A Detailers Maverick Experience: Thin Paint, Ceramic Coating, Etc.

[ParagonDetail]

Does choice of paint color make a difference? For example my Hot Pepper Red, called a "tri-coat" - would that appreciably increase the paint thickness?

Tri-Coat is just another layer of colored paint. Traditional paint system is Primer/Base/Clear. Tri-coat would be Primer/Base/Middle/Clear. I would assume it be thicker because you’re laying down an extra layer of paint. Thats definitely a question for an experienced painter or for someone who works for Ford.

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[ParagonDetail]

Really appreciate all the advice, you're a credit to your trade.

Definitely will do the very best prep I can. I don't intend to do paint correction on my 2 week old truck, come what may...

Good thinking. Paint preservation is most important at the end of the day. Let the paint serve it’s purpose. Just keep it protected and you’ll never have a problem

 

[KenT]

I did my first wash on new Maverick and foolishly used a soft nylon brush to get bird droppings of the roof and hood. Owners manual had no warnings about cleaning with brush. Now see light scratches where I used brush (but only in direct sunlight). Will clear coat on hood and roof be deep enough for full paint correction without burning through clear coat? ( Have Area51 color. )

Thank you so much for your posting. It educated me about paint correction and ceramic coatings. I intend to get both now. One silver lining to my error was that it impressed on me the benefit of the ceramic coating. Previously, I thought it was just another practically useless product pushed by the dealer finance office to pad the profit on the sale, like undercoating.

Your post also guided me about where to go for paint correction and protection. I found out, through you, about the IDA and found a few members near me on the web site you helped create. Are you familiar with any of the members in the Salt Lake area?

And thanks again. This post is a panic reliever for me.

 

[Jameson]

Depends really. Yes those prices are high but that’s what you get at a lot of these high end shops. I used to work in one and it costs a lot of money to keep the doors open. You’re paying premium pricing. Upside is you typically won’t get a busted job.

…and just like that, I have my first hood chip. Distracted driver in front of me went two wheels deep into a Debris covered shoulder and kicked up a mess of pebbles. I had planned on pouting a clear vinyl bra this month. Too late!

Won’t help with the chip, but are home-user products, such as those by Griot’s Garage a problem to use on thin paint, or is this primarily a concern for more aggressive pro-detailer products?

 

[Superchunk]

One more basic question, what is recommended to use for interior cleaning/upkeep? I get sand and dust and dog drool. I have 303 protectant but not sure I should use that for 'cleaning"...

 

[Superchunk]

Ok I'm impressed. Did the whole process using liquid crystal and it really, really is worth the time and money.

Here is a pic after 400+km driving yesterday with lots of gravel roads, rain etc...

Not having the constant layer of dust on the bottom half of the car is gonna make me really happy.

 

[ParagonDetail]

I did my first wash on new Maverick and foolishly used a soft nylon brush to get bird droppings of the roof and hood. Owners manual had no warnings about cleaning with brush. Now see light scratches where I used brush (but only in direct sunlight). Will clear coat on hood and roof be deep enough for full paint correction without burning through clear coat? ( Have Area51 color. )

Thank you so much for your posting. It educated me about paint correction and ceramic coatings. I intend to get both now. One silver lining to my error was that it impressed on me the benefit of the ceramic coating. Previously, I thought it was just another practically useless product pushed by the dealer finance office to pad the profit on the sale, like undercoating.

Your post also guided me about where to go for paint correction and protection. I found out, through you, about the IDA and found a few members near me on the web site you helped create. Are you familiar with any of the members in the Salt Lake area?

And thanks again. This post is a panic reliever for me.

Oh no not the nylon brush. I agree manufacturer’s should be giving out information on how to properly maintain your vehicles however there is nothing they can say that isn’t already out there on the internet. You will have to have a professional look at it and see if it’s not too deep to correct. They must do a paint reading to see how much paint is on there and hopefully they are educated enough to make a decision and come up with a game plan to get your truck as close to “new” as possible. Sorry you have to deal with this but lesson learned.

Thank you for the kind words. My intentions are to educate as many as possible about proper car care and the importance of it. I’m glad to help anyway I can.
I apologize for the late response I’ve been very busy at work and building my website.

Good luck

 

[ParagonDetail]

…and just like that, I have my first hood chip. Distracted driver in front of me went two wheels deep into a Debris covered shoulder and kicked up a mess of pebbles. I had planned on pouting a clear vinyl bra this month. Too late!

Won’t help with the chip, but are home-user products, such as those by Griot’s Garage a problem to use on thin paint, or is this primarily a concern for more aggressive pro-detailer products?

You can have rock Chip repair done and it should be all good. Dr. Colorchip uses OEM paint to exactly match your cars color code and their kits are fairly easy to use.

Griots (pronounced “Greeos“) makes good products that you can buy at most AutoZone stores. Just follow the directions on the bottles, don’t apply products in direct sunlight or to hot panels and you should be okay.

Hope this helps

 

[ParagonDetail]

One more basic question, what is recommended to use for interior cleaning/upkeep? I get sand and dust and dog drool. I have 303 protectant but not sure I should use that for 'cleaning"...

303 is a protective dressing and you don’t want to apply it to a dirty surface. I swear by P&S products, their a press interior cleaner is the only thing you’ll need to clean every surface but the screen in your car. Hope that helps.

 

[ParagonDetail]

Ok I'm impressed. Did the whole process using liquid crystal and it really, really is worth the time and money.

Here is a pic after 400+km driving yesterday with lots of gravel roads, rain etc...

Not having the constant layer of dust on the bottom half of the car is gonna make me really happy.

Great job love to hear it!!

 

[ladyhawkgt]

so how is the paint holding up?

 

[Osilith]

You can have rock Chip repair done and it should be all good. Dr. Colorchip uses OEM paint to exactly match your cars color code and their kits are fairly easy to use.

Griots (pronounced “Greeos“) makes good products that you can buy at most AutoZone stores. Just follow the directions on the bottles, don’t apply products in direct sunlight or to hot panels and you should be okay.

Hope this helps

Thanks for making me aware of this product, had a run in with a renegade rock truck cutting people off about a month back and also some very peculiar scratches on my hood that are white underneath...maybe a bird or something? But definitely don't feel the need for an insurance claim yet and I really don't want panels coming off my truck just yet if I can help it so I am going to give this Dr. Colorchip product a try. Have any advice in relation to using the product by chance?

Now I just gotta figure out how to fix/mitigate the pea circle crack I have in my windshield as well.

 

[Optimus]

Wow, awesome thread! Not sure how I missed this having been a member over a year now.

Not sure if the OP is still around, but if someone was going to apply both PPF, AND, a ceramic coating, which would you be doing first? Will a coating cause adhesion problems for PPF? Can PPF be ceramic coated so it can shine as good as the rest of the (non-PPF) paint?

I would probably be doing the same EXO4 and CSL, and a PPF like XPEL on the front of the truck. I just got our ‘23 brand new, and our winters are harsh MN. I won’t be able to detail it 5-6 months of the year…. So I need to protect it for the long haul.

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