Some questions on Infinity system

[g35-coupe]

I am looking of crossing over from a urethane coating to the 4.1 system but had a few questions for "real" users before pulling the trigger. So here goes:

1. About how many pairs of lights would you estimate a coating kit will cover?
2. How long are you telling customers the coating typically lasts?
3. Anyone simply hand sanding to avoid power source issues?
4. Anyone trying two or more coating for more durability?

[candyman]

Good morning. Iam getting about 22 - 25 cars per bottle. Doing headlights by hand is not productive and time consuming. You dont get the same quality results. I no longer give warranties. I tell the customer it should last 6 months or more depending upon how well they take care of their vehicle. For the most part most of my customers HLs still look good after 18 months. I dont normally use two coats. There are times for unknown reasons, the headlights look likes it has water marks after applying the coating. I wait about 10 minutes then reapply a second coat. That is rare, and may be tied to heat & humidity. Get a groits orbital sander (under $90) and follow the directions from DK.

[g35-coupe]

Thanks for the reply candyman. If I do get the orbital, it will probably be for customers that have power on hand but about 30% of my customers do not so hand sanding is the only means and I can still get a nice finish. How long do a pair of lights normally take you with the machine? When you see any streaks or missed spots, how long do you usually have to do touch-ups before needing to re-do the whole lens? You said "for the most part" on the 18 month longevity. Are you typically seeing degradation in less than a year? Every customer is going to treat their car differently. I am looking for an extremely durable coating without UV lamps or spray/aerosol application and wanting a minimum of 12 month durability. I appreciate all your help.

[candyman]

Good evening! Yes I do see HLs that needs a redo within 6 months. The reason in most cases. They used a buffer on it. harsh chemicals such as wax compounds to clean the bugs off. thats why I no longer give a warranty. It takes me after taping off, about 25-45 minutes for most vehicles. Wait at least 10 -15 min to reapply a coat of 4.1 infiniti or touch up. You have about 1 minute to catch a missed spot, because the coat should be wet. Never use a semi dry applicator or shop towel, or it will drag and smear. Make sure the shop towel or applicator is wet. Dont try to wipe off excess milky spots either. It will dry clear within a few minutes. If you are doing remote HL restorations and the customer doesnt have a electrical source, buy a converter for your vehhilce. Harbour Freight, Radio shack and others have some that are easy to connect for less than $100. They also have small gas generators for under $200 that will do the job for you. Shop around for bargains. Look through past post on this forum. We discussed this topic about 12 months ago.

[Old Blue 66]

http://www.harborfreight.com/800-rated- ... 66619.html.

Get this little gem from HF. Super reliable and will run all tools needed for HLR.

We get far more than the suggested coverage from DK with infin 4.1. It suggests 30 cars. We get more than that. The lens has to be as clear as possible. 3000 just doesn't get it clear enough. We the GT Glasss compound on every car then use 4.1. The results are fantastic and it you dont have to put 4.1 on as think.

As far as two coats, some cars need it no matter how well you prep the lens. Not many but a few. Its usually the ones that have a black background instead of a chrome one. I used two coats on an Infinity I35 last week and the results looked like glass. It is true that if you use two coats, it will deepen the clarity of the lens it most cases. Not worth it though. IMO.

[t4k]

I use a 100' extension cord to power my tools. I have never been to a car lot, fleet yard or a customer's house where I could not plug into a power outlet within a 100' radius.

[candyman]

The gen comes in handy when you are doing work for a customer somewhere other than their home. I had several clients that lived in another county and worked here. Some were teachers. The school system refused to allow me to use public paid energy from the buildings for personal use of teachers. Thats when I looked for an additional power source. I may go months and never use it. I keep 200 ft of reel 12-2 in my vehicle for most jobs, plus two 50 ft 14-2 cords. HF has a good selection of Gen.

[Old Blue 66]

I use the generator automatically unless Im parking near a power source. I only carry a couple of 20' cords with me simply because I hate rolling them up. I guess its personal preference.
The gen is so small that it doesn't take up much room in my truck and I fill it once a day. Just pull it out of the truck, start it up and go to work.

[t4k]

I use the generator automatically unless Im parking near a power source. I only carry a couple of 20' cords with me simply because I hate rolling them up. I guess its personal preference.
The gen is so small that it doesn't take up much room in my truck and I fill it once a day. Just pull it out of the truck, start it up and go to work.

You are exactly right, personal preference. I would personally rather roll up an extension cord than unload a generator, fill it with fuel, start it and listen to it run for 45 minutes per headlight set. To each his own...

[glassdoctor]

dc/ac inverter is the better option for getting power on site.... since you have to drive a vehicle and are working on a vehicle... both of which have a power source to run an inverter. 400watt inverters will run a sander and a 800watt will run most drill/polishers. $50-100 and a little work wiring it up with heavy gauge cable and you never have to search for power again.