An anti-aging Creme
for your
car's paint!
Product review by Terry Freiberg
Imperial Glaze, Show Car
Glaze, Hand Glaze...What's a glaze and why do I need it?
A glaze is a polish without
any cleaning properties. It's primary function is to improve the paint's
brilliance and clarity. Glazes also contain fillers to mask or visually reduce
paint imperfections (swirls, spider-webs, water spots, etc.). Glazes are
commonly used at show car and concours events and by paint and body shops.
After a vehicle is painted or touched-up, it may be compounded to remove minor
defects, polished to remove compounding haze and glazed to create a uniform,
deep, shine. Because glazes create a "wet-look" shine, they have come
to be used by enthusiasts on everything from show cars to daily drivers. Glazing
does not replace polishing. A vehicle should be polished first, a glaze applied
and finished with a wax or paint sealant.
Considering the fact that most
people don't even wax their car much less polish it first, I can hardly call Menzerna PO 115C
Finishing Touch Glaze a product for the common man but that's exactly what
it is. Finishing Touch is designed for daily-driven, real world vehicles. Cars
like yours and mine. Cars with a few swirls, a few spots and a blemish here or
there. The scars of daily life. Applied after polishing, Finishing Touch is the
make-up that hides flaws and gives old faithful's paint the glimmer and sheen it
had in the showroom!
Menzerna Finishing Touch Glaze
is a water-based emulsion of glycerin, mineral oils and Kaolin (China Clay).
Wetting oils create the liquid, shimmer of fresh paint while Kaolin clays fill
and mask minor swirls and imperfections. For me, it's both a time saver and a
miracle worker.
While I'm a little fanatical
when it comes to my car's appearance, I'm faced with less and less time to indulge
my passion. I polish my car once or twice a year with Menzerna Final Polish II,
using my Porter Cable 7424 polisher. When I'm done, my car looks great but there
are still some remaining swirls, spots, scratches and scars. I should take out
my DeWalt, circular polisher, grab the Menzerna Intensive Polish or Power Gloss
and spot compound these defects until they are removed. Following this
compounding, I should go over the car again with Final Polish to remove any
compounding haze and insure a uniform gloss. I really don't mind the work and I
know it's the correct procedure but I just don't have the time.
| Now I polish my car with
Menzerna Final Polish II, put a
Black, CCS, Foam Glazing Pad on my 7424
polisher, apply Finishing Touch Glaze and finish with a coat of Menzerna
FMJ . I've got the entire process down
to 2-1/2 hours. Yes, that's more time than most people would spend on car care
but I'm a guy who would spend two full days detailing his car. For me, this is a
breeze.
When I'm done, and I don't
mean to boast, my daily driven car looks absolutely awesome. I know where |
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Finishing Touch Glaze
applies
easily by hand or dual-action polisher. |
| all
the flaws and imperfections are but you would be hard pressed to find them, even
under fluorescent lighting. The paint has a vitality and liquid shimmer that
would hold up at any show car or concours event.
The second justification for
using a glaze instead of additional compounding is paint or clear coat
thickness. Some car manufacturers apply a very thin clear coat. You do not want
to constantly bring this layer down by compounding.
Bottom line, Menzerna
Finishing Touch Glaze is like a professional make-up job for your aging vehicle.
Used before the final wax or paint sealant, Finishing Touch hides the scars and
wrinkles of daily life and gives your car's skin the healthy glow of youth.
One Last Note: There's
no instructions on the bottle regarding this but my glaze did separate
slightly when stored. It might be a Florida thing but I would SHAKE
BOTTLE BEFORE USING just to be safe.
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| Thanks to our customer Jerry F. of
Highland Park, IL. for this picture of his Mini. Jerry wrote that he took
this photo after one coat of Menzerna Final Polish II and one coat of
Finishing Touch Glaze. This shine was achieved BEFORE the application of
any wax or sealant!
Finishing Touch Glaze meets California's Air Resources
Board, Consumer Products Regulations specifying VOC (Volatile Organic Compound)
content and limits for an automotive polish.
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Imported from Germany
Available in a 16 oz. size for the enthusiast and a 32 oz. size for the
professional. |