Hoping another detailing fanatic can chime in on this question... Does anyone else think the clear coat Acura uses is unusually soft? My car is only a year old, and after this crappy winter, I finally got around to giving my car a goor wash. It's garage kept, and I NEVER take a snow brush to the paint

I'm noticing a lot of marring and the front bumper , and hood has a bit of damage from what I assume is road salt, and loose asphalt hitting the car while driving. It seems to me my BMW clear coat was way harder and stood up to road conditions way better than this car is.

I'm going to have to do a 2 stage polishing just for the front, to try to even out the finish then just hit the whole care with Menzerna sf 4000 for the scratching everywhere and give it that extra glossy look

If I can restore the front to like new again, I'll probably have a clear bra installed.

 

From what i learned acura paint is actually hard. And that is why it is damaged so easily.

Mine was delivered with holograms. Us e d Sf4500 to remove them.
Then had full front bra'd up. Full bumper. Hesdlights mirrors hood. Door sills. Door handle cups.

 

The clearcoat layer is soft.
All clearcoat sucks.
The buying public has been duped into thinking it's something special.

I put a coat if ple22 on my car to minimize the issue.

 

Clearcoat is what gives your paint gloss. Without it your car wouldn't be as pretty as it is. Its evolution of technology. It offers advantages single stage paints don't have.

 

Yes I know it gives the paint gloss but it scratches sooooo very easily. Its a joke and cheap for the manufacturers to apply.

 

Any paint is easy to scratch. Even single stage paint. There are maintenance techniques that work if you enjoy that. Personally I love it so it's fun. The other option is dipping your car or vinyl. Vinyl is a great option for an average for 600 for materials and year's later keeps your paint looking factory fresh. That's my plan for any cars I pick up in the future.

 

It's funny. On BMW boards they moan about the paint, they moan about the paint on Acura, Honda, Mercedes, GM, Ford and every other board out there.

all paints are fine. Bad washing methods cause swirls and tailgating increases the roadrash on the front of your car.

 

But those swirls and fine scratches are in the clearcoat 99% of the time

 

True but the point is to minimize damage while washing the car. The minor marring in the paint can't be seen and with 1 coat of wax is eliminated.

 

Yes, some can't be eliminated - but...

A good polish, followed by a quality sealant /wax will keep those at a minimum.

A good detailer can bring your back to looking better than when it first drove off the dealer lot - and it doesn't take all that much effort to keep it looking that way.

Step 1 is not to tailgate. Everytime you see a car with disgusting looking headlights and lots of road rash, you can bet that the driver tailgates - maybe not the "on the back bumper of the car in front of you" tailgating, but not leaving sufficient room to the vehicle in front of you.

 

Yeah guys, listen to ceb, don't tailgate....

...just cut them off instead

 

That works. Give them road rash.

 

How do you like that product? I am considering the VX1 sinces its on sale at detailed image. Easy to use?

 

Yup, both you and Ceb are correct... i have a horrible tendancy too tailgait. I guess I never really put 2 and 2 together as my aggressive driving habits causing un-needed road rash