# Clearkote / Diamond Brite product advice please?



## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

Firstly - Hoping to see if anyone has used this Clearkote wax and what they thought to it - http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wax/clear ... d_129.html

For the record I'm not massively into detailing but do enjoy having a clean and more importantly, shiney/slippery car that the water beads off. I used Autoglym Super Resin Polish over Xmas as it was a bit of a hyrbid product, after that I 'sealed' it with some R222 wax. The car looked great and it is still beading nicely now. Paint looks superb. Still some swirl marks although hoping to have more of a go with the SRP in a few months. Anyway, I'm looking to replace the R222 wax as although it's pretty easy to apply, I find it a bit of a pain to buff out, plus despite it looking good once I've used it, it is criticised for it's longevity and not lasting more than a month.

The clearkote looks a good bet although can it really last 6 months given british weather!? If so I'll buy it immediately! For the record I'm now washing with Meguiars Gold Class (smells lovely and not supposed to strip wax), two bucket method (sounds simple although I'd never done before), use a sheepskin washmitt, and dry with a Sonus MF towel (so much quicker than a chamois) and doesn't feel as harsh. Hopefully my wash technique is helping to prolong the polish/wax I did a few weeks back.

After my wash today you can still tell it's been recently waxed and polished, but I'm conscious it won't last much longer hence looking to stick something on it which will last longer.

Like I said love a clean car, and more importantly a shiney one too, but I'm all for making washing easy and the shine to last a long time. Can't be doing with a fortnightly polish in all honesty!

The alternative is I'm looking into buying two bottles of Diamond Brite, which seem to be a cleanser then a 'film' which means mean you don't need to polish again in theory - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DIAMONDBRITE-DIAM ... 581wt_1167

Does anyone have any experience of using the DB? I am thinking of getting it due to recommendation from a friend, although thinking I might stick to the traditional wax, especially clearkote if it lasts 6 months! Surely the DB can't compete with a good polish and wax can it...!? Plus it's only a fiver - for the product dealers have you pay £200 to apply to your new car. All labour costs though to be fair...

Comments appreciated. Oh and here's my still moderately shiney car after today's wash...


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

A mate of mine had DiamondBrite done on their Jag years ago. I was sceptical about the claims of it being rock hard and only needing a wash with special stuff. It cost an absolute fortune and ended up with swirl marks and his opinion of it changed. I like to call it Diamon**ite. :lol: He followed my lead of using Zymol and didn't look back.

Shove some Collinite 476S on and it'll apparently last 6 months or so anyway. I'll soon find out for myself!


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

ScoobyTT said:


> A mate of mine had DiamondBrite done on their Jag years ago. I was sceptical about the claims of it being rock hard and only needing a wash with special stuff. It cost an absolute fortune and ended up with swirl marks and his opinion of it changed. I like to call it Diamon**ite. :lol: He followed my lead of using Zymol and didn't look back.
> 
> Shove some Collinite 476S on and it'll apparently last 6 months or so anyway. I'll soon find out for myself!


Got to agree on the DimondBrite a waste of money at any price


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## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

Scooby thanks for that. I'm going to get some of the Collinite instead - all about the durability for me and that seems to tick all the boxes. Some great reviews on clean your car too...


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## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

Some descent prices on eBay too - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 2525363019

Thanks again!


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

MrHooky said:


> Some descent prices on eBay too - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 2525363019
> 
> Thanks again!


Item no longer available


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## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

This was the deal I got - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Collinite-476s-Su ... _500wt_956

Slightly separate note although relevant after the jag comment. My wife just took delivery of her new A5, phantom black pearlescent. Looks great. However, I've cleaned it twice and have notice some very light 'swirls' already, noticeable after the first wash in fact. I am tempted to take back to Audi although given the hassle of that I think I might just buff out the swirls with some SRP and layer some of the collinite on top when it comes. It's only noticeable when up close hence is me being picky, just not what you'd expect from a brand new car costing the best part of £30k. Could it be the fact the Audi put something similar on their new cars to make look shiney?

What do you think? All very easy to say take back to Audi but I'm just not sure I can be bothered when the car looks fantastic when clean, it's just I know there are some light swirls!


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## Marco34 (Apr 5, 2009)

ScoobyTT said:


> A mate of mine had DiamondBrite done on their Jag years ago. I was sceptical about the claims of it being rock hard and only needing a wash with special stuff. It cost an absolute fortune and ended up with swirl marks and his opinion of it changed. I like to call it Diamon**ite. :lol: He followed my lead of using Zymol and didn't look back.
> 
> Shove some Collinite 476S on and it'll apparently last 6 months or so anyway. I'll soon find out for myself!


All depends on how the car is washed and who applied the coat. I had it on a B5 A4 which I had for 7 years and it still looked bright red compared to new cars at 10 years old. I believe the hardshell finish works and saves me polishing and waxing every few months.

Manufacturers charge a fortune for it; it's now on ebay stage 1 and 2 for less than £10. I have the shampoo and conserver and it keeps it spot on. My experience has been others have changed to it and really liked it.


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## ScoobyTT (Aug 24, 2009)

MrHooky said:


> What do you think? All very easy to say take back to Audi but I'm just not sure I can be bothered when the car looks fantastic when clean, it's just I know there are some light swirls!


To be honest, I think they'd just say that swirls are inevitable and that you'd washed it a bit aggressively or something. There is another possibility though: a coating of wax can show very fine swirls but these are easy to identify because if you wipe over gently they change direction


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## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

ScoobyTT said:


> MrHooky said:
> 
> 
> > What do you think? All very easy to say take back to Audi but I'm just not sure I can be bothered when the car looks fantastic when clean, it's just I know there are some light swirls!
> ...


Scooby you're right in that they will probably try and blame the swirls on me although I'm hoping to take it back to them soon enough so as to minimise the chance of them putting the blame on me. It's more the principal of it all, and I'd like them to get it properly machine buffed and looking as it should given a brand new car! I can then stick some collinite on it when it comes then my wife's car is sorted for 6 months...!

I rang them today to arrange to come in and told them the detail. They said the defect (there is a weird 'nick' in the lacquer on rear pillar) will be done through Audi CS as a paint fault, however they said that any swirls would have to be done by dealer supplied (i.e. oxford which is far too far for me to bother). I'm going to kick up a fuss and get them to deal with it all there and then as not trekking back to the dealer.

It's a tiny problem but more the principal for me. My wife doesn't even care! I'm actually looking forward to causing a big scene if I need to - is that wrong!?


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## retsofkram (Jun 1, 2009)

Hi

Read below, your not alone in your experiance.

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/blog/200 ... on-detail/

mine wasn't perfect when i collected it, and there were lots of yellow spots over the front. Went to the body shop with the salesman to get it "cleaned up" in their words. When i saw the guy go to attack it with a MF i said don't bother i'll do it myself. The spots might go but i'll end up with a loads of swirls instead. :evil:

Washed, clayed, polished, sealed and waxed and it looks / feels like glass. :wink:


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## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

Retsofkram - that's very interesting to see the same car with such major problems. The swirling on my wife's car is nowhere near as bad as that. I can seen why they wanted it sorting. Wonder what they paid those guys for 44 hours worth of paint correction!?

My current stance is to still go down to Audi on Saturday and see what they propose doing. If it sounds reasonable and the guy knows what he's talking about (supposed to have a paint specialist there) I will let them take the car and try to correct. If they suggest rubbing with a towel whilst I'm stood there I will cause a suitable fuss and then probably walk away and try to correct it myself. I actually put a bit of Super Resin Polish onto it two weeks ago which helped although didn't wax it so the marks are still visible.

Problem is I don't have a machine polisher and I'm not wanting to invest in one so could ideally do with the dealer knowing what they're doing and sorting it out properly.

Thank for that link, the S5 looks stunning after it's been corrected...


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## MrHooky (Oct 27, 2009)

Quick update to this thread. Managed to get out and put some collinite on the car yesterday. Also polished with some Autoglym super resin before putting the collinite on. Found it very easy to work with. I'm usually dubious about letting waxes dry to a haze as my R222 is a pig to get off when you do, but the collinite was actually very easy to get off once fully dried. Used a megs applicator sponge and was done in no time. Plan is to maybe get one more coat on in a couple of weeks then that should see me through to 2011...!

Some pics of the sheen, it was getting dark but you can see a good reflection still:
View attachment 1


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