Anyone try Finish First?

mleskovar · 09-10-01, 09:45

Ran across this. Sounds SG like. Usual marketing hype. Also addresses 'curing' time for polymers.

"Finish First Polish is applied once your car's surface has been thoroughly cleaned. Finish First outperforms conventional waxes and polishes because it contains synthetic polymers which bond
to the clear coat. Multiple coats can be applied to create a tough, mirror like finish with exceptional gloss. Each layer increases the "glow" or "deep wet look" of the finish. Finish First is the only patented 100% synthetic polymer polish on the market today. It contains no abrasives, silicone, teflon or organic additives. It is applied thinly, and should "cure" a minimum of one hour to over night, which allows its polymers time to bond to the clear coat. It does not become harder to polish with additional curing time. After curing, the resulting haze is easily polished to reveal a dazzling shine providing unsurpassed paint protection which blocks over 97% of harmful Ultra-Violet sunlight. Multiple thin coats will strengthen the clear coat, while it fills swirl marks. Finish First provides a
beautiful polished appearance, providing maximum protection for your car's finish, with the least amount of effort. Two coats will provide protection in any weather conditions for at least 6 months."

DETAILKING · 09-10-01, 10:01

Very similar to Liquid glass in my opinion. It used to have microscopic polishing agents in it.....aka.....abrasives....I wonder why they don't mention that anymore in the write up?

waxman · 09-10-01, 10:04

Finish First Polish
Here is more information from their website.
www.finishfirstautopolish.com
Sounds like a decent product

FINISH FIRST uses a synthetic emulsifier cleaning agent to dissolve tar, road film, dirt and organic contaminants which cling to the paint even after washing. With this dissolving cleaning action, you will not create those "swirl marks" in your paint finish usually caused by organic wax cleaners. Not only will FINISH FIRST not create swirl marks, the cleaning emulsifiers will dissolve the contaminants embedded in old swirl marks and make them disappear. FINISH FIRST is unique to organic waxes because of its synthetic formula.

FINISH FIRST actually works better if you let it dry on your vehicle before removal for a minimum of 15 minutes to 2 hours. FINISH FIRST POLISH/FINISH is durable, weather resistant and able to build layers in order to enrich the depth of gloss. A regular wax coating, which is not durable, lacks the ability to build layers because the solvent grit of the second coat destroys the first coat. With FINISH FIRST the more coats you apply, the deeper the gloss and the greater the protection

ZV · 09-10-01, 12:48

one step product, not the multiple steps of Zaino and Klasse. It's the favorite product of one of the Vette forums, most of the guys there use it.
It's easy to apply, easy to buff out and leaves a very nice shine, to me it's in-between the Zaino gloss and the Klasse depth. Not as much depth as Klasse, but not as glossy as Zaino so it has the best of both worlds to me. I applied it 3 months ago and it's not even thinking about letting go,
it still beads and sheets like crazy. I top it off
with Blitz and it looks great. Don't know why more
people don't use it (here at least) but it's a good product, although I am going to try Klasse next time to see if it is any better. Like most polymers, it looks better the more coats you use, I used about 5 or so, took me weeks to apply correctly! I would apply 2 coats a week and wait for it to cure, then apply more so take your time.
If your looking to start out, FF is a good starter product that won't work you to death, Zaino and Klasse should be used if your VERY serious about detailing although I could not see a significant difference against the Klasse, the Zaino is very glossy so there was a more pronounced difference.
Good luck!!!

DETAILKING · 09-10-01, 12:58

I was going to try it till I kept reading that lots and lots of users on the corvette forum were switching to zaino. I ended up giving my can away. Zaino is not time consuming or difficult, I can't imaging finish first being THAT much faster or easier that you would make that novice / serious detailer catagorization. Glad you enjoy the results of FF on your cars.....have any pics?

RIC · 09-10-01, 02:09

waxman:

http://www.finishfirstautopolish.com...m#Finish%20Top
Click on "More About Finish First"

Something you left out about Finish First from their website: "Second, microscopic polishing agents loosen and lift dirt or oxidized paint, remove surface imperfections, and smooth out surface microroughness."

How can Finish First do these things without abrasives and harsh solvents and still be able to layer?

Cybercowboy · 09-10-01, 02:22

won't be putting any abrasive product on my new vette. Seriously, what vette forum? I'm all over them and all I see is Zaino/Klasse/good carnuba.

09-10-01, 02:50

This product sounds like All-In-One, except we all know that multiple steps of AIO won't add more protection.

Don2000g · 09-10-01, 03:56

Finish First is a pretty good product in my opinion. Tim sent me a sample of this a year ago. I used it on a beater car and I really liked the results. I then ordered the regular size can from him. Good stuff for older cars. Laters.

Blake · 09-10-01, 05:15

I used Finish First before I switched to Klasse. It's a very good product and does what the other polymer products do. When I used it I got all kinds of compliments on the shine. One neat thing is they recommend you put it on leave it overnight and then polish it the next day. You certainly can get very pleasing results from FF and it's very easy to use.

DETAILKING · 09-10-01, 05:32

use Liquid glass? Just curious...why did you switch to KLASSE from FF?

ZV · 09-10-01, 10:11

"The most popular polymer-based finish among Ferrari owners is Liqui-tech's Finish First Auto Polish. It is an excellent choice for protecting your car's finish (and is the product of choice for the author of this FAQ). While Finish First is referred to by its manufacturer as a "polish," it's not a polish in the traditional sense of the word because it's non-abrasive. Rather than rub out swirl marks like traditional polishes, it actually fills them with a clear resin that virtually eliminates them. This clear resin also creates a mirror-like finish that is easy to keep clean, makes water bead up into tiny drops, is stronger than wax, and provides UV protection to inhibit paint fading."

http://www.ferrariclub.com/faq/clean.html

Here's a link for the Vette forum that likes Zaino A LOT! :

http://www.corvetteforum.cc/reviews/index.php

Sorry, I could not find that Vette forum since there are so many, but if the Ferrari club of America endorses FF, that's good enough for me! Later.