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Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)
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Comments
So what's your favorite? Just curious.
Q
I believe that those small spots on your window/car has to do with soap residue being left behind after rinsing. It won't take much soap residue to float to the top of the water drops and when the water evaporates, the soap spot is all that's left.
I would try using a clay bar to get the dirt off of your white car before using a cleaner type polish. Whatever wax you use, dirt will stick to the paint over time and a clay bar will remove the dirt so you don't end up waxing/polishing the dirt back into your paint.
I received a Mr Clean/autodry system as a present last year and didn't care for it. I didn't think that the soap spraying out of the Mr. Clean sprayer had enough bubbles to carry the dirt safely away from the paint. Switching the control back and forth from spray to soap to rinse was a pain. Drying my vehicles is very easy since I use SpeedBead the water mostly runs off so drying is very quickly done.
For a good store bought shampoo, Meguiars NXT is an excellent choice. Mothers Calif Gold shampoo is very mild and a good choice for those who use carnauba wax on their cars.
Also, I'd like to know if anyone has used the new polish by Turtle Wax called Ice. If so, how do you like it? This topic has gotten almost as bad with the S100 posts as others have in the past with the Zaino posts.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Well, I looked carefully at my white Camry and sure enough, at an angle, I saw the water drop spots too. I went out and bought some Simonize 500 car wash (its all I could get at the time) I rewashed both cars and let them dry over night. SPOTS AGAIN the next morning; again hard to notice on the white car...easy to see on the blue. I guess the solution is to dry the car after you wash it....unless that Mr. Clean thing works!
As a test I did S100 over the Nufinish on half my white 2002 Camry. We'll see how it compares to the other half that has been NU Finished.
As far as the dirt in my painton my 02 white Camry..Opinion appears to be that Nu Finish is abrasive...maybe over the dozen or so waxings in 4 years it removed enough clearcoat to let dirt that won't wash off in...what do you think? Personally I'd think the Mequiar's cleaner wax is more abrasive since it gets out the dirt the Nu Finish would not...would that be correct? Finally, claying has been reccomended to clean up my paint. Wouldn't this be the most abrasive of all? If not, is it hard to do...exactly what is clay and how do you use it?
I just re-waxed last night after a three month interval between waxing and the car is even shinier this time. I got it all over my trim and it didn't leave any stains. I love that feature as I am usually sloppy when it comes to anything.
Also, I haven't noticed any spots on my car after I wash it, but I do hand dry the car immediatly.
My friend uses the Mr. Clean system and loves it, says he doesn't have to even touch the car when he is done washing as the car dries itself. How much do one of those systems cost?
I love s100. It's inexpensive and a dream to put on. Plus, it gives the car an incredible look.
I use liquid glass before I apply the S100, however. I put on two coats of that and while it is a chore, it provides excellent protection. for example: driving through the country my car gets peppered with love bugs. This happened RIGHT AFTER I detailed my car. FUN.
However, it rained the next day and I kid you not, 90 percent of hte bugs came off! I was amazed and dragged my gf out to see. She really didn't care, however, and I had nobody with which to share my joy.
Any advice, short of taking the mat out of the car and saving it for when I eventually sell it? Since I have the mat, I'd like to use it, but if that's not an option I can always buy a large cheap plastic one. thanks.
Also, the wheel is wrapped with leather. I use an eagle 1 product on that, as well as vinylex for the interior. Anything better out there to combat the hot florida sun?
One more thing: do those protective things that are placed behind the windshield actually protect the interior, or are they just a gimmick?
Thanks,
Charley
When I was using Meguiar's Gold wax, pollen would settle on my vehicle like nobody's business. It looked horrible only one or two days after application. It wasn't easy to apply the stuff, either.
With the S100, that is really no longer an issue. It repels the pollen very well, and in this environment, the stuff is everywhere (my allergies NEVER let me forget it...).
Try Aerospace 303 protectant for all of your interior. It works great on leather and vinyl and it is like sunblock for your interior. I have used it for about 5 months now and it works great without leaving that oily look. It can be had for about $11 at your local Ace hardware store.
Thanks for the advice! I'm going to buy the stuff today and use it.
Anybody else besides Ace have the stuff? I'm not sure if I saw it at pep boys and i'm almost positive it's not at advance auto parts...i HATE that joint anyway.
wheretobuy303.com
I thought West Marine had it.
PS: I noticed that after using the CLeaner Wax , a lot of polen was attracted to my car too....hopefully it will not be as bad with the S100.
I don't understand why what's so great about a wax you have to use multi-coats of it or use something else first and apply something on top of something else to achieve protection. Seems like lots of extra work. A great wax will stand alone.
However, it will only last about three or four weeks in the 95 degree sun.
By applying the two coats of sealant (liquid glass is not a wax, it is a sealant) and then the wax, I maximize the protection, further ensuring clear coat health and extending the times between full applications.
I don't like working needlessly. If I was able to garage my car at all times then I would spend less time on protectants. The reality is that I am unable to get garaged parking at work and I also don't have a garage at my apartment.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You won't harm your new car, just make sure you wash it first and don't put much pressure on the clay bar. Spray the paint with the lube provided, lightly move the clay bar over the paint then remove/wash off the residue.. If you drop the clay bar on the ground you will have to throw it away, don't take a chance by using it again because it might have pick up dirt/small stones from the ground that will scratch your paint.
Your new car finish will feel smoother after you clay it. Try a section and feel the clayed section to the old finish.
Amen. Try it. It's worth the $10-12. I bought Clay Magic. Glad to see someone said it's at Walmart; I can't find it at the local auto box stores.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Where are you from?
Collinite Insulator Wax link
Thanks all.
That's why I put two coats of the liquid glass on. On red colors it is absolutely mesmorizing (my gf's car is red, mine is 'phantom grey'), but even more importantly to me, bugs easily wash right off once that stuff is on.
Perhaps Speed Bead is a better product. I'll give it a try in the next month or so.
If I understand, the liquid glass is a sealant. You can them wax over it with the S100. This should provide a durable finish for a while. Now must I dawn the car before I apply the liquid glass? At this point most of my car should have several layers of NUFinish/wax on it. I plan to clay a few areas and reapply. Can I just go over the car with the liquid glass then S100 one last time?
Liquid Glass is a sealant. One of the reasons I like it is because it calls for 'baking' in the sun while applying. That makes it really easy here in Florida.
To be fair, you don't have to seal the car with Liquid Glass and THEN put the wax on it. I just do it for extra protection and it causes the sealant to last longer...I'd rather wax once a month to preserve the sealant then re-seal every other month!!
Yes, you should dawn the car before applying the sealant because you want to make sure all previouis waxes adn sealants are gone before applying a new coat.
Applying the liquid glass is a chore, trust me. The s100 does a good job, but depending on the climate, pollution, and whether you garage the car or not, you may have to do it every month. It's incredibly easy using the microfiber towels from target, but still....
I do like the liquid glass and then applying the s100 because it just seems to work where I reside. I was amazed when I aw those love bugs just come off of the car. Still, I know that at least one other forum member loves speedbead, but i've not even seen it in stores.
If you're new to the whole waxing, sealing bit....then it may be a good idea to start off with the s100 since it's easy and you'll learn a lot.
good luck!!
As far as dawn-ing...can I just use the regular .99 blue dawn? Just wash the car with a sponge and the dawn removes the wax...sound to easy!
Applying the liquid glass is difficult because it takes a lot of elbow grease to buff.
You could just do a section that is dull on your car to see if it makes a difference. If you are happy with the results do the rest of the car.
Yes, I like SpeedBead, but that doesn't mean it's the best, just the best for me. I use Stoner's Invisible Glass and their More Shine, Less Time tire products and have been very happy with the results. My vehicles look "wet" after washing and drying them. If they look wet you can bet they shine. Stoner's has a www. site and will deliver right to your door if you can't find a local store. Check Stoner's site for stores in your area.
I have read the "other" board, it seems that very few over there use just one "z" product to achieve a long lasting shine. "KISS" is what I believe in.
In reality, there's no need to use anymore products with the other brand:
Dawn - yep just like above
Clay - check
Sealer - check again.
Wax - oops, no check. No need for wax unless you want.
Personally, I rewash after a full clay job with Dawn again just to be sure but that's only once per year.
I'll dawn my dull door, clay it and then seal / wax (or just wax, I only have NuFinish as a sealant) and then I'll report back what happens. Of course now that I ready to go it looks like rain!
I recommend it, definitely.
Good luck to him on whatever he decides to use.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the previous poster is right when he says... "very few over there use just one "z" product."
With the "z" product, when you get to the sealer step, you're supposed to buy a tiny $20 vial of accelerator to mix with the sealer.
The website claims you can't use their sealer without this additional, and expensive, product.
I think using dawn started as a Z thing so that people could apply the Z product to a non-waxed or sealed car. After the initial dawning, then Z could be applied on top of itself in subsequent sealings.
Test 2: On my from bumper there were bugs. The clay took them off easily; it did leave the tar though. In this test I find claying no advantage since I still must use something else to get the tar off.
Test 3:
On my bumper there is impregnated dirt in the paint once again. Let me try to be specific because this is the cause of my biggest headache. From a distance the bumper looks clean and shiny. Up close you can see splotchy dirt in the paint. Its almost as though the paint has a bad complection! If you look under th esideview mirrow at an angle you can also see faint dirt lines at times too. You can rub these areas with a sponge, your finger, soap...nothing gets it out or even phazes it. It does not smear or lighten. This is where I typically turn to NuFInish and if that Fails Meguiar's cleaner wax. This time I turned to my new $10 clay bar. I wet the area with the lube, rubbed the bar all around the area, and.....NOTHING! Still there just as before. I got out the NuFinish, with some hard rubbing it removed it. After it removed it thought the area was a bit dull and did not look smooth. This is where I think the S100 helps...somewhat. If the NUFinish does not work then I turn to the Cleaner Wax, again rubbing hard. Its a pain and if do too large an area at once the whole things starts to look splotchy.
So, perhaps my problem is Toyota's white paint or the clearcoat itself. Perhaps in the fall I'll strip the car down as best I can and attempt to seal it with the Liquid Glass. Maybe that will make the dirt easier to get out.
ONE THING: I S100'd the whole car except that front bumper. It will be interesting to see what happens when that dirt starts to appear on my hood. Will I be able to rinse it off, will the NuFinish work or will I again need to resort to t he cleaner wax...
In the mean time I am going to ask what they use at the car dealer. Surely they have some trick. There must be some sort of liquid that will remove the dirt easily....
Thanks for all the help..bottom line, IMO, Claying did nothing for me, S100 may or may not be worth the $$$. Time will tell...will post again and let everyone know....
PS:
I am going to clay my father-in-laws 10 year old subaru; perhaps the claying is more suited to weathered older cars.
PSS:
The Lube smelled like suntan lotion..wonder if that what it is!
I question the need for ZFX in the first place. It seems like a marketing gimmick to increase the price of their polish from $15 to $35, without much added benefit.
The only real benefit is increased polish drying time to allow for immediate multiple coats. But one coat supposedly lasts for 6 months, so why you layer it anyway? And if I were applying multiple coats, I'd rather save $20 and just wait a few hours between coats.
According to their website, ZFX only has a shelf life of 18 months...
There are enough drops to treat 16 ounces of polish. That is enough polish to do a Corvette 40 times. If you polish your car twice a year, that's 20 years of product, with a shelf life of ONLY 18 MONTHS.
So ZFX is MORE expensive than it sounds.
Go to a body shop and ask if they can measure how much clear coat is left on the paint. A good repair shop should do this for nothing since it only takes 1 minute.
You might just need a professional to rub out your paint with a machine to get the dull clear coat back to normal.
I would advise you to keep the harsh stuff off of the new RAV and just use S100 or something similar to protect the clear coat.
One question.... You mention that you went out at lunch to work on your car, you aren't doing this stuff in the sunshine, are you?
You need Z-1 or ZFX ONLY if it is your first application or if you want to do multiple coats in one day. Otherwise, it's Z-2 or Z-5. Yes you do have to buy another product I will admit.
But one coat supposedly lasts for 6 months, so why you layer it anyway?
The product was designed for show cars and enthusiasts. They put multiple coats of whatever product for maximum shine.
According to their website, ZFX only has a shelf life of 18 months...There are enough drops to treat 16 ounces of polish. That is enough polish to do a Corvette 40 times. If you polish your car twice a year, that's 20 years of product, with a shelf life of ONLY 18 MONTHS.
Just like most detailing products, they go bad. I've seen people toss away plenty of product from any brand because it's hardened up, gotten frozen, whatever.
An enthusiast will go through plenty of polish so the shelf life isn't an issue. If you plan on doing your car only twice a year, use something else IMHO.
I use the Z product and spend about $35/year on it. I waste very little. I'd spend that on any other brand as well. It works for me.
Use what you like.