little bit. Since microfiber can be "rejuvenated" with a dip in boiling (200+ degrees) water and white vinegar solution, I don't see how hot tap water (~115 degrees) is going to hurt the towels. LOL! I never asked. I've just always washed/dried my microfiber in the household washer/dryer we both helped buy and pay to operate. There's no way I'm trundling to a laundromat and using machines that have had God only knows what in them, when we have perfectly good, clean machines a few steps from my garage.
  12. That definitely does not look like "streaks." The blotchy appearance leads me to agree with Chris, regarding possible clear coat failure, but believe any attempt to polish should be made with something more aggressive than Revive and a hand applicator. I suggest trying an orbital with Correcting (or even Heavy Correcting) Polish and appropriate pad. While doubtful it can be resurrected, that might delay wrapping or repainting.
  13. I don't claim to KNOW the rationale but, if I was to hazard a guess, I'd say there was nothing "bad" with APC. Like your fast food example, many companies try to cultivate more "healthy" or "ecologically conscious" images as consumers increasingly concern themselves with such things. I suspect that's what prompted development of products like ECO APC and ECO WC. I'm confident I wasn't alone in my consternation over the loss of APC, which led to its return.
  14. Not sure what your point is? I see ECO APC as Adam's "New Coke" experiment. APC "Classic" is back for a reason...
  15. I agree with your first points about regular APC's performance and scent, which make me wonder why you'd stock a very similar (yet lesser preferred) product? 🤔 The fact that Eco APC "replaced" regular APC for a brief period, after which regular APC returned, tells me what I need to know and confirms which one I'll stock/use. 😉
  16. You won't go wrong with any Adam's towels. FWIW, I'm an (old school) fan of waffle weave drying towels and I always blow dry before wiping down, so my go to is the Great White Microfiber Drying Towel. I also like having extra towels available, and the lower price on Great Whites makes that easier to do. That said, the Ultra Plush works really well and the Jumbo Plush holds an incredible amount of water.
  17. I have a Cylco on which I've used nothing but Adam's 4" pads since I bought it, so the answer to your question is yes - any of the 4" pads should be fine. Two years of neglect means your car needs the full treatment regimen! Good luck and don't forget to post some before/after pics!
  18. FWIW, I've used nothing but "real" APC and (Deep) Wheel Cleaner for most of the last decade. (Call me a rebel, but I tend to avoid PC things because, in my experience, they tend to less effective than their non-PC counterparts.) Neither I, my car, nor the surrounding landscape have suffered any ill effects. Like @RayS, I have no issue with the smell of APC, and I don't think I know anyone who's a fan of (Deep) Wheel Cleaner's odor. Obviously, YMMV.
  19. Welcome back! Thankfully, your cyclo should be unaffected by time. The same is probably true of the pads, assuming they were new (or cleaned well) and stored properly. Chemicals are little trickier. Stored in a dark, cool, temperature-stable location, they MIGHT have been OK. If exposed to sunlight or extreme temps (as your were), they're likely no good. I recommend you start with fresh supplies. What you use depends on the condition of your car and whether you intend to go down the ceramic path. The broad strokes havent' changed much - wash, decontaminate & clay, polish, and then wax / seal or coat it. Check out the Learn area for tutorials.
  20. You can use either one. Non-ceramic Waterless Wash is designed to remove dirt, grime, and debris safely without damaging your finish; but it provides no protection. Ceramic Waterless performs the same safe cleaning function, but it's infused with SiO2, so it adds protection while you clean.
  21. Waxing is definitely NOT a good idea. Depending on the condition of the plastic, level of effort you want to invest, and length of protection you're looking to enjoy, VRT, Black Trim Restorer, Ceramic Spray Coating, and Ceramic Trim Coating are all potentially suitable.
  22. I haven't used it on rims, but I have used it on some pretty rough exhaust tips. It worked well, returning them to like new condition. Keep in mind many factory wheels finishes are labeled "polished" but, in reality, are clear coated. To confirm, try a little bit of polish on an inconspicuous area. If you get a black residue on the applicator, your wheels are not coated and can be metal polished. If you don't, your wheels are clear coated and should be polished with paint-appropriate polish & pads.
  23. Coating the wheels before installation is defintiely easiest and ensures the wheels are protected from day 1, when they're pristine. That said, your concern regarding difficulty getting weights to adhere is valid. Years ago, in a time before Adam's offered ceramics and before the EPA forced the withdrawal of Quick Sealant from the market, I Quick Sealed a new set of FJ Special Edition Anthracite wheels for my Tacoma before having my son (who worked at Discount Tire) mount and balance the tires. He had a LOT of trouble getting the tape weights to adhere, requiring an alcohol scrub of the area and heating the weights to soften the adhesive. Ceramic coatings are slicker and sturdier than Quick Sealant...
  24. Another young Padawan graduates to Jedi master. (They grow up so fast... 😪) Congrats, Chris!
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