Riding Dirty

My dealer called me with a TPW of 5/9.

I'm extra excited about this car and want to get it off to a good start. In preparation for the new arrival, I am trying to put a plan together for the initial paint protection. I'm nervous about having anything mechanical applied to the fresh factory paint. Since it's an ordered car and not something sitting on a lot, I expect that it will have had the least amount of contact from washing etc.. I am going to advise the dealer that I do not want it prepped. As a result, I would like to do everything by hand at home. I will use my car as a daily driver. I have decided to go with a ceramic coating, Cquartz UK etc.. Possibly a clear bra on the bumper and mirrors. I can't justify the cost of doing more Xpel than that. However, those high risk areas seem ideal for such a product.

I'm looking for advice on steps and products to use to properly prepare and protect the paint. Since I will be using the car as a daily driver, I am leaning more to long term protection over ultimate shine. I understand that factory paint is far from defect free. What can I do by hand that will reasonably clean it up. Wet sanding and polishing is too extreme. Will using clay bar or nanoskin do a reasonable job of cleaning up overspray etc.? Which is better for this? If I use a ceramic coating now, can Xpel be put over it later? Or will the surface be too hydrophobic to properly apply.

The car is Arctic white, with black rims.

I'm trying to create a shopping list and plan now, so that I'm fully prepared when it gets here. I greatly appreciate any advice.

👍

Broker99

White is not going to show alot of defects but it hard to tell even with a new car. I would not be afraid to use a light polish with a machine but if you want to do it by hand i would start with megs 205 and see how that goes. If you have never applied a coating i would skip cquartz uk. Can be tricky to apply.
What i would do.
Very detailed wash down. Spray down with optimum ferrelx or a simular product. Light clay. Hand polish with megs 205 to start. If happy with results then wipe down with optimum paint prep or like product or even just ONR. Then coat with opt gloss coat. I have found gloss much easier to work with then cquartz plus i think it last longer. I only go a year out of uk on my DD and that is witj washing with reset and reload wipe downs. Gloss coat can be applied to the film as well. Both on top and under the film. I have done it before with no issues.
Good luck

ronkh57

Good info !!!!!

Riding Dirty

Thank's Brooker99. Sounds like a good plan.

One more question, I have a DA polisher and limited experience with it, what pad can I safely use for the polishing with Meg's 205?

Broker99

If the paint is defect free for the most part I would use black pads but get the thin ones. If you see slight defect maybe jump up to a white pad. Post up some pics when you finish

Sunset-C6

Don't drive it, wash it, or touch the paint......aah what the heck drive it like you stole it.

0Adam's Polish

Congrats on your new car! I would at least clay first then apply a coat of Paint Sealant. The PS would be more durable than a wax for a dd.

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

Ah the new car .... I just got my new daily driver in January and here's what I did :

1. I warned dealer not to wash or detail at all
2. Washed car with Snow Soap from Iron-X to decontaminate
3. While damp, I clayed the car after the initial wash
4. Dried car well and took a high powered xenon flashlight to measure defects/swirls
5. Polished by buffer, using Menzerna polishes as a two step spending most of time with finishing polish and finishing pad to amp up gloss and reflection
6. Wolfgang Uber Coating for Maximum Protection

http://www.autogeek.net/detailingtips.html

the kid C6

To the OP, it's your DD ... take a deep breath and enjoy it.

Riding Dirty

I fully intend too. I have 93,000 miles on my C6, I drive my cars. I also don't like to spend a lot of time cleaning and detailing. Just looking to get it off to a good start, especially since I will be putting about 10,000 miles a year on it.

0Killrwheels@Autogeek

That's the joy of going to a coating. You will see no less than 12months of protection from a single application, most the time more. With good washing and drying techniques to avoid swirls and marring and you can enjoy the ride with only a small time allotted for cleaning without heavy waxing and polishing.