paint protection

forbidenss · #1 31-08-2008, 10:27 PM

i have a 08 VE SS PHANTOM BLACK ... i am starting to notice fine swirls of scratches all over the paint work , i am using the mothers brand car wash .. does any one else have this problem with the paint .. does any one have the holden paint protection. is it worth doing

joshtaylor87 · #2 01-09-2008, 12:09 PM

I had paint protection done by the dealer, let me just say that it's not worth it! It cost me $1700 for a 5 way protection system (interior, exterior, wheels etc) and window tint. I regret letting them talk me into it! Biggest waste of money in my opinion. The paint still looks and marks the same as my dads SSV without the protection.

Don't waste your money getting the dealer to do it. You could probably get the same thing done for less than half the price elsewhere. And it would probably be a better product.

excalibur · #3 01-09-2008, 12:14 PM

i got paint protection on my VZ definately a big waste of money already gettin faded spots on rear doors

Cousin Slow Poke · #4 01-09-2008, 12:22 PM

paint protection should be called paint destruction

its crappy polishing and waxing products used by the bums at the dealership who couldn't give a rats arse about what they do to your paint. usually adds swirl marks and imperfections rather than protecting anything.

best advice would be to laugh at the dealer when they offer it, and get it done by a reputable detailer after you pick up the car.

fwiw i'm taking my car to melbourne to get detailed properly. afaik that's where the best detailer in the country is.

forbidenss · #5 01-09-2008, 01:52 PM

Cheers for that .. Black is a real prick for keepin clean ..

TJT · #6 02-09-2008, 06:04 PM

I have the paint protection on my VE SSV but I only bought it because it was in a package with tint and the alarm as a bonus, cost me what the alarm and tint would have alone so no probs for me. Haven't noticed any swirls etc but it's Nitrate so would be hard to see

Feel your pain on the black though, we have a black VE SS here at home and it's impossible to keep clean. I wanted that colour till that was home for a week, then thought nah too much work and went silver.

andyman · #7 02-09-2008, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJT

I have the paint protection on my VE SSV but I only bought it because it was in a package with tint and the alarm as a bonus, cost me what the alarm and tint would have alone so no probs for me. Haven't noticed any swirls etc but it's Nitrate so would be hard to see

Feel your pain on the black though, we have a black VE SS here at home and it's impossible to keep clean. I wanted that colour till that was home for a week, then thought nah too much work and went silver.

an alarm should have been standard on a ssv, cause its standard on my executive vz wagon

joshtaylor87 · #8 03-09-2008, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyman

an alarm should have been standard on a ssv, cause its standard on my executive vz wagon

Maybe he means the alarm upgrade? Which in my opinion is a waste of money as well. I also had this alarm upgrade added, cost 600buks and it does nothing! All it is is a couple of movement sensors on the inside of the A pillars (they go in where most of you have those little rectangle covers in your A pillars) and a siren as well as the horn. Wow my money well spent!...NOT!!!

This alarm upgrade and 5-way protection system was the biggest waste of over 2 grand!

Scooter79 · #9 03-09-2008, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by forbidenss

i have a 08 VE SS PHANTOM BLACK ... i am starting to notice fine swirls of scratches all over the paint work , i am using the mothers brand car wash .. does any one else have this problem with the paint .. does any one have the holden paint protection. is it worth doing

Welcome to the world of owning a black car. Dark colours like reds, blues and blacks ALL show up swirls. It's hard to avoid and paint protection will not prevent this. All paint protection does is prevent fallout like acidic bird dropping and tree sap from eating through the paintwork until you have to to wash it off. You'll also find that most paint protection warranty will be void unless you reapply every 12 months.

It's near impossible to avoid swirls but to minimise them use a dedicated washmit. Like Meguiars lamswool mit or even the microfibre 'noodle' sponges. The old fashioned foam sponges are a massive no no. Thats your biggest problem. Also wash in straight lines not in circular motions and don't scrub. Just let it glide across the surface. As far as what wash to use, use anything with a high lubricity or what feels slippery. Meguiars soft wash (pink stuff) or MEguiars NXT wash (purple stuff) is what I prefer but the Mothers stuff should be fine. Don't use dish washing detergent. Before I forget don't wash the car when the surface is hot. The water will evaporate before you can rinse the soap of and what you'll be left with is the minerals in the water which can eat through paint. Commonly known as 'water spotting'. In summer wash in the later afternoon or very early in the morning.

When drying don't use a chamois. Buy yourself some microfibre cloths and and a spray detailer. I use the 2L bottle of Meguiars Waterless wash which is actually rebottled Meguiars 'last touch' from their detailer range of products. Has a high level of lubricity.

Finally instead of paying $1500 for some dealer to apply protection, buy yourself some good quality wax/sealant. Meguiars Hi Tech Yellow wax is great on black. Adds a lot of depth. Then each time after you wash use a spray on wax to boost the protection. Duragloss Aquawax is fantastic but can only be bought online. Remember that what it looks like all depend on the time you take to prep the paint work. That includes washing, claybar, buffing out swirls etc, then applying your polishes and waxes/sealants. There is a detailing sticky in the Genral section. I've made a number of posts in the last few pages you may find useful.

By the way, where are you located?

forbidenss · #10 03-09-2008, 04:44 PM

Thanks for that .. ive gone from a blue VT , which was really easy to keep clean..to a black VE not so easy to keep clean .. Im in perth ..

andyman · #11 03-09-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter79

By the way, where are you located?

im in nowra, wanna do mine lol

Scooter79 · #12 03-09-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyman

im in nowra, wanna do mine lol

In all seriousness what needs doing and how much are you willing to pay me? You have a wagon so thats more time = more money. To compare I restored the neglected paint on an '01 Hyundai and that took nearly five hours and keep in mind that detailing is my hobby, not job. I'm near shellharbour if you're interested.

Oh, and Forbiddenss I forgot to mention, use the two bucket wash method. Means have you normal bucket of car wash and a 2nd bucket of just water. Before dunking your dirty wash mit/sponge back in the wash bucket, give it a quick swish in the plain water bucket to remove and debris from the fibres and prevent washing with dirty suds. Something as simple as dirty water can even cause fine swirls.

andyman · #13 04-09-2008, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scooter79

In all seriousness what needs doing and how much are you willing to pay me? You have a wagon so thats more time = more money. To compare I restored the neglected paint on an '01 Hyundai and that took nearly five hours and keep in mind that detailing is my hobby, not job. I'm near shellharbour if you're interested.

if i get stuck with something bad one day ill give you you a yell, im getting the detailing thing down pat atm.

the one thing i need help with the moment is the rubber trim around the windows, which is a good product the restore them?

one of the back windows is slightly pitted like the rubber has broken down or a poor moulding and as a results has small amount of polish in it which give the rubber a whitish sort of tinge to it.