CQuartz UK questions

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Mike Briggs

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So I finally decided on a coating. I placed an order Friday for the CQuartz UK 30 mL kit, and a 50 mL size of Eraser - will that 50 mL of Eraser be enough to do one medium sized car? Autogeek was out of stock of the 16 oz size.

The kit comes with an applicator block and 4 suede microfiber cloths. Will those 4 cloths be enough to do two coats on the car? I watched some videos (after placing the order unfortunately) which indicate that I will need at least those 4 for applying the coating, plus some more of the suede microfiber cloths to rub it off. Can anyone with experience comment on how much of the suede microfiber I should plan on having for doing two coats on the car?

There seems to be some disagreement between different "how to" videos and threads about how long to wait before buffing the coating down/off. In some threads, people seem to indicate that you can rub it on (cross-hatch), and almost immediately buff it off. In some threads, people have indicated that putting too much coating on or waiting too long before buffing off can cause streaking. But in the videos people seem to wait a little while before buffing off. So, I'm a little unsure of how to do it.

Is IronX necessary? The car is a late 2013 with only ~6k miles, and I've clayed it twice since I bought it last year, and would plan on claying it before doing the coating (wash, clay, polish, wipe with Eraser, then apply coating).

Overall the paint is in good condition, with a little swirling in some areas, but not much. I'm trying to decide if Meguiar's Ultimate Polish would be sufficient, or if I should go with Ultimate Compound instead (and perhaps follow that up with Ultimate Polish). I'll need to look the paint over more closely before deciding.

Is it ok to apply CQuartz to wheels and calipers? How about the inside of the wheel wells? If it would help minimize how much snow sticks inside the wheel wells in the winter, that would be great.

Thanks!
 
50 ml of Eraser would not be enough. You could use an 10 percent IPA solution as a replacement.

I found the four applicator blocks to be enough to do two coats on my Honda Element. I bought the 10-pack of suede clothes for removing the residue; I only used a few.

I've only applied CQUK once ... to my own vehicle ... so I'm not an expert. I didn't wipe it off immediately, and didn't have any problems with streaking.

The only way to know if Iron-X is necessary is to use it. Consider it cheap insurance; if the paint doesn't bleed purple, great. If it does, then you've gotten rid of a lot of contamination.

There's also no way to know if UP would be sufficient to remove swirls; it depends on the hardness of the paint.

I didn't have any CKUK left to coat my wheels, so I can't comment on doing so.
 
trekkeruss said:
50 ml of Eraser would not be enough. You could use an 10 percent IPA solution as a replacement.
Click to expand...
Ok, I can mix some IPA with some DI water to make 10% solution.

trekkeruss said:
I found the four applicator blocks to be enough to do two coats on my Honda Element. I bought the 10-pack of suede clothes for removing the residue; I only used a few.
Click to expand...

Which size did you buy? I was thinking about buying the larger ones (16 in x 16 in, or 40 cm x 40 cm) and cutting them into 4 pieces.

trekkeruss said:
I've only applied CQUK once ... to my own vehicle ... so I'm not an expert. I didn't wipe it off immediately, and didn't have any problems with streaking.
Click to expand...
Good, that's reassuring.

trekkeruss said:
The only way to know if Iron-X is necessary is to use it. Consider it cheap insurance; if the paint doesn't bleed purple, great. If it does, then you've gotten rid of a lot of contamination.
Click to expand...
Does Iron-X do more than claying would?


Thanks!
 
Oh, also - if the suede applicators (and ones used for buffing) are put in a cleaner solution immediately after use, can they be re-used? Or must they be disposed of?
 
I bought the large suede pack, and only used them for the buffing.

Claying removes above-surface contaminants. Iron-X would pull out iron particles that have embedded themselves into the paint. Iron-X should be applied after washing, but before claying.

CarPro says the suede can be reused if they are put into APC immediately after use. I didn't do that because I didn't know beforehand; I just tossed them. But I have plenty leftover from the pack of suede I purchased, and since I don't anticipate reapplying CQUK for awhile, throwing some out was no great loss.
 
Russ answered pretty much the way I -- another non-pro -- would have. The first time, there seems to be a tendency to over-use a coating. I used more EXO than I expected I should, and when I recently did my alloy wheels with CQUK I definitely used too much. No difficulties, just wasteful. I'm sure I could've used half as much to do the two coats. It is difficult at first to judge if one is applying "enough" product. Flat surfaces seem easier to see it going down and flashing, intricate areas are a guessing game.
 
That's good to know.

How about this - how do you apply the coating to and around chrome lettering on a car?
 
The 4 small Suede MF Sheets should be adequate for applying the CQUK.

Keep in mind, that after coating application to a panel, or two, and if you see a slight bit of grime-dirt on the MF Sheet, simply flip the sheet to the other side then wrap again around the foam applicator block. If/When one looks sort of spent, grab another fresh sheet.

Agree with others, don't worry about trying to save 3-4 little MF Suede Applicator Sheets, chuck them after use.

The MF Suede is not absolutely necessary for wiping-smoothing-leveling the coating after application of the coating. I simply used a couple of ultra soft Carpro Boa MF Towels for this purpose, and was just fine. Application was perfect! I applied to a section (fender, 1/2 the hood, a door, etc) then waited a couple minutes then finessed the coating with the MF Towel.

30ml "might" be stretching it for getting both body, and wheels from one bottle. This can vary from user to user, dependent upon how heavy a user applies the coating. Concentrate on the body. You'll then most likely know at that point after whether you have enough left?

Any good soft MF Towels will work for the final wipe.

For coating Letering, Grills, around Lettering, and small tight areas, simply take the MF Suede Towel by itself, and apply. Then again, follow with the MF Towel to level-smooth.

One should be wearing a Nitrile Glove(s), at least one on the hand applying the Coating Product.

Remember as well, no water-washing-rain for a good many days after, unless you are following with CP Reload. For Reload, apply no sooner than an hour after coating.
 
Under the conditions I was applying the coating, it was about 70-72 degrees F, humidity around 30-35 percent. Overcast-cloudy, and out of direct sunlight to cool paint.

I applied the coating to a panel (let's say the front fender) of my Tahoe SUV, insured I had complete coverage of the coating, applying in a cross hatch pattern, and then I waited about 2 minutes.

Then took the CP Boa MF Towel, folded into 1/4ths, and began gently wiping to even-level, and wiped in only one direction.

Honestly, and in my experience with the CQ UK application, it went down so smooth, so level, like it literally absorbed right into the paint finish, and was absolutely perfect right after, it almost didn't even appear like I had to absolutely come behind with the MF Towel, that's how smooth-level it was, with absolutely no indication of streaking, high spots, flaws, nothing.

I did of course follow with the towel, as to follow proper directions of the coating, and of course didn't wish to play "mr experimenter", and then wonder why I later had issues.

No issues whatsoever. One must keep in mind, prep is the most important steps, the better your prep, the better that you later won't have regrets of "sealing in" swirls, and other contaminant anomalies in the paint finish.
 
That's good to know that I can use regular microfiber for buffing/leveling. I have some nice Cobra microfibers - I think I'd like to "save" those by tossing them in some cleaner afterwards.

I'm still a little nervous about the 4 small cloths being enough for applying the entire bottle (or two coats if I can get two coats on without using the entire bottle).

Thanks!
 
Yeah the cloth becomes saturated enough that it takes some time to catalyze and harden. Every time you add more product you're delaying the hardening so it's not like you'll be rubbing crystallized product all over your paint. Pretty sure you could do an entire coat with one cloth. I'd use a new cloth for the second coat. :)
 
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