16 year old, 273,000 miles Honda paint

[dkryan]

Probably the biggest understatement on this forum .

Scott, you and I are kindred spirits when it comes to this, and how we are so determined to do EVERYTHING despite age and an uncooperative body. Add the Element to the list of cars I want first crack at if you ever sell (I know you won't sell any of them though).

Sammy, old stuff is like us old guys. It works and is reliable. I'm a big Collinite 845 fan and use it, or P21S Carnuba, to top my finishes. I also have an old CAN of Liquid Glass from my father in law when he used to show his Grand Prix. Still works really well. I have a PC orbital for the corrections on darker paint, with Meguires Professional stuff, Menzerna, and Jescar. But my go to for daily drivers is Zaino. If I do a light cleaning/correction, I can get almost a year out of the ZCS (Zaino Clear Seal). It goes on everything, glass, plastic, rubber trim, and of course paint. Some poo poo it as old tech (it is), but the system works. I have been using Zaino products for over 25 years and they are super easy to use and never disappoint.

shortyb:

The ZCS really works well on plastic trim??!!

 

[slo town]

I got a full metal can. So...do you think it better than the latest ceramic ones for the show car look? You show your car, so I guess you would know

Oh, I would certainly try it. I think I recall it was advised to work its best on darker paint jobs. Good luck with it. No reason not to try it.

@willbur, no reason not to use it if you have.a can of it sitting around. Be sure to shake it first. As I said in my earlier post, memory tells me Liquid Glass was very similar to the Jescar sealant I use now - of which I am very happy with.

Scott

 

[RevRider]

And if age and mileage wasn't enough, it hasn't been garaged or covered for the last 8 years; baking in 90 degree direct sun 4 months of the year.

This was 7 nonstop hours in the garage today. This is the driver's door, the side that gets the most sun. I didn't detail the wheels or tires. At age 73 I finally ran out of gas.

Scott

View attachment 328040View attachment 328041

Beautiful, a lot of work, but it shows.

 

[snail415]

FWIW, I washed and stripped with P21S Total Body Wash, then polished with Meguire's 205 Ultra Finishing Polish, then applied Jescar Power Lock Polymer Sealant. Over the next couple of days I'll add 1 or 2 more coats of Jescar, then top with Collinite 915 (maybe).

I did the Element literally the day after washing and waxing the entire body of our BMW E90 with Collinite 915.

Scott

Great job. In my experience, Collinite 476 (or really Fleetwax) goes-on easier and has 95% of the look that 915 has. I've also found 915 to be very finicky after it's applied; tends to sweat a bit, or require additional care. If that isn't regarded as work, then there's no penalty. But for me, I want as much spare energy as I can find.

I think sealants certainly have their place in the DIY detailer's market. I use the infamous Soft99 Fusso Coat (original formula) myself, which is no-less finicky as 915, but its chemical resistance and water behavior are worth it to me. Cheers.

 

[snail415]

Re: Liquid Glass & Sealants

In my experience with many paint-protection products, the honest truth is that quality ceramic coatings outperform traditional waxes and sealants by a tremendous margin. That doesn't mean they're easy to apply or that they don't require maintenance, but from a chemical resistance, UV resistance and water-repellency standpoint, there's no comparison. CarPro's CQuartz UK 3.0 and their SiC formulas are outstanding ceramic coating products.

I don't share this to break anyone's heart, as there's certainly a good place for an old-school wax (Collinite) or contemporary sealant (Griots/Finish-Kare/Megs/Mother's/Soft99). From a cosmetic standpoint, ceramic coatings offer a mirror-like reflection, while waxes are more about depth and glow. And for special occasions, even a bottom-dollar carnauba wax laid over corrected paint will look awesome. But from my detailing experience, most waxes won't survive two car-washes or a week of rainfall. It just boils down to how you want to use your time, and what's important to you.