MINI Countryman and Collinite 476 by Machine

[y8s]

I've been slowly building up a layer of protection on our MINI over the last couple months. Today was the final layer. All that's left to do is the window coating with some Gtechniq G1.

First order of business was a waterless wash with Opti-Clean and green microfibers with rolled edges.

Once that was finished, I used a GG 6" polisher with a 5.5" blue LC flat pad to apply the wax. Spreading it over the pad was tough because the GG spanner wrench has a hole in the end and the wax just pops through that hole.

For small areas, I used a 4" LC spot buff pad. To get the wax on that, I made the mistake of sticking it in the can and turning the polisher on. Then I couldn't get a hand on the switch SO the pad was beyond saturated. I tried to wipe off the excess with a microfiber but it was still loaded up. I put it to paint and it smeared all over. I figured I'd use it as a learning experience and went ahead with the thick layer of wax on the hood and front bumper.

After drying (or almost drying in the case of the super thick area), I opted to remove with microfiber bonnets over lambswool. On speed 4, the polisher removed the haze but didn't leave the paint quite as shiny as I'd have liked. On speed 5, it bit in just right and removed the haze and shined up the remaining wax coating nicely.

Once I got to the hood, things slowed down a lot because of the super thick layer of wax. I suspect it wasn't totally dry all the way through (I forgot to swipe test the hood). I had to make a few passes over the hood with a couple fresh bonnet surfaces (I flipped them inside out--which with the lambswool is kind of a pain because of the amount of fuzz the wool sheds on the inside of the bonnet). After 3 passes--which went fast with the DA--the hood started to gleam.

I did a final wipe of the hood with a green rolled edge microfiber.













Products used:
Optimum Opti-Clean
Green Microfiber with Rolled Edges
Collinite Super DoubleCoat Auto Wax #476
Griots Garage 6" Polisher
Lake Country 3.5" and 5" backing plates
Lake Country 5.5" blue flat foam pad
Lake Country 4" blue CCS spot buff pad
Microfiber bonnets with Lambswool pad

[Johny B]

Great job. Nice car too.

[NIS240SHU]

The car looks great! This is one of their more durable waxes, right?

[y8s]

Thanks guys.

Yes, the 476 is supposed to be the most durable (AG's page says it lasts a year) and also the most difficult to use. The latter is why I chose to put it on and take it off with the DA polisher.

In retrospect I feel I may have used too little in some spots and WAY too much on the hood. I did not always spread more wax on to the pad when I applied it. It still felt damp and left faint trails so I kept using it.

[MarkD51]

I myself, while a relatively new member here, am not a newcomer to Collinite 476 DoubleCoat Wax. as I've used this product since 1990.

(Although not designed to be used as such, I've applied 476 to my beloved quad of JBL Jubal Speaker's Walnut Veneer about 15 years ago, and they still glow. Those mint speakers are still in my possession, and they're almost 40 years old.)

I often switched between this wax, or another brand of waxes back then from a now long gone wax factory in Chicago called Nu Look.

As all will agree, factors of how it is applied (thick or thin applications), and the temps, and relative humidity will impart varied effects on ease of application, and removal.

But another quality I believe I have noted on this particular paste wax, that will effect its performance, and ease of use, is father time.

This wax can often be a product, due to how little of it goes a long way, and how well it lasts on a vehicle, that a person might have this product around for years. And I believe as time passes, this product seems to dry out, and thus is harder to apply, and remove.

No doubt a common trait with any/all hard Paste Waxes, that time will effect them. I can recall the olden days, having the little blue glass jars of the old Blue Coral literally turning into a hard unusable rock!

One wish, is that Collinite would improve their packaging of this product, and their other Pastes. It could ease the use of applying to foam pads, and perhaps as well increase the longevity of the product with a better designed container-can. Mark

[y8s]

Mark,
Collinite says the shelf life of a can of 476 is about 5 years and that if it freezes, to toss it out. I suspect the lifespan is limited by the slow evaporation of solvents and, if they use them, crosslinking of polymers as air seeps into the tin.

Maybe you'd get a few more years storing the can in an air tight bag and sucking all the air out before you zip it up?

The wax I used was brand new and purchased in the last month.

[vet]

Car Looks GOOD!

[VP Mark]

Great job!

[y8s]

Thanks.

I forgot to add that I didn't do windows, trim, or wheels. I had done all of those last weekend along with the opti-seal and optimum car wax layers. Seems to have held up pretty well sitting outside for a week.

Yesterday afternoon I added the G1. I've read a few places that people don't like it because it's hard to apply. I wouldn't say it's much harder than something like Rainx or any normal WOWO wax. I tried using both the G2 and 10% IPA (as suggested a few places) and both worked well. The G2 does flash quickly if you put it on dryish which is probably why people have a problem with it. I simply put a damp applicator in one hand and a microfiber in the other and "chased" the G2 with the microfiber wiping with both hands at the same time.