Aussie S650 Paint protection and detailing thread

[Deano1978]

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.

PPF is great for ppl like me who aren't retentive about washing and detailing their car.

Work FT, have teenage kids, and it's my only car so I like having the ability to go 4-6 weeks without washing it, and be able to park it at the shops knowing it'll probably be ok is exactly what I need.

Except when your son flings the door open in the garage the first week of ownership and puts a dent in it!

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[bfets]

Speaking of PPF... I just noticed this new product from OptiCoat.

Opti-Shield Liquid Paint Protection Film – Opti-Coat

I've got questions. I wonder what this stuff will look like on the paint. With a thick layer like that, I'm not sure how you prevent streaks or a wavy finish.

What is a Liquid Paint Protection Film? Does your vehicle need an LPPF?

 

[DFB5.0]

Something I'm working on at the moment.....................

 

[bfets]

Something I'm working on at the moment.....................

Massive job to create, but would be lovely to have access to.
Will it replace that previous cheat sheet you've created?

 

[DFB5.0]

Massive job to create, but would be lovely to have access to.
Will it replace that previous cheat sheet you've created?

This is purely for the soaps I've tried since 2003. I've previously rated and reviewed each soap in a long-form format -

DFB's Soap Shoot Out | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

In this case, I'm eliminating words by collating various scoring criteria. I have also made some minor score adjustments here and there to account for further analysis or newer products surpassing previous high scoring products. Overall, it will make it quicker and easier to compare different soaps without having to sift through 1000's and 1000's of my words. There are 57 different soaps on this list, I've removed a few that I've been sent or purchased but never tried, so officially I've had more than 60 different soaps through the garage.

I will probably do something similar for tyre dressings. Soap and tyre dressings are my weakness, so I've bought and tried more of each than the average detailing nut.

 

[DFB5.0]

This is a condensed version of my soap review thread, basically a quick reference guide for those who don't want to read pages worth of words.

(2) DFB's Soap Shoot Out | 2015+ S550 Mustang Forum (GT, EcoBoost, GT350, GT500, Bullitt, Mach 1) - Mustang6G.com

As noted in the previous post, some minor score adjustments were made to account for further analysis or newer products. Products highlighted green are winners, those in peach are sinners. Overall, these are my usage notes, observations and measurements that I achieved, your milage may vary.

 

[5.0ALM]

This is a condensed version of my soap review thread, basically a quick reference guide for those who don't want to read pages worth of words.

D, any chance of printing this off as a PDF and attaching?

 

[DFB5.0]

D, any chance of printing this off as a PDF and attaching?

Done!

 

[DFB5.0]

Posted in the dedicated section but including it here as well. This is the tyre dressing version of the spreadsheet.

DFB's Tire Dressing Spreadsheet | Mustang7G - 2024+ S650 Mustang Forum (Dark Horse, GT, EcoBoost, GT500, GT350, Mach 1)

 

[DFB5.0]

Got an email earlier in the week announcing the closure of Adam's Australia. I could see this panning out over the past year, mainly from the range dwindling and not being restocked.

https://adamspolishes.com.au/

In Australia, I'm fairly sure the Adam's brand was distributed by a sole operator, which was more of a customer relationship with Adam's rather than a full-blown distributor. I eventually discovered the business address for the company was in a residential area, so I also suspect it was someone's side hustle. I don't say all that to be dismissive or degrading, but it explains why they (he) could no longer sustain the business.

Why are we closing?

- Over the past few years, the landscape has changed significantly: The change of ownership of the global business from founder Adam Pitale to Recochem has shifted the structure and direction of the brand internationally.

- Exorbitant and continually rising import costs have made it increasingly difficult to bring products into Australia at viable prices.

- Regulatory restrictions around certain formulas have added further complexity and cost.

- Ongoing cost-of-living pressures have understandably impacted retail spending across the country.

- To be clear, this closure applies only to the independent Australian branch. Adam's Polishes in the USA will continue operating as usual.

I've always liked using Adam's products. They may not have been the absolute best, but I liked each product I managed to try over the years. Their rubber and tyre cleaner is absolutely amazing, the Graphene Tire Dressing superb, Slick & Slide a pure joy to use, I also loved their soaps. But as outlined in the quote above, the pricing just didn't add up here, at least under this import/reseller model.

I've said this many times, but when you take a product and more than quadruple the price, it's not a recipe for success. For example, a gallon of that rubber and tyre cleaner has an RRP of $44.99 in the USA. Currency converted, that's $63.80. That same product was sold in the AU store at about $170 AUD. I have no doubt they never wanted to sell it at that price, its waaay uncompetitive, but were forced to because of shipping costs. For perspective, the same quantity of the also US-made Shine Supply Wise Guy is $112.95 AUD. Making it even worse, the Adam's is RTU, Wise Guy is a concentrate that can mix up to 2-gallons of product. Who is going to pay $57 MORE to buy a gallon less of product?

Same story played out with the soaps. A gallon of Car Shampoo (the blue one) is $39.99 USD, in AU it was about $150. Mega Foam is $69.99 USD, translating to about $170 AUD. And so on and so on. I really like these two soaps, but were they worth paying more money over the longstanding Carpro Reset benchmark? No, not at all.

I'd say with how Chemical Guys and Griot's Garage have been picked up by the large automotive stores in Australia, the Adam's brand may end up heading down a similar path. Perhaps the added buying and shipping power of these large companies will deliver a superior cost equation.

 

[DFB5.0]

After being sold out for a few months, ADS Amplify has finally returned to stock. Cue a shopping spree!

ARMOUR Detail Supply AMPLIFY - Detail Spray - Detailing Shed

 

[bfets]

After being sold out for a few months, ADS Amplify has finally returned to stock. Cue a shopping spree!

ARMOUR Detail Supply AMPLIFY - Detail Spray - Detailing Shed

I used mine again last weekend. Such a good product

 

[DFB5.0]

PRESSOL PRO-SERIES + ARMOUR DETAIL SUPPLY LEBELS

Labelling these Pressol sprayers is not new. For a while now, Obsessed Garage have been offering labels for the household bottles in both 500 and 750ml sizes. The goal was to create unity across multiple product brands by having a matching bottle and label. In addition to looking good, you also get a much better user experience than the crappy 50-cent plastic sprayer and generic bottle most detailing products come in.

While I still think the Kwazar's have a smoother trigger action and finer atomization, I just couldn't resist the look of this bottle and label combination.

When Armour Detail Supply began selling the new Pressol Pro-Series sprayers, they followed the same path as OG by having a matching label set. There is a difference here though. Unlike OG, ADS is a brand and not a retailer of many brands, meaning they can use the proper product name rather than generic wording such as “wheel cleaner”, “tire dressing”, or “drying aid”. This also means a matching back side label with usage instructions and information, mirroring what you’d get when buying the 473ml bottles. The OG’s are single sided. Also, ADS only sells the 750ml version of the bottle and label, OG offers 500 and 750ml versions.

https://armourdetailsupply.com/collections/tools/products/armour-pressol-proseries-label
https://www.obsessedgarage.com/collections/pressol-1

So, with these labels now being offered in Australia, I thought I’d put some high-use ADS products into these Pressol bottles with matching labels. At the moment, I’ve had Pilot and Amplify in Pressol’s with OG’s “Interior Cleaner” and “Paint Sealant” labels. In theory, you’d just buy the labels and swap them out…………….except all of my Pressol’s are the smaller 500ml size. Cue 6 new Pressol’s in 750ml sizes.

https://detailingshed.com.au/collec...ressol-proseries-label?variant=48340251312343
https://detailingshed.com.au/collec...-double-action-sprayer?variant=47256150016215
https://autobuff.com.au/collections/pressol-sprayers

Putting these products into a bottle like this has two benefits -

1. User Experience. A nice bottle and sprayer makes the task easier, and when things are easier, you enjoy the process more. Also, these Pressol’s have a double action trigger for added efficiency, meaning they spray on squeeze and release.

2. Aesthetics. This bottle and label combination creates a uniform, clean, and classy look. I get it, the way a bottle and sprayer looks has no bearing on functionality. Will a $5 bottle do the same thing, absolutely! But we all value different things, we all have that THING in life we are happy to sink money into because it makes us happy, this is no different.

While I’ve found the ADS lineup to be universally excellent, some products stand above others. I’d also say that there are products from other brands that I favour over the ADS equivalent, be that for function or price factors. For example, Carpro Eraser over Panel Prep or Reset instead of Shampoo+. For that reason, I’ve invested in Pressol bottles and labels for the ADS products that I like and use the most. This includes Pilot, Adapt, Amplify, Tire+, Ceramic Spray Sealant, and Hero.

I’ve applied labels to these Pressol bottles many times now. While not especially hard, you do need to be patient. I’ve found its good practice to clean them with IPA or prep spray first, then gently heat the bottle to make it easier to lift and re-position if needed.

The below video is worth watching before applying for the first time. (Jeff buddy, you need a haircut!)

With the labels applied, it was then time for the fun part, filling with product. In my case, I had to swap out a few existing Pressol bottles, namely Amplify and Hero. This bottle and label order coincided with a restock of several ADS products, including Tire+, Adapt (so good), Amplify and Ceramic Spray Sealant (the easiest spray sealant going).

I don't care who you are, the end result is bloody brilliant. Having said that, its almost a shame to replace the classy ADS smoked bottles and their matching black and green labels, especially the most recent versions with the metallic effect highlights. I'll say it once again, but the ADS brand is beautifully presented, which now translates into these Pressol bottles and labels.

I had to re-organize the chemical cabinet to accommodate these taller 750ml bottles. Side by side with the OG versions, you can clearly see the size difference between 500ml and 750ml Pressol's. I have to say, I probably prefer the blue labels, but then there is a restrained elegance going on with the black ADS items.

I'm not going to detail the combined price of these bottles and labels, or the added cost of the chemical to go in them, I don't want to know! To be brutally honest, it's silly money to spend for what a $4.99 spray bottle can also do. What's harder to put a price on is the enjoyment I get from doing super OCD stuff like this, which then flows into every single time I use one of these sprayers.

 

[Arrow29]

Hi all,

I posted in the general forums but just found this Australian thread so maybe more applicable. New owner of a blue ember DH and in the process of getting car with gloss PPF. With a shop who has some other cars of mine and they do good work.

They called today to say that the gloss black roof is like a PPF / film from factory after inspecting it and that after testing a small area of applying PPF to it, some ripples were visible. They don’t feel it would be perfect, so suggested ceramic coating it instead.
Anybody else heard this? I’ve seen videos of the black roof being PPF’d so clearly it can be done (but maybe with ripples?)

Thanks

 

[bfets]

Hi all,

I posted in the general forums but just found this Australian thread so maybe more applicable. New owner of a blue ember DH and in the process of getting car with gloss PPF. With a shop who has some other cars of mine and they do good work.

They called today to say that the gloss black roof is like a PPF / film from factory after inspecting it and that after testing a small area of applying PPF to it, some ripples were visible. They don’t feel it would be perfect, so suggested ceramic coating it instead.
Anybody else heard this? I’ve seen videos of the black roof being PPF’d so clearly it can be done (but maybe with ripples?)

Thanks

My Dark Horse was fully covered in PPF, including the roof. MADinc who did mine didn't mention anything like that and had no issues doing mine. I've seen no imperfections on the roof.

You can see my actual car being protected in this video:

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