The prep of a car is the most important part of the process. Some people may think a coating will adhere no matter what the surface is however let’s think about a piece of tape, you can have 3 different surfaces with the same kinda tape and you will get 3 different types of adhesion.
Example: if your surface is wet the tape will not stick, if your surface is dirty it will not stick. No exception with removable coatings. Here is a great process to follow when preparing the vehicle.
-Wash with a dish soap (fragrance free) at least 24 hours prior. Waiting 24 hours for the vehicle to dry will ensure water is not sitting in the cracks and crevices. Also taking an air hose to those parts help.
-Clay bar: Going around the car with an automotive clay bar ($16 Auto Parts store) will clear any trash, dirt, tar and anything else hiding in the clear coat. We clay bar every single car. Especially cars that are 2+ years older.
-Time to mask: we try and remove as much as possible. Headlights, taillights, side mirrors and emblems. Most cars are simple to break down. A nice rule to follow is if you pull twice and it’s not moving it will break on the third. If you are not able to remove you can mask it. When it comes to window trim, 3m Trim tape is your best friend. This tape is not cheap however redoing work is never cheap either. Better to do it right the first time then to redo it the second time. I will attach a few photos of cars prepped and ready for spraying. Also Prep All Link and 3m Trim tape.
3m Trim Tape: https://www.amazon.com/3M-06349-50-8-Trim-Masking/dp/B000P18N6W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493769534&sr=8-3&keywords=3m+trim+tape
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