It has been a while since I placed a lot of focus on constantly trying new detailing products and working out which ones work the best for me. Over the years we have developed a go-to arsenal of products that work great, and we have stuck with them for the most part. While we grow Detail Peoria there are many other aspects of the business that require our attention. The idea for us has always been to find something that works well and let it rip. What I enjoy most about writing for the Ask a Pro Blog is the opportunity to put my product testing hat back on once and a while and see what new products and new formulations have to offer. In my latest endeavor I put Car Pro Clear Cut and Car Pro Reflect to work on the perfect test mule, a jet black 2011 Mercedes.
I am no stranger to CarPro Clearcut, you can find my initial impressions here: Clearcut Initial Impressions. When it first showed up on the scene it was well-reviewed and my initial impressions were promising as well. It did not end up a staple in our shop, not because of any inherent performance issues but simply because, as I mentioned before, we like to stick to our old favorites and keep things simple as we grow. I was pretty excited to see how it did on the Mercedes.
We started like all paint correction jobs with a full safe hand wash along with chemical and mechanical decontamination. After that, we can see the true condition of the paint and it was clear it would benefit from a 2 step correction process to reveal a better than new shine. We taped off the delicate areas then set to work. I completed a few test spots and landed on a Meguiars microfiber cutting pad to pair with Clearcut then worked away using 4 to 5 passes on most sections to achieve the results I was looking for.
I was very happy with the correction levels we were achieving. Exactly what we needed on this project. It was now ready for polishing to refine the finish. I went straight for a white Lake Country polishing pad to try out reflect. I was hoping for good results so I could include it in this write up on the same vehicle but you never know what combo you are going to have to enlist to get jet black paint to finish down properly. Not only did it do the trick for this paint system, I immediately fell back in love with Reflect. I had forgotten that it was a common option for us in the early days of the business and how much I enjoyed working with it. I really enjoy working with polishes with long working times. Reflect spreads very satisfyingly across a section and wipes away effortlessly. There is nothing better than wiping it away and seeing perfectly clear jet black paint polished to perfection!
When the correction work was done the car looked better than new and we followed up with a long-lasting coating to help preserve the new finish. I was thrilled that the paint cooperated and let me give these two products a workout on the same project. They were both easy too work with and the results spoke for themselves leaving myself and the owner thrilled with the look of the paintwork. Can’t ask for any more than that. Reflect in particular has made it back into the cabinet in the shop now that I had a chance to remember how much I like working with it. I don’t hesitate to recommend picking up a bottle of either if you are in the market to try a new compound or polish.
