Critical Details: Cermaic Paint Coating Application - CADILLAC CTS

This Mocha Steel Metallic CADILLAC CTS received its first detail in its four years and 40,000-miles of driving. The paint had accumulated a lot of rust blooms and road tar over the course of its lifespan. Even before washing the paint, it was clear that a healthy application of CarPro IronX and TarX was going to be in order. After the paint had been chemically and mechanically decontaminated it was time to polish it to perfection with the Rupes Bigfoot 15 and Rupes LHR 75ES dual action polishers. After the paint had been lightly polished, it was time to apply the ceramic paint coating.

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The wheels were cleaned using Optimum Power Clean diluted at 3/1 in a Kwazar pressure sprayer that’s equipped with a foaming tip. The foaming tip helps improve dwell time a little bit depending on which product is being used. The wheel barrels were deep cleaned using the Daytona Speed Master brush and the wheel faces cleaned using a Montana Original Boar Hair wheel brush. The wheel wells were cleaned using a generic long-reach nylon brush to provide the deepest clean possible without removing the wheels.

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Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to pre-soak the paint before physically touching it with any wash media. A 2.6gpm/3,000psi pressure washer was used with a 40-degree tip to remove as much of the loose contamination as possible before using the foam cannon. After adding a few ounces of Optimum Car Wash to the MTM Foam Cannon V2, it was time to cover the Mocha Steel Metallic paint with the thickest imaginable foam. After using the MTM V1 with excellent results and reliability for many years, it was an easy decision to purchase the new and improved foam cannon.

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After the foam pre-soak was complete, the two bucket hand car wash commenced. Microfiber wash mitts were used to clean the paint and glass. Each panel on the CADILLAC was cleaned one by one, and the wash mitt was rinsed before cleaning the next panel. Both buckets were equipped with Grit Guards to minimize the possibility of wash induced marring occurring.

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Now that all unbonded contamination had been removed, it was the Iron and Tar removers turn to do the heavy work. The paint had fairly large rust blooms that were deep below the clear coat’s surface. If a car is clayed and polished on a regular basis, iron removers aren’t always necessary to remove light rust blooms. However, this was not the case with the CADILLAC CTS and it required roughly 300ml of CarPro IronX to decontaminate the paint and wheels.

The road tar had been baked on for a lengthy period of time, and the clay bar was no match for the rock hard asphalt. Luckily CarPro TarX is incredibly effective even at removing baked on road tar that has solidified. Within a matter of seconds, TarX went to work dissolving the stubborn contamination that was present on both the wheels and tires.

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After the chemical decontamination was complete, the clay bar got its turn at removing the remaining contamination. While brake dust constitutes the largest percentage of contamination buildup on almost every car, there are still other forms of environmental and industrial contamination. Whether it’s overspray, tree sap, or bug guts, the clay bar will safely remove these bonded contaminants from the paint.

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Now that the paint is free of all bonded contamination, it’s safe to begin polishing out the swirls and scratches. The CADILLAC CTS was only lightly swirled, but the outermost layer of clear coat was very dirty and caused the paint to appear dull. Think of a paint correction like exfoliating the paint to reveal a fresh surface. The picture of these polishing pads is a strong reminder that dirt and debris can work its way into the paint’s pores and hide below the reach of the clay bar. Let this be a strong reminder that carnauba wax, paint sealant, or ceramic coating should never be applied to unpolished paint. Not only will the paint not shine to its full potential, but the last step product being applied will suffer from diminished durability.

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Menzerna Super Finish 3800 Plus was used in conjunction with a Lake Country HD orange pad to prepare the paint for the ceramic coating application. Lake Country HD buffing pads are a must for long-throw polishers and work amazingly with Rupes polishers. The dual density foam minimizes binding and allows the downward pressure to be more effectively applied to the paint. The reduced binding is especially beneficial when it comes to polishing curved panels and overall provides a higher level of correction than traditional flat pads sold by numerous manufacturers.

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CarPro Ceriglass combined with a CarPro glass polishing pad was used to remove water spots from all glass. The sunroof had particularly bad mineral deposits with some spots requiring multiple rounds of polishing. While Ceriglass will remove the heaviest of water spots, it doesn’t provide much improvement when it comes to minimizing wiper blade scratches. Thankfully, ceramic glass coatings drastically decrease surface friction and allow the wipers to glide over the glass with less resistance. Much like car paint, it’s better to protect it properly when the car is new rather than trying to reverse years of improper car care.

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After using paint coatings on my cars and client cars for seven years and I’ll never go back to traditional waxes and sealants! Paint coatings offer a much strong sacrificial barrier and provide a higher lever of protection to the clear coat from scratches and water spots. Applying a paint coating after a paint correction is like reapplying the clear coat that was just removed with a stronger version. Maintaining the clear coat’s thickness is crucial to prolong the lifespan of the car’s paint and ensure that future paint defects can be safely removed.

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Detailing Services:
Minor Paint Correction
Rust Bloom Removal
Road Tar Removal
Paint Coating Application
Glass Coating Application
Wheel Coating Application
Total Time - 14 hours

Car Care Products:
All-Purpose Cleaner – Optimum Power Clean
Glass/Paint Cleaner – 20% Isopropyl Alcohol/Distilled Water
Car Shampoo – Optimum Car Wash
Iron Remover – CarPro IronX
Tar Remover – CarPro TarX
Clay Bar – Medium Grade
Clay Lube – Optimum Car Wash
Paint Polish – Menzerna Super Finish 3800 Plus
Glass Polish – CarPro Ceriglass
Buffing Pads – Lake Country HD Orange, CarPro Glass
Paint Coating – Pinnacle Black Diamond
Glass Coating – Pinnacle Black Diamond
Wheel Coating – Pinnacle Black Diamond
Tire Shine – Pinnacle Black Onyx