Why are you still waxing your car?

[94banshee]

Here is some terminology that needs to be gotten straight.

 

Paint Cleaner= Something that cleans the paint without the use of abrasives.

 

Polish= Something that removes swirls with the use of abrasives.

 

Wax= Sometimes just a generic term for any form of protectant, but technically it is a carnauba based product that lasts for about 6 weeks and makes the car look glossy wet.

 

Sealant= A synthetic "wax" made with polymers or acrylics. Sealants are just protectants for the paint that last much much longer than waxes. See the first post in this thread for the comparison between the two.

 

Glaze= Typically glazes are just oily polishes that fit into multiple categories. Sometimes they are paint cleaners as well as protectants, and sometimes they are polishes and protectants. Glazes don't offer a whole lot of protection and they are mainly used just for show due to the greasyness of the product. They can be real dust magnets. Klasse Sealant Glaze isn't really a glaze in this sense even though it uses the name. Similarly, Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax isn't really a wax. Some products use these terms for lack of better words to describe them.

 

So in answer to your question, if you are refering to the Wolfgang Pre Wax Polish Enhancer, then you should know that it isn't really a polish. It is a paint cleaner. No abrasives are in that particular product. The Wolfgang Paint Sealant is a sealant just like the label says. How are you supposed to know when a polish is actually a polish and not a paint cleaner, you might ask? I dunno... experience I guess. lol They don't make this stuff easy. That's why you've got helpful guys around who are willing to clear things up if you ask the right questions.

 

thanks a lot gor clearing that up!

 

i guess i should have asked, what Wolfgang product do use for polishing?? i wanna use what the master uses!!:)

[OCDetails]

The only Wolfgang products that I use on a regular basis are the paint cleaner, sealant, vinyl/rubber protectant, and the instant detail spritz. I used to use their spray sealant too until they stopped making it. For polishing the paint there are several products I use. Pinnacle XMT polishes are awesome. Poorboy's makes some good ones too. Then of course there are the several Meguiar's and 3M polishes that work so well. I've even had great success with Chemical Guys and Danase polishes. Basically I use whatever works. If you want a recomendation on what to use, then I would suggest picking up the XMT polishes. The 1, 2, and 360 products should do it for you. There are more agressive products than those, but for a car in decent shape you shouldn't need to go higher. If you are going to be working on a car that is seriously damaged then you might want to get 3 as well. Keep in mind that 'polishing' is a job for a machine and these products were designed for machine use. Don't try using them by hand.

[94banshee]

The only Wolfgang products that I use on a regular basis are the paint cleaner, sealant, vinyl/rubber protectant, and the instant detail spritz. I used to use their spray sealant too until they stopped making it. For polishing the paint there are several products I use. Pinnacle XMT polishes are awesome. Poorboy's makes some good ones too. Then of course there are the several Meguiar's and 3M polishes that work so well. I've even had great success with Chemical Guys and Danase polishes. Basically I use whatever works. If you want a recomendation on what to use, then I would suggest picking up the XMT polishes. The 1, 2, and 360 products should do it for you. There are more agressive products than those, but for a car in decent shape you shouldn't need to go higher. If you are going to be working on a car that is seriously damaged then you might want to get 3 as well. Keep in mind that 'polishing' is a job for a machine and these products were designed for machine use. Don't try using them by hand.

 

ok thx! well, ill be ordering from eshine.ca since in canada and on their site they dont have any Pinnacle. so i guess ill go with Poorboys. however, that leads me to another questions. do i use :

 

Poorboy's Professional Polish(16 oz).

Professional Polish is the best and most versitile polish available. It is an awesome Paint/Clearcoat cleaner, Metal polish, and super on Glass, Plastic, Headlight Covers, and Plexiglass. Professional Polish is body shop safe and contains no Wax or Silicones. It's perfect as the final preparation before application of a wax or sealant.

 

i assume, yes. OR....

 

Poorboy's Polish w/100% Carnauba (16 oz).

This is a non-abrasive polish containing 100% carnuba wax. It cleans and seals a paint's finish in one step. This is an excellent one-step product for paints in good condition. It works very well with orbital buffers. There are two versions of this product.

 

OR

 

Poorboy's Polish w/Sealant.

Polish w/ Sealant (PwS). This is an AIO (All in One) product that no detailer should be without. We have tested and tested and tested this product to make sure it will be a new staple in everyone's detailing bin.

 

I think i dont use this last option, coz ill be using Wolfgang Sealant

 

thx again!

POWA

[OCDetails]

I try to avoid products that have multiple purposes to them just as a rule. I like my polishes to be dedicated polishes just like I prefer my sealants and waxes to be dedicated to those tasks as well. There are the few 'one step' products that I enjoy, but for the most part I choose my products based on dedicated purposes. My recomendation would be the SSR line of products. SSR 2 and SSR 1 are pretty good for most jobs. Sometimes I'll grab the 2.5, but for the most part 2 will take care of everything.

 

Chris at eshine is good people. Tell him Anthony says howdy and see if he gives you a hook up. He is always who I recommend when people are looking for a Canadian source for 'the good stuff'. His customer service and speed of shipping have always impressed me.

[94banshee]

I try to avoid products that have multiple purposes to them just as a rule. I like my polishes to be dedicated polishes just like I prefer my sealants and waxes to be dedicated to those tasks as well. There are the few 'one step' products that I enjoy, but for the most part I choose my products based on dedicated purposes. My recomendation would be the SSR line of products. SSR 2 and SSR 1 are pretty good for most jobs. Sometimes I'll grab the 2.5, but for the most part 2 will take care of everything.

 

Chris at eshine is good people. Tell him Anthony says howdy and see if he gives you a hook up. He is always who I recommend when people are looking for a Canadian source for 'the good stuff'. His customer service and speed of shipping have always impressed me.

 

ok,ill let him know you said hi

 

ill go with the SSR then, but is the SSR ok to apply AFTER or BEFORE i apply the

Wolfgang Pre-Wax Polish Enhancer ?

[OCDetails]

It is a before product. The pre-wax is more of a primer for the sealant at that point. The paint will already be as clean as it is going to get after the SSRs. They are body shop safe products and don't leave any oils or fillers behind. You'll find that the sealant applies much easier when you have the pre-wax on first. You can also use it to help get any leftover polish off the paint too. That's usually what I do.

[lgt_nube]

OCDetails, while you're here :-) My 2005 OBP LGT Wagon has no oxidation, but you can certainly feel 'stuff" on the paint after a wash. I've been unsuccessful in finding a local (Marin County, just north of San Francisco) detailer who does anything like you write about. Most don't even know what claying is. The car wash I go to (hand wash $10) does an external detail for $79 that's wash, clay (I checked one newly-clayed car and if felt perfect to me), and either Meguiar's 66 or a liquid carnuba wax product. That's all. I feel like letting them do it just to get the claying and some protection. What do you think? What would the Meguiar's 66 do?

[OCDetails]

#66 is a cleaner wax type product. It is designed to remove oxidation and micro marring that is really difficult to see, but is something I refer to as 'haze'. It won't do much for swirls, but it is something that I would use to follow up an agressive polish to remove polisher haze. It is sort of a two step product in one. It cleans the paint and then leaves a layer of carnauba.

 

If they are using #66 as a paint cleaner, then my bet is that they are using #26 as their liquid wax. #26 is really a fine wax, but it is something you can get anywhere. Clay can be purchased anywhere too. In fact, if you go to AutoZone then you can pick up a Clay Magic bar for $10 and a bottle of #26 for about the same. Washing your car costs next to nothing, so I really don't see the point in paying them $79 to do something that you could do ten times for less than $25. If they were going to machine polish your car to remove swirls or other damage then that is one thing, but clay and #26 are both products that are just as effective when done by hand than any other method. They are just charging you for their time at this point. If that is the package you are interested in then I would recommend that you do it yourself and save some money. Claying and waxing are very very very easy processes that don't require a whole lot of skill.

 

However, I understand not having the time to spend half a day working on your car, so paying $79 for that treatment isn't a bad deal. That is about what I would charge for the job. Just make sure you don't see them wiping the wheels and glass with the same towel that gets used on the paint. Be very critical when you pick the car up and have them fix any issues you have with the finished product. Don't drive it away with streaks on your glass or drips on the paint. If they are worth their salt then they hopefully believe in quality and wouldn't let a vehicle leave in less than the best condition possible.

[lgt_nube]

If they are using #66 as a paint cleaner, then my bet is that they are using #26 as their liquid wax.

They use #66 only. Or a liquid carnauba product only. Not both. The liquid carnauba product was in a large jug and wan't Meguiar's (didn't catch more than that). They machine buff the #66 (or liquid carnauba product).

[OCDetails]

Right, what I was suggesting was that if they were getting products like #66 from Meguiar's, then it would make sense that they got their liquid wax from them too. Either way, it just depends on what your car needs more. I wouldn't expect that #66 is going to make any impact that a liquid wax of any other brand wouldn't also make and exceed for your car.

[lgt_nube]

Thanks. They did recommend their liquid wax over the #66 for my car since it doesn't seem to need any cleaning other then the claying (if we're not going to polish out the swirls left from before; but they don't do that and they're not very bad anyway). They said the liquid wax has a higher shine.

 

If I do that, what would you recommend I use (by hand) periodically to maintain the shine and protection? #26? How often?

 

Right, what I was suggesting was that if they were getting products like #66 from Meguiar's, then it would make sense that they got their liquid wax from them too. Either way, it just depends on what your car needs more. I wouldn't expect that #66 is going to make any impact that a liquid wax of any other brand wouldn't also make and exceed for your car.

[OCDetails]

Hey, it's your pick. Off the shelf I'd say that Meguiar's Gold Class is a good choice. Meguiar's NXT is also good. #26 is a great wax, but it is more for shops that need to buy by the gallon. It isn't any better or worse than Gold Class in my opinion. There are just so many good liquid waxes on the shelves these days that it is hard to go wrong. I would suggest reapplying it every 4 to 6 weeks though. Waxes just aren't that durable.

[lgt_nube]

Meguiar's Gold Class is a good choice. Meguiar's NXT is also good.

Early in this long thread you extoll NXT as being a good sealant, not a wax. Does it last longer than Gold Class wax? Could I put it over what's left of carnauba wax after about a month? And I assume you mean the "NXT Generation Tech Wax".

[OCDetails]

I didn't realize you wanted me to limit the suggestions to straight up waxes. I thought you were just looking for a liquid product you could get off the shelf. If you are looking for wax then go for Gold Class. If you are looking for durability with the added benefit of cleaning the surface with mild abrasives, then go with the NXT. Neither of those products are what I would consider 'layerable'. The NXT would just polish off whatever is on the surface before it. Gold Class has too high of a solvent content to layer as well. I've seen it remove sharpie marker on a washing machine, so I'd say it is not going to survive being layered on top of itself. Unless you are using a paste wax then I would suggest not layering waxes.

 

NXT is a synthetic 'wax' that lasts longer than Gold Class. As I said earlier, the term 'wax' is applied to pretty much anything that makes your car look better and provides protection. Glazes, polishes, waxes, sealants.... They can all be called 'waxes' at one time or another. Just like how you ask for a Band-Aids when you have a cut or ask for a Kleenex when you sneeze. Some things just imply the general idea of what you are using or asking for.

[lgt_nube]

Thanks again for the great info. I have tomorrow free and then it's work most days for quite a while. So tomorrow I'm going to have that car wash place do their wash, clay, and liquid carnauba/machine buff. After about a month I'll get some NXT and use that myself (by hand) at whatever intervals are necessary. I just want to get something going that will do the job.

 

It was interesting talking to the owner of this car wash. He said they used to do real polishing (for swirls, etc.) but said it took too long and people weren't willing to pay what he had to charge. So he switched to their current $79 offering instead. I've inquired into a few other detailers in this area but get no good answers about what they use and how, only very generic answers. There is a Zaino detailer with a good rep and good prices, but not really close. We need you here!

[OCDetails]

Well, I was in Modesto last weekend doing some work, so you just missed me.

[Adamaxus]

alright, i need some help oh wise internet. I was in another thread a while ago discussing sealents and various other things. Now there was mention of an NXT by Meguiars. I went to Canadian Tire (mainstream shop of car stuff and all manner of other outdoor/lawn stuff and machinery) and i found something i think is what i'm looking for, but i would like some confirmation. The guy working there said i needed a buffer for this stuff - my impression from the last thread was that i could get away without one as i don't have one and am not really looking to get one. So, did i get the right stuff?

 

http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/3756/waxgi0.jpg

 

sorry for the crappy web camera picture.

[OCDetails]

That is the right stuff. You don't need a buffer to use it, although you might get better results if you are hoping to remove swirls with it. You can apply it by hand just fine. It has fillers in it that will mask some of the swirls and you don't need a buffer to get those results.

[lgt_nube]

You can apply it by hand just fine.

Do you have a preference between NXT liquid and paste versions?

 

Have you tried PolyCharger with NXT (liquid)?

[Adamaxus]

That is the right stuff. You don't need a buffer to use it, although you might get better results if you are hoping to remove swirls with it. You can apply it by hand just fine. It has fillers in it that will mask some of the swirls and you don't need a buffer to get those results.

 

fantastic!! not looking to really get rid of swirls, there are some but they are minor due to the use of a dirty cleaning brush one time - i'm hoping the filler will take care of it. Now, there just needs to be a nice day........

 

I haven't gotten to read the bottle yet, but it's an apply and wipe off thing like wax correct?

[iyalla]

Paste and liquid is a matter of preference....

 

Liquid Pros - Ability to cover area without missing spots, easier to apply, easier to get out of the damn can/bottle, quicker to use, and finally easier to use with a buffer.

Liquid Cons - Third party solvents or chemicals are used to create the liquid wax, some say this causes less product to be applied per section compared with paste. Some say that the solvents in the liquid might compromise previous layers of another product especially when you are dealing with a product with some cleaning ability.

 

Paste Pros - Ability to lay down a thick layer of product and get full benefit of its properties, no need to shake bottle in order to mix product. Minimal solvents.

Paste Cons - Hard to scrap out of can makes it harder to use with a buffer and a little harder by hand compared to liquid. Sometimes harder to buff off because of the possibility of laying it on too thick. Possibility to miss spots if you are not careful. Consequently it takes more time to use paste.

 

 

Personally I prefer liquid. What I really would like is if someone was to come out with something the consistency of toothpaste. That would be ideal

[iyalla]

I haven't gotten to read the bottle yet, but it's an apply and wipe off thing like wax correct?

 

 

Yes. Apply, let haze, wipe off.

 

Try this...wipe on section 1, wipe on section 2, wipe off section 1, wipe on section 3, wipe off section 2, wipe on section 4, wipe off section 3, etc etc...

 

Watch your black trim NXT will stain it a little if you let it dry. This is especially true with the paste version but the liquid version will do it too if you get it on textured plastic and rubber.

[OCDetails]

Do you have a preference between NXT liquid and paste versions?

 

Have you tried PolyCharger with NXT (liquid)?

 

 

I haven't used the paste version yet.

 

Nope, I haven't used Polycharger with it yet.

[Adamaxus]

Yes. Apply, let haze, wipe off.

 

Try this...wipe on section 1, wipe on section 2, wipe off section 1, wipe on section 3, wipe off section 2, wipe on section 4, wipe off section 3, etc etc...

 

Watch your black trim NXT will stain it a little if you let it dry. This is especially true with the paste version but the liquid version will do it too if you get it on textured plastic and rubber.

 

 

hm, that sounds interesting. i will give that a try; maybe it will seem like it takes less time. I'll just do it like i wax, i always have a towel on hand to clean the trim.

[94banshee]

OK

so here is the fnal step-by-step order: (please correct if necessary OCDETAILS) how does it look to you??

please note, my car is a 1995, but surprisingly, the paint still looks to be in great shape!

 

1. Wash (wool mitt or microfiber mitt + soap + water) WITH Dawn (Im starting from scratch)

 

2. let the car dry mostly then clay with Clay Magic (use lots of water or soapy water or the supplied Clay Lube)

 

3- wash AGAIN after claying but NOT with Dawn (dry with microfiber)

 

4. Polish with Poorboy's SSR #2

5. Apply Wolfgang Pre-Wax Polish Enhancer

6. apply Wolfgang Pre-Wax Cleaner

 

7. Apply Wolfgang Sealant. Let cure for around 8 hours between coats or before wax, then.......

 

8. Apply Harley Davidson S100

Wax.

 

 

Questions:

 

a) In step #2, can i use the supplied "Clay Lube" instead of soap and water? both work equally?

 

b) Is there anything I am missing or need to leave out?

 

c) May I ask your first name? It'd be easier to refer to you that way.

 

Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!