Plz help: Which all-in-one goes with ceramic coating?

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bigjee

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Hey folks, looking to get some feedback on a detailing approach id like to take on my car. Would appreciate any feedback.
Some background: I own a Honda Civic 2010 that I detail (or try to) annually. Last year when I tried doing a 2 step process I only managed to get the first step done- Maguire’s M105 (I don’t own a garage and have to borrow one from my friend when possible). I didn’t get round to doing the M205 and just used a sealant and wax as time ran out.
This year I figured I’d try an all in one approach with a ceramic coating (cquartz) to protect the paint better. Here’s what I’d like to do

  1. Clean wheels and use Autoglym Magma
  2. Wash rest of car using two bucket method and clay bar.
  3. Rinse and dry car
  4. Use Menzerna 3 in 1 polish, gloss and wax with PC 7424xp with white or orange LC CCS pads
  5. Carpro’s cquartz v3.0 ceramic coating (2 coats at least)
Some questions I had:

  1. I have Collinite Marque de elegance Carnuba wax also. Is it ok to use it between steps 4 and 5 with a black foam pad.
  2. Do I need to use any paint prep/pre wax cleaner after the Menzerna 3 in 1 before using the cquartz ceramic coating.
  3. What kind of paint does my Civic have (soft or hard).
  4. I want to use an all in one product as I don’t have time and didn’t want an aggressive polish like the m105 since my car’s paint depth is under 3.0 on average. Is this a logical approach
  5. Should I switch the Menzerna AIO with HD Speed? Would that work well with the LC white CCS pads I have?
Thanks in advance for the help.
 
Re: Plz help: Which all in one goes with ceramic coating?

Hi bigjee


You need to chemically strip the paint before applying any ceramic paint coating.

Most established coating brands have their own product, generically called a

Panel Wipe

To chemically strip the paint. The idea being you need to remove any residual oils or other substances left behind on the surface from the last step before applying the coating so it will make a proper bond.


I think I have a ton of information typed out in detail on this forum on this topic. Probably more than anyone breathing.


:)
 
Re: Plz help: Which all in one goes with ceramic coating?

Mike Phillips said:
Hi bigjee


You need to chemically strip the paint before applying any ceramic paint coating.

Most established coating brands have their own product, generically called a

Panel Wipe

To chemically strip the paint. The idea being you need to remove any residual oils or other substances left behind on the surface from the last step before applying the coating so it will make a proper bond.


I think I have a ton of information typed out in detail on this forum on this topic. Probably more than anyone breathing.


:)
Click to expand...

Thank you for the quick response Mike. Love you work and feel honored to be able to read your material. (sorry Im on a time crunch so was asking here since I have lots going on in the background and didnt want to neglect my car).

As for the steps- would something like this work (its by the same manufacturer as the coating-Carpro).
Eraser – CarPro
Also do I use the eraser after I've used my Collinite (do I even need to do this wax step before the coating?)

Cheers.
 
Make sue you have a nice garage to work in with plenty of lighting. I would recommend that you use this garage for at least 2 full days if you're going to be applying a ceramic coating to your vehicle. Prepping the vehicle is very time consuming. You do not want to rush a coating job.

Also make sure that you have plenty of Foam Pads and Microfiber Towels on hand. You're going to need them.

Wash
Iron Remover
Clay
Compound
Polish
Panel Wipe
Ceramic Coat
Let coating cure for at least 12 - 24 hours
 
It is not recommended to use an all in one with a coating. The coating needs to bond to bare paint. In other words skip the menzerna 3 in 1 if you plan to use a coating.

You can use a polish and see how much of the defects you can remove. Just remember to use a prep wipe product to remove the polishing oils. For example CarPro Eraser.

The other option is using a primer polish like CarPro Essence. Sort of like an all in one but the difference being that it is compatible with Cquartz. It does contain abrasives and will remove some defects. It will also leave some semi permanent fillers for light swirls. Also I would recommend a prep wipe if using Essence as well to remove any residual oils. It will not remove the SiO2 it deposits on the surface.
 
The Guz said:
It is not recommended to use an all in one with a coating. The coating needs to bond to bare paint. In other words skip the menzerna 3 in 1 if you plan to use a coating.

You can use a polish and see how much of the defects you can remove. Just remember to use a prep wipe product to remove the polishing oils. For example CarPro Eraser.

The other option is using a primer polish like CarPro Essence. Sort of like an all in one but the difference being that it is compatible with Cquartz. It does contain abrasives and will remove some defects. It will also leave some semi permanent fillers for light swirls. Also I would recommend a prep wipe if using Essence as well to remove any residual oils. It will not remove the SiO2 it deposits on the surface.
Click to expand...

Bobby B. said:
Make sue you have a nice garage to work in with plenty of lighting. I would recommend that you use this garage for at least 2 full days if you're going to be applying a ceramic coating to your vehicle. Prepping the vehicle is very time consuming. You do not want to rush a coating job.

Also make sure that you have plenty of Foam Pads and Microfiber Towels on hand. You're going to need them.

Wash
Iron Remover
Clay
Compound
Polish
Panel Wipe
Ceramic Coat
Let coating cure for at least 12 - 24 hours
Click to expand...

Thanks!
My friend isn't using the garage for a week so I think I have enough time to get this done.
I have 4 pads each of white, orange and yellow plus a black one. About a 100 cookie monster MFs.

How do these steps sound:
1-Wash
2-IronX or Magma
3-Clay bar, Rinse and dry
4-CP Essence
5-CP Eraser (for Panel wipe for Mike and others above)
6-Ceramic coat

For Step 4 (since this is an older vehicle) will I need to do M105 before the Essence if it isnt aggressive enough at removing a majority of swirls?
 
I believe (Essence guys correct me if I’m wrong) that if you purchase Essence, it can replace M205 as your finishing polish, and the panel wipe after Essence would not have to be as thorough as the panel wipe you would need to do to remove the very oily M205 residue.
 
bigjee said:
Thanks!
My friend isn't using the garage for a week so I think I have enough time to get this done.
I have 4 pads each of white, orange and yellow plus a black one. About a 100 cookie monster MFs.

How do these steps sound:
1-Wash
2-IronX or Magma
3-Clay bar, Rinse and dry
4-CP Essence
5-CP Eraser (for Panel wipe for Mike and others above)
6-Ceramic coat

For Step 4 (since this is an older vehicle) will I need to do M105 before the Essence if it isnt aggressive enough at removing a majority of swirls?
Click to expand...

These steps look fine. You will have to determine what will work on the paint based on the initial test spot. Here is the thing at least from my perspective. You don't have to remove every defect. If you are happy with the results pending the test spot then by all means continue and finish. It is a daily driver after all and not a show car.
 
acuRAS82 said:
I believe (Essence guys correct me if I’m wrong) that if you purchase Essence, it can replace M205 as your finishing polish, and the panel wipe after Essence would not have to be as thorough as the panel wipe you would need to do to remove the very oily M205 residue.
Click to expand...

Sorry, ignore my blabber above. OP is on top of it. I think I misread something.
 
acuRAS82 said:
I believe (Essence guys correct me if I’m wrong) that if you purchase Essence, it can replace M205 as your finishing polish, and the panel wipe after Essence would not have to be as thorough as the panel wipe you would need to do to remove the very oily M205 residue.
Click to expand...


You are correct. CarPro Essence is a unique product, at least I think it started this concept of making a finishing polish also a prep polish before applying a coating so you can skip the chemical stripping step.


From the AG store page

CarPro Essence Xtreme Gloss Enhancer 250 ml

The Sio2 Quartz protection incorporated into the CarPro Essence Xtreme Gloss Enhancer formula leaves a strong layer of protection behind, with minimal effort. However, CarPro Essence Xtreme Gloss Enhancer is the perfect prep polish when used before applying a coating of CarPro CQuartz. After being polished with CarPro Essence Xtreme Gloss Enhancer, your paint will bond quickly and effectively with CarPro CQuartz, or even CarPro Reload, creating a hard layer of protection.


:)
 
Mike Phillips said:
You are correct. CarPro Essence is a unique product, at least I think it started this concept of making a finishing polish also a prep polish before applying a coating so you can skip the chemical stripping step.
Click to expand...

So Mike, you took time to give me info about Pro Primer Polish on another thread last week. BF Pro Primer Polish differs in that it should NOT be used to correct marring from the compounding stage, since it has no abrasives, correct? In other words, one should use a finishing polish for a not brand new surface first, compared to Essence doubling as both finishing polish and filler/primer.

I’m trying to determine if BF could somehow do the finishing polish step assuming the high quality swirl removing step leaves the finish in decent shape... or does the lack of abrasives mean I should DEFINITELY use a finishing polish first?
 
acuRAS82 said:
So Mike, you took time to give me info about Pro Primer Polish on another thread last week. BF Pro Primer Polish differs in that it should NOT be used to correct marring from the compounding stage, since it has no abrasives, correct? In other words, one should use a finishing polish for a not brand new surface first, compared to Essence doubling as both finishing polish and filler/primer.

I’m trying to determine if BF could somehow do the finishing polish step assuming the high quality swirl removing step leaves the finish in decent shape... or does the lack of abrasives mean I should DEFINITELY use a finishing polish first?
Click to expand...

Correct.

You could use the BLACKFIRE Pro Primer Polish AFTER using a normal polish instead of using a spray on solvent to chemically strip the paint.


:)
 
Bobby B. said:
Blackfire Pro Primer Polish, Gyeon Q2 Primer, Britemax Virtue and CarPro Essence Extreme Gloss Enhancer are all considered a one-step product for ceramic coatings. These are extremely fine polishes and are perfect for prepping a brand new vehicle for a ceramic coating.

BLACKFIRE Pro Primer Polish
GYEON Q2 Primer 1000 ml.
Britemax Virtue SiO2 High Gloss Primer Polish
CarPro Essence Xtreme Gloss Enhancer 500 ml
Click to expand...

Hello,

I am ready to do the Wolfgang coating on my Denali. Are the above products compatible with this coating? I was thinking of using mckees37 fine polish, my truck already has a great deal of gloss and very few swirl marks that you have to look for. Can I use the fine polish or would I be better off with what is listed above?

Thanks
 
waterman said:
Hello,

I am ready to do the Wolfgang coating on my Denali. Are the above products compatible with this coating? I was thinking of using mckees37 fine polish, my truck already has a great deal of gloss and very few swirl marks that you have to look for. Can I use the fine polish or would I be better off with what is listed above?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Yes, these products are compatible with the Wolfgang Coating. If you use the McKee's 37 Fine Polish you will need to follow up with a Paint Prep Spray before applying the coating. The paint prep spray will remove the oils from the surface, so the coating can bond properly.

BLACKFIRE Paint Prep
 
waterman said:
Hello,

I am ready to do the Wolfgang coating on my Denali. Are the above products compatible with this coating? I was thinking of using mckees37 fine polish, my truck already has a great deal of gloss and very few swirl marks that you have to look for. Can I use the fine polish or would I be better off with what is listed above?

Thanks
Click to expand...

The fine polish will require a panel wipe or two; or one of the above prep polishes afterwards, to remove oils. If you are content with the gloss and swirl marks, use Mckees Coating Prep Polish, or BF Pro Primer. If you want light finishing and no panel wipe after, try Essence.
 
acuRAS82 said:
The fine polish will require a panel wipe or two; or one of the above prep polishes afterwards, to remove oils. If you are content with the gloss and swirl marks, use Mckees Coating Prep Polish, or BF Pro Primer. If you want light finishing and no panel wipe after, try Essence.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the replies. I have two bottles of Wolfgang perfekt paint prep in addition to mckees37 n914.
 
waterman said:
Hello,

I am ready to do the Wolfgang coating on my Denali. Are the above products compatible with this coating? I was thinking of using mckees37 fine polish, my truck already has a great deal of gloss and very few swirl marks that you have to look for. Can I use the fine polish or would I be better off with what is listed above?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Sorry to keep this thread going. I only have about 4 ounces left of the fine polish and about 8 ounces of the griots perfecting cream. I was thinking of ordering more of the fine polish but was wondering if I should order the essence instead. My question is the amount of cut the essence has. Is it similar to the fine polish or less?

Thanks
 
If someone else with vast Essence experience corrects me, go with their answer; but I believe Essence should have comparable correction ability as your Mckees Fast Polish (Mckees may be barely more aggressive).
 
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