Putting on your winter coat

It is official, with the clocks going back and the driving wind and rain arriving, it means winter has officially arrived! It is almost a certainty that for the next few months we are going to have some dreadful weather conditions. The weather combined road debris and salt mean your vehicle’s paint will take a fair old hammering. That is why it is important to protect your exterior
surfaces.

Before applying any coatings to the paint, glass or wheels, all exterior surfaces must be thoroughly decontaminated. A full decontamination wash is more than just washing the paintwork with a good shampoo and then hosing off the suds. A full decontamination wash consists of the Citrus Snow Foam, All Purpose Cleaner, Iron & General Fallout Remover and a good quality shampoo. The All-Purpose Cleaner is a citrus-based cleaner that dissolves dirt and grime and starts to loosen it away from the paint. The Iron & General Fallout Remover is a great wheel cleaner but can also be used on paint. The last step is to carry out a contact wash with Gwash and a good quality microfibre wash mitt.

TOP TIP: Apply products such as All-Purpose Cleaner and Iron & General Fallout Remover to a cool, dry surface.

Once the full decontamination wash has been done and the vehicle has been rinsed and dried, it is time to move onto the next step which is the paint correction. This step is all about removing the scratches, swirls, and oxidation from the paint. There are a lot of compounds, pads and machines that do a great job. Just make sure that you do your research and go for a reputable brand.

Once the paint is swirl free, the next step is to make sure all the polishing
compounds and oils have been removed. This is to ensure that the Ceramic Coating can form the maximum amount of chemical bonds with the paint, giving it maximum durability. Panel Wipe is a blend of alcohol and solvents that effectively remove any polish residues.

We chose to apply Crystal Serum Light (CSL) to the Megane R.S. When applied to paint Crystal Serum offers incredible gloss, swirl and chemical resistance and leaves the paint incredibly slick. To apply the product, we recommend priming the pad by applying three full pipettes of product to the pad. Once the pad is primed, working in small sections (approximately 60cm x 60cm) apply the product to the paint. Once applied, leave the product for a few seconds, then remove using 3 microfibres. The first microfibre removes the bulk of the product, the second then picks up any residue left behind from the first. Carry out a final buff of the area with a third microfibre. To ensure that you have safely removed all the product, use a diffused light to highlight any excess product or high spots that have been left behind. Use this approach and work around the
entire car until you have returned to where you started. Typical durability of the CSL is anywhere up to 5 years, depending on washing regime.

For extra protection, we recommend overcoating the CSL with EXO Hydrophobic Coating. EXO is our hydrophobic topper which creates intense water beading, adds further gloss and gives tremendous water and dirt repellency. EXO is applied using the applicator pad included and is a simple wipe-on, wipe-off product. Work in 60cm x 60cm sections, leave for 1 to 2 minutes and then buff off with a microfibre.

The final step was to protect the alloys with our C5 Alloy Wheel Cleaner. C5 Wheel Armour is the perfect product to protect wheels, as it resists temperatures up to 600 degrees Celsius. Before applying the product decontaminate and panel wipe the wheels. Prime the applicator pad with the product, then working one wheel at a time, apply the product to the surface ensuring you get even coverage. Buff off the residue with a clean microfibre.