Regarding the ABC systems, can you...

[byrdpt]

can you sub dawn for the A



use the B (doesn`t seem like there is another comparible product)



can you sub a good car wash for the C (seems like that`s all it is)



Do they have to be used all together?

[Jngrbrdman]

If you are going to use the ABC system, then you really should use all three stages of it correctly. Dawn and vinegar have been known to be substitutes for the ABC system, but if you are intrested in using it then use all three parts. It works really well.

[Andre']

Jngrbrdman is correct.



BTW. C is also one of the best washes i have ever used, it`s well worth the expense.:up

[Dave N]

B smells just like hydrochloric acid, so I suppose you could substitute that (just joking!). Seriously, it`s kind of scary spraying that stuff on your car -- I suggest rubber gloves.



In addition to C being a good cleaner, a little goes a looong way, so it should last a loooong time.

[byrdpt]

I had a bad experience with clay, so this is got to be better. I get a lot of those metal flakes in my paint, especially on the back.



How do you apply the stuff. I assume C is just like any other car wash, but what about A&B?



C won`t strip Zaino or other products, will it?

[DETAILKING]

your paint, I suggest you try clay again. Most users of the ABC system are happy with it but do recommend claying afterwards to pick up what the ABC didn`t. It`s kind of like if you have a splinter in your finger....using acid would only really level off the top of it. Clay will actually pull the iron ferrite out of your paint and has been proven to do so. Here is what clay magic says....sure they may be biased, but take it for what it is worth.......



".......One of the primary initial uses of Clay Magic was the removal of railhead dust and it has been approved by virtually every OEM for this task. There are two grades of Clay Magic; blue & red. The red bar is much more agressive and requires a polish job after use. However it is much quicker to use on severe cases of railhead dust. Many of our competitors claim Clay Magic only knocks off the top of the particle; we don`t feel this is true. In our own testing using magnifying lenses the entire rust particle is removed; however some bits of the dust leave pits which can only be polished or sanded out.



Clay Magic is far safer to use than any type of acid wash. It does absolutely no harm to a car`s surface; in fact it provides a cleaner smoother surface to polish or wax. Except for severe cases of water spotting or acid rain we never reccomend an acid wash....."

[rstype]

I would try reading this too:



"Claying alone will cause your metal particles to resurface after a couple of months (I know, it happenned to me). All claying does is remove the bloom. You still have the acid left. After claying the bloom, the acid is exposed to the elements, such as water. Once it comes into contact with the water it starts a new reaction which causes the acid to spread, and more rust specs will eventually appear."



My best advice would be to go ahead and use the ABC system except on one panel of your car. You can use clay on that panel, and see whether the clay `accelerates` the process or not!



On a second thought... rubbing an eraser over a splinter isn`t the same thing as using two fingers to pull it out.



Happy detailing...

~bw

[imported_Intermezzo]

BW, is that a Ron Ketcham quote?

[rstype]

No, a BillNorth quote who probably got his info from Ron Ketcham and later experienced it.

[JS]

From my investigation of the ABC system (searching through posts on this website)--most of the users seem really happy with the system, and only a few felt the need to use clay afterwards
Try the search function--type in "ABC" or "neutralization".

Here is an interesting link containing info from a Ford motor Company rep:

http://www.carwash.com/article.asp?IndexID=6631067

Also try the Autoint website if you haven`t already.

http://www.autoint.com/

this is Autoint`s page that contains TSBs from various manufacturers recommending the ABC system. Also most of the TSbs contain detailed instructions as to how to use it:

http://www.autoint.com/O.E.M.%20T.S.B.`S.htm