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Store Bought Waxes Part II (No Zaino Posts)
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What you will find on some European cars, especially German cars, is that some carnauba waxes will cause clouding of the finish. I think most German mfr's use paint made by Glasurit and their products react oddly sometimes. That's one reason Zymol (a German company) created waxes especially for German cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc. That particular product won't cloud or haze.
Actually, my opinion of waxing a new car with a one-step cleaner wax is that it's a good idea. Even new paint picks up crud, swirl marks from dealer lot boys, and even a little oxidation. It all depends on how long the car sat on the lot before purchase.
What I have done with brand new cars is wax with a one-step which polishes the paint and adds a little protection. Then follow up with a pure carnauba wax that has no cleaner in it. That way you get the protection and shine in two easy steps.
Anyhoo, what you need is a glaze or swirl mark remover. Glaze is a very fine polish that removes and fills microscopic scratches like you have. Swirl mark remover is a little more aggressive but does the same thing essentially.
3M and Meguiars make excellent products. 3M can be bought at any NAPA auto parts and Meguiars at any auto parts chain. Look for Meguiars Show Car Glaze #7 in a tan bottle. With 3M you want Imperial Hand Glaze.
Two of the best products money can buy and used by most any decnt pro detailer and show car owner.
Thanks
Personally, I prefer 3M Perfect-It and Finesse-It II.
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Regarding the abrasive issue, it depends on the one-step product. Pinnacles and Klasse seem to be VERY mild, if not abrasive at all. NuFinish is very abrasive and removed almost everything.
adam68: Show the idiot "expert" this link- BMW NA SELLS Meguiar waxes:
http://www.bmwusa.com/virtual/accessories/viewaccessory.cfm?enumber=All&category_id=CHEMICAL&accessory_id=51
Oh yea, used to use it in the 60s to wax cars. WOW, hard to put on and even hardert to get off, took all day to do a car rub and rub and rub. If I recall correctly, it did not last long either, used it on furniture as well
Now this item is not going to replace Meguiars #20 for my serious waxing, but this has changed how I will wash my truck.
I used to wash, rinse, dry, but now I will wash, rinse, and let AIR DRY, (yes there will be some water spots) then I will use the express shine. The water spots go away when I use the express shine.
If I am going to spend the effort to dry, I would rather do it this way and get some wax on the paint too!
BTY, with all this discussion about waxes, Meguiars #20 (not #26) seems to get skipped over too often.
It has no wax, it is all polymers, and for new paint or new vehicles, this is (in my humble opinion) the one to use! Not ultra expensive, not ultra cheap, and no outragous claims (last a year, right!-nothing lasts a year!) but is very good and very long lasting, and gives a nice shine.
It is not going to give you the ultra ultra wet look, (It WILL make your vehicle shine very nice!) but it will stay on and is easy to apply and buff off.
OH, another tid bit. I found a great way to wax my truck. I do one section a week. This way, I am not dreading finishing the truck. I do the hood one week, the driver door side the next week, the driver bed and tailgate the next week, etc.
Have fun
Meguiars products (tan bottle):
#7 followed by #9.
Key is to use a damp, soft terry cloth towel (100% cotton, no bound/sewn edges) on both.
For wax, I use Hard Shell Turtle Wax liquid ($3 at wal-mart). This leaves no swirl marks and lasts at least 3 months.
heard it was what the pros used. and i heard it practically makes the car glow. no one thinks this product is worth the effort?
My guess would be that "if the pro's use simonize" it would be because it coats the paint with a nice thick coat of pure wax that would feel very smooth to the touch. As you probably have read, that type of wax would make the car look awsome that day, but the first time it goes out in hot weather, or the first time it gets washed, bam, most of the wax comes off.
As far as Medalian from Meguiars, I got the impression it was designed for Mercedes cars, and other german cars that do not react well to most waxes/sealants/polymers.
As far as the tiny tiny scratches in your new paint job, I have them too. I would not call them swirl marks, but if you look very very very very closly, they are there.
To ease your worries, go to a showroom, and look at any brand new car parked in the lot. Bet you can find those thinner than thin micro scratches too!
Respectfully,
Larry
As to Medalian from Meguiar's, it's probably the same product sold by Mercedes dealers under the MB name and logo. But I question whether the paint on German cars reacts poorly to waxes, sealants or polymers. My brilliant silver 2000 MB E320 has had multiple coats of the "forbidden product" -- a polymer -- since it was new, and the finish still looks gorgeous, with a deep "wet look." The Meguiars sold by MB dealers undoubtedly returns a nice profit.
My only advice now would be to do the job in small sections, taking your time instead of crankin' it out. My personal suggestion is to do the hood first, break it up into 4 sections, and focus on doing a good job. Sometimes this job can feel overwhelming so when I get that way I just focus on a small section and go from there.
3M IMG is pretty mild stuff so it won't remove any serious scratches. But it will prep the paint for the #26 nicely. Don't worry about removing all the IMG, the #26 will take of the rest.
Let us know how it works out for you. I'm sure you'll do a great job.
- - Bret - -
Ever since I was a little BretFraz, riding my bike from detail job to detail job, I've used Meguiars primarily. Growing up in So Cal, the car detailing capital of the universe, products like Meguiars, Mothers, One Grand, and a few others were available everywhere since all those companies are based there and the locals are very picky about their car care products.
I remember using the first Eagle One wheel cleaners, I think in 1978. They were two-step procedures and came in two bottles. You had to be real careful with that stuff as it was caustic. Then they expanded their line to the point that they divided their product line into letters (like Cleaner A, B, etc). You had to know what kind of wheel you had and what the right cleaner was or you'd screw it up big time. I think I recall making a mistake once or twice........................
Ahhhh, memories. Sometimes I tell myself I'll quit this cushy job, get a new Sioux and a sweet Gem, stock up, and go mobile. Just like the old days.
I've been using it on my Pathfinder with excellent results. I did try Meguairs but it just cannot hold a candle to LIQUID GLASS. Meguairs does not look as wet at the front end and certainly does not have the staying power.
My $0.02.
I have used both Nufinish and Turtle Wax Finish 2001 on my '96 platinum (kinda silver) Intrepid. Both are good products, but the 2001 is definitely superior in both shine and durabilty, in my experience.
-Larry
Happy motoring friends!
-Larry
We had previously used Meguires Clay but wasn't able to find it at the local paint store so bought 3M's clay. The 3M clay didn't leave the residue that Meguires had and will definitely stick with 3M in the future. If you haven't used clay, you should give it a try. It's amazing how smooth it makes the surface.
We weren't going to spend the time applying two coats of wax but decided to since the car was ready. The 2nd coat of wax did make the car shinier and smoother than the 1st. We found the wax came off without a lot of work and didn't leave the powdery stuff that other waxes leave behind.
The car looks great and we are very please with the results.
Now we've got to work on the interior and leather and the wheels.
Question: Do you wax wheels with regular wax? Our wheels are painted and have a smooth surface so it wouldn't be a lot of hassle.
Yes, you can use regular wax to protect the wheels. The majority of wheels (if they are alloy) have a clearcoat on them like the paint so they need the same type of protection. Wheels take a real beating with dirt, water, grease, brake dust, road crud, extreme heat, etc, etc. So any protection for them is a real benefit.
Chrome-plated wheels typically are not clearcoated so they are in greater need of protection.
Since you state your wheels have a smooth surface, it should be easy to wash them. That's good as you won't need to use chemical wheel cleaners. Soap and water is best and will not strip wax.
I have a dark RED Mazda. It looks wonderful after I removed the Oxydation and I usually use Meguiar's Glaze #7 and Meguiar's #26 Hard yellow Wax, every six months, and between that I use Meguiars Gold Class. The combination polish and wax is helpful between the larger sessions, and takes less time.
As a top coat I always use a second Meguiars #26 Paste on horizontal surfaces. This is the only thing the prevents oxidation on those formerly abused surfaces.
Also, I don't care what the "Experts" say. My experience is that the paste wax on the horizontal surface is much more durable than a liquid.
If wax is applied on a regular schedule, it really uses much less than if the surface is not maintained. I use liquid wax for the first coat because it seems to get into the micropores better and smooths out those hairline scratches, but for protection it's paste all the way baby. Remember thin coats
protegextwo -- I don't think that Ken really intended to mention the "forbidden product." He was merely relating his experience with dealer-inflicted damage to the paint on new vehicles and probably got carried away.
In cheaper products (under $10) there isn't much difference in performance.
The rule of thumb is if you are hand-applying a wax, use the paste for ease of application and superior durability. If you use a buffer, liquids are the choice.
This basically applies to carnauba-based products. When it comes to polymer-based, it's a crapshoot as engineers can easily modify the formulas and alter product performance. There's no easy rule of thumb, even with the cheap stuff like NuFinish or Finish 2001.
Well, I guess user preference is a rule of thumb.
Respectfully,
Larry
Meguiar's recommends a second coat on horizontal surfaces. I always buy used cars and the horizontal surface definitely suffers more than the vertical sides. On my Oxadized Mazda I just did single coats last winter. I got Oxidation when I glazed in March. It didn't happen the winter before and it was more severe.
1. Wash/clean/dry the car without stripping the wax
2. Apply the wax on top of old wax
Any comments are really appreciated.
As to Clay, maybe you don't need it. It is nice. It works really well to smooth out your paint and remove surface impurities like rail dust, brake lining, paint overspray, etc. Maybe you don't have any of that. I can't believe that you have looked real hard and not been able to find any. In South Florida Pep Boys and Discount Auto Parts seem to always have either Meguiars or Mothers on hand for less than $20. Autozone also has it most of the time and it was only about $14 there. If you can't find it, sure you can do the job without it. It will probably look just fine too. I bet you could apply any polish with a dust rag and wipe it off with a dirty bath towel and it would help. What you have read here are just suggestions that some have found gave them good results. There are no penalties for not following these "rules". Do what you want.
also, how do you guys wash your cars in the winter? i mean like just above freezing. have any advice? **gives nasty look to so-cal people**
thanks!
Then again, every buffer polishes in circles so how bad can the technique be?
That's why its personal preference. Some will defend their choice not because it's better, but because it's their choice. To each his own.
Like the other poster mentioned, your car will probably look just fine if you just wash it and wax it with whatever. It depends on the effort and time you wish to expend.
Thanks!
Respectfully,
Larry