Keeping black chrome clean?

[‘18_Stinger]

Anyone with advice on keeping the black chrome on back of mirrors and front grill clean/free of dry water spots?

 

[ScottyDangles]

Anyone with advice on keeping the black chrome on back of mirrors and front grill clean/free of dry water spots?

If you know of a good detail shop have them put the Expel paint protection film over it, makes it way easier to maintain. If you're in the Greater Toronto Area I can let you know of a good shop.

 

[‘18_Stinger]

If you know of a good detail shop have them put the Expel paint protection film over it, makes it way easier to maintain. If you're in the Greater Toronto Area I can let you know of a good shop.

Please do, I’m in GTA Thanks

 

[ScottyDangles]

Please do, I’m in GTA Thanks

Email Joe at info@amp-motorsports.com. You can check their site out at AMP Motorsports – Automotive Detailing & Sales . He has done my Stinger and my co-worker's Stinger. We did full front Expel PPF and Ceramic Pro coating along with tints. He does awesome work. Let him know Scott sent you.

Even with the ceramic pro coating the Black Chrome is a huge pain in the ass to maintain. He has a kit that does the front and sides pieces which he couldn't do initially. I still have to bring mine in to get done but the mirrors are done and they are always amazing to look at.

 

[mldavis2]

I have no problem. Cleaned every last bit of waterspotting and road dirt from transport off the black chrome with claybar, then a coat of wax (carnuba/poly) and it cleans like new if you dry it with a microfiber towel.

 

[Kia Stinger]

I'm moving this discussion to our Detailing forum. We also have a similar discussion going on here: Smoke or dark chrome on the Stinger

 

[Manchuz]

Email Joe at info@amp-motorsports.com. You can check their site out at AMP Motorsports – Automotive Detailing & Sales . He has done my Stinger and my co-worker's Stinger. We did full front Expel PPF and Ceramic Pro coating along with tints. He does awesome work. Let him know Scott sent you.

Even with the ceramic pro coating the Black Chrome is a huge pain in the ass to maintain. He has a kit that does the front and sides pieces which he couldn't do initially. I still have to bring mine in to get done but the mirrors are done and they are always amazing to look at.

Hey Scotty, why would you do both the Xpel and Ceramic Pro? Isn't that overkill? I assume you did it for added protection. I'm looking into Ceramic coating and would probably opt for the standard "gold" package which usually has about 7 coats of ceramic. Now I know nothing is bulletproof but I would hope that is enough to prevent basic paint chips from stones.

Or maybe another question to ask is if you had to pick between Xpel or Ceramic Pro, which would you go for and why.

I should've done this way sooner as I already have some stone chips in my bumper and chrome on the grille! I hope they can repair it before applying the coats.

 

[ScottyDangles]

Hey Scotty, why would you do both the Xpel and Ceramic Pro? Isn't that overkill? I assume you did it for added protection. I'm looking into Ceramic coating and would probably opt for the standard "gold" package which usually has about 7 coats of ceramic. Now I know nothing is bulletproof but I would hope that is enough to prevent basic paint chips from stones.

Or maybe another question to ask is if you had to pick between Xpel or Ceramic Pro, which would you go for and why.

I should've done this way sooner as I already have some stone chips in my bumper and chrome on the grille! I hope they can repair it before applying the coats.

They are two different products. Xpel will actually protect your car from some pretty intense road rash, it also self heals. I would honestly cover my entire car if it wasn't so expensive. Ceramic Pro is much less expensive and offers some protection but nowhere near the protection the Xpel PPF offers, more of an additional clear coat. Keeps the car looking super shiny!

Go to this link, it offers a pretty good explanation of each: AMP Motorsports – Automotive Detailing & Sales

The most important part of applying Paint Protection Film and the nano coating is prepping the car. If the car isn't prepped correctly it will look like crap.

 

[Manchuz]

They are two different products. Xpel will actually protect your car from some pretty intense road rash, it also self heals. I would honestly cover my entire car if it wasn't so expensive. Ceramic Pro is much less expensive and offers some protection but nowhere near the protection the Xpel PPF offers, more of an additional clear coat. Keeps the car looking super shiny!

Go to this link, it offers a pretty good explanation of each: AMP Motorsports – Automotive Detailing & Sales

The most important part of applying Paint Protection Film and the nano coating is prepping the car. If the car isn't prepped correctly it will look like crap.

Thanks. I gave them a call and he explained the 2 processes. Ceramic Pro (gold package) is still pricey at $1700, which is more than their Xpel's gold protection. I will probably do a combination of both as they'll offer some discount, but now I gotta determine what packages for each. Definitely don't have the coin to do the top package on both. I regret doing the paint protection at the dealer - no idea what they actually did. Pretty much useless.

 

[ScottyDangles]

Thanks. I gave them a call and he explained the 2 processes. Ceramic Pro (gold package) is still pricey at $1700, which is more than their Xpel's gold protection. I will probably do a combination of both as they'll offer some discount, but now I gotta determine what packages for each. Definitely don't have the coin to do the top package on both. I regret doing the paint protection at the dealer - no idea what they actually did. Pretty much useless.

Been there done that with dealerships, they aren't geared for highly customized detailing. I ended up doing full front Xpel and Ceramic Pro Silver on the car. It is pricey but worth it, my front end is pretty much safe from my daily commute on the 407 and 401. I find even the partial coverings on the front end with Xpel leaves a lot of the car exposed and you can see where is ends if you do a partial hood or fender. The front bumper is nice if you have the Xpel on too, you won't get all the white pit marks you would get over time.

 

[voon]

There's no protection on earth, that will avoid a waterspot if you had hard water dry up on the surface. But there's a lot around (waxes, sealants, wrap etc) that will make it easier to wash dirt off the surfaces clean later. Hard calcium carbonate, aka lime, won't easily go off, though, without wither an acidic cleaner (which I generally avoid) or something like car clay etc.

 

[mldavis2]

There's no protection on earth, that will avoid a waterspot if you had hard water dry up on the surface. But there's a lot around (waxes, sealants, wrap etc) that will make it easier to wash dirt off the surfaces clean later. Hard calcium carbonate, aka lime, won't easily go off, though, without wither an acidic cleaner (which I generally avoid) or something like car clay etc.

The only "hard" water I get is from my own hose when washing, and you're right about water spots there. But rain is more acidic than basic so standing water from rain isn't much of a problem. And as I mentioned above, if you keep the chrome waxed and then hand dry with a microfiber towel after washing, you'll never see a water spot. Unfortunately many people don't have facilities to wash their cars at home so they must rely on car washes with recycled water which is loaded with calcium carbonate along with other goodies.

 

[Aquadog]

Anyone with advice on keeping the black chrome on back of mirrors and front grill clean/free of dry water spots?

Wendex paper towels done deal piece a cake. Or don't bring it out of the garage unless the sun is shining. But then there's bugs Wendex works good on bugs in less the whole front of the car is covered obviously then you'll just have to wash it but the Windex works good used it on all my cars especially for bugs. Never go anywhere without my Windex and paper towels .

 

[mldavis2]

Good idea, @Aquadog. For some reason (and I'm a retired chemist and I don't know), bug juice will etch paint if you don't get it off within a day or so. I keep the front waxed and clean. I'll throw some Windex in the back for my next road trip.

 

[Aquadog]

Good idea, @Aquadog. For some reason (and I'm a retired chemist and I don't know), bug juice will etch paint if you don't get it off within a day or so. I keep the front waxed and clean. I'll throw some Windex in the back for my next road trip.

Roger on retirement it's great . It's the season of the bug . California has nothing on the monsters that you have in Missouri , you guys need a force field that is worthy of the enterprise . I'm a retired truck driver 46 years when I say I hate bugs it's an understatement . Keep the shiny side up .

 

[mldavis2]

Roger on retirement it's great . It's the season of the bug . California has nothing on the monsters that you have in Missouri , you guys need a force field that is worthy of the enterprise . I'm a retired truck driver 46 years when I say I hate bugs it's an understatement . Keep the shiny side up .

Worst I ever saw as a trip in about '01 across Kansas through a swarm of grasshoppers (locusts?) that so totally covered the front bumper of my '00 Pontiac GrandPrix that you couldn't tell the color of the car from the front. Stopped for the night at a motel and used some of their water and towels to clean them off. Must have been a pound of bug guts on the ground in front of that car.

 

[Aquadog]

Worst I ever saw as a trip in about '01 across Kansas through a swarm of grasshoppers (locusts?) that so totally covered the front bumper of my '00 Pontiac GrandPrix that you couldn't tell the color of the car from the front. Stopped for the night at a motel and used some of their water and towels to clean them off. Must have been a pound of bug guts on the ground in front of that car.

Yes the only satisfaction that you can get out of an incident like that, is that the last thing to go through that grasshoppers mine was his ass .

 

[G-803388]

I have no problem. Cleaned every last bit of waterspotting and road dirt from transport off the black chrome with claybar, then a coat of wax (carnuba/poly) and it cleans like new if you dry it with a microfiber towel.

Thanks for the tip ....tried everything I'll get some clay bar today and give it go... I now I regret not getting the carbon fiber mirror and sides.