Stupid Rain

[modern_messiah]

Well I washed my car over the weekend as the sun was out up here in Brisbane and looked like staying. Needless to say the 5minute "sprinkle" we got at the airport annoyed the bejesus out of me. What was the point? Literally 5mins of drizzle with nothing but blue skies for 4 days before hand and not a cloud since. Added to that the absolute construction zone that is the gateway and my car now looks like it hasn't been cleaned for months.

Made it worse by putting my windows down and then using the wipers. Probably a half a litre or so of water came in both sides of my car and ran all down the inside of the doors. In my panic I stalled it in front of the main office windows of the building and spent the next 10minutes using my jumper to wipe out the water that was collecting everywhere. I looked and felt like a knob.

Just having a bitch

[smythie]

what a bugger of a day.

[modern_messiah]

Was going well until that bump

[teK--]

Cool you have just got me started

[rant]
The weather's been pissing me off too, plus lack of daylight hours in the evening to do mods. Big reason why my new Liberty has not yet had a proper wash n wax and is still barely stock!

[/rant]

[sublime]

I know exactly what you mean mate, it always happens though. My cars white but just by looking at it after a down pour you'd think it's black from all the dirt the rain leaves behind once it drys.

[modern_messiah]

Yeah the rain in Brisbane has been very annoying of late - it doesn't rain consistently. It's like a half arsed effort. I wish it'd either pour down for a week solid and then go for a long time, or not come at all. Instead it seems to just drizzle on and off non-stop. With the exception been the odd day or 2 when its so bad it floods.

Guess I'd be used to it by now as its the same every year a this time

[teK--]

I'm going to apply a sealant called Optimum Opti-seal once I've waxed, which makes it much harder for dirt to adhere to the paintwork. Basically means that when you get a dump of dirty rain you can just hose it all right off without having to shampoo.

[tangcla]

We should turn this thread into the general consolidated rant thread

[modern_messiah]

I'm going to apply a sealant called Optimum Opti-seal once I've waxed, which makes it much harder for dirt to adhere to the paintwork. Basically means that when you get a dump of dirty rain you can just hose it all right off without having to shampoo.

I wonder if that like the Bowdens gel sealer stuff? I was looking into that the other day as I was very impressed with there cloths and chamois...

[modern_messiah]

We should turn this thread into the general consolidated rant thread

But only abut rain

[teK--]

Haven't come across the Bowdens brand before, but Optiseal has only been around for the last year or so and is now widely considered amongst detailers to have replaced Zaino Bros Clearseal, which was an amazing product for the decade or so that it's been out for.

Best way to look at both products is like having rain-x on your paint; water and dirt (when hosed) just slides right off it. Once I apply the Optiseal I'll keep it "topped up" by just using the carwash water jet and then a quick wipe with quick detailer every couple of weeks. No need to reappply Optiseal until about 4-6 months time. Keep such a regime up and will probably never need to wax or claybar the car again.

[tangcla]

Haven't come across the Bowdens brand before, but Optiseal has only been around for the last year or so and is now widely considered amongst detailers to have replaced Zaino Bros Clearseal, which was an amazing product for the decade or so that it's been out for.

Best way to look at both products is like having rain-x on your paint; water and dirt (when hosed) just slides right off it. Once I apply the Optiseal I'll keep it "topped up" by just using the carwash water jet and then a quick wipe with quick detailer every couple of weeks. No need to reappply Optiseal until about 4-6 months time. Keep such a regime up and will probably never need to wax or claybar the car again.

Whereabouts in Melb are you? I'm keen to meet up to see how this stuff is. I'd be doing it on my car and my dad's car if it's really that good

[modern_messiah]

...and I'll be waiting to see if this is really the go as well. It it's as good as you say it might become very popular around these parts.

[teK--]

Hey Tangcla I am in Vermont South.

I haven't received the Optiseal yet it is on order from NSW and awaiting it to arrive. Even then I'm waiting for this crappy weather to hold out for a day when I have daylight so I can actually apply it! After reading many car detailing forms my intended plan is this:

Initial process to recondition the car:
- Rinse. Autoglym shampoo/conditioner, Rinse, Chamois car.
- Claybar most of the car to remove all graininess (this does not cut the paint like polishes do, but removes all surface contaminants)
- Rinse and chamois the car.
- Autoglym super resin polish (this is adds depth to the paint and a hard protective resin coating similar to wax). Buff off by hand.
- Optiseal

This initial process will probably take me 2-3 hours since the super resin needs to be buffed off, but the optiseal once applied does NOT need to be buffed; it cures within hours by itself.

Regular maintenance
- Weekly hosedown of car (don't even need to chamois once you start driving the car all the remaining water and dirt should run off) (5mins tops at carwash)
- 2-3 weeks shampoo + chamois + quick detailer (I will be using Dodo Juice red mist, which again is widely deemed to have replaced Meguiars ultimate quick detailer). This is very quick to apply and will prevent the clearseal from wearing out so quickly. (30mins tops)

4-6 monthly
- shampoo + chamois + clearseal (30 mins tops)

A mate of mine with a 99 black Skyline has followed the same regime and his paint still feels and looks like glass, it is immaculate. My last car due to neglect has paint that looks like moon craters so I'm more than happy to put in a little bit of time regularly to keep the Liberty looking in great nick

[tangcla]

How much is this Optiseal stuff?