Armor all

ive heard lots of bad things about it. when i apply it to the dash and plastic pieces i like the shine... but i heard it makes them turn white and crack ??? is this true ? any alternatives ??

 

Anytime.

This is more of the old school AA that was silicone based. Since then, they've switched to a water based product so it's not as back, but I'd recommend going for something other than AA, specifically something with some UV protection. For a cleaner and UV protectant in one, Optimum Protectant Plus is a great option to go with. If the dash is clean or you use a separate cleaner and just want a UV protection, 303 Aerospace Protectant is a great option as well.

 

Im sorry if this question has been asked before but i've tried searching for reviews online and what not, but how well do the meguiars leather wipes work on g35's leather interior? I have tan interior and i want to keep it looking nice, i bought the meguiars wipes but i have yet to use them, is there any negative reviews on them in regards to using them on g35 tan leather?

 

I personally haven't used the Meg's wipes so I cannot comment directly on how good or bad they are. What I'd recommend though is keeping another towel handy so you can wipe off any potential excess product and work the product into the leather. Most of the time, keeping a microfiber towel on hand to wipe down your leather and dash can keep the interior clean enough until you're ready for a legit cleaning. Keep us posted on what you think of the wipes if you end up using them.

 

im taking my car to get detailed this weekend and get the leather interior cleaned and conditioned, after that i figure i'll just use the wipes and a micro fiber towel to clean up the interior between details. Gonna get the car washed, waxed, clay bar, and polish, excited to see the results

 

I recieve my new PC, polishes and pads this week from DI. I have started polishing and I am really happy with the results so far. I am realizing how soft the infiniti paint is and how visible scratches are on black paint once you put it under proper lighting.

One issue I am having is when I remove/buff the polish after cutting/finishing down, the microfiber towels I am using to remove the polish are actually putting fine scratches back onto the work surface that I just spend several minutes trying to correct. Is there any tips or tricks on trying to avoid this? I am amazed at how easily the black paint on my G35 scratches.

I am using microfiber towels I bought from DI that a couple of years old. Is there a way to tell when the towels have met their service life?

 

Sounds good, keep us posted on how everything turns out!

Couple of theories... the towels may not be "paint safe" any more if they are a couple of years old and there is some contamination stuck in them adding swirls / marring, or perhaps from the washing, the ends of the microfiber are starting to pill which can create some ends that are harder. I'd advise demoting those towels to interior work, wheels and tires, door jambs or engine bay duties if they are still effective and invest in some new towels just for your paint.

Another thing that may be happening is right when you are done polishing your paint, it typically is still hot from the buffer working the paint. If you wipe a surface that is hot, it is more likely to add swirls compared to a cool to the touch surface. Perhaps you could do a few more panels, then go back and wipe down the first panel and continue on in that fashion. My guess is since the towels are that old though that you just need to invest in some new paint safe towels.

Hope that helps, keep us posted if that resolves your issue.

 

Let me know if you find a solution that will avoid putting swirl marks back in. I have an 08 sedan sport with the same soft black paint problem. Thanks.

 

Last night I tried a bunch of different towels I have and it was hit or miss on whether it would mark the paint or not. Even depended on which portion of the towel I used as I had them folded in quarters.

I am even thinking when I dry my car after washing - My waffle weave towels seem less soft than the smaller 16"x16" plush towels. I hate to go through all this work to correct the paint only to look like crap again in 6 months.

 

If your towels are older and are in need of a "reviving" you can try to boil them. This helps reopen the fibers in microfiber and also helps release contamination / old product / etc. If they still mar the paint after that then I'd recommend demoting them to not-paint-safe towels and investing in some new towels just for your paint. It's very important when dealing with soft JB paint to know how to properly care for microfiber and keep them properly sorted and organized.

 

I'm sure its been asked, but what is the preferred method to restore the black plastic exterior trim?

I'm gonna give my daily driver a good bath both outside and in this weekend and I wanna make it look as new as possible

 

I like using something like Klasse All In One to polish and protect it. Usually it does a good job removing oxidation and leaves it looking pretty new.

 

i know a lot of guys here have stoptechs, so please let it be known that p21s wheel cleaner is NOT SAFE to use on stoptech BBK. it ate the clear coat off of my calipers and now they are a dull matte red. from what i can tell it didnt destroy my volks...

 

What do you think about Dr. Colorchip? I've heard good things but thought I'd ask a professional detailer first.

 

Alan, I am sorry to hear that your BBK may have suffered, but I cannot see where the wheel cleaner was the direct cause of the problem. P21S Gel Wheel cleaner is a pH balanced cleaner and has been proven safe on wheels, calipers, suspensions, and clear coated surfaces for many years now. When detailing exotic cars, like Ferrari's, P21S is the only wheel cleaner pros trust on not damaging ceramic brakes costing over $10k. I'm sure we would have heard something prior to this incident about P21S if this were the case.

Were the brakes still hot when you used the product? Perhaps there a pre-existing problem with your calipers paint prior to using the P21S? It could have simply been a mfg defect with the paint. Did you use anything on your tires or wheel wells to degrease them and perhaps they got on to your calipers?

I'm not saying your wrong or the P21S didn't cause the damage, I just find it hard to believe that was the underlying cause. P21S has been around since the 80s and any time I've seen an issue with the product, it was either used incorrectly or there was a pre-existing condition on the wheels or whatever. I'd contact P21S about it and see what they say.

Dr. Colorchip is a good option for achieving a decent touch up. Depending on your experience and skills it may not come out 100% matching (even with the best experience it doesn't always come out 100%), but following the steps they give you certainly gives you better odds than if you were going to wing the touch up yourself. Worth picking up for some minor touchup work.