GREAT WRITE-UP BRO......

For the RainX, try using surgical tissue paper/paper towel. Works best for me.

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Jul 7 2015, 08:08 PM

No, not those. Mine comes in a small box...like small tissue paper box. They're lintless and don't easily crumble when wet. Another type of paper that I like to use to apply RainX is the tack cloth...used by painters with solvent to clean down the car surface before painting. I'll post a pic of the surgical grade towel tomorrow when I'm on my laptop.

Do it properly. You can NEVER stop rust from spreading...but you can try to contain it to SLOW DOWN it's propagation.

If want to DIY, I would suggest to clean the spot thoroughly with solvent (mineral spirit, turpentine, petrol, diesel, etc.), if possible sand/brush off as much as possible any sign of rust, clean again, put some rust converter, primer then get a matching colour paint to paint over it. It won't look as good as the surrounding existing paintwork but far better than letting the rust spot 'rot' (or you can use any good quality sticker if you want it to look neat). Best is if you can sand down a little bit of the surrounding area as well to expose the metal...just in case the rust had penetrated areas under the surrounding paint.

I'm not sure about anywhere else, but you can find rust converter by Pye or oher brands in ACE hardware. I've also seen them in normal hardware shops.

'Spot' sanding is what I actually meant to say...you can just get some wet-sandpaper and cut into smaller size (to fit the area you're going to sand) and glue it onto something small like the rubber eraser at the back of a pencil, edge of an eraser, sponge, or anything 'soft/rubbery'.

I have. It can't even remove fine (scratches) wiper trails...even if paired with a rotary...

I got mine in GM Klang...look for shops that sells cloths for sewing, handycraft, etc. They sell them by the roll...pretty cheap...

Get a few tap adaptors instead of just slotting the hose onto the garden tap...they're quite cheap and they will made your life a lots easier...especially when there's a lot of bar coming out (like mine too).

My set up. I've changed my garden tap to one of these. Easy enough to install without needing to call a plumber.


I didn't use the 'head' that comes with it...I removed it and crewed this type of 'male' connector on...


Then a bunch of other adaptors to connect the different hoses that I have from the tap to my pressure washer, garden hose, etc. Easy enough...no sweat...just need some imaginations....

I have the Soft99 Glass Compound Z...good stuff. Been using it for quite a while. Not as aggressive as Osren's but good enough for most applications (other than removing light scratches). I've seen it in Autobacs Klang. Not sure if they're still available in other places.

Sorry for the late reply bro...been away. Errmm...define 'affordable'...heheh...

I had a very nasty experience once with a 'cheapo' protective film that I bought in Brothers for RM80 (pair) for my Waja headlights. After a little bit more than a year it started to turn a little (obvious) yellowish and some minor peeling, so I decided to remove them. Took me more than an hour just to totally remove the adhesive residue and leftover film. Fortunately the headlights are glass. I dread to think what it would do to those that are made of plastics. When I got my new car (with plastic headlights) I decided not to take the risk and save-up and went for the 3M Ventureshield. Bought from a forumer here (but located in Melaka) and installed it myself (not too difficult, to be honest) for a little more than twice the price (that was more than 3 years ago). 3 years on, with some marks from sand/stone and slight tint of yellow, still looks fine. Haven't taken them off though, so can't comment on that. But I've had good experiences with a few types of 3M stickers (both installed internally and on the exterior, paints or plastics) that I'm quite sure that it won't be as difficult as the 'cheapo' alternatives. I heard there's a couple more brands of protective films around but, since I couldn't get any (for DIY), coundn't comment on those.

Try the one from Osren if the defects are severe, they contain cerium oxide (polishing compound for polishing glass). If I'm not mistaken they do have a set together with everything you'd need to do up the windscreen.

They're acid...very strong acid. It can remove stubborn deposits but won't be able to remove etchings. I'd stay away from them unless absolutely necessary. Take all the necessary care/precautions or do a test spot before proceeding with the whole windscreen. A couple of detailing kakis had had horror stories to tell when using it on the front windscreen where the wiper trails are. Seems like it could 'seep' into the fine scratches and causes quite some headache to remove.

Sonax BSD - Brilliant Shine Detailer. By it's namesake, it is a 'detailer' - intended use is for light cleaning of paint surface whilst leaving some protection behind. But from my (few years of) usage, I find that the protection it left behind is very decent indeed and can rival some normal waxes/sealants. Great product the BSD. I would say it can be used as a stand-alone (without putting anything else on top or without any other wax/sealant at the bottom) protection. But using the BSD before waxing....well....personally I wouldn't recommend that. Best if you use it on top of a good quality wax/sealant instead of the other way around.

Now, for the rim coating...that's a different story. Bought one can and, like you, couldn't be bothered and won't be getting it again. I'd rather use the BSD (far easier and faster to apply) or some other spray sealants....

The function of any coatings is pretty similar with normal waxes/sealants, that is, to provide a TEMPORARY protection for the paintwork against the harsh environment (not stone chips mind you). The difference is that coatings last longer and, some coatings, provide better protections. Other than that, you'd still need to wash your car and do all the rest of the maintenance stuffs AT NORMAL INTERVALS. If you neglect the maintenance, it'll cost you a whole lot of $$$$ to re-do as compared to normal waxes/sealants.

Yes...it is advisable to do paint coating or normal polish & wax on new cars AND KEEP A REGULAR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE so that the paintwork would last longer (and look nicer too)....

I'm kinda fond of using Osren's drying cloth...

Ease of application - OCW
Durability - BSD
Value for money - BSD
Looks on dark coloured car - OCW
Looks on light coloured car - BSD
Beading - BSD
Slickness - OCW
Alkali resistant (car shampoo) - BSD
Acidic resistant (bird pop, etc.) - OCW
Dilutable - both

On top of 476, I'd prefer BSD...call me a cheap skate but I diluted 1:2 (1 part distilled water + 2 parts BSD)..

From my experience, 476 tends to be a bit finicky if applied on 'dirty' surface/application without prior polishing or 'deep cleaning' - streaky/cloudy, difficult to remove, etc. Best method I've found (to get the full benefit of it's durability), in terms of application, is to just dab a little then apply a section at a time, and keep applying on that section (without any pressure) until it turns *almost* clear....much like using a polish. But IT SOOOOO TIME CONSUMING!!! I mean it takes AGES (more like almost 2 hours) to wax my waja...and even then I just cant resist to take a few 'short cuts' towards the end.....

To TOTALLY clean 476 on foam pads....Dawn Power Dissolver is your ONLY OPTION....

Just a suggestion...if using BSD on top of some other waxes or sealants, you might want to consider diluting it a little bit. Get a small (100ml size) sprayer bottle and try out a few dilution ratios...eg. start with 75ml BSD + 25ml water then test out higher or lower concentration to your own preferences. My experience with BSD is that it's quite durable by itself and can easily go for a few weeks if used straight (without anything underneath). Even at 50% dilution it can easily go for a couple of weeks...pretty potent stuff....

Might probably be your method/technique or swirls caused by the cloth you're using to wipe off the compound/polishes. Google up on it....plenty of videos around....

I'd assume you meant microfiber applicator pad (cuz foam/sponge pads created all sort of problems for me). Anyway. you won't get the consistency during application as compared to pre-diluting it. But if you're worried about the BSD going to waste if you don't like a certain dilution, you can try using another spray bottle that contains water only, mist the panel/section that you intend to apply it on, then spray some BSD onto the applicator and apply it. By controlling the amount of 'mist' you're putting onto the surface, it's, in a way, diluting the product also.....

Anyway, I kinda like pre-diluting it, especially if I'm using it on a hot and dry days (even though I'd normally doing it late in the afternoon under the shade of my porch). I think it slows down the evaporation process and get less streaking/clouding that way.....same with the other spray sealants/waxes that I have, eg. OCWax, CarPro Reload, Zaino Z8, Megs Quick Wax, etc. (with exception of Dodo Juice Supernatural Red Mist cuz I think it's non-polar...in which case I use the water mist and spray method...)

Add: Oh....and I vaguely remember somebody even add a measure of BSD into his washing solution also....but, personally, I haven't tried that one yet....

This post has been edited by KrisMas: Nov 19 2015, 02:09 PM

LMFO

You can use your Megs GC, apply sparringly, let sit for a while for the conditioner to 'soak' in, then wipe again with a slightly damp cloth to remove the greasy residue. Or you can try to source for 303 Aerospace Protectant or Duragloss Vinyl & Leather Dressing, both of which would dry out to a matt sheen and doesn't leave much of a greasy residue. Anyway, most importantly, just remember to keep all the leather clean. Btw, congrats on the new ride.

Better go for the hand pump (bottom one) la....a little bit on the expensive side but less tiring on the hand/fingers and faster too. But if you decided to go for the one in the first picture, you can find it in ACE Hardware (the hand trigger only).

Osren Coatz is a decent entry level coating. Regardless on whatever type of coating you decided to use and no matter how expensive (or good) they are (or what the salesmen/products manufacturer claimed to be ), THE best way to keep your car's paint in tip top conditions is TO WASH YOUR CAR REGULARLY (AND PROPERLY).

Interesting. Household or car aircond? Any recommendation of a good quality (safe & effective) liquid for cleaning aircond/radiator fins?

This one.

Can't remember the price cuz bought a few quite a few years back...I think it's about thirty-ish forty-ish....

No experience with this coating but all I know is that 3M Hypershield comes out from 3M Korea and not from 3M per se. I might be wrong in this, but judging from the size of the bottle (90ml) which can only do 2 cars, I would guess (please correct me if I'm wrong) it's a type of flourine coat...works well in our climate but doesn't last quite a slong as the other ceramic, silica coatings.

Anyway, for any coating, be it ceramic, silica, flourine, etc. MOST IMPORTANT form of maintenance is TO WASH REGULARLY. I you do need to 'top up', try to go for some water-based spray-type maintenance spray/wax like Sonax Brilliant Shine Detailer, Optimum Car Wax, Megs Ultimate Quick Wax, or the like. Try to avoid those liquid/hard wax that you'd need to apply by hand as they would normally contain chemical/mechanical cleaner/abrasive that *might* compromise/partially remove the coating.