Should a complete coating newbie go to CQuart UK 3.0 or Lite?

[Marc Hufnagel]

I have my F-150 as prepped as I can get it (ironx, clay, M210/polishing pad/eraser).

I've watch countless videos on how to apply a ceramic coating and think I want CQ UK 3.0, or should I try the Lite version first? It apears to be a little more forgiving.

I'm afraid of creating high spots and also not knowing just how long to wait to remove. Thus Lite perhaps.

The truck is arctic white clearcoat so really hard to see much of anything on it.

thoughts on what my best move would be? I'd like to do 3.0 and get it under my belt but I don't want a mess of high spots or rubbing it right off accidentally. I know this could happen to both more or less but 3.0 seems more 'permanent'.

[Bruno Soares]

I think it’s doable. Watch a bunch of videos online for tips on seeing the right time to wipe off. UK is fairly easy. Multiple towels are a must and making sure to wipe off excess from the area you’re working on as well as adjacent areas, you’ll spread some product around while wiping. If a high spot is left it’s fixable but more work for you. So don’t stress too much about it.

[The Guz]

Anyone can do it and it’s doable.

You could always get both and try both out. They are not that expensive.

Get yourself some autofiber microfiber coating saver applicators. Much easier to work with than the block and suede.

[MarkD51]

Just keep in mind some important guidelines.

Your paint must be prepped and free of polishing oils, or whatever else you might've applied beforehand
(Don't cheap out on towels or prep product!)

All is dry bone dry! If you need to mask, so you're not sloppily over-applying, and the coating is going where you don't want it to go, mask carefully. (Glass-Trim-Etc)

The kit is good, but you will have to swap out MF Suede Applicators as you go. You might need 4,5, ? A 4"x4" MF sheet is what you need over the Foam Pad.

Good soft absorbent wipe off towels and excellent lighting. If you can't see what you're doing, then all is basically lost.

You apply, a quarter of the hood, a fender, wait no longer than 2 minutes, and start wiping to level and smooth. No more than 2 minutes. This stuff can set pretty quick. If it's set to long, you will get less, very less than desirable end results. Insure good overlap.

No touchy! Means, don't even swipe a finger anywhere for a good hour's time! If all looks good, then you done well!

An hour or two later, "if" you have no garage, then an application of Reload needs to be the follow-up product. If you have a garage, and you have no plans of driving the vehicle for 2-3 days or more, doesn't matter when that urgently when Reload should be topped over the coating.
In fact, I might be inclined to say this is a better method, leave it alone as long as possible.

This is a product where it's best applied in a garage, no sun, winds, etc.

The Reload will protect the coating short term, it needs a week's tine to fully cure and harden.

Which doesn't mean you cannot drive it during that first week. Sure you can. Just have that Reaload on top. (Water spotting is possible during this time)

Don't mess with it otherwise unto that week has passed.
Hope this helps!

[rst08]

What about mckee's 37? Its an easier product for first timers.

[Marc Hufnagel]

Just keep in mind some important guidelines.

Your paint must be prepped and free of polishing oils, or whatever else you might've applied beforehand
(Don't cheap out on towels or prep product!)

All is dry bone dry! If you need to mask, so you're not sloppily over-applying, and the coating is going where you don't want it to go, mask carefully. (Glass-Trim-Etc)

The kit is good, but you will have to swap out MF Suede Applicators as you go. You might need 4,5, ? A 4"x4" MF sheet is what you need over the Foam Pad.

Good soft absorbent wipe off towels and excellent lighting. If you can't see what you're doing, then all is basically lost.

You apply, a quarter of the hood, a fender, wait no longer than 2 minutes, and start wiping to level and smooth. No more than 2 minutes. This stuff can set pretty quick. If it's set to long, you will get less, very less than desirable end results. Insure good overlap.

No touchy! Means, don't even swipe a finger anywhere for a good hour's time! If all looks good, then you done well!

An hour or two later, "if" you have no garage, then an application of Reload needs to be the follow-up product. If you have a garage, and you have no plans of driving the vehicle for 2-3 days or more, doesn't matter when that urgently when Reload should be topped over the coating.
In fact, I might be inclined to say this is a better method, leave it alone as long as possible.

This is a product where it's best applied in a garage, no sun, winds, etc.

The Reload will protect the coating short term, it needs a week's tine to fully cure and harden.

Which doesn't mean you cannot drive it during that first week. Sure you can. Just have that Reaload on top. (Water spotting is possible during this time)

Don't mess with it otherwise unto that week has passed.
Hope this helps!

Very well thought out, thank you.

A couple of questions - can you recommend some towels? I'm not sure about my current ones and I understand that I will need to discard them. I have a temp-controlled garage so I'm going to keep it there for a while afterwards. I was splanning on putting it on the glass exept windshield , advisable or not?

[fly07sti]

CQuartz UK 3.0 is very user friendly, much easier to apply than any of their previous coatings.
As Guz stated, the MF applicators are much easier than wrapping g the foam block in the suede pieces.
Just work in small-medium sections, wait 30 seconds to a minute and wipe with one towel, then again with another towel. White can be a pain to see the coating but sometimes what works for me is turning all the lights off and working with a hand held light to see my working area. Finally, I usually go around the vehicle one last time with yet another fresh towel to clean any high spots that may have been missed.
Once you do a couple sections, you’ll get around that truck pretty quick.
Also you don’t have to throw away your towels, just toss em in a bucket with water and APC or you MF detergent and throw in the wash when you’re done.

[Dr Oldz]

Best piece of advice I can give is simply don’t rush the process.

[Marc Hufnagel]

CQuartz UK 3.0 is very user friendly, much easier to apply than any of their previous coatings.
As Guz stated, the MF applicators are much easier than wrapping g the foam block in the suede pieces.
Just work in small-medium sections, wait 30 seconds to a minute and wipe with one towel, then again with another towel. White can be a pain to see the coating but sometimes what works for me is turning all the lights off and working with a hand held light to see my working area. Finally, I usually go around the vehicle one last time with yet another fresh towel to clean any high spots that may have been missed.
Once you do a couple sections, you’ll get around that truck pretty quick.
Also you don’t have to throw away your towels, just toss em in a bucket with water and APC or you MF detergent and throw in the wash when you’re done.

Thank you for these suggestions I will keep them in mind here. The autofiber MF blocks look good but it looks like they only come in large numbers - any way to get smaller amounts?

[MarkD51]

While I have a bottle of CQ UK 3.0 on hand, I've never used it, only the previous version.

With that said, I am not sure how tolerable the 3.0 Version is of again coming back after the entire vehicle is coated to again do a full last final wipe?

The previous version, and other CQ Products like DLX do get "tacky" as they dry. That to touch them as they're drying you might have yourself a real mess, and literally badly goof up a Coating application.

I'd say, regardless of instructions, get it right with the first wiping. Concentrate on one panel at a time, applying, and then leveling with the towels. Start at the Roof, Hood, Trunk, then the walk around applying and wiping the other panels, and paying strict attention of not again touching those panels you've previously applied the coating to.

I've heard it suggested and liked by some that they've used Carpro's Microfiber Suede Towels for the wipe off as well, probably in the 16"x16" size.

I myself have used a couple of Carpro Boa Towels with perfect success, no problems at all, and was able to save those towels because they quickly went into a bucket of water-detergent after use, then placed in a washing machine and washed. I could detect no problems with the towels after. You mileage might vary.

Let them sit too long though, then yes, they'll become garbage can fodder, useless for use for any applications upon paint.