First wax

[teggypimp95]

Hey guys, well im going to do my first wax of the season on saturday and i bought a new car this winter and its black. any one know whats the best wax to use on a black car, to bring out the color and shine the best? and to also protect. I usually stick to mecquires(spelling) orignal or tech wax. what others you guys like? thanks!

[Bonka]

You can never go wrong with the Klasse twins. They tend to provide better "pop" on lighter coloured cars, however.

Bar none Pinnacle Souveran paste wax gives the most depth on darks and reds. At ~$100 it is incredibly pricey though. Lower cost alternatives include P21S/S100, Clearkote Carnauba Moose, Natty's Blue, Poorboy's EX or Meg's #26. I prefer to use these as "toppers" and use something as a base, like Klasse. This combo would certainly be durable enough for a daily driver.

[kaput]

.

[teggypimp95]

where do you get this klasse and how much is it?

[88CRX]

claybar + mequirs mtx (or whatever the hell its called)

[hockeybronx]

My car is black and honestly the best wax I've ever used is Turtle Wax Color Cure. It fills in almost all fine scratches and small paint chips that are on your vehicle.

I do the Mothers 3-Step system early April, and late October, and use Turtle Wax Color Cure all the other times. Honestly for the price it's worth a try, as I said it's the best I've ever used on a black car. Canadian Tire sells it, and so does Superstore I believe.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by 88CRX
claybar + mequirs mtx (or whatever the hell its called)

Yep, clay bar is essential.

[CappyMcSlappy]

Claybar = INCREDIBLY essential!

I would NEVER wax a car without claying it first. Otherwise, you might as well use fine grit sanpaper on the car first!

Best 10 bucks you can spend, bar-none!:bigpimp:

[Inzane]

Originally posted by Bonka
You can never go wrong with the Klasse twins. They tend to provide better "pop" on lighter coloured cars, however.

Bar none Pinnacle Souveran paste wax gives the most depth on darks and reds. At ~$100 it is incredibly pricey though. Lower cost alternatives include P21S/S100, Clearkote Carnauba Moose, Natty's Blue, Poorboy's EX or Meg's #26. I prefer to use these as "toppers"

:rofl: You sound like a fellow "Autopian". ;)

Honestly most people on THIS forum aren't going to have a clue what you're talking about.

Anyway this thread starter sounds like he's just interested in whatever he can pick up at a local retail store, not expensive boutique products that have to be mail ordered.

[Inzane]

Originally posted by CappyMcSlappy
I would NEVER wax a car without claying it first. Otherwise, you might as well use fine grit sanpaper on the car first!

I don't think you have a good understanding of what the claying step is for and what it does.

Waxing an unclayed car is not going to cause you to move the grit around the surface of the paint. If the embedded contaminents could come out of the paint that easily then you wouldn't need to clay in the first place. Think about it.

The real purpose of the claying step is to remove those embedded contaminents that you can't otherwise remove from polishing. And by removing them you create as smooth a surface a possible, which helps your subsequent polishing steps be more effective, AND helps your final protection step (wax/sealant) to bond to the paint better. THIS is why its important. (Not to mention that some of those embedded contaminents, such as rail dust, if left for a prolonged period of time could permently damage your clearcoat.)

But just for clarification, there is no HARM in polishing and waxing an unclayed car. Its just BETTER to, from your *results* standpoint, especially if you're anal about these things. Your car's paint will feel better (to the touch) and look better, if you clay.

[teggypimp95]

any one know where to get a very good power polise done and ruffly whats the prices? i relized my car is going to take more than a clay bar and wax.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Bonka
You can never go wrong with the Klasse twins. They tend to provide better "pop" on lighter coloured cars, however.

:thumbsup: I've been waxing cars since the 80's and nothing comes close to the shine & durablility of the Klasse twins. I waxed my new Stone White SRT-4 in August and even after being driven all winter, water still beads off it like I just waxed it last week.

Also as someone said you do not want to use the clay bar on new paint. The clay bar is for removing old layers of wax and contaminants, since your paint is reletively new, a cleaner wax followed by a sealer wax will suffice.

[Inzane]

Originally posted by heavyD
The clay bar is for removing old layers of wax and contaminants,

The clay bar is mainly for the embedded contaminants. If all you want to do is remove old wax an ordinary dish detergent like Dawn will suffice. If you want to remove surface contamination, chemical cleaners like Meguiar's "Paint Cleaner" and Klasse All-In-One will do that job. (the cleaners will address old wax too).

As far as new cars go, its a good idea to do something about the rail dust. All new cars have it. Clay is one of the only ways to effectively remove that. Dealerships claim they have a "chemical" means for dealing with that too, but I'm a bit skeptical about that, but I haven't actually seen how it works first hand.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Inzane
If all you want to do is remove old wax an ordinary dish detergent like Dawn will suffice.

I don't claim to be an expert but I have read many articles on detailing and using dish soap is always considered a no-no.

[Bill Cosby]

:hijack: who wants to wax my car for the low price of free ninety nine

haha

.. honestly i was thinking about waxing my car, but i am very unsure how to do so, where is the best place i can take my car to get it professionally done and what am i looking to pay?

[hockeybronx]

Originally posted by heavyD


I don't claim to be an expert but I have read many articles on detailing and using dish soap is always considered a no-no.

:werd:

I would never use dish-soap on my car. Use the clay bar before hand instead.

[gp36912]

if my car really needs it i claybar it then i polish it with turtle was polisher, then put a nice coat of turtle wax super hard greed, then finish it off with a coat of meguirs gold wax. though i may try the klasse twins stuff if you guys are getting that good of results from it

[Inzane]

Originally posted by heavyD


I don't claim to be an expert but I have read many articles on detailing and using dish soap is always considered a no-no.

Yes that's true... its bad mainly because it will strip the oils and wax from your paint. (that's the reason its widely discouraged) But that's beside the point anyway. I was only using it as an example to show that you don't need clay to remove WAX... there are plenty of products that will do that and that's not the purpose of why you use the claying step.

Clay removes what you can't get off with the type of products mentioned below vvvvvvvvv

If you look at the Mother's or Meguiar's 3-step consumer line, the first step is a "paint cleaner". Other products like Meg's #9 Swirl Remover, #83 Dual-Action Cleaner Polish, and Medallion Paint Cleaner, and Klasse All-In-One are paint cleaners too. And there are many others, too many to list. Pretty much every line of detailing products has something to serve this purpose. Some are mainly chemical cleaners, some use some level of abrasives, some use both. But all those products serve the purpose of cleaning off old wax and surface contaminants, and are safe for your paint.

The claybar has one purpose.

[TimG]

Klasse rules.

My bi-annual detailing regiment (once in the spring, once before winter) is as follows:

wash
clay
polish (poorboys #2.5 and #1 or similar) with the Porter Cable
2 coats of Klasse All in One
3-5 coats of Klasse Sealant Glaze
2-3 coats of Meguiar's #26

Edit: There is really no need to clay your car more than 1-2 times per year unless you park your car where it gets tree sap on it or industrial fallout on a regular basis. ditto for polishing.

[rony_espana]

Is there anything that will remove swirls and scratches? I have a professional polisher, and I bought some Meguire's swirl remover, and it didn't really make a difference. I bought the swirl remover at an auto paint shop. Will clay bar help for swirls? Also what does the number mean (ie: meguiars #26)?

[kaput]

.

[TimG]

You need to use a appropriate polishing compound and foam pad to get the right amount of cutting. the rule of thumb is that you start with the mildest combination and then move up.

Is your "professional" polisher a dual action random orbital type or a rotary? If it's a rotary chances are you're adding to the swirling problem.

Those turtle wax 10" jobbies that you get from CT won't cut it (no pun intended). Their motors aren't strong enough and they don't generate enough heat to break down the polishing compounds.

Meguiar's numbering system is just another way to identify their products. Poorboy's polishes are numbered according to how aggressive they are: #1, 2, 2.5, and 3 in increasing order of cutting power. If you bought Meguiar's Dual Action Cleaner Polish, be warned that you have to work that polish quite a bit before it breaks down. Sometimes you have to make 2-3 passes before you remove the swirls. Also, if you're using an agressive polish, you might have to follow up with a finer polish to remove the haze that the 1st polish left - just like when you're sanding something.

The pad that you use also makes a big difference as it directly affects how much heat is generated. you generally have buffing and polishing pads. buffing pads have no cutting power. polishing pads do. a wool pad has the highest cutting power. you rarely if ever need to escalate to a wool pad.

Also, if you can feel the scatches with your fingernail, you can't remove it.

[rony_espana]

^I believe I have a rotary polisher, I think its like 5000rpm or around there. Its got a 6 inch pad, thats got foam so you can do the corners and stuff like that I believe. I use a terry cloth pad to buff and remove the wax, I tried a micro fibre one but it won't really remove the wax, its too soft. Once I finish waxing the car it looks good and is smooth. After about a week, the paint feels the same as it did before, its almost like it doesn't stay on the car. I also got a cheap orbital one from CT, but its so slow I don't see it helping if I used that instead. I also add a layer of normal turtle wax after I finish the swirl remover, but it still doesn't help. My car is black by the way. Any tips on what I'm doing wrong?:confused: Would it just be easier to get the car clear coated again?

[TimG]

5k rpm for a rotary is way too fast. 1200-2000 is the normal speed.

what wax are you using?

If you have problems removing the wax, you can spirtz it with quick detailer to help remove it.

black is the hardest colour to maintain.. you look at it wrong and it swirls :)

[rony_espana]

I am using Meguiars Swirl Remover

Kinda like this, but the red arrow goes about 3/4 up:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e85/rony_espana/m0916_3X.jpg

I also got a polisher similar to the one in the pic.

Yeah and about black being hard to maintain, I have had 3 black cars, but I am sure that this is my last one.

[TimG]

It's not #9 that you're using then.

What kind of pad are you using?

You should be using a dual action random orbital machine, not a rotary.

[calgarygts]

Wow, some more detailers!! That's great, the more the merrier. Listen to Bonka, Inzane and TimG - they know what they're talking about (or seem to anyways).

HeavyD, the klasse twins are great but on a black car will make the swirls stand out more than before if you don't polish. For the original poster, I'd go to crappy tire and get a carnauba wax, clean your car as best you can and apply the wax. I like the meguire's gold class, looks good in my opinion. I also like the third step in the meguire's three step system - that wax seems to really fill in the swirls well and brings out the wetness in the paint.

If you want to put more time and effort into it ask for more info, it looks like there's many people here who could help you out!

[teggypimp95]

Yeah, when i was the detailer for BMW, we used this fall out remover chemical when we unloaded our new cars. it seemed to work really good. it was very strong stuff. could not breath when applying it haha. first was the fall out remover then a rince then we used the other thicker spray that would nutralize the fall out remover, and then a rince. We also used clay bars if we had a car come in with over spray on it. it seemed to work well but it was a hell of alot of work.

If your car has wax on it, but u need to clay bar it, can you go right ahead and do that? or do u need to remove the wax first.

[rony_espana]

^Tim

Would it just be better to do it all by hand rather than with the rotary polisher?

I am using a foam pad with a terry cloth bonnet.

[calgarygts]

You can claybar right away - it'll take the wax right off. Or as suggested you can use Dawn dishsoap to wash the car - that'll get the wax off first. Don't use dawn all the time but if you're going to claybar and then wax you can use it to get more stuff off the paint to begin with.

[TimG]

Originally posted by rony_espana
^Tim

Would it just be better to do it all by hand rather than with the rotary polisher?

I am using a foam pad with a terry cloth bonnet.

Using a terry cloth bonnet while trying to polish is defeating the whole purpose. The foam pad is what generates the heat in order to break down the polishing compound and get the swirls out.

This is the miracle worker combo:

http://www.eshine.ca/prodimages/PC7336kit.jpg

[Bonka]

Back to the original post,

From most of the replies in here, getting the prep work done (and done correctly at that) is far more important than the products you're going to use.

Wash your car with 2 buckets and at least 2 chenille or wool mitts. Don't use any nozzles. Have lots of good quality microfibre and terrycloth towels on hand for drying and buffing. When drying, avoid wiping and blot dry. You can use a spray wax to help you dry but I prefer not to use it. You ONLY need to clay 2 maybe 3 times a year. Stick with Dawn for removing old wax. You're wasting claybar product otherwise.

By following that regiment, just waxing should last a good month and your car should have very minimal marring on the surface if you wash once a week and you get your car dirty quickly.

For over the counter products, use Meguiar's No. 9 or No. 2 and finish off with Meg's No. 16 or No. 26 or Mother's Carnauba. NXT is too expensive for the durability you get out of it.

The BEST investment I've made is my Porter Cable. If you can, I highly suggest buying a 7336SP. It's about as time efficient as by hand, but the effort and results are there.

[TimG]

I don't think that #16 is available anymore. Something about not meeting california regulations regarding chemical use.

[heavyD]

Originally posted by Bonka
The BEST investment I've made is my Porter Cable. If you can, I highly suggest buying a 7336SP. It's about as time efficient as by hand, but the effort and results are there.

Where can I buy and how much do they generally cost.

[Inzane]

Originally posted by TimG
I don't think that #16 is available anymore. Something about not meeting california regulations regarding chemical use.

Yes, their #16 paste wax has been discontinued. However several online stores in the US were hoarding stock prior to it going out a year or two ago. If you're lucky you can still find some.

But I can vouche for Meg's #26 Hi-Tech Yellow. (I've used the liquid, not the paste). I think PartSource still sells it, for ~ $13. Which is less than HALF the price of NXT, and in my personal opinion its a nicer wax. It doesn't offer the same LOOK as NXT, but it definitely lasts longer.

[TimG]

Yah. #26 is great, especially when you use 2 or more coats of it and use #7 below. I use it on a silver car and love how it darkens the colour a bit.

My only beef with #26 is that you have to let it cure for a bit before you remove it. Something like s-100 is apply and remove. no waiting involved. i could wax and buff my whole car in 15-20 minutes with s-100.

You can buy a porter cable at www.eshine.ca (based in Toronto) or any local porter cable dealer.

If you buy it from eshine, they usually throw in the backing pad and maybe some other pads (DON'T use the white pad that comes with the PC)

[Inzane]

Originally posted by TimG
My only beef with #26 is that you have to let it cure for a bit before you remove it.

That's really no different than NXT and #20. They require a bit of a cure time as well. What I do is go ahead and apply wax to the entire car, at a leisurely pace. And maybe take a short break. Then I go to back to where I started and start removing the in the same order, body panel wise, that I applied it.

Wheras with S100/P21S you don't want to leave it too long, its actually better to apply & remove it a panel at a time, optimally.

But I agree, if I want to slap on a "quick" coat I usually reach for my P21S.

[Bonka]

Originally posted by heavyD


Where can I buy and how much do they generally cost.

~$200CAD. I bought mine from CarCareSmart www.carcaresmart.com. If you can get down to the states I've seen them as low as $110USD.

[dino_martini]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I didnt want to make my own. Has anyone ever tried "nu wax" the once a year car polish..is it a good wax? I like that you dont have to buff it or anything.

[JAYMEZ]

^^ Yup its good stuff , ive used it before , couldnt complain!:thumbsup:

[TimG]

just don't get any of it on your black trim or you'll need mineral spirits to remove it.

I use it on my wheels. For a few bucks more you can get something that will look much better.

[Weapon_R]

I use meguires NXT cleaner wax, its very easy to apply and it shines very well, but you have to apply it every 2-3 months. If you want it to last, find a good wax sealer to apply overtop.

[mutsuraboshi]

Originally posted by TimG
just don't get any of it on your black trim or you'll need mineral spirits to remove it.

I use it on my wheels. For a few bucks more you can get something that will look much better.

hey i have pastey white stuff on my black trim from that, what is this mineral spirit ur talking about

[TimG]

IF the white stains are from Nu Finish you will need mineral spirits to remove it (you can find that @ canadian tire in the paint section beside the varsol, i think).

If the white stains are from some other kind of wax there are several ways to remove them:

the best way i've found is using Eagle 1 A2Z wheel and tire cleaner. Only spray it on the black trim, not on your paint.

Some people say that using creamy peanut butter removes it (the peanut oil is supposed to disolve the stains) but i've had less than impressive results with it.

[nismodrifter]

Use an eraser to get white wax shit off your black plastic parts.

[dino_martini]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
I use meguires NXT cleaner wax, its very easy to apply and it shines very well, but you have to apply it every 2-3 months. If you want it to last, find a good wax sealer to apply overtop.

Ive never waxed a car before..do you have to buff in NXT? Im afraid to wax my car..does a bad wax job really show on a white car?

[rony_espana]

Does that WAX AS U DRY spray actually work? Also where can I buy foam pads for polishing? I just see bonnets and stuff at canadian tire etc...

[Orbie]

Originally posted by Weapon_R
I use meguires NXT cleaner wax, its very easy to apply and it shines very well, but you have to apply it every 2-3 months. If you want it to last, find a good wax sealer to apply overtop.

I also use the NXT wax and am aware that it doesn't last very long. What do you use as a wax sealer? I'm definitely not a detailing guru so I've never heard of this step, I usually leave it after I buff off the NXT.

[KKY]

Originally posted by rony_espana
Does that WAX AS U DRY spray actually work? Also where can I buy foam pads for polishing? I just see bonnets and stuff at canadian tire etc...

I got some Meguiars foam pads from Auto Value. Think it was $6 something for 4.

Or are you looking for pads for machine?
try eshine.ca or carcaresmart.com

[Inzane]

A "wax" and a "sealant" are analogous to each other. They are both considered an LSP (last step product) and function as protection.

You can "top" a sealant with a wax. But this is only done when going for a particular *look*, no other reason.

But you cannot "seal" a wax with a sealant. Most pure synthetic sealants won't "bond" properly over top of a wax. They need a good clean surface with no wax and minimal oils.

[rony_espana]

Hey is it a good idea to wax a newer vehicle (2005)? The paints great but I don't want it to fade or get swirls anytime soon.

[Zenshi]

Sorry to thread jack,

But for you experts. where would be the best place to take your car to get detailed with "knowledgable" staff like yourselves?

I dont want some 16 year olds washing and detailing my car because their reading off a piece of paper step by step.

[jdm_eg6]

from a cheap waxers perspective the new turtle wax premium is not too bad and what i do b4 waxing is a crazy and rigerouse rinsing and soaping at the wand wash self washing areas and right after tap dry the car and wax it... the wax lasts long and i can see my shoes like a mirror after its done!!! we should have a detailing meet on how to remove crap from cars and what works best:thumbsup: haha