Spraying UPGP Directly on Paint?

[Ralphe Stanley]

Hi all, great site, and it`s been really helpful in making the most important decisions on my first car, a black Lexus IS250AWD.



I do have a couple of questions that I`d love to ask you experts.



1) Everytime I apply Ultima Paint Guard on to my car`s paint, I *always* leave streaks. The first time I applied three sprays per panel. Not smart I now know, but the second time around, I applied one spray per panel. Same with all subsequent applications.



However, every time I do this, it still leave streaks in straight lines. I`m really confused as to what I`m doing wrong here... Could I be spraying it onto the provided sponge wrongly? I`ve tried spraying it on a concentrated spot on the sponge, and I`ve tried spraying it down a line on the sponge, but always get the same result. The streaks always occur where the UPGP is applied on the sponge (i.e. if I spray it in the middle of the sponge and wipe down the panel, I get streaks of straight lines where the UPGP would be located on the sponge when I `sponged` the panel).



2) I know it may not be the most resourceful use of the product, but would there be any downsides (besides draining the bottle faster) in spraying the UPGP DIRECTLY onto the panels, like maybe six sprays, and then sponging it afterwards? Or maybe even just dousing the panels with the stuff?



Basically, I`m really at my wit`s end with this situation. UPGP is brilliant stuff, leaves my car doubly shiney with half the effort and risk of traditional waxes. However, the streaking just kills the look IMO, and I`m ready to buy a few bottles of the stuff to douse my entire car if it means protecting it without that ugly streaking result!



Thanks!

[Setec Astronomy]

Is your applicator clean? Have you tried waiting a bit (even overnight) to see if the streaks go away? IME with the WOWA sealants, usually if you`re patient the streaking just disappears on its own after a while. And as I said, the other thing is whether the applicator is clean and dry.

[Ralphe Stanley]

Hi Setec, I`m a bit of a neat freak, so I always make sure I wash my car cleaning towels and sponges in the washing machine and dryer before I use them. And I`ve waited for days without seeing a change, so I usually end up `buffing` the streaks away.

[HowardPearson]

I was getting some really faint streaking on my black car, so i continued to apply the UPGP as directed but then followed up with a light buff with a fluffy MF after each panel. Im not sure what effect this has on durability, but it did cure the streaking.



Also make sure you hold the bottle atleast 8"-10" from the pad while you spray, as opposed to holding the bottle right next to the pad. By doing so this allows the product to be spread evenly over the surface of the pad.

[Ralphe Stanley]

Duke, buffing is what I used to do as well, but I`ve read that buffing off the UPGP is really not recommended as it basically removes the stuff.

[akimel]

Ralphe, I presume you are using the microfiber sponge that came with UPGP. Can you describe for us precisely how you are applying the product to the surface.



Do you, e.g., go back and forth over the panel with the applicator? How large an area do you usually work before you spray the applicator again? As you know, it needs to be applied thin (what sealant doesn`t?). Does the surface appear wet as you apply it--it shouldn`t. I can`t see anything on the paint when I apply UPGP. I have to make an act of faith and just trust something is being left behind (the two cars I have used it on were silver-green and silver-blue), though I do see wetness when I go over the black trim. Have you considered replacing the applicator sponge?



I`ve had really good luck with UPGP and (knock on wood) have never had streaking problems. I hope you can figure this out.

[HowardPearson]

Duke, buffing is what I used to do as well, but I`ve read that buffing off the UPGP is really not recommended as it basically removes the stuff.



I understand , but I haven`t really noticed and decreased performance of the product with this method.



Now, for the most part, I don`t have any streaking issues when i apply as directed by the manufacture. I only used the follow-up buff method a couple times when i was having issues. The issues may have been weather related.:confused:

[ricka]

i use and like it. what works for me is spraying one spritz 8" from the pad. some instructions say to spritz twice for the first application, once thereafter. apply in circular motion (per site instructions). i`ve found circular works better than straight lines and you provide better paint coverage.



you can see a slight haze if viewed at proper lighting angles. try not to touch it once applied. let cure for 12 hours. if you apply too much on one panel, lightly mist a mf with your favorite qd (i prefer fk425 for this particular application) and lightly go over the paint. it will shine up very nicely and remove any streaking or excessive upgp.



good luck. it does take a little practice. luckily you don`t use (waste) much during each application.

[Dan]

Keys to success with OS or UPGP:



-MF applicator pad, foam sucks, make sure its clean, try a new one if in doubt

-2 spritz to prime

-1 spritz per panel (1 for each side of the roof/hood since they are big)



So for a normal sized car you need 15-16 total. Anymore and you are wasting the stuff.

[superchargedg]

i use and like it. what works for me is spraying one spritz 8" from the pad. some instructions say to spritz twice for the first application, once thereafter. apply in circular motion (per site instructions). i`ve found circular works better than straight lines and you provide better paint coverage.



you can see a slight haze if viewed at proper lighting angles. try not to touch it once applied. let cure for 12 hours. if you apply too much on one panel, lightly mist a mf with your favorite qd (i prefer fk425 for this particular application) and lightly go over the paint. it will shine up very nicely and remove any streaking or excessive upgp.



good luck. it does take a little practice. luckily you don`t use (waste) much during each application.



That is also the way i do it and it works.

[craigdt]

Keys to success with OS or UPGP:



-MF applicator pad, foam sucks, make sure its clean, try a new one if in doubt

-2 spritz to prime

-1 spritz per panel (1 for each side of the roof/hood since they are big)



So for a normal sized car you need 15-16 total. Anymore and you are wasting the stuff.



This.



And as has already been mentioned, wait overnight, then you can knock down the streaks with a QD, such as FK425 or CK Quickshine

[nonsensez9]

I used UPGP 2 times. 2 coats each time. Evidently I did not figure out how to do it properly `cuz I had to QD away streaks each time. The WA part of WOWA is not exactly true for first time users. I`ll probably give it another go in the spring.... or, more likely, maybe I`ll pick up the latest over-hyped product when the time comes. :)

[loco]

I found that using one spray per two panels worked better for me. I still had to remove a few stray streaks, but it was the best method I ever settled on when I was using UPGP.

[Rob Tomlin]

i use and like it. what works for me is spraying one spritz 8" from the pad. some instructions say to spritz twice for the first application, once thereafter. apply in circular motion (per site instructions). i`ve found circular works better than straight lines and you provide better paint coverage.



you can see a slight haze if viewed at proper lighting angles. try not to touch it once applied. let cure for 12 hours. if you apply too much on one panel, lightly mist a mf with your favorite qd (i prefer fk425 for this particular application) and lightly go over the paint. it will shine up very nicely and remove any streaking or excessive upgp.



good luck. it does take a little practice. luckily you don`t use (waste) much during each application.



I agree with most of this too. I probably would NOT use the FK425 to remove the streaking for concern in causing possible curing issues (but that is just being extra cautious). I would just use a clean, dry MF towel.



I actually seem to get much less streaking with UPGP than I do with OS for some reason. UPGP seems to apply better, without hardly any streaking at all for me.



Is it humid when you have applied it?



Bottom line: don`t be too concerned about it. Don`t feel like you have to wipe the streaking/high marks down until the next day. It won`t cause a problem, and you won`t have to worry that it is removing the sealant if you wait 24 hours or so.

[ricka]

excellent points rob. i will say that if when i do use the 425, i lightly mist the mf before buffing--not misting directly on the paint. and like you said, if you wait 24 hrs for full curing it probably won`t matter either way if you use a dry or misted mf.