New Honda's and kids!

[Bostonbull]

Parking under trees, Hickory Trees to be exact, in the driveway. Birds crapping all over the passenger's side of my car and in the fall I get Hickory nuts banging off of it. On top of that we have 3 year old twins who LOVE to touch the paint!

Looking for something that will protect from all of this, as best as possible, last a while, 6~ months?, and allow washing debris/stains off easily.

Will be working all of this by hand, no machines.



Cars are:
2010 Honda Accord EX-L, Alabaster Silver Metallic
2012 Honda Pilot Touring, White Diamond Pearl




What will "protect" the interior trim, like a wax/sealant, from the kids unique messes? Food, drinks, sticks, glitter, etc. Those with kids I am sure can appreciate this!

Located in Massachusetts, just north of Boston to give you an idea of temps, rain, and climate.




***I have ordered the following products already, but am open to ANY suggestions and changes to keep these looking great with my limited knowledge***


ONR
Opti Clean
Microfibers for use with ONR/OC


I have the following already:

Eimann Fabrik
303 Aerospace
Mequiar APC (green color)
Folex

[Buckskincolt]

A garage!
:D:joking:

You will defenetly want a good sealant like, WG Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant delivers a deep, wet, liquid shimmer unlike anything you can imagine. (http://www.autogeek.net/wg5500.html)
Blackfire BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection, paint sealant, synthetic sealant, blackfire sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-wet-diamond-sealant.html)
Or fourstar Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection, Four Star UPP, paint sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/four-star-ultimate-paint-protection.html)

[bmwgalore]

303 Fabric Protectant is by far the best protectant for interiors... It also works great on sneakers, jackets and stuff...

As for paint, doing work by hand is torture, there's only so much you can do by hand.

[mwoolfso]

Parking under trees, Hickory Trees to be exact, in the driveway. Birds crapping all over the passenger's side of my car and in the fall I get Hickory nuts banging off of it. On top of that we have 3 year old twins who LOVE to touch the paint!

Looking for something that will protect from all of this, as best as possible, last a while, 6~ months?, and allow washing debris/stains off easily. Assuming polishing is off the table and there is a budget then wash, clay, 1 layer of Mother's Synwax FX, 1 layer of Mother's California Gold Step #2, then 1 coat of Collinite 476 or 1-2 of Collinite 915. The Synwax FX has mild cleaners on it and you will be surprised how the applicator will get dirty. That should last you 4-6 months for sure.

Will be working all of this by hand, no machines.



Cars are:
2010 Honda Accord EX-L, Alabaster Silver Metallic
2012 Honda Pilot Touring, White Diamond Pearl




What will "protect" the interior trim, like a wax/sealant, from the kids unique messes? Food, drinks, sticks, glitter, etc. Those with kids I am sure can appreciate this!

Located in Massachusetts, just north of Boston to give you an idea of temps, rain, and climate. I use Vinylex and/or CarPro PERL, so there you are.




***I have ordered the following products already, but am open to ANY suggestions and changes to keep these looking great with my limited knowledge***


ONR
Opti Clean
Microfibers for use with ONR/OC


I have the following already:

Eimann Fabrik
303 Aerospace
Mequiar APC (green color)
Folex



..

[Bostonbull]

100% agree that doing it by hand is torture, but at this stage I dont;
A) have the experience to not create more damage, swirls, holograms, etc than my kids and bird poop are already doing
B) Have the time to learn how to do it correctly with the little ones running around.


Did I waste my money buying Opticoat to protect the paint?


Educate me on clay bars, and clay lubricants.......more so which combinations to stay away from. I understand there are a multitude of great products out there and one isn't the BEST! Should I ONR, clay, ONR again, and then start the protection/sealing process?


If I could get away with 1-2 products to protect the paint on these 2 vehicles I would be extremely happy! That was my hope with Opticoat, maybe I should have done a touch more reading before jumping in on that purchase though! At this juncture I am more interested in just keeping it protected, than making corrections and having the best looking car on the block. I have too many things going against me already. :)

[wysiwyg]

Given the time constraints, I would look at using Optimum Car Wax (OCW). It is a spray, and I have found it as easy to use as quick detail spray. You can use it after every wash or as needed. It is a very quick way to maintain the look of your car. It does contain UV protection so I also use it on all exterior trim, and it does not stain.

Check out Corey's 2 month video update comparing various spray waxes. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/32288-review-meguiars-ultimate-quik-wax-2.html OCW was still beading after 2 months with one application. Others have stated streaking issues with OCW. I have not had those issues even on black. They key is to use a small amount of product.

I'd also look into Ultima Waterless Wash Plus (UWWP) concentrate. UWWP is a great way to maintain a clean exterior between washes. It is also versatile. I use it as a quick detail spray, bug remover, and waterless wash. For bugs, spray the area let it sit for about a minute and wipe away the bugs. I've been impressed at how effective UWWP is as a bug remover.

[Buckskincolt]

This is an article by Mike P on the differences between wax, sealants, and coatings. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/34185-3-categories-waxes-paint-sealants-coatings.html

If it were me, I wouldn't use Opti- Coat unless the paint was corrected and cleaned. An option might be to have a good detailer come and prep the cars for OC then apply. It surely would give the the longest lasting lower maintenance finish.:buffing: you won't be able to do the prep work by hand IMO.

And here is an article on the benefits of claying. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/27969-4-primary-benefits-using-detailing-clay-clay-paint.html

Here is the link to a ton of article from Mike, there is info there on about anything you can think of.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/23722-articles-mike-phillips.html

[tach18k]

One thing on the interior, as much as it is easier to do than not, dont eat in the car. Dont get the kids used to eating in the car. This has two affects. One the car stays cleaner and two, you tend to loose weight. After I saw the wife's car rear floor covered in one year of food and drink, I removed the cupholders in my truck and said no one eats in my car ever again. After 11 years it looked like brand new when I sold it. Always eat in the fast food places or in a park with the food. As far as the outside, maybe a car cover.

[Bostonbull]

I still have time to switch out the Opti Clean for another product. Just looking for something to protect the vehicle until I can get it done right locally.

And then something that will protect all that work until I get it done right again......reality is once a year I would guess.


Thoughts, I have a few hours to change the order before it ships.

[Lornek8]

Pay someone to detail them opticoat. Its like a second clearcoat.

Opticlean is a car cleaning product not a protectant. Did you mean opticoat or opticlean?

Interior - gtechniq L1. Not widely available in the us but it's great. Beads water off carpet. There's some utube videos showing how it beads water off toiletpaper. Easy to apply, simply spray and let dry. Dried in about an hour with little more than an alchohol smell and not very strong at that.

Use black diamond and midnight sun with ocw touchup on my 2012 odyssey. Just did a car with collinite 845 and am not sure that it's not better.

[Bostonbull]

Oi Vey!

I got those all mixed up didn't I?!

I meant Opti Seal, not Coat or Clean.

I ended up grabbing Optimum Car Wax, and will see how it goes tomorrow.

still open to more ideas!

[Bostonbull]

Only had time to do a quick interior (ran out of 303 midway!), and ONR of just one car.

ONR is very impressive, my wash mitt has never been that dirty before. Left the car really clean. Did the wheels with a separate MF towel, and was impressed how well it cleaned those too. I kept asking myself, is 1oz really enough? Looks great though.



Need some advice on some products to use on these 2 Honda's:

Good mitt ot use with ONR? (using a store bought "wool" mitt now)
Leather cleaner (is megs APC dilluted fine with cheap Honda leather?)
Leather conditioner for Honda leather (is 303 fine?) **I HATE slippery seats!**
Window cleaner (using Eimann Fabrik currently)
Protectant for the dash, console, etc (using 303 now). ** Iprefer a CLEAN look not a JUST cleaned wet/slippery look**
Tire protectant that doesnt look wet ot shiny, more of a clean look that actually protects and doesnt run off in the rain.
Good MF drying towels to use with ONR (currently have Autoality ones)
Good MF towels to use for OCW application?



HA! I think that's enough questions for now.

[Lornek8]

Pay someone to detail them opticoat. Its like a second clearcoat.

Opticlean is a car cleaning product not a protectant. Did you mean opticoat or opticlean?

Interior - gtechniq L1. Not widely available in the us but it's great. Beads water off carpet. There's some utube videos showing how it beads water off toiletpaper. Easy to apply, simply spray and let dry. Dried in about an hour with little more than an alchohol smell and not very strong at that.

Use black diamond and midnight sun with ocw touchup on my 2012 odyssey. Just did a car with collinite 845 and am not sure that it's not better.

Sorry, should be Gtechniq I1, L1 is for leather.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tFodfVpx-k]Gtechniq i1 fabric nanocoat - YouTube[/video]

[BobbyG]

Many car owners do the very best they can in taking care of their vehicles. That said, not everyone has the luxury of spending hours and quite an investment in products so it boils down to a few basics that will keep the vehicle looking new for a long time...

The principles of taking care of a vehicle is the same.

Basic steps in order are:

Wash
Clay
Paint Correction & Polish
Seal
Wax

This link contains articles written by Mike Phillips.

Articles by Mike Phillips (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/ask-expert-featuring-mike-phillips/23722-articles-mike-phillips.html)


Washing - Wash with a quality soap and in the shade if possible. If no shade is available wash and rinse each panel separately, this way the soap won't dry before it's rinsed.

Claying - Claying the finish is an important step. It removes particles that become embedded in the paint leaving it clean and smooth. This should be done on average twice annually and only takes about 30 to 45 minutes to so an entire vehicle..

Paint Cleaners - Although not absolutely necessary on a new car, it should be done once annually. This removes oxidation and grime that washing and claying could not. It also provides a great base for applying your finish protection.

Protection - Whether new or used, I'm a big fan of sealants. Sealants are much more durable than waxes and leave a great shine behind. If a sealant is used to protect the paint then maintaining the finish becomes much easier as it protects against what mother nature can dish out.

Adding a wax like Collinite 845 will really add bith gloss and protection and at $15.00 a bottle how can you not use it.

Maintainance - Maintaining your new car now is as simple as washing, drying, then using a quality spray wax such as Optimum Car Wax or Duragloss Aquawax. These products not only give the finish a beautiful shine, they also add months of protection...

Wash - Duragloss #901 (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-car-wash-concentrate.html)
Clay - Mothers (http://www.autogeek.net/motcalgolcla.html)
Cleaner - Duragloss Total Performance Polish (TPP) # 105 (http://www.autogeek.net/duragloss-total-performance-polish.html) Sealants


Menzerna Power Lock (http://www.autogeek.net/menzerna-power-lock-sealant.html)
Four Star Sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/four-star-ultimate-paint-protection.html)
Blackfire Wet Diamond Sealant (http://www.autogeek.net/blackfire-wet-diamond-sealant.html)

Wax


Collinite 845 (http://www.autogeek.net/collinite-insulator-wax-845.html)


Interior

Clean the interior with an all purpose cleaner 8:1 dilution. This works very well and won't harm leather. You can use a dedicated leather cleaner but since leather is cured, dyed, sealed and finished at the factory it's pretty much impervious to permanent staining..

Once you've cleaned the seats and dash, go over it with a protectant like Meguiar's or 303 Aerospace. These provide both protection and great looks...

[Bostonbull]

Thanks Bobby!! I love simplicity.


Can the cleaner and sealant both be applied by hand? Or MUST a machine be used for either?