Ceramic wax

[Lons]

Has anyone had this done?

My GLC is obsidian black and bought as a demo at just a few weeks old has swirls in the paintwork caused by previous poor wash practice. It's not much but annoys the hell out of me and I know from an experience with a black BMW years ago that it's pita to rectify unless you have confidence to machine polish which I haven't.

I could get the car detailed for a couple of hundred £s but the Merc dealership suggested they could do a full paint correction and ceramic wax, guaranteed 4 years though I don't know the guarantee detail, for £300.

I know that the paint needs to be flawless before treatment and that later damage can be hard to rectify but little else so comments would be welcome.

I only cover 6 to 7 k p.a. and the cars get washed at least twice a week when I use microfibre wash mitts and a 2 bucket system.

cheers
Bob

 

[Rotorhead500]

A full paint correction AND ceramic protection seems remarkably good value to me... Given that some such correction & protection can run to £1500. (I recently got quoted circa £900 on a Focus / Golf sized car).

I'd ask them exactly what's involved and then decide.

 

[Lons]

Thanks, will check that out.

It was just last week when I called in to have a stone chip repaired which I had found when I took delivery of the car. the bodyshop manager sorted it and told me about the ceramic wax treatment.

I make pens and gave him one of the pens for his missus so hopefully he'll remember that and I'll get special treatment.

 

[Rotorhead500]

Never hurts!

They seem to be saying the correct things about proper paint correction prior to ceramic application, just amazed they're offering that for £300!!!

 

[Lons]

He was reasonably specific. I asked him for advice for removing the swirls and he said they would do that as part of paint correction prior to applying the wax. The car has covered just over 3000miles is 10 weeks old and to be fair the paintwork is excellent apart from the hollograms so I guess prep work would be minimal and just a machine polish unless that reveals any nasties.
I'll go in and talk to him later next week once I have pre-approval from the missus. I've spent rather a lot lately and don't want to be making my own dinners.

What I'd really like to know however are the long term implications of the finish and exactly what the 4 year guarantee means in reality.

I'd still be giving it a wax polish every month as I do now, a difficult habbit to break.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Machine polishing if you have a DA (random orbital) mop is easy and requires no skill. They cost around £40 and the results even for novices are impressive. This was my first attempt- car was washed, dried, clayed, cut back (17 years old) then polished with some Meguiares stuff that looked jolly good on the bottle.

 

[rorywquin]

It is not ceramic wax. it is a hard glass like coating (and the good ones have to be applied by specialists) that may or may not need a maintenance regime - as the other posters and you have already stated the car needs a full paint correction and detailing - I cannot see how they could possibly do the lot for 300....some of the coatings are pretty expensive to purchase as well ......the other problem is that if you sustain minor damage, it is harder to repair with ceramic coatings ----they (ceramics) have to be removed from the damaged area and.......guess what, the good products are really hard and thus difficult to remove.....

There are products out there that hide minor damage ion dark cars - I'm sure others will chime in ..........

 

[Binnedit]

Really, it should have been sorted at the point of purchase, (unless the damage was sustained post purchase, of course).

This could help, prior to waxing

 

[Lons]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated, that's impressive bodywork on a W reg car Craig1xviii btw.

I didn't notice the swirls until a week after I took the car home as they weren't visible until the sun shone on the side of the car, strangely the bonnet is ok. I should say at this point I'm a bit fussy, mrs says way OTT, and they are only minor swirls on the sides. Definitely not from me as I'm very careful.
There were a couple of very minor scuffs on the rear bumper which came straight out using a little 3G compound by hand but I'm very nervous at the thought of attempting to sort the swirls myself without practice on something else first.

I have a RAS, Metabo 350 which although a sander I think can be fitted with polishing pads maybe I can get a scrap painted panel from somewhere and play.

Anyway I'll go and quiz the bodyshop manager and see exactly what he's offering.

 

[rorywquin]

Don't muck about with a sander you may do more damage than good........you can get a decent DA unit for under £100---If the marks are very light, there seem to be some good products out there that will cover the marks and also a good hand polish may do the trick.....try talking to a reputable detailer in your area.....someone who has a proper workshop etc and not working out the back of his van.....

 

[Wighty]

If the swirls are really minor , was the car , then clay bar it . And then try a product calls poorboy black hole , which is a glaze to fill minor swirl marks . Top it off with a decent wax of your choice .
This may be all the car needs . If it doesn't work then buy a DA polisher for £100 as said above .
Stick some picks up when you are done .
Poorboys black hole is a Fantastic product by the way .

 

[Lons]

Thanks for the comments guys.
I'm definitely not going to rush into it, too ****** cold and wet at the minute anyway.

My first Bmw was solid jet black and second metalic carbon black and no swirl issues with any of them or my other cars so I'm reasonably happy my basic cleaning regime is ok. I'll look around locally.

My RAS was just a thought really and on reflection a silly one I wouldn't have the courage to try it anyway.

Just looked at the Poorboy black hole and it does look good. Any thoughts on the best brand of snowfoam and a gun (karcher fitting), the one I use at the minute is on it's last legs now.

 

[Wighty]

Thanks for the comments guys.
I'm definitely not going to rush into it, too ****** cold and wet at the minute anyway.

My first Bmw was solid jet black and second metalic carbon black and no swirl issues with any of them or my other cars so I'm reasonably happy my basic cleaning regime is ok. I'll look around locally.

My RAS was just a thought really and on reflection a silly one I wouldn't have the courage to try it anyway.

Just looked at the Poorboy black hole and it does look good. Any thoughts on the best brand of snowfoam and a gun (karcher fitting), the one I use at the minute is on it's last legs now.

I'm sure I saw on eBay the other day a dodo juice snow foam gun for I think £29 ish . I'm using a chemical guys snow foam at the mo which is excellent but more expensive than some others . I think there is a lot of hype around snow foam , if it doesn't strip wax and lingers long enough to loosen dirt it's good enough . Then it's just a case of price , I could see me using a different snow foam every year just for a change .

 

[Lons]

I'm sure I saw on eBay the other day a dodo juice snow foam gun for I think £29 ish . I'm using a chemical guys snow foam at the mo which is excellent but more expensive than some others . I think there is a lot of hype around snow foam , if it doesn't strip wax and lingers long enough to loosen dirt it's good enough . Then it's just a case of price , I could see me using a different snow foam every year just for a change .

I bought mine a good few years ago from a dealer on ebay after a recommendation on the BMW forum but I've never been completely happy with it, wasn't cheap either at well over £30 if I remember though prices seem to have come down, I just don't want to waste money on something that doesn't work properly.

It's probably down to me but have tried several different snow foams and could never get the stuff to cling like it does in the videos. I've dismantled the gun, cleaned the gauze and jet so have now just about given up on the thing so will check that out thanks.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Don't muck about with a sander you may do more damage than good........you can get a decent DA unit for under £100---If the marks are very light, there seem to be some good products out there that will cover the marks and also a good hand polish may do the trick.....try talking to a reputable detailer in your area.....someone who has a proper workshop etc and not working out the back of his van.....

^^^this. I got mine from Costco on a whim for £35. Has fleece/ cotton pads not foam, but for what I need it to do it is absolutely fine. Someone keyed the trunk lid, with some T Cut metallic silver and that DA with the Megs polish (maroon bottle, yellow fluid) it brought it right out to be indistinguishable now.

 

[Wighty]

I bought mine a good few years ago from a dealer on ebay after a recommendation on the BMW forum but I've never been completely happy with it, wasn't cheap either at well over £30 if I remember though prices seem to have come down, I just don't want to waste money on something that doesn't work properly.

It's probably down to me but have tried several different snow foams and could never get the stuff to cling like it does in the videos. I've dismantled the gun, cleaned the gauze and jet so have now just about given up on the thing so will check that out thanks.

To really get the thick clingy stuff ( like on YouTube videos ) you need a couple of inches of the stuff at least in the container .

 

[rorywquin]

I'm using Auto Finesse Avalanche Snow foam - it is very good - not cheap but cheaper if you buy it in 5L bottles rather than the 1L - works out at half the price (-+ 60p / wash).

1" in the lance and and about 500ml of water - thick and sticks like baby sh1t to a blanket and is wax friendly!

I'm trialling the Carpro Hydrofoam (snow foam & Hydro2 in one product) on my wife's car and am liking what I see----it does not foam that well but ..I rinsed the car first with the pressure washer, then foamed it - washed the car using the foam with a mitt and rinse bucket and the pressure rinsed followed by a soft rinse (hose only) - my wife even commented on how good her car looked - just wish the foam held up more.....

 

[Wighty]

The Bilt Hamber snow foam always gets good reviews at £17 for 5 L so worth a go

 

[rorywquin]

The Bilt Hamber snow foam always gets good reviews at £17 for 5 L so worth a go

Yes ......BH is next on my list -- I have more car care product than my wife has makeup..

 

[Wighty]

Yes ......BH is next on my list -- I have more car care product than my wife has makeup..

I don't let my wife in the garage so she doesn't know about my stocks