DFB's Detailing Garage

[DFB5.0]

2025 XR6 Detail – Part 2

Picking up where I left of, that means more polishing, most of which being the more intricated areas.

Polishing (continued) -

Because I hate polishing front bumpers, I decided to get this out of the way first. Before starting, I added some additional taping around fog light bezels, headlights and grill inserts. Again, Carpro Reflect was teamed with an orange ShineMate polishing pad. For the more intricate sections, the iBrid Nano was used with the 12mm orbit and Rupes yellow foam pad.

Once the front bumper was done, I began rolling through the doors, side skirts, wing mirrors and glossy black B-pillar trims. For the doors, I used all three machines. The Nano was used around the handles, the EB212 3-inch for the belt line, contoured lower section and side skirts, the HLR15 5-inch for mid sections. The B-pillar trims and mirrors were next, the Nano with yellow Rupes pads were used here, one on the machine and one used by hand.

I set up the camera to show the EB212 in action -



Glass -

With the paint done, it was time to polish the glass. I like polishing glass, although not necessarily for the task itself. Instead, I love how polished glass disappears from behind the steering wheel.

To start, I needed additional taping around the windows to prevent staining the rubber trims and protect surrounding paintwork. Choice of compound was P&S Clarity Crème, first with the Nano in rotary mode for around the edges, followed by the EB212 and blue Lake Country cutting pad for the bulk.

With glass polishing, keep in mind that you aren’t really “correcting” the surface like you would with paint. Even with heavy duty compounds and pads, it will take your hours to remove a single scratch…………..if you are lucky. In which case, Carpro Ceri-Glass or Cerium Oxide teamed with a rayon pad would be your best bet. In my case, glass polishing is about deep cleaning. I like to use Clarity Crème, but any medium to heavy cutting compound teamed with foam or wool pads will also do the job, I'd probably avoid microfiber pads due to the higher heat generation.

Protection –

I’m done with ceramic coatings on garage queens. Longevity and ultimate chemical resistance are not a factor, especially with how “we” tend to continue topping things off with detailers and spray sealants. This is why after 5-years, the XR6 still showed supreme water behaviour. Having said that, on daily drivers a coating is probably a better option, but even then, I must prefer the user experience of a wax or sealant, far less stressful. There, I said it, again.

So, once again I’m reaching for an old favourite…………the now discontinued (in Australia) Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant. I landed on this product way back in the early 2010’s after searching for something new/better than the Meguiar’s NXT paste wax and Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection that I had been using. This was back when Waxit was a sponsor of a local forum, so I reached out asking for advice, the reply suggested I try DGPS as it would suit the dark blue Sensation paint. I’ve used it on and off ever since. Are there better sealants out there, probably. Are there easier to apply LSP’s available, probably. Do I enjoy using the product, absolutely. Does the end result give me a sense of satisfaction, absolutely. Does the paint look and feel amazing, 100% yes. I remember not long after using DGPS for the first time, a family friend dropped around while I was washing the XR6, he instantly wanted to know what I had on the paint, he’d seen nothing like it before.

Prior to application, I used compressed air to blast out any polish dust from the door jambs and panel gaps. This was then followed by a heavy wipe down using Carpro Eraser.

As always, for the large areas I apply DGPS with a 5-inch dual action polisher and soft black waxing pad. I went with the ShineMate EB351 for this task because speed one on this unit is considerably slower than the Rupes, and for waxing you don't want or need pad speed. Intricate areas were treated with a foam applicator pad by hand. Once the entire vehicle is coated, leave the sealant to bond for 30 - 45min, then buff the residue. The wipe off is super smooth if applied in a light, even manner, however I recommend at least 4 to 6 towels to do this to prevent dust build up. You must then allow 12-hours for DGPS to cure before exposure to moisture.

Sponsored

 

[DFB5.0]

2025 XR6 Detail – Part 3

The following post covers the finishing touches.

Glass –

With the glass polished, it was time to get something back on it. After removing all of the remaining tape from the vehicle, I went around with a towel and Carpro Eraser to lift off any remaining polish residue and dust from the window rubbers and trims, a task I always hate doing but has to be done. All exterior glass was wiped down with Eraser, followed by undiluted IPA.

Product of choice for the glass was Gyeon Quick View. Applied to all glass and left to bond for at least 5-minutes, the residue is buffed using a damp towel. I follow with glass cleaner for a streak free finish.

Rear Bumper Diffuser –

I had planned on applying Solution Finish to this unpainted black plastic bumper insert. However, after cleaning with Eraser and IPA, the surface came up pretty good. So instead, I applied a heavy coating of Carpro Reload and called it good.

At some point I need to clean and scuff the inside of the exhaust tip in preparation for a dusting of fresh black paint. I've done this a few times over the life of the car.

Grill Treatment –

Ford used a strangle semi-gloss plastic on the FG XR upper and lower grills, not full piano black as is the current fad, but not unpainted black plastic either. I treat these areas in one of two ways, a spray and rinse sealant such as Hydr02, or a very obscure product from my Autoglym days………………..today I went with the later.

Autoglym Instant Show Shine is hard to describe. At first glance, you’d assume this is an aerosol trim dressing like Mothers Naturally Black, however you can also use it on paint and glass. I therefore have no idea what’s in it, but for whatever reason it works really well on areas that are hard to reach or fiddly to detail. Being an aerosol, its super easy to get full coverage of intricate grills like this, simply spray and wipe away the residue.

This is the last Autoglym product I have in my cabinet, purely because of its unique USP. Back in the 2000’s, we didn’t have access to online ordering in Australia until late in the decade. That meant an auto store was your only product outlet unless you knew of a body shop or paint retailer who stocked a special brand. And so Autoglym was a step above what was available in auto stores at the time. Now? Well apart from a few bits and pieces, they are making legacy products that haven’t been changed in 20 years. Once online shopping became available, and Bowden’s became big, there wasn’t any reason to buy Autoglym anymore, they got left behind.

With the tyres dressed and the engine bay wiped down, that’s a wrap on the XR6 detail.

Thanks for reading.

 

[DFB5.0]

Post detail shots.........................

 

[BimmerDriver]

I’m done with ceramic coatings on garage queens. Longevity and ultimate chemical resistance are not a factor, especially with how “we” tend to continue topping things off with detailers and spray sealants. This is why after 5-years, the XR6 still showed supreme water behaviour. Having said that, on daily drivers a coating is probably a better option, but even then, I must prefer the user experience of a wax or sealant, far less stressful. There, I said it, again.

LOL, thank you. I'm no longer alone.

 

[DFB5.0]

First wash post detail, which is always super satisfying in how easily everything comes together.

Don't let the Brake Buster bottle fool you, that's Griot's Wheel-Tire-Mat Cleaner. This product has a mild scent to mask that acrid chemical aroma of most rubber cleaners such as Brake Buster, Wise Guy and ReTyre. As per yesterday, it seemed to work extremely well, which is surprising because these tyres are resistant to everything but Tarminator.

Mixing things up today, I decided to roll out the K1152 (K1122) to give it a run. The K1152 and KHD-10 have the same advertised flow rates, 10-litres per minute (2.64 GPM), but the K1152 certainly feels leaner. I ran this with the same gun and 4.5 orifice nozzles I use with the wall mount system, so perhaps it's the result of the 10-amp (1152) vs 15-amp (KHD-10) situation? Having said that, the K1152 is soooo much quieter than the KHD-10, to the point where the water or foam flow is noisier than the machine itself. And the 1/4-inch hose is much easier to manage than the 3/8-inch Cobra Jet. But then the wall mount comes back into its own when setting up and packing away.

Who needs a ceramic coating when you get this from a humble synthetic sealant?

Cleaned, the old girl has swapped place with the Mustang for a little rest.

 

[DFB5.0]

A little re-stock from Detailing Shed before the Christmas closures. The notable inclusion here being that spray bottle, the new Pressol Pro-Series.

I've been using v1 Pressol sprayers for a while now. From an aesthetic point of view, I love how I can fill them with a multitude of different products from different brands and have a matching label on each. Of course, that was the vision of someone else, and I can't deny or hide where that influence came from.

Functionally though, I have always felt the Kwazar Mercury 360 were vastly superior. For example, a thicker bottle that will not panel in under repeated spraying, as well the extra stabilizing piece on the base. The spray head itself has a smoother action, the trigger being longer to allow all of your fingers to wrap around it. Both are double action, spraying on both squeeze and release, but the atomization of the Kwazar was vastly superior and with a much wider range of adjustment.

These original Pressol "Household" spray bottles were never intended for use with detailing chemicals. No, the black or red "Industrial" bottles with the ergonomic bottle design were better suited to this role, but because of that odd bottle shape, labels were not possible. So, that's why Matt went with the "Household" type and persisted with fixing the issues. And there were plenty of issues....................

- Because of the lack of spray pattern adjustment, the tips had to be cranked right down to achieve fine atomization. This would often split the plastic tip. I will say, I never had one single tip split on me, so I'm not sure what others were doing with them. :conf

- Alkaline chemicals would nuke the spray head seals within a very short period. Most spray heads have a limited life span with these chemicals, but not to the extent of these Pressol items. And it would happen with both the standard "Household" and tougher "Industrial" heads. I will say, I've killed Kwazar spray heads as well with high-pH products.

- Bottle paneling under repeated use.

- Certain chemicals leaching through the bottle, mainly from solvents such as tar remover. This became an issue because the microscopic leaching would dissolve the adhesive of those fancy labels and cause them to fall off.

- Ultra-slick products would cause the suction tube to fall off the spray head. Again, I never experienced this.

The big sticking point with Pressol has been the price, $25 vs the $17 for the Kwazar. And that's before you consider a basic Tolco sprayer and bottle for $5 had none of the above issues and would last longer with alkaline chemicals. So why pay the premium and get a worse durability?

Enter the Pressol Pro-Series. The culmination of 6-years work, which I think was far too long for what is just a plastic spray head and bottle, these new Pro-Series items feature a number of changes. The spray head internals have been upgraded to better resist alkalinity, effectively replacing both Household and Industrial spray heads from v1. The spray tip is now stainless steel, not plastic. The pickup tube is now silicone, which facilitates 360-degree spraying like the Kwazar's. The tube is now held in place with wire spring clips. And finally, the bottles are treated to prevent chemical leeching, a process called fluorination. All sounds great...................

I'm not going to sit here and tell you these new versions solve all of the problems with v1. Actually, they created some new ones. For example, alkaline products can react with the fluorination process and cause the bottle to turn brown. The first batch of spray tips were accidentally made with steel and not stainless steel, so they rusted out. Certain products have caused the tube to fall off, and that's despite those fancy clips. And certain IPA-type products can nuke the seals too. I've sat back watching this happen, baffled as to why all this didn't get noticed during the "extensive torture testing". They had 6 years to get it right, but the problems are still there. And as a final insult, they are now even more expensive.

And yet, here I am buying another Pressol to try, go figure. :doh

On first acquaintance, those stainless steel tips look and feel amazing. They also atomize way, way better than v1................and the Kwazar too if I'm honest.

Spring clips on both ends of the silicone pickup tube...................

As you can see, the tube is ultra flexible and permits 360-degree spraying. Of course, no one is spraying with the bottle upside down, but this feature becomes handy as the bottle empties and while spraying at an awkward angle.

The following is a comparison between the three Pressol spray heads. In the middle, the new Pro Series. On the right, the Household version with a ridged plastic tube and basic filter cap. On the left, the Industrial head with a semi-flexible pickup and weighted plastic filter. Of the older two, the Industrial was superior as the pickup point could move as the bottle was tilted, handy when the nearing empty, however it couldn't allow 360-degree movement.

The improvements to spray pattern and the flexible pickup tube are instantly noticeable and appreciated, both aspects certainly better than before. What remains to be seen is how they perform over the longer term, namely the seals and that strange bottle staining.

You may question why spend so much on a spray bottle, especially one that isn't totally sorted. Well, I question that too. But then I see them lined up in my cabinet with the fancy labels and I'm sold. I get the same satisfaction with the Kwazar's too, but the Pressol's are next level. Naturally, how they look has nothing to do with functional performance, but visual pleasure is important to me and something I always look for in just about everything in life. I also love that clicky-click sound the Pressol trigger makes, super satisfying. So, while flawed, there is much to like as well.

 

[DevilDog]

As always, your posts never cease to amaze me. Thank you.

 

[DFB5.0]

The Ranger has been earning its keep over the last week. The first job was spread across two days, a garden clean-up for a neighbour. This included two full loads of green waste going to the tip, most of it from several Cocas Palm's (hideous things, never plant them!). The second job being my own garden, which I'm trying to green up before a certain someone arrives late January. Again, two large loads of green waste after giving two established camellia's a heavy reformative prune, and removal of more bloody Privet.

The rubber mat I have in the tray is great for keeping rattles down, but the open chambers allow every leaf, twig and blade of grass to get stuck in each perforation. A very tedious task to remove it all, be that using the leaf blower or pressure washer, often it's easier to just vacuum it..............which gives the nosey neighbours something to laugh at.

After washing with NV Snow, I continued to sample the Griot's products I bought a few weeks ago. Drying Aid was Speed Shine, tray and door jambs with Ceramic Speed Shine, and the inside got a wipe down with Interior Detailer. The tyres had been cleaned 3-in-1 Wheel-Tire-Mat, then a layer of Ceramic Tire Dressing.

On that 3-in-1 Wheel-Tire-Mat Cleaner, I wanted to see how it performed on the Ranger's 3D rubber floor liners.

I love this product! The way it lathers up is so satisfying, which gives the feeling you're actually achieving something, missing from some rubber cleaners. After cleaning, I soaked it down with P&S Swift, which is the sweet spot for dressing floor mats, vastly better than the Koch Chemie Guf.

You can still see what appears to be a dirty patch on the left, but that's where my heel pivots for the clutch pedal, which has worn down and discoloured the material.

Ranger is clean again, but not for long, early next week is the all-important "Christmas Mow".

 

[DFB5.0]

Another 40+ degree C day, another Ranger. Annoyingly, it's just rained, undoing my work and meaning tomorrow will humid. I hate summer!

Nothing special on this one, it just HAD to be done. But it did give me a proper chance to see how these new Pressol Pro Series sprayers perform.

I've used the original "household" versions for a while now, with and without the chemical resistant "Industrial" spray heads. Those heavy-duty heads had to be purchased separately, which increased the price by $15 on top of the bottle/sprayer price. And even then, the Industrial heads still failed with alkaline chemicals. I actually stopped bothering with them and just used the household sprayer. The trick is to purge the chemical back into the bottle and flushing the sprayer with clean water after each detailing session. I've been doing that with both head types and have had about 15-months out of them so far. The reality is, you shouldn't have to do that on a premium purchase like this when a basic $7 Tolco will outlast it 3 - 4 times over.

The Pro Series spray head has upgraded internals, so there is no longer a need for the "Industrial" version. At $32+ per bottle, I'm not going to subject these to high-impact chemicals, especially when replacement heads are not available. With ADS Amplify being a high-use product, I decided to put it into the Pro Series.

The first thing to note is how nicely the new stainless-steel tip atomises product. Having said that, I actually prefer a slightly heavier dispersion to limit chemical drift and overspray. Perhaps this is why I never cracked a single one of those old plastic tips, I just wasn't cranking them down as hard. The trigger action feels smoother too, although that could be a new vs well used situation.

At the end of the day, you are only buying these Pressol bottles and sprayers if you are insane like me. That's because on pretty much every metric, a $7 Tolco or Canyon sprayer with a generic bottle is going to do the same job, just without the double action trigger and weighted pickup tube for 360-degree spraying capability. The question is, are those two benefits worth an extra $26? And if those last two aspects are important, then Kwazar Mercury is $14 cheaper and as good if not better than the Pressol.

 

[DFB5.0]

Volvo XC60 B6 – Full Reset Detail

It’s been a while since I’ve had this car in the garage, which also means a while since its been washed……………………. I’m the only one allowed to touch this vehicle. Brand new in 2023, my sister had it coated with Carpro Cquartz Professional shortly after delivery. Not a lot gets said about Carpro coatings in the enthusiast/pro-sumer scene, but Cquartz Professional is the best coating I’ve come across for the way it responds to chemicals, which means it’s easier to clean and ultra durable. I'm always amazed at how much grime is removed by a simple pressure wash, not to mention the next level hydrophobics. I guess pro-grade coatings aren’t just a marketing concept.

Since it was coated, I’ve been maintaining the car with a two-stage wash (pre-soak and contact wash), then topped with EliXir or Reload depending on what I last used. For this detail, I wanted to go a bit deeper, a reset if you will. The interior was also due for some added attention. In keeping with the Carpro theme, the products used today will follow suit.

The photos don't fully show how putridly dirty these wheels were.

Wheels & Tyres -

Sadly, these wheels weren’t coated with the rest of the car, same with the glass. I can cope without a glass coating, I really don’t see the point there. However, I wouldn’t dread cleaning these wheels if they’d been coated. That’s because of the super dusty brake pads, the hidden lip behind the spokes and the sheer size of the things. So, I always need the nuclear bomb to deal with them.

For the pre-clean, I grabbed Carpro WheelX. I hate this product, but considering the Carpro theme I decided to peg my nose and give it another go. And…………….I still absolutely hate this stuff. I love Carpro products, but this is the worst smelling detailing product I have ever encountered, and it’s not balanced by added effectiveness above other competitors. The stench is so revolting that those inside the house could smell it, and I still have it up my nose as I type this after a shower. I used up most of the bottle, the rest is going in the bin. Do not buy.

I then foamed P&S Brake Buster over the WheelX, allowed to soak, then rinsed. From here, I scrubbed the tyres with Shine Supply Wise Guy, then foamed again with Brake Buster for the contact washing with an assortment of brushes. Another Carpro product, this time Hydr02, primarily to assist drying and gloss enhancement. These spray and rinse sealants don’t offer much protection, and the pH tolerance window is extremely narrow.

I just wish I had the time to remove, properly clean and coat these 21-inch wheels.

Engine Bay -

The key to engine bays is regularity. Every time I have the Volvo in the garage, I always hose off the engine bay to remove dust. I’d normally follow with an APC and agitation using a brush, but it's just not needed on this car, likewise a dressing.

While I’m at it, I top off the windscreen fluid reservoir. And that’s all there is to do under there, you can’t even check the oil. The residual engine heat dried things off, but I did later go over it with some Carpro ECH20.

Exterior Decontamination & Wash –

Apart from alkaline pre-wash soaps, I haven’t had to decontaminate this coating over the last few years. Considering the length of time between washes, I’m very impressed how the coating has rejected contaminants so far. Normally, a lack of washing or neglect will kill a coating.

To start with, I decided to foam with Carpro Descale and allowed it to soak. After a rinse, I found there was still some road grime left on the lowers, so I went back in with alkalinity. Because I’d used up the remainder of Carpro Lift in the wheel bucket, and after the hideousness of WheelX, I treated the neighbourhood with the sandalwood scented Koch Chemie Active Foam. Again, this was allowed to dwell, then rinsed off. That sorted it. I was sort of experimenting with chemical sequence here, in hindsight I should have gone alkaline first, which is better at cutting through dirt, then went acidic for mineral deposits. With an almost clean surface, it was time for the contact wash using Carpro Reset, another scented treat.

To dry, it was tandem EGO blowers, the terrible LB530 and the excellent LB765. While little sister was vacuuming (which I always hate), I went around and applied another Carpro product, Reload 2.0. Then more ECH20 for the door jambs. On these Volvo’s, they accumulate road film on the rear door jambs, around the wheel arch in particular. I always pressure wash this area to remove as much as possible, but I’ve found I need tar remover like Eulex to fully remove this stuff. Every car has an area like this that needs a specific approach.

For the exterior glass, I stayed on brand and used Carpro ClarifyPhobic. I hate this stuff, but without existing product on the glass, I wanted to see how it would play. It’s still a hard NO! A glass cleaner that leaves haze and streaking behind is completely useless and ultimately defies the point. Even my sister asked if she could clean the exterior glass again, and I was like "go ahead, I was going to anyway". Even with 80% of the bottle remaining, ClarifyPhobic will be joining WheelX in the rubbish bin. You have to wonder how both of those products escaped the laboratory like that.

Interior –

With the vacuuming and floor mats cleaned while I was busy elsewhere, that left the fun bits for me. The plastics and door trims were wiped down with Carpo InnerQD. Interior glass was cleaned with Koch Chemie RRW (which was also used for the second pass on the exterior after the ClarifyPhobic disaster). As per going the extra mile on the exterior, the main project for the interior was the leather. I did briefly consider grabbing the Carpo leather products, but both cleaner and conditioner are very underwhelming. So, out came the ColourLock duo, only the best for this car.

I have both Strong and Mild versions of the leather cleaner, but unless you are trying to cut through years of neglect, the Mild is all you need. Both are foaming products, which are teamed with the specific Colourlock brush and wiped clear with an interior towel. The seats, steering wheel and console lid were all cleaned like that, I don’t bother doing the door trims. Once those areas were clean and dry, I went around and applied ColourLock Leather Shield, which is an abrasion and dye transfer blocker designed for leather under 3-years of age. Next year, I will switch to ColourLock Leather Milk Protector.

I know that a few new leather brands have popped up in recent years, but I don’t think that has relegated the ColourLock products to also-ran statis. The only problem for some if finding them in stock. When Koch Chemie purchased ColourLock a few years ago, there were promises made about streamlining distribution……………….....well that just hasn’t happened, in the USA its actually gotten worse. I love Koch Chemie, but they are basically running the ColourLock brand into the ground. Shame.

I just love how the ColourLock products leave leather feeling clean, smooth, soft and supple, while the absence of gloss is the cherry on top. Naturally, the quality of the Volvo materials makes a huge difference too, but when you use a top-level product like this, it makes all the difference. A leather product from the likes of Autoglym or Meguiars would look completely out of place on this interior.

Finishing Touches –

Seeing as I already had the Eulex out from earlier, I wanted to try something I heard DJ from Armour Detail Supply recommend. I normally use Tarminator or Mineral Spirits to do a reset clean on tyres, however, DJ somehow discovered Eulex can be used for the same role. And wow, what I discovery!

The key thing with any of these tar removers is the solvent nature of them. That means they quickly and easily dissolve any remaining residue still on the tyre, even after a heavy duty rubber cleaner was used earlier. So, instead of going round after round using a brush and an alkaline degreaser attempting to fully clean a tyre, 30-seconds using a solvent like this does the same thing……………except even better.

Compared to Tarminator or Mineral Spirits, you use way less product to do the same task, and you get a better finished result. Simply apply a small amount to a towel, then rub the side wall until the product evaporates. The end result is a completely bare rubber surface, you could probably leave it that way and be completely happy with the look. But………………I still went ahead with a very light layer of Capro Darkside.

Following that, the wheels was given a quick wipe with ADS Amplify, and the tyre pressures topped up.

Before -

After Eulex -

Dressed -

Finished Result -

Four hours later, a refreshed XC60 was the result.................

 

[DFB5.0]

With the Wildtrak about to embark on a 1500 km round trip to Adelaide for the Tour Down Under, I wanted to get it back into shape before taking off. Compared to the usual maintenance wash, I spent some extra time making sure it was ready for action.

To start, I popped the hood and inspected the fluids. I then made up a solution of Bowden's Dry Spell to fill up the windscreen washer fluid reservoir, using the left over to scrub the front floor mats with. I didn't bother cleaning under the hood, I'll do that upon return.

I had intended wash this thing last week as well, but the heat was unbearable and we were supposed to get some rain, so I let it go. As you can see, we did get a light sprinkle, just enough to make a mess but not enough to wash off the dust kicked up by the high winds.

Tyres - Brake Buster (undiluted)
Wheels - Brake Buster (foamed undiluted)
Prewash - Optimum Touchless Decon Soap
Contact Wash - Optimum Car Wash (foamed and in bucket)

At the previous detail I applied ADS Ceramic Spray Sealant. CSS has excellent hydrophobic properties, and as you can see, makes for some awesome bead action. At this stage, the Gyeon Can Coat EVO base layer is now 8-months old.

After a blow down with the EGO, I went over the paint with Obsessed Garage Drying Aid, which I also used on the roller tonneau and door jambs. This product can sometimes be a little tricky, but it was playing nicely today. Exterior glass was via Invisible Glass.

For the interior, I finished a bottle of Nextzett Cockpit Premium for the general wipe down. From here, I had two additional tasks I wanted to do..............

Firstly, I wanted to clean the leather. For this I went with KCx Pol Star, which was administered via a foaming pump bottle and lightly agitated with a leather brush. From there, I went around and applied NV Nourish.

The second extra was to dress the interior plastics with KCx Top Star. Back in my earlier detailing days, I would periodically dress interiors to provide enhancement and UV protection. For the longest time I used 303 Aerospace Protectant, mainly because it enhanced without creating a slick or shiny finish. I also loved how easily it spread, which is not something I can fully describe, but I always found 303 was easier to wipe on and didn't produce high spots like some alternatives. However, I stopped doing this because a) my "good cars" sit under cover for 99% of their life, and b) the modern interior detailers have UV inhibitors which meant I can clean and protect in one step. So, I don't normally dress interiors anymore.

But in this case, considering the Wildtrak sits outside for its whole life, and with how freaking hot it is in Adelaide at this time of the year, I thought it wouldn't hurt to have something more substantial on the surface. Is Top Star better than 303? Not really, they both wipe on with ease, flash away to a matte finish, and both provide high UV protection. If you like scents, then Top Star will be your choice, the mild "clean" fragrance is common to most KCx products. Following this, I did the interior glass to remove any residue from the windows.

I've been continuing to sample the assortment of Griot's products I bought last month. So far, the tyre/rubber cleaner is my favourite, in fact I've nearly finished the bottle. I love how it lathers and it seems to clean extremely well. Next, I really like the tyre dressing, nothing special here but it spreads easily and evenly, smells nice and looks great. The interior detailer is nice too. Least favourite? The ceramic glass cleaner sucks, I much prefer the OPT or Stoner's equivalent. And the soap is meh.

The final steps were to wipe down the wheels with Amplify, then set tyre pressures. Ready for the road!

 

[Frogdog1]

Nice. "Ceramic" everything seems to be the new buzz word on products.

 

[DFB5.0]

Nice. "Ceramic" everything seems to be the new buzz word on products.

The world "ceramic" in products that aren't actually a proper small glass bottle of ceramic coating can cause some confusion. I don't want to flat out say that it's a marketing ploy because there are certain benefits to "ceramic" infused products. But the term "ceramic" outside of coatings just means they added some Si02 to the formula. Now, they do that for various reasons in varying amounts depending on the product type. On that tyre dressing above, the Si02 helps reply water and in theory improves longevity. Si02 in a detail spray helps with longevity, gloss and hydrophobics. So there are reasons to use the Si02 ingredient, just that some companies like to exaggerate the term "ceramic" to draw in people who may not know the full story.

 

[DFB5.0]

Did a "sanity wash" on the XR6 today. With such dry and windy conditions, the poor thing was covered in layer of dust, which naturally shows up on such a dark colour. For today's effort, I did a bit of a hybrid wash.

The wheels and tyres were treated as normal, with the tyres scrubbed using Griot's 3-in-1 and the wheels with foamed NV Snow. Atom mac went on the rotors afterwards.

This is where I deviated. Firstly, the whole car was rinsed top to tail, followed by a hit with the blower to remove excess water. With a bucket of P&S Absolute mixed up, I then filled an iK sprayer and went around pre-spraying the whole vehicle. From here, a rinse-less wash using the multiple-towel method, Eagle Edgeless 500's in my case. After that, another hit with the blower to blast liquid from the jambs, grill, and badges ect, then towel dried with Amplify. I also used Amplify on the door jambs, then ECH20 for the engine bay.

From there, the exterior windows were cleaned with Invisible Glass, the interior vacuumed and wiped down with a damp towel, the drivers floor mat was cleaned with the Absolute I had remaining. Final touches being a wipe down of the wheels with Amplify and the rubber with OG Tire Dressing.

My XR6 is one the last Falcon's to actually feature a FALCON badge. In the lead up to the FG MK II update in December 2011, Ford deleted Falcon badges from the XR range. From that point until factory closure, only the entry level XT sedan and XL SSB ute were badged FALCON. G-Series and FPV models were never badged as a Falcon, even though they were. Officially, this was to make room for the EcoLPi and EcoBoost badges, but I'm not buying that. The deletion of the Falcon branding was intentional, basically it was Ford quietly and slowly stepping away from a model that was on the chopping block. And by May 2013, that intention became reality with the announcement of the of the factory closures and the retirement of the Falcon nameplate. Unlike Holden, Ford had no intentions of replacing the Falcon, and in my opinion that was a smart move. History will show no amount of badge engineering or marketing clout was going to fool anyone, GM discovered that the hard way.

 

[DFB5.0]

Washed the XR6 ready to be rotated back under cover this afternoon, XR6 in, Mustang out.

Something that's impressed me over the last week has been this Optimum Power Wheel and Tire Cleaner. Now, I was probably a little harsh on this product when I first tried it, but it seems to have redeemed itself.

https://detailingshed.com.au/collec...wheel-and-tire-cleaner?variant=48098206449879

Below is after one single pass with the product, then blown dry. Regular readers will know that I struggle getting these tyres properly stripped, which tenaciously hold onto a dressing and require nuclear grade artillery to fully strip (Tarminator, Eulex). The result here is the best I've seen from an alkaline tyre cleaner. Some slight residue remained, but not to the point where a follow up pass with a solvent would be warranted. Also, because I clean tyres at every wash, I never really get much or any browning. Well, this OPT product turned a greyish brown under agitation, impressive! I just wish it lathered a little better, it would be perfect otherwise.

So once I had the tyres clean, what did I do? Yep, went and made them greasy again with a fresh layer of OG Tire Dressing. In this case, I brushed it on and allowed to sit for about 10-minutes, then buffed the excess to knock it down to this deep, dark finish. Perfection!

I also went and booked the old girl for a comprehensive service next month. Above the usual oil and filter, its getting coolant, brake fluid, diff fluid, rear bump stops and hopefully sorting out the front caliper rattle its developed.

I've also decided it's time to remove the Falcon's away from dealer servicing, something I should have done a long time ago, but I just liked the idea of it being attended to by a Ford dealer. The thing is, a Falcon passing through a Ford dealership service department these days would be extremely rare. Every time I'd go in there, the workshop and carpark were full of Ranger's and Everest's, maybe a lone Mustang or Transit. If these guys aren't working on Falcon's, then they are hardly the "experts" anymore. And a petrol powered Falcon is a world away from a Ranger or Everest with tractor engines. So, the shop that fitted my brakes will be working on it in a few weeks, the mechanics are both Ford guys. I'll supply the OEM parts and fluids and let them handle it for me.

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