Most swirl resistant ceramic

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I have a '02 Trans Am WS6 with only 22K miles that I am in the process of doing a full paint correction on.

This car is 100% garage kept and will never see rain/weather.

Nice. You've got your hands on a true modern muscle car in mint condition. Congratulations!

We detailed a similar car a few years ago. I'm so glad I photo-document these projects and thank God I can still remember how to find them. There's no other car detailing forum or any social media platform with as many car detailing projects fully documented covering the widest spectrum of types of vehicles.


1999 Trans Am Extreme Makeover - Testing M101 Foam Cut Compound

Before

After

Plus we replaced all the dead, sun-baked graphics and replaced with new graphics and I'm pretty sure the above write-up shares how to do this.

What ceramic coating would be most resistant to swirls from maintenance detailing?

Like others have said, besides using a quality coating, the MORE important thing will come down to how you TOUCH it after all the hard work.

Here's a few how-to articles to help you with this,

How, why & when to inspect your microfiber towels when detailing cars

How to safely wash a ceramic coated car by Mike Phillips - Traditional Hose & Bucket Approach


When it comes down to maintaining a scratch and swirl free finish - it all comes down to how you touch the paint - Mike Phillips


And this might be your style for this car,

How to maintain a Coated Garage Queen by Mike Phillips


1969 Dodge Coronet with 426 Hemi Engine and 4-Speed - Numbers Matching

Paint correction and ceramic coating by Mike Phillips

What other options would you recommend?

Currently I use the PBL Paint Coating and Surface Coating on one of our cars. I have multiple artcies on this product mostly talking about how easy it is to use and that both products make the paint slick feeling.

The problem in my opinion with too many coatings is they leave the paint feeling RUBBERY. If a coating leaves the paint feeling rubbery, this also means a microfiber towel or any type of cloth is NOT going to GLIDE over the paint easily. It's a real turn-off to me. I won't use coatings on my own cars that make the paint feel rubbery.

Besides the PBL products, I recently tested and used a new coating from my friend, Tunch Gorin, owner and head chemist for 3D Detailing Products. I was impressed with both the 3D One Compound/Polish and the coating. The pictures in my write-up LOOK GOOD! And in my opinion, because I took them with my iPhone - they STILL don't do the final results justice.

Review: 3D Paint Coating and 3D One Cutting Compound and Finishing Polish

Lots of good discussion throughout the above review.





Here's the picture your attached in full size.

You look pretty happy! It's fun when you get your dream car.


Welcome to AutogeekOnline!


:welcome:

 

[blsnelling]

Beautiful 30th anniversary model!!

 

[blsnelling]

CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0, GLISS V2, and Reload have been ordered. I appreciate all the input.

 

[blsnelling]

Now, assume the car is fully polished and coated. Is there a car cover that I can use on this INDOOR only, garage queen, without introducing swirls by installing and removing the cover? I would like to invest in a nice cover, but fear I may shoot myself in the foot using it.

CoverKing

 

[WillSports3]

Generally no point in getting one, worst case scenario you get some dust but you get a good waterless/rinseless wash, give it a quick go over and you'll be fine.

 

[TNMIKE46]

I agree with WillSports3. I have a cover for my WS6 but I prefer to look at the black beauty than hide it under a cover. Just sayin'.

 

[The Guz]

I don't both putting a car cover on my Camaro. If it gets dusty I take it out and wash it. None of that quick detailer or waterless wash wipedowns. I will on occasion do a rinseless wash.

 

[blsnelling]

I like to put my car up dust free, cover it, and have a totally clean car to drive when I uncover it and pull it out. I do a lot of other work in my garage and it gets really dusty.

 

[General Toner]

Not a frequent poster, however due to recent projects figure it's worth posting.

Two weeks back CQ UK 3 (2 coats) and 1 coat of Gliss V2 on the GLS550, earlier this week I coated the SLK similarly and 1 year back coated the 4C same.Two weeks back when did the GLS, also used CarPro Essence Plus (Rupes with white pad) on the 4C, did give a bit more shine.Prior to coating the GLS I used standard CarPro Essence (Rupes with yellow pad) after a wash and wipe down with Eraser.

In the picture of three from this evening there is roughly 100 miles on each car after most recent wash (last week all three washed). Tomorrow I will pressure wash the dust, dirt and bugs off the GLS and 4C then metrovac master blaster to dry them. SLK will need to sit dirty another week or two before spray clean. It's easy to look and judge whether car needs cleaning with Reset or Hyperwash, else just a pressure wash to get dust and light debris. I always metrovac blow dry, if I were to use a MF towel, these would be washed each time vs occassionally just a pressure wash of clean water.

Picture of SLK with wheels off is post CQ UK 3 and Gliss V2. Also coated wheels with one coat of CQ UK 3 and 1 coat of Gliss V2. Yes, I also coat the license plate front/back and wheel center caps.

Got back into this detailing 'hobby' couple of years back, such a nice break from my real job. Washing the cars is roughly 3h process for each car since wheels are roughly an hour, body another rough hour followed by blow drying and then wiping door, trunk and under hood seals. Nice way to try and clear the head and keeps toys looking nice and shiny for when go for a drive or groceries. Neighbors think I'm nuts but who cares what others think, don't need to prove anything.

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[MarkD51]

CarPro CQuartz UK 3.0, GLISS V2, and Reload have been ordered. I appreciate all the input.

Most of us who go the coating route, and with one like CQ UK do this:
Wash-dry
Apply Carpro Iron-X to remove Iron Particles, rinse, dry
Clay, wash-dry
Polish.
Go over entire vehicle with Carpro Eraser.
Mask
Coat, let dry a minimum of one hour.
Apply Carpro Reload.

Yeah, it's a lot of work. On my 1997 Tahoe the first time I did it, I think this entire process mentioned above took 3 days. First day all the Washing, Iron-X Decon and Claying. The truck turned purple from the Iron-X, never ever used such a product before, I was shocked. The truck also seemed much "whiter" than just the wash before.
Iron-X is sort of "Soapy".

Second day, polishing the roof with Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover, PC7424XP with 4" white Lake Country Pads, and a Griots GG3 Polisher with 3" Pads. I masked where required.

Third day, Mask, and Polish the rest of the truck with the PC7424XP, 5.5" White Lake Country Pads, and Wolfgang TSR, but had to use Wolfgang Uber Compound on the hood, then return to TSR because there were some deeper random sleeks the TSR wasn't fully removing.
Wipe Down with Carpro Eraser.

Mask all trim Areas such as side moldings, window trim, door handles, etc.
Inspect carefully, then applied CQ UK. Used 2 new Carpro Boa Towels as the final wipe leveling towels, waited a good hour, applied Carpro Reload.

Yeah, a lot of work, and painful, getting up and down off a 4' ladder, bending, sitting, running a machine 2 days straight, but the truck was looking as good as the day I took delivery.

Things like proper masking take some time. During my processes, the goal was to not rush, but work efficiently and steadily. In the end, I got the desired results I sought, and then some, was very happy with how it all turned out.

 

[MarkD51]

I like to put my car up dust free, cover it, and have a totally clean car to drive when I uncover it and pull it out. I do a lot of other work in my garage and it gets really dusty.

Then yes, get a cover. Some people, have garages where the vehicles stay pretty clean, others not so much due to areas they live, etc.

I think most will agree, the best car covers in the business are Covercraft, and they are sold right here. I've owned two for my Tahoe, first the NOAH, and then the Weathershield HD.

They are custom made to your specific vehicle. Usually the least expensive models will be indoor types, and Cotton Duck is one common material. With all covers, there will come a time where they will become dirty, and will need to be washed. And Cotton Duck, while adequately durable for an indoor cover might also be a fairly "bulky" cover to maybe place in a home sized washing machine. (Although for a car such as yours, they are surely smaller than say for a full sized SUV-Pickup)

I once had a custom fitted Cotton Duck Cover for my 1967 Corvette. It did the job just fine.

Nylon types that they make may be much more compact, more easy to store, They have a huge variety of cover materials and types, and if you call Covercraft, they will send you swatches of every material they use free of charge so you can examine them, and to help you make the best choice of material

Some sport some nifty options, 2-tone color schemes, stretchable, etc.

The Noah was a relatively soft cover, both for indoor and outdoor use, but didn't hold up that well to the ravages of the New Mexican Desert, with dusts, often very high winds, even though I had a Metal Carport to protect some. The Weathershield HD is their toughest best outdoor cover. wears like Iron, but it is not as paint friendly as the NOAH, and probably any other cover they manufacture.

Many of their better covers can be laminate materials. These can hold advantage versus single ply materials such as better water resistance, better UV, and dust protection. But yet still breathe so damaging moisture will not become trapped between the cover and your vehicle.

There is the rare occasion here, where Autogeek will hold sales with no exclusions for items like tools, and also car covers. I was lucky in the one instance with the Weathershield HD when I ordered, and saved abut $67 on the purchase price. This cover is also no doubt one of their most, if not the most expensive too. I think we're talking close to a $600 cover if memory serves me correctly.

Such as the lighter covers, simple enough to store in a laundry bag when not in use. I am able to store my Cover in a Laundry Bag if needed.

Car covers won't necessarily scratch your paint if they are cleaned periodically, and are properly installed and removed (And especially with a better mar resistant Ceramic Coating applied). And much less likely to scratch-mar being an indoor cover, and not subjected to winds, and blowing dusts. Many times in NM, my cover because of high winds looked like an Air Balloon with the billowing, even with these custom fit covers. Additional tie downs helped some, but impossible to eliminate.

As an example, I have a friend who owns two best of show Chevys, a black '68 SS396 Chevelle, and a '65 Turquoise El Camino. Both are always covered in storage and in a climate controlled garage, neither are driven either, both are trailed to shows in a single vehicle $16,000 enclosed Car Hauler-Trailer.

Hope this helps you some, and if I can be of further help, I'll keep an eye on your comments.

 

[MarkD51]

The thicker materials on car covers will offer some degree of "bump protection", but of course there's not a cover in the Covercraft line-up, or anyone else's for that matter that's going to protect against quarter sized hail, a child running a bike hard into the car, things like that.

 

[MarkD51]

I had gotten the free Samples from Covercraft when the NOAH Cover was starting to fail. This cover I believe had a 4 year warrantee, but began to tear at stress points due to extreme high winds. I didn't press Covercraft over the warrantee for a few reasons. It began to fail at about the 2, to 2-1/2 year mark.

One, that in time, nothing will survive the conditions I exposed this cover to. Not being able to shield the vehicle from predominant westerly winds subjected the cover to very vicious weather conditions.

Two, adding some additional Cords with RV type Cinch Clamps designed for such a purpose at the Bottom Hem at the front and back did nothing to help and in fact I feel it actually placed more stress that those points than helped. It was at those areas the cover did begin to tear.

The NOAH Cover really isn't a woven cover that I could see, more like a thick soft Paper Towel-Like 3-layer Laminate.

And lastly three. As time passed and the cover seemed to lose its water repellency, I in haste sprayed down the entire cover with Aerospace 303 Fabric Guard. I truly believe this chemical created a bad interaction with the synthetic material, accelerating its decomposition-deterioration.

So, not Covercraft's fault in any instance I felt.

With an indoor cover, there of course would not be the need of a waterproof cover, or resorting to a need of applying a product like a Fabric Guard.

Covers like their Sunbrella, that's a outdoor cover to block high intense UV. The stretchable covers, if a hole-grommet needs to be made for an Antenna Mast, it is not advised by Covercraft.

The Duststop Cover looks nice, good warrantee, but this will be a more expensive cover than say cotton duck, or other lesser models in the line-up.

Like I said, and if serious about a car cover, contact them and get the free swatches sent to you. Then study the various covers and which have their strong points and weaknesses. You'll then be able to select the best cover for your personal needs.

 

[WillSports3]

My process with my CQuartz UK car is literally just rinseless wash it. I might powerwash it first if it's very very dirty but other wise, I don't iron X or anything consistently, just once a year. I bucket wash my cars maaaaybe four times a year, max. Winter time, I take it to a coin wash and power wash it before I do a quick waterless or rinseless wash, too much salt here in Canada so after it's cleaned, it's gonna be dirty again when I get to the highway.

 

[blsnelling]

I put another 4 hours in today polishing the driver's side of the car. I ended up following up the Perfect Finish with Menzerna 3800. It looks nice! It's going to take me a while to finish this project if I only work on it a few hours on Saturdays. But, I want to make sure I take my time and do it right.