What's In DFB's Cabinet?

[DFB5.0]

Going to give Gyeon Q2 View a shot on my glass. I had put my Ethos Graphene coating on my windows but it’s not holding up as well as I hoped (they did state it can be used on glass but they have a separate glass coating). Just need the weather to warm up so I can do a proper wash and polish on the glass before applying. Will report back with ease of application etc.

Nice one!

In terms of general paint coating versus a specific glass coating, the general coating is fine for side and rear glass but is not designed for the abrasion that a windscreen is subjected to. A dedicated glass coating, like Q2 View, will be better able to withstand the abrasion caused by the wipers ect.

For polish, I really liked P&S Clarity Creme for glass. While it won't really remove scratches, virtually impossible with glass to be honest, it does a great job of deep cleaning the glass while improving the overall clarity. Use this on a moderately aggressive foam or wool pad, I like the Lake Country Blue SDO, and stick with a 3-inch machine for ease of use.

Previously, I went all in with glass polishing by using CeriGlass and specific thin glass pads. This is the most aggressive form of glass polishing and will actually remove minor scratches with time and patience.

But CeriGlass is an absolute pain to use. It's messy, splattering onto paint and will stain unprotected trim. So masking is imperative, and you also need to be super careful removing splatter from paint owing to the extremely abrasive nature.

I would say, only use CeriGlass unless absolutely nesarsary. And after using Clarity Creme, I would say in most cases, you wont need CeriGlass.

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[MAGS1]

Nice one!

In terms of general paint coating versus a specific glass coating, the general coating is fine for side and rear glass but is not designed for the abrasion that a windscreen is subjected to. A dedicated glass coating, like Q2 View, will be better able to withstand the abrasion caused by the wipers ect.

For polish, I really liked P&S Clarity Creme for glass. While it won't really remove scratches, virtually impossible with glass to be honest, it does a great job of deep cleaning the glass while improving the overall clarity. Use this on a moderately aggressive foam or wool pad, I like the Lake Country Blue SDO, and stick with a 3-inch machine for ease of use.

Previously, I went all in with glass polishing by using CeriGlass and specific thin glass pads. This is the most aggressive form of glass polishing and will actually remove minor scratches with time and patience.

But CeriGlass is an absolute pain to use. It's messy, splattering onto paint and will stain unprotected trim. So masking is imperative, and you also need to be super careful removing splatter from paint owing to the extremely abrasive nature.

I would say, only use CeriGlass unless absolutely nesarsary. And after using Clarity Creme, I would say in most cases, you wont need CeriGlass.

Thanks D! The kit comes with a small bottle of Gyeon’s glass polish but I do have a bottle of clarity cream on hand just in case.

 

[DFB5.0]

I actually had time to drive the Mustang this week, which means only one thing.............

These TRC Wheel Mitts are absolutely brilliant. I'm convinced now, you need these in your arsenal.

Soap of choice today was Optimum Car Shampoo. This is a sleeper in the industry, and while it won't quite match Reset or GSF, it still supremely slick and manages to blanket the car in clingy sudds. I always return to this soap and wonder why I don't use it more.

Finishing up the wash process with some Hydes on the rotors. The trick with this stuff is to be generous!

Goodness knows what is causing these beads, probably Bead Maker.

After finishing the Mustang, I directed my attention to the Ranger. Somehow, somewhere it managed to pickup some paint overspray since the last wash. I noticed it on Saturday after work, with a splattering of white paint on the left hand side of the black grill insert. All I can think of is that it's most likely line marking paint.

Now, white paint overspray on a white car is very hard to see, so the fact it was on the black plastic grill alerted to me to the problem sooner. On the plastic, I used some mid-strength Green Star and a towel, with some medium pressure it came off pretty easily.

For the paint, focused on the surrounding bumper and leading edge of the hood. I went through my usual wash process, selecting Reset for a little added ability. I then grabbed a clay mitt, using the Reset and a little Megs Final Inspection to go over these areas.

The areas treated with the clay mitt took a bit of hit in terms of the protection, so I topped it back off with some NV Boost.

Crises averted!

Thankfully, I got my detailing fix before the huge thunderstorm that swept through as I'm typing this.

 

[MAGS1]

I actually had time to drive the Mustang this week, which means only one thing.............

These TRC Wheel Mitts are absolutely brilliant. I'm convinced now, you need these in your arsenal.

Soap of choice today was Optimum Car Shampoo. This is a sleeper in the industry, and while it won't quite match Reset or GSF, it still supremely slick and manages to blanket the car in clingy sudds. I always return to this soap and wonder why I don't use it more.

Finishing up the wash process with some Hydes on the rotors. The trick with this stuff is to be generous!

Goodness knows what is causing these beads, probably Bead Maker.

After finishing the Mustang, I directed my attention to the Ranger. Somehow, somewhere it managed to pickup some paint overspray since the last wash. I noticed it on Saturday after work, with a splattering of white paint on the left hand side of the black grill insert. All I can think of is that it's most likely line marking paint.

Now, white paint overspray on a white car is very hard to see, so the fact it was on the black plastic grill alerted to me to the problem sooner. On the plastic, I used some mid-strength Green Star and a towel, with some medium pressure it came off pretty easily.

For the paint, focused on the surrounding bumper and leading edge of the hood. I went through my usual wash process, selecting Reset for a little added ability. I then grabbed a clay mitt, using the Reset and a little Megs Final Inspection to go over these areas.

The areas treated with the clay mitt took a bit of hit in terms of the protection, so I topped it back off with some NV Boost.

Crises averted!

Thankfully, I got my detailing fix before the huge thunderstorm that swept through as I'm typing this.

Looks good D! Except now I think I have to spend more money and get that wheel mitt . I have a dedicated microfiber wash mitt for wheels currently but I like the fact that you can wear the TRC mitt on your hand and that it’s a bit smaller than a regular mitt

 

[Johnny Rockit]

I have to buy some more towels and containers for all the stuff I have in boxes. Thanks DFB.

 

[Johnny Rockit]

When you ise the rust inhibitor spray do you move the vehicle or just lay it on heavy where it sits?

 

[DFB5.0]

When you ise the rust inhibitor spray do you move the vehicle or just lay it on heavy where it sits?

Apply liberally, I then move the car into the garage which helps disperse it. You will still get a bit of rust developing but no where near the orange covered mess waiting to happen with untreated rotor.

 

[DFB5.0]

A couple of days ago, Bowden's Own released their first rinse-less wash concentrate called Dry Spell.

Introducing Dry Spell, our new rinseless wash (bowdensown.com.au)

Bowden's tout high lubrication, gloss enhancement and a pH neutral formulation, making it safe for use on waxes, sealants, ceramic coatings and paint protection films.

The "unique grouping of high-tech cleaning surfactants" to me means a formulation similar to McKee's N-914, in contrast to ONR or Absolute which are polymer type cleaners.

First of all, round of applause to Bowden's for fitting a pop-top lid on their products. Why this is missed by most brands is baffling to me.

The scent is a sweet apple/pineapple mashup and the lurid pink coloring better not stain my buckets!

I'm keen to give this product a go, here's hoping it's better than some of their soaps.

 

[MACHtobers Very Own]

I have a leather care question. The colourlock stuff appears to be for cleaning and conditioning but i presume i dont need to be conditioning every week. What do you use for general wipe down? Quick interior detailer?

My stang is a weekend warrior so curious to what would be solid for just wipe and good looks till i need to condition every few months?

 

[MAGS1]

I have a leather care question. The colourlock stuff appears to be for cleaning and conditioning but i presume i dont need to be conditioning every week. What do you use for general wipe down? Quick interior detailer?

My stang is a weekend warrior so curious to what would be solid for just wipe and good looks till i need to condition every few months?

A good interior detailer is fine for in between cleanings of the wheel (just make sure it doesn’t leave behind any kind of residue). When the wheel is properly cleaned and conditioned, it should have a matte finish. When it starts to look shiny and greasy, it’s due for a proper cleaning and conditioning. For both of our cars, I do it every few months as they’re daily drivers. I probably do it once a month or so in the summer but my hands sweat a lot. For the cold months, I do it in November and then again in April since most of the time I’m wearing gloves when driving which prevents a lot of the oils from my hands getting on the wheel. Kind of a long answer but you’ll see the sheen of the wheel start to change, that will be your indication it’s time for a good clean and condition.

 

[DFB5.0]

Two Ranger's washed today in record time. Time constraints meant I had to hustle today. Although I did get to try some new products.

Not a new product, but rather a different use. McKee's N-917 is such a versatile product from rinse-less and waterless washing to clay lubricant, quick detailer, interior cleaner/detailer and even a water softener or paint prep. Another less obvious use is as a windscreen washer fluid.

The surfactant base of N-914 makes this possible. For this role, I dilute the product at 128:1 in normal tap water. Because of the water softening ability, this eliminates the need for demineralized water. I then fill the bottle to the brim and job done.

Again, not a new to me product, but I have been loving this TRC Ultra Utility Brush for applying dressing to larger tyres. It's just so ergonomic to use for this task, and less messy, to the point I don't bother wearing gloves. In this case, I'm using Carpro Perl at 1:1.

On to a brand-new product, Bowden's Dry Spell rinse-less wash.

https://www.bowdensown.com.au/blog/latest-news/rinseless-washing-the-new-dry-spell/

This is the brands first attempt at a rinse-less wash, one that I think will be a hard sell in Australia. The desire for rinse-less washing just isn't as high, or even understood in Australia compared to the USA or Canada. Which is kinda weird for such a dry country. Apart from pre-mixed waterless sprays, I can't think of any other rinse-less wash concentrates available in a big-box store. So, Dry Spell might be viable if Bowden's can convince consumers of it's benefits.

First of all, Dry Spell is surfactant based, putting it alongside N-914 and differentiates it from the polymer based ONR or Absolute. The scent is not unlike apple juice and the lurid pink colouring is extremely vivid. I initially thought the colouring was excessive, but when mixed into the bucket, it makes it completely obvious something is actually in the water. This is in contrast to Absolute and even N-914.

Like any rinse-less, you first mix up the solution in a bucket. For Dry Spell, 40ml of concentrate is added to 8 liters of water (200:1). Agitate with your hand to mix.

You then make up a pre-spray solution at 40:1, 15ml of concentrate in 500ml of water. Bowden's recommend using distilled water, but I have good low TDS water so did not bother.

In this case, I pre-soaked the whole cab in one hit and followed up with the UBS. Bowden's method recommends the microfiber towels, but either way is fine.

I then dried the car, using a little Koch Chemie Quick Shine.

Overall, I really enjoyed using Dry Spell. Like N-914, the surfactant base makes it a touch sticky, but it dries off to a streak free finish. It doesn't reach the same slickness levels of Absolute, but for their first try, Dry Spell is impressive.

To cap off my afternoon, I spent 45 minutes on the phone with my favorite supplier, talking new products and industry gossip........................and discussing something I'm working on for the garage.

 

[DFB5.0]

I have a leather care question. The colourlock stuff appears to be for cleaning and conditioning but i presume i dont need to be conditioning every week. What do you use for general wipe down? Quick interior detailer?

My stang is a weekend warrior so curious to what would be solid for just wipe and good looks till i need to condition every few months?

To be completely honest, all you would need is a damp microfiber towel for quick wipe overs of the interior, leather included. But where is the fun in that?

There are some great interior quick detailers on the market, my favorites are Koch Chemie ASC and Carpro InnerQD and Meguiar's Quick Interior Detailer -

To prevent streaking, these products have alcohol within their formula, as such I don't really use them on leather.

I have found Optimum No Rinse (ONR) to be a great interior detailer. It's primary use is for rinse-less and waterless exterior washing, but it's very good on interiors too. For me, I like to apply it to a towel until damp, then gently wipe over the plastics, screens and leather with it. I like that it's not aggressive, there are other products for that, and it doesn't impart any shine or greasiness.

ONR needs to be diluted, so order it with a spray bottle. For interior work, I'm using it at the 16:1/quick detailer diltion rate, but the regular 256:1 rinse-less rate would be fine too.

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine: clay lubricant, optimum rinseless wash, no rinse car wash, optimum detailing products (autogeek.net)
BLUE Kwazar Mercury Pro Plus 360 Spray Bottle 17 oz. (autogeek.net)
CARPRO Dilute Bottle (autogeek.net)

Having a product like ONR (or Absolute/N-914/ECH20) is good to have on hand. They are so versatile -
-Rinse-less washing
-Waterless washing
-Clay lubricant
-Quick Detailer
-Drying Aid
-Window Cleaning
-Door jamb cleaning/drying
-Interior cleaner/quick detailer
-Wate softener

 

[GT 550]

the lurid pink coloring better not stain my buckets!

Agitate with your hand to mix.

How's that hand looking then? Comittment levels off the scale...

 

[aham23]

To be completely honest, all you would need is a damp microfiber towel for quick wipe overs of the interior, leather included. But where is the fun in that?

There are some great interior quick detailers on the market, my favorites are Koch Chemie ASC and Carpro InnerQD and Meguiar's Quick Interior Detailer -

To prevent streaking, these products have alcohol within their formula, as such I don't really use them on leather.

I have found Optimum No Rinse (ONR) to be a great interior detailer. It's primary use is for rinse-less and waterless exterior washing, but it's very good on interiors too. For me, I like to apply it to a towel until damp, then gently wipe over the plastics, screens and leather with it. I like that it's not aggressive, there are other products for that, and it doesn't impart any shine or greasiness.

ONR needs to be diluted, so order it with a spray bottle. For interior work, I'm using it at the 16:1/quick detailer diltion rate, but the regular 256:1 rinse-less rate would be fine too.

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine: clay lubricant, optimum rinseless wash, no rinse car wash, optimum detailing products (autogeek.net)
BLUE Kwazar Mercury Pro Plus 360 Spray Bottle 17 oz. (autogeek.net)
CARPRO Dilute Bottle (autogeek.net)

Having a product like ONR (or Absolute/N-914/ECH20) is good to have on hand. They are so versatile -
-Rinse-less washing
-Waterless washing
-Clay lubricant
-Quick Detailer
-Drying Aid
-Window Cleaning
-Door jamb cleaning/drying
-Interior cleaner/quick detailer
-Wate softener

ONR is fantastic as an interior QD!

 

[aham23]

A recent order arrived earlier this week, including two new product additions from Carpro.

Carpro DarkSide and Release were both launched late last year, and as usual, it took a fair while for them to become available to Australian customers. I will cover Release another day, so I will focus on Darkside for now.

CarPro Darkside – Waxit Car Care (AUS)
CARPRO DarkSide Tire & Rubber Sealant 500ml (17oz) (carpro-us.com) (USA)

DarkSide is one of three products that Carpro sell for enhancing the appearance of tires -

Perl - a water based Si02 enhanced dressing for a wide variety of interior and exterior surfaces depending on dilution. Perl's versatility sets it apart, suitable for use on interior plastics, leather, exterior trim and yes, tires. It's water based formula does limit it's longevity, especially on exterior surfaces, including tires. This has been a staple for many over a number of years now for it's ease of use and the appearance it achieves.
CARPRO » Perl

Black-Out - a tire and rubber polysiloxane ceramic coating that was added to the Carpro range a couple of years ago. This product has a 6-month claimed durability, ideal for those who want to apply something and not have to bother reapplying as regularly as Perl. Carpro also make reference to self-cleaning abilities along with high salt and chemical resistance. I have heard mixed results with this product, some like it, others don't see the point.
CARPRO » CQUARTZ BlackOut

DarkSide - This is the latest in the trio, a product that sits in the middle of Perl and Black-out in terms of durability, with up to 3 months of longevity. In a technical sense, this makes DarkSide more of a sealant than a dressing. Key features include self-cleaning abilities, hydrophobic properties, UV protection and chemical resistance. The finish is described as a "satin black shine" and the liquid consistency of DarkSide is runnier when compared to the cream like consistency of (undiluted) Perl.
CARPRO » DarkSide

Application and Usage Notes -

- The success or otherwise of a tire dressing is in the prep. Slapping the dressing on quickly and thickly will increase the likelihood of the product failing or washing off earlier than anticipated. Spending some time scrubbing the tires with an appropriate cleaner will remove the buildup of dirt, oils and previously applied dressings or sealants.

- Use a stiff bristle brush with a tire and rubber cleaner to scrub the tires until clean. Look into P&S Undressed or Brake Buster, Adam's Tire & Rubber Cleaner, Shine Supply Wise Guy, Carpro ReTyre or even simply a strong dilution of APC. If the tires have not been cleaned recently, if ever, then continue to scrub and rinse until the product stops turning brown.

- While water-based dressings can be applied to wet tires, a product like this is best applied to dry tires.

- For application, use a foam or microfiber pad. I prefer foam for some reason. These Adam's ones are great, especially for larger tires.

- The supplied pump action dispenser has trouble lifting the product, in which case I recommend fitting a pop-top lid to the bottle to improve application.

- Darkside is a product that you have to work for, it doesn't have the silky-smooth application that products like Perl and NV Onyx exhibit. Darkside really needs to be worked into the rubber. That doesn't mean it's a bad product, just a different application feel. Work the product into the rubber using firm pressure, making sure to get even coverage.

- Depending on how heavily you applied the product, you may want to follow up with a towel after 15 minutes to level it down and prevent sling.

The final result from Darkside is very pleasing, producing a uniformly dark, rich satin finish. Additional gloss would be possible with a second coat, however I stopped at one.

Typically, longevity is not my main consideration when I select a tire dressing or sealant, mainly because I tend to chop and change products at each wash. However, I do see why the extended durability of DarkSide would be enticing, so it will be interesting to see how Darkside holds up.

Im finding the Adams hex grip applicator is too big for the Mach’s low profile tires. Im getting darkside all over the rim unless I squeeze it to size. That affects the application process. Might cut it in half.

Any other smaller options ?

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