I'm really starting to hate my car!

[octane]

It's a black clearcoated 2012 Rav4,

tried twice in the past to put OC2.0 on it, but it just didn't stick (used the same steps on 3 other cars, and those came out perfect with good beading/sheeting even after 2 years)

so I decide to take a full weekend to polish all the swirls out of it, a couple of passes with Menz 2500, then carpro reflect, great results, so 2 passes with eraser, then I apply CQUK, with a coat of reload after an hour.... it beads very well!

I let all that cure for 3 weeks before washing the car, so tonight I wash it (not very dirty) , still do a pre wash, 2 bucket, 2 brand new MM incredemitt (washed before use), tons of soap with the foam gun, blow dried with the metro blaster. I take every precaution to maintain it perfectly, after all the effort that went into it!

Then I see it, tons of water spots everywhere, and a lot of nice new scratches that were just inflicted (I used the wash media in only one direction, the same direction as all the scratches) tried Carpro water spot remover, did nothing...

So now I have a very shinny, water spot covered, scratched SUV, I just feel like lighting the freaking thing on fire.

I think I'll just have to hit it again with reflect, and use either SONAX polymer net shield, or just some collinite 945

can't believe how too freaking soft this paint is, and how sensitive to water spots CQUK is.

[cleanmycorolla]

coatings are not a diamond barrier. if not cared for properly, the best coating will water spot and marr.

Sorry for your misfortunes though!

[HD.Detailing]

If it's a daily driver, 3 weeks before a wash is too long. IMO

[tiSS'er]

Have you tried a rinseless wash? I have had better luck with my Black Lexus since going rinseless mixed with distilled water. Waterspots after a traditional 2BM wash are disasterous.

I feel your pain, sucks to put in all that effort for 3 weeks of perfection.

[cfiiman]

I don't see how if you used all the soap, pre-rinse, 2 BM, etc. it inflicted all that damage, that seems like the correct and ultra-safe way to wash a car. Could the "damage" just be in the coating you applied and not actually in the paint?

[DaveT435]

Subscribed. Sorry your having all the problems.

[Sicoupe]

Sorry to hear that, it does get frustrating.

[goodinblack]

Dang bro

Coatings seem pointless if this is how it goes

[Mach1USMC]

As others have mentioned 3 weeks is a bit long to go between washing. The only thing I can think of is your wash media must have some sort of debris in it.

I know he's not real popular on AG, but I switched to the Garry Dean Wash Method and it's worked wonderfully for me.

[FUNX650]

-I apply CQUK, with a coat of reload after an hour...

-can't believe...how sensitive to water spots CQUK is.

Is it the Coating, or the Sealant, that's so sensitive to water-spotting?

Bob

[2shiny]

I feel your pain, black cars a real trouble keeping clean. Especially when you have soft paint like yours. That might be the reason your coating seem to fail sooner and scrath more easily.
I'd reccomend at least 2 coats of any coating as the pores of soft paint are deeper to completely fill up.

Next I'd go rinseless. I always had to ruah going around my black car. Now I switched to rinseless and it's so relaxed now. Just do a 2bm once a month or when really dirty.
Or use a foam cannon, rinse and wipe dry with a waterless wash. Also speeds it up.

[jamesboyy]

He or she does have soft skin...though dont let the 9 to5 (dark color) paint drive you wild just take as much care/practice proper wash and dry methods then every year around summer polish out the paintwork to keep defects down to a minimum

[octane]

If it's a daily driver, 3 weeks before a wash is too long. IMO
when I had problems with OC2.0, people were telling me that I didn't wait long enough to wash it and that's why it failled, ;-)

[octane]

I don't see how if you used all the soap, pre-rinse, 2 BM, etc. it inflicted all that damage, that seems like the correct and ultra-safe way to wash a car. Could the "damage" just be in the coating you applied and not actually in the paint?
even if it's just surface damage, I'm still amazed at how fragile this stupid paint is, older rav4 have the single stage and that one seems better!

[octane]

Is it the Coating, or the Sealant, that's so sensitive to water-spotting?

Bob
well I'm no scientist, but I thought the reason they recommend the reload is to prevent the water spot altogether, but if the water spots are on the reload, they might actually come off, but then again the water spot remover should of removed them as well.