3D one 3D ceramic Plan!

[Boyerstyle]

Could be. 3D One is not the most aggressive compound, it's not designed to be either. It's a compound/polish and for its category it works great.

If you're new to paint correction, and I don't want to assume, it's possible the clear on your BMW is really hard and if this is the case, then it could be that you do in in fact need a more aggressive compound, pad and tool to get the paint to where you want it.

I'm no expert! And doubt I'll ever arrive, but I have done a handful of vehicles. Yeah after some googling it seems the BMW forums all talk about how hard that clearcoat is.

For daily driver's - I wouldn't obsess over remvoing each and every scratch. Remember not only is the clear layer of paint thin, but you want this layer of paint to hold up as long as you own the car.

I'm sure I just need to wrap my head around that and then I'll love it. She blinging from a distance and she's protected so I should just relax

How did the paint look AFTER wiping with Mineral Spirits?

This is a great question! I have not the best lighting in my garage, just the usual cheapo florescent style builders installd, so I was using a handheld LED and a LED headlamp to supplement that, BUT it's totally possible there was some small residue from the polish and the griots speed shine they convinced me was fine. I'm glad i didnt just try and put the ceramic on top and used the mineral spirits first.

Like any coating, you apply a whisper thin amount. Normally all you need is 5-7 drops across the face of thee micro-suede patch and then tackle an area about 2' x 2". Most people use a crosshatch pattern, overlapping their passes a little and go over this section 3-4 times. Wait 30 to 45 seconds and the give this panel a light wipe with a quality microfiber towel and this section is done.

The way you describe your experience is nothing like I've ever experienced with ANY brand of ceramic coating except a really crappy product I used from another company and after one attempt I stopped using the product. I also stopped recommending it. It was like trying to wipe off glue.
Question: Did you do this outside?

Ah, then i wasn't using too much! I did just about that much. I was worried someone was going to say 4 drops and do half the car because technically the instructions say to just not let it "dry out" so I'm glad I guessed right.

That's a bummer. White paint is a tick harder to work on with any products simple because things like compound, polish, AIO residues, and also panel wipes and coatings are harder to see against the white paint.
Besides the rotary, what other tools do you own?

As far as polishing goes I also have the CBEAST which is what I used this time. I used to have an old school Griots polisher 10 or so years ago, but that's bit the dust.

 

[Boyerstyle]

Should have tried using 3D One with a microfiber pad rather than foam.

That haze is high spots from not leveling the coating and letting it sit too long. A coatings flash times is dependent on the humidity and temperature. You would need to polish and re-coat. I never used mineral spirits as a panel prep and that could have also contributed to the high spots.

A 30ml bottle can get 2 layers on an average size sedan. Newcomers to coatings generally go heavy with the coating application. Keep practicing until you get familiar with a coating and how it flashes. I found 3D ceramic to be an easy coating to work with.

Great advice. It was fairly humid in my garage. I looked for a good video to explain how to apply the 3D ceramic. The instructions said to wait if it feels oily, which it kind of did most the time, but if I waited 20 seconds longer it was tacky and impossible to work with. It was so oily I thought maybe something in the rags, so I busted out some new ones even. I guess maybe I can chalk it up to leftover oils prior to install from either polish or the speed shine the knuckle heads at Griots suggested as a pre-ceramic cleaner? I did use mineral spirits as I was in a bind, and I'm starting to think that something in that prep led to maybe a little oil on the paint still. Well one more white BMW left, I can go learn some more on the wife's car

I shoulda practiced on her's first BUT mine had those nasty water spots I was dying to remove!!

 

[opie]

First times may not go as planned lol, atleast you have some experience now to build and learn off of

 

[Boyerstyle]

First times may not go as planned lol, atleast you have some experience now to build and learn off of

Yep! Exactly!

What is the best plan for washing/maintaining the coating now?

 

[The Guz]

Wash with a soap that contains no waxes or gloss enhancers. And most coating manufacturer recommend some sort of top up product. I believe 3D offers bead it up but I have not looked too deeply into their line up.

Chemically decontaminate it with an iron remover at least once a year.