wrap/ cleaning questions

[peterpeter]

Hi Guys

just a couple of questions for you with wraps on your cars

I have a front clear wrap, done by robbie

but what happens with washing?- can a wrap scratch and swirl in the same way?
Presumably its still 2 buckets/ mitts/ ubertowels etc

car is 5 weeks old and ive still not washed it
a) because I needed a new kit
b) bloody hosepipe ban!

Also for vinyl wraps solid colours...are they really shiny just like paint?
The dealer has to pay for a new bonnet wrap because there was a stone chip on delivery.. (they are sorting that at my 1000 service)
Im wondering about going for a full clear wrap on the rest of the car (which is black) or a total colour change..

want a deep blue..but really hate that r34 blue on the r35..
Anywhere you can see a whole array of wrap colours..

Robbie, Ill pm you about the re-wrap on the front..or possibly a total change!!

[*MAGIC*]

Give me a call when your ready mate and I will also give you the low down on cleaning,

Short answer - just treat it like normal paintwork.

Robbie

[Chris1049]

Originally Posted by *MAGIC*

Give me a call when your ready mate and I will also give you the low down on cleaning,

Short answer - just treat it like normal paintwork.

Robbie

Really? I know a few people with focus rs500's and if they treated the wrap like paint it wouldn't last very long!

It's soft plastic so marks VERY easily. Pretty sure you can't T-cut marks out of it either.

[CT17]

The wrap on my bonnet has pretty bad marks in it, the unwraped part if the car is fine.
Have to say that overall I'm not very impressed with how much worse it looks than the paintwork.

Considering the cost of a clear front wrap (not cheap IMO) I wouldn't do it again, just get the odd chip sorted from now on.

[Chris1049]

I don't get the wrap thing at all. Its a bit of a fashion at the moment. I understand why people get the front covered for protection but it doesn't weather that well.

The Focus rs500 has been a bit of a disaster for Ford, so many people unhappy with it. You sneeze anywhere near the car and its marked with no way of removing them. Several ended up having to sell the car on as its near impossible to live with unless it lives under a sheet. The sheet will also mark it.

Most of us enjoy a good pollish up too, another thing you cant do with wraps. They will buff up a bit but nothing like a deep gloss shine of a nice paint job.

No matter how well its done its sticky back plastic at the end of the day and a good ol' british winter will soon have it falling off around the tricky bits once water and muck gets behind it.

Great on a promo or show vehicle but for a car used often in all weathers pretty poor stuff.

[*MAGIC*]

Originally Posted by Chris1049

Really? I know a few people with focus rs500's and if they treated the wrap like paint it wouldn't last very long!

It's soft plastic so marks VERY easily. Pretty sure you can't T-cut marks out of it either.

RS500's have a satin finish so cant be polished or treated like normal paintwork but gloss colours can.

Robbie

[rb320ed]

I've had a wrap on the front of mine since new. Just treat it like the rest of the car when cleaning as Robbie said. It's got a couple of marks where stones would have damaged the paint. It's done it's job in my opinion

[Happydays]

My GTR had the front bumper wrapped a year ago by Robbie and has done 10,000 miles is used every day and left out in all weathers. Wrap is still fine, just a couple of tiny marks where stones would otherwise have damaged the paint, and how many other impacts there have been that havnt damaged the wrap but would have dinged the paint I'll never know. Its been polished and the whole car incl the front had a protection detail ( Robbie again) at the start of the winter and its not peeled or has any degrading of appearance at all so far. So a from me.

[peterpeter]

cheers robbie..

Ill be in touch re. the dates...looking like the week of the 23rd of april when the car goes in for its 1000 mile service- so hopefully the bonnet will get sorted and you can do your magic then!

I guess Im just a bit paranoid about cleaning a black car..managed my old white car really well -- barely a swirl or scratch in 3 years..not sure Ill be able to do the same in black..

[Andyuk911]

Originally Posted by peterpeter

cheers robbie..

Ill be in touch re. the dates...looking like the week of the 23rd of april when the car goes in for its 1000 mile service- so hopefully the bonnet will get sorted and you can do your magic then!

I guess Im just a bit paranoid about cleaning a black car..managed my old white car really well -- barely a swirl or scratch in 3 years..not sure Ill be able to do the same in black..

Tiff, pop over and I'll show how to wash without damage.

Think you have my email.

Andy

[peterpeter]

hi andy..

ill deffo come over soon
probably will wait until the first service is done so I can take you out in it properly

is it possible to still clean the car carefully without hosepipe/ running water/snowfoam etc?

[*MAGIC*]

Originally Posted by peterpeter

hi andy..

ill deffo come over soon
probably will wait until the first service is done so I can take you out in it properly

is it possible to still clean the car carefully without hosepipe/ running water/snowfoam etc?

Not unless you want to run the risk of inflicting swirls

You can take all your own cleaning products to a petrol station jet wash if you really get stuck.

[Andyuk911]

I hear what Robbie is saying, but I don't 100% agree.

For a car that is waxed, using a good quality car shampoo will act as a lubricant and the dirt floats off.

I prefer zymol sponges(as used by Paul Dalton) and 2 two bucket wash.

As a matter of course, since we don't have a hose, a few buckets of RO water( I have a large mega filter) will help to start.

[*MAGIC*]

Originally Posted by Andyuk911

I hear what Robbie is saying, but I don't 100% agree.

For a car that is waxed, using a good quality car shampoo will act as a lubricant and the dirt floats off.

I prefer zymol sponges(as used by Paul Dalton) and 2 two bucket wash.

As a matter of course, since we don't have a hose, a few buckets of RO water( I have a large mega filter) will help to start.

Zymol sponges are good I too have used these but they no better than a top quality mitt

And for the record when it comes to GTR's I will openly say no one is better than me

[Vigilante102]

I was thinking about getting a wrap done - a clear 'matt' wrap. Would the fact its 'matt' make any difference?

[*MAGIC*]

Originally Posted by Vigilante102

I was thinking about getting a wrap done - a clear 'matt' wrap. Would the fact its 'matt' make any difference?

Wash and dry as normal but dont use any polishes/waxes unless its Swissvax Opague.

Robbie