Aussie S650 Paint protection and detailing thread

[5.0ALM]

Several weeks ago I purchased this, and to be honest have been very disappointed in it.

Target vehicle was a 2016 Mazda 3, kept poorly.
I was half expecting the faded exterior black trim to show some signs of being a richer and deeper black, but nope. Perhaps it was too late to start applying this product to this particular car, or it still requires many more applications. (?)

Related to my use of Mothers Naturally Nothing...

This House of rags video, published yesterday, caught my attention.

How to restore FADED car plastic and trim!
Nick at Night





Impressive, but ouch!!!

To provide some perspective, this translates to an absurd $4,333 per litre.
And no BF discount from this mob either.

Total landed cost becomes a mere $4,719/L.

Let me think about that for a millisecond....
Um.
No.

Try <$50 AUD a bottle, and I might consider it.

Sponsored

 

[DFB5.0]

Related to my use of Mothers Naturally Nothing...

This House of rags video, published yesterday, caught my attention.

How to restore FADED car plastic and trim!
Nick at Night





Impressive, but ouch!!!

To provide some perspective, this translates to an absurd $4,333 per litre.
And no BF discount from this mob either.

Total landed cost becomes a mere $4,719/L.

Let me think about that for a millisecond....
Um.
No.

Try <$50 AUD a bottle, and I might consider it.

This is why I like Solution Finish!

 

[DFB5.0]

Reflecting on Carpro Reflect

Reflect is what Carpro terms a “rapidly-diminishing nano abrasive” finishing polish. Producing an ultra-high gloss finish and famed for its ease of use, Reflect is without question one of my favourite polishing products. Unlike some final step polishes, Reflect contains no “durable fillers”, which means a body shop safe formular with no silicones, waxes or Teflon to mask minor imperfections, what you see is what you get. Reflect is an ideal finishing step to remove minor compounding haze, or as a final jeweling polish to take gloss and clarity to new levels.

Get CarPro Reflect Finishing Polish Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
CARPRO Reflect High Gloss Finishing Polish 250ml (8oz)

Being up front, the cutting and corrective ability of Reflect in minimal. Depending on the paint, that might be an asset. For example, I’ve used it on an intermediate foam pad to fully correct the paint on a late model Mazda. For the most part, you are using Reflect for its glossing ability, however it can do some correction on the right paint with the right pad. In most situations, you’d be going with a finishing or light polishing pad, stepping up to an intermediate if you feel the need. On my Mustang for instance, a ShineMate orange foam works well.

Reflect can be used with a rotary or dual action polisher, or even by hand. The key to Reflect is restraint, the compound working better using less product per section. After an initial priming, Carpro recommend two or three small, pea-size drops onto a pad per set of passes. As the Reflect breaks down through the cycle, you should see the product diminish to a very light haze, which is the sign you’ve broken it down properly. This is one of the reasons why the wipe off is so easy. For the most part, Reflect is virtually dust-less, but if you do notice some dusting, it means you’ve used too much or worked it for too long. Pad blow or brush outs are fairly important here too.

Reflect vs Essence -

Carpro Reflect and Essence share the same abrasive package, which means a rapidly diminishing formula for mild correction and high gloss finishes. Where Reflect is a pure polish, Essence contains an Si02 additive. In days of old, Essence would have been called an all-in-one, they now call it a “primer” polish.

The Si02 content in Essence helps provide mild filling properties, which in theory means you don’t have to chase each and every scratch. Essence will also prime the surface prior to the application of a coating to apparently improve bonding. In that regard, Carpro suggest Essence can be used prior to all of their coatings and spray sealants such as Reload and Hydr02. You can also use Essence as a standalone protectant, just don’t expect miracles in terms of durability.

While there are differences, both Reflect and Essence are the stupid-easy to play with, be that during the working phase, the easy wipe off or the complete lack of dusting. I’ve also found them useful in cleaning up that scratch prone gloss black trim that has become so popular. So, which you choose will ultimately depend on what you want or need to achieve. In my case, if I’m going to apply something ceramic, I’ll finish with Essence. If I’m doing an old-fashioned wax or synthetic sealant, then I’d go with Reflect.

Either way, I have, use and recommend both.

Top Tip -

Unless you are doing this for a living, always buy the smallest bottle of polish you can. Polishing compounds do in fact age and go bad over time. It can be tempting to buy the big bottle to potentially save money over the long run, but ideally you want to use every last drop and replenish as needed rather than throwing away a half-finished bottle because it's gone bad.

Final Thoughts –

I personally think Carpro Reflect gets overlooked. Within the Carpro line, Essence catches all the attention for its dual-role potential. On a wider scale, dedicated finishing polishes like this are not as needed or wanted. On hard European paint, you’ll need something stronger, even to finish with. And that’s before you consider how effective 1-step compounds have become, think Scholl S20 Black, Sonax Perfect Finish and P&S Rehab, in some cases removing the need for a last step finishing polish.

Even still, I love Reflect. It’s a joy to use, easy to work, easy to wipe off, easy on the eye!

 

[bfets]

Reflecting on Carpro Reflect

Reflect is what Carpro terms a “rapidly-diminishing nano abrasive” finishing polish. Producing an ultra-high gloss finish and famed for its ease of use, Reflect is without question one of my favourite polishing products. Unlike some final step polishes, Reflect contains no “durable fillers”, which means a body shop safe formular with no silicones, waxes or Teflon to mask minor imperfections, what you see is what you get. Reflect is an ideal finishing step to remove minor compounding haze, or as a final jeweling polish to take gloss and clarity to new levels.

Get CarPro Reflect Finishing Polish Online | Waxit – Waxit Car Care
CARPRO Reflect High Gloss Finishing Polish 250ml (8oz)

Being up front, the cutting and corrective ability of Reflect in minimal. Depending on the paint, that might be an asset. For example, I’ve used it on an intermediate foam pad to fully correct the paint on a late model Mazda. For the most part, you are using Reflect for its glossing ability, however it can do some correction on the right paint with the right pad. In most situations, you’d be going with a finishing or light polishing pad, stepping up to an intermediate if you feel the need. On my Mustang for instance, a ShineMate orange foam works well.

Reflect can be used with a rotary or dual action polisher, or even by hand. The key to Reflect is restraint, the compound working better using less product per section. After an initial priming, Carpro recommend two or three small, pea-size drops onto a pad per set of passes. As the Reflect breaks down through the cycle, you should see the product diminish to a very light haze, which is the sign you’ve broken it down properly. This is one of the reasons why the wipe off is so easy. For the most part, Reflect is virtually dust-less, but if you do notice some dusting, it means you’ve used too much or worked it for too long. Pad blow or brush outs are fairly important here too.

Reflect vs Essence -

Carpro Reflect and Essence share the same abrasive package, which means a rapidly diminishing formula for mild correction and high gloss finishes. Where Reflect is a pure polish, Essence contains an Si02 additive. In days of old, Essence would have been called an all-in-one, they now call it a “primer” polish.

The Si02 content in Essence helps provide mild filling properties, which in theory means you don’t have to chase each and every scratch. Essence will also prime the surface prior to the application of a coating to apparently improve bonding. In that regard, Carpro suggest Essence can be used prior to all of their coatings and spray sealants such as Reload and Hydr02. You can also use Essence as a standalone protectant, just don’t expect miracles in terms of durability.

While there are differences, both Reflect and Essence are the stupid-easy to play with, be that during the working phase, the easy wipe off or the complete lack of dusting. I’ve also found them useful in cleaning up that scratch prone gloss black trim that has become so popular. So, which you choose will ultimately depend on what you want or need to achieve. In my case, if I’m going to apply something ceramic, I’ll finish with Essence. If I’m doing an old-fashioned wax or synthetic sealant, then I’d go with Reflect.

Either way, I have, use and recommend both.

Top Tip -

Unless you are doing this for a living, always buy the smallest bottle of polish you can. Polishing compounds do in fact age and go bad over time. It can be tempting to buy the big bottle to potentially save money over the long run, but ideally you want to use every last drop and replenish as needed rather than throwing away a half-finished bottle because it's gone bad.

Final Thoughts –

I personally think Carpro Reflect gets overlooked. Within the Carpro line, Essence catches all the attention for its dual-role potential. On a wider scale, dedicated finishing polishes like this are not as needed or wanted. On hard European paint, you’ll need something stronger, even to finish with. And that’s before you consider how effective 1-step compounds have become, think Scholl S20 Black, Sonax Perfect Finish and P&S Rehab, in some cases removing the need for a last step finishing polish.

Even still, I love Reflect. It’s a joy to use, easy to work, easy to wipe off, easy on the eye!

I've got a bottle of each and I agree with you. Lovely polishes to work with and super easy to wipe off.
I made the mistake of getting two big bottles. Haven't made a dent in them yet.

What are the signs to look for when it starts to go off and get too old?

 

[DFB5.0]

And while we are on polishing, I came across these while shopping in Repco this afternoon.......................

Meguiar's are on crack if they think a singular foam polishing pad is worth $40 each. Who is buying these at this price? For context, let's look at a few alternative equivalents..................

Buff and Shine Uro-Tec Maroon - $24.95 ea

Buff and Shine Uro-Tec Coarse Blue - $24.95 ea

Lake Country SDO Blue - $19.50 ea

Lake Country SDO CCS Blue - $22.95 ea

Maxshine High Medium Pro - $21.50 ea

Rupes DA Coarse Blue - $25.40 ea

ShineMate Yellow - $15.70 ea

ShineMate Green - $15.70 ea

 

[DFB5.0]

I've got a bottle of each and I agree with you. Lovely polishes to work with and super easy to wipe off.
I made the mistake of getting two big bottles. Haven't made a dent in them yet.

What are the signs to look for when it starts to go off and get too old?

While not completely universal, polishing liquids degrade with exposure to air and temperature extremes. This is usually from the solvents evaporating and leaving a thicker consistency, chemical separation, or even drying up completely. This is why it's important to close the cap between panels rather than leaving it open for the whole session.

 

[5.0ALM]

Reload was primarily designed to protect a freshly applied ceramic coating within the first 14-days as it fully cures. After that, it can then be used periodically to maintain the coating. You can also use Reload as a standalone sealant. My use of Reload on black plastic trim is somewhat off label, but it works so well. This is the response I got when I mentioned this in the Carpro Facebook group -

"Reload has a solvent that contains oil. Thus the darkening effect. Then you get 5% sio2 to help protect it. Most trim restorers are simply solvent and oil with some form of UV protection. So yes, Reload is very much like a lighter-weight trim coating with much less risk if the coating portion fails or produces undesirable results."

I was doing a pre-BF stocktake, and was wondering why I've got a bottle of (yet to be used) Carpro Reload on the shelf.
(Had to do a search on this thread for hints as to why I may have gotten it. )

After my disappointment with Mothers Naturally Black, now adding a reminder label to the Reload bottle.

 

[bfets]

Not sure if you saw this one @DFB5.0 ?

Looks like Mirch have some new formulations and products that Sandro sounds fairly impressed with. I think you mentioned in the past you didnt have much luck with Mirch products right?

I've seen a fair few of Waxit's ads about Mirch K5 Kraken the last little while but I cant really find many reviews about its at all.

 

[5.0ALM]

Hmmm....

This random video popped up as a suggestion.

A Ridiculously Easy Way to Clean the INSIDE of Your Windshield (NO Haze or Streaks)





Seems like a bit of mucking around, but I guess you can't knock it, until you give it a go?

Can't be any worse than Trace-Less.

 

[bfets]

So I did a full decon strip wash and iron removal process on the missus' daily driver. The car is parked in the sun quite a bit at her work, so I wanted to get some protection onto it and work out a maintenance routine that keeps it protected without doing a proper ceramic coating. This was the main reason I grabbed CarPro Hydro2 and Koch Chemie CES (Ceramic Effect Shampoo) to try out.

After the decon treatment, I washed the car with the CES, which I was quite eager to try. I don't know what went wrong, but it was completely useless. No beading effect left at all at the end—sheeting at best. What a letdown. I need to figure out what went wrong because I know that's not everyone's experience, and I've seen it deliver awesome hydrophobics in videos.

I ended up following up with Hydro2 Lite, which immediately brought awesome hydrophobics, almost like I just ceramic coated the car.

So far... it's a no from me for the CES, but a big yes for Hydro2. As for durability, we'll have to wait and see

 

[DFB5.0]

So I did a full decon strip wash and iron removal process on the missus' daily driver. The car is parked in the sun quite a bit at her work, so I wanted to get some protection onto it and work out a maintenance routine that keeps it protected without doing a proper ceramic coating. This was the main reason I grabbed CarPro Hydro2 and Koch Chemie CES (Ceramic Effect Shampoo) to try out.

After the decon treatment, I washed the car with the CES, which I was quite eager to try. I don't know what went wrong, but it was completely useless. No beading effect left at all at the end—sheeting at best. What a letdown. I need to figure out what went wrong because I know that's not everyone's experience, and I've seen it deliver awesome hydrophobics in videos.

I ended up following up with Hydro2 Lite, which immediately brought awesome hydrophobics, almost like I just ceramic coated the car.

So far... it's a no from me for the CES, but a big yes for Hydro2. As for durability, we'll have to wait and see

What was your dose rate with CES? Did you foam and rinse, or use it as a bucket contact wash?

 

[bfets]

What was your dose rate with CES? Did you foam and rinse, or use it as a bucket contact wash?

I used it as a contact wash soap in a bucket. Added 75ml to my bucket.

 

[DFB5.0]

I used it as a contact wash soap in a bucket. Added 75ml to my bucket.

Odd, and you shook the bottle before use?

I will say, CES is probably a sheeter more than a beader, but it should still have transformed the paint. Did it at least create noticeable slickness?

 

[bfets]

Odd, and you shook the bottle before use?

I will say, CES is probably a sheeter more than a beader, but it should still have transformed the paint. Did it at least create noticeable slickness?

Yeah very odd. I did give the bottle a good shake. It barely even caused sheeting. Left the paint very flat. I can't remember if it made it feel slick, but I remember thinking that the soap itself had decent lubrication at least. I'll give it another go at some point. I did use some Geyon iron remover just prior so I was wondering if that had something to do with it.

 

[DFB5.0]

I've been suffering from fatigue over the last couple of days, no doubt the result of the last 10-days. But I push on.........................

Yesterday I gave the Ranger it's weekly wash, and having rained, it was covered in road film. Today it was the Wildtrak's turn, again covered in grime and mud from the wet weather over the weekend. The common theme with both being the use of NV Snow.

NV Snow | pH Neutral Car Wash Liquid & Car Shampoo – Waxit Car Care

I say this all the time, but every time I return to this soap, I'm genuinely surprised with its ability. Snow has the slickness of Koch Chemie GSF and Carpro Reset, but its easier to pour and mix, foams better, offers superior cleaning power and rinses more freely. The scent is considerably more subtle that those rivals, but its uniquely pleasant and hardly a deal breaker. I also like that it has no gloss additives or fillers, it just cleans and leaves a residue free finish.

The cleaning power is such that I don't really need two soaps to deal with baked on road film, as in an alkaline pre-soak followed by a pH neutral for contact washing. I just foam with Snow and leave it to dwell, the following rinse will remove most of that grime before re-foaming for the contact wash.

To cap it all off, Snow is one of the best value high-end soaps on the market (in Australia at least). And that includes what's available at the box stores. For example, 4-litres of Snow retails for $82.45, a 3.78-litre (1 gallon) bottle of the also very good Meguiar's Hyper Wash sits is $99 at full RRP. And even if you find it on discount, you are left with a soap that is harder to work with owing to its thick/sticky consistency and the way it reactivates when rinsing. The dirt-cheap house-brand soaps are junk, they lack lubrication and cleaning power, while also requiring very high dose rates to do the same job.

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