Paint Sealant on new truck
08-06-2012, 07:34 PM
#11
Originally Posted by 10Supercab
Having worked for First Place Finish and Total Plus i can tell you firsthand that the stuff doesn't work. Basically you are paying for a service, not an actual product. If you buy the package, you basically get a warranty that says if you should acquire water spots or acid rain spots after the sealer is applied, you can get your vehicle buffed out for free as long as the contract is valid. seeing how most dealerships now employ high school kids or kids just out of high school, they don't care if they wax/seal a vehicle or not. basically they slap a sticker on the glass saying they did it and hope the customer buys it. i would never purchase this sort of thing!
as for waxing/sealing a new vehicle, feel free to do it. factory paint is baked and by the time you actually get your vehicle it is fully cured. if it is a re-paint or repair, then 30-90 days is the waiting period.
as for waxing/sealing a new vehicle, feel free to do it. factory paint is baked and by the time you actually get your vehicle it is fully cured. if it is a re-paint or repair, then 30-90 days is the waiting period.
08-07-2012, 01:58 AM
#12
Ford Performance Wannabee
With any new vehicle...
1) Wash the vehicle thoroughly (I use Chemical Guys Citrus to break down anything that may be on the paint)
2) Clay the vehicle with an ultrafine clay (not your over the counter clays - they'll work but they're really too abrasive for a brand new finish)
3) Use a DA Polisher and a finishing polish to clean up and swirls or small defects the dealer may have inflicted.
4) Seal the paint with a good sealant like OptiSeal, Autoglym, Menzerna, etc. (Yes there is such a thing as a paint sealant, and yes they do work)
5) Optional - Jewel the paint with a pure wax (not a cleaner wax)
1) Wash the vehicle thoroughly (I use Chemical Guys Citrus to break down anything that may be on the paint)
2) Clay the vehicle with an ultrafine clay (not your over the counter clays - they'll work but they're really too abrasive for a brand new finish)
3) Use a DA Polisher and a finishing polish to clean up and swirls or small defects the dealer may have inflicted.
4) Seal the paint with a good sealant like OptiSeal, Autoglym, Menzerna, etc. (Yes there is such a thing as a paint sealant, and yes they do work)
5) Optional - Jewel the paint with a pure wax (not a cleaner wax)
08-07-2012, 06:40 AM
#13
So is the Fire Glaze a no go, or have you guys just not tried it? If it's a bad product, I won't use it anymore. However, I have been happy with the product so far on my other vehicles.
My new truck is going to be White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat. I'd like it to have the deepest look possible. I know it won't look as deep as a nice black paint job that you actually look into rather than at, but there's gotta be a way to make the White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat look deep. Also, one of my main goals is to make the truck easier to clean when it's dirty. I live in South Carolina and work in Ohio. I drive home every other weekend, so I put a little over 800 miles on the truck every two weeks as I drive through the mountains in different types of weather. My vehicles get covered in dirt from construction areas, bugs, salt in the winter, rain, pollen, etc... I'd like to be able to clean the truck pretty easily when I get to either home or Ohio.
And since I'm only home every other weekend and I have a wife and 17 month old daughter, I'd rather not spend such a huge chunk of time at home detailing my truck. I don't think that would make the Mrs too happy, and I'd rather spend time with my daughter. I don't want her to grow up thinking Daddy is just a face on Skype.
So ideally, I'd like to do something fairly quick or have someone else do it.
My new truck is going to be White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat. I'd like it to have the deepest look possible. I know it won't look as deep as a nice black paint job that you actually look into rather than at, but there's gotta be a way to make the White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat look deep. Also, one of my main goals is to make the truck easier to clean when it's dirty. I live in South Carolina and work in Ohio. I drive home every other weekend, so I put a little over 800 miles on the truck every two weeks as I drive through the mountains in different types of weather. My vehicles get covered in dirt from construction areas, bugs, salt in the winter, rain, pollen, etc... I'd like to be able to clean the truck pretty easily when I get to either home or Ohio.
And since I'm only home every other weekend and I have a wife and 17 month old daughter, I'd rather not spend such a huge chunk of time at home detailing my truck. I don't think that would make the Mrs too happy, and I'd rather spend time with my daughter. I don't want her to grow up thinking Daddy is just a face on Skype.
So ideally, I'd like to do something fairly quick or have someone else do it.
08-07-2012, 06:51 AM
#14
Originally Posted by _Flea_
To have my truck steam washed, the interior cleaned, and the Fire Glaze applied is $70. No where near $400-500. I wouldn't even consider something that expensive.
Run quick. Go to Outback Steakhouse instead.
08-07-2012, 07:51 AM
#15
Uh oh. Why do you say that? It's looked great when I've had my vehicles done. My dad also takes his vehicles there as well. The place is located across the street from the home office for the company I work for, so I always see nice cars over there that belong to guys from the company. I normally see other nice cars there as well. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, I see more nice vehicles there than "regular" vehicles. I think it's because they take better care of the vehicles than the other car wash places.
08-07-2012, 11:30 AM
#16
Fire Glaze has been around for a long time and is fairly decent. It is about as durable as average stuff out there but nothing that I've seen/heard beyond 6 months. I've only seen one vehicle done with it and from what we could tell it had alot of fillers. They have a new product out called Glare but have no idea if it is different. All this info is based off one friend's car and discussing it with the dealer at the time when I was with him getting it performed. There are definitely more durable better looking products available.
Steam cleaning is actually the way to go since you don't have to use any cleaners and less abrasion. I'm not sure why anybody would shy away from a steam washing system, wish I could afford one for my house.
For $70, the deal isn't that bad. Durability is going to greatly be determined on paint prep and maintenance afterwards. From the worse conditions to best, I would estimate a 2 - 6 month durability range. So if you stopped in there 3/year, your truck should stay in fairly good shape. The fillers will dis-appear alot quicker, so your shine/depth will degrade fairly quickly.
If you really care about your paint, I would be worried what methods/materials they use when they touch your paint and how your maintenance washes are completed (hand or car wash).
If I was in your shoes and was looking at getting something new protected - have no time in detailing myself, have a detailer apply Opti-coat. It lasts as long as your paint, basically adding another clearcoat layer which is harder than OEM clear. It also has a "shedding" quality where most contaminates will not adhere. It doesn't stay clean forever, but a simple power wash will bring it to a better condition than anything else I've seen.
In the long run, it will be cheaper also.
Steam cleaning is actually the way to go since you don't have to use any cleaners and less abrasion. I'm not sure why anybody would shy away from a steam washing system, wish I could afford one for my house.
For $70, the deal isn't that bad. Durability is going to greatly be determined on paint prep and maintenance afterwards. From the worse conditions to best, I would estimate a 2 - 6 month durability range. So if you stopped in there 3/year, your truck should stay in fairly good shape. The fillers will dis-appear alot quicker, so your shine/depth will degrade fairly quickly.
If you really care about your paint, I would be worried what methods/materials they use when they touch your paint and how your maintenance washes are completed (hand or car wash).
If I was in your shoes and was looking at getting something new protected - have no time in detailing myself, have a detailer apply Opti-coat. It lasts as long as your paint, basically adding another clearcoat layer which is harder than OEM clear. It also has a "shedding" quality where most contaminates will not adhere. It doesn't stay clean forever, but a simple power wash will bring it to a better condition than anything else I've seen.
In the long run, it will be cheaper also.
08-07-2012, 12:34 PM
#17
Fire Glaze has been around for a long time and is fairly decent. It is about as durable as average stuff out there but nothing that I've seen/heard beyond 6 months. I've only seen one vehicle done with it and from what we could tell it had alot of fillers. They have a new product out called Glare but have no idea if it is different. All this info is based off one friend's car and discussing it with the dealer at the time when I was with him getting it performed. There are definitely more durable better looking products available.
Steam cleaning is actually the way to go since you don't have to use any cleaners and less abrasion. I'm not sure why anybody would shy away from a steam washing system, wish I could afford one for my house.
For $70, the deal isn't that bad. Durability is going to greatly be determined on paint prep and maintenance afterwards. From the worse conditions to best, I would estimate a 2 - 6 month durability range. So if you stopped in there 3/year, your truck should stay in fairly good shape. The fillers will dis-appear alot quicker, so your shine/depth will degrade fairly quickly.
If you really care about your paint, I would be worried what methods/materials they use when they touch your paint and how your maintenance washes are completed (hand or car wash).
If I was in your shoes and was looking at getting something new protected - have no time in detailing myself, have a detailer apply Opti-coat. It lasts as long as your paint, basically adding another clearcoat layer which is harder than OEM clear. It also has a "shedding" quality where most contaminates will not adhere. It doesn't stay clean forever, but a simple power wash will bring it to a better condition than anything else I've seen.
In the long run, it will be cheaper also.
Steam cleaning is actually the way to go since you don't have to use any cleaners and less abrasion. I'm not sure why anybody would shy away from a steam washing system, wish I could afford one for my house.
For $70, the deal isn't that bad. Durability is going to greatly be determined on paint prep and maintenance afterwards. From the worse conditions to best, I would estimate a 2 - 6 month durability range. So if you stopped in there 3/year, your truck should stay in fairly good shape. The fillers will dis-appear alot quicker, so your shine/depth will degrade fairly quickly.
If you really care about your paint, I would be worried what methods/materials they use when they touch your paint and how your maintenance washes are completed (hand or car wash).
If I was in your shoes and was looking at getting something new protected - have no time in detailing myself, have a detailer apply Opti-coat. It lasts as long as your paint, basically adding another clearcoat layer which is harder than OEM clear. It also has a "shedding" quality where most contaminates will not adhere. It doesn't stay clean forever, but a simple power wash will bring it to a better condition than anything else I've seen.
In the long run, it will be cheaper also.
If you want a deep shine, use a sealer and then wax over that. Most waxes won't last more than a week. Less in direct sunlight and heat.
08-07-2012, 01:35 PM
#18
Well, after a little thought, I think I might try to find a local place that will properly detail the truck with clay bar, sealant, and wax. That will get me a nice looking finish to start with. Then I can maintain it from there with washes and occasional wax. Figure I can get it in for a full detail probably once a year and keep the paint looking brand new.
08-07-2012, 02:13 PM
#19
The reason I went with NuFinish is that you can apply it in direct sunlight. It's very easy to apply and polish off. And if you get it on any black trim, it polishes off fairly easily. I figured if it didn't work, I'd try Rejex but it holds up very well even after a year. Most of the time, my truck gets washed when it rains and the water still beads after a year when the grime gets washed away by the rain.
