New car, want to learn and would love some advice

[solar07]

Hello,

I have been a frequent reader of autogeek for years. I am fairly OCD about my rides and hand wash often, hand wax with a product called royal blue, etc. We have started to upgrade vehicles and I pulled the trigger on a new 14 gunmetal gray maxima and I am in mega research mode to not only keep this car pristine but also wake my 11 F150 and her 14 altima back up. Lets start with my Max

I got the car back today with a full frontal Suntek protection film install. Bumper, lights, full hood, fender, a pillars, mirrors, roof line, etc. I am thinking of going to get opticoat on it next week. From here it will be all me keeping this baby mint but I am having the opti done professionally. Ok...

1 - The clear film. I have heard mention of a few products. The installer recommends a product from chemical guys called clear enhancer that looks like its for films, not sure the frequency or application recommended for this. I have heard others mention black fire products like their sealant spray and various others like carpro. Any advice on these? I am looking to try moving to a seal/polish model. An every 3-4 month product, and maybe combine a more weekly refresher and cleaner like the ones I have listed above.

2 - The car and the film. I believe I want to move away from wax's as I can never seem to find decent ones and most say stay away from them on the clear films. I am looking at moving into learning to doing more a seal and polish model. In my readings I read a lot about blackfire. I was looking at their total polish and seal application given this is a daily driver and less steps the better. I see black fire has a spray as well, crystal seal. Product thoughts?

a - If I go this route, does the crystal seal spray get put on over the blackfire TPnS as a weekly refresh or how does this work? I cant seem to find how this should go.

b - Is this something I can do on the whole car including the film or no?

These questions should get me started. I have researched and researched and find myself confused, just about different things. I plan to take my detailing knowledge to the next level with everyones help on here. I am new to all of it as far as DA's, polishing, sealing, etc so I want to purchase all the right stuff. Once I have the max under control I will start diving into how to fix rock chips and polish the 11 F150 up

Thanks so so much for your time.

[Mike Phillips]

Hello,

I have been a frequent reader of autogeek for years.




First...

Welcome to AutogeekOnline! :welcome:








I am fairly OCD about my rides and hand wash often, hand wax with a product called royal blue, etc. We have started to upgrade vehicles and I pulled the trigger on a new 14 gunmetal gray maxima and I am in mega research mode to not only keep this car pristine but also wake my 11 F150 and her 14 altima back up. Lets start with my Max

I got the car back today with a full frontal Suntek protection film install. Bumper, lights, full hood, fender, a pillars, mirrors, roof line, etc. I am thinking of going to get opticoat on it next week. From here it will be all me keeping this baby mint but I am having the opti done professionally. Ok...

1 - The clear film. I have heard mention of a few products. The installer recommends a product from chemical guys called clear enhancer that looks like its for films, not sure the frequency or application recommended for this. I have heard others mention black fire products like their sealant spray and various others like carpro. Any advice on these? I am looking to try moving to a seal/polish model. An every 3-4 month product, and maybe combine a more weekly refresher and cleaner like the ones I have listed above.



I have no experience with a CG product for clear bras. As long as it's non-abrasive you should be good to go. If something goes wrong take the problem to the installer who recommended it.







2 - The car and the film. I believe I want to move away from wax's as I can never seem to find decent ones and most say stay away from them on the clear films. I am looking at moving into learning to doing more a seal and polish model. In my readings I read a lot about blackfire. I was looking at their total polish and seal application given this is a daily driver and less steps the better.



The Blackfire Total Polish & Seal is a one-step cleaner/wax. It works great on paint but I don't think I would use any one-step cleaner/wax or as some like to call them, AIOs, on a clear plastic bra.






I see black fire has a spray as well, crystal seal. Product thoughts?

a - If I go this route, does the crystal seal spray get put on over the blackfire TPnS as a weekly refresh or how does this work? I cant seem to find how this should go.

b - Is this something I can do on the whole car including the film or no?



Yes on A and B

Keep in mind the Crystal Seal is not a detailer and should only be used on clean, surfaces.


:)

[solar07]

Thanks so much for your replies. Your knowledge is much appreciated.


Are there any products you specifically recommend aside from the products I mentioned? As far as something for the clear bar, a Polish/Sealer for whole car, and a detailer for the whole car+clear bar?


Thanks again sir

[Mike Phillips]

Thanks so much for your replies. Your knowledge is much appreciated.


Are there any products you specifically recommend aside from the products I mentioned? As far as something for the clear bar, a Polish/Sealer for whole car, and a detailer for the whole car+clear bar?


Thanks again sir


The clear bras are a soft, flexible plastic. The high dollar films are much better in quality than the less expensive films but no matter which film you have you need to learn how to CAREFULLY wash and even "touch" these films so you don't inflict swirls and scratches into them.

When I'm working on a car with a clear plastic bra I tend to machine apply whatever finishing wax or finishing sealant I'm using on the paint over the film.

Finishing waxes and sealants mean --> NON cleaning or NON abrasive.


I would machine apply any cleaner/wax over a clear plastic bra. The most important thing is to clean carefully and then stick with non-cleaning, non-abrasive products.


:)

[flatstick]

like Mike said stay away from abrasive products on your film. I have been using wolfgang deep gloss spritz sealant or WDGPS 3.0 on ppf with great success. depends on if you want to just spray and wipe or apply and remove haze later. there are many products you could use that will work well but the two I mentioned are mentioned for ease of use . just make sure to wipe carefully at the edges as they stand out more if you have dried product in there.