Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)

fish8 · September 2005

I, personally, prefer the "other" stuff. But, I think almost any conventional car wax will accomplish what you are looking for. Some brands to consider are: Meguiars, Mother's and Turtle Wax. I have used most Meguiars products in the past and they offer good protection.

just4fun2 · September 2005

You can go out any buy any wax and it will work, but for how long? I have tried most of the stuff sold in the stores and have had to reapply in a couple of weeks to a couple of months because the water just didn't bead up after a while. SpeedBead sprays on and you just lightly move the rag around , when it's dry you take it off without any of that powder wax leftover on your car.

Take a look at the "Other" wax and it will make your head spin. I have been hearing for years that SpeedBead isn't as good as such and such waxes. For the little bit of effort it take to use SpeedBead and the long lasting shine, I won't be going back to anything else.

As with anything that you use, the first thing you should do is "claybar" the car. You don't have to, but stuff sticks to the paint and should be removed first.

If you garage the car most of the time you will probably only have to wax using SpeedBead once a year.

bretfraz · September 2005

The simplest thing to do is use a "one step" cleaner wax product every few months. These products are usually easy to apply, they remove or reduce light paint defects, and leave a decent shine. A new vehicle is the easiest to maintain so as long as you are doing something on a regular basis, the car will always look good.

The new synthetic waxes on the market are good choices. Easy to use, decent durability and a nice shine. Check out Mothers FX Synwax or Meguiars NXT wax next time you're at the auto parts store or Walmart. Price for each is about $15.00.

The most effective process to keep your new car looking new is frequent hand washing. Use a quality car wash shampoo (not household detergents!) and a soft mitt or sponge. Don't let the car get too dirty otherwise the job becomes a hassle. Washing 2-4 times a month seems like a lot but letting the car go then spending hours and hours trying to get it looking good again is even more work.

It's actually pretty easy to keep a new car looking sharp as long as you keep up with the TLC and use good products and tools.

just4fun2 · September 2005

wrahn. If you keep your car in the garage you will not have to wash it much. My convertible has only been washed 2 times this summer and the dirt came off without any problem. SpeedBead leaves your paint finish so slick and smooth that most things can't stick and are easily washed off.

I enjoy driving my cars, not spending my life waxing. Life is too short.

lumbar · September 2005

Any experiences? Couldn't find any posts. Seems too good to be true.

taxesquire · September 2005

I have none but see this: link title

smokey75 · September 2005

I have a silver Pathfinder & somehow picked up small blue dots of paint along the side & windows. The dots are about the size of the head of a pin. Any suggestions for removal?

robr2 · September 2005

Try clay first.

just4fun2 · September 2005

I would recommend trying a "clay bar" first. The longer that the paint is allowed to stick to the surface the harder it will be to remove.

Good luck.

imidazol97 · September 2005

I've had something like that happen. I used a cleaner with carnauba wax after a good washing.

But now that I've been convinced to try claybar and like it, I'd use the claybar followed by a good wax. If they don't easily come off now, they will after the new wax penetrates around the edges for a couple of weeks. Then try rewaxing the area with the dots.

I think I followed a work truck with paint spilled in the bed and it was dripping into the air behind the truck. Better paint spilled than nails...

smokey75 · September 2005

Thanks for all your suggestions... I'll try the clay bar. Didn't realize they were that powerful. I've never used one.

imidazol97 · September 2005

I thought it would be rubbing and pressure. But the lub/polish that comes with it that you spray makes it easier than a simple polish.
I found it to be easy on my 3 year old LeSabre. I waxed it a couple times a year. But the clay really made it slick.

taxesquire · September 2005

I think I clayed wrong. I used Mother's, which is the only brand I could get at the store. Anyway, I followed the directions, which is to lube the area with their quickshine formula (I know some of you may say that water and carwash works just as well or better, but I didn't have an empty sprayer and I have more quickshine stuff than I can use), and then rub the bar over the area. Anyway, the bar moved back and forth really easily, but I didn't really see much, if any, discoloration on the bar. I think most of the discoloration came when I'd touch a piece of the car's rubber.

The bar definitely helped me remove some bugs and other stuff that were hard to scrape off, but after I was done, I did the baggie test and still felt a little grit. I was expecting it to be totally smooth. Anyway, the car looks really nice, but I don't think it looks better than the last time I washed and polished it.

Could I have oversaturated with lubricant? What else might have been wrong? :confuse:

lmacmil · September 2005

How old is the car? Does it sit outside? If you've got a fairly late model car that is parked in a garage, you probably won't see much on the clay. OTOH, I did my son's 1998 Maxima this summer and the clay got very dirty. His car had never been clayed and was never garaged (although it was parked in a carport at night for most of the last 4 years). It was also noticeably smoother to the touch.

lmacmil · September 2005

I've got a couple of ugly rubs on my passenger door. No ding but bad enough that polish/wax didn't do anything. What's the next step if there is one?

taxesquire · September 2005

If you've got a fairly late model car that is parked in a garage, you probably won't see much on the clay

Thank you for that response - it makes me feel much better. I have an '04 that I bought used. It's definitely been garaged since I got it last February. The prior owner said it had been garaged before then.

I'm still glad I have the clay. Next time I travel through FL and get a batch of bugs stuck on my fenders and windsheilds, I think it'll be easier to use the clay than bug removers!

mjdart · October 2005

I used to use this years ago on my black '79 Corvette. It was very durable and gave a great shine. Used to buy it at an auto paint supplier. I did a search and it looks like its still available.

Collinite #845 Insulator Wax -

$13.65, 1 pint bottle

This heavy duty liquid wax was originally developed for use by electrical power companies for protection against high voltage power failure, fires and explosions. It's primary use is on finishes of automobiles, trucks, buses and aircraft where durability, high gloss and lasting protection are paramount. Excellent choice for fleet applications and very easy to use. Requires minimum rubbing or buffing. Clear coat safe.

genee · January 2006

I received a Porter-Cable 7424 for Christmas and am thinking about branching out into "better" products now that I have the tools. What can anyone tell me about Pinnacle and Klasse products. I have heard stories of overnight drying between coats of Klasse.

bretfraz · January 2006

Both brands are excellent. The primary Klasse products are All In One (AIO) and Sealant Glaze (SG). They've been around since the 1970s with few changes and have a loyal following. AIO is one of the most versatile products on the market. It's best used as a mild polish but does offer some protective qualities. AIO can be used by hand or machine, it does not stain trim, and can be used on paint, glass and plastic. SG is their paint sealant which can offer 4-6 months of protection if properly maintained. It does have a reputation for being fussy to work with but if you get down the technique, it's fine. Both products are a very good 1-2 punch for your paint.

The Pinnacle product line is much larger than Klasse's. Pinnacle's products are very good to excellent, but you sure do pay for them. Their paste waxes are fabulous, their shampoo is probably the nicest I've ever used, their leather care products are terrific and they make many other fine products. None of them are cheap, though. If you calculate the cost per ounce with some of them, they are some of the most expensive products on the market.

If you stuck with just Pinnacle and Klasse, you'd be using top notch products. Their might be better values on the market but if money wasn't an issue, they would be hard to beat at any price.

lmacmil · January 2006

I got too close to a hedge backing out of an unfamiliar driveway at night. By the time I heard the scraping, I had gotten a half dozen 4-6" long thin scratches. Not thru the paint of course but very visible on a shiny black car. Is there anything I can do to get rid of them?

imidazol97 · January 2006

Have you tried a cleaner on that. Are they scratches from a wood branch into the paint. I'd think the wood would leave rub streaks of the wood and liquid rather than scratching. The wood is softer than the paint.

lmacmil · January 2006

These were evergreens (arborvitae I think) and it was the trimmed ends of small (pencil dia. or less) branches that rubbed. I'm pretty sure they are scratches because they didn't disappear in the car wash. I will check tonight to make sure.

bretfraz · January 2006

Try something like Meguiars Scratch X or Mothers Scratch Remover. Both are available at most any auto parts store. If they don't do the trick the scratches may need to be buffed out. Consider taking it to a pro detailer for that kind of work if you are not equipped to do it.

genee · January 2006

Since I now have the PC 7424 I have been wondering about using Klasse polish and sealing it with Meguiar's Gold Class wax. Do you know anything about the compatibility of the products? The Gold Class has great shine and - from what you and others have said - is a lot more simple to use than the Klasse sealant ... and the Pinnacle white carnuba is $70+s/h a can.

bretfraz · January 2006

They'll work fine together. The Klasse product is a good light paint cleaner and the Gold Class will leave a nice shine. Be careful with the Gold Class around trim, plastic molding, etc., as it has a reputation for staining those kind of pieces.

Ya know.... you don't *have* to use a $70 car wax on top of Klasse. It's a nice product and all but way too expensive for a wax that has low durability. If you want to use a really nice carnauba wax, stop by your local Harley Davidson dealer and buy a jar of S100 wax for $15.00. Great shine, super easy to use, doesn't stain trim, and a fantastic value. S100 is essentially the same wax as P21S which is very popular with car nuts, just that S100 is marketed to the biker crowd. I'd recommend S100 over Gold Class every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

chua-san · January 2006

Which products do not make rubber trim white? Please share your experience. Thanks

bretfraz · January 2006

Yes, last time I used NuFinish it stained trim. Actually, I've found most of the waxes and polishes found in stores will stain or discolor trim, leaving a white chalky residue that can be a nightmare to remove.

One way to mitigate this problem is to pre-treat your trim and rubber with a dressing like Armor All before you wax. If you do get wax on your trim or rubber pieces, it should wipe right off.

Hope this helps!

sandman46 · January 2006

I have to agree. Great wax that I bought at the local Harley store. I use nothing else now!

The Sandman

94hawkskin · January 2006

Instead of me reading all these posts, I was wondering if somebody could recommend the right wax for me?

I have a brand new Steel Gray Sonata. I just want something store bought that will wipe on and off and leave a great shine. Not worried about long lasting as I like to do it once every couple of months anyways. I don't want something abrasive since it is a new vehicle. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, I have a friend who uses Nu Finish that said that would be fine.

bretfraz · January 2006

Here's a few suggestions of good store bought waxes. You can find them at most auto parts stores, like Pep Boys:

Meguiars NXT Tech Wax
Mothers FX Synwax
Liquid Glass
Meguiars Gold Class

Any of them will work well on new paint. The Liquid Glass is prolly the longest lasting, the Mothers is the easiest to use.

I'd pass on the NuFinish. Its a good product for an older car that needs some TLC but its a little too aggressive for a new car.

micweb · January 2006

Just a different opinion - I have tried both NXT and NuFinish on new cars, and like the NuFinish better. NuFinish is still a great product. Couldn't find it at Walmart last time, but just saw it in Walgreens for 3.99 a bottle. What a bargain!

bretfraz · January 2006

I was at Advance Auto Parts today and bought a bunch of Meguiar's detailing tools that are 50% off. A few examples:

Even Coat applicator 2-pack (real soft square apps) - $1.45
Microfiber polishing towel - $1.95
Waffle weave "water magnet" microfiber drying towel - $4.45

All the Meguiar's tool were on sale. They offer several very nice brushes for all sorts of jobs; interior, wheels, tires, etc. Good detailing tools are hard to find as most stuff in stores is basically junk. While not every Meguiars tool is awesome, their quality is very good for a store bought product.

To see the tools, click here -> http://www.meguiars.com/estore/
Then click on "car detailing accessories". Advance close out prices are about half of what you see on Meg's website.

BTW, many of the detailing tools have videos available that show you how to use them correctly. Make sure to click on individual tools and click on "view video". Don't forget to right click on the video player, go to Zoom to watch the video in full screen mode.

94hawkskin · January 2006

This is probably a very stupid question. But I just used the Gold Class from Meguiars and thanks for the recommendation. My car looks great. Now, how do I wash the car to avoid rewaxing it for the next 2 months or so. I presume, you only use water because if you use soap the wax would come off as well.

robr2 · January 2006

Use a car wash liquid soap a opposed to diswashing detergent. The former will not strip off the wash. If I were you, I'd get the Gold Class wash.

Good Luck.

volvodan1 · January 2006

Is Nu Finish a good cheap polish for getting swirl marks out?

bretfraz · January 2006

NuFinish has some strong solvents and mild abrasives. It might do a good job to reduce swirl marks, kinda hard to say. Worth a try if you have some already.

bretfraz · January 2006

Definitely use a shampoo made for cars instead of a household detergent. The Meguiar's Gold Class shampoo is a nice product and will work just fine. A big jug is about $7.00 and should last a long time.

imidazol97 · January 2006

My Advanced Auto didn't have any closeout on Meguiar's stuff. Maybe it's just certain stores.

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fintail · February 2006

I have a question about detailing. I have an old Mercedes as a sunny day cruiser car. The finish is ancient non-clearcoat, and is starting to get a little dull. I would usually wax it yearly, although I skipped last year. About 10 years ago I used some chemical to strip the old wax off it, and started fresh. I forget what it was called.

Anyway, I would like to do some finish restoration on the car. I have had problems in the past where waxes would not apply evenly, leaving the paint kind of blotchy. Also, with almost every product I have used, rain would spot the wax, forcing me to put a new coat on (the car hasn't been in the rain in about 5 years because of this). What would anyone here suggest to use to alleviate some of these problems? I am open to stripping off the existing wax and putting something new on it, but it seems from my experiences that modern products made for modern clearcoat paint seem to get blotchy on this old car. Does anyone here use specific products on old cars?

Here's a pic of the old beast...although it looks quite good at some angles, the finish can look flat and uneven at others

I have and have owned a couple more modern MB, and I have used Meguiars cleaner and regular wax on these cars, with excellent results. Of course, these cars have had more modern paint.

fish8 · February 2006

Nice Mercedes!!!

94hawkskin · February 2006

I'm thinking about buying the s100 carnuba found at Harley stores. The Meguiars Gold Class looked nice but was very hard to take off and attracted a lot of dust. Does anybody know the difference between the S100 and P21S and if either contain any abrasives. I have a new car so I don't need any abrasives. Thanks.

sandman46 · February 2006

Great wax, went on and off very easily last year even with a bad back. Wish I could still wax the car with it...even after a bad car wreck...it's that good!
Try it, you won't be sorry.

The Sandman

94hawkskin · February 2006

Thanks for the reply. I was also looking for a Silicone free tire dressing that you just spray on. I'm looking for a nice shine instead of the natural look that will last if it is possible with a water based dressing.

bretfraz · February 2006

There is hardly a difference, if any, between these two products. Both are produced and sold by the same company. S100 is marketed to the biker crowd and P21S is marketed to car nuts. The mfr has stated that S100 has some sort of additional agent to protect against gas spills but that one seems like a stretch to me; gas will strip off almost any wax in an instant.

Regardless, I've used both and think they're excellent for a carnauba wax. For the price S100 is a great value.

94hawkskin · February 2006

Bought some S100 this weekend and am using it during my day off tomorrow. I will post the differences between this and Meguars Gold Class when I get done.

My problems with the Gold Class are that it was really hard to take off. I probably used too much or let it dry too long, but it was still a lot harder to take off than any wax I have ever used. So much so that I don't want to use it again. I also found that it attracted a lot of dust. After my waxing the car looked great but I soon found a lot of dust the next day. I washed it the next weekend and it had a lot of dust on it the next day again.

I'm hoping this S100 is better as I probably won't buy anything else until this is gone. Also, I put NuFinish on my Wife's 1997 Ranger and it was easy on and off and it looked shiny and nice. This does a great job for protection and on older vehicles. Maybe not for the wax junky but for the everyday driver I feel this is the best wax for older vehicles.

I'm also looking for a non-silicone base tire dressing that is shiny without a lot of work. Any suggestions would be nice.

94hawkskin · February 2006

WOW!WOW!WOW!

That is all I can say about the S100. This was a lot easier to put on and take off than the Gold Class. It also looks like it shines better with a deeper reflection. Now I will have to see if it attracts dust. The waxing took me about 45 minutes to put on and take off compared to about 2 hours with the Gold Class. I know I am slow but this stuff was a lot easier to use.

1racefan · March 2006

Just curious (I may have missed this earlier)...what does the S100 cost at the Harley store?

94hawkskin · March 2006

I think it was $15.95. Compare that to the P21S which is about $35 and it is a real bargain. Like it said it was the easiest and best looking wax I have ever used. I did the car in four sections. I even waxed my rims.

Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)

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