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Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)
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Since this is a busy string and folks here pay attention to details, I was wondering if anyone has used a protectant (ScotchGuard, etc.) to protect their cloth seats and carpet?? Since my car is brand new, I wanted to get the jump on dirt and stains and didn't know if this was necessary.
I know this questions is not related to Waxes, but I couldn't find a related topic. Thanks for your help.
I read that 3M is no longer making scotch guard, so you may want to stock up on it.
On my Meguiar's #26, it beads clost to new for about 8 weeks when washed. Perfect-It by 3M even less.
Yet with both waxes after a couple of months they still bead beautifully in the rain. And this is after the last 3 weeks of continual rain or snow. I washed again last Saturday before the outside hose froze and the cars still look great.
Hope they can hold up until Mar -- April.
I haven't tried #26 on my Solara. However, I am certain it will last longer than Gold Class. Of all the nice things I can say about Gold Class, I cannot say it is long-lasting, which is why I'm putting on more durable wax for the winter.
A couple comments:
1. Make sure you use the 6" counterweight with the CMA pads, which are 6". The 7424 I bought from Coastal has the 5" counterweight installed and came with one 5" white pad. If you use the 6" pads you will notice vibrations especially at higher speeds (setting 5 and above). The 6" counterweight is like $2.00 but can be hard to find retail; no availability at Home Depot or Lowe's.
2. The CMA pads are great but you'll want a few more to use with specific products. I don't know your product lineup but use one pad for one product to avoid contaminating the pads. For example, I use 3M SMR with one white pad. I wrote on the back of the pad "SMR" so I don't confuse what product with what pad. I do the same for the several other products I use as well.
Have fun with your 7424. It's really easy to use and the results are outstanding.
Sears orbital buffer
Porter Cable 7424
Eagle One 20/20 glass cleaner
Sprayway glass cleaner
Do you know where i can get Meguires Swirl Remover 2.0?? They dont show it on their website..they only shoe regular #9
Whats a good speed for normal application of glazes/wax??
LW
I start at speed 3 to first apply an even coat and work into the paint. I then bump it to 5 or so to finish it off. When you're done there should be almost no product to wipe off. If there seems to be a lot of product on the paint you used too much. Don't be afraid to experiment, though. A little trial and error, ya know.......
I have 3 coats of 3M Perfect-It Show Car Wax on my Blaze Red Mazda. Snowed again last night. I use a block heater so the snow had melted on the hood. So far the beading is still excellent. Washed about 10 days ago and looked shiny for 2 days until the next snow storm came in.
Meguiars gold class lasted a very long time for me, for example, and i was unable to duplicate their results with two of the higher end polymer products. For example, el cheapo zymol beads as well for me after ~3 months as klasse does.
At this point, i'm starting to think that for me "easy on" is the most critical thing, as i hate fishing wax off the trim and out of cracks.
dave
Actually, in looking out for the "Average Joe" who isn't willing to put in the preperation hours that an enthusiast would, I think the wax test guys are giving some good information.
But I think most of the posters on this and other boards are the types who will apply another coat of wax long before the first coat has quit beading. And I think more coats of anything will equal more protection. So you and Mr Detailer are most likely right - any of the posters on this boards cars would have better results than the wax test guys - we're all pretty much "enthusiasts" about it.
Thanks-
Truckdude1
Keep in mind you can't really build coats of Gold Class like you can a polymer sealant. If you apply three coats of GC you'll really end up with only 1.5 or so. This is due to the solvents in the GC.
I can't remember if you've already used a product on the Honda, but if you have then applying another coat of it will be OK. It will give you a little protection that you need and get you thru most of the winter.
However, if you want your car to really sparkle, then it will take some work and several products. Here's what I'd do:
Wash - Use blue-colored Dawn to wash you car. This is a one-time only use. Blue Dawn has a formualtion that strips wax, dirt, grime, and yucky stuff off your paint.
Clay - Your paint has a all kinds of crud on its surface. To check, run your hand lightly over the flat surfaces, or put your hand in a plastic baggie and do the same. You will feel a roughness; deposits that need to be removed. Body clay does this. It's available at all your fave parts stores. Brands are Meguiar's, Clay Magic, Mothers, etc.
Polish - Now that your paint is clean, it needs polishing to remove any stains, dullness, and oxidation. Polish will make your clearcoat sparkle. Two suggestions are Meguiar's Medallion Paint Cleaner and 3M Swirl Mark Remover. Both are mild enough to not do damage but strong enough to remove most all swirl marks.
Protectant - Lots of products will offer protection. A few choices here are Meguiar's Gold Class (lots of shine but doesn't last too long), Meguiar's Medallion protectant (lasts a long time but not quite the gloss of GC), 3M Perfect-It Show Car Paste Wax (great stuff and recommended by our own Mr. Detailer), Meguiar's #26 Hi Tech wax (a well known product widely used by detailers and car show folks), Eagle One Wet paste wax (easy to use and quite durable)
These are just a few products; there are tons of things out there but at least these can be found in retail stores nationwide. NAPA carrys a lot of 3M products and Pep Boys also has a big selection.
Hope all this helps.
Thanks
Truckdude1
Canc - Yes, a brand new car can use a good polish. You be amazed at the kind of crud that gets on a car while its sitting on a lot. And if the dealer's lot boy got to it with a buffer, swirl marks galore. New cars need mild polishes like glazes which remove and cover up swirls while making the paint look rich and glossy. Follow that up with a good wax or polymer and you've started the car off in fine fashion.
I have new 330i which I did wax (One Grand) to get thru the winter. In the spring I will need to either use a mild glaze or a polish depending on the abuse it sees thru the winter. As of now it does have some very minor marks which were probably created during the dealer prep.
My questions are do you always have to strip the old wax before you are going to apply a glaze or polish?
I read a lot about dawn and today I see a referenct to blue dawn?
Is this the same stuff as for dishes and if so what kind of dilution needs to be used?
Thanks,
CNorthrup
You don't always have to strip the old wax. Blue Dawn will remove most all of it, and any polish you use will remove what's left, if any. Keep in mind that most paste waxes last 90 days or so. If the One Grand product you've used is Blitz paste wax and it's been 3-4 months since you've used it, consider the Blitz gone.
When the weather improves consider doing a full-tilt detail. Wash, clay, remove scratches, polish until the paint sparkles, then protect. Five steps minimum.
This is a wonderful resource for any enthusiast, especially those who desire more from their car's appearance but are not sure what products to use and what techniques really work.
You can read a few sections before buying. Even the info shared for free is informative and educational.
http://www.autopia-carcare.com/accgtd.html
Enjoy!!
Britton: Thanks for the info about the detailer. How's the Corolla doing?
I have tried dawn, turtle wax tar remover but have so far succeeded in removing 5 out of the 100 tar spots. Can anyone advise any better ?
Yes, you can get your car better looking than new. My cars are outside all the time. We got a break in the weather Saturday so I washed the cars. Still gorgeous. Took a picture of the beading. Will try to post once I get the picture developed and scanned.
Bretfraz had excellent advice.
1. Any time the finish doesn't feel mirror smooth clay bar, clay bar, clay bar. Do a small section, wipe off and reapply if needed again. I did detailed instructions on this in an earlier post a couple of months ago. To avoid fine scratches NEVER apply glaze with a machine without using the clay bar first. I've found that a clay bar, and glaze every 6 months is ideal. Not too often, and still keeps the finish looking great. The first session may take a while, but subsequent ones are much faster if done regularly. In my view, all easily available clay bars perform equally. Meguiars was the most available, and the least expensive. Clay bars not only improve smoothness, but since the microscopic contaminants are removed, clarity improves.
2. Glazes and polishes. Once my car finish has been restored, I don't use any higher grit surface Prep and swirl removers. I now use only fine glazes and polishes. If there is any "magic product" that deepens the shine, glazes are it. These products contain some type of fine abrasive like clay, or silicone and special paint nourishing oils. Meguiar's #7, according to their support has a clay that breaks down, and can't be overused. 3M Imperial Hand glaze is very fast with a machine, or by hand and leaves a slightly deeper shine in my subjective opinion. I use both regularly. They have dramatically improved the appearance, and, over time, produce a deeper shine with each application.
However, if someone has a buffer and wants to use an extremely fine grit, I would recommend 3M Perfect-It Foam Polishing Pad Glaze/Swirl Mark Remover. If I had a newer car this is the one I would use. I tested them out in a shop by squirting some on my fingers and rubbing. This is substantially finer than any other product I've seen. Use the Dark Car formula for Reds, Blacks, Merlots, and Dark Greens or Navy Blues. Use the light formula for all other cars, including silver and gold. I used it on a white car last fall, and really liked the results. It will be part of my regular routine in the future. It is a little more technical to use so follow the instructions carefully.
Yes, using a glaze is more work than a combination product, but the depth of shine is dramatic.
3. Waxes. Pardon my French, but Zaino has some things right. First unlike most other products they do recommend using a clay bar for surface prep. Second they recommend using multiple coats of the final product. It's no surprize that they look good. I still won't use it because I prefer products that are more forgiving to use, and are less expensive. I also want to go to a store if I run out and pick it up easily.
I found that no matter what I do, using a cleaner wax like Mothers Cleaner Wax, or Meguiar's Gold Class doesn't last very long. Using 2-3 coats of a pure "wax" without cleaners lasts much longer.
Last April & May I did the techniques recommended above and put on a coat of Liquid Meguiars #26 Hard Yellow Wax with Carnauba, followed up a week then 2 weeks later with a paste coat of #26. Now granted, it was summer, an easier time for car finishes, but that stuff held up for 7 months and was still functioning well. The only reason I removed it was to put on a winter coat. And I had washed at least 6 times in an automatic car wash because it was free at the time.
Frankly it was hard on my OCD car care behavior. With Gold Glass, to preserve the just new shine, I had to put on a new coat about every 6 weeks. The Hard Yellow was a lot less work. And at most required Quick Detailer after washing. But, honestly, it just didn't need another application. Oh, well, more time for the honey-do list.
This fall I have 3M Perfect-IT Show Car Wax on 2 cars, and Meguiar's #26 on a third. 3 coats on 2 cars, and 2 on the other (It snowed before I could put on the 3rd coat of 3M.) Both waxes are holding up well so far, but the 3M on one car is a month older than the #26. 3M doesn't bead well after washing, nor does it feel like a wax coat like the #26 because it's mainly a polymer. But it does bead well in rain, and melting snow. It's performance has been impressive so far. Both still look very good. After washing Saturday, I could see a clear reflection of twigs and branches that were about 25 feet off of the ground.
Final word. In winter if the hose at home is frozen, I am forced to use the Automatic Car Washes. Always pay the extra to get the wax application as well. It at least restores some of the stuff that might have been taken off by the automatic wash.
Depending on the product the cleaner is either a chemical-type or abrasive-type, but the job is the same; remove light oxidation, scratches, stains, and surface crud while leaving a coat of protection behind. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Well, like any product that is designed to do several things in one step, it doesn't do either job well. All these one step products compromise something somewhere. Regarding Meguiar's Gold Class, it's designed to polish paint to a high level first and foremost. As Mr. Detailer said, it doesn't last too long. That's the compromise. One steps are OK for the casual car owner; someone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time or money on their car. The best store bought one step I've ever used is Meguiar's Medallion (that sound you just heard is all the regulars groaning that I sound like a broken record, LOL)
Your specialty and boutique products are designed to do one specific job. Polishing requires one product, protecting requires another, scratch removal needs yet another. For example, the last detail I did on my car used five (5) different products. There is no way one product can do the job of five specially designed ones.
About clay - The only way I can imagine overdoing it is by rubbing too hard or not using an adequate lubricant with the clay. It's actually quite easy to use. I'll bet that once you try it you'll get the hang of it in 30 seconds.
Kleen Strip, Prepsol, or comparable product from an auto body supplier will work great. The stuff I have is basically Naptha and mineral spirits. If you have that kind of stuff around the house, test it first on an inconspicuous area before using it on the tar. Most products like the above will work great for removing tar. Personally, I think that Turtle Wax stuff is lousy.
God Bless,
Larry
Well, Daewoo is producing some very attractive vehicles. The price is right and their cars appeal to younger new car buyers. Perhaps your daughter is like "the Honda Accord buyer of the early 80's"? She might be on, to a good thing? Nonetheless, how much advice did WE take from our parents, when we were young and living away from home? :-)!!!!
Have a Merry Christmas my friend!
-Larry
Truckdude-
thanks