In need of some maintenance advice. New to detailing.

[Drew888]

So I have a 2017 Chevy SS sedan. I immediately had SunTek PPF installed (full front) an only occasionally (2-4 months) used Pinnacle Souveran liquid wax until a few months ago and now found myself using Beadmaker. It is my DD and sits outside. Within about the 6 month or so mark I noticed the hood and fenders were dull. I waxed it with various waxes and still dull. Just 2 months ago i had a detailer apply his stg 2 paint prep and SPS Graphene coating installed. While this detailer had the car he attempted to buff out the PPF. It helped but it still looked bad. He reminded me that it had a ten year warranty so I looked into it. Just today I had the SunTek PPF replaced under warranty and i pick up the car tomorrow morning.

Should I immediately have this detailer coat the new PPF with the SPS Graphene, wait a few days, or should I be using something else? Assuming the Graphene coating is fine and recommended. I could use some advice on what car wash/wax routine is best to keep it looking it's best. As of maybe 3 months now I've switched to an every two-three week wash to once/week. I'm using the typical two bucket method and pressure wash and high quality microfiber mitts and towels. I really would like to settle into a good routine with decent products with your help. Oh, and looking for a decent car cover as well.

Many thanks,
Drew

69994 69993

[Mike Phillips]

Found this in the Moderator's Queue - not sure why.

It's public now.


:)

[Bruno Soares]

The installer for the PPF should be able to tell to you which coating will not void the warranty and how soon it can be applied. Should be right away.

[joebruin77]

I have Xpel PPF and have used a ceramic-infused spray sealant once every 3 months. I am not yet familiar with graphene products, but I recently ordered IGL renew F4 from autogeek (graphene infused) and plan to try it on my PPF followed by IGL Premier, which is also a ceramic-infused spray sealant.

Whether it is with a ceramic-infused spray sealant, a ceramic coating, or a graphene coating, you do want to protect the PPF and keep it clean to prevent it from getting dull. Just make sure whatever product you use is safe for PPF. Xpel says sealants applied to their PPF should not contain naphtha or kerosene, so I am guessing the same would apply to Suntek PPF.

Regular washing is key. I personally like to do once or twice a week rinseless washes using ONR. I then use more of the ceramic-infused spray sealant as a drying aid.

Beadmaker is known to give great gloss and slickness, but IMO, is not very durable and does not offer a lot of protection. Since your car is a DD and sits outside, I would recommend a sealant that is more durable and offers better protection than Beadmaker. The IGL Premier is one such sealant. Autogeek carriers many others. There are lots of posts about ceramic sealants. Again, just make sure to choose one that is PPF safe.

[The Guz]

So I have a 2017 Chevy SS sedan. I immediately had SunTek PPF installed (full front) an only occasionally (2-4 months) used Pinnacle Souveran liquid wax until a few months ago and now found myself using Beadmaker. It is my DD and sits outside. Within about the 6 month or so mark I noticed the hood and fenders were dull. I waxed it with various waxes and still dull. Just 2 months ago i had a detailer apply his stg 2 paint prep and SPS Graphene coating installed. While this detailer had the car he attempted to buff out the PPF. It helped but it still looked bad. He reminded me that it had a ten year warranty so I looked into it. Just today I had the SunTek PPF replaced under warranty and i pick up the car tomorrow morning.

Should I immediately have this detailer coat the new PPF with the SPS Graphene, wait a few days, or should I be using something else? Assuming the Graphene coating is fine and recommended. I could use some advice on what car wash/wax routine is best to keep it looking it's best. As of maybe 3 months now I've switched to an every two-three week wash to once/week. I'm using the typical two bucket method and pressure wash and high quality microfiber mitts and towels. I really would like to settle into a good routine with decent products with your help. Oh, and looking for a decent car cover as well.

Many thanks,
Drew

69994 69993

You can have the same coating used in the film and paint. No need to wait.

Pick up a couple bottles of the SPS Spray Detailer if he sells it.

As far as soaps anything that doesn’t have wax or conditioners is what is recommended.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

I've had three vehicles with Suntek Ultra full frontals, and have had clients cars that were fully wrapped in PPF. Most PPF like Suntek or Xpel already have a coating on them, which is part of their "self-healing" properties.

Some waxes and sealants will degrade a ceramic coating, this could be the dullness you see. Also, yes PPF can be polished, but there are diminished returns. If the detailer uses too heavy of an abrasive or pad, the heat build up can ruin PPF. It has to be polished gingerly.

I would say there is no issue with doing a coating on PPF, but, you should check with the manufacturer to see what can be applied or not applied within the first several months of the installation. Also if the car is completely ceramic coated it would also be prudent to use the products the coating company recommends as their boosters due to the reasons I mentioned above.

If your vehicle is PPF + Ceramic coating the only thing you need to do is your wash routine and a blow dry (I call this a "shampoo & blow dry"). About every 6 months (if required) use a booster that is recommended by the coating manufacturer, i.e., CarPro Reload (their booster) for CarPro Ceramic coatings. If you are constantly applying an LSP, you're over thinking it.

Nice car by the way! :)

[Drew888]

Joe, help me understand the layering. PPF, graphene coat, every 4 months a booster spray. In between all of this apply IGL Premier? What can I layer over the PPF/Graphene layer to help things or just leave it to the weekly car wash and booster every few months or so and that's it? The suntek is only on the front and I'll assume I'll treat the exposed paint the same way.

Thanks

[WillSports3]

Don't layer the graphene coat. All I would do is use the graphene detail spray every two or three months.
Biggest reason you don't layer graphene coating is because it's a waste of money. It won't bond. Whatever topper you try to use will have maybe two weeks longevity at best.

The detail spray, I have the full version and I have a version mixed 1 to 4 with distilled water. I use the diluted one as a quick spray after a wash just for slickness. Washing a graphene coated car is a different experience. The mitt glides. Get your detailer to coat the PPF, graphene is flexible enough that it shouldn't be an issue. No sealant on the market will perform to the same degree as a good graphene or ceramic coating.

Joe's car is coated with ceramic, it is a different treatment process. Your car has graphene on it, also a different treatment process. The only thing you need to do is what Guz suggested, get some of the graphene detailer spray and use it. Don't need anything else on it because other wise all you're going to do is waste money, as well as mask the protective properties of the graphene coating itself.

[The Guz]

Joe, help me understand the layering. PPF, graphene coat, every 4 months a booster spray. In between all of this apply IGL Premier? What can I layer over the PPF/Graphene layer to help things or just leave it to the weekly car wash and booster every few months or so and that's it? The suntek is only on the front and I'll assume I'll treat the exposed paint the same way.

Thanks

See my post above. Get the SPS spray detailer and use it as often as you like to maintain the graphene coating. It is not as durable as SPS claims.

Is Graphene the next big thing for coatings? (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/126441-graphene-next-big-thing-coatings.html)

[joebruin77]

Joe, help me understand the layering. PPF, graphene coat, every 4 months a booster spray. In between all of this apply IGL Premier? What can I layer over the PPF/Graphene layer to help things or just leave it to the weekly car wash and booster every few months or so and that's it? The suntek is only on the front and I'll assume I'll treat the exposed paint the same way.

Thanks

My suggestion above was only in reference to the specific IGL products Renew F4 and Premier. Although Renew F4 does not contain any abrasives, it is designed to refresh and rejuvinate paint and it leaves a layer of graphene for protection. I saw a video on youtube posted by Brian from Apex Detail in which he raves about the combination of first applying IGL Renew F4 followed by IGL Premier. The two combined produced one of the highest gloss readings I have ever seen.

My understanding is that Rnew F4 is designed to be used on either clean unprotected paint or clean unprotected PPF. It is not designed to be applied on top of a ceramic coating nor should it be applied on paint prior to the application of a ceramic coating.

IGL came out with a new graphene-infused ceramic coating specifically designed for PPF and vinyl wraps called Ecocoat Shield. I hope they come out with a graphene infused spray sealant and detail spray.

[Belo]

nice to see another holden :)

dull paint needs a polish

[Drew888]

Thanks All!!

The KISS principle in action. Keep it clean, boost it occasionally and that's all. I was afraid of a repeat of my PPF going dull quickly. No idea how it happened to begin with but i was told bad rolls can happen or maybe something got on it in the shop and it wasn't immediately evident.