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Thread: Cuda's Cars, v2.0

  1. #1021
    Detail of the MR2 is mostly finished. Just, um, details left to get to.

    Pics not doing it justice. Old camera, rusty technique, insert further excuses here.

    Awesome Pl8 courtesy of Pl8.













    In other news I went to Walmart today to get oil for the Z's next change. I went to the Walmart in the nice new part of town, nestled amongst the Porsche, Lexus, Acura, BMW, Audi dealers. The people watching was *still* typical Walmart. Where do they come from?

    And they were out of 0w40.

  2. #1022
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    Those have such great lines. And much shiny.

  3. #1023
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    An amazing car. Would like to have spent more time in one.

  4. #1024
    Expert daydreamer SkylineObsession's Avatar
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    You wanna come over here and detail my Skylines to that level Bryan? I'm gonna have to pay someone to do so, as i just don't have the patience/desire to go hard out cleaning them. Mainly cos when i try to the end result isn't usually as good as i hoped it would be.

  5. #1025
    Get me out there, I'll bring my tools.

    A lot of the look is achieved through paint correction, more so than wax/sealant.

  6. #1026
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    I'm pretty close with a local tinting place that does all kinds of detailing. They're always hawking the Xpel Paint Protection coatings (not to me, for obvious reasons). I've heard people infer that the coating is not effective and a waste of money. Any idea? They get a lot of exotics in to do it but those customers probably don't bother with a true cost-benefit analysis.

  7. #1027
    High Plains Luddite George's Avatar
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    That MR2 is clean.

  8. #1028
    Relaxing and enjoying life MR2 Fan's Avatar
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  9. #1029
    Quote Originally Posted by dodint View Post
    I'm pretty close with a local tinting place that does all kinds of detailing. They're always hawking the Xpel Paint Protection coatings (not to me, for obvious reasons). I've heard people infer that the coating is not effective and a waste of money. Any idea? They get a lot of exotics in to do it but those customers probably don't bother with a true cost-benefit analysis.
    My understanding is that XPel is a clear film that is applied as a layer of physical protection. It makes a lot of sense for a brand new car actually. It can help prevent rock chips for example. The older films used to yellow or brown over time. I've heard the newer ones are a lot better. Although I have no personal experience, from the cars I've seen that have had this type of thing done I'd personally want to do the whole front end by covering complete panels (bumper, hood, fenders). That way there's no 'seam' where the film ends on the hood and fenders. This, of course, costs more than just doing a clear-bra type installation.

    It seems of less use for a used car that already has road rash. Often, these films are sold as part of a thorough detail package because you'll want to perfect/correct the paint before laying this protection down on top of it and "locking in" that finish.

    The same strong preference for thorough paint correction/preparation applies to chemical-based coatings (OptiCoat, GTechniq, Modesta, etc). They vary, but most have a semi-permanent nature to them. I don't know if I'm sold yet on the idea. Water spots can be a problem on coatings. There is still debate about this among products and among users who say the benefits of a coating outweigh that disadvantage. I haven't tried one yet. But a friend has tried a consumer coating a couple of times and keeps going back to using traditional sealant/wax. It requires more maintenance to keep the protection 'fresh', but it can be argued that coatings require maintenance too and are harder to deal with if one ends up being one of the ones for whom water spots become an issue.

    Spray waxes are a great thing. Newer technology. They offer super easy, quick and painless application in return for weeks of protection (not months). They also double as drying aids, which help pick up water off the surface of the car after a wash. So I personally use a high quality sealant as the "base layer" and top with a spray wax at almost every wash. It adds 10-15 minutes to the wash time, but keeps the car looking amazing for little extra effort. This is the maintenance I referred to in the previous paragraph. Most spray waxes can even be used on glass and trim, so you don't have to worry about what you apply it on.

  10. #1030
    Administrator dodint's Avatar
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    Interesting, thanks. Other than going on a Zaino kick a long time ago I never put much thought into what I need to do to keep a car looking new. Then I bought an old car with no paint. *shrug*

    The MINI would probably shine up real nice but I've never tried.

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