Suggestions for my Mercedes Dream Car

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Shortspark

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For years I have been dying to have a car like this and a couple months ago I finally bought a new 2017 MB CLS550 with that great 278 V8 twin turbo and 9 speed tranny. It is comfortable, luxurious but also it is a beast!! I previously owned a MB ML350 SUV in the same color - Diamond White. Here is what I did when I first got this car and it essentially is the same as what I did during four years of ownership of the previous SUV:

When I took delivery I told the dealer not to wash it. I got it home and washed it thoroughly with Chemical Guys Citrus Clear shampoo. I then did the baggie test and found the vertical surfaces were smooth as silk. Only the horizontal surfaces (hood, trunk and roof) needed a touch of clay even though this thing came all the way from Germany (I used Nanoskin fine grade sponge). I washed the car again after using the Nano.

My next step was using P21S Paintwork Cleanser, a product that always performed well for me with the previous Mercedes. I applied it with the Griot electric polisher and finishing pad. The car looked like a million dollars even without wax or sealant! Then the lsp was one coat of Sonax Polymer Net Shield followed the next day with a spritz of Sonax Brilliant Shine. I was very pleased with the result.

Although I was happy with the appearance (and I know from experience this garage queen will be protected for six months with the Sonax) I am always looking for improvement. So, with that in mind I would like to ask those with white cars what you use to maximize the "pop" in your paint. I am not necessarily looking for durability as I detail every four to six months. Would a white glaze be a good idea, such as sold by PoorBoys and Chemical Guys? It seems to me that the P21S paint cleaner works somewhat like a glaze but I could be wrong about that. How about "toppers" that might produce even more sparkle on this paint than Brilliant Shine (I love AquaWax for example)? I have a can of FK1000 high temp wax I want to try - has anyone used this wax on white, especially over NPS? Any tips along these lines to enhance this color would be most appreciated. Time (I am retired) and expense are no objects (this is a very expensive car after all).
 
^ Same as above the Polish Angel Viking coat is great stuff. Been using it on my new car as well. Still looks like the day I got.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
I'm not sure I've ever bought into color-enhancing LSPs; as long as the paint is in pristine condition, a topping designed for whatever color really won't make a difference. Just make sure it's protected and well taken care of with whatever product you enjoy using.

What does make a huge difference on white cars, I've found, is making sure all trims, plastics and other non-white pieces are very well taken care of for contrast. Also keeping the car decontaminated with clay and products that remove iron deposits helps.

Edit: Beautiful car, by the way!
 
Thanks for the Polish Angel tip - I will do some research on their products as I know nothing about them. I read all the pages in custmsprty's review and that Rouge really looks terrific! The paint is similar to mine. The basic description shows the products were introduced with "Swedish" winters and climate in mind, however, custmsprty said it survived well in Florida's heat and humidity - the exact climate I find myself in here in East Texas. The ease of use, despite cure times, is a huge plus but the gloss shown on that Rouge is second to none!

Because I am an experimenter, the system approach custmsprty uses may not work for me. Most brands are formulated to work best with their system products (Duragloss is an excellent example) but some are more forgiving and can be used effectively with other brands. Thanks for the Polish Angel tips and that review. I will look into this product line for sure.
 
Shortspark said:
For years I have been dying to have a car like this and a couple months ago I finally bought a new 2017 MB CLS550 with that great 278 V8 twin turbo and 9 speed tranny. It is comfortable, luxurious but also it is a beast!! I previously owned a MB ML350 SUV in the same color - Diamond White. Here is what I did when I first got this car and it essentially is the same as what I did during four years of ownership of the previous SUV:

When I took delivery I told the dealer not to wash it. I got it home and washed it thoroughly with Chemical Guys Citrus Clear shampoo. I then did the baggie test and found the vertical surfaces were smooth as silk. Only the horizontal surfaces (hood, trunk and roof) needed a touch of clay even though this thing came all the way from Germany (I used Nanoskin fine grade sponge). I washed the car again after using the Nano.

My next step was using P21S Paintwork Cleanser, a product that always performed well for me with the previous Mercedes. I applied it with the Griot electric polisher and finishing pad. The car looked like a million dollars even without wax or sealant! Then the lsp was one coat of Sonax Polymer Net Shield followed the next day with a spritz of Sonax Brilliant Shine. I was very pleased with the result.

Although I was happy with the appearance (and I know from experience this garage queen will be protected for six months with the Sonax) I am always looking for improvement. So, with that in mind I would like to ask those with white cars what you use to maximize the "pop" in your paint. I am not necessarily looking for durability as I detail every four to six months. Would a white glaze be a good idea, such as sold by PoorBoys and Chemical Guys? It seems to me that the P21S paint cleaner works somewhat like a glaze but I could be wrong about that. How about "toppers" that might produce even more sparkle on this paint than Brilliant Shine (I love AquaWax for example)? I have a can of FK1000 high temp wax I want to try - has anyone used this wax on white, especially over NPS? Any tips along these lines to enhance this color would be most appreciated. Time (I am retired) and expense are no objects (this is a very expensive car after all).
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Nice car being white your kinda capped on the looks you want opposed to a red or black car.Being white if you want glossy use gloss coat coating.If you can apply pns than gloss coat is a breeze to apply.keeping it swirl free and good corrected paint topped with gloss coat is the way to go.I won't say anything against angel line but I was given the complete line from leather to paint,and I personally didn't care for it.more money doesn't always give you awesome results.Trial and error and trying every product line over the years will help you make the right choice for product usage on different colors.Try the Angel line you may like it.Kenotek spray nano sealant would be a good choice after using gloss coat.makes the paint so slick and super easy to use.
 
I would definitely suggest Pinnacle Black Label Synergy. It's basically an excellent show wax with ceramic compounds in the wax for amazing durability. GSKR is right though, I would use a ceramic coating on the car and then top it with Synergy. The combination is killer in my opinion. Gloss Coat is definitely an excellent coating to use. There are also other very good ones like the Gyeon line, CarPro or GTechniq line.
 
Took advantage of the sale and bought the serum coating.will be using a 2005 Bentley Tommorow as my test subject.I may just stick to gloss coat has a insane gloss and is doable using it outdoors and super super easy to apply and remove and is a durable product.
 
Would like to try that kamakaze next.Thanks Mike happy thanksgiving to all.
 
Thanks guys, all good suggestions. Here is one thing I have struggled with over the years - coatings for a hobbyist detailer like myself. For a pro, coatings are necessary as many customers would insist but for a guy like me who experiments with many different products, coatings just seem to get in the way. By that I mean I really, really enjoy washing and waxing my car. Some people consider it a chore but I consider it therapy and a way to relax, not to mention the closeness I feel to my car by rubbing on it. I know you all know what I mean by that or you would not be here at this forum as an autogeek!

Coatings are great for gloss and longevity and that is their strong suit. Some last a year or more or so I've heard. If I could not strip, cleanse and reseal my car every few months I would go nuts! I'm retired and have been for over 20 years so I have the time that many people simply don't have. I live on a golf course and if I am not playing golf I am doing something with my car. I've been this way for most of my retired life.

So, I have to constantly experiment with different stuff. Not because I am trying to find the holy grail of detailing (although of course I always want to do better), but because it is fun for me - plain and simple. Constantly doing this is the antithesis to coatings whose claim to fame is put it on and pretty much forget about it until next year. That, in a nutshell, is my dilemma.
 
I would suggest Pinnacle Black Label Synergy so you can wax as often as you'd like. You can strip, cleanse and reseal your beautiful car and when you do, it'll be one of the best protected ones and has an amazing look.
 
WillSports3 said:
I would suggest Pinnacle Black Label Synergy so you can wax as often as you'd like. You can strip, cleanse and reseal your beautiful car and when you do, it'll be one of the best protected ones and has an amazing look.
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Agree,or start with gloss coat to give you a base of gloss and top it with any non abrading cleaner wax or polish.
 
Yes, I've tried almost everything over the years and now with this car, it is time to up the game. Polish Angel and Synergy are at least two of the suggestions I just might have to try. The look of the Porche on the Synergy page here at the autogeek store is stunning! I have since found several excellent reviews of Synergy. However, here is one that seems fairly extensive and the reviewer concludes that it is no better than Quick Wax! What are your thoughts on this review? Link is here: Pinnacle Black Label Synergy Wax- REVIEW - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum
 
I think with that individual he was talking about just the look itself. Yes, he is right in the sense that it doesn't seem to be better than regular cheaper wax. I however disagree with him as I find that Synergy lasts much longer. I know here in Canada with the amount of road salt on the road, even Collinite 845 will get stripped by the salt on the road. Meguiars Ultimate Paste Wax gets stripped but the only things that don't get stripped are coatings and Synergy. After about three layers with 24 hours apart, it gives a wet gloss to your car. The other advantage to Synergy is the fact that it will bond to a ceramic coating versus regular carnauba which won't bond meaning the wax will last a lot less time. That's where the real advantage lays, how long it lasts and a look that's between show car carnauba and a ceramic coating. Carnauba wax will not normally protect that long or against certain things but Synergy will protect. Water beading test is meaningless, it's what it will protect against that matters and how long it lasts.
 
Next time get a black car and your retirement years will be full chasing every scratch. I'm lazy, I own a white BMW, currently coated with Cquartz for the winter. Nice car!
 
Ha! A black car in Texas? Never happen for me!!

I agree Willsport and I understand what you are saying.
 
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