Summary of "How To Keep Your Porsche Looking New with Tim McNair | Tech Tactics Live"

How To Keep Your Porsche Looking New with Tim McNair | Tech Tactics Live

The video features Tim McNair, owner of Grand Prix Concour, sharing expert tips, tools, and products for maintaining and restoring Porsche cars. The focus is on paint, trim, chrome, plastics, and ceramic coatings. Below is a detailed summary of the key lifestyle tips, product recommendations, and techniques discussed.

Key Tips & Techniques for Porsche Care

Degreasing & Cleaning

SD20 Degreaser Originally designed as a foaming degreaser for restaurant range hoods, SD20 is excellent for cleaning engine compartments, wire wheels, rubber scuffs, and removing rubber residue from race cars. It is safe on natural metals, does not stain, and is available on Amazon or janitorial supply stores. For tougher grime, follow with a citrus degreaser.
Use on Rubber Scuffs Generally does not remove wax; if it does, simply reapply wax or spray wax.

Chrome & Metal Restoration

Breewax Steel Wool (#4/6 grade) Very fine steel wool originally used for furniture restoration, ideal for cleaning chrome parts without heavy abrasion. Use with glass cleaner or metal polish for enhanced results. Avoid using on aluminum or soft metals.
Bamboo Sticks (Skewers) Great for cleaning tight corners, badges, and trim lines, especially between chrome and rubber trim to remove halos and residue. Bamboo is preferred over wooden sticks for durability and effectiveness.

Plastic & Plexiglass Care

Canopy Cleaner (Airport Product) Superior for cleaning and filling fine scratches on plexiglass windows, headlight covers, and plastic tail lights. Spray and wipe with microfiber towels for a like-new finish.
Plastic All-in-One Polish Used with a cordless orbital polisher to restore gloss and remove scratches on plastic parts.
GS Hypo Cement (Watch Crystal Glue) Used as a clear filler for tiny chips in lights or lenses; dries clear and can be trimmed flush.

Ceramic Coatings & Maintenance

Ceramic coatings require regular maintenance to keep the warranty valid. Follow the applicator’s maintenance schedule, which often includes specific washes every few months.
Use recommended brand-specific washes and products; mixing brands can degrade performance.
Ceramic coatings protect paint but are not indestructible; they need periodic top-coating and careful washing.
Running ceramic-coated cars through car washes is possible but not ideal. Immediate maintenance after a car wash is needed to preserve the coating. Avoid harsh or abrasive car washes when possible.
Grio’s Garage Cleaner/Polish A cleaner wax with mild abrasives, good for quick shine on paint and metal trim, usable on daily drivers and weekend cars.
Can Coat (Gyeon Product) Consumer-grade, easy-to-apply ceramic coating available on Amazon (~$60), includes prep and applicators. No buffing required; just wipe on, let haze, then wipe off excess. Suitable for paint, wheels, and even wheel wells and suspension parts on track cars. Offers about a year of protection depending on driving conditions.

Interior Detailing

Gun Cleaning Brushes Plastic brushes with a single row of bristles, excellent for cleaning tight creases and piping on seats and interior trim. Available inexpensively on Amazon.
Go’s Interior Cleaner Spray onto a microfiber towel and clean one panel at a time to avoid spotting. Use a stiff brush for stubborn stains on vinyl; softer brushes are recommended for leather.
Vacuum seats before deep cleaning to remove loose dirt and avoid grinding debris into material.

Paint Touch-Up & Repair

Model Paints and Lacquers (Tama, Zero Paints) Acrylic lacquers and model paints closely match Porsche colors and are great for small touch-ups. Use nail art dotting tools for precise application of paint dots on chips and scratches.
Kovac Toll Cut Blocks Hard rubber sanding blocks used in guitar or instrument repair, excellent for leveling raised paint chips before polishing.
Chrome Spray Paint & Molotov Liquid Chrome Pens Used for restoring chrome finishes inside tail light housings or small trim pieces; quick and highly reflective finish.

Specialized Tools

Metal Applicator Spoons For applying ceramic coatings or cleaning tight spots.
Matco Electrical Connector Remover Tool Provides leverage to safely disconnect plastic tabs without damage.
Cotton Swabs with Sticky Rubber Tips (from Daiso) Useful for cleaning inside gauges or hard-to-reach spots.

Lighting for Detailing

Loom Cube Lights Portable, adjustable color temperature LED lights ideal for illuminating detail work inside cars.

Notable Locations, Products, and Speakers

Speaker: Tim McNair, owner of Grand Prix Concour, expert in high-end car detailing and prep for prestigious events like Pebble Beach and Amelia Island.
Products Mentioned:
- SD20 degreaser
- Breewax steel wool
- Bamboo sticks (skewers)
- Canopy cleaner (airport product)
- Plastic All-in-One polish
- GS Hypo Cement (watch crystal glue)
- Ceramic coatings: Gyeon Can Coat, IG Kenzo, Geon, Ceramic Pro
- Grio’s Garage cleaner wax
- Go’s Interior Cleaner
- Nail art dotting tools
- Kovac toll cut sanding blocks
- Tama and Zero Paints model lacquers
- Rall chrome spray paint and Molotov liquid chrome pens
- Matco connector removal tool
- Loom Cube LED lights
- Cotton swabs from Daiso (Japanese $1.50 store)
Events & Organizations:
- PCA (Porsche Club of America) Tech Tactics Live
- PCA Insider Podcast episode featuring Tim McNair (episode 195)
- Upcoming PCA events like Unontock 2025 in Santa Clarita
- Sponsors: Pirelli Tires

Summary

Tim McNair shares a wealth of practical, professional-level advice on maintaining a Porsche’s showroom shine, from degreasing and chrome polishing to ceramic coating care and interior detailing. He emphasizes using the right tools—often sourced from unexpected places like hobby shops or gun cleaning suppliers—and stresses the importance of proper prep and maintenance routines for ceramic coatings to ensure longevity. This video is a rich resource for Porsche enthusiasts looking to keep their cars looking new with expert tips, product recommendations, and demonstrations.