Something from Shinemate would be fine, and they range from RM500 to RM600. Or you can get a Rupes Duetto for RM999 on Shopee right now. It doesn't matter what machine you use. Just remember to practice proper techniques, and use quality liquids and pads. A DA can cut as fast a rotary, so keep that in mind.

But most importantly, always remember that your clearcoat is extremely thin. Always have paint preservation in mind.

There are no ceramic-based coatings out there that are truly resistant to water-spotting. You are literally applying a layer of glass on your car. And what happens to your bathroom glass or mirror when they get exposed to water? Mineral deposits. The same effect happens on a ceramic coating. One should always take coating maker's claims with rolling eyes.

And unfortunately, there is absolutely no way to totally prevent water spots other than to park indoors or constantly dry your car after getting it wet. And it's worst when you have hard water in your area.

But one thing I would do to a ceramic coated car is to constantly apply a sacrificial topper after each weekly wash. The maintenance service for coatings is basically the detailer decontaminating and removing water spots, and then apply a sacrificial layer of silica-based sealant. Some would use a "non-abrasive cleaner" like Carpro Essence+ or IGL F4 Renew to lightly buff off stains and hard watermarks. Some do take the effort to actually recoat some parts of the car, but that is absolutely rare.

That is why a ceramic coating IS NOT for everyone. It requires more effort and cost to maintain a coated car. So hopefully the upcoming graphene-based coatings can fix that once and for all.

Hope this helps.

My set of Hybrid Solutions just arrived today. I'll try to do a write up when I'm free...

Edit: Before this, I've been using the Ceramic Polish & Wax on my client's cars. Safe to say, it's a brilliant product and my clients are very happy with the results. It's pad dependent so you can adjust the cut and finish to your liking. Have yet to test the other products in the range.

This post has been edited by m_man: Jul 16 2020, 06:41 PM

As for the blower, I'm ordering a Flex BW 18.0 since I'm going to have a set of their 5.0Ah batteries. It's about 1.9KG with the 5.0Ah battery or 1.6kg with the 2.5Ah battery. Was thinking about the Bosch ones with the CORE batteries but decided to streamlined all to Flex.

[quote=celciuz,Jul 17 2020, 12:00 AM]
Been eye-ing on that Ceramic Polish & Wax, based on the reviews it has really long working time... how does it compared against say HD Speed or Rupes Uno Protect I wonder. Both of them are able to mask defects pretty well but lack the SiO2 infused wax for the finishing.

I have no experience with HD speed or Uno Protect. But it blows Carpro Essence out of the water in terms of cut and finish. It doesn't contain fillers, so it's a true correction. I'll put the cutting power at about 50-60% defect removal since I mainly use it as a single step polish & wax anyways. Less goes a long way for this product, so it is an absolute value proposition.

And yes, working time is very long due to the proprietary ceramic platelet abrasives which also provides a more consistent cut in my experience across many paint types. I usually top it up with Seal N Shine (old formula) or Carpro Reload, which is still going strong for my clients after 2 months. So the Ceramic Spray Coating should yield similar results if not better.

I have also just ordered a set of 3D abrasives including HD Speed. Will try to compare both of them and hopefully write up a review here soon. But I doubt HD Speed can out muscle it.

Alright. Just got my 3D Speed today. Hope to get a test panel by next week to compare these.

But between the Carpro and TW, TW is a far superior product for far lesser money.

Carpro Essence is actually one of the first SiO2 AIO in the market. It doesn't have a lot of cut in my opinion, but it does contain fillers and the finish is actually decent. It is mainly used as a primer for Cquartz, similar to Gyeon Primer or the more recent Dr. Beasley's NSP series.

Actually, I'm also waiting for my stockpile of IGL products to arrive, including IGL Renew F4 which is a Graphene-based AIO.

Perhaps I shall compare them all at once. Stay tuned!

Just want to share some good stuff here. I got them from Taobao.



Just got my Takenow Flycolor lights and the first impression is nothing but exceptional. Built quality is solid, and I suspect they are from the same OEM manufacturer.



The handheld version has a magnetic bottom and back. Temperatures range from 2700K, 4500K and 6500K.



The headlight also has 3 different colour temperatures to choose from. Just like the Scangrip I-Match, it comes with a hand gesture sensor for easy on/off with just a waive. But you can't change temperatures on the fly with this feature.

The battery life should be about 2 hours for these. Which shouldn't be an issue.

This post has been edited by m_man: Aug 24 2020, 11:51 PM

Not too sure. And no, it's just an on/off and temperature switch.

This post has been edited by m_man: Aug 25 2020, 12:01 AM

Thanks for the info. No date of manufacturing unfortunately. Instructions states that it automatically drops down to 250lm after 5 minutes. Long pressing the power button only props up the battery indicator.

Legit good for everything. But the handheld one definitely has better defect spotting capabilities.

Sorry to ask, but who told you that you can skip waxing/protection for a new car? That "thick layer of protection" is your clear coat, unless you have a ceramic coating professionally applied. Which in that case, is also in need of proper care and maintenance.

The products you listed above are not "coatings" per se. They merely contain SiO2 which is the main ingredient for most ceramic coatings in the market right now. I list them as ceramic sealants instead.

As for recommendations, there is no such thing as a one product fits all. But my advice is find something that specifically mentions UV protection, because not all products contain UV inhibitors.

Hope this helps.

That's Optimum's Big Red Sponge designed to compliment ONR. Dr. Ghodoussi and his team has tested countless sponge materials. It's totally safe but not cheap. OPT Malaysia has it in stock. I prefer to use a MF mitt on my customer's cars because the BRS ain't flexible enough to reach tight spots.

Any quality MF would do. But I do use a drying towel.

Btw, Brian Spitler from that video is a well respected detailer. He knows what he's doing.

This post has been edited by m_man: Oct 11 2020, 12:57 AM

I have separate towels for different purposes. I am a professional detailer so I have to invest in A LOT of towels to avoid cross contamination and lint.

Most of my stuff are from Taobao. Spray bottles can buy from Daiso or Mr.Diy. Black & Decker has some decent cordless vacuums. If you have the budget, you can get the Flex VC 6.

I do not recommend that method, you are going to cause a lot of swirls, marring and possible a few random isolated deep scratches (RIDS). I say leave it until the next wash.

There will be an accumulation of dirt and grime, so there will be chances of causing damage no matter how expensive your MF towels are because paint is that sensitive. You are essentially dragging around the dirt and grime without any form of lubrication. Water itself is not a good lubricant. That's why it's best to leave it until the next wash. If you absolutey want to proceed, then always use lubricants such as ONR or ECH20.

These lubricants, quick detailers, drying aid or whatever they are called usually contain essential water softeners to lower the surface tension of water so as to allow the water itself to flush the said dirt and grime effectively. ONR works a little differently by using proprietary polymers that actually encapsulate the dirt and grime as you clean or wipe away. You can actually see it working if you look closely enough...

Hope this helps.

This post has been edited by m_man: Oct 30 2020, 07:58 PM

Rainwater has more than dirt and grime, it has mineral deposits as well. You get the idea.

I usually add half a cap to my 2L sprinkler, or one full cap to a 500ml spray bottle as clay lube.

I normally charge an upwards of RM70 for my signature wash which includes TW Ceramic Wet Wax + 3 in 1 Detailer, not including an interior detail which is based on quotation.

Do your costing, and then decide on the profit margin. And proceed to set a target audience. In my opinion, there is no such thing as "slaughter", charge however much you think is worth your time and effort. Detailers come in all sizes, so you need to decide what you are.


Hope this helps.

This post has been edited by m_man: Nov 5 2020, 04:40 PM

Apply any sacrificial topper after each wash. Your coating will thank you. I'm doing it for all my client's during this season. Not 100% foolproof, but it will reduce the amount of water spots by ten-fold.

I'm an IGL installer so I use Delete and it works like a charm. They recently teamed up with Jennifer of Carsmotology on the Jen K.O Mix which combines Wash, Delete and Enhancer as an all-in-one solution. It's sold as a kit, but I got the dilution ratios from Jennifer if you want.

This post has been edited by m_man: Nov 25 2020, 11:27 PM