New Car Question--Skip a Couple Steps OK?

[BlueBoxer1]

If the paint on my brand new car is free of swirls and marrs, can I just use a decon kit on it and go straight to an LSP? If so, can you recommend some good LSP`s for the job? I know AIO is good, but I`m not sure it`s an acrylic sealant. I was thinking more of skipping Optimum Polish and just going straight to Poli-Seal, or another LSP, like Aquawax? Help!

[BMW335i]

If the paint on my brand new car is free of swirls and marrs, can I just use a decon kit on it and go straight to an LSP? If so, can you recommend some good LSP`s for the job? I know AIO is good, but I`m not sure it`s an acrylic sealant. I was thinking more of skipping Optimum Polish and just going straight to Poli-Seal, or another LSP, like Aquawax? Help!



Even if your car is new you can benefit from claying. AIO is not a sealant, its a paint cleaner/minor swirl remover. If you have no swirls skipping polishing would be fine. LSP`s like zaino/JW/collinite are all good. No experience with poli-seal or aquawax but I haven`t heard anything negative about them.

[Juztang]

I use the Poli Seal quite a bit. I like to top it with the Optimum Spray Wax. The Poli Seal is pretty comparable to the Optimum Polish in cut. You can`t work it in as long as the Polish but it basically just melts into the paint. It also leaves the paint very slick feeling. I think the Spray Wax adds to the depth.

[Eliot Ness]

......I know AIO is good, but I`m not sure it`s an acrylic sealant. I was thinking more of skipping Optimum Polish and just going straight to Poli-Seal, or another LSP, like Aquawax? Help!FYI, AIO (http://www.autopia-carcare.com/kus-kla-10.html) does leave some light acrylic protection behind..... hence the name All-In-One..... a paint cleaner, light polish, and wax (acrylic). AIO provides a great base for almost any LSP you decide to use. If you use Poli-Seal I`d skip the AIO since the abrasives in PS will remove any protection left by AIO and would be a bit redundant. PS is reported to leave longer lasting protection behind than AIO and, like Juztang mentioned, should do a nice job on your new car that you can top if desired.

[Deanski]

Most new cars have anything from rail dust to other foreign crap from it traveling.



Wash it fully.



Clay the finish with an untra-fine clay.



Use a simple paint cleanser



Then choose your LSP. Wax or sealant, your choice.



Sealants last longer, easy to maintain. Wax does not last long, needs more upkeep and can attract dust/dirt. Besides, most sealants are very clear. When you wax, you put a film on top of a perfect finish. It`s like looking through lightly fogged glasses. Most sealants today are very clear and do not detract from the finish.



Then it`s just maintenance. Choose to obtain good MF towels and wash equipment.



Once the area is wet from washing, I use a hand held leaf blower to dry the finish, followed by a plush MF towel. Then from there I just do a QD and I`m set.



Since it`s new, make sure you limit your wiping in one direction. You can catch marring quicker if you take the time and wipe in a directional pattern all the time.



Regards,

Deanski

[David Fermani]

Wash it fully.



Clay the finish with an untra-fine clay.



Use a simple paint cleanser



Then choose your LSP. Wax or sealant, your choice.







Deanski - If the finish is brand new without any defects, why would you use a paint cleanser? Isn`t claying and LSP good enough?

[Setec Astronomy]

I thought you had this all figured out? Sure you can go right from decon to LSP, but Klasse AIO and Poli-Seal aren`t really LSP`s, they are cleaner "waxes". AquaWax is a great product, but I woudn`t use it as a base on a new car. If you have AIO already, you can certainly use it by hand after you decon, and that will be a good foundation for whatever you want to put on top.

[Deanski]

Deanski - If the finish is brand new without any defects, why would you use a paint cleanser? Isn`t claying and LSP good enough?



Claying will remove surface defects. Most finishes still have some type of protectant from the factory prior to traveling. You would want to clean the finish, that`s all. Nothing harsh, just enough to ensure that all possible spray-on films, protection (wax or sealant) from factory and anything that may have been missed.



You do not want any aggressive pad, at the most a polish pad, but a firmer finish pad will be just right. You`re not trying to correct the finish, just clean it prior to LSP. I find the P21S GEPC will work fine.



Regards,

Deanski

[David Fermani]

Most finishes still have some type of protectant from the factory prior to traveling. You would want to clean the finish, that`s all. Nothing harsh, just enough to ensure that all possible spray-on films, protection (wax or sealant) from factory and anything that may have been missed.







What manufaturer does this? The white wrapping manufacturers use doesn`t require special cleaning (just removing) and I think that cosmolean is almost phased out now.

[Deanski]

What manufaturer does this? The white wrapping manufacturers use doesn`t require special cleaning (just removing) and I think that cosmolean is almost phased out now.



Infinity has a spray-on film as do a few others. The wrapping needs to have all the adhesives removed and most mfg will ship the car with instructions on how to remove the film and adhesive correctly. When the film is on, and as the car travels on a ship, it traps moisture under the film. It takes 24 hours AFTER film removal for the paint to release any moisture trapped.



Also Cosmolean is not out... Porsche uses it on all engine oil pans to protect them from pitting due to road salts etc. In fact, if you removed it from the underside and a dealer spots it, they will re-apply it as it`s a Porsche requirement.



Deanski

[Mark51]

rather than start a new thread i guess this one would be a good place at ask. (this is my first post) Last week i purchased a new Toyota Tundra. It is Natural White and has nothing added after the factory as a paint or finish protection. (Most posts i read seem to deal with dark colored cars). I see posts that refer to wax, sealent etc. This is my first new truck and i really want it to be a head turner. I saw this forum reffered to in a Tundra specific forum. There, they mention products such as Duragloss. But those posts never got specific about new vs old or light color vs dark color. Can some knowledgeable people please suggest specific brands and names for my vehicle. I really want to do this right. tia

[David Fermani]

Thanks Deanski - I didn`t know that. I guess growing up and living in the Metro Detroit area I wasn`t exposed too much to foreign cars. Since moving to Florida, I think I`ve seen more foreign cars in 1 month than I`ve seen my whole life. It`s a Michigan thing.

[imported_Dave1]

Can some knowledgeable people please suggest specific brands and names for my vehicle. I really want to do this right. tia



For a brand new white truck I would wash it and lightly clay it and then seal it with Zaino. But that`s just me......



Wash

Clay

Z2pro (two coats with ZFX)

Z8



Good luck......:xyxthumbs

[BlueBoxer1]

I can see there alot of clay fans here, I thought decon subsituted for clay with less possibility of marring brand new paint? The decon is supposed to remove fallout and surface contamination, just like clay.



Also, if I`m going to stick with cheaper products than Zaino/JW, does Optimum or Duragloss make a good LSP? Are Zaino/JW/Collinite the three good LSP`s, or are others in the same boat? Which one is the Collinite LSP (845 I believe is a wax). And what are some other good LSPs? I assume we are talking acrylic sealants which last longer.

[Setec Astronomy]

Sheesh, that`s a real open-ended question (about the LSP`s). Although I don`t have personal experience with it, the Duragloss 105 is supposed to be very good. There are several Collinites, I like the 845 Insulator Wax, because it is so enjoyable to apply.