Dressing Engine Covers

[cptzippy]

Seems like newer cars have more and more engine covers. My wife`s MDX has some and my new IS has almost a full cover under the hood.



Here`s the question: what, if anything, do you use to dress it?

[Darkstar752]

Whatever you normally dress engines with, varies from detailer to detailer. I`ll use 303 normally, just make sure whatever you use isn`t streaking because it will be much more obvious over a cover like that.



With a normal car, I don`t even bother unless I`m preparing the car for a show or the customer wants it detailed. Your average joe with your average car is not going to even look under the hood, much less notice if it`s dressed so I added it as an option instead. This is just my experience though, YMMV.

[MichaelSpoots]

I use Hyper Dressing 3:1. Takes a few applications because it`s water-based and tends to run around the surface before finally soaking in, but I like the healthy, matted "sheen". I haven`t used it on enough engine covers to say definitively whether or not it can remedy those old/abused black engine covers that seem to reject dressing no matter how much you apply...but I know that it does look great on newer/cared-for engine plastics :). Perhaps Meguiars` new Ultimate Protectant can turn faded engine covers back to black.



And there`s a million other things that work well, too. I just use HD because I have it and it`s cheapish.

[imported_Blake]

Another vote for Hyper Dressing mixed 1 part to 3. It looks great and it dries to the touch.

Only thing I would add to MichaelSpoots is that you can rub it in rather than just let it sit on the item. With all protectants I find two very light coats to be much better than one liberal pass. The HyperDressing also seems to last very well on the parts and pieces underhood.

[imported_Jakerooni]

Meg`s hyperdressing here as well.

[Accumulator]

When I do it, which isn`t all that often, I use 303 or Autoglym Bumper Care.

[MichaelSpoots]

Oh, I forgot to mention that with Hyper Dressing, I spray it on, let it dwell for about 45 seconds, then rub it in with a MF cloth, repeat a 2nd application, then finish off with a clean MF wipedown :2thumbs:. After reading what I wrote, yeah, it did sound like I spray N walk away. That`s a big no-no in my book!



One thing I still don`t understand is the method of spraying HD and more or less walking away, as I have read quite a few times. I find that with (and most dressings for anything actually), you have to work it in! Else you tend to get the drips and such...