CanuckG35

^ Thanks Rich. I am always up for trying new products so I would certainly love to give this a try. Where do you typically purchase it at? Also, links to your vids would be great too. Thanks again.

Looks incredible Rich!! What's the durability like on the Cquartz? Btw, your FX looks smokin' hawt! One of the sexiest SUVs on the road IMHO.

^ Good post Rich, thanks. I completely agree that not all solvent based tire dressings are made equal and that some may not be harmful to your tires. Having said that, since the vast majority of us are not chemists, my personal opinion is to play it safe and use water based tire dressings only for my customers. I just don't feel comfortable using or recommending a product that can potentially be harmful on customer's tires. Thanks again for the post Rich, great info.

^ Good stuff, great price as well!!

The issue with solvent based tire dressings is not that they do not look good or do not last, it's that they can damage your tires over time. It's a widely known issue with solvent based tire dressings, which is why virtually all professional tire dressings are water based. Pretty much only the OTC stuff is solvent based.

^ Yep, that's great stuff......especially for winter time washes!

Good stuff Wilson, your Edge looks fantastic! It's pretty gratifying after you've completed the job isn't it? A couple of great tools when detailing is a halogen lamp like the one below and also a creaper seat. The halogen lamp will really help show the true paint condition of your vehicle. Also, the next time you apply the Power Lock sealant, try applying it by hand instead of machine. You'll use less product and it will make it easy to remove.

Paul, in all honesty, you should throw that california water blade right in the garbage. They are absolutely horrendous for your paint. You wouldn't believe how much scratches and spider webbing they can cause to your paint. Here's a customer's vehicle that used a California water blade on their paint. MF waffle weave drying towels are a hugely recommended for drying your paint.

Actually, Zaino Z2 and Z5 are not polishes at all, they are merely sealants.

I would recommend protecting your paint with a sealant vs a typical carnuba wax. Sealants are much more durable than a wax and you typically only need to apply them 2-3 times a year. Menzerna, Zaino, Chemical Guys, Poorboys World, and Blackfire all make great sealants. With the exception of Zaino, you can find all of the above sealants at www.detailedimage.com. I would also recommend picking up a proper wash/dry kit from them as using proper washing and drying products will greatly reduce paint imperfections. Since you do not want to spend a lot of time keeping your Edge clean, I would highly recommend picking up Poorboys Spray & Wipe. It's a waterless wash quick detailer that has lubricants in it so it won't scratch your paint. You can wash your Edge (light dirt, dust, pollen, etc) in about 5 minutes or so with this product. For tire dressings, there is another thread in this section where I've provided some good products. I hope this helps.

^ Unfortunately it's still a solvent based tire dressing and not something I would recommend.

The best way to protect your vehicle regardless of the environmental conditions is to apply a Sealant. A Carnuba wax will provide the same level of protection as a sealant, however not near as long. From a detailer's perspective regarding winter washing, the most optimal thing you can do is to take your Edge to a local coin op and rinse all of the salt, sand, and dirt from your paint surface. Once that is done, bring it back home and wash it with a rinseless product like Optimum No Rinse or Quick & Easy Wash. These types of rinseless washes will not scratch your paint. If you do not use a product like this during the winter months, I'd simply suggest taking your Edge to the local coin wash and merely rinse the salt and dirt off your paint surface and undercarriage. Just don't let a brush or anything similiar touch your paint surface.

Good stuff, glad to hear the detailing is coming along nicely. It's not easy stuff is it? My longest detail in one day was 16 hours........talk about sore afterwards!!

Yikes, I would highly recommend not using a bath towel (or anything else cotton) on your paint. Towels, even the soft ones, are not paint friendly. Pick up a couple of MF dehydrating towels, your paint will thank you. http://www.detailedimage.com/DI-Microfiber-M13/Waffle-Weave-Drying-Towel-P100/36-x-24-S1/

Great price. While I personally do not use one, I know of a lot of other detailers that do use something like this and they speak highly of it. Go for it!

Wilson, first and foremost a HUGE congrats on the birth of your Grandson! That's just awesome, and I am sure you are just thrilled. :shades::hyper: Also, good stuff on tackling the detail this weekend. If you need any help with anything, just let me know. PM me if you have any questions and I can give you my cell phone number.

Actually, the Poorboys Trim Restorer I mentioned previously will bring back your trim, even with the dried wax on it.

Yep, Poorboys Trim Restorer is perfect for you bumper. http://www.detailedimage.com/Poorboys-World-M1/Trim-Restorer-P35/16-oz-S1/

Poorboys Trim Restorer will do the trick.

Absolutely true. Perhaps I should of clarified, but I was referring to the 17" tires I posted above compared to the stock 18" tires, which are narrower.

A smaller, narrower tire will offer better traction and cut through snow much better. Being cheaper is just a bonus.

IMHO, I would go with the 17's. A narrower tire will cut through the snow much better and offer better traction. Think of a how a thin knife will cut through butter than a thicker knife. Keep in mind though that running 17's will put your speedo out slighty (approximately 1mph). I'll be purchasing DM-V1s as well, and they'll be 235/65-17s.

Definitely don't let them freeze, so I would certainly bring them inside.

Ok, nothing too crazy yet. We had a beautiful Thanksgiving day here today. Sunny and about 17C (62F). Went for a nice top down cruise in the S2000. Not too many top down days left now.

That's disappointing news. The Limited tester that I had home for a couple of days didn't have Navi, so I've yet to see what it's like. The Navi in my Infiniti is extremely good, so hopefully I won't be downgrading with the one in the Edge. Thanks for posting your thoughts on it so far.