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....

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