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Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)
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mbdriver: Don't forget that Bret is a Saab guy too, which makes him OK in my book ;-)
Yes, thanks to Bret and Mr. Detailer! My Klasse has finally arrived ... now I just have to find some time ...
I've been thru alot during my tenure here but the desire to help and advise has kept me going.
So look for a good water-based protectant with a UV sunscreen in it. Vinylex is very good if you like a glossier look. Personally I like 303 Aerospace protectant because it leaves a matte finish.
I know some folks who uses Black Magic Dashboard Protectant. Water based, inexpensive, easy to find at auto parts stores. Might be a good alternative eventhough I've never used it.
Started off with a Dawn wash. Followed that with a Mother's clay bar. The clay did what is was supposed to, but I'll probably not use Mother's again. It's not very pliable, even at 85' temp. I found it difficult to fold-in and reflatten. My next clay bar will be an Eraser.
After claying, I washed again with Dawn. I found this to be the easiest thing, rather than trying to buff out the streaks left by the instant detailer. This method worked well.
Garaged the car, then used Klasse the next day. I purchased a trial kit from YoSteve. Applied two coats of the All-In-One cleaner/polish with the micro-fiber applicator provided. The instructions said to use 1 oz. per coat, but I had difficulty doing this, and ended up using 1/2 oz. for each coat. Removed the AIO with micro-fiber towels. I then applied the Sealant Glaze with a dry foam applicator. I used 1 oz. for one coat. I plan to apply a second coat next week.
My thoughts on Klasse: Very easy to use, yet does require some effort. Does not leave a white residue on trim like other products. The AIO is the hardest part. IMO, light-colored or white vehicles would be hard to Klasse, since the object is not to apply too much, expecting a hazed look. I even had difficulty telling if I was getting any of the SG down on my dark car. But obviously I did, in fact, I got a little too much on the hood and roof and had to buff vigorously to remove it. I would like to know if anyone on this board has ever used a buffer for Klasse and if so, if you thought the results were better vs. hand application. I've got a van to do next
Geez, wish I had a digital camera so I could post a pic. The car looks better than new!
If you keep the paint in good condition, it will use a lot less of either the all in one or the sealant, or any other type of wax that you wish to use.
Glad it looks better than new. If you keep it up it will always be the case.
I've found the Mothers bar too hard and the Meguiar's bar too soft.
Heard good things about Erazer but haven't tried it.
So, I know where to find the Erazer (thanks tntitan), but how about Eagle One, Clay Magic, and Meguiar's? I surfed around properautocare.com and couldn't find any of these three, unless I'm missing something.
1) Wash w/ Dawn
2) Clay
3) Wash again w/ Dawn
4) Meguiars Scratch-X
5) Meguiars Gold Class
The Dawn/Clay/Dawn idea I got from the Zaino Bros site...and everything else I'm reading suggests that Scratch-X and Gold Class are about as good as anything else out there.
Does anyone have any tips and/or advice about this process...I'm a little concerned about the Scratch-X..I don't want to inadvertendly create more swirls.
Also, I think the second Dawn wash is unnecessary if you are going to polish right afterwards. Zaino users do a second Dawn wash to remove any possible clay residue that can interfere with the bonding ability of Zaino. This isn't an issue with your products.
Make sure you have plenty of towels and applicators - tape off any plastic trim to prevent wax and polish from getting into the texture - have fun - let us know how it comes out.
I'm with Bret on using a glaze also.
I somehow am concerned with this in a way though, since a poster here (I think it was you Bretfraz) said that Meguiar's Gold Class contains solvents which would eat away at the clearcoat over a long period of time. If I keep the wax on the car for a few hours, am I torturing the finish?
If so, Zaino is looking appealing...
What I've seen in low priced products is a high percentage of solvents that if used very frequently can "dry out" the plasticizers in clear coats. I'm talking about waxing your car every few days for years and years. Most people who only wax their cars a few times per year won't have much of a problem.
All the same, I'd rather use a better quality product that does less potential damage to my paint. It's just another reason to pass on those $5 polishes at the store.
How does one find out how much solvent is in a particular product?
Thanks
As for solvent amounts, easiest way to tell is by MSDS, which we discussed in here a couple weeks ago. For example, if you go to 3M's website you can see the MSDS for every product they make.
Their Imperial Hand Glaze includes less than 5% medium aliphatic naptha solvent. Not much to worry about there.
Hey Thanks Mr. D and Bret.
My car is looking better than ever thanks to many of your tips!
I use Meguiar's Medallion paint protectant and leave it on for about 30 minutes to an hour. I've never noticed it get hard to remove. For me, it's easier to remove than if it sits for just a few minutes. It wipes off almost like a dust. Very little effort involved, and it seems to leave a better coat than if it just sits a few minutes. I live in Virginia, and it's somewhat humid here (compared to the southwest or something) but it certainly isn't a swamp.
Just my experience, though.
Oh, hey, why do you guys say that silicone products like Armor All will dry out a dash? I thought silicone was good for rubber. Is it just not good for plastic? I don't use it on my dash or any interior trim because I hate it, but I do use it on the weatherstripping frequently. It's good for keeping it clean. Every 6 months I apply actual silicone grease as recommended in my owner's manual, but that's a pain to apply. The Armor All is good for the more frequent times that I clean the weatherstripping, and it seems to work well. Do you think that it is damaging to it? If it has silicone, then that is the recommended substance for long weatherstrip life. I'd love to hear any opinions on this, and on what other's use on their weatherstripping. Thanks!
As an aside, I use Meguiar's interior protectant, but will probably try Aero 303 or Vinylex (I love Lexol's leather products) in the future. The Meguiar's is good enough that I'll use it up first. It's good for getting dirt off the interior trim too. However, more recently I've started using just a wet towel for more frequent cleaning. The Meguiar's is hard to keep off the wood and chrome, and it isn't good for them plus it looks gross on them. My car has Solar-Ray glass, so UV damage really isn't a problem. Obviously some heat still penetrates (although a lot less. You can really feel the difference of the heat beat down if you lower the window on a sunny day.) but I am usually parked in a garage or shade. A damp towel is just quicker and can be used on all the interior trim, and doesn't leave smears if it touches the glass.
Had to have the vinyl replaced on the top of the seat.
I like Meguiars professional interior cleaner,that I bought after the above experience. It's Amazing. The red bottle stuff isn't as good. But it is superior to the inexpensive interior cleaners like Armor All, STP, and Finish 2000.
For Dashes I use nothing but Aerospace 303 now. Best UV protection, and minimum shine. Hate that glare.
Interior cleaners are an area where spending a little more really saves money in the long run.
The Meguiar's interior is the Gold Class, not the red bottle. Not sure if there is much difference, but just thought I'd point it out.
I got this product because it said "a specially formulated cleaner for use with a rotary buffer to remove stains, scratches, swirls, water spots and other stubborn paint problems."
I got out my random orbital buffer and put it to the test. It was amazing that once the applicator was wet that I had to add very little. It would seem to take on a dry appearance when ready, and was easy to remove.
However it was a "paintable" application, and required a glaze to restore the richness of the shine. In fact the instructions recommended using it to restore gloss.
This product took out both the water etching which was all over the hood, and the scratch in the clear coat. I also used it on the trunk lid which also had some visible scratches in the clear coat from the prior owner. When done it actually looked better than any other time since I purchased it. My wife even said it looked fabulous, and asked how could she drive such a shiny car.
Should this product be used when you don't have problems? I was wondering about using it every 2-3 years on a normal finish if it's not too strong. Or is the #9 Swirl Remover better on a normally good surface?
I ended up using Meguiar's Gold Class wash and wax and am pleased with the results. On the interior I used Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner. On the dash I used a sample of Vinylex but it does shine alot.
What happens if you get wax on the rubber weatherstripping and the chrome metal areas? Does it damage them?
Where do you buy Aero 303 and the big blue towel?
First, congrats on your Camry. I hope you'll like it. I wouldn't worry too much about the paint coming off the black part. Just make sure that it isn't chipped and the metal underneath would be exposed, and then corrosion would get in it.
The wax doesn't damage the black weatherstripping, but it will stain it, giving it a bit of a white "haze". You can clean it off using Meguiar's Quik Detailer, or Vaseline (although I'm not sure about the latter one). Good luck!
rjs200240 - try 303 Aerospace Protectorant for weatherstripping. This stuff is arguably the best for several applications regarding detailing and many other household applications. You can get a FREE sample by paying $5 shipping. I thing the website is 303protectant.com. I will edit this post if that is incorrect.
I looked at my watch and was shocked. It wasn't even 12:30!
So if you are ever putting it off because you don't have time, remember, you can take care of your car in under 2 hours!
It was perfect weather here so I did one car this weekend. Only one more to go.
On a Carnauba, since I believe that it is what you have on now, you would only need to put on another coat if the finish still feels mirror smooth. properautocare.com has a good selection of high quality waxes. Personally I have been thrilled with 3M Perfect-It Show car paste or Meguiars #26 Paste, or in the winter, a combination of both.
Saturday I clay barred, glazed and applied 3M Perfect-It Show Car Paste Wax to my red Mazda. My wife was really impressed. Course I had to drag her outside to take a look at it while it was in peak condition. This one seems to be very durable wax too.
On well prepared surfaces paste waxes are incredibly cheap when applied by hand. I have a can of Meguiars Hard Yellow #26 that has now gone almost 3 years, and over 55 applications. Probably still has enough for ten more coats.
IMO, cleaner waxes don't do either really well. I've used Meguiar's cleaner wax and didn't find the results nearly as satisfying as doing a full 3-step system (I used Mother's Ultimate system and had great results).
I would use something like Klasse or other mail/internet only waxes, but I really just like going to the local store and picking up a good products.
If you want top shine choose Pinnacle, or P21S paste waxes. Being Carnaubas, they don't last as long. If you garage your vehicle, it's not nearly as hard on the cars.