Fujin

Been browsing the wacko section for a while now but I notice (this makes sense) that most people posting are working on dark color cars. I was wondering what do you all recommend I pick up to detail my Silverstone S2k? Pics along with tips would be even better.

akimel

Photos won't show anything. Don't trust them. They cannot pick up all the nuances of a particular wax or sealant. They tell you more about the camera and photographer than they do about the car. Plus, the most important thing you can do to create shine is to polish the car. The additional gloss added by a protectant is a bonus.

I have a silver blue CR-V and have tried various sealants on it. For light colors I prefer a synthetic sealant as opposed to a carnauba wax. My favorites:

(1) Ultima Paint Guard Plus: This is simply the easiest sealant in the world to apply (though others would say the same thing about Opti-Seal, which is a similar product). It is wipe-on, walk-away. It dries clear. You do not buff off. Mist the applicator and apply it to a panel and repeat for every panel. You can apply it to virtually everything on the car--paint, trim, metal, glass. It hardly uses any product. For a small car, your small bottle of the stuff will last forever. It won't take you more than ten minutes to seal your S2K. The look isn't much to write home about after the first coat, but wait 12 hours and apply a second coat, and it gains real depth. I usually do not apply a third coat on the CR-V (at least not for a month or two), but if you are looking for optimal shine, then a third coat may show results. UPGP is a bit pricey, but given how little of the product one uses, a small bottle will probably last for years and years.

(2) Finish Kare 1000p: This is a synthetic sealant in paste form. It may be one of the most durable sealants you can buy. You apply it like a wax, allow to haze and then buff off. 1000p has its own signature look: It looks like you have applied a thin layer of clear coat. 1000p takes a little longer to cure than most sealants. I love it on my silver-blue CR-V. 1000p takes a little longer than other sealants to cure completely. You may want to wait 24 hours before applying a second coat, though I know others who only wait an hour without problems. You will want to apply two coats, both for durability and to achieve the best look. It is also a great buy!

(3) Blackfire Wet Diamond: A great all-around beauty sealant. It looks great on dark color cars, but others report that it looks equally good on silver cars. The durability is better than a carnauba wax but not as good as some other synthetic sealants. Easy to apply and remove. I'm told that Menzerna Powerlock gives a similar look and is also easy to apply and remove.

There are so many good products out there. I'm sure others will chime in with their favorites.

ftpsk8

I like to use mequiars M105/M205 as a compound/polish. As far as wax goes, Synthetics bring the lighter colors out really well. I have used Wolfgang's paint sealant for a while now and I like it. Don't have much experience with any others, but there are so many out there to choose from.

Terrible01

I just bought a 07 Silverstone, the PO used Powerlock and it's definately an awesome product. I just ordered a bottle of it along with some other Menzerna products.

Nline6

I also use Wolfgang paint sealant. I bought it to use on my BB s2000 and it turned out like class and beaded very well so I used it on my silver Si and also my wife's light blue civic and to be honest it works even better at brining out the metallic in the lighter colors in fact it's hard to see your reflection because all you see is the metallic flakes

-Brett

akimel

If you do not own a dual action polisher, then I would recommend that you purchase either a paint cleaner (e.g., Meguiar's Ultimate Polish) or a good AIO (e.g., Duragloss 501, Zaino AIO, or Klasse AIO). Check out this article that I recently posted on this forum: http://goo.gl/4Q3OK. If you go the paint cleaner route, you would then afterwards apply two coats of your preferred wax/sealant. If you go the AIO route, you would apply one coat of your preferred wax/sealant (or more coats if you're motivated). I would not recommend trying to hand polish the entire car with M105 followed by M205. That's just a lot of work for little gain. Hand polishing is a bitch. If you want to remove defects, you'll need to get yourself a good dual action polisher, with all the goodies that come with that.

S2KRAY

I have had a 00 and 04 silverstone and operate a small detailing business. I used to use Zaino which is very good but now I use Blackfire Wet Diamond which I like better. On my vehicles, I apply several coats but you have to wait 24 hours between coats. Lasts longer than a carnauba and is easy to apply. Clay barring and polishing prior to applying it is key. I like the 105/205 as well but you really need an orbital polisher like a Porter DA to make it easier.