honda.crz.nsbp
07-22-2012, 09:16 AM
I recently decided to give the Wolfgang Concurs series of products a try, mostly because of the positive information on this forum.
After a full wash and clay bar, I was ready to start using the first four of the five Wolfgang products I purchased. These five products are:
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal Sealant
Wolfgang Fuzion Wax
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant
The products in bold are the subjects of this post. I hope to apply the Spritz Sealant in a week or two as a booster for the Fuzion.
First, a little bit of a warning for car detailing noobs like me: Always do a test area first. I, unfortunately, have some first hand experience with this. Doing a test area is well worth it in avoiding any large-scale screw ups My preferred test area now is the lower right or left rear bumper area.
Alright, now onto the lessons learned! Most products were applied with a polishing pal or soft foam applicator pad (for those hard to reach areas). I have no experience with the durability of the products just yet, but reports range from month to months, likely the result of how much time the car is exposed to the elements/what kind of elements the car is exposed to. Additionally, all products were applied in a garage with me using a respirator and nitrile gloves. Call me paranoid, but I'm not a fan of sniffing/touching products whose ingredients I can't pronounce for hours on end
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Designed to be used on a freshly prepared surface, the Paintwork Polish Enhancer is a nonabrasive chemical cleaner that will remove light oxidation and any previously-applied layers of LSP The latter point was most important for me, since my CRZ had previous applications of Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax and Ultimate Spray Wax. Application of the Paintwork Polish Enhancer can be a little tricky, mostly due to the old adage, "a little bit goes a long way." If you add too much, I can tell you with now that it will be a TERRIBLE experience to buff off (this is why we I now do test areas!). Not only does it take a long time to buff off using more pressure than anyone would like, a lot of powdery white residue forms that just gets everywhere. I ended up using a single glob, somewhere in the ballpark of half dime-sized, on a primed foam application. That little glob was able to cover 1/4 to 1/3 of a panel on my CRZ. A lot of car detailing products are designed to be used sparingly, but this seems to be especially the case with this product. Anywho. After car-wide application, I let the product dry to a haze for about 30 minutes. Some people recommend wiping off the Paintwork Polish Enhancer immediately after application, but I read somewhere that this products contains some fillers and that it is best to let these fillers "settle" a bit. Besides that, I find that these type of liquid products are usually easier to remove after drying to a haze. Provided that the product was not applied too thickly, removal should be a breeze. I used one microfiber towel for removal and another to buff the area to a shine. During removal, some powdery white residue forms, but it's not too bad provided the product was applied thin. I'm not entirely sure what the white powdery residue is (excess product or previous last step production being removed?), but it's important to be gentle while removing, as to ensure no swirls are formed.
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 is a synthetic, silicone-based sealant. Like other synthetic sealants, it can be used alone or as a foundation layer for topping off with some sort of carnauba wax. I'm using it for the latter purpose, with the intent of topping off with Fuzion to achieve the warmth that is generally associated with carnauba. Unlike the Paintwork Polish Enhancer, the Deep Gloss Paint Sealant can be applied a little more liberally. Note, however, that this is using the Paintwork Polish Enhancer as a reference point. So instead of using a half dime-sized glob, I maybe used a quarter-sized glob on a primed pad. Application is pretty strait forward, similar to any other sealant or liquid wax. After letting the product cure for about an hour, I proceeded to remove excess product with microfiber towels. Removal is fairly easy, though in areas of application overlap on individual panels, the sealant may be thicker and a bit more difficult to buff out. Good lighting is key here, as it allows you to see any spots you might have missed. Also, note that this particular product takes about 12 hours to cure. That means to either park it in a garage or park it outside when there's zero chance of precipitation while the compound cures.
Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal Sealant
While waiting for the paint sealant to cure, I applied the Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal (http://www.crzforum.com/forum/#) Sealant in hopes of making brake dust easier to remove. In contrast to the previous two products, I applied this metal sealant with old cotton gloves slipped over my nitrile gloves. Much easier to adjust to the nooks and crannies of my rims that way. Also, in contrast to the first two products, I could apply globs and globs of this product without worries of a difficult removal. I just poured some product on my gloves and then went to town applying it all over my rims. The Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal Sealant is incredibly easy and fast to apply. Removal is just as easy and fast! After letting dry to a haze for about 45 minutes, I proceeded to wipe off any excess with a microfiber towel. The excess product came right off, and in contrast to paint sealants, did not present any difficulty at all in areas where product was applied thicker. I simply cannot overstate how simple the application/removal of this was. Hopefully, it will also be durable and do a decent job at making my life easier when it comes to cleaning break dust.
Wolfgang Fuzion
The following day, I applied Wolfgang Fuzion as a topper to the Deep Gloss Paint Sealant. This was my first time using a paste wax, but the ease of use with Fuzion dispelled any worries I had when working with it. Fuzion applies just as smoothly as any liquid wax/sealant that I've used in the past, and unlike some of LSP products, no hazing time is required prior to removal. And like the other products in this post, a little bit definitely goes a long way. A little bit of product in my applicator pad was able to cover maybe 1/4 of a panel on my car. Removal of excess product was also no different than any other liquid sealant/wax I've used in the past, with the exception of no hazing time. I used two microfiber towels for buffing. One to remove the bulk of the excess product, and the second to buff out any remaining residue for a nice shine.
Final Wrap Up
All in all, I spent a lot of time on my car this weekend. Probably more time than I've ever spent detailing it. Maybe that's due to my relative inexperience with them. But I have to admit, the look so far is a step up from Meguiars. Here's a picture I took with my iphone. If it stops raining here, I'll go outside and take a few more.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83188504@N05/7621920350/http://www.flickr.com/photos/83188504@N05/7621920350/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/7621920350_fdf4712fb5_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/83188504@N05/7621920350/)
The real question is, however, whether or not this improved look is worth the extra time and money of these products. If they prove to be more durable, then I think it's a hands down winner for the Wolfgang products. If not, and in the case of a daily driver like my CRZ, then the decision might be a bit more difficult. I realize it's a subjective decision, but I find it an interesting one. For myself, provided that the durability passes the test, I think it is worth it, though I think I may have to limit myself to maybe two or three times a year for these multi-day details.
After a full wash and clay bar, I was ready to start using the first four of the five Wolfgang products I purchased. These five products are:
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal Sealant
Wolfgang Fuzion Wax
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant
The products in bold are the subjects of this post. I hope to apply the Spritz Sealant in a week or two as a booster for the Fuzion.
First, a little bit of a warning for car detailing noobs like me: Always do a test area first. I, unfortunately, have some first hand experience with this. Doing a test area is well worth it in avoiding any large-scale screw ups My preferred test area now is the lower right or left rear bumper area.
Alright, now onto the lessons learned! Most products were applied with a polishing pal or soft foam applicator pad (for those hard to reach areas). I have no experience with the durability of the products just yet, but reports range from month to months, likely the result of how much time the car is exposed to the elements/what kind of elements the car is exposed to. Additionally, all products were applied in a garage with me using a respirator and nitrile gloves. Call me paranoid, but I'm not a fan of sniffing/touching products whose ingredients I can't pronounce for hours on end
Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer
Designed to be used on a freshly prepared surface, the Paintwork Polish Enhancer is a nonabrasive chemical cleaner that will remove light oxidation and any previously-applied layers of LSP The latter point was most important for me, since my CRZ had previous applications of Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax and Ultimate Spray Wax. Application of the Paintwork Polish Enhancer can be a little tricky, mostly due to the old adage, "a little bit goes a long way." If you add too much, I can tell you with now that it will be a TERRIBLE experience to buff off (this is why we I now do test areas!). Not only does it take a long time to buff off using more pressure than anyone would like, a lot of powdery white residue forms that just gets everywhere. I ended up using a single glob, somewhere in the ballpark of half dime-sized, on a primed foam application. That little glob was able to cover 1/4 to 1/3 of a panel on my CRZ. A lot of car detailing products are designed to be used sparingly, but this seems to be especially the case with this product. Anywho. After car-wide application, I let the product dry to a haze for about 30 minutes. Some people recommend wiping off the Paintwork Polish Enhancer immediately after application, but I read somewhere that this products contains some fillers and that it is best to let these fillers "settle" a bit. Besides that, I find that these type of liquid products are usually easier to remove after drying to a haze. Provided that the product was not applied too thickly, removal should be a breeze. I used one microfiber towel for removal and another to buff the area to a shine. During removal, some powdery white residue forms, but it's not too bad provided the product was applied thin. I'm not entirely sure what the white powdery residue is (excess product or previous last step production being removed?), but it's important to be gentle while removing, as to ensure no swirls are formed.
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0 is a synthetic, silicone-based sealant. Like other synthetic sealants, it can be used alone or as a foundation layer for topping off with some sort of carnauba wax. I'm using it for the latter purpose, with the intent of topping off with Fuzion to achieve the warmth that is generally associated with carnauba. Unlike the Paintwork Polish Enhancer, the Deep Gloss Paint Sealant can be applied a little more liberally. Note, however, that this is using the Paintwork Polish Enhancer as a reference point. So instead of using a half dime-sized glob, I maybe used a quarter-sized glob on a primed pad. Application is pretty strait forward, similar to any other sealant or liquid wax. After letting the product cure for about an hour, I proceeded to remove excess product with microfiber towels. Removal is fairly easy, though in areas of application overlap on individual panels, the sealant may be thicker and a bit more difficult to buff out. Good lighting is key here, as it allows you to see any spots you might have missed. Also, note that this particular product takes about 12 hours to cure. That means to either park it in a garage or park it outside when there's zero chance of precipitation while the compound cures.
Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal Sealant
While waiting for the paint sealant to cure, I applied the Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal (http://www.crzforum.com/forum/#) Sealant in hopes of making brake dust easier to remove. In contrast to the previous two products, I applied this metal sealant with old cotton gloves slipped over my nitrile gloves. Much easier to adjust to the nooks and crannies of my rims that way. Also, in contrast to the first two products, I could apply globs and globs of this product without worries of a difficult removal. I just poured some product on my gloves and then went to town applying it all over my rims. The Wolfgang Metalwerk Metal Sealant is incredibly easy and fast to apply. Removal is just as easy and fast! After letting dry to a haze for about 45 minutes, I proceeded to wipe off any excess with a microfiber towel. The excess product came right off, and in contrast to paint sealants, did not present any difficulty at all in areas where product was applied thicker. I simply cannot overstate how simple the application/removal of this was. Hopefully, it will also be durable and do a decent job at making my life easier when it comes to cleaning break dust.
Wolfgang Fuzion
The following day, I applied Wolfgang Fuzion as a topper to the Deep Gloss Paint Sealant. This was my first time using a paste wax, but the ease of use with Fuzion dispelled any worries I had when working with it. Fuzion applies just as smoothly as any liquid wax/sealant that I've used in the past, and unlike some of LSP products, no hazing time is required prior to removal. And like the other products in this post, a little bit definitely goes a long way. A little bit of product in my applicator pad was able to cover maybe 1/4 of a panel on my car. Removal of excess product was also no different than any other liquid sealant/wax I've used in the past, with the exception of no hazing time. I used two microfiber towels for buffing. One to remove the bulk of the excess product, and the second to buff out any remaining residue for a nice shine.
Final Wrap Up
All in all, I spent a lot of time on my car this weekend. Probably more time than I've ever spent detailing it. Maybe that's due to my relative inexperience with them. But I have to admit, the look so far is a step up from Meguiars. Here's a picture I took with my iphone. If it stops raining here, I'll go outside and take a few more.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/83188504@N05/7621920350/http://www.flickr.com/photos/83188504@N05/7621920350/in/photostream/lightbox/
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7262/7621920350_fdf4712fb5_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/83188504@N05/7621920350/)
The real question is, however, whether or not this improved look is worth the extra time and money of these products. If they prove to be more durable, then I think it's a hands down winner for the Wolfgang products. If not, and in the case of a daily driver like my CRZ, then the decision might be a bit more difficult. I realize it's a subjective decision, but I find it an interesting one. For myself, provided that the durability passes the test, I think it is worth it, though I think I may have to limit myself to maybe two or three times a year for these multi-day details.