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Not sure if this is the right thread, but what do you guys do for cloudy headlight lenses?
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Apr 20, 2015 21:23
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 03:41 |
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Cool, I wasn't sure if any of those kits were worth it or not. I'll give them a try. Thanks!
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Apr 21, 2015 03:49
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Bape Culture posted:There's a 3M kit that attaches to a drill. Try that and let me know what you think as I've been considering grabbing one I tried it and it worked like a charm. The lenses are massively improved, and would likely be totally clear if hadn't misplaced 2 of the coarse sanding discs (only to find them after I finished). Definitely worth $20 and an hour or two of sanding.
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Apr 25, 2015 23:35
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The 3M kit has a protectant in there, it looks like auto wax. Not sure how long it'll last. I'll probably look at other coating stuff just for the heck of it, I'm going back to Autozone to get a kit for my wife's car tomorrow.
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Apr 26, 2015 01:36
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TheGoatTrick posted:5 month update: I have nothing bad to say. Really thinking hard about doing this with my new GTI.
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Jan 12, 2018 06:01
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Speaking of the new GTI, did it literally come with spiderwebbing pre-installed in the paint? I washed it yesterday (first wash on a day with clear skies), and holy crap I almost had a heart attack. Did I just not see them as it's been basically cloudy since I bought the car? And the car is black, to boot. I'm using all new stuff to wash it (buckets, mitt, microfiber towels, drying towels, Chemical Guys Honeydew wash stuff, the whole deal).
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Jan 14, 2018 18:53
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Thanks guys, never owned a black car before, but I knew they were waaaay more prone to showing defects. Seems like one side gathers gunk while I'm washing the other side! But it looks freaking sweet when it's clean. I had gotten some Chemical Guys quick detailer the other day, tried it on the obvious spidery spots and it really seems to hide them well. Plus the paint looks crazy black.TheGoatTrick posted:Do it! Bape Culture posted:Get some poorboys black hole as a filler polish it works quite well. So you guys brought something else to mind - if I get some Poorboy's on there and it knocks out the swirls, just put the Crystal Serum Light over the top of it, correct? Or will the stripping process just undo that (for instance, if I used the Gtechniq Panel Wipe as my last step)?
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Jan 15, 2018 04:35
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I thinkI'm going to hold off on the ceramic for another month or so, I put some Opti seal on there and have some quick detailer and microfiber in the back for bird crap and such. Plus it's likely I'll get a Porter Cable and polish out the scratches before I do the coating or it'll drive me absolutely nuts.
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Jan 15, 2018 23:17
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Power washers, electric vs gas: go! (want to get one for general use at home, anybody find one that's a good compromise?)
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Mar 23, 2018 21:44
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That's kind of what I'd been thinking. I used a gas washer last summer for fence/concrete and it was great - it was a karcher 2400 psi, I think. Guess I'll save up a bit more for a gas model. And a rotary polisher. And pads, and ceramic coating, and...
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Mar 25, 2018 03:16
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RIP Paul Walker posted:I might just be drinking the kool aid but Ammo's new rinseless wash setup looks promising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDxRPQLh_zA Is their stuff any good? I've heard of them, but don't see their stuff getting much exposure aside from their website and videos. It also seems more expensive than the other options.
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Apr 18, 2018 20:14
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I'm having didn't-buy remorse. I had the Pinnacle diamond coating stuff in and out of my Autogeek cart Sunday and Monday for the 25% off sale, decided against buying it because I didn't want to mess with doing a paint correction. Looked at my paint again today in the sun and could've totally lived with the few spiderwebs that are there (Car is only 4 months old). :facepalm:
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Apr 25, 2018 01:27
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I got their hydrate and tire mud, plan on trying them this weekend.
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Apr 27, 2018 16:35
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a mysterious cloak posted:I got their hydrate and tire mud, plan on trying them this weekend. Hydrate: pretty cool. Definitely dries better than the standard waffle or plush microfiber - I didn't see any streaking at all. Seems to work better on areas that aren't totally holding on to the water (I'm looking at you, roof). Otherwise really impressed with how well it worked. Tire mud: I dunno, it looks good. Just scrubbed it in and let it soak. It also looks like chocolate syrup, put it on your ice cream for a tasty treat.
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Apr 28, 2018 21:02
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Larrymer posted:Whoever recommended synthetic clay (https://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garag...=synthetic+clay) was on the loving money. I drove my white car all winter with apparently very metallic brake pads so the sides were absolutely covered. Forgot I picked this up last week after reading your post - tried it on my wife's filthy Camry, and hell yes this stuff is fantastic. Smoothed out her neglected paint really fast like you said. Definitely a huge upgrade from regular clay and worth the price.
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Apr 29, 2018 18:19
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Thanks for the coupon! Grabbed some grape scented wash and Diablo wheel stuff.
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Jun 29, 2018 17:38
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That's the thing holding me back from doing ceramic - the prep. I drive a GTI so it's not a big car, but just thinking about the endless polishing (even just for the spiderwebs in the paint) turns me off.
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Sep 21, 2018 01:21
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Yeah, I'm still weighing ceramic vs. just keeping the Opti-Seal going, which works pretty well.
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Sep 22, 2018 02:27
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Suburban Dad posted:Don't do this. Get a 3M or other kit with a drill attachment and do it that way. I've used these on two cars and it does a really good job.
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Oct 5, 2018 12:22
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I'm going to remove a dealer badge from my car using the heat gun/fishing line method. Is something like goo gone okay to use for the left over adhesive?
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Dec 19, 2018 20:09
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I grabbed an in line RV water filter, I think recommended in this thread. Works fine. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024E6V30/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_u95tCb6Z02ATW
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Jan 29, 2019 01:34
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We bought a pressure washer last week, and after using it on the sidewalks I finally got to use the foam cannon I bought 2 years ago. Holy crap, I don't think our cars have ever been this clean.
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May 24, 2019 05:20
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MrOnBicycle posted:Youtube channel Forensic detailing made a snow foam shootout test and found (not surprising) that Bilt Hambers Auto Foam is one of the best, if not the best snow foam of the ones he tried. I watched that and now I want to get the bilt-hamber stuff, but I can't in the states 
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May 27, 2019 01:37
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My buddy has an electric one, but he tried my gas powered washer yesterday and he's a convert. Evil SpongeBob posted:https://www.hstuning.com/car-care-and-wash-accessories/ Ouch, $80 usd shipped is pretty steep. That was getting it shipped before June though.
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May 27, 2019 18:13
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For sure. The one we got has adjustable pressure (one specifically for cars), but I still keep the wand a couple of feet away to be safe. And use the least powerful nozzle, of course. Except on my wife's camry with the steel wheels. I blast the hell out of those wheels.
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May 27, 2019 19:44
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I bet my gas one does it faster and better 
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May 28, 2019 17:16
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revmoo posted:Flow rate matters though, I'd like to see a comparison of the width of equivalent PSI strips of concrete, cleaned at the same pressures. That was part of the reason I went with gas. My buddy's electric output was something like 1.6 gpm, and he wasn't very happy with how long it took him to clean his fence/siding/driveway. Plus, our house flooded during hurricane Harvey a couple of years ago, and there's no way an electric would have gotten that crap off the floors inside after we finished demo. Our outside concrete never got anything after the flood except for a hose-off every so often after we dragged out more debris or contractors were there and mucked it all up. Anyway, sorry for starting a gas vs electric death match. Edit: I ordered the Bilt Hamber foam, only $66 shipped to the US 
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May 29, 2019 18:01
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One other thing, any non-garaged-car owners here do a paint correction? My car never goes in the garage, so I'm wondering how well a correction would hold up. Naturally the washing/drying stuff will play a part, but I'm wondering how much the environment will make a difference.
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May 30, 2019 17:44
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I've used their auto foam a couple of times now. It definitely doesn't make the thick, sticky foam you see on the detailing 'tubes, but it really does seem to carry a lot of crap off the paint. I hadn't washed the car in a month, so it was dusty, dirty, etc, and just using the foam cleaned most of it off before I ever did the touch wash. Plus you use so little in the sprayer that it'll last a reeeeeaally long time. Totally worth the eye-rolling from the wife when the overseas box showed up.
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Jun 20, 2019 18:26
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I've considered getting an ozone machine just for my son's rank-rear end hockey bag. Find a refrigerator box, throw that poo poo in there, let it run...
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Aug 3, 2019 03:11
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Really? I liked mine before I got a pressure washer. Seemed to shoot the soap/foam out fine, and then just quick disconnect to rinse. Plus I could use an in-line water filter, which I'm not sure would play nice with the pressure washer.
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Sep 30, 2019 17:47
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Finally got around to removing the little dealer sticker from the back of the car - I'd been dreading having to sit there and slowly heat it up, work some fishing line under it, then get the leftover adhesive off... I heated up one end gently for about 30 seconds, lifted a corner, and the whole thing peeled off cleanly 
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Nov 30, 2019 05:41
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Okay so who's dropping a small pinch of grit and tiny sticks into the dryer when I wash my microfibers...
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Dec 23, 2019 00:12
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Had my GTI just over 2 years, finish was flawless until some douche bag idiot gave me a door ding on the driver's side this week. If I could track them down I would 
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Apr 2, 2020 17:09
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Thinking (again) about doing some swirl removal on the GTI. I put on some Wolfgang's sealant last year that seems to still be going strong, what's the process for getting it off?
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May 19, 2020 16:45
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MrOnBicycle posted:Some paint surface prep should remove it easily. I think it might be UK/Euro only, but I have used Upol system 20 degreaser to prep for putting on coatings etc. Works well and is very well regarded in the UK detailing community. Looks like it's UK only, unfortunately. Any other recommendations?
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May 21, 2020 17:18
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BraveUlysses posted:i have a griots model that i bought a few years ago and i really like it. the newer ones are even nicer, while being cheaper than the previous models. Came here to ask the "starter DA ideas" question and there's the perfect solution. Thanks! What do you guys like for polishing scratches on exterior plastic trim? I know it's going to scratch again, but omg it's driving me nuts.
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Aug 27, 2022 19:23
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Decided to try a glass coating, so I put on Gtechniq G1 Smart Glass. It rained today and holy hell I'm never going back.
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Nov 21, 2022 16:58
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Didn't apply it to the interior, just windshield/rear window/two side windows.
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Nov 21, 2022 19:19
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 03:41 |
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I put the coating on at the same time that I put on new wiper blades, which is probably about as optimal as I could get. Plus the blades get a wipe of coating too. Now I'm thinking about ceramic coating the car. Even without a paint correction it would be nice to have the added protection. If I do bother with the paint I'll probably do it myself. Related question - any reason I couldn't do a partial correction and coating? Like hood/bumper/front panels one weekend, roof and hatchback the next, etc? I know I'd need multiple applicators, and I think as long as I close the coating bottles as much as possible it won't cure in the bottles.
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Nov 23, 2022 21:10
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