2016 Mazda Miata Winter Prep

[cwp2016nd]

Just did a small winter prep on my Mazda Miata this past weekend. 

 

I plan on ceramic coating my winter wheels before I put them on to experiment with different coatings. For now, I just did the paint/body work. 

 

My process was this - 

 

Wheels done with wheel cleaner & soap/water mixture

Tires scrubbed with degreaser

Fender wells sprayed with degreaser

Tires dressed with Tire Shine 

 

Paint pre-rinsed to get heavier dirt off

Paint then pre-soaked with degreaser diluted 5:1 to break down any remaining wax/traffic film

Wash car with a rinseless wash and use a paint prep as a "drying aid" to ensure a clean panel 

Apply paint sealant - buff off after 30 minutes of sitting. 

Windows cleaned with rinseless wash/glass cleaner/paint prep

Rain-X applied to windshield - Paint sealant applied to side windows and rear window.

Plastic trim dressed with trim dressing

 

Come Spring time I plan on applying ceramic coating to the entire vehicle including the plastic trim. I've seen a lot of people say it is hard to get a white care to "pop" or "glow" but as long as your paint is clean and flat, you will have some nice shine & gloss. I maintain my car all year long and do not let it get bad. It gets clayed twice a year and iron remover 3-4 times a year (I live 50 feet from a set of train tracks). Here's a few pictures.

 

Don't mind that sticker on the windshield, I scraped that and cleaned/sealed that area after I took those pictures. 

[cwp2016nd]

8 hours ago, cwp2016nd said:

 

 

Edited October 16, 2018 by cwp2016nd

[ObsessedDetailer]

1 hour ago, cwp2016nd said:

Just did a small winter prep on my Mazda Miata this past weekend. 

 

I plan on ceramic coating my winter wheels before I put them on to experiment with different coatings. For now, I just did the paint/body work. 

 

My process was this - 

 

Wheels done with wheel cleaner & soap/water mixture

Tires scrubbed with degreaser

Fender wells sprayed with degreaser

Tires dressed with Tire Shine 

 

Paint pre-rinsed to get heavier dirt off

Paint then pre-soaked with degreaser diluted 5:1 to break down any remaining wax/traffic film

Wash car with a rinseless wash and use a paint prep as a "drying aid" to ensure a clean panel 

Apply paint sealant - buff off after 30 minutes of sitting. 

Windows cleaned with rinseless wash/glass cleaner/paint prep

Rain-X applied to windshield - Paint sealant applied to side windows and rear window.

Plastic trim dressed with trim dressing

 

Come Spring time I plan on applying ceramic coating to the entire vehicle including the plastic trim. I've seen a lot of people say it is hard to get a white care to "pop" or "glow" but as long as your paint is clean and flat, you will have some nice shine & gloss. I maintain my car all year long and do not let it get bad. It gets clayed twice a year and iron remover 3-4 times a year (I live 50 feet from a set of train tracks). Here's a few pictures.

 

Don't mind that sticker on the windshield, I scraped that and cleaned/sealed that area after I took those pictures. 

Looks great!!! I am curious how well it will do in NY snow though...? you’ll have to let us know!!

[cwp2016nd]

3 hours ago, ObsessedDetailer said:

Looks great!!! I am curious how well it will do in NY snow though...? you’ll have to let us know!!

How well the sealant or the car will do in the snow? Lol. 

[@Dmax_HD]

24 minutes ago, cwp2016nd said:

How well the sealant or the car will do in the snow? Lol. 

 

The car ?!

[cwp2016nd]

3 hours ago, Iceman said:

 

The car ?!

The car does quite well considering what type of vehicle it is. I typically raise the ride height for the winter (I have coilovers) so it helps a little bit. 

 

I also have a seperate set of wheels with bridgestone blizzak tires for snowy/cold months. I am going to order some ceramic coating next week and get them coated before I put the wheels on in a couple months. 

[@Dmax_HD]

2 minutes ago, cwp2016nd said:

The car does quite well considering what type of vehicle it is. I typically raise the ride height for the winter (I have coilovers) so it helps a little bit. 

 

I also have a seperate set of wheels with bridgestone blizzak tires for snowy/cold months. I am going to order some ceramic coating next week and get them coated before I put the wheels on in a couple months. 

 

Very cool!  Some much needed adjustments to make it more “snow” ready for those NY winters.  Let me know what you think of the ceramic wheel coatings.  My son is thinking about doing his wheels with it.

[ObsessedDetailer]

3 hours ago, cwp2016nd said:

How well the sealant or the car will do in the snow? Lol. 

 

2 hours ago, Iceman said:

 

The car ?!

Yes the car! Haha. That’s great though

[cwp2016nd]

Here was my pre-work fun in January of this year  This thing never gets old. If you don't drive your cars you can't enjoy them!!