Aussie S650 Paint protection and detailing thread

[bfets]

Ceramic coated our Lexus about two months ago. Polished with Carpro Essence first, followed by Gyeon MOHS ceramic coating.

Gave it a wash over the weekend. Beading like crazy. Just awesome.

Sponsored

 

[VB50GT]

I see Repco has a sale on up until Xmas - Auto Glym 25% off... Gyeon Wet Coat 500ml 2 for $44... Bigboi washers and dryers 20-25% off... 25% off snow cannons...

 

[DFB5.0]

I see Repco has a sale on up until Xmas - Auto Glym 25% off... Gyeon Wet Coat 500ml 2 for $44... Bigboi washers and dryers 20-25% off... 25% off snow cannons...

Ouch! I helped someone buy a Big Boi WashR Duo last week, guy could have save himself $180.

 

[DFB5.0]

Another last-minute order from Detailing Shed -

The order included some new interior towels, which I selectively rotate out of service as needed. I wanted another gallon of Amplify, but they were sold out and had to make do with the small bottle. The little Pressol bottle will be used for machinery maintenance. The rest is from the Optimum range.

The Rag Company "Car Wash” Microfibre Terry Towel - Detailing Shed
ARMOUR Detail Supply AMPLIFY - Detail Spray - Detailing Shed
PRESSOL 06864 Oiler-125 ml- PE -transparent brass spray tube - Detailing Shed

The blue soap I've always liked and is very well priced, easily the cheapest American branded soap on the market, even cheaper than the excellent NV Snow. It produces a thinner foam, but clings to the paint really well and smells lovely.

Optimum Biodegradable Car Wash Shampoo | Best Car Shampoo - Detailing Shed

The green Touchless Decon Soap has only just landed in Australia. This is unique in being pH neutral rather than heavily alkaline like most others. How that plays out remains to be seen.

Optimum Touchless Decontamination Car Wash - Detailing Shed

The Power Wheel and Tire Cleaner is also new to Australia, which is basically an alkaline APC. It was an immediate NO I'm afraid. Firstly, the stupid foaming spray head, I hate those. Secondly, apart from the initial brush movements, it just doesn't lather up very well. Despite that, it cleaned the tyres very well. So, it did the job, just not how I prefer.

Optimum Power Wheel and Tire Cleaner - Detailing Shed

 

[DFB5.0]

I've been on another soap binge of late, this time Optimum's new Touchless Decon Wash.

https://detailingshed.com.au/collec...contamination-car-wash?variant=48098473115863

Decontamination or stripping soaps are almost always alkaline in nature, likewise when a soap is marketed as offering a "touch-free" wash experience. Optimum's version bucks that trend in that it's actually pH neutral. Typically, alkalinity is needed to break down dirt and oily substances, so I'm not sure how Optimum have achieved the strong cleaning effect while keeping the formula neutral. I guess this is why Dr. Ghodoussi is so highly regarded, he knows the secrets to a good sauce. For those that don't know, Dr. Ghodoussi is the chemist responsible for modern automotive clearcoat, if anyone is going to know what to use to clean car paint, it's him!

"It serves as a touch free car wash, a foaming pre-wash, and a heavy-duty decontamination wash. It makes the perfect choice for touch free car washing and heavy-duty decontamination. Optimum Touchless Decon Wash is safe for use on all vehicle surfaces, including ceramic-coated vehicles. It is a highly concentrated, pH-neutral car wash detergent. Its powerful formula effectively breaks down tough dirt, grime, traffic film and contamination. It ensures a thorough clean without damaging your vehicle's finish."

First thing to note, the dilution quantities are impossible. OPT suggest 4-oz to 32-oz of water in a foam cannon. 4-oz is 118ml, 32-oz is 946ml. That's a total of 1064ml..............a foam cannon holds 1000ml! Do companies actually read what they publish on labels and websites? I went with the usual 100ml of soap in 900ml of water.

The test subject for Touchless Decon Soap was the Wildtrak, which I used as a wheel cleaner and as a pre-wash foam and rinse. Foam quality is excellent, even on a warm summer morning, it held in place to provide sufficient dwell time. On the wheels, it did a great job. The green-apple scent is a little too subdued for my taste, but this is a workhorse soap so I guess it's no different to other similar products. What I loved most was how cleanly and quickly it rinsed from the vehicle with little reactivation. On a big car like this, fast rinsing is greatly appreciated.

Now, the car wasn't that dirty, some bugs and bee poo, dust and water spotting from rain, so at this stage I can't really comment on ultimate cleaning power. Commenting in a general nature, I have to say if you are expecting any foaming soap to completely clean a car without contact, you've set yourself up for disappointment.

After the foam and rinse, I went in for the contact wash with a seasonally appropriate soap, Koch Chemie GFX. Sadly, I used up the last of the bottle. Even if you aren't a scent person, you'll love the totally unique cinnamon and pine aroma that this soap spices the air with.

The rest of the detail was as per usual, although I did treat the paint to a layer of ADS Ceramic Spray Sealant, which is so stupid easy to apply, you could do it with your eyes closed! I also had to polish out a couple of scrape marks behind the LHS door.................I've stopped asking "how did this happen"..................

 

[DFB5.0]

Koch Chemie Eulex -

Last week I found a new use for a product I've had in my arsenal for a while now, Koch Chemie Eulex.

Eulex is a powerful solvent, generally used for heavy duty tar and adhesive removal. It has a high evaporation rate, can be quite heady to use in confined spaces, and needs to be used with caution in manageable sized sections. But it's one of those products you'll be glad to have when the time arises.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collection...emie-eulex-powerful-adhesive-stain-remover-1l

However, there is another less obvious and certainly off-label use for Eulex........................

Not all tyres are created equal. Some clean up with minimal effort and can be dressed nicely. Others stubbornly refuse to release a previously applied dressing, even after multiple rounds with heavy-duty tyre cleaners such as Shine Supply Wise Guy or Carpro ReTyre. Anyone who has dealt with Michelin tyres, the Pilot Sport 4S in particular, will know what I mean here. So, to properly reset the sidewalls, for a while now I've used either Stoner's Tarminator or Mineral Spirits (Turps). Both of those have the ability to strip tyres back to bare rubber without hammering down round after round. Tarminator in particular seems to condition the rubber at the same time, whereas Mineral Spirits requires more time and more product to do the same job.

And this is where Eulex comes into the equation, which I decided to see how this would work in place of Tarminator. And WOW! What a killer combination!!! It quickly and easily stripped those Pirelli's down to a lovely bare, matte black finish, so much so that I contemplated leaving them like that without a dressing. I also found I used way less product than the other two, and with less scrubbing to achieve the desired result.

As per the other products, apply a small amount of Eulex to a b-grade towel (you WILL destroy this towel), the scrub the sidewall until it evaporates and reveals the pot of gold. From here, you can then apply your dressing without anything left behind to cloud the look. The only thing I would caution is if you have matte finish wheels, just be careful to not get any on them, and if you do, rinse quickly. That's why you apply into the towel and not directly.

4-months without washing, both wheel and tyre in need of attention.

After 1 round of scrubbing with Shine Supply Wise Guy and the Detail Factory Tire Brush. Little to no browning was achieved. It's hard to see in the image, but there was still some residue remaining and a few uneven spots.

https://www.waxit.com.au/products/shine-supply-wise-guy?_pos=1&_psq=wise&_ss=e&_v=1.0
https://www.waxit.com.au/products/d...iff?_pos=1&_psq=detail+factory+t&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Below is after scrubbing with Eulex on a TRC Rip-n-Rag towel. Again, hard to gauge by the photos, but the sidewall takes on a completely matte finish with no residue felt or seen. In this case, using a Rip-n-Rag towel at just 0.87c each is far more palatable than binning a bigger/more expensive towel.

https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...&_psq=rip&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=44392590672087

Following that, the tyres were lightly dressed with ADS Ghost for an effortless matte finish that is completely dry to touch after 15-minutes. That means no sling, no accumulation of dirt or road film, no messy brushes or applicators. If you want more gloss, then apply 2 or 3 additional layers with 10-minutes between coats, but the beauty of Ghost is the subtle, barely there look (shiny tyres are for 18-year olds).

https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...host-tire-sealant?_pos=1&_sid=18022f45a&_ss=r

While this is an off-label use for Eulex, I've used the other two like this for many years now without a problem. In some ways, scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing with a brush and tyre cleaner is probably doing more damage than a quick swipe with a solvent. That's mainly because you keep removing more and more and more UV inhibitor with each set of passes, which effectively causes them to turn brown more quickly. The old "keep scrubbing until the cleaner doesn't turn brown" thing is just isn't needed or desirable.

Now, I'm not taking credit for this use of Eulex, rather it's something I noticed being used by an industry insider and thought it was worth the try.........................and worth passing on. Also, this is NOT something you should be doing after each wash, rather a periodic deep clean to get the tyres back on track. A tyre dressing will spread quicker and easier, look better and last longer when the sidewall properly clean.

 

[bfets]

Koch Chemie Eulex -

Last week I found a new use for a product I've had in my arsenal for a while now, Koch Chemie Eulex.

Eulex is a powerful solvent, generally used for heavy duty tar and adhesive removal. It has a high evaporation rate, can be quite heady to use in confined spaces, and needs to be used with caution in manageable sized sections. But it's one of those products you'll be glad to have when the time arises.

https://www.waxit.com.au/collection...emie-eulex-powerful-adhesive-stain-remover-1l

However, there is another less obvious and certainly off-label use for Eulex........................

Not all tyres are created equal. Some clean up with minimal effort and can be dressed nicely. Others stubbornly refuse to release a previously applied dressing, even after multiple rounds with heavy-duty tyre cleaners such as Shine Supply Wise Guy or Carpro ReTyre. Anyone who has dealt with Michelin tyres, the Pilot Sport 4S in particular, will know what I mean here. So, to properly reset the sidewalls, for a while now I've used either Stoner's Tarminator or Mineral Spirits (Turps). Both of those have the ability to strip tyres back to bare rubber without hammering down round after round. Tarminator in particular seems to condition the rubber at the same time, whereas Mineral Spirits requires more time and more product to do the same job.

And this is where Eulex comes into the equation, which I decided to see how this would work in place of Tarminator. And WOW! What a killer combination!!! It quickly and easily stripped those Pirelli's down to a lovely bare, matte black finish, so much so that I contemplated leaving them like that without a dressing. I also found I used way less product than the other two, and with less scrubbing to achieve the desired result.

As per the other products, apply a small amount of Eulex to a b-grade towel (you WILL destroy this towel), the scrub the sidewall until it evaporates and reveals the pot of gold. From here, you can then apply your dressing without anything left behind to cloud the look. The only thing I would caution is if you have matte finish wheels, just be careful to not get any on them, and if you do, rinse quickly. That's why you apply into the towel and not directly.

4-months without washing, both wheel and tyre in need of attention.

After 1 round of scrubbing with Shine Supply Wise Guy and the Detail Factory Tire Brush. Little to no browning was achieved. It's hard to see in the image, but there was still some residue remaining and a few uneven spots.

https://www.waxit.com.au/products/shine-supply-wise-guy?_pos=1&_psq=wise&_ss=e&_v=1.0
https://www.waxit.com.au/products/d...iff?_pos=1&_psq=detail+factory+t&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Below is after scrubbing with Eulex on a TRC Rip-n-Rag towel. Again, hard to gauge by the photos, but the sidewall takes on a completely matte finish with no residue felt or seen. In this case, using a Rip-n-Rag towel at just 0.87c each is far more palatable than binning a bigger/more expensive towel.

https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...&_psq=rip&_ss=e&_v=1.0&variant=44392590672087

Following that, the tyres were lightly dressed with ADS Ghost for an effortless matte finish that is completely dry to touch after 15-minutes. That means no sling, no accumulation of dirt or road film, no messy brushes or applicators. If you want more gloss, then apply 2 or 3 additional layers with 10-minutes between coats, but the beauty of Ghost is the subtle, barely there look (shiny tyres are for 18-year olds).

https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...host-tire-sealant?_pos=1&_sid=18022f45a&_ss=r

While this is an off-label use for Eulex, I've used the other two like this for many years now without a problem. In some ways, scrubbing and scrubbing and scrubbing with a brush and tyre cleaner is probably doing more damage than a quick swipe with a solvent. That's mainly because you keep removing more and more and more UV inhibitor with each set of passes, which effectively causes them to turn brown more quickly. The old "keep scrubbing until the cleaner doesn't turn brown" thing is just isn't needed or desirable.

Now, I'm not taking credit for this use of Eulex, rather it's something I noticed being used by an industry insider and thought it was worth the try.........................and worth passing on. Also, this is NOT something you should be doing after each wash, rather a periodic deep clean to get the tyres back on track. A tyre dressing will spread quicker and easier, look better and last longer when the sidewall properly clean.

I dont have EU, but EUM which is just the matt version I believe. I'll give that a go because I got my daughter a first car a couple of weeks ago and the dealer slopped some of that slimy stuff on there that definitely needs to go.

 

[DFB5.0]

I dont have EU, but EUM which is just the matt version I believe. I'll give that a go because I got my daughter a first car a couple of weeks ago and the dealer slopped some of that slimy stuff on there that definitely needs to go.

I need to try Eulex M and TEA in this role as well. I've also heard TarX being used like this too.

 

[DFB5.0]

I usually get in trouble for saying it, but this is why you should NOT use all-purpose-cleaner on interiors................

The above are chemical burns caused by using Meguiar's D101 on a Toyota Corolla. Piecing things together, it would seem the product was not diluted properly, as in too strong and not with demineralized water, and left standing for too long. To be fair to Meguiar's, that could happen with any APC, not just D101. However, whenever I see a post with "what caused these white stains", nine times out of ten, D101 was involved. In this case, the following comment stood out -

"............it's an alkaline soda based cleaner. The white residue is the excess alkaline salts not breaking down in the dilution, no matter how you mix it. Might as well use Wesley Bleech-White on the interior. Read the SDS on this product. And I'm a Meguiars guy, I'm not knocking it as it is a good product, but I would not use it on interiors."

In general, the best way to dissolve dirt and oily substances is with alkalinity. This is why APC is so effective, and why so many instinctively reach for it on interiors. But think about it like this, when you need to clean your tyres or engine bay, you use an alkaline product for its "degreasing" properties, because you are in fact "degreasing". With that in mind, why are we spraying degreaser on our interiors with delicate plastic, rubber, vinyl, leather and fabric surfaces? It just doesn't make sense to me. I once had someone tell me that nothing else will clean a steering wheel like a good APC. Really? That's not been my experience with the pH neutral products on truly neglected steering wheels. And also, how many cleanings do you get before the APC starts to lift the leather dye?

Now, the counter argument to all of this would be experience. A volume detailer using APC will know their product inside out. In that I mean dilution ratios, dwell time, direct or indirect application, even ambient temperatures and sunlight. But even then, you still risk that one occasion where something goes wrong, like in the pics above. So, buying a "cheap" chemical has not only cost him any profit on this job, but he also now has to foot the bill to repair the damage the chemical and lack of experience caused.

Dedicated interior cleaners in theory should be pH neutral, such as Koch Chemie Pol Star, or "balanced" with an alkaline leaning formula, such as P&S Xpress. However, a few months ago, a detailer who is heavily involved with chemical creation told me that "interior surfaces like to stay around 4 -5 pH". So, in actuality, some slight acidity could be ideal for cleaning interior materials.

With that in mind, I just went out and tested some of the interior cleaners and detailers I have in the cabinet. As you can see, ADS Pilot is indeed acidic leaning, likewise Griot's Interior Detailer. Carpro InnerQD is pH balanced.

I had always assumed P&S Xpress was pH neutral, but it actually leans toward alkalinity, which would explain why it's so effective and why some dilute it for regular cleaning/wipe downs. But the surprise was Griot's Interior Cleaner, of which I had a hunch was alkaline, I just didn't expect it to be THAT alkaline.

What I'm saying here is, you don't need a nuclear bomb to clean interiors, specifically, degreasers sold as all-purpose-cleaners.

 

[DFB5.0]

I spotted a hint to this a few days ago on Instagram, and so the video drop today proved correct. This is something you need to consider when having PPF installed on a car you intend to keep long term. Not a pretty situation and feel quite bad for him. This is not something you hear a lot about because PPF is sold to car guys as the ultimate solution.......................right up until its NOT.



I suspect this car had a past before he bought it, and sadly he is the one who has to the fund a cheque someone else wrote. If it were me, I'd sell the car.

 

[bfets]

That video is definitely a gut punch for anyone who has invested in protection. It is hard not to feel that "what if" anxiety for your own car when you see a rare finish get damaged like that, but it's important to look at the concepts behind why this happens.

Statistically, paint lifting is an extreme outlier for original factory finishes with modern quality PPF. The core concept is simply that factory paint is "baked" onto the metal at very high temperatures, creating a bond to the car that is significantly stronger than any removable adhesive is to the paint.

When we see these nightmare scenarios, they almost always involve specific variables:

• Hidden History: Many cars are damaged in transit and resprayed at the port or dealership before the first owner even sees them. Some obviously might have undisclosed damage from a previous owner. These aftermarket repairs don't have that same factory-baked bond strength, making them much more likely to lift. I think Matt himself said he won't ever buy another paint to sample Porsche because they are painted completely separate and differently to the process the normal cars go through, often making their paint quality far worse.
• Aging Out: Protection film is a sacrificial layer, not a permanent one. If it is left on for 12–15 years—well past its intended lifespan—the adhesive can "fossilize" and become much more aggressive.
• Removal Mechanics: It’s not just about pulling it off; it's about how it's pulled. Using steam to keep the film pliable and pulling it at a very shallow "stretch" angle prevents the vertical stress that typically causes paint to pop.
  
  It’s definitely a valid concern, but it's a managed risk. For most owners, that tiny statistical chance of a removal issue is still a better trade-off than the 100% guarantee of stone chips, bird-dropping etchings, and UV fading that will happen to unprotected paint over a decade of driving. I guess it's just an exercise in weighing up the risks and working out what you are trying to protect against for the specific type of life and risks your car will be exposed to.

One strange thing I was wondering about in Matt's case was why it looked white where it lifted. That's not bare metal. Certainly, didn't look like it anyway. It's almost as if the paint didn't adhere to the primer or something weird like that. Or the car has some other finish over the metal in that area.

 

[bfets]

That video is definitely a gut punch for anyone who has invested in protection. It is hard not to feel that "what if" anxiety for your own car when you see a rare finish get damaged like that, but it's important to look at the concepts behind why this happens.

Statistically, paint lifting is an extreme outlier for original factory finishes with modern quality PPF. The core concept is simply that factory paint is "baked" onto the metal at very high temperatures, creating a bond to the car that is significantly stronger than any removable adhesive is to the paint.

When we see these nightmare scenarios, they almost always involve specific variables:

• Hidden History: Many cars are damaged in transit and resprayed at the port or dealership before the first owner even sees them. Some obviously might have undisclosed damage from a previous owner. These aftermarket repairs don't have that same factory-baked bond strength, making them much more likely to lift. I think Matt himself said he won't ever buy another paint to sample Porsche because they are painted completely separate and differently to the process the normal cars go through, often making their paint quality far worse.
• Aging Out: Protection film is a sacrificial layer, not a permanent one. If it is left on for 12–15 years—well past its intended lifespan—the adhesive can "fossilize" and become much more aggressive.
• Removal Mechanics: It’s not just about pulling it off; it's about how it's pulled. Using steam to keep the film pliable and pulling it at a very shallow "stretch" angle prevents the vertical stress that typically causes paint to pop.
  
  It’s definitely a valid concern, but it's a managed risk. For most owners, that tiny statistical chance of a removal issue is still a better trade-off than the 100% guarantee of stone chips, bird-dropping etchings, and UV fading that will happen to unprotected paint over a decade of driving. I guess it's just an exercise in weighing up the risks and working out what you are trying to protect against for the specific type of life and risks your car will be exposed to.

One strange thing I was wondering about in Matt's case was why it looked white where it lifted. That's not bare metal. Certainly, didn't look like it anyway. It's almost as if the paint didn't adhere to the primer or something weird like that. Or the car has some other finish over the metal in that area.

I just had another thought. Maybe because it's a RS, that area of the car is made of aluminum, carbon fiber or a plastic composite for weight savings. This might also be why the paint didn't adhere to the surface that well if that is indeed the bare material of the body that's white. Many factors might be at play here.

 

[DFB5.0]

I just had another thought. Maybe because it's a RS, that area of the car is made of aluminum, carbon fiber or a plastic composite for weight savings. This might also be why the paint didn't adhere to the surface that well if that is indeed the bare material of the body that's white. Many factors might be at play here.

I would say it has something to do with being a Paint to Sample colour. From what I understand, orders with Paint to Sample are not painted on the Porsche line with Porsche paint. I'd say the car goes through the rust proofing and primer stage and is then pulled from the line and moved elsewhere. Just speculating, but I do know that PTS is done offline.

 

[DFB5.0]

Also worth noting the Matt polished that car with the PPF on it, attempting to remove swirls from it. Turns out the numpty who installed the PPF did so over jacked up paint. WHY would anyone have PPF installed WITHOUT polishing/perfecting the paint first? Anyway, I wonder if the heat generated while polishing compromised the adhesive. I know you can polish PPF, but I wouldn't rule it out.

 

[DFB5.0]

Since release in late 2020, I've been using P&S Rag's to Riches to clean my microfiber towels. Prior to that, I was using Bowden's Microfiber Wash.

Professional Microfibre Cleaner for Car Detailing | Restore and Deep Clean Cloths

Rags To Riches Microfiber Towel Detergent Concentrate - Detailing Shed

Now, I was quite happy with the Bowden's product, it worked much better than normal laundry detergent because it didn't leave a residue behind, and therefore maintained towel performance. At the time, it was also very well priced. But then I tried R2R and never looked back.

Rag's to Riches was developed in conjunction with The Rag Company........who better to decide what is needed to properly clean towels used with a variety of modern detailing chemicals. In particular, R2R was designed to break down and remove Si02 and polymer compounds that would otherwise cause poor absorbency and a lack of softness. While it was more expensive, R2R is more concentrated and requires less per load compared with alternative products.

The first thing I noticed after washing that first load of towels, R2R revived several that were on the verge of replacement. Instead, it restored softness and absorbency to almost new. That means I extended the life of each towel, in turn offsetting that additional price by not having to replace as often. Once again, I had little reason to change.

Overall, R2R is an excellent product that I happily recommend. The thing is, R2R is now significantly more than competitor products. I've also noticed (and tolerated) the lumpy consistency that forms at the bottom of the bottle. P&S say that is normal and not detrimental to performance, but there is no denying the jankiness on that count. I also like to explore different options rather than doggedly sticking to one brand or product, mainly because there might be something that does it's job better out there, something more efficient, something better value.

And so I've decided to give 3D Towel Kleen a try. Most detailing companies have a towel detergent. I initially looked at Carpro MFX, but was then led to this 3D product. Funnily enough, P&S and 3D are now both owned by the same parent company. It's the price that got my attention.

P&S Rags to Riches 3.78-litre (gallon) - $101.70
3D Towel Clean 3.78-litre (gallon) - $60.49
Carpro MFX 4-litre - $75.95
Bowden's Microfiber Wash 5-litre - $84.99

Now, I get those products a little cheaper, but the overall price differences remain the same. The alternatives to R2R are between $16.71 to $41.20 cheaper. After asking around, someone suggested Towel Kleen offered excellent performance, so ultimately that's the direction I took.

I normally recommend buying a small bottle of something before committing to a gallon, I've been bitten in the past by ignoring that advice. However, 3D don't offer Towel Kleen in a smaller bottle, only the 3.78 and 18.9-litre drums. It also means using a secondary bottle to make dosing easier.

AcbbMNS 10 Piece 1000ml Twin Neck Plastic Bottles Twin Chamber Bottle Chemical Liquid Bottle (1L-10pcs) : Amazon.com.au: Sports, Fitness & Outdoors

Will that cheaper price mean a lower level of performance? Well, I guess I'll find out soon enough.

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