Help with time line for applying Coatings onto of each other?

[ride92]

So we just picked up a slightly used Mercedes GLE350 for my wife. It is in decent shape but needs some love to bring the finish back to wear I like it. I already spent a day detailing the inside since the detailers at the dealership didn`t know what detailing is. Any how, my first question is how hard is MB Black paint? It`s the regular black not the metallic one? I was thinking I would try M205 on an Orange LC pad to start and see how that does.

Now I just ordered some new products to try out and hopefully give good shine and protection. I ordered CarPro Essence, CSL and EXO. As I understand CSL can be applied over the top of essence without worry, at least others haven`t reported issues. My question is what is my time frames for applying these products on top of each other? How long do I need to let each one cure before applying the next step?

[Civicclutch]

At least an hr over essence and just do a paint prep wipe before csl just to make sure it`s super clean


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ride92]

I thought that was the whole point of essence, that you don`t have to do a panel wipe and coat directly over it like a primer almost?

[512detail]

As I understand CSL can be applied over the top of essence without worry, at least others haven`t reported issues.

not necessarily true: since you are going to top the csl with exo, you should be good but I would not recommend Csl or EXO alone over Essence... I have witnessed it`s (presumably premature) demise myself.....

https://www.autopia.org/forums/detailing-product-reviews/185517-holy-sheet-exo-csl-csl-exo-longevity-test.html?highlight=holy+sheet

[ride92]

not necessarily true: since you are going to top the csl with exo, you should be good but I would not recommend Csl or EXO alone over Essence... I have witnessed it`s (presumably premature) demise myself.....

https://www.autopia.org/forums/detailing-product-reviews/185517-holy-sheet-exo-csl-csl-exo-longevity-test.html?highlight=holy+sheet

Could you just give me the Cliff notes summary of what you experienced? Reading thru 8 pages with a lot of discussion that doesn`t really pertain to what I`m planning on doing isn`t something I really want to do.

I am curious as to what problems you had with them alone and why you think the combo worked better.

[512detail]

Could you just give me the Cliff notes summary of what you experienced? Reading thru 8 pages with a lot of discussion that doesn`t really pertain to what I`m planning on doing isn`t something I really want to do.

I am curious as to what problems you had with them alone and why you think the combo worked better.

within those pages all your OP questions would be addressed from percieved/witnessed compatibility and 1st hand thoughts on why to several accounts of members and their experiences with topping exo on csl and wait times

if you can find a current and active study on those products side by side thats older than mine, please let me know because I`d like to have that info as well

but for cliff notes I will say if you plan on doing essence + csl + exo then you should have no worries

if you don`t put them together, then I hope you don`t experience the same thing I have

I am no chemist or scientist, I just know what I witnessed and in my experience I would not recommend topping essence with csl or exo alone...

as they say....your results may vary...take my word for whatever it`s worth to you

It literally bothers me that I don`t know why I have experienced what I have during my current Holy Sheet test but the entire reason I started and have maintained (and hell, chose not to sell that truck) is for the sake of longitudinal research on those products because I happen to be one curious person and potentially a little insane as well, haha

as far as topping times, I`ve read members topping csl with exo as soon as immediately to as long as 24 hours afterwards and none of those members witnessed any issues...as long as the surface stays clean you can probably go 0-24 hours with ease

thats about as cliff as my notes get..sorry, I`m not much of a short answering type person

edit: oh and after essence I`ve seen immediately (with panel wipe) to 24 hours...I prefer to wait 1-3 hours but that`s usually because at that stage of the job I want a break, i have noticed if you wait 12 hrs after essence the paint seems to pop more as its probably further cured, but ive also topped it after 1 hour with a panel wipe