Elixir streaking

[rover137]

I snow foam, pressure rinse off then 2 bucket wash (grit guards) using 1-2 extra mitts for the bottoms of panels depending on how dirty the car is. Will sometimes double snow as well depending on the level of grime and length of time since the last wash and how excited I am to wash.

In terms of drying - I don’t have a blower (debating myself on if should get one) and am trialling both sheeting before drying and just drying with no sheet. When I sheet, due to the coating the panel is basically dry so I kinda feel a little more uncomfortable with this method I guess as it’s basically rubbing a drying towel over dry paint. I also find that when sheeting, by the time I get to the end of the car what little water is left is already dry. I have tried sheeting panel by panel to negate this then drying but it is a bit too annoying for me to navigate the towel and pressure washer per panel and prefer to just go around the car in one go with some towels.

I have a few drying towels in rotation but these are the main two I use:

The Big Green Sucker - Luxurious and plush drying towel.

TEMPEST Hi-Tech Drying Towel

– Waxit Car Care

Both are Aussie brands and I’ve been happy with both so far. Have tried a few others that have been relegated to other cars as they lint or I’m just not happy with them for whatever reason.

The second towel is the TRC 500 as mentioned. I can’t seem to get any of those that you mentioned here. I can get almost all TRC towels though from various places.

TRC gauntlet for first or second towel? Might grab one. Have you tried the platinum pluffle or double twistress?

Have used these combos with maybe 5-6 other products as drying aids and didn’t seem to have an issue. The two variables that have changed are the drying aid and have a coating maybe too much product contributing as well as others have said? As you say I think the EE probably isn’t the best choice as it pushes product around.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Loach]

CarPro Elixir is definitely on the heavier end of the spectrum for toppers. Especially working on darker paints, I notice it can take more thorough wiping, and requiring you to be more conscious of just how much you're using. On lighter paints you can really be more relaxed with it as you're less likely to notice the heaviness. I always consider it now sort of the Seal N Shine before SNS came to be, great short-term chemical resistance as well.

I'm also a bit curious as to whether or not a fully cured layer of CQuartz Lite would want to naturally reject some of the mix in Elixir as you're trying to level it out on top, leading to streaking during the wipeoff attempts. But there's just too many variables at play to be certain, I think there's a lot of guys that have no issues using it over Lite, but everyone is using it on different paint types, colors, environments, and towels as noted can also be a huge determinant in wipeability.

On any streaking, try the separate damp microfiber (distilled water damp) towel wipe on them, then dry up with a different towel to help level everything out. Then try a dilution of Elixir or switch over to a dilution of EcH2o as your drying assist instead. Keep us posted on what ends up working for you, would love the feedback.

[rover137]

It certainly feels a lot heavier than anything I’ve used in that manner (including some spray waxes) and that makes perfect sense. I actually just had a look at the car outside under the clouds and it is potentially the worst streaking I’ve seen in any product I’ve ever used. It looked really bad. I’ve applied ‘wax as you rinse’ products as ‘dry’ applications perfectly and some of those have been quite ‘thick’.

This is an interesting point you’ve raised. Do you think that CarPro Lite could be rejecting the Elixir? I’ve had someone else tell me that they have heard mixed reviews on Lite + Elixir in terms of the two working together. I would have thought they’d naturally align as Lite is a derivative of UK 3 and Elixir pairs perfectly with it?

I will try the various tips people have mentioned here and see how I go. I’ve got some different drying towels on order now, will play with the amount of product, diluting it and wetting theapplication towels and report back. Any suggestions for a ratio to cut it at? I was initially thinking 1:1?

Thank!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CleanIT]

I applied Elixir last week after a wash. Today I decided to do another wash with the weather being so nice. I was surprised how much Elixir changed the water behavior of Can Coat Evo. It came back but I had to wash it 2x with Reset. And it's still not 100% as good as it was with just Can Coat.

I've been curious about toppers and whether they actually bond to the underlying coating and offer any protection. I think I found my answer. However, the tradeoff is worse hydrophobics which impacts how I airdry the car. On the flip side, maybe adding a topper like Elixir would extend the life of Can Coat Evo, which is the base layer.

I'm going to stick with Ech20 1:20 going forward. It's less substantial and shouldn't alter the water behavior. If it does, it will be short lived at least.

[Coatingsarecrack]

I applied Elixir last week after a wash. Today I decided to do another wash with the weather being so nice. I was surprised how much Elixir changed the water behavior of Can Coat Evo. It came back but I had to wash it 2x with Reset. And it's still not 100% as good as it was with just Can Coat.

I've been curious about toppers and whether they actually bond to the underlying coating and offer any protection. I think I found my answer. However, the tradeoff is worse hydrophobics which impacts how I airdry the car. On the flip side, maybe adding a topper like Elixir would extend the life of Can Coat Evo, which is the base layer.

I'm going to stick with Ech20 1:20 going forward. It's less substantial and shouldn't alter the water behavior. If it does, it will be short lived at least.

Never had an issue with anything changing coating behavior.

But used mainly Cosmic Spritz or Kami OverCoat and as a stand-alone the both offered coating like behavior


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Desertnate]

I never had it worsen the water behavior either when I used it on CQUK 3.0, but that shouldn't make any difference. In fact, I never noticed any change in water behavior at all before/after application.

[CleanIT]

I never had it worsen the water behavior either when I used it on CQUK 3.0, but that shouldn't make any difference. In fact, I never noticed any change in water behavior at all before/after application.

Interesting. I always thought if you use a less hydrophobic topper, the water behavior will change.

[Desertnate]

Interesting. I always thought if you use a less hydrophobic topper, the water behavior will change.

It is true. The wording of my response probably wasn't the best. I just didn't find Elixr to be less hydrophobic than CQUK; it seemed to be equal.

The only non-coating ceramic products I've used so far that didn't behave like a coating are Griots 3 in 1 and Turtle Wax's Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Wax Spray. When used on a coating, those two absolutely did change the water behavior...and not for the better. However others I've used like ECH2O, Elixr, Cure, Gyeon Ceramic Detailer, and Armour Detail Amplify, seemed to make no change to the water behavior on a "healthy" coating. I've only used ECH20 and Elixr on coatings near the end of their life spans and did notice a slight, but short lived improvement.

[Coatingsarecrack]

Interesting. I always thought if you use a less hydrophobic topper, the water behavior will change.

So in the old days I remembered reading that a coating would ahead the toppers and any ceramic in the topper would bond and protect but wear faster.

Some say that it all sheds off. When even I used cheaper toppers (Friots 3-1 for instance) I would still get CqUk3 beading.

I personally think there something there though as I can feel difference in slickness and some were more slick than others.

I personal also see a difference in gloss but I’ll leave that alone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Desertnate]

I personal also see a difference in gloss but I’ll leave that alone.

I *think* I do too, but I'm never quite sure if it actually looks different or my brain is coming up with something to make me feel better about the money spent on a product and the time/effort to apply it.

I've also wrapped up a wash, stood back to admire the car, and simply put away the topper without using it because everything looks really good just as it is.