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Originally Posted by csimian Raider - Any updates? How did it go? |
It didn't. I have been unable to wash the Xterra to prep it for several days (weeks) now. We have a water rationing in effect due to the record high temperatures here.
I am very anxious to try the Trim Guard on the Xterra.
On the other hand, the week after I got the product line I detailed my mother-in-law's Maxima, who lives a couple of hours from here where there is no water rationing. I was very impressed with how easy the products were to use. Everyone who saw the car said "Wow, that looks better than it ever has!" (I detail her car about once a year). While I was using the Elastrofoam after a wash, my nine-year-old said "Daddy, why is Nanny's car getting a lot darker?"
The car is dark grey metallic (a pretty unforgiving color to work with), and it
was fun to watch it get darker with each successive step. Overall I really liked the product line, how easy it was to use. I'd say it took me about half as long to detail the car as it usually does. For reference, I have used Zaino, Blackfire, Menzerna, Clearkote, and Meguiars products in the past on her car.
I liked the sudsing of the Paint Guard Wash, and how well it cleaned the car and cut through the road grime. I was able to "clay" the car in record time because the Elastrofoam applicator is quite larger than a clay bar and covers more area. I found the corners of the applicator made it easy to clean around insignias on the car. However, I missed how you can mould clay into the shape of irregular grooves and surfaces. But I'll take the tradeoff in time saved. I had no trouble with marring. I could actually see the improvement in the depth and clarity as I went along -pretty cool. Periodically, I would hold the Elastrofoam under in a bucket of water, brush the surface of the applicator to make sure there wasn't any contamination or grit on the surface. Also great to be able to do this when, inevitably, you slip and drop the applicator. With clay it was ruined, or I had to cut off a hunk to make sure there was no contamination. Actually, when you do this you'll be able to feel the grit and contamination that the clay was picking up as you went along.
The Paint prep plus was very easy to use with the Porter Cable and a foam pad. I had no trouble with it (working a panel at a time with the PC, then wiping off with a microfiber cloth) even though the temperatures were nearly 100 degrees in the shade. The Paint Guard Plus was also very easy to use, and again the size of the applicator made it easy to cover alot of area in short order. I applied one coat in the evening, and another the next morning. Took about 15 minutes. Easy
In the middle of detailing the car, I went in to eat some lunch. I fixed a peanut and jelly sandwich. As I spread the peanut butter on the porous wheat bread, it occurred to me that I was doing something very similar to this to the surface of the paint with PGP, and I recalled the illustrations in the "Nanotechnology" thread. Man, I gotta get a life.
The Tire and Trim Guard Plus is an interesting product. Basically it seems to restore whatever surface it is being used on to to its original color and sheen, rather than just making everthing shiny. So however the surface looked when new, it will have this appearance after using the TTG+. This includes rubber tires and trim. For those who like to do car shows and concours events where they want the tires to look dark and new, but not artificially greasy or shiny, you will likely love this product.
Similarly, for those who like the smooth, soft, even, matte finish of the interior of european and luxury cars when new, I think hands down Interior Shampoo Gel and Interior Guard Plus are the best products I have used for restoring the "new look" to the interior, without adding an artificial shine. I had previously used Murphy's Oil soap and 303 protectant for interiors for reference. The Shampoo Gel was easy to control, and cleaned very well, cutting through the grime and film. I was amazed at how well this stuff cut through the crud on the vinyl pad on the dead-pedal area, better than anything I have used - quick and easy. Similarly, the IG+ ws very easy to use, basically WOWO. You are left with a finish that looks fresh and new, without looking greasy or artifically shiny. Like the TTG+, it seems to restore whatever condition the surface was in when new. The surface has a soft feel to the touch, but does not leave an oily residue on you hands. This should mean that it shouldn't attract and retain dust. While the foam applicators were good for scrubbing, and for covering a lot of area, they were somewhat stiff at times in trying to address small details, cracks, and crevasses. I think next time I will try a microfiber application for these products for comparison.
Haven't had a chance to use the detail spray yet. One word of note for those concerned about cost and how far the product will go. The spray heads furnished with the products produce a microfine spray. Even though it seems you are using alot of product, you're really not. The superfine spray is very even, and makes it easy to use the products to get even coverage, except perhaps in a very windy environment. My product usage was about what David predicted. The foam pad on the PC takes a little product to "prime it" so the PP+ was the only product that seemed to take a little more than the rest. OTOH, you'll likely use the PG+ more often than the PP+ to touch up periodically so usage will probably even out. The TTG+ seemed to go pretty far, even though I covered the tires twice.
The only negative I can say that I was a little disappointed with was how surface scratches in the paint that go through the clear coat,but not the paint didn't darken or disappear as well as with some products I have used (notably Blackfire). I'm talking about the kind of scratches where it would do more harm to the paint to buff them out, than to leave them as is. Though not a fault of the product, flaws in the paint itself may show up more, because the surrounding finish is so good. This car has a flaw on her hood where a bird dropping etched through the clear coat, where this was the case. However, I found the product to be very good at covering/removing swirl marks as long as they didn't go through the clear coat, and this type of grey usually shows them pretty well.
I will see the car again next week at a family Birthday Party. It will be interesting to see how its holding up. I'm especially interested in how the TTG+ looks after some rain and direct sun exposure... More to come....
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