Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)

Rick05

Ok, does anyone know why the semi-gloss black paint is the first thing to go on SUVs? Now, does anyone have any ideas on making it look blacker without painting for putting Armorall on paint (LOL). I used Mothers Back to black (I think that's what it was called), it was Mothers though and it looked good until the first rain. So that's my first question for this group. BTW, I live in NC where the summers are hot and humid but generally the winters are fair. I appreciate any help.

sinjin_dog

This wax without the cleaner is fantastic. I've used Zymor (the least expensive one, blue), Meguiar's Gold. I like them all but this 100% stuff is real nice. But, it was real difficult to buff them off. Wow, for Camry, it took me most of the holiday. Now I need motorized buffer. I saw one selling at Wall Mart for about $30, is this any good?

Thanks

britton2

too, the one without the cleaner - I also thought it was difficult to remove - but I figured I either put on too much or left it on too long.

tronsr1

I have found that the only {or best} way to keep these areas glossy is to actually WAX them with whatever you use for the painted surfaces. I use
Meguiars Gold...but any good wax will do the job. It is time consuming, due to the windshield wiper areas, etc., however; it does last a lot longer.
I have to assume that the flat black areas absorb the sun rays faster, and, of course, being black, it attracts faster.I also assume, that, the flat black is used, so as not to get reflection into the drivers eyes.
Hope this helps.
Shine it up TRON

mrdetailer

Depends on the size, You'll save a lot of time if you purchase a 9 -- 10 inch size. Buffing gets much faster wtih the larger machine. They also have larger, more durable motors.

psalms121

Has anyone used or heard of liquid lustre?

adam68

What is the proper way to clean/remove swirl
marks from the wood trim in my BMW? I've heard everything from Pledge to Car wax. So far, I've only used water and a soft cloth. I've noticed some small scratches on the wood piece surrounding the shifter...any way to remove or reduce them?

Thanks

jster

Wood trim on modern cars is clearcoated with polyurethane (similar to your car's exterior paint)

If you want to improve the appearance of the wood trim, you could polish it with a mildly abrasive product like Meguiar's Swirl Remover or #M Perfect it--or some other similar product.

mrdetailer

I detailed my car last weekend. The tires smelled like grapes, the wax like bananas, and the interior cleaner like cherries.

The odor is so strong that flies land on the car's surface to try to feed.

Why can't wax smell like wax?

bretfraz

I dunno, I've always like the scents. I mean, I'd rather a product smell like coconut than 3 Mile Island or someplace.

I used to use vanilla scent when detailing a cusotmers car. But I was always partial to Pina Colada.

fastdriver

mrdetailer-

I love those smells too. Keeps your mind off what you're doing. ;-))

fastdriver

rayfbaird

Does it have to be so strong that I have to swat away hornets, wasps and bees while I'm working? Last fall hornets would actually land on the newly buffed surface to try to feed.

fastdriver

rayfbaird-

LOL.... I don't have that problem with the stuff I use. I just savor the smells and the shine.

fastdriver

rayfbaird

You all are probably right that the smells are here to stay.

mrdetailer

I just wish they weren't so strong.

chuasan

Hi Folks,

I am lookin for Meguiar's polish that specifically do not leave stain on the rubber trim. Please let me know the name and the result - I prefer endurance over shine. Thank you

Chris

bretfraz

If your car has platic trim like body cladding or rub strips and they have a grainy texture, the safest thing to do is cover the edges with masking tape. This will keep wax out of the trim especially is you use a buffer.

If I'm thinking the same thing as you, it is not really "staining" but leaving a white residue in the grain of the plastic. It can be extremely difficult to remove. Use 3M Wax and Grease Remover and a toothbrush. You may have to use it several times.

Another idea to keep wax out of trim is to use a 3x5 sponge to apply the wax by hand instead of those round applicators. The edges of the sponge will give you excellent control around trim, glass, etc. Plus a damp sponge allows you to control the amount of wax you apply in a particular area.

Hope this helps. Give us a shout if you need anything else.

pjyoung

What do you have against using Skippy or Jif or Peter Pan to get the residue out of textured plastic? It's easy on, and for me, easy off, since my dog licks it clean

mrdetailer

I have 2 cars with this arrangement. If I put Endurance, or some other silicone dressing on the trim BEFORE I wax, it's not a problem.

Only Quick Wax, and Quick Detailer will not discolor black trim. But, they are not designed for durability.

bretfraz

One of these days I'll have to try that. All kinds of people say it works but I don't know. Usually I'm too hungry to waste PB on a piece of plastic.

If anyone has really used the peanut butter trick in the past few days, post your technique and results here. Tell us exactly what kind of car you have and what wax product you are trying to remove. If you've just got to post the brand of PB, well, OK. I couldn't care less, though.

I'm interested in real results, not a rehash of an old detailer's tale that no one has actually attempted since the Nixon administration.

mike_542

A benefit of Klasse AIO and Sealant Glaze is that it does not stain or discolor trim. In fact, it enhanced the appearance of the shadowline trim and body side moldings.

chuasan

I use this product since I started claying my car 2 years ago. Never leave white residue on the trim, but I found it doesn't last (usually about 2-3 months). This could be due to park outside 24/7. I was hoping Meguiar's would have products just like Mother's but last longer. Please continue this topic and thank you for all your info.

Chris

tmart

Check it out!!

http://www.nsxsc.com/nsexcitement/waxtest.html

scottc8

I use low gloss ArmorAll or, lately, Meguiars plastic protectant. I wait a few days after waxing so the wax is 100% cured. Spray some on the corner of a terry towel and rub. Sometimes it takes quite a bit of rubbing, especially if the plastic has a grainy texture. My mud guards are very grainy, so I spray the stuff on an old toothbrush and hold a towel around it while I scrub so the stuff doesn't splatter all over the paint. It works on every type of wax I've ever used, including Z****.

adc100

Would have liked to see them use the Meguiars #26 in their test vs. Gold Class.

rayfbaird

Peanut butter?? never tried it.

I had one car that didn't have any extra care on the outside finish. It has rubber trim. The first time I waxed it I had a coat on the trim. I removed it with a soft brush and dish soap.

I tried masking to prevent it, but it was fairly tedious to apply and remove. left it's own sticky residue to this abused surface.

Then I found Black Magic Tire and Trim Shine. I now apply it after the car is dry with a paper towel. When it is dry,I simply wax. It works even when I use a buffer. I reapply the Black Magic every 2--3 weeks to preserve the surface.

scottc8

What a great idea. Two questions: 1) Does the Black Magic leave a high gloss on the plastic? 2) How do you keep from getting it on the painted surface you are about to wax, and making it "wax-proof"?

rayfbaird

It leaves a shiny finish for a few days, then settles down a bit. My abused trim was a light gray when I got it. It is now much darker, and looks new.

If any excess gets on the car body, I just wipe it off. I haven't had any problems personally after I switched from a foam applicator to paper towels.

checkme

Last week, I applied a coat of Meguiar's #26 paste wax, and then applied a coat of #20 Polymer Sealant OVER it.

On Autopia, many reccommend putting a coat of carnuba on top of a coat of sealant to add more shine. I did the reverse. I applied the carnuba wax first, and then applied the polymer sealant.

So far, my finish looks fine, but is this a problem?

joebob6

Not really a problem but don't expect it to last too long. It is analogous to smearing a super thin coat of grease on a surface and then painting over it.
The wax prevents the polymer from bonding strongly.

gonzo0903

Taping mouldings is far easier than having to clean them with a solvent afterwards. I use good quality tape. Masking tape is a lot like car wax... you can buy the good stuff or the cheap stuff. I get my tape from an auto body supply house. It's a tad more expensive, but easy to work with.

jster

Not sure why you'd want to put the carnauba on first and then put the polymer over it.

As you mentioned, some people do apply both types of protectants to their car. The polymer is applied first because it provides longer lasting protection than a carnauba-based wax. The carnauba wax is placed on top in order to provide a deeper, richer shine. That way you play to the strengths of both types of protectants.

By reversing the order you are going against the advantages of each type of protectant--you are hiding the carnauba-based wax's visual qualities under the polymer--and degrading the ability of the polymer to bond to the surface of your car. Also it is possible that the polymer protectant is removing the carnauba wax to begin with.

You are better off putting down the polymer first, then the carnauba--or else just using one or the other.

c43ken

I recently clayed, washed and then used Meguiar's #9 to remove small swirls and scratches on my car. After this step, I washed the car again and applied a coat of "GM Jet Glaze"...(I purchased this product from my local GM Dealership in Canada)... I wasn't certain if this is simliar to 3M Imperial Glaze or not... Anyways, the write up on the bottle stated that the product will leave a long lasting glossy resin harden finish... After removing this layer, I finished the job by putting on a top layer of Collinite Insulator Wax...
MY PROBLEM: Under certain lighting, I can see a layer of haze that covers my hood, roof and trunk of my car...this layer of haze almost looks like I did not wipe off the GM Jet Glaze completely!!...when in fact I did--In direct sunlight, my car's finish is shinny and wet looking with no changes in color!!
I have already buffed and rebuffed the entire car at least 3 times with brand new Cambridge cotton bath towels made in Canada thinking I have finally removed all of the possible glaze residue....However, I can still see the haze now and then!! Moreover, whenever I see this haze, I can run my fingers over the finish and it will remove the hazy film from that part of the finish!!....Sorry for babbling on but any suggestions??...I'm almost ready to wash the car with blue Ivory (made by Dawn and sold up here in Canada) to start from scratch but I don't want to feel that I have wasted all of my effort and 2 days of time!! Thanks!

By the way, anyone else use the GM Jet Glaze or Collinite??

djf110

ok, I'll try to be brief, have an older corvette, does not see any wet weather, but, took the car to work one day this week, it unexpectedly rained while at work, then the sun came out, and now I have about 6 little spots, about the size of nickels that are white under my clearcoat, and have no idea how to remove these. anyone that can help me with a remedy?? the car is red, original paint, which is 17 years old. Is it because the paint is old that it did this, the rest of the car is fine, and the paint in general is almost perfect. It's really weird that the stains are under the clearcoat. I'm up for suggestions if anyone knows of any.

bretfraz

It's usually the result of the wax not curing completely. In the summer humidity will cause haze. Also too much product applied will cause haze.

Best way to eliminate it is to lightly spray water on the paint. Wipe it off with a clean towel.

Heck, even rinsing the car with the hose and wiping it down will do the trick.

Finally, some car waxes do not react well with some types of paint. If possible, try another brand of wax to compare. I had this problem a few years ago with Meguiars Medallion and a new Dodge. Put the Medallion on a Ford and no problems. Put Eagle One carnauba paste on the Dodge with no problems. Just one of those things....

bretfraz

Ah yes, the after effects of acid rain. Been there, ruined that.

It's mostly noticeable on cars with clearcoat paint but can show up anywhere.

In a nutshell the rain water has various chemicals mixed in it from local pollution. When the sun came out it super heated the rain drops and effectively burned a hole in the clearcoat. What is left is a little crater where the rain drops were.

You may want to spend some time researching this issue and possible solutions. The Autopia chat room is a good one. Quite a few online car clubs have frequent discussions. Also check out Car Careonline.com, Meguiars.com, and Eagleone.com for more info.

If it's any consolation, this is a widespread problem. My new Saab has acid rain damage all over the trunk and rubber trim around the windows. Not much I can do except live with it.

chuasan

How about TurtleWax? Do they have any polish that will not leave residue on the rubber trim?

darbh

I don't think that the majority of posters have found Turtle Wax to be the best product.

Re Polish residue on rubber trim: First, I speculate that you may mean "wax" but, in any event, I believe that most polishes and/or waxes will leave a residue on rubber (plus, those with petroleum distillates may breakdown the rubber over time). The best bet is not to get the polish on the rubber in the first place. Some mask, others just slow down and concentrate when they get near the rubber. See earlier posts, over the last couple weeks, for other ideas.

Polymers (non wax products) tend not to leave an objectionable residue on rubber, but that represents a commitment in a different direction, which is not always wax compatible (though some apply Klasse products, then wax on top of them).

bretfraz

I think when some folks in here have asked about removing wax from rubber they really mean removing wax from plastic trim like body cladding or rub strips.

Everyone needs to be more specific when asking questions about this since answers vary. Are we really talking rubber? Tires are rubber. Is there wax on your tires? The seals around the doors are rubber. Do you have wax on them?

Or do you have wax on the strips around the sides of the car and/or bumpers? Run you fingernails on this area. Feel a texture? Look very closely at this area. See any grain or texture? If so then you are prolly talking about plastic not rubber.

If you're still not sure tell us exactly what kind of car you have and maybe some of us can look at one and see for ourselves.

Any type of wax will leave residue in plastic trim. Polymer, carnauba, cheap stuff, expensive stuff. All these products have a carrier in them to allow application. The carrier is what leaves the white residue behind.

The tips I've posted in here over the past year apply to all kinds of products.

pjyoung

There's a difference between painted plastic cladding (like on some Pontiacs) and textured plastic (like some bumpers and trim). Anything can leave a residue on the textured plastic (even the miracle product I use).

darbh

Good insights and points.

protegextwo

Which Turtle Wax product is your "Miracle Product"?

-Larry

pjyoung

Just agreeing with bret and stating that any wax or polymer will leave a residue in textured PLASTIC. If it's plastic cladding that isn't textured, wax to your hearts content. Put it on your textured plastic bumper and see what happens.

I haven't used turtle wax in 20 years. But what exactly did turtle wax have to do with bret's post? The only "rubber" trim I've seen on cars is around the door/trunk seals and maybe he body side moulding. everything else tends to be plastic.

I've reread my short post and I really can't see where I was being smug. I didn't mention the miracle product because the title of this topic tells me not to.

mrdetailer

I always use the super thick variety, not the spray bottle. It is more durable on trim.

protegextwo

Hold on PJ, I asked a fair question. You are posting in a discussion named "Store Bought Waxes(No Zanio Posts), true? You mentioned a "MIRACLE PRODUCT" in the store bought waxes topic, correct?
I'm waiting to here about your store bought "miracle" wax; so I can stop by Pep Boys or AutoZone and purchase some for my Mazda Protege's. Soooo lets try this again; which wax product is your "Miracle Product"?

Respectfully,
Larry

pjyoung

The miracle product is the unspoken one. My intent was not to restart a flame war, rather, to show that everything I've tried INCLUDING that one (despite the overwhelming positives that many users find), will leave a residue in the textured plastic. So wax, polymer, or any other product will leave something unsightly in it.

Indeed, if anything, it was a NEGATIVE comment about the unspoken product, in that one has to be just as careful around textured plastic as one is with carnuba wax. I thought y'all enjoyed negative comments about the mail order stuff. I wasn't intending to be smug. Sorry if you took it that way.

protegextwo

But, if you were really honest. You would admit mentioning the "miracle product" in a topic set up by name, to preclude mentioning the "miracle product" is smug. PJ, no need to be sorry, just be honest. Truly, what bugs me; you calling Z.... the miracle product, even in jest. You see, I think most decent wax/polymer products have valid applications at their price points and pros/cons. Miracle is an over used word when describing any product.

Respectfully,
Larry

tronsr1

O.K.,
Let's get back to the topic and stop the petty bullsh--!!!
TRON

Mr_Shiftright

Thank you TRON....let's be courteous to one another...this is supposed to be FUN, remember?

Host

pjyoung

eom