Protecting my M3's paint outdoors?

[Micah D. Cranman]

I'm a college student, so I'm living in an apartment and there's no covered parking for my car ('96 Estoril M3). Fortunately, the weather here in Georgia isn't too bad, but I want to make sure the car's exterior is as protected as possible out in the open.

I've considered using a car cover, but it's not practical as I don't want to have to take it on and off every time I go to drive the car. Besides, in a college town, I feel like someone is bound to think I'm being a stuck up "rich boy" (even though I'm paying for the car!) and target the car because it's covered. And I certainly don't want that.

So, I need some suggestions for detailing products and combinations thereof that will protect the car's paint, wheels, and trim -- most especially a durable (and if possible, nice looking) wax.

Can ya help me? :95

[Madman]

I beleive you will find the best protection using Klasse products. I was just in Atlanta last week for a car show and I love that weather.
Klasse is a 2 step polymer wax that will protect your car for about 6 months for each application, and leave a great shine. The polymer will act as a shield to protect your car from the elements and road debrie.

I would recommend you visit www.aandmmotorsport.com since they have the lowest prices on Klasse.

Go Bulldogs.

[Micah D. Cranman]

Thanks for the info! Which specific product on the site is it -- I don't know which I need!

I was thinking thinking of a routine such as: 3M's Imperial Hand Glaze > Zaino's Z-2 Show Car Polish (this is a polymer wax, right?) > P21S Carnauba Wax. Feedback on this would be helpful.

Also, info on the right auto "shampoo" (i.e. soap) and vynil/rubber protecting would be helpful. :)

P.S. WOOF WOOF! ;)

[Kyle K.]

Klasse is a good line of products. What you want to get is the Klasse All in One and Sealant Glaze. On the A and M website click on Car Care on the left side, then Klasse from the list that comes up. The Concours Kit comes with the 500ml bottle of the AIO and SG as well as two microfiber applicators.

I'm not sure about the durability of Zaino compared to Klasse... but a problem with P21S alone (and all carnubas for that matter) is that they don't last for very long.. especially in the bad weather. I just switched over to P21S wax and I'm planning on reapplying every 2 weeks or so because of the weather and road salt etc we get up here in Jersey. :rolleyes:

You probably don't NEED to reapply the P21S so often... I'm just anal like that, and I enjoy it so I just do it often. It would definately be wise to try to do it once a month during the winter though, especially if the car is parket outside.

[Micah D. Cranman]

Thanks for the info, Kyle. But ... just ... ARGH! :mad: I hate the inconsistency of naming between these products. I really wish these companies could just use the right name / description for their products so I don't have to figure out what's what.

Tell you what. How about I tell you what three "finishing" products I'm looking for and you tell me which products you've recommended fit in that category? I want: a glaze (i.e. a very mild abrasive agent w/ oils, etc. to prep the car's paint for wax)
a polymer wax to protect the paint
a carnuba wax to "top off" the polymer wax for extra protection and a better shine
So, which Klasse product is what?

For what it's worth, I've pretty much decided on 3M's Imperial Hand Glaze for the glaze and P21S for the carnuba wax. Now I just need to pick a polymer wax. Which (Klasse?) product is right for this job? I'm looking for protection first, great shine second.

[Madman]

I have to agree with Kyle now the Klasse All-In -One would be my choice followed with P21S Carnuba wax . I know A and M carries 3M ,P21S and Klasse and they are the lowest priced on all three items.

[Micah D. Cranman]

So Klasse AIO is a polymer wax, then? If so, SWEET, got it all figured out. :)

Well, except for the actual car "shampoo," type of wash mitt, and type of towels. Wanna help me pick that stuff, too? ;)

[Kyle K.]

Yes, Klasse AIO would be a polymer wax. It claims to be all in one (hence the name) so you shouldn't need to use a traditional polish or glaze to prep the surface. To follow up the Klasse AIO you <i>can</i> use Klasse Sealant Glaze. Now this is probably where you're getting tripped up. This Sealant Glaze is NOT a mild abrasive to prep the surface, but another polymer that works in conjunction with the AIO to provide a longer lasting layer of polymer protection (klasse screwed that one up IMO). Then after the SG is on there (which is sort of a topper in itself) you can throw on P21S carnuba for the best shine.

So yeah...

3m imperial hand glaze - surface prep, mild abrasive, no protection

Klasse high gloss sealant glaze - a sealer for the AIO, no abrasives, protects the paint

hope that clears things up :D

[Micah D. Cranman]

Hmmm, so what would you recommend? AIO followed by the SG, or AIO followed by the P21S?

Perhaps it'd make more sense for me to find a different, one-step polymer wax. :az:

[Kyle K.]

First off.... don't let these things get you confused. The All in One is one step if you want it to be... so if you don't want to do multiple steps, this <i>would</i> work. The ultimate protection and shine would come from a coat of AIO, a coat or two of SG and P21S. The P21S at this point is merely there for shine, as the AIO and SG protect the paint plenty well. These three things will get pretty costly though, and since you're just going for the protection I'd say go for the AIO followed up by the SG. If you order the Concours Kit from A and M it comes with an instruction guide to applying everything... its really easy. :cool:

[Micah D. Cranman]

Excellent info! :clap: Kyle K: resident detailing expert extraordinaire! Seriously, das some damn good know-how you got goin' on, brotha! Thanks for sharing it me. :)

[95DinanM3]

Do you have a car cover? I know how it is not having a garage (hell, thats part of the reason I moved home;)) and it sucks. Anyway, a car cover helps quite a bit, and I have a Noah CC for sale. I dont need it anymore, so PM me and make me an offer if interested. BTW, Klasse is awesome stuff. Shine is excellent after a carnauba wax, so dont skip it!

[Micah D. Cranman]

No, I don't have a car cover. See my first post for why. ;)

[G. P. Burdell]

WhippedButter,

Unfortunately, people are going to target your M3 whether it's covered or not. If you have a cover and a good cable lock, thieves won't be able to see what valuables you have in your car. They'll move on and find an easier target.

My car has water spots all over the roof because I parked it outdoors for 3 years. I wish I'd used a cover.

[Micah D. Cranman]

Oh, bugger. Why'd you have to go and be the voice of reason!? I was having so much fun denying that I needed a car cover. I had all these grand notions of saving myself money and not having to take one on and off. And now you've ruined them! :bawl

Ok, just kidding. :D Really, thanks for the advice. I'll have to start looking at covers and see which is right for me...

[emPoWaH]

One word: Zaino

Here's a quote from a fellow black 330i driver:

"It’s one thing to say that a polymer sealant will last 6 months or more, but the thing that really stands out with Zaino is that even after 6 months on a car driven daily (including several weekend trips from LA to SD & SF) and exposed to various lawn sprinklers and Los Angeles pollution by being parked outside often, the product retains its “freshly applied” properties very well. It still beads water like crazy when washed (most cars bead when rained on), is still very slick & after doing a 5-min session with Z-6, the car looks and feels like it has a freshly applied coat of Z-2 on it... very shiny and smooth. The vertical panels felt “new” even before the Z-6 treatment. There aren’t any other polymer sealants I’ve ever experienced this with. Some products claim 6-12 months durability but within a month or so after initial application, its properties change a lot (i.e. from beading to sheeting and from slick to not-so-slick). Of course, ZCSP isn’t the perfect product and I know perfectly well of its limitations, but when it comes to durability it’s a real tough (excuse the pun)product to beat." -http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14712&highlight=Zaino

Here's a website with some info on Zaino: http://www.bariaur.com/e39/zaino.html

IMO, Zaino is the best polymer sealant if durability and protection is what you want. Start by making your paint surface as perfect as you can with whatever prep-product you like... from 3M Swirl-Mark Remover to Mother's clay bar. Once you get the look you desire and want to lock that in, wipe some isopropyl alchohol onto the finish to strip the resiude from the surface-prep products. Apply Z-1 and Z-2/Z-5, and remove with a quality microfiber or cotton towel.

Zaino's real strong point is not surface enhancement, as it contains no cleaners or abrasives. The shine you get after Z is the shine you have before applying it. What Zaino does is lock it in with exceptional slickness and beading for at least 4-6 months. So if you apply it over an oxidized finish, it won't be shiny, but protected.

That's why I stress surface preparation so much. Hope this helps.

[Micah D. Cranman]

Hmmm, excellent info. I'll definitely have to look into that. I already bought some 3M IHG and the Klasse AIO and SG, so I'm going to give that a go. Depending on how happy I am with the results, I'll see if trying Zaino makes sense. Either way, thanks for the info -- good stuff. :buttrock

[emPoWaH]

3M Imperial Hand Glaze and Klasse are good products, but I wouldn't combine the two for a few reasons:
Klasse is an acrylic polymer that needs a clean surface to bond to. If you have IHG on the surface while you apply the SG, the oily "make-up" of IHG will prohibit the SG from bonding to the paint. The protection and durability of SG would be greatly diminished.
If you plan to use AIO after the IHG, you will be defeating the purpose of IHG. The AIO might "bond," but only because the chemical cleaners strip the oil from IHG. But then whats the point? AIO is more powerful chemically and abrasively than IHG anyway.

Instead I would...[list=a] Wash, SG- For surfaces in excellent condition
Wash, AIO, SG- For surfaces in good condition
Wash, Polish (Swirl-Mark Remover, claybar, etc.), SG- For more neglected surfaces
All the above (depending on the condition of the paint) with a "carnauba-topper"- For a nicer temporary shine with the Klasse still protecting underneath
Wash, IHG, Carnauba Wax (for garage-queens)
[/list=a]

Sorry if this sounds confusing... good luck!

[Micah D. Cranman]

Wow, again, really good info. So, for my car, which WAS a garage queen (but is now an outdoors car) and whose paint is in EXCELLENT condition, what would you recommend? Wash, SG?

[emPoWaH]

If it is free of swirls, and the paint is as slick as glass, then yes, wash and then layer on your SG. It is very likely you will need to clay your paint though...

NOTE: If you plan on "layering" the SG, it is recommended that you wait 24 hours before applying a new coat. This is to allow the polymers to crosslink and let the actual acrylic "bond." Be sure to apply Klasse in thin layers, and if you're having trouble removing it, you can slightly dampen the buffing towel. I prefer microfibers though...

http://www.properautocare.com/klasapguid.html

[big A]

I have been using Zaino for 5 years, IHG for twice that long.

I wash with dawn to strip the paint down, IHG, wash, zaino. I use the zaino applicator pads to apply and cloth diapers to remove.

I use the zaino soap for regular washes and a wool wash mitt. You can get a 3 pack of wool mitts at Costco for $6. 2 Absorbers for drying. 1 for the body, 1 for the wheels.

I would go easy on claying. I have only clayed my car once when it had paint on it from the apartment painters applying paint with a sprayer. If you keep after it on a regular basis it should not need it. IHG will get the majority of the contaminants. Also buy your IHG from a auto paint supply in the 32oz container as it has a different (better,IMHO) makeup.

I'm a Dawg and I had a cover for my car while I was there and it never got used, too much of a pain, especially when it rains. GO DAWGS!! SEC East Champs!!!!!!!!!

The only time my car has been indoors was in the showroom the day I bought it.

http://www.ugabulldogs.com/bmw/tintc.jpg

Here's a hi-res link at a different angle.
Link (http://www.ugabulldogs.com/bmw/tint.jpg)

[Micah D. Cranman]

Crap, too bad I already bought the other stuff! :( I'm not exactly rolling in money after this car purchase, so I'm just going to see how the Klasse stuff works. But if I'm not happy with the results, I've already got IHG, so buying a bottle of Zaino won't break the bank.

Thanks for the excellent info.

[Kyle K.]

Don't worry, the Klasse is very good. There is constant debate over which one is the better... neither side really haveing definitive proof. Hyperion (if you remember him) is a big user of Klasse on his car and he's sort of a detailing nut... he's usually the one who answers all the Klasse questions, and he's the one that got me using it, but he's away or somethin right now :dunno

Anyway, the Klasse is still an excellent product and will protect your car very well. You should use the AIO before the SG though... the protection supposedly lasts longer when the SG goes on top of the AIO :dunno

[emPoWaH]

Yea, some say Klasse is pretty durable stuff. I just wish it beaded so there is a standard way for us to know it is protecting the paint.

AIO + SG will last longer than SG along, but SG + SG will last even longer than AIO + SG. And of course, AIO + infinite AIO will last just a long as one coat of AIO.

:D

[AaronM3]

any idea's on a good car cover with a lock that you can't break very easily? Problem here at my apartments... if the police see the same car covered for more than a day, they come remove it. Soo... hmmm.... i dunno what I can do .

[big A]

If you get the Noah cover from a BMW dealership it has clear vinyl on the back so you can see the license plate. I got my from www.pacificbmw.com The lock and cable are separate items.

If you are going to cover it then I would notify the apartment complex office to not have your car towed or they will be liable. Check the lease/rental agreement to see if it has anything regarding the towing of covered vehicles first.

[LmtdSlip]

I wouldnt give up on the car cover idea. I have one as my car is parked outside my house. At work it is covered.

I use the cover at night or when I know I wont be driving the car for a while. It really only takes about 3 minutes to get the cover off and stored in the trunk.

The cover can be locked if needed and has a clear section so the license plate can be seen. The only thining I dont like is that the front of the cover says BMW which like you say can attract unwanted attention. As for security an unmarked cover certainly makes your M3 more generic looking than it is which is a good thing.

I used a car cover for years on another car of mine that was parked outside 24/7 and it really made a difference in keeping the paint and interior in good shape.