stanjohn12

Thanks KillaIS250. This looks like a good list of brands to use. I get almost all of these here in Kuwait. How often do you do this from steps 1-8 on your car ?

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iTrader: (17)

I hope you were kidding.

You are recommending Swissvax to someone who is starting out with this stuff? Big NO-NO. Plus, there are many more reasonable options out there that don't even cost 1/10 of most SV products, especially these days with so many nano coatings.

If I had that 2IS, I'd buy Menzerna Super Finish or Power Finish (it's got more correcting power than the Super Finish in case you have medium>more severe swirls). After that I'd probably either do a Collinite 845 wax or Menzerna Power Lock. These are all affordable (compared to SV) products, and deliver amazing results.

EDIT: And obviously don't forget to buy a buffer of some sort if you really want professional results. A quick hand polish and wax that most guys do only looks good in the shade. If you really want clean paint, you need a buffer to remove any clearcoat imperfections like swirls, light rids, etc. If you are starting out, get a DA buffer like a Flex XC3401 or a Porter Cable 7424XP. Don't go rotary right away if you are not trained at it because it will take some time to get the technique down.

stanjohn12

Man you are the know all Guru here I guess. Is there anything that you do not know ?

Appreciate your advise and Yes I do get most of these brands mentioned by you here. But I need to do some hunting for the clay Kit , I've never seen those before here.

jfelbab

Its not that I know it all, 'cause I don't. Its just that I've been at this for over 50 years and made all the mistakes one can along the way. LOL. I like to share what I know in the hope that others will avoid some of the pitfalls I fell into and maybe find the process that works best for them.

As I try to point out, technique and the process is more important than the particular brand. I recommend Meguiar's a lot because these are readily available, quality products that the company stands behind 100%. If you don't like the product, they offer a convenient toll free number to speak with a trained representative who can offer advice or will replace the product. While I don't think their products are the best in every class, they are always near the top, so I'm confident good results can be achieved with them. There are plenty of other detailers who prefer other brands. A good detailer can make a car pop using almost any brand of product. The reason is that he would know the process and techniques that bring the results.

As far as the clay, there is not a lot of difference in the clay kits sold so grab what you can find. Meguiars, Mothers, Adams, Clay Magic, etc. all make acceptable clay kits.

I'd also highly recommend viewing some of the videos at Meguiars.com or AutoGeek.com. These videos will give you a feel for the processes and techniques. Pay particular attention those by Mike Phillips, who is IMO, one of the top detailers in the US. FWIW, He recently published a book titled "The Art of Detailing" that is an excellent resource on every aspect of detailing.

stanjohn12

Thanks once again jfelbab.

Yeah I watched a few of his videos , it was pretty nice and I downloaded the pdf too. But didn't really get the time to go through it fully nor work on my car. Hopefully I will start working with all the things you mentioned here by next month.

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iTrader: (17)

Jim,

I agree that technique is just as important if not more important than the products you use. Sure not all waxes, polishes, clay bars, and other products are equal, but you have to realize that detailing is a physically intensive activity or "hobby" for some of us. You need to take time and inspect your work over and over again until you have the desired results if you really want to have a show car finish (or as close to one as you can).

Too many people think that buying a $500 wax will give you better results than someone using a $35 wax. But the reality is, with a nice paint correction (which doesn't cost too much in terms of tools and supplies) and a cheap wax will give you a result that is a million times better than someone only doing a clay job and a very expensive wax.

chikoo

In my few years of experience, nothing stacks up as good as the Klasse AIO in terms of having the best combination of

1. Ease of application
2. Deep shine
3. Water beading capability
4. Durability
5. No white residue in cracks and crevices

It is literally hassle free and I get best results applying it with a Microfiber towel, followed by removing it with a clean microfiber towel, which buffs the haze off.

stanjohn12

There are a lot of good waxes on the market but no wax is ever the "best around." for everyone. Collinite does make a long lasting wax. For the best protection though I prefer a sealant rather than a wax or at least as a base for a wax. The thing about wax and sealants is that they all act and look slightly differently. Some hold up better than others, on certain paints, in certain environments and against certain pollutants. For example, I have found that a carnauba wax protects better than a sealant against acid rain and bird droppings. Sealants, OTOH, provide longer lasting protection against normal road grime and soiling. Sealants also hold up better in very hot climates where carnaubas begin to evaporate. Each of us lives in distinctly different environments, and have different industrial pollutants to deal with so with various wax/sealant recommendations there is no best product for everyone.

In general carnauba wax products seem to offer a deeper look and often will darken the paint color by a shade or two.This may not be desirable on lighter colors but often sought after on darker colors. Sealants seem to offer higher reflectivity and are often described as a "wrapped in plastic" appearance. Which you prefer is a matter of personal taste. The thing about wax/sealant that most overlook is that the wax imparts little, less than 15% IMO, to the overall appearance of the car. The show car look that many strive for comes from the prep work done. The wax or sealant leaves a microscopic layer that slowly degrades over time by design. It is intended to provide protection against the elements and to be replenished routinely. If you find a wax or sealant that looks good and seems to last a month or two, the key is then how easy it is to apply and remove. If it is a chore to use you will not want to re-apply frequently, so I like to choose products that are easy to use and I use them frequently.

You can use both sealants and waxes if you apply the sealant first and leave it for 12-24 hours before applying a wax. The wax must be a pure wax containing no cleaners however for this to work. This is also then becoming a chore and you will likely not want to do this frequently. So there is the trade off.

My current favorite is Meg's Ultimate Liquid or Paste Wax. This product is a sealant. I like this product because it is so easy to use, doesn't dry white so there is no dusting, it doesn't stain plastic/vinyl trim and is very long lasting. You can also apply it in direct sunlight. It is a product that works well on paint, glass vinyl and chrome/stainless so one product works for all my needs meaning I don't need to buy special products for each application. I also like the look of this product on both light and dark colors.

The best practice is to try things for yourself and see how you like them. When you find the product(s) you like you will use them frequently thus keeping your car looking great.

My apologies to stanjohn12 for clobbering his post. I'm new at the mod tools and in my response I see I messed up your original message. Bear with me.

GQD_GS4

Tons of great info on this thread!

stanjohn12

Thanks.Sounds like a good product but I don't think we get this brand here , need to do some hunting.

stanjohn12

How did you post within my post ? lol. I guess it's you jfelbab.

Anyways I wash my car like twice every week although I try my best to make it once every week but my car gets dirty very easily due to the dusty conditions here. Just one doubt before I reply to your post.

Is it safe to shampoo wash our car's regularly, like the frequency with which I wash my car ( twice every week ). Does this strip our car of the clear coat and will it affect our paint quality anyhow. Or do you recommend just plain water wash and drying without using car wash shampoo's ?.

So here are my doubts on your reply

1 ) How do I differentiate between a sealant and a wax. Ok I usually go for Carnauba wax's but need to know which ones have sealants in them or are these sealants sold separately ?

2 ) The climate in this part of the world is the worst.It has the hottest summers , coldest winters ( Ok not as cold as your place ) , harsh dusty weather and dirty rain's mixed with all the oil residue (pollutants) from the refineries here. If i can get a good combo of safe and affordable products to work safely on my car here it might probably be the best products for anyone to use across the globe.

3 ) So regarding the above point , I need a wax that can protect my paint from all these contaminants and also last really long.I'm not so particular about the glossy show car shine ( although I wouldn't mind if that came along with the wax you recommend )Like I want the wax / sealant to be on my car for at least 3-4 months. I don't want it to go within one or 2 wash's which is like a week for me

4 ) I have seen 2 wax's in our major retail stores of Meguiars, one was the Gold class carnauba wax and the other was the new NXT tech wax 2.0. Now i believe both these wax's don't last more than 2 or 3 wash's , correct ?

jfelbab

Washing frequently will not harm your clear coat. I'd be sure to use a good quality car wash soap and dilute it properly per the label. Don't guess, measure. Using too much detergent will remove some wax, using too little will also shorten your wax longevity. I don't recommend plain water as it does not have the lubricity to safely remove dirt. Now if you only have light dust, use a Quik Detailer and a few microfiber towels to gently remove the dust and you might not need to wash that often. Hard to gauge just how dirty the car is but during the dry season here I will occasionally forego a wash and just use the QD.

There are several kinds of wax and sealants. You have pure Carnauba wax, you have pure sealants, you have hybrids containing both, you have nanotechnology sealants and you have coatings. For your needs, I'd likely choose a sealant like Meguiar's Ultimate Paste Wax. This looks good, lasts a long tome, can be applied in the full sun, doesn't dry white, doesn't stain trim and it works on all external parts of the car including glass, vinyl and wheels.

You didn't mention lots of bird dropping and acid rain from coal-fired power plants. If you don't face those you are lucky.

If it were my car, I'd stick with Ultimate Paste Wax and once a week use the Ultimate Quick Wax spray to boost the performance and insure its long lasting durability.

Well I think you are cutting their useful life a bit short. I'd ask at the retail stores if they can get the Meguiar's Ultimate Paste Wax for you. Many auto shop retailers will special order products here in the states but it might be impossible there. Given the two products you mention, I'd go with NXT 2.0 ( which is really a pure sealant) and just apply the UQW weekly to keep boosting the wax. I think you said you could get the UQW there.

From the conditions you describe in your environment I would stay with a sealant and not go with a carnauba or hybrid wax. The thing about NXT 2.0 is that it is actually a very durable and long lasting product, however the gloss falls off before the protection is gone and that gives people the impression that the wax doesn't last long. Given that fact, using UQW weekly will keep the gloss refreshed and the paint slick for months.

stanjohn12

Yes I always measure and use the correct amount of car wash soap needed as per instructions. I haven't seen a quick detailer here yet, need to search for it.

I haven't seen Meguiars Ultimate Paste wax here yet , is it better than Meg's NXT tech 2.0 ?

The climate is pretty harsh here , which is good since not many birds can survive it. But there are few healthy birds which survive even this , hence I never park my car right under a tree nor electric wire line posts.

The rain here is as bad as your acid rains there. There are like a billion oil refineries here plus some polluted uranium wind coming from Iraq( ok a little bit exaggerated fact ) which is all very harmful for us and my baby lexus.

I doubt the availability of both these items , but Im sure they are there somewhere. Need to deep search every auto store in this country.

I'm not sure about the UQW , need to search for it again. Actually it's possible to get special orders even here. I believe 80 % of the car accessories here are from the US. So I think it's possible to get through special orders. I just dont get the time to search properly. There might be some store in some congested or crowded area which i'm scared to take my Lexus to which might have these products. The major retail stores take some time to get these products in their shelves.

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Winter has started here and chances of dust and rain is minimal now. So my washing frequency will reduce for few more months. I will go with the NXT 2.0 sealant itself since that's what i want and what I've found. I don't doubt what you say about NXT 2.0's durability and just loosing it's gloss but I've read people telling that it looses even it's water beading capabilities , is this true ? if so it means it's not durable too right ? Or how else do you actually measure a wax's/ sealants durability ?