What brand of wax do you use?
#16
Pole Position
Glare products. 3 step process and takes a long time using 3 different bottles of product. I must say the results are amazing on my 14 Stargazer RX. Their sales approach and claims sound like the worst gypsy scam you ever heard. I think it works better using a buffer than by hand.
glare.com
glare.com
#17
Auto Detailing Master
iTrader: (2)
There are no real cons of using a polymer sealant in my opinion.
There are 3 basic categories of paint protection on the market these days: waxes, sealants, and coatings. I will go into some detail on these below, but I encourage you to please ask me if you have any further questions. All of these products serve the same general purpose - protect your paint - however they are all unique in their properties.
Waxes - These are products typically based on natural ingredients such as carnauba wax. Wax provides a very thin, short lived barrier on the surface. A true natural wax will provide protection for an average of 6-8 weeks, and should be applied very regularly to maintain adequate protection. Duration varies greatly depending on your environment, and if you are someone who does not enjoy regularly detailing their vehicle, I would suggest using another type of paint protection.
Examples: Menzerna Color Lock, Chemical Guys Pete's 53, Pinnacle Souveran
Sealants - These products are an evolution of the natural wax. A polymer sealant is a liquid product that is based on synthetic polymers rather than natural waxes. These products work just the same as waxes do in that they provide a thin barrier on top of your paint, however a polymer sealant is considerably more durable with most of them lasting between 4-6 months instead of weeks. Most of these products are very easy to apply either by hand or machine, and are recommended for added durability compared to waxes. Some people claim a wax provides a "warmer glow", so if you wish, you can top a sealant with a wax.
Examples: Blackfire Wet Diamond, Menzerna Power Lock
Coatings - Ceramic Paint Coatings are the latest evolution in paint protection. These coatings provide a layer of protection that is hundreds of times thicker than the average layer of wax. This barrier is also incredibly chemical resistant, and harder than most clear coats when fully cured. These products last for years, not weeks or months, when properly applied and maintained. There is no doubt that a paint coating provides the absolute best protection. There are some downfalls to a coating, too... they are rather expensive, they require a tremendous amount of prep work, and they are not as easy to apply as traditional waxes or sealants. For this reason, it is often recommended to consult a professional detailer to have a paint coating installed unless you're well versed in the cleaning, decontamination, and paint correction processes required before installing a paint coating.
The Benefits of a Paint Coating by Zach McGovern
Examples: CQuartz Finest (professional installation only), Opti Coat (professional installation only), 22ple VX3, Optimum Gloss Coat
Hope that helps
-Zach
There are 3 basic categories of paint protection on the market these days: waxes, sealants, and coatings. I will go into some detail on these below, but I encourage you to please ask me if you have any further questions. All of these products serve the same general purpose - protect your paint - however they are all unique in their properties.
Waxes - These are products typically based on natural ingredients such as carnauba wax. Wax provides a very thin, short lived barrier on the surface. A true natural wax will provide protection for an average of 6-8 weeks, and should be applied very regularly to maintain adequate protection. Duration varies greatly depending on your environment, and if you are someone who does not enjoy regularly detailing their vehicle, I would suggest using another type of paint protection.
Examples: Menzerna Color Lock, Chemical Guys Pete's 53, Pinnacle Souveran
Sealants - These products are an evolution of the natural wax. A polymer sealant is a liquid product that is based on synthetic polymers rather than natural waxes. These products work just the same as waxes do in that they provide a thin barrier on top of your paint, however a polymer sealant is considerably more durable with most of them lasting between 4-6 months instead of weeks. Most of these products are very easy to apply either by hand or machine, and are recommended for added durability compared to waxes. Some people claim a wax provides a "warmer glow", so if you wish, you can top a sealant with a wax.
Examples: Blackfire Wet Diamond, Menzerna Power Lock
Coatings - Ceramic Paint Coatings are the latest evolution in paint protection. These coatings provide a layer of protection that is hundreds of times thicker than the average layer of wax. This barrier is also incredibly chemical resistant, and harder than most clear coats when fully cured. These products last for years, not weeks or months, when properly applied and maintained. There is no doubt that a paint coating provides the absolute best protection. There are some downfalls to a coating, too... they are rather expensive, they require a tremendous amount of prep work, and they are not as easy to apply as traditional waxes or sealants. For this reason, it is often recommended to consult a professional detailer to have a paint coating installed unless you're well versed in the cleaning, decontamination, and paint correction processes required before installing a paint coating.
The Benefits of a Paint Coating by Zach McGovern
Examples: CQuartz Finest (professional installation only), Opti Coat (professional installation only), 22ple VX3, Optimum Gloss Coat
Hope that helps
-Zach
#19
Pole Position
I'm interested in having my car professionally prepared and then coated...as I don't enjoy waxing as often is necessary to keep the paint really protected. I live in Oklahoma, so how would I go about finding an experienced pro that can do this locally??
#20
Auto Detailing Master
iTrader: (2)
The Autospa
Owner: Brian Menke
Website: www.theautospallc.com
Phone: (405) 831-2000
Email: brian@theautospallc.com
Location: 404 Highland Parkway
Norman, OK 73069
If he is close enough to you to earn your business, please let him know I sent you
-Zach McGovern
#21
Pole Position
You've got a great detailer in the Norman, OK area (south of OKC). Not sure exactly where you are located, but here is his info... Brian specializes in high end paint correction & coating installation. He would also likely be able to point you towards a clear bra installer since you seemed interested in that as well based on your other thread.
The Autospa
Owner: Brian Menke
Website: www.theautospallc.com
Phone: (405) 831-2000
Email: brian@theautospallc.com
Location: 404 Highland Parkway
Norman, OK 73069
If he is close enough to you to earn your business, please let him know I sent you
-Zach McGovern
The Autospa
Owner: Brian Menke
Website: www.theautospallc.com
Phone: (405) 831-2000
Email: brian@theautospallc.com
Location: 404 Highland Parkway
Norman, OK 73069
If he is close enough to you to earn your business, please let him know I sent you
-Zach McGovern
well, how convenient...I live in Norman, lol (go Sooners). Really appreciate your help sir ! Also, thanks for your insight on the clear bra as well.
#22
Advanced
I was always a big fan of Adams Americana until I used some COLLONITE...... This is a small company who only makes waxes and industrial polishes. I saw the COLLONITE name one day and knew from my days of being a high Voltage lineman that the polish we used on insulators was COLLONITE so I decided to give it a try on my car with amazing results...... Hard to find locally but can be purchased from the Geek.
This wax lasts a long time and easy to,apply/remove.
This wax lasts a long time and easy to,apply/remove.
#24
I kinda hate to tell you all this but KIT carnuba wax...it is very cheap and supposedly lasts a year....but I also use others and my garage cabinets are full of waxes and paint sealants that I alternate...its kinda like an automotive wine cellar
#27
I love Zaino, been using the products for years!
#28
My favorite, too!
Use a porter cable to apply it and remove with a microfiber cloth. I love the way it buffs off by hand with ease leaving no white residue on any of the plastic or rubber components.
This Ultimate is the best I have ever used.
Use a porter cable to apply it and remove with a microfiber cloth. I love the way it buffs off by hand with ease leaving no white residue on any of the plastic or rubber components.
This Ultimate is the best I have ever used.
#29
Lexus Fanatic
Mostly pro's. Sealants generally last much longer then waxes(except for Collonite 476S), protect better, and there is a bigger selection, sealants are generally less expensive then high end boutique waxes too.
Only downsides to sealants are the finish with most sealants is not as warm or thick looking as waxes, mostly personal preference. Some sealants can be a little tricky to apply and take off, some are very sensitive to surface contamination, some are a 2 step/product process, some you have to use very little/thin coat or you will be really working to get it off and possibly marring your finish. Waxes normally smell better then sealants if that even matters.
Only downsides to sealants are the finish with most sealants is not as warm or thick looking as waxes, mostly personal preference. Some sealants can be a little tricky to apply and take off, some are very sensitive to surface contamination, some are a 2 step/product process, some you have to use very little/thin coat or you will be really working to get it off and possibly marring your finish. Waxes normally smell better then sealants if that even matters.