Ask An Expert About Detailing – Maintaining a Mirror-Like Finish

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Ask An Expert About Detailing - Maintaining a Mirror-Like Finish

Photo Credit: Lithium Auto Elixirs


A couple weeks back we introduced a new series called “Ask An Expert About Detailing” with our resident detailing expert Bill Crawley, founder of Lithium Auto Elixirs. We know many of you have questions about how to keep your Corvettes looking great, and you didn’t disappoint with your responses when it came to our first topic on Clay Bars and Lubricants. Bill responded personally to all those who submitted a question and we have some of those clay bar/lubricant-related questions and answers below.

Do you have detailing questions for Bill? Send your car wash and detailing questions to [email protected] and you will receive a personal answer to your question. If we feature your question as the next topic for our Ask An Expert series, you’ll receive a $250 gift card to Lithium Auto Elixirs. Everyone who submits a question will be entered to win. This week’s featured question has to do with maintaining a mirror-like finish on your Corvette.

C6 Corvette Comes Alive with Lithium Auto Elixirs C6 Corvette Comes Alive with Lithium Auto Elixirs

Featured Question from Cliff T.

I have a Black C8, and like most, if not all Corvette Owners, I always keep my car looking very good!! I have a strong interest in a non-abrasive product that will help me get and maintain that ‘Mirror finish’ look.

Lithium’s Answer

What a great car, congratulations. We really struggle with cars that are this new, one, because they are at the top of the curve for healthy paint – and therefore, you would be hard-pressed to get any more shine or light reflection from them (you can only get a window so clean, then at some point it wasted energy) Also, when a car is this new its paint finish is also at its softest and most vulnerable (for up to 18 months) so over washing it or putting on a coat of wax can actually do more harm, in terms of micro-scratches, etc. during the car’s infancy.

Our recommendation to you would be – to use a good drying agent. This is a product that you spray on your car after rinsing, while the panels are still wet. A good formula will contain lubricants, conditioners and polymers, which will help prevent micro scratches in the finish that mainly occur during the drying process. This ritual will also address your desire to maintain a “Mirror Finish” as the polymers and Si02 (the basic ingredient in Ceramic) are not only “non-abrasive” but will remain on the surface of the paint for a couple of months and will provide an extremely slick surface that will not only shine like the sun but will help keep the car much cleaner between washes, reducing the amount baths needed. We make an incredible after wash called ‘Ignite After Wash‘, this product will provide you everything you want without the downside of handling your paint too often.

The Solution

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Lithium’s Ignite After Wash conditions and lubricates your Corvette’s exterior paint during the toweling drying process – when your paint is most vulnerable to scratching. Ignite After Wash conditions the paint with a Si02 coating and polymers that eliminates scratches while drying and soap film will also be a thing of the past. There is a curing element to Ignite After Wash so the real results will show up the next morning.

Ignite’s hydrophobic formula will keep your Corvette looking great between washes, and the formula stacks after each application for additional protection when used after every wash. Lithium sells their 16-ounce bottle of Ignite After Wash for $21.99.
Ignite After Wash

Clay Bar Questions and Answers

Our last Q&A detailing topic on Clay Bars and Lubricants brought in some very good questions from fellow CorvetteBlogger readers. Bill responded to every question personally, and we are sharing some of those responses below.

Question from Matthew A: Do you use your clay bar on old lacquer paint in the same way you would on a newer clear coat? I am always looking for tips on how to best care/polish, etc. and bring out the shine on old original lacquer paint.

Lithium’s Answer: The answer is ‘yes’, you would clay bar lacquer finishes in the exact same way. Where things can go wrong with the older lacquer paints is when people do not keep the paint surface and clay bar lubricated enough, so make sure you are constantly respraying the surface and the clay, with the detailer spray. Also Matt, these older paints are more susceptible to micro scratches, so when clay barring them, it is preferable to rub the surface in a cross-hatch motion i.e. moving the clay in the direction the wind passes over the surface of the car, then go horizontally. Do just one panel at a time, you will feel the paint start to smooth out and actually get quiet as the debris is removed. I know I listed quite a few things here – but the process is actually super easy (takes about 20 minutes for an entire car) and will make a huge difference in your paint.

Clay Bar Kit
Question from Carl E: After using a clay bar and a high-quality wax with a cutting agent and a low-speed buffer, I still see small scratches in the paint! I am trying to keep my 2020 red convertible as shiny as possible but still not quite happy with the results. Can you give me any advice? Thanks!

Lithium’s Answer: We really hate to touch paints which are this young – because believe it or not these pigments are still quite soft. Also Carl, they are still at the peak of “their shine curve” so when you use a “cutting agent” (as fine as it may be, you are basically taking sandpaper to your paint) a procedure usually reserved for much older surfaces, which are harder and could use a little exfoliation as they have aged. If you see below, we basically use the analogy ” you can only make a window so transparent and the same holds true for making paint shine. There is definitely a law of diminishing return for both. Therefore, with new paint the goal should never be more shine, but less handling and more protection from damage. Our advice would be – to not use a buffer, as they really should only be used when you are trying to correct paint that is already damaged, not pristine paint on a 2020. We make a product called Seal and Squeal, which contains an ingredient called “active amino polymers” and also Si02 and other paint conditioners, which will help fill and reduce the micro scratches. This product will cure and seal the paint and should really help. Although many professional Detailers apply it with a wheel, we would recommend you use a Microfiber applicator and apply it – one quarter panel at a time. Also Carl, you will want to apply it in a crosshatch pattern (not a circular one). This product also stacks nicely, meaning once it cures (about 8 hours) you can put on multiple layers and we think you will be super happy with the results.


Luster Lube

Question from Gary L: I have used clay bars in the past, but recently using clay bar has resulted in micro-scratches in the paint. They did come out with polishing, but … Am I using the wrong clay, or using it incorrectly? I tend to use a lot of spray to ensure that won’t happen, but … Any ideas?

Lithium’s Answer: Great questions. A couple of things to note: not all clay and lubricants are created equal, which goes for both quality and abrasiveness. There are fine clays and less than fine (we always recommend and use only fine) also if you are overusing the clay – meaning not kneading it often enough this can cause issues as well and all those pollutants which you are taking out of the paint are now on the surface of the clay and can create loads of mini scratches or if you drop the clay and try to keep using it. These are all culprits in the manner of leaving micro scratches. However, from what we have seen in watching and teaching 100s of people how to properly clay bar their cars the most likely this is the clay you are using is just a bit coarse. If you would like to provide us your address and we will send you out some product to try and to see how it works. Super fine super high quality lubricants as well. Also remember Gary when clay barring the proper technique is not to do this in a circular motion but to use a straight-lined cross hatch pattern, this provides better coverage and also ensures that you do not overwork a particular section – which will also result in micro scratching.

Question from Greg C: I have owned various Corvettes over the last six decades and have never used a Clay bar on the finish. How often should I give my C7 a clay bar treatment?

Lithium’s Answer: The answer to that question depends greatly on how often your corvette is driven and in what kind of environment. If it is a weekender and garaged, once a year is more than enough. For daily drivers, we usually go every 6 months. Or you can simply do the ‘hand test’ if your car is clean and you run your hand lightly across the paint does it feel like glass or sort of scratchy, almost like it has an overspray on it. If the latter is the case, it is time to get out the old clay bar. Make sure you keep the clay and the paint surface very well lubricated, and it will be super quick and you will love the results.

Lithium Auto Elixers

Question from Dave D: Often we check Youtube for advice or clarification, etc. That’s what I recently did to get educated on using clay bars on my ’22 C8. I’m usually checking a few videos for comparison, and one of them suggested using just water to lubricate, and another had a formula for mixing up lubricating fluid. Please explain why using ‘Luster Lube’ is superior enough that I really shouldn’t cheap out and make the investment.

Lithium’s Answer: Thanks for reaching out – and just in time. Please do not ever just water to lubricate a clay bar – that would be the equivalent of simply wet sanding your beautiful C8 and honestly, for the price, I would let the professional chemist mix the lubricant formulas as they really know their polymers and how to avoid causing damage to your paint. Our second plea is: Dave please do not clay bar your 2022 C8, it is way too young and the paint is still way too soft and way too perfect. You really should do nothing to the surface for another 6 to 8 months and then I still wouldn’t touch it if possible. The less you handle things like that the fewer micro scratches you will get in the paint.

Submit Your Detailing Question

Got a detailing question for Bill for next month’s “Ask The Expert” column? Send us your car wash and detailing questions to [email protected]. If your question is picked as the Featured Question, you’ll receive a $250 gift card to Lithium Auto Elixirs! Even if your question isn’t selected, you’ll still receive a response from master detailer Bill Crawley that will hopefully answer it.


Source:
Lithium Auto Elixirs

 



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1 COMMENT

  1. Thank you Bill Crawley for the tips! I can’t wait for it to get above freezing so I can use Lithium detailing products 🙂

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