Freelander II - correction and RaceGlaze 55 test

[TheWusman]

Well,

First up a big thanks to Dave for getting me my Meg's G220 and collection of pads and Menzerna FA and SIP for last weekend.

I spent the better part of last weekend Friday through to Sunday prepping the car based on Dave's advice, claying and using up to 3 passes with the G220 and 3M green pad with a combination of FA and SIP to get the paint swirl free and 99% RDS free. Then treated the black plastic and rubber bits with Aerospace 303 - Land Rover has shit quality plastics which fade from day one. Sad but true - I've relied on 303 for over a year now with a monthly application to "bring back the black".

Broke my back - but I learnt a massive amount during the process with Dave popping in to give me some advice and a wee bit of help.

I finished the car off late (last) Sunday afternoon with a coat of Pete's 53 - up until now my favourite wax. The results were excellent. For a 2 year old Freelander II which has been bundu bashing, through port St. Jackson thorn bushes and serves duty as a mom's taxi during the week getting somewhat abused by my SO (sorry babe - but you do - the car looked and felt butter smooth and people at work asked my if I'd picked up a newer model. Take note Land Rover - I got the car better looking than when you gave it to me new !

Sooo .... never being satisfied with what I have, I asked Dave for the new RaceGlaze pre-wax cleaner and RaceGlaze Signature Series 55' paste wax.

Gave the car a foam down and wash early this morning then used the pre-wax cleaner to prep the paint for the new wax.

Using the G220 I applied a minute amount (really - you hardly need to use much at all) of the RaceGlaze 55 to the whole vehicle and buffed to a shine with microfibre.

Herewith the results.

All I can say is that it blows Pete's 53 into touch.

I have a new "best of class" wax. This is it. I cannot believe the shine, reflection and feel. Went on and came off slightly easier than Pete's and gives a really deep gloss and perception of "wetness". Love it. What a wax.

Having said that - I still think Pete's is great at the price point it sells for, and it still has the best smell of coconut and other oils which my nose prefers. Will be eating some later with a spoon.

Cheers and enjoy !

Carn - this stuff rocks my man. Just need my foam lance now :-)

[Lambchop]

Awesome work there Sven !!!!!
Well done .

I cant wait to try my RG 55 .
To get refletion shots on a silver car isnt easy

[calypso]

That came out well, good job.

[TheWusman]

(15-11-2009 04:39 PM)calypso Wrote:  That came out well, good job.

Thanks Guys.

Not the hardest paint to work on me'thinks.

Not looking forward to fixing the new S4 when I get her from the dealer around Christmas.

Audi paints are biatches. Dave - you may need to share some elbow grease in January when I drive her back up from PE.

[calypso]

Just remember to tel Tavcor not to give the car a pre delivery wash. They think swirls add character.

[TheWusman]

(15-11-2009 07:53 PM)calypso Wrote:  Just remember to tel Tavcor not to give the car a pre delivery wash. They think swirls add character.

Lol.

Problem is the swirls are added free when it comes off the ship and gets a factory wash before getting on a truck. Tavcor just adds some love bites to the paint.

[onyx]

Nice work!

[Carn]

Hey Sven,

Only a pleasure dude and thanks for the cold ale on Saturday afternoon

Glad to see you're making good progress with the new 'toys' and already pumping out terrific results. Your car is looking stellar man, congrats on a job well done

Let's hope your new baby isn't too badly maimed pre-delivery If you do need a hand when you get back though, just shout

[dood786]

Great work, i look forward to many tales of success with rg products

[Starvekos]

Looks great and the exterior trim came out nicely.

Care to share comments on the Signature Series pre-wax cleanser. Did you see any improvement in the finish (granted you did a full detail a week earlier) or were you using its soley to leave an oily free base of the 55?

[TheWusman]

(16-11-2009 09:41 AM)Starvekos Wrote:  Looks great and the exterior trim came out nicely.

Care to share comments on the Signature Series pre-wax cleanser. Did you see any improvement in the finish (granted you did a full detail a week earlier) or were you using its soley to leave an oily free base of the 55?

Good question - because it is a very "different" product to anything I've used before.

I used a soft black applicator pad on the Megs G220 and applied a coat as instructed on a low speed setting, hardly any pressure applied.

It worked onto the paint to a light haze and buffed off with a mf cloth with ease - again no pressure required to take it off, a very light rub was all that was needed.

Then the surprise - the texture of the car still looked "waxed" (although not as newly waxed as say applying a fresh layer of Pete's 53 as I did last weekend). The real surprise was the paint "texture" - it didn't feel "waxed" anymore, but rather "glassy". Not wax "oily" but .... how do I describe it "like clean, smooth glass".

Perhaps that's the "prep" for the RG 55 to then have better bonding and longevity ?

Dunno - but it certainly seems to have done something ...

PS. After applying the RG 55 with low speed and applicator pad, the car feels totally waxed - clean glassy texture is gone ...

PPS. Having thought about this - the CG Citrus wash also leaves the car feeling slightly "glassy" and is known to strip waxes and previous LSP's if used in high enough concentration, perhaps this is exactly what the Pre-wax cleaner is doing then ... only in an easy to use and apply cream form.

[Lambchop]

Any reason for applying the RG55 with the G220 ?

[TheWusman]

(16-11-2009 12:49 PM)Lambchop Wrote:  Any reason for applying the RG55 with the G220 ?

Because it's lekker

Slowest speed, soft pad, pinch of wax worked into the pad.

Running the G220 over the car with little to no pressure ensures a nice, even and consistent application of the wax being transferred from the pad to the paint surface.

For someone who up until last weekend always did this by hand - It just feels so much better.

Buff off by hand.

[Starvekos]

Sorry for the thread-jack Wusman

(16-11-2009 12:49 PM)Lambchop Wrote:  Any reason for applying the RG55 with the G220 ?

Nic, not sure if you have already posted your thoughts on the RG55. What's your experience (application, setting time, removal, does it add its own nuanced look as Carn would say )? considering you have the most desirable collection of paste waxes on this forum.

[Lambchop]

(16-11-2009 04:05 PM)Starvekos Wrote:  Sorry for the thread-jack Wusman

(16-11-2009 12:49 PM)Lambchop Wrote:  Any reason for applying the RG55 with the G220 ?

Nic, not sure if you have already posted your thoughts on the RG55. What's your experience (application, setting time, removal, does it add its own nuanced look as Carn would say )? considering you have the most desirable collection of paste waxes on this forum.

@ Wussman ... Dude Ill compare applying wax like this:

If ur have a supermodel ( Insert Many names here - Your choice ) and you need to apply sunscreen to her body. You would do it with precision, so you get the sunblock in all the important areas ...You know . The innter thighs the cleavage bits .... Not only that you want to feel where your going and where you have been .....Need I go on ?

Applying wax with a G220 is like the cleaning lady at Pick and Pay cleaning the Floors ... Its okay cos its a large surface area but its not cool.

At R710 a tub the super model needs that personal touch
But with the Pick and Pay cleaning lady It doesnt seem the same

@ Siya .. Sorry bud i cant comnent as yet . Im currently on holiday
and Im waiting for some items from David to do the work

Dont worry though ill do a full write up once Iv done the necessary and Ill be applying the wax by hand i like to feel the curves

[Carn]

Nick, you such a purist...Thats why I love you

PS, I have your S17

Edit to add. Just thinking about this, Nick I suggest you do the 1st pass with S17 by hand...You know, get to know the curves and all that before having a go with the Flex

[Lambchop]

(16-11-2009 07:33 PM)Carn Wrote:  Nick, you such a purist...Thats why I love you

PS, I have your S17

Edit to add. Just thinking about this, Nick I suggest you do the 1st pass with S17 by hand...You know, get to know the curves and all that before having a go with the Flex

NO dude ...thats like waxing the Models Bikini area with an elastoplast
It works in theory but not in practice

[calypso]

Im not convinced about which is better when it comes to applying LSP. I think the time is nearly the same. Where the machine is faster on bigger panels its slower to re apply and you just have to move tape or go back to finish delicate areas by hand. The machine does however give a nice 'worked in' feel to the LSP. But likei said earlier, I cant decide whats better, and i probably apply LSP 70% hand and 30% machine.

[TheWusman]

(16-11-2009 07:52 PM)calypso Wrote:  Im not convinced about which is better when it comes to applying LSP. I think the time is nearly the same. Where the machine is faster on bigger panels its slower to re apply and you just have to move tape or go back to finish delicate areas by hand. The machine does however give a nice 'worked in' feel to the LSP. But likei said earlier, I cant decide whats better, and i probably apply LSP 70% hand and 30% machine.

Nee fok julle is almal mal

Anybody wanting to apply a "gentle" layer of wax by hand to a large fokken Freelander II is welcome to swing past every second weekend. I'll throw in some beers and provide some RG 55 and pads.

@Nick - The S4 will get the "scarlett johansson is lying in your garage, so give her a rub down by hand please old chap" treatment.

The Freelander certainly ain't no supermodel to start with. She's a big sturdy English lass with 36 DD's from Manchester or Liverpool at best, who's been knocked up by her cousin. In other words, there's a whole lotta' surface area to play with.

With a large 4x4, sometimes the Pick n Pay cleaning strategy works best.

But I see your point. Perhaps I'm enjoying my new toy far too much. Having spent years doing *everything* by hand (including the odd rub and a tug ........... on the polishing cloth) it's nice to save my arthritic fingers a bit.

And even at R710 a tub, considering the small quantity applied to cover a complete Freelander, that tub will last until I turn 40. Or so. Give or take a few cars.

[Lambchop]

(16-11-2009 10:39 PM)TheWusman Wrote:  

(16-11-2009 07:52 PM)calypso Wrote:  Im not convinced about which is better when it comes to applying LSP. I think the time is nearly the same. Where the machine is faster on bigger panels its slower to re apply and you just have to move tape or go back to finish delicate areas by hand. The machine does however give a nice 'worked in' feel to the LSP. But likei said earlier, I cant decide whats better, and i probably apply LSP 70% hand and 30% machine.

Nee fok julle is almal mal

Anybody wanting to apply a "gentle" layer of wax by hand to a large fokken Freelander II is welcome to swing past every second weekend. I'll throw in some beers and provide some RG 55 and pads.

@Nick - The S4 will get the "scarlett johansson is lying in your garage, so give her a rub down by hand please old chap" treatment.

The Freelander certainly ain't no supermodel to start with. She's a big sturdy English lass with 36 DD's from Manchester or Liverpool at best, who's been knocked up by her cousin. In other words, there's a whole lotta' surface area to play with.

With a large 4x4, sometimes the Pick n Pay cleaning strategy works best.

But I see your point. Perhaps I'm enjoying my new toy far too much. Having spent years doing *everything* by hand (including the odd rub and a tug ........... on the polishing cloth) it's nice to save my arthritic fingers a bit.

And even at R710 a tub, considering the small quantity applied to cover a complete Freelander, that tub will last until I turn 40. Or so. Give or take a few cars.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Okay we have included a Swamp donkey into the equation now

I agree Sven let that Miff Swampie get the G220 Treatment . It Needs that Cellulite massaging that the hands cant do LOL