What product do you use for the deepest wettest looking gloss?

[joebruin77]

@joebruin77 What product do you recommend to remove minor imperfections - such as surface scratches, prior to using the Jescar Powerlock and Collinite wax?

Hi, SilverGS. I would basically do a one-step paint correction with a DA polisher. Since I now have PPF on my entire M3, it has been a while since I have done this. But for minor imperfections on non-PPF painted surfaces, I would recommend using a polish such as Meguiar's Ultimate Polish with the DA polisher and with either a polishing pad or a pad with mild cutting abilities. If the imperfections are more pronounced, then you could first use Meguiar's Ultimate Compound, then followed by Meguiar's Ultimate Polish.

Remember when you do any paint correction, what you are really doing is removing a small layer of the clearcoat. So you always want to start with the least aggressive combo of product and pad that is necessary to get the job done. That's why I start with the polish and only use the compound if the polish did not work.

Try the polish on a test area. If it gets rid of the imperfections then move on to the rest of the car. But if your test area still has scratches, swirls, then try the compound. Only move on to the rest of the car once you find the right product and pad that works.

I have used the Meguiar's Ultimate Polish and Compound in the past. They are very user friendly. If I were to do a paint correction today, I would be curious to try out Optimum's line of polishes and compounds. I saw a video on youtube of Yvan with Optimum using these products . Perhaps because they are liquids you spray on the pad instead of a paste, they seemed even more user friendly:

Compound & Polishing'

After you finish your paint correction, you would want to wipe down the car with an IPA solution such as Carpro Eraser to remove the residue of the polish or compound before applying the sealant or wax.

 

[joebruin77]

Not sure why the OP is biased against ceramic just because it's difficult to remove. Why would you remove it?

Because he plans on adding PPF to the rest of his car at some point in the future. You cannot place PPF on top of ceramic.

 

[acarney]

Not sure why the OP is biased against ceramic just because it's difficult to remove. Why would you remove it? It seals the clearcoat and makes it very hydrophobic, and it provides gloss. And it lasts a really long time. It makes the car super easy to return to that glassy wet condition when you wash it because less junk can get embedded in the clearcoat.

Not knocking the various products being listed in the thread, but with just homeowner-grade ceramic, I get a high-gloss detailed look every time I leave the touchless car wash bay.

If you're looking for the glossiest of the glossy look, you're better off buffing out the orange peel introduced at the factory. After that, any product you apply will make your car super glossy.

Because I don’t have the full car covered in PPF and I’ve heard it isn’t really advised to put PPF over ceramic. Since I’m fairly certain I’ll get PPF applied to the rear and doors once the wallet recovers from buying the car & $2800 front PPF and tint I’m looking for something to just boost the shine short term...

 

[Saibot]

I went with Opticoat Pro Plus ceramic coating on my M3. No coating on my wife's car. Both get washed with ONR and I use Hyper-Seal as my drying aid. That looks great.
Then I top it off with Beadmaker. That looks AMAZING.

Both of our cars are black and that process makes them both look like the paint is wet.
(Edit, trying to add a recent cruddy phone pic)

 

[Fernand]

It seems that the care and focus you put into it will lead you to your best solution. It's always down to trial and error. I can't see spending thousands on PPF, for a number of reasons. It's great how people get amazing results with all sorts of products.

The PPF people will prep your surface, that always eats a bit into the clear coat, so IMHO no need for you to torture it now. In the meantime, you could try an ONRW regimen. I'm no expert, but it works OK for me. If you don't like it, easy to try something else.

Do an initial deep clean, with claying to the degree that you can handle. Then, and as maintenance, hose-rinse the car as needed, then rinse off the tap water by spraying on ~1 gal distilled water, so you now have no minerals in the water on the car panels.

• Soak car by spraying on ONRW 1/128 in distilled water (~1 Oz for 1 gal), bringing the ONRW on car to the recommended ~ 1/256.
• Wipe and lift up crap with fresh microfiber surfaces wet with the ONRW solution. If you've never used ONR you will be surprised. You'll end up using ~2 gallons of distilled water and 1 oz of ONRW, that's ~$2.50 per wash.
• Quick dry/buff. The distilled water makes the drying less demanding, as any remaining moisture leaves no water spots. Some people add a trace of various detailers and "drying aids" on the drying towels for more shine.

Periodically add a paste waxing onto the trace carnauba left from the ONRW. I tried many waxes, and the 3M gave me the fattest wettest look. Turtle Wax Ice paste wax lasts longer, but is not as gorgeous.
.

 

[XLR82XS]

If for sure no PPF and coating, try Wolfgang. My friend with a Ferrari and other cars swears by it.
Wolfgang Car Care Products

 

[bigroo42]

Total side note but I thought I'd throw it in here instead of starting a new thread..... Does anyone else have a major finger print issue? I have 5 yr ceramic professionaly installed and anywhere I touch on the paint leaves a crazy noticeable finger print. Kinda maddening. I thought, incorrectly, that a side benefit of ceramic would be finger prints not showing up as much.

And one more thing : what's a good way to know I have a good ceramic coating? I don't see a noticeable difference in shine from when I first bought the car. Does the 'difference' start to show in the months / years to come? Thanks for all the tips!

 

[N54TT]

Total side note but I thought I'd throw it in here instead of starting a new thread..... Does anyone else have a major finger print issue? I have 5 yr ceramic professionaly installed and anywhere I touch on the paint leaves a crazy noticeable finger print. Kinda maddening. I thought, incorrectly, that a side benefit of ceramic would be finger prints not showing up as much.

And one more thing : what's a good way to know I have a good ceramic coating? I don't see a noticeable difference in shine from when I first bought the car. Does the 'difference' start to show in the months / years to come? Thanks for all the tips!

Ceramic coatings are hydrophobic not really oleophobic...so don’t really do anything to prevent fingerprints. What brand ceramic coating did they apply? Regardless....I don’t really care much for these 5yr coatings....as you’ll probably need to have some paint correction and re-application more often than 5yrs. So paying the $$ for 5yr coatings isn’t worth it imo. If you didn’t notice a difference right after the coating was applied....you never will. BTW...most of the professional 5yr coatings are the same coating as 1-2 yr just with additional applications/layers.

 

[groovidad]

I use HydroSilex Recharge. It's a "ceramic spray" Whatever it is, I've never felt my car be so smooth to the touch just like after a good wax and polish and especially for so long. I recommend. Whatever their formula, it goes deep and holds nicely for weeks

I have Tech. Choice Ceramic Detail Spray, Optimum and Hydro Silex. I have to say, also, The Hydro Silex REALLY leaves the finish slick with a deep, lustrous shine. I use the TC every other weekend and the Hydro on off weeks. My car is hardly ever dirty and always looks great!

 

[bigroo42]

Ceramic coatings are hydrophobic not really oleophobic...so don’t really do anything to prevent fingerprints. What brand ceramic coating did they apply? Regardless....I don’t really care much for these 5yr coatings....as you’ll probably need to have some paint correction and re-application more often than 5yrs. So paying the $$ for 5yr coatings isn’t worth it imo. If you didn’t notice a difference right after the coating was applied....you never will. BTW...most of the professional 5yr coatings are the same coating as 1-2 yr just with additional applications/layers.

He used ceramic pro silver. Thanks for the info.... I wish I would have done more research honestly. But I got a decently good package deal. Full frontal ppf, ceramic tint on all windows (1 piece in back) and 5 yr ceramic coating for 2200 including tax. And the shop has stellar, long term reviews. Not seeing the value in the ceramic coating. And honestly I'm scared to take it thru any car wash, touchless or not.... :/

 

[tccartier]

Wizards Mist and Shine.

 

[N54TT]

He used ceramic pro silver. Thanks for the info.... I wish I would have done more research honestly. But I got a decently good package deal. Full frontal ppf, ceramic tint on all windows (1 piece in back) and 5 yr ceramic coating for 2200 including tax. And the shop has stellar, long term reviews. Not seeing the value in the ceramic coating. And honestly I'm scared to take it thru any car wash, touchless or not.... :/

Ceramic pro 9H is a pretty popular professional applied coating...along with cquartz finest. I would stay away from car washes. The ceramic is tough...but will still swirl. What’s interesting is that car pro’s website says you need to have annual services to maintain the warranty. Wonder what that entails and cost.

 

[joebruin77]

what's a good way to know I have a good ceramic coating? I don't see a noticeable difference in shine from when I first bought the car.

Here is a really informative video that answers this and many other questions about ceramic coatings. As the video mentions, if you applied the ceramic coating directly to the paint (as opposed to being applied on top of PPF), then getting the paint as clean and swirl/scratch free as possible prior to application is key. Any swirls, scratches, or contaminants left on the paint will be sealed in semi-permanently once the ceramic coating is applied.

Again, as he states in the video, you can think of a good ceramic coating as a semi-permanent wax or sealant. Your car should look like it was just waxed. And as long as you wash it fequently and use any recommended ceramic boost, it should look that way for quite a long time.

Finally, I like how in this video he goes over what a ceramic coating realistically does and also what are common unrealistic and false claims.

 

[joebruin77]

@joebruin77 What product do you recommend to remove minor imperfections - such as surface scratches, prior to using the Jescar Powerlock and Collinite wax?

In regards to your question about how to remove minor imperfections, I just thought of one other option besides a paint correction using compound or polish.

Everytime you do a paint correction, you are removing a very tiny layer of your car's clear coat. So if you want to remove or at least significantly reduce swirls and scratches without removing any clear coat, there is an alternative, albeit temporary option and that is to use a glaze.

Previous to my Tesla, I had a Subaru WRX. I had accidentally induced some swirls (MF towels dried on too a high a temperature were the likely culprit). I did not own a DA polisher and I wanted to do something about my swirls. So I came across Poorboy's World Black Hole Glaze. A glaze will not remove clear coat, but it will fill in the swirls and scratches. Here is a video (jump to time mark 2:06 to see the before and after results).

The swirl and scratch reduction is dramatic, but it is only temporary as eventually the glaze will wear off and the swirls and scratches will reemerge. You can prolong the benefit of the glaze by applying a good quality wax on top of it. And, unlike a paint correction, you can apply a glaze much more frequently witihout removing any clearcoat. You can apply a glaze either by hand or with a DA polisher.

 

[SilverGS]

@joebruin77 Thanks for all the tips/suggestions!

 

[outdoors]

I have had great results with below. I have full ppf on both cars. One ceramic coated one not. I bought the gallon concentrate. I wash with ONR, then finish with this. Lasts long enough for me. Price point is nice as well. Didn't really want to go the whole wax world. Car is washed once a week in garage, then this is applied depending on how nice the next 4 or 5 days looks. If not. I skip it.

I use it when I take the cars to an EV show or something like that. Makes the car really pop next to others. You can't hardly believe car has 82k on it.

Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer

From link:

Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer adds the most gloss and slickness to the paint finish. This water-based, environmentally friendly formula utilizes fluoropolymers, which repel dust, dirt, and oil. Regular applications between washes will keep your vehicle looking cleaner and, of course, much slicker!

You can use Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss in several ways:

Use it in conjunction with Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine or Optimum Car Wash, by spraying it on the panels as you dry the vehicle. This will create a super slick, incredibly glossy finish.

Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer is also an excellent companion product to Optimum Opti-Seal where Opti-Seal's main objective is protection, Optimum Instant Detailer pours on the gloss and slickness.

The combination can’t be beat! Wait about 30 minutes after applying Opti-Seal to use Optimum Instant Detailer.

Use Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer to maintain the gloss and boost the protection of Optimum Car Wax. In fact, Instant Detailer can be used on paint, metal, glass, and plastics.

 

[Esamuel87]

This stuff is nice and easy to apply and makes your car shiny and slick.

Shine Armor Fortify Quick Coat - Ceramic Coating - Car Wax Spray - Waterless Car Wash & Wax - Hydrophobic Top Coat Polish & Polymer Paint Sealant Protection https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LHB3B2Q/

I installed a full PPF kit and ceramic tints right away when I got my M3P but do you know if I can use the shine armor still. I also did a chrome delete but ya I work from home n barely drive because of the pandemic, I still use the car n know all about charging, battery health etc. Anyway I appreciate any feedback about what I first asked and here’s a pic right after the installation, had the car since early March and still only at 1500 miles but looks great as I also have a garage for it with home charging, an easy n clean NEMA 14-50 set up

 

[joebruin77]

I installed a full PPF kit and ceramic tints right away when I got my M3P but do you know if I can use the shine armor still. I also did a chrome delete but ya I work from home n barely drive because of the pandemic, I still use the car n know all about charging, battery health etc. Anyway I appreciate any feedback about what I first asked and here’s a pic right after the installation, had the car since early March and still only at 1500 miles but looks great as I also have a garage for it with home charging, an easy n clean NEMA 14-50 set up

Most ceramic-infused spray sealants are safe for PPF, but I would email the manufacturer and ask to double check.

I have to give the disclaimer that I have not personally used Shine Armor. That said, I have seen several reviews online about how Shine Armor breaks down very easily and is not durable at all. Here is one such review:

In this review of 20 ceramic spray sealants, Shine Armor was the first to completely fail after 1 or 2 washes. I personally would avoid Shine Armor and F11. I would instead choose Griot's 3 in 1 Spray Sealant, The Last Coat 2.0, Opticoat Hyperseal, Xtreme Solutions's PolySeal, Technicians Choice Ceramic Detail Spray, or even Turtle Wax Seal and Shine.

Hope that helps.

 

[Urbancowboy]

@joebruin77 I picked up the Xtreme PolySeal based on your recommendation in another thread. I wash with ONR and then apply the PS by spraying directly onto a wet MF towel and wiping down the wet car. I end up with streaks or a slight residue with this method and typically have to go back over most of the car with a dry MF to get a good, clean shine. Do you have any suggestions for using PS that would be a single step after washing? Thanks.

 

[joebruin77]

@joebruin77 I picked up the Xtreme PolySeal based on your recommendation in another thread. I wash with ONR and then apply the PS by spraying directly onto a wet MF towel and wiping down the wet car. I end up with streaks or a slight residue with this method and typically have to go back over most of the car with a dry MF to get a good, clean shine. Do you have any suggestions for using PS that would be a single step after washing? Thanks.

Hey, Urbancowboy,
What you described is actually the normal application process for PolySeal. First you apply it using a damp MF towel and then dry/buff to a shine using a second dry MF towel. Because PolySeal contains carnauba and synthetic waxes, it is often necessary to use the second, dry MF towel to buff the wax to a beautiful shine. I think of the first damp towel as the applicator and the second dry towel as the one that buffs/removes the product. I personally like this experience as it reminds me of applying a wax and then buffing it to a shine. It is very satisfying to use.

But if you prefer a one-step application, there is an alternative application that would probably work better for you. Since your car is already wet with the ONR solution, you don't need to use the dampened MF towel to apply the PolySeal. An alternative application method with a car that is already wet after a wash is to spray a small amount of PolySeal directly onto the wet, clean panel and then dry using a clean MF towel. Also, if you have quite a bit of streaking, that could be a sign that you may be using too much product. You only need one spray per panel.

If you don't like the need to buff the wax to a shine, then you may prefer the experience of other ceramic-infused spray sealants that do not contain wax such as Opticoat's HyperSeal or Technicians Choice Ceramic Detail Spray. I recall really enjoying TC Ceramic Detail Spray as a drying aid. It leaves a really slick feeling under the towel as you wipe it and smells like Pina Colada. I prefer PolySeal over TC CDS as I think it amps up the gloss more than TC CDS.

Hope that helps,
joebruin77