PERL for wheel wells and tires?

[ijm5012]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for some opinions on using PERL for wheel wells and tires. I'm getting married this summer, and will be moving from the suburbs to the city. While I'll miss getting up every Saturday morning and washing my car, there's no reason to stop having a clean car (plus, I could always drive out to my parent's house and wash the car if it gets really bad). I'll likely wash the car every 1-2 weekends, using a rinseless wash (I have a gallon of Meg's RFEW).

I've put together list of items I'll need to "safely" wash my car using a rinseless wash, but I'm looking to consolidate down to 1 product to use for engine plastics, wheel wells, and tires (currently using Meg's Solvent Dressing for engine/wheel wells and Meg's Endurance Gel for tires). PERL caught my eye, since it says that it can be used for all of these areas, but I wanted some opinions from people who have used it in these areas. I plan on using the product 1:1. My "concerns" are:

1. How durable is PERL, particularly on tires? I should be able to get 2 weeks of durability out of it, but how about 4? I've heard it works better if you layer it, which leads me to my next question.
2. How long does it take for PERL to dry? My thought would be to apply it to one tire, then work my way around the car doing the other tires. Will that first tire be dry by the time I come back to it? Can I apply the second coat while the first coat is still wet with product? (I also should mention I have 17", low profile tires, so the sidewall is not all that big)
3. Can I apply this on wet plastics, or do they have to be dry? My thought here is the wheel wells, which I'll clean with a brush but they won't be dried. Will it bond properly if there is residual water left on the plastic, or must it be dried first?

I should note that I do plan on apply DLux to the wheel wells prior to moving, so they'll be thoroughly cleaned and coated. I'd mainly be looking to apply PERL to help maintain the deep black finish, and make sure the plastic is coated so that it releases dirt easier when cleaned.

I appreciate your comments/opinions!

[allenk4]

Once you apply DLUX to the wheel wells, you will not need to apply anything over it.

It darkens, helps keep them clean and lasts

[zmcgovern45]

1. How durable is PERL, particularly on tires? I should be able to get 2 weeks of durability out of it, but how about 4? I've heard it works better if you layer it, which leads me to my next question.
I use PERL neat (undiluted) because I prefer the glossy look with only one coat, and I see ~2 weeks of good durability in fair weather. If it rains, the product will not last nearly as long as is true of most water based products.

2. How long does it take for PERL to dry? My thought would be to apply it to one tire, then work my way around the car doing the other tires. Will that first tire be dry by the time I come back to it? Can I apply the second coat while the first coat is still wet with product? (I also should mention I have 17", low profile tires, so the sidewall is not all that big)
If you are applying thin layers, as you should be, I would wait 15-30 minutes depending on ambient temperatures before adding a 2nd layer. If you apply a 2nd layer while the first is still wet, you might not see as much of a difference with the 2nd coat as the first coat will still be spread around as you are applying more product.

3. Can I apply this on wet plastics, or do they have to be dry? My thought here is the wheel wells, which I'll clean with a brush but they won't be dried. Will it bond properly if there is residual water left on the plastic, or must it be dried first?
I would make sure the surface is completely dry before application. If you apply this to a wet area, you will essentially be diluting the product upon application. Purchase some black all purpose microfiber towels to dry areas like wheel wells and tires if you intend on dressing them right away.

I should note that I do plan on apply DLux to the wheel wells prior to moving, so they'll be thoroughly cleaned and coated. I'd mainly be looking to apply PERL to help maintain the deep black finish, and make sure the plastic is coated so that it releases dirt easier when cleaned.
As already mentioned, you will not need to dress an area that is protected with DLUX. That stuff is just awesome (see pic below). I've had it on my wiper cowl for about 6 months now and it still looks as good as new and beads water like crazy.... not sure if it will hold up as well in the wheel well area, but it is worth a shot if you're worried about keeping that area protected.

I appreciate your comments/opinions!

See my comments above in Blue.


^DLUX beading on wiper cowl