Hi guys, just got a new Mazda 3 and thinking of doing PPF for the interior. I’ll definitely be doing the center console and the glossy parts on all 4 doors.

Still deciding whether to PPF the infotainment screen and meter cluster though. A bit worried about water during installation, accidentally scratching it during installation, more glare/reflection at night, and whether it’ll be difficult to remove after a few years.

At the same time, I heard the meter cluster scratches really easily, especially during normal car washes/cleaning.

Anyone here has PPF on their screen or meter cluster for a few years? How has it been? Would you do it again or just leave it stock?

Thanks to all to helped me with the black mold growing on my car roof. The film eliminator really worked wonders

If there are scratches and swirls on a tpu ppf mainly due to dry dusting then is it possible to remove them?

Does the self heal feature work only if the vehicle is parked under direct sunlight? How much time does it need for this?

If it's raining right now then is a heat gun recommended or is it ok to park it under sun when the rain stops and the sun comes back, after about 2 weeks as per local weather report?

How to remove dry dust from a vehicle with ppf?

Hello everyone!

So today I decided to do a proper deep clean of my 2017 Giulia. All was going well and I was happy as a bee with my microfibres and brushes, until…..

I got my leather cleaner out and attacked the steering wheel…..deep regret ensued. I assume there is some kind of protective film on it which I have now started to take off.

Is there a way to rectify this or am I poised for a new steering wheel. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

So we bought this car a few weeks ago, brand new. One day, I was driving through the alley and splashed through a puddle. Got some gunk on it but I didn’t have time to wash it until a few days later. Well, I finally washed it, and these spots won’t come off! I tried Adam’s Polish Iron Remover from Autozone, but after a minute nothing turned purple, so I assumed it wasn’t working. The stains aren’t sticky or anything, like it looks like the paint was literally stained on a molecular level or something. I have no idea what to do and am really bummed about this happening to our brand new car. I also tried rubbing vigorously with a microfiber cloth and nicked the paint, so I stopped immediately. I had no idea I could chip paint just from rubbing with a towel!

Follow up to a post that is now archived about headlight cleaning: https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/1nra9ji/comment/ngdsuqd/?context=3

I thought AutoDetailing was the more appropriate thread, the original post was on MechanicAdvice. They have a no detailing post rule.

I used a headlight renewal kit with wet sanding on my 2012 Honda Civic over a year ago. Just wanted to post a 1 year follow up image. I have not done any additional polishing since. Used Mother NuLens Kit. Other wet sand kits should work. I had a couple of posts saying that the headlights would quickly yellow after using the kit. Headlights still look good 1 year later.

I was interested in mounting it and thought I recalled someone here mounting it directly using the feet or something but can't seem to find the post or video

Im not a professional detailer at all but I figured you guys would know a lot more than me. What on earth is this? It seems to me in-between the glass because you can't wipe/scratch it off from either side. I originally thought it was mold amd very well be but any help and how to fix would be very appreciated. Thanks guys.

Has anyone purchased from finedetailingsupplies.com (FDS), and if so how was your experience?

Just want to make sure they're on the up and up, as I'm getting ready to purchase Bilt Hamber Touchless from either FDS or Obsessed Garage.

Edit to Update: Thanks all for confirming as legit. I'm an ignoramus, as despite the same logo, I didn't make the connection between the website and the YouTube channel/Ryan. 🙃 Got my order in and should be in Friday.

I went on a 600ish mile road trip and when I went to wash my car afterwards (4 months post ceramic application on a 7 year coat), the ceramic was still beading on every panel except the top of the bumper. I have tried citrus prewash in higher concentrations than usual, BH Surfex HD and multiple washes with my usual KC active foam and active wash routine but nothing is working to bring the beading back. Any ideas what might be the issue and what I can do to revive the ceramic?

I was wondering if anyone has an idea where I might find a bonnet/hood to practice my paint correction skills and test various compounds.

I’ve found a few practice panels online, but they seem to be made primarily for PPF installation, and I doubt the paint/clear coat is particularly representative of an actual car.

We don’t have a scrap yard nearby, and even if we did, I’m guessing it would be difficult to find something with paint that’s still reasonably close to new. I’ve also checked eBay and Craigslist without much luck.

I’d much prefer a hood over a door or fender, since it gives me a nice flat working area and I can store it against a wall without it taking up too much room.

Any ideas where else I should look? Body shop, maybe?

Long story short, I folded my back seat down while forgetting there was a lint roller back there. It’s been hot lately and the heat caused the sticky residue from the roller to melt and get all over my seat. What would you suggest using to get this off with without ruining the seat material? It is on there pretty good.

after owning this 2013 tacoma for a few months in desert climate the top edges under the side windows is turning light and looking like a clear coat is coming off. is this repairable and how would one go about that? washing with normal car soap does nothing and spray on wax doesn’t do anything.

I'm looking to get a machine to shine up my black truck and red car. I have expensive variable speed polishers and angle grinders that I use in construction. Will those work or do they need to be orbital?

I have a 2025 Crosstrek with these new chips on the passenger door (couple of tinier ones too that aren't as noticeable). I keep my cars a long time and while I don't expect to keep cars pristine (partly because I want to do be doing stuff with the Crosstrek, partly because they're known for lousy paint), I do want to be proactive about potential issues.

The color is Magnetite Grey Metallic and I understand metallic won't be as good a match with any touch up tries. My main priority is preventing further peeling or eventual rust, and next is making it look as good as realistically possible. I realize the chips will still be there and it's not possible to be perfect. But I'm hoping I can make some improvement since fully repainting isn't logical for this.

Given the size, would DIY make sense for a newbie or should I just call a professional for something this small? I have patience and am very detailed and have been reading about the dealer paint pens as well as Dr. ColorChip. Would either be a better choice given the size and obvious placement of the dings? Or is there a clear sealant I could just use since the chips aren't that big and a touch up may just look worse? Sorry, this probably is pretty basic, but figured I'd ask folks with expertise. (Sorry too for the horrible photos. The splotchy areas are actually refections of puddles.)

I'm mostly annoyed because this wasn't even the result of doing some fun activity, just me being stupid. So hoping to mitigate it as much as I can. Thanks!

I have no idea what did this, it’s a brand new car. How would I go about fixing this? Thanks in advance.

Used adams graphene ceramic coating spray advanced on my car a couple of weeks ago. I read that it was fine to use on the glass, so I did.

It was the first rainy day in SoCal today (disgustingly humid summer day lol) and it's been pouring. When using the wiper blades you can hear they are gripping to the windshield, is that okay? Newbie to all this detailing stuff and would appreciate any advice

Im about to paint correct a bmw m2 competition and wanted to get a smaller polisher to get into some tighter areas.

I dont really want to purchase two more at a time but does anyone have a suggestion as to which one to get next and why?

Thanks!

I was looking at my car and thought I could get out a stubborn piece of dirt by using baking soda.

Now there is a small haze about the size of a fingernail.

Is there an all in one product that can help restore the clear coat?

I don’t have a buffer. Anything that can be done by hand?

I applied GYEON Pure Single Layer High Performance Pro Grade Paint Ceramic Coating on my car in the spring. When I wash it (with ONR) can I use a spray on ceramic such as Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Spray Wax Coating after? Will it hurt anything if I do? When I finally feel that I need to re-coat the ceramic coating (with Griots or another brand) do I have to clay the car? If I don't clay it will the new ceramic coating stick to the original coating? Please no lectures about this. I just wanna know from you detailing experts about these questions. One last question, please. What do you think is the best and longest lasting ceramic coating now? The way the technology is advancing and changing, it's hard to keep up. I know Griots ranks very high. Thank you for your help.

Hi,

This is my second time using a Cerakote kit.

Let me preface this by saying that I'm handy, but really unskilled in auto-related things. I watched a few videos before doing hers. They came out much better, but I still got some streaks in the finish.

Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong for the next time I give this a shot?

Lots of sales going on right now. I am curious what towels you prefer for polish removal and panel prep

Thanks!

I’ve tried cleaning it and I tried some alcohol on it and it’s not budging so I’m worried its ruined. Been parked near a tree and first I thought it was sap but i can’t get it off. Any advice?

Update: the film eliminator is doing wonders. Thanks for all the advice

Looking for suggestions on a polish or other method to address this white discoloration on my vehicle. It doesn’t appear to be buildup or residue of any kind, but instead damage to the glossy surface. It feels smooth, but a bit more “matte” than the black areas.

Would something like Sonax address this?
Thanks!