Prepping for cquartz

[mattkoyak]

Mike,

I've been scouring YouTube in preparation for my first paint restore and cquartz application. In doing so, I came across a video Carpro has on prepping before cquartz (https://youtu.be/GJ-P0CdGoZk). My question is, would their process be better than what I was planning (see below)? I guess, if I can, I'd prefer to avoid working the whole car with a clay bar as I have a bad back -maybe only trouble areas.

Carpro Process...

1. IronX Soap Gel wash
2. Eraser Oil Remover,
3. Polish (which I'll use Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover and Finishing Glaze for)
4. IronX Soap Gel wash again
5. Eraser Oil Remover again
6. Apply cquartz

My Plan...

1. Wash
2. Mothers California Gold Clay Bar
3. Polish (Wolfgang Total Swirl Remover and Finishing Glaze)
4. Apply cquartz

The car is a black, 2012, Infiniti FX35. Can I get away with the Carpro process?

Thanks for your time!

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Hi Matt, welcome to AutoGeekOnline!

In the CarPro process you mentioned, you wont need step #2 or #4.

1. Wash
2. Docontaminate
3. Polish
4. Eraser
5. CQ

The decon step is where claying will be needed and possibly an Iron-X application. If your back is bothering you, you can pick up the Nanoskin pads and clay the paint via machine or pick up the Nanoskin wash pad. But do not use the Iron-X Snow Soap as it will degrade the Wash Mitt.

[vobro]

The key when applying any coating is to have the cleanest surface as possible. I just applied CQ to a car that I had applied CQUK 2 years ago, the coating was still there despite heavy fallout on horizontal surfaces. My process was
1. IronX soap
2. Trix soak and wipe down
3. Nanoskin med clay mitt
4.Optimum Compound followed by Erasser
5. CarPro Essence
6.CQ
Now I had the proof right in front of me in that the CQUK I applied 2 years ago was still present and yes the CQ is great but the prep is the difference between being disappointed and being rewarded with the coating bonding.

[mattkoyak]

Hi Matt, welcome to AutoGeekOnline!

In the CarPro process you mentioned, you wont need step #2 or #4.

1. Wash
2. Docontaminate
3. Polish
4. Eraser
5. CQ

The decon step is where claying will be needed and possibly an Iron-X application. If your back is bothering you, you can pick up the Nanoskin pads and clay the paint via machine or pick up the Nanoskin wash pad. But do not use the Iron-X Snow Soap as it will degrade the Wash Mitt.

Thanks for the quick reply! Would you say the Nanoskin wash pad could be used with/during wash with the Iron-X (not the Snow version of course)? Or should I use it with a regular wash soap and *then* Iron-X?

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Or should I use it with a regular wash soap and *then* Iron-X?

Pretty much what Mike states, but here is my process which varies a little:
1.) Thorough Rinse to remove lose dirt / pre-wash
2.) Iron-X
3.) Foam Cannon / Wash
4.) Clay (nano-skin) I use Meg's D114 (1:128) as clay lube, but any ONR or NR wash will work. - work in shade out of sunlight
5.) Polish - work in shade out of sunlight
6.) Erasure - best if in shade and out of sunlight
7.) CQ - work in shade out of sunlight (can cure too quickly if in direct sunlight), heat/humidity and temp dependent.
8.) Reload - work in shade out of sunlight

If you can spread this over a couple of days, might be better for your back, i.e. get through steps 1-5 on day one or two, and day steps three 6-8.

Iron-x is a chemical decontamination to remove iron/rail dust that has bonded to the clear, the clay (or nano-skin) is mechanical decontamination to remove above surface contaminants that have bonded. Light/Mild detailing clay for a car that's paint is relatively in good shape will not cause any marring. Medium Clay is used to remove heavier contaminants and over-spray and may cause some marring, thus the need to polish after.

Doing coatings is really more about the preparation steps rather than the actual coating itself and is very time consuming process.

[mattkoyak]

Thanks!

I was planning to allot 2-3 days for this, starting Friday night and then working into the 3-day weekend. I've done cars with Mothers California Gold Clay Bar kit before and had great results, but the process just destroys me now. I'll probably go with the Nanoskin pads for my Porter Cable buffer and use the Meg's D114. This info is gold!

I purchased the car used and it needs some swirl and surface scratch removal, then some minor rock-chip fill, well before I can CQ. The comments from both you and Mike have me feeling pretty confident!

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

Use the wash mitt or any of the Nanoskin products with a normal car wash. The Snow Soap/Iron-X are too aggressive and will begin early degradation of the Nanoskin products.

[mattkoyak]

OK, so I have the Nanoskin pad (medium since the surface contaminates are abundant) and I'm using the Porter Cable 7424XP. What setting would you recommend? Normally I'd use the 5-to-6 setting to remove swirls, is that too high?

[Mike@DedicatedPerfection]

I set my FLEX 3401 at speed 2-3 for contamination removal with those pads. I would set a PC to 3-4

[Joe@NextLevelDetail]

If your going to put cquartz on i highly advise you to use CarPro Essence.

After essence you can go straight to coating, no washing, no eraser, no ipa.

After i perfect paint do you think i am enthused about touching it ? Washing it? Not at all infact i hate it, you can make paint look so perfect the littlest contaminants can scratch and marr the surface.

That is why i love essence when i use Cquartz.

Some paints are so soft that even the highest quality towels will leave micro scratches.

Like Mike Phillips says IPA has horrible lubrication and you can very easily marr the finish with doing this step.