Cquartz UK 3.0 Prep

[GunRunner]

Mike,

I just purchased a new to me 2018 Chevy Suburban that has 8,000 miles and is black. I am interested in applying Cquartz UK 3.0 sealant and was hoping you could look at the process I plan on doing and telling me if I’m on the right track of thinking or not. Attached are photos of what I’m working with and hopefully they show enough of the swirls. There are swirls and superficial scratches all over from what appears to be from improper washing habits. On the Suburban I just traded in I did the three step Wolfgang system on it but with the advancement of one step polishes, I was hoping the Black Fire One-Step would suffice in this situation. Here is the process that I was planning on doing:


Wash
Iron X
Clay Bar
Black Fire One Step using Griots 6" Polisher and white 5.5" LC CCS Smart Pads (I have orange pads in case the paint seems hard and I need them)
CarPro Eraser
Cquartz UK 3.0 - 4 coats
Reload


Please let me know your thoughts on this process and if I need to add or remove anything. Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

https://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/mpd224/2018%20Suburban/30654BBB-02C2-4F60-BA47-9929002D8DA3_zpsqcqivwqn.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/mpd224/2018%20Suburban/444E6C61-C897-47AC-A10B-FCEF29FCC319_zps4pc2xuao.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/mpd224/2018%20Suburban/270B10D4-796C-4FED-B9ED-B704385B80F6_zpsidzcir2e.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/mpd224/2018%20Suburban/0A53B8CB-366A-46DA-87C5-45BA667CB7E4_zpse6pmcac2.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/mpd224/2018%20Suburban/856062AF-89E0-4A00-B15E-B034057537A1_zpsg7h2kyoz.jpg

[vobro]

I would definitely skip the BF one step, it has a sealant in there that could impede the CQ from bonding. Use a dedicated polish or compound. Also why would you want to apply 4 coats of the CQ?

[Rsurfer]

I would definitely skip the BF one step, it has a sealant in there that could impede the CQ from bonding. Use a dedicated polish or compound. Also why would you want to apply 4 coats of the CQ?
:iagree: BTW /CQuartz UK 3.0 is a ceramic coating and not a sealant. Anything over 2 coats is redundant.

[GunRunner]

I would definitely skip the BF one step, it has a sealant in there that could impede the CQ from bonding. Use a dedicated polish or compound. Also why would you want to apply 4 coats of the CQ?

I guess I didn't think of that with one step having the sealant, I guess I'll go back to using the Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover and Wolfgang Glaze. I was just hoping to not do multiple steps and save some time, the vehicle is big enough and will take me a while to do. My thought on the 4 coats was because I thought I read somewhere that others were doing multile coats, kind of increasing the hardness factor. I'm must have misread and they were using some other product. Thnis is my first time using a ceramic coating so I'm still learning. Thanks for the input.

[GunRunner]

:iagree: BTW /CQuartz UK 3.0 is a ceramic coating and not a sealant. Anything over 2 coats is redundant.

Since this is my first time working with a ceramic coating, is there any benefit to doing 2 coats or would it be a waste?

[Rsurfer]

Since this is my first time working with a ceramic coating, is there any benefit to doing 2 coats or would it be a waste?

Since winter is over, I would do two coats on the horizontal panels only and one coat on the verticals.

[mrmarkmac]

I just did my first run with ceramic two weeks ago, and used UK 3.0. I did the following;

Wash
IronX
Foam Wash
Clay
Polish with M205 (because I had it)
2xeraser wipe down
2 x CQ UK 3.0 (45 min to 60 min apart)
1 x Gliss (4h after CQ UK)

Couple tips from my first experience with it.
Eraser works great and cleaning up any polish residue.
I thought I had loads of light in my garage for looking for high spots. While I got pretty pretty. I have everything, it wasn’t until I pulled out into daylight (over cast period was best) that a few jumped out. If you can, pull it out into daylight to check it over after you apply.
Because I was slow, being my first time with it, I set a 45 min timer, so when it went off I would go back over previous panels with second coat. I guess if you wait much longer, it can haze.
If you try Gliss, it flashes white apparently, but I had trouble seeing it flash at all.

I though CQ UK 3.0 made it look great and smooth feel. I had no idea until I applied Gliss. Totally shocked how much more slick the surface felt. Dragging MF towel across trunk with one side Gliss applied and other CQ only, was night and day. Maybe it won’t give anymore protection, but it was worth it for how slick it felt, and I didn’t need reload. Gliss goes on in a fraction of the time of CQ.

[mrmarkmac]

I had the car to the dealer today and I didn’t say anything, but the service advisor said I will be telling them not to wash the car because its ridiculously clean.
66215

[Rsurfer]

I had the car to the dealer today and I didn’t say anything, but the service advisor said I will be telling them not to wash the car because its ridiculously clean.
66215
I would still put a do not wash sign on my dash,

[392hemi]

I would still put a do not wash sign on my dash,

On dash, rear view, steering wheel, seat and do not wash autoplay mp3 loaded on radio

[mrmarkmac]

On dash, rear view, steering wheel, seat and do not wash autoplay mp3 loaded on radio

Ha ha. I’ve had the car in a number of times and always tell them don’t wash it. This time the service provider just beat me to it. He said when he saw the car he knew that I didn’t want it washed.

[SWETM]

Carpro recommends 2 coats of CQUK and max 3 coats. So I would go with apply at least the 2 coats/layers. Then you get the most out of it. You can up the longevity by little with a 3rd coat.

[TTQ B4U]

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r278/mpd224/2018%20Suburban/856062AF-89E0-4A00-B15E-B034057537A1_zpsg7h2kyoz.jpg

Congrats on the new ride. As others noted, stick to polish vs all in one prior to the coating. I would use CarPro Essence on a light cutting pad for your specific polisher and then apply 2 layers of UK 3.0 There's no need to apply more than 1 or 2 layers. Personally, one layer of UK 3.0 and one layer of Gliss 2.0 work great. If it's a daily driver and especially if you see snow, you're likely going to re-polish and apply it all again in the next 1-2 years.

Should look great when done.

[GunRunner]

Congrats on the new ride. As others noted, stick to polish vs all in one prior to the coating. I would use CarPro Essence on a light cutting pad for your specific polisher and then apply 2 layers of UK 3.0 There's no need to apply more than 1 or 2 layers. Personally, one layer of UK 3.0 and one layer of Gliss 2.0 work great. If it's a daily driver and especially if you see snow, you're likely going to re-polish and apply it all again in the next 1-2 years.

Should look great when done.

If I used CarPro Essence, would I need to use a polish or glaze after Essence and before CQ? Just trying to make sure I do it right and have the best correction before CQ. If it was a normal 3 step, I wouldn’t be as nervous but I know once I put CQ on, it’s pretty much there.

[Bruno Soares]

If I used CarPro Essence, would I need to use a polish or glaze after Essence and before CQ? Just trying to make sure I do it right and have the best correction before CQ. If it was a normal 3 step, I wouldn’t be as nervous but I know once I put CQ on, it’s pretty much there.

No, Essence is a primer for CQ UK so nothing in between the two. You can do a light IPA wipe after letting Essence cure but that may not be required though most choose to do just to be sure there are no oils left. Essence doesn't have much cut so if your paint is hard it might not remove the defects we see on those pictures. That would mean you need something more aggressive first and Essence after that. Wolfgang TSR might do it with an orange pad. Hopefully the clear coat is soft and Essence takes care of it in one shot for you.