Improving gloss/shine on Titanium Metallic (Silver) and Beige Cars

[2002camry]

Hi,



I have a 2002 Toyota Camry which is Titanium Metallic and a 2001 Buick Century which is Beige in color.



In the past I have used Mothers 3 step and it improved shine but did not last long.



I currently use Durashine and found that it prevented water spots and was easy to apply (apply with a soft sponge and then hose off). The problem with it is that it does not offer a very deep shine.



I then used a product from Krown Rust Control called Luminate Paint protectant and found that it improved the shine on the car but did not last longer then about 2 months.



I was reading Consumer Reports, and they listed Nu Finish as very good for shine and durability. What are your thoughts on this?



Can someone recommend some products that are available in Toronto, Canada that I can buy that gives me long lasting protection from the elements and give me a very good shine with minimal effort. I don`t want to spend more then 1 hour on this.



I heard that Zaino Z2 is good but it requires days of work. That is not something I can do.



Thanks

[Ken B]

If time is what you lack, you might consider a professional detail a couple of times a year and a weekly washing by the same detailer to keep the car in top shape (be ready to pay...)



If you do not want to spend the time and money, I believe you will get the best Return on Investment (ROI) from NU Finish.



Most of the people on this forum actually make a hobby of cleaning cars, and spend a lot of time and money on their car`s shine.

[MikeLS]

Zaino does not require days worth of work. Most of the work involved is in the "prep stage" which should be done regardless of which wax or sealant system you choose. Prep usually consists of some or all of the following: DAWN wash. claying, SMRing, paint cleansing, polishing, etc...whatever you feel your paint needs. After the prep work is done, Zaino is a breeze to apply and remove, especially with ZFX. Adding and buffing a coat usually takes less than 1 hour with ZFX. Zaino is certainly very easy to use and gets easier each time you use it. Plus, it looks great on light and dark metallic colors and has arguably the best durability of any product out there. There is a Z distributor (Homer) in Toronto if you`re interested, email Zaino wet@zainobros and they can tell you who he is...



Unless you`re the wax every six months or year type, I`d stay clear away from NuFinish. It`s very abrasive for a protectant and is best used on beaters that need a quick clean up, not new paints.



:wavey

[Jngrbrdman]

I did a beige 2000 Maxima last week with Blackfire. I think it turned out pretty darn good.



<img src="http://communities.msn.com/_Secure/0NgD**yITkv9vsok7JpAow*uV7ZMux8Wb66kcRziQCXKxqwVGX kXochcPiRzJi6TGq9YDO1LDEteshdZFBLn03Q/MaxGlow.JPG"



<img src="http://communities.msn.com/_Secure/0NQB0cOASz*EvuNWacv!*PU8UEkUdNzDbNaTpXvrNsW9DqE8yl 7846gmAmWWFHTKY3CUoW4XVKhv1rQlHMYCScA/maxima.JPG"



I love the glow that that color gets when Blackfire hits it. Way nice. It has some durability issues but it is managable. I`ll be in Tornonto in June for a charity car wash and could let you try some if you want. Its really nice.



Edit: If you blow through it you can get both layer applied in an hour. Anything worth enjoying later is worth the effort it takes to get it. You won`t get results like you are looking for without investing some time and effort into it. Such a product doesn`t exist.

[detaled by hans]

you dont ask for much ....there is nothing that last forever...so cant scrubbing....on that metal.....buy quality......good luck



frog

[imported_BretFraz]

Originally posted by leyland

you dont ask for much ....there is nothing that last forever...so cant scrubbing....on that metal.....buy quality......good luck



frog



FLONI - Welcome back!!! I see you`ve surfaced in Florida. Lots nice than the Bronx, I`ll bet.



And the name change....hey, I understand. New home, new life, new identity. It happens. A fresh start somewhere else. Gotta do it sometimes, dontcha?



Anyway, glad to see you`re still around, buddy. We all missed ya on your birthday. Take care.

[imported_Intermezzo]

FLONI?!?! Leyland = FLONI?



Hey, welcome back buddy! We missed you!

[KR CoolShine]

Originally posted by leyland

you dont ask for much ....there is nothing that last forever...so cant scrubbing....on that metal.....buy quality......good luck



frog



the syntax sure looks like Floni. . . . wb!



:wavey

[JasonC8301]

Preparing the finish is very important. You want the surface to be as perfect as possible before you apply a sealant. A sealant will bring out the shine in a light colored car. For durability, I recommend Klasse. I still haven`t tried out my Zaino yet. I get away with doing one cleaning/treatment of Klasse a year, it takea round 8 hours a car, but it is only once a year with a wash every 2-3 weeks.



Klasse AIO (X1 PC), Klasse SG (X3 PC), Pinnacle Souveran (X2), One Grand Blitz (X1), Pinnacle Paste Glaz (X2) on a 1992 Beige Camry

http://pstr-m05.ygpweb.aol.com/data/001/55/C8/86/6E/NR8L0qJeCuKwue6xD1N0BH32nmY-ytnk0180.jpg



Klasse AIO (X1 hand), Klasse SG (X4 by hand), One Grand Blitz concours on a 2000 Titanium Silver BMW

http://pstr-m05.ygpweb.aol.com/data/005/5F/30/74/D1/7uWuK-PSoFcYeGOsAT5rcVScqCDsuszk0180.jpg



Whoops, re-read your post and it said you didn`t want to spend more than an hour on your car. I would just take it to a reputable professional to do it then, but it`ll cost mroe money and it will still take the time, you just don`t have to give the effort into making the car shine.

[William420]

Your subject line says "improving gloss/shine". IMO, the only way you can improve gloss is Carnauba. Here`s a pic of Silverish/Gray car with 1XSG topped with Souveran... I did not get this wetness until I top it with Carnauba. I love this system because I have K durability & Carnauba shine. But then, I see you are looking for long lasting protection and very good shine with minimal effort. Your only choice is ZAINO. IMHO, nothing else (including Klasse/BF/Carnauba) can offer what you are looking for.



http://www.fototime.com/8B4543FB89430C7/standard.jpg

[nerdhunters]

I`m with Jason, I treat my M5 to 1 X AIO, 4 X SG, and at least one coat of Souveran, it looks great. It takes lots of time but is worth it. I also agree with the earlier comment, it might be worth taking it to a detailer because nothing I know of takes an hour to get a great, long lasting shine.