Errr....it is, in a sense, a little bit better than soft99....at least you can read the labels and instructions....hehehe....

Osren....or lighter fluid....

OPC to remove tar....?? Good luck with that.

Even with clay, if the tar had already embeded itself INTO the paintwork, the clay can only shear off the exposed portion of it. You'd need something to melt the tar and, for that, it need to be a solvent. Same thing goes for brake dust. For oil, you'd need something to emulsify it and best would be to use a degreaser. For contaminant, soils, etc. you would need an alkaline cleaner for the job (common all purpose cleaner). If you're looking for something that would do all three - CarPro TriX. But you have to remember the saying: "Jack of all trades but master in none".

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Apr 16 2013, 04:27 PM

Aiyo...very delicate situation there. Don't think there's any way around it. Unless you want to put up some sort of party wall using thick plywood or some sort to reduce the noise going there......

You free on Saturday afternoon? Want to pop down to Sonax's? (that is if they're open la....need to ask first)
Also can take the opportunity to go through my pads and decide for me which to let go....

SS18 Subang Jaya. Plenty of stuffs to choose...even some 'non-retail' stuffs....

I think around 1 ~ 2pm. But have to confirm first whether they open or not on Saturday.

Bad news guys, Sonax only open until 1pm on Saturdays.

Why don't you guys do a group buy, get the 5L one and share it out. What you guys should be looking for is the Sonax Xtreme Wheel Cleaner Full Effect and I think they retail here for around RM80 for the 500ml spray bottle. I can try to get info on the availability and price for the 5L container....later after lunch la ya.....

The SS18 is the main dealer/distributor. Much like Hypercoat in USJ1.

The plus side of this wheel cleaner (from my limited experience...errr...which is after using about half of the 5L container ) is that it's able to 'melt' those difficult to remove brake dust whilst not damaging the paintwork/coating, unlike some other caustic wheel cleaners (eg. Megs Wheel Brightener - more effective and works quicker) which requires more care and getting use to.

q1: I find the Sonax is more effective in removing stubborn brake dust as compared to TW or OTC Megs.
q2: very nice watching the brake dust turns purple and bleed down the wheels
q3: VERY EXPENSIVE!!!

Remind me to bring some on our coming meet....

Sonax Malaysia has an fb up under that name. Might be a better idea if you ask them there. I see they have some of their products in Caltex Penang....but didn't mention which Caltex and what products....hehehe....

Aiyo...a simple meetup suddenly turning to be something like a full fledge detailing clinic already instead of *just* a machine hands-on session. Need to invite a proper sifu for this kinda of thing already la......

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Apr 17 2013, 09:15 PM

I'm the kind of guy who can't seem to do/get anything right when people are watching...need reinforcements....somebody who can keep 'cool' on stage....hahaha....

What machine//pad//polish did you use? Was the surface of the paint smooth (clayed) before you started?

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Apr 18 2013, 09:11 AM

For a 20 years old paint, it could already be the clear coat failing. But then, from the way you describe it, it *could* also be some sort of deposits...rain picking up paint/plaster/dirt, etc then deposit them (dripping from the awning) onto the surface of the paint then dried up. Might be able to save it if the clear coat underneath is still ok. Does it feel sandy-like and protruding/sticking on the surface? Do you see anything resemblance to peeling plastic wrapper (clear coat peeling off)?

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Apr 18 2013, 10:31 AM

DIY or plan to send somewhere?

If by 'wax stains' you mean those that looks like dirt steaks/lines, that mean the wax is doing it's job by not letting dirt sticking to the paint...carried away by water as oppose to sticking at one place. If it's the actual wax itself, it could be.

There's also one other possibility. The shampoo that you're using could be one of those 'wash & wax' type that contains some sort of wax or other protective/shine enhancing polymer in it. If left to dry/evaporate on it's own without wiping, it would leave some kind of whitish residue that looks like 'wax stains'. Should be easily wash off or remove by a simple wipe with a quick detailer though.

Did you just do one pass or several passes? Megs SwirlX is not that aggressive. It could mean that the swirls is too deep and need more passes. Or you can try Ultimate Compound and see whether can do better/quicker.

You cannot beat nature and bird droppings is automotive coatings most feared enemy. No paint supplier, wax/sealant manufacturers, coating specialists, etc. would claim that their product will prevent bird droppings from etching the paint/wax/sealant/coatings/etc. If somebody do, it'll most probably come out from the mouth of a marketing guy/gal who don't know sh** about what they're selling and just wanted to cash in on the uneducated (ignorant?) public.

Regardless what car, what paint, what wax/sealant, what coating, etc., if you really care for the paint you'd need to clean off the droppings AS SOON AS YOU POSSIBLY AND PRACTICALLY CAN. Worst come to worst, I would use a soaking wet tissue paper to 'soften' the droppings and wipe it off as soon as I notice it. The longer it is left on the paint, the more the harm it would cause on ANY paint/wax/sealant/coating/etc.

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Apr 18 2013, 12:23 PM

Yeah....best if you do. In the mean time you start with some nice read OVER HERE.

UQW is not really a 'full fledged' wax/sealant. I do suggest you use the UQW for maintenance/topping up. The 'base' need to be a proper one like ULW/UPW or DG101/DG105.

On a DA....I don't think so. Unless there's dirt inside/edge. I have one of the older Megs W8006 pad with the pad surface looking worse than that. Haven't notice any adverse effect when polishing, even with a rotary (actually, I prefer it more than the 'fresher' pads).

Would you mind elaborating about the 'coating' you mentioned. What are you looking for/preference. Did you mean to DIY or a place that do 'coating'?

Agree with what Quazacolt said. Won't be able to get much of anything with that kinda budget. Retail price for a 30ml bottle of CQuartz (which is one of the coatings available for purchase and DIY) is already at around RM160. Best is to go for what MyWifeCar said and DIY. Or, wait until you have a budget or around RM300 ~ RM500 or so and go for a good quality detail and just concentrate on maintainance after that.

hehehe....won't get any 'professional' advice here....we're mostly amateurs...

Anyway, can't really judge from the picture there. Can you possibly try to remove those paint/rubber (looks more like rubber) transfer with some kind of cleaner or solvent (petrol or diesel should work if it's rubber) and check for the damage again. After cleaning, see if you can catch the scratch/damage with your fingernail. If you can, then it's better to seek professional help (bodyshop) unless you have the tools and equipment (sand paper, rotary polisher, matching paint, etc.) to do it yourself.

As for the rear quarter, did the Soft99 Luster has ZERO effect or only be able to 'remove' the scratch a little bit only? If it does, maybe more passes is needed.