Pinnacle Paint Care System

Automotive paint is made up of multiple layers: the primer, the color coat, and the clear coat. However, the combined total of these three layers is only about .006- .008 of an inch thick. Scary, huh?

Considering what your vehicle is exposed to every day, the paint is quite durable. UV rays, airborne pollution, bugs, dirt, tar, heat, salt, and any number of other assailants bombard the paint surface every time your vehicle leaves the garage. And if you don’t have a garage, it never gets a break. It’s no surprise that an unprotected finish will eventually lose the battle and begin fading, oxidizing, and even peeling.

The only tried and true way to keep your paint healthy is the three step process: clean, polish, and protect. While the number of car care products out there can be dizzying, they all fall into one of these three categories. Knowing the three steps really simplifies your product search.

Your search is further simplified by the Pinnacle Natural Brilliance System. You’ll find that Pinnacle includes only high quality products that truly benefit your vehicle’s paint.

CLEAN

Wash

The first step is, of course, washing. You should wash your vehicle weekly to remove the week’s contamination. Washing frequently removes contaminants, like bug splatter, before it has time to eat into the clear coat and do permanent damage.

Use Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo for the ultimate, luxurious bath. The shampoo contains coconut oils that act as lubricants to prevent loose dirt from scratching your vehicle. This is extremely important since most swirls (a.k.a. spider webbing) and scratches are caused during washing.

Wash using a Sheepskin Wash Mitt or a Natural Sea Sponge for a safe wash. Both provide ample space for dirt to accumulate so it does not remain on the paint surface. Work from the top down so that the lower body panels (the dirtiest area) are the last thing you wash.

Clay

Detailing clay hit the detailing scene in the late eighties, but it was almost exclusively used by professional detailers and car dealers. Only recently has clay become part of the hobbyist’s arsenal.

Clay works by removing tiny contaminants that have become stuck in the clear coat. This road shrapnel creates little holes where water and oxygen can get under the clear coat and cause oxidation. If the contamination is not removed and the holes are not sealed under a protective coating, the entire paint system will eventually fail. Washing cannot remove these particular contaminants because they are literally stuck in the top coat. The only way to remove them is to clay.

Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay is a synthetic clay compound that grabs and pulls these contaminants out of the paint. With the help of Pinnacle Clay Lubricant, clay is the safest – and only – way to thoroughly clean the paint.

On a clean vehicle, spray a small area with Clay Lubricant (about 2 sq. ft.). Rub the clay back and forth lightly across the wet area. It will drag at first. This is a normal sign that the clay is grabbing things out of the clear coat. When it glides freely, the paint is clean. Wipe away any clay residue with a soft, clean microfiber towel.

POLISH

Polishing involves removing scratches and swirl marks, and then improving the gloss. Products labeled swirl removers, compounds, glazes, and pre-wax cleaners all fall into this category. In the Pinnacle line, Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover, Advanced Finishing Polish, and Paintwork Cleansing Lotion are found in this category.

Swirl Removal

If your paint has moderate to severe swirls and scratches, use Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover to even the paint surface. The formula is filled with lubricants to prevent unnecessary abrasion as it gently levels the paint. Apply it with a polisher for the best results. We recommend the Porter Cable 7424XP dual action polisher. It’s user-friendly features allow detailers of any skill level to achieve excellent results.

1. Draw a large circle on an orange pad with the Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover. You may also choose to apply three lines of polish directly on the paint.
2. Spread the polish over a 2 sq. ft. section with the polisher turned off.
3. Set the maximum speed to 4.5 or 5 (1500 RPM on a rotary polisher) and turn the polisher on.
4. Work the polish in a figure eight pattern until it begins to dry or disappear.
5. Turn off the machine before lifting it off the paint.
6. Buff the area with a clean microfiber towel and inspect your results. Keep in mind that Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover is not intended to remove swirls that extend below the clear coat because they will require repainting. These will require professional attention.
7. If necessary repeat the process. If light hazing occurs, do not be concerned. The next step will restore the gloss.

Finishing

Finishing refers to restoring the gloss after using a more intense polish. Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish is the perfect remedy for hazy or dull paint. It will gently polish the surface to a bright gloss and remove any haze left by the Advanced Swirl Remover. This product can be applied by hand or with a machine.

If applying by hand, use a Cobra Microfiber Applicator Pad. Wipe the polish over one 2 sq. ft. section at a time in a thin, even coat. Allow it to dry to a haze and then buff with a microfiber towel.

If applying Advanced Finishing Polish by machine, follow the same directions as listed under Swirl Removal, but use a white polishing pad. Always use a fresh towel to buff off a different product to avoid cross-contamination.

Pre-wax Cleaning

Your paint should be looking much better at this point. You’re in the home stretch! Just two more steps to gorgeous, glossy paint.

Pre-wax cleaning is essential to creating the deep wet look that you see in magazines and on the concours circuit. Paintwork Cleansing Lotion is designed to give you the stunning shine that can only be described as brilliant. It’s the show car secret that keeps vehicles looking young!

Paintwork Cleansing Lotion contains rich, nourishing oils to “wet” the paint and bring the color to life. Micro-fine fillers hide minor imperfections so that the final wax coat reflects only smooth, flawless paint. The most discriminating eyes will see only perfection.

To apply Paintwork Cleansing Lotion, pour a quarter-size amount onto a clean Cobra Microfiber Applicator Pad. Spread a thin, even coat over one panel at a time. There is no need to apply pressure. Once the lotion has dried to a haze, buff gently with a soft Cobra Miracle Towel to uncover the sizzling shine.

PROTECT

Paint protection is perhaps the most important step in this process. You wouldn’t lie in the sun all day without sunscreen; why would you let your vehicle?

Pinnacle makes two paste waxes of outstanding clarity and shine: Pinnacle Souverän™ Paste Wax and Pinnacle Signature Series II Paste Wax. Both are made with ultra-refined, genuine Brazilian carnauba – nature’s finest wax. The additional refinement allows the wax to achieve an unequaled clarity and reflective quality that jumps off the vehicle!

Apply Pinnacle Souverän™ Wax or Signature Series II with a clean foam applicator.

Pinnacle Signature Series II Paste Wax is designed to be an impressive wax for paint of any color. It offers excellent UV protection and water-beading with a slick, reflective finish. Dark colors, like black and red, react uniquely to carnauba wax. They are able to achieve a depth and brilliance unmatched by any other paint color. It takes a special wax to harness the full potential of these finishes. Pinnacle Souverän™ Paste Wax is the wax. It creates such an amazing liquid shine that the paint looks as if it might drip right off the metal. Get ready for the attention because it will turn heads!

If speed is your pleasure, you’ll love Liquid Souverän™. The liquid formula glides on effortlessly and leaves a shine that far surpasses an ordinary liquid wax. Plus, it lasts longer than a traditional paste wax!

Apply any of these waxes with a Polyfoam Wax Applicator. Spread a thin, even coat over one panel at a time. Pinnacle waxes contain no cleaners so they do not dry to a haze. Gently buff your paint with a soft, clean microfiber towel.

You will need to reapply wax approximately every 2 months to maintain the optimum level of protection. Weekly washes and exposure to the elements will slowly wear away wax. To keep it looking fresh, apply Pinnacle Crystal Mist Carnauba Detail Spray any time. This carnauba-based detail spray cleans and enhances the gloss of the paint with ample lubricants and natural oils.


This Mercedes Kompressor was detailed with Pinnacle Natural Brilliance.

Souverän™ is a registered trademark of Palm Beach Motoring Accessories.