ilogikal1

GTechniq products tend just work, there are exceptions to that within the range but the LSPs do work well. G5 is an absolute doddle to use, aside from over applying you can't really go wrong but as said previously you will get the best out of it by making sure the screen is really clean.

C1, C4 and C5 are the same product with different target markets, but essentially can be used on any painted or plastic surfaces. The G range is for use on glass only, it won't bond to anything else.

First and foremost, Rain-X is @*!#. So anything you use will be better. If you want an easy to apply sealant you'll want to look at the likes of PIAA, Angelwax H2Go, Dr Beasleys Glass Wax or GTechniq G5. They'll all do a better job than Rain-X and whilst they'll last longer (when correctly applied) they'll not last as long as coatings; ~month or so. Coatings are more involved to apply but worth it, they'll last 12 months+ when correctly applied and if you take care they're not actually that difficult to apply properly. They will cost more in terms of initial pay out but they'll last much, much longer in comparison. If you're after a coating GTechniq G1 (or Carbon Collective Platinum Glass, which is G1 in a different bottle and with added terrible service from the vendor), Gyeon View or the CarPro one are all very good.

I've actually just had a thought. Invest in some Madcow Ultra Violet. It's rubbish as an LSP in its own right but adds brilliant gloss so perfect for shows on top on C2.

3 parts water to 1 part C2v3. Yeah, that's right, aim for around 4% PIR. At that ratio you'll get good cleaning whilst ensuring it's economical still. For a show, it won't make any difference what you put on top, it'll last the day. It may not last much longer than that though which is why it's not usually recommended to top it with anything as there's not much that will bond to it properly so durability is compromised. Obviously that's not an issue with a show wax (not least of all because they tend to only last a couple of weeks at best anyway) as durability isn't the aim. If you're planning on just using a quick detailer then save yourself some money and use diluted C2v3 (anything up to 15:1, from memory) instead. Use filtered or deionised water to dilute though, to ensure there's no water spotting.

It is indeed. You can use it neat, and that'll give you then best durability from it, but you can also dilute it. Diluting it 3:1 makes it easier to get a good, streak free finish and it'll still last well over a month. It is and you can. I assume the coatings you're referring to is the C4? If so then, provided it mixed to the correct ratio, Bilt Hamber won't have much of an adverse affect. Coatings resist acids very well but alkalis tend to affect coatings in the same way that acids affect sealants and waxes, BH AF is (very) mildly alkaline when correctly mixed so it may reduce the durability by a few days. If the mix is too strong, it will have a stronger affect though. BH AF should be mixed to a maximum of 8% product on the panel. Citrus pre-washes tend to be more effective on coatings, however if you're only coating the plastics and alloys then I wouldn't worry about that, stick with BH AF for the rest of the car. If you keep on top of it the wheels and trim won't get that dirty when coated anyway.

Never found that myself I'm afraid. Once it's been buffed off it's always been slicker than a slick thing.

Go for a coating - GTechniq C1/4/5 would be my choice. You could do a coat before mounting the tyres, but I'd recommend that you do at least one more coat afterwards too, to ensure coverage. Just remember to leave enough time for the coating to cure properly before mounting the tyres or fitting them to the car. IMO there's little need to top up a coating for the 8/9 months at least but there's no harm in doing so.

The problem you'll have is finding a one size fits all with the butter soft Nissan paint and the bulletproof hard BMW hard paint. What's harsh on the former will barely touch the latter. The difference between blue and black is that black is the newer version of blue, ie not a great deal.

Just me who wants to see him try to use the broken again then?

Both will inflict more marring than remove iron. Clay will just cut the top off the particals that protrude above the layer of paint and won't actually remove anything imbedded. T-Cut is a harsh polishing compound so will do a similar job but will remove a few microns of paint whilst at it. Again, it won't remove anything imbedded. There's no substitute for a fallout remover so either do it properly or don't bother at all, frankly.

Bilt Hamber Korrosol. From Polished Bliss. [/thread].

Go for the Auto Glym Lifeshine/Diamondbrite/other acrylic based sealant dealer upsells... "A billionty years durability. All you need to do is top it up with these 24 products every three days and you're good". 12 weeks would be pushing it with that one! What you need is an official tester of some kind... Coatings are pretty good, especially for the pros due to the reliable longevity of the products. If I did this for a living, aside from the rare show car prep for a specific weekend, I'd always opt for coatings too. Waxes still have their place but they're now more for the avid amateur who doesn't reapplying monthly (or for that aforementioned rare show car prep where durability just isn't a consideration). Sealants less so as the main purpose of those was the extended durability over wax, but they just can't compete with coatings in any way. That said, some people still prefer sealants purely for ease of use. Very much horses for courses really.

Coatings you say?

I don't! I like this game!

They will do of you've got them already, but when it comes to me to replace them.look at the Scholl range.

Warm water will do an equally effective job of softening and removing the offending substance and is considerably cheaper than WD40. That said WD40 will also mask any etching causing, water won't do that. Polishing is the only way to remove etching, but there are many, many products that will mask it - any glaze and/or wax with fillers will achieve that.

Black Hole will work on any colour car just as well as White Diamond will, but Black Hole smells better... It's possible to get depth on metallic silver but it relies heavily of polishing to do so. Flat silver is another story altogether though!

I have no views or opinions on this topic at all... Decontaminating and polishing will get you a better shine. A deeper finish will be obtained with a oily glaze and wax combination but that compromises durability. Durability can be obtained with coatings (which **** all over sealants btw) but they tend to give glassy, glossy, clinical finishes rather than depth. By far the cheapest, great wet look finish with depth will be obtained with by polishing and topping Poorboys Black Hole with Nattys Paste Wax. Nothing will give you a deeper finish.

All UK cars came with Brembos. Some imports didn't though.

A good snow foam is not dictated by its dwell time. Anything that needs more than 5 minutes dwell time is because it's crap. Magifoam and Ambush for example can cling for 20+ minutes, in fact both will dry out before running off, but neither actually achieve anything. Bilt Hamber and Avalanche will run off within 3 minutes at the correct PIR but both will achieve more in those two minutes than Magifoam will achieve in 2 hours. After all, how can a foam help remove any dirt if it's just sitting on the surface itself? Also thicker foams will clog up the lance gauze considerably. Magifoam used to ruin a lance with every wash whilst the same lanse using the same water and Car Chem foam is still virtually spotless after a year's use (a couple of dozen uses). A proper lance will make the world of difference too. The standard chemical bottle that come with a pressure isn't designed to foam anything but rather mix in a solution. Dilution rates will also influence how well a foam works and foams. Anything with instructions that state "an inch in the bottle" or "just x ml in the bottle" is just ridiculous. You need to know/determine the ratio that's hitting the panel not what's being added to an unknown quantity of water leaving the lance. Anyway, to answer the OPs question, 3-5 tops for a GOOD snow foam. Also, Bilt Hamber or Car Chem are hard to beat all round.

Rays were not part of the pack on early cars, they were included in the GT pack later on but were always a stand-alone option throughout.

None. Differences are limited to leather seats, "Bose" stereo and cruise control.