How to protect matte black stripes

I

iMuf

New member
Joined
Jun 4, 2013
Messages
67
Reaction score
0
So my parents just recently got a 2014 Challenger Shaker edition. This is what the stripes look like

dg014_051cl.jpg


their car is black instead of orange but this gives you an idea of what I'm working with I have gotten the entire car polished and looking good. And then I put a good coat of wax on the paint trying to avoid the stripes as best as I could. However you can tell there are a couple of spots where wax got on the stripes, mainly on the hood where all of the little strips are, and the stripes have turned a little white on those couple of places. It's hardly noticeable and if you didn't know it then you wouldn't see it. What kinds of products are out that that will protect those stripes without causing an issue?
 
Tape would protect them from getting the wax on them. I have put Opti-Seal on a set of matte graphics on a Ford FX4 and that worked well.

HUMP
 
I've used sealants on stripes with no problems. Just ensure they aren't polished, especially since they're matte. As with anything do a test spot.
 
af90 said:
I've used sealants on stripes with no problems. Just ensure they aren't polished, especially since they're matte. As with anything do a test spot.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was using a carnauba wax. I'll give a sealant a go and see how that does
 
The place I buy some of my stuff locally has a plastic cleaner and protector that can be used on matte stripes to help protect them and keep them soft. I used on stripes on my wifes mustang, then put a coat of crystal seal over them.
 
iMuf said:
Yes for keeping wax off that helps, but I am looking for ways to protect matte stripes.
Click to expand...
If you want them to stay "Factory Matte" be sure to use products designed and formulated to do so.

Here are some Brands that carry such products:
•Nanolex
•Dr. Beasely's
•Swissvax
•RatWax
•Chemical Guys

Bob
 
iMuf said:
.... I was using a carnauba wax. I'll give a sealant a go and see how that does
Click to expand...

I just have to ask....... WHY?!?!?!!!! :dunno:
(Didn't help those matte stripes at all, plus it'll get built up at the edges no matter how well you work to keep any wax product off of them.)

Carnauba isn't exactly the pinnacle of protection you know. More like what you'd put on there for a weekend car show. Durability, but moreover, protection is just something that it doesn't provide. Shine YES..... durability NO. ;)

Better yet, (even though it's just a spray bottle) is Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax. For that matter, almost ALL spray "waxes" these days are the farthest thing from carnauba you'll ever find, being as they are more of a polymer sealant than anything else. We use a LOT of DG 951 AquaWax both "virgin" and keep a bottle that's polycharged. We also use Megs 156 (the pro version of Ultimate Quick Wax). From there you might really like Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant or Blackfire Wet Diamond Polymer Spray.

Neither of the last two are a "true" sealant, but they are a great way to keep things dusted and protected along the way. :dblthumb2: For a sealant you could do the WOWA versions of both, WG Deep Gloss Liquid Seal or Blackfire Crystal Seal. (I have both and they are REALLY easy to work with.)

Now if you want a REAL WOWO sealant you could go with Megs M21 2.0, even Megs M26 "wax" is actually a sealant, and of course a really nice one is WG Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 (seriously killer stuff) or Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. (I've not tried the BF sealant yet, but do have a couple of sample bottles somewhere.) :rolleyes:
 
cardaddy said:
I just have to ask....... WHY?!?!?!!!! :dunno:
(Didn't help those matte stripes at all, plus it'll get built up at the edges no matter how well you work to keep any wax product off of them.)

Carnauba isn't exactly the pinnacle of protection you know. More like what you'd put on there for a weekend car show. Durability, but moreover, protection is just something that it doesn't provide. Shine YES..... durability NO. ;)

Better yet, (even though it's just a spray bottle) is Meguiar's Ultimate Quick Wax. For that matter, almost ALL spray "waxes" these days are the farthest thing from carnauba you'll ever find, being as they are more of a polymer sealant than anything else. We use a LOT of DG 951 AquaWax both "virgin" and keep a bottle that's polycharged. We also use Megs 156 (the pro version of Ultimate Quick Wax). From there you might really like Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant or Blackfire Wet Diamond Polymer Spray.

Neither of the last two are a "true" sealant, but they are a great way to keep things dusted and protected along the way. :dblthumb2: For a sealant you could do the WOWA versions of both, WG Deep Gloss Liquid Seal or Blackfire Crystal Seal. (I have both and they are REALLY easy to work with.)

Now if you want a REAL WOWO sealant you could go with Megs M21 2.0, even Megs M26 "wax" is actually a sealant, and of course a really nice one is WG Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 (seriously killer stuff) or Blackfire Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. (I've not tried the BF sealant yet, but do have a couple of sample bottles somewhere.) :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Thanks man, it's my parents car. So we just used some stuff that we had laying around. But I will give one of those a try and heck I may just get a nice spray wax or something. Here are a couple of questions. Has anyone tried Carpro Reload on matte stripes? Would it keep the factory look?

I saw a video of that stuff and it looks like it does an awesome job.
 
Avoid anything that dries white like the Ebola Plague.

Once you stain matte surfaces it can be very difficult to remove the staining 100% and then the rest of the time you own the car you'll be looking for a product to mask the staining.

Also, you can't scrub matte surface or compound and polish them, so once they are marred in anyway it's game over.

Me? I wouldn't buy a car that had any matte surfaces. It might look cool but it's a real paint to try to maintain. Most of the people I know that buy cars with matte surfaces are also NOT detail oriented.

:)
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
Avoid anything that dries white like the Ebola Plague.

Once you stain matte surfaces it can be very difficult to remove the staining 100% and then the rest of the time you own the car you'll be looking for a product to mask the staining.

Also, you can't scrub matte surface or compound and polish them, so once they are marred in anyway it's game over.

Me? I wouldn't buy a car that had any matte surfaces. It might look cool but it's a real paint to try to maintain. Most of the people I know that buy cars with matte surfaces are also NOT detail oriented.

:)
Click to expand...

Yea, originally my parents hated them and my dad said he was going to take them off. However after seeing it in person it looks really good. So now he can't decide if he wants to take them off or not. I just want to make sure they are protected from the elements until he decides
 
iMuf said:
Yea, originally my parents hated them and my dad said he was going to take them off. However after seeing it in person it looks really good. So now he can't decide if he wants to take them off or not. I just want to make sure they are protected from the elements until he decides
Click to expand...


I agree they can look great, especially on a muscle car both originals and moderns and with the right color.

Most people don't know how to correctly take care their car's clearcoat finish and that's a cake walk compared to maintaining matte surfaces.

My guess is they are lucky they have you to take care of the car for them. The fact that you're on this forum asking questions is proof of this "luck".


:dblthumb2:
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I agree they can look great, especially on a muscle car both originals and moderns and with the right color.

Most people don't know how to correctly take care their car's clearcoat finish and that's a cake walk compared to maintaining matte surfaces.

My guess is they are lucky they have you to take care of the car for them. The fact that you're on this forum asking questions is proof of this "luck".


:dblthumb2:
Click to expand...

Thanks Mike, detailing is something I would like to do full time at some point. I'm just trying to learn everything I possibly can.
 
iMuf said:
Has anyone tried Carpro Reload on matte stripes? Would it keep the factory look?

I saw a video of that stuff and it looks like it does an awesome job.
Click to expand...
IMHO:
It's still best to use products specifically formulated for matte, on matte, to keep them matte!

Post #8 lists the Brands so formulated.


Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top