stanjohn12

Hi Guys, I know a lot of guys here use different products on their car's and have gotten good or bad results. It would be great if you guys could suggest what best polish and wax can be applied by hand safely for good results on our soft IS paints.

And also can wax be applied directly after waiting for a few minutes once polish is applied to remove the swirl marks ?

P.S : Dear mods if this is not the appropriate section to start this thread , kindly move it. But I want to know about polish's and wax's that are good to use on the Lexus IS paint specifically.

TuscaniLuv

I've use Meguiars Gold Class Caranuba on my 350 and my wife's 250. I wash each at least once a week and the wax seems to hold up for a pretty decent duration. It also gives a much more noticable shine. Mother's Caranuba works pretty well also. Just don't use some of these newer "liquid" waxes. Their finish doesn't last long whatsoever.

As for polish, I've never really polished much. I am strong believer in clay barring though. A good claybarring and fresh coat of wax will look even better! Just make sure you know what your doing with the clay.

TheAsian

SWISSVAX!
Kinda expensive.. but the results are worth it

stanjohn12

Thanks, Caranuba wax's are the best i believe,are your cars dark colored or light ? I have no idea about claybarring and never read anywhere anything about it as well.

Even I don't like the idea of using polish's , they are abrasive substances which actually take a small portion of the clear coat from the paint. Which i don't like , but I did buy a Meguiars swirl remover 2.0 #9 which is pretty mild or so I've heard , but never used it till date. I rather live with those minor swirls than screwing it up using some polish in a wrong way.

stanjohn12

Yeah I heard about it too. If i'm not wrong this is the only product which you apply directly by hand too. It's worth the money but I doubt if I can ever find it here in this place.

Gville350

iTrader: (10)

x2 on the claybar! Wash, claybar, wax, done.

joeker

iTrader: (8)

refer to the autodetailing subforum. I'm pretty sure this topics been covered.

birador

iTrader: (10)

lots of suggestions and tips on that thread,very helpful

TuscaniLuv

I typically use this kit. An autodetail spray is used as a lubricant for the clay bar to be moved over all areas of the car. This will remove all the wax and dirt/mineral deposits found in your paint that regular washing will not. Don't clay bar it unless you plan to spend some time with it. If done properly it can take a few hours (depending on the amount of deposits your car has). For example as to how great a clay bar is at removing grime and other things. Several years ago my father was varnishing doors with a autosprayer outside. Needless to say the wind shifted direction and I got a small amount of overspray on my 350Z's back bumper. It had been baked on by the sun for at least a year before I learned about clay barring. Anyway, the clay bar removed the overspray and my Z's paint look the best it had ever had at the end of the whole process.

A brief step-by-step:

1: Wash car
2. Clay bar car
3. Wash car
4. Wax car

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

My process:

1. Wash car with dish washing soap or soap that strips wax (to remove any old wax)
2. Clay Bar car
3. Rewash with Meguairs Gold Class car wash
4. Spray wheels with Eagle One Keep Clean Wheel Protector (makes cleaning off brake dust later a breeze)
5. Meguairs Hot Shine on the tires
6. Meguairs Ultimate Polish
7. Meguiars NXT 2.0 Tech Wax
8. Wipe down whole car with a soft microfiber just in case you missed any spots

Good to go

wyee99

iTrader: (6)

I use meguiar products on my car.. meguiars deep crystal polish, smooth surface clay bar kit, and nxt liquid wax.

jfelbab

Not sure what the supply side of car care products is in Kuwait. There are a lot of products from many manufacturers that would get the job done but one of the larger companies is Meguiar's. They've been in the business for over 100 years and you have to be making decent products to survive that long.

I'd suggest their Ultimate line of polishes and waxes (sealants) as a starting point. I've personally used virtually all of their products and the quality is there.

• I'd start by washing with either their Gold Class Car Wash or NXT Tech Car wash. The latter seems better for hard water locations.

• I'd use their Smooth Surface Clay Kit to remove all the bonded contaminants next. Clay your paint and when finished do your glass and finally your wheels. I'd suggest cutting the clay bar(s) in half and putting the unused back in the plastic box. If (when) you drop a piece of clay throw it away and grab one of the unused pieces and continue.

• I'd follow with their Ultimate Polish, but trying to remove swirls by hand is a painful experience. If that is your goal, I'd suggest investing in a good quality Dual Action polisher and a few pads. BTW, polish needs to be removed while still wet. Don't let it dry or it will be hard to remove. Work polish in small 1' x 1' overlapping sections at a time then wipe off. Inspect and either move on or repeat if all the swirls are not removed with the first pass.

• I'd recommend their Ultimate Wax (either liquid or paste) for a hot climate. You can immediately wax or seal the paint when you finish polishing. This product is really a sealant that can be applied in the full sun and doesn't dry to a white haze. It won't stain plastic and actually leaves trim with a nice satin luster that doesn't run when it gets wet. It works on glass as well leaving a RainX-like effect. Leaves pretty long lasting protection.

• To maintain the good looks, I'd suggest a bottle of Ultimate Quik Detailer (UQD) and Ultimate Quik Wax (UQW). If the car is just dusty UQD would be the ticket. I'd apply UQW weekly after a wash or after UQD to enhance the wax coating and keep the car slick and easy to clean.

As I mentioned, these are not the only products that work but I'm familiar with them and they are quality. I expect that they would be more readily available around the world as they are from one of the largest car care companies in the world. If you don't have access to these products let us know what's available and we can offer suggestions as to their suitability for the job.

TTechLexus

iTrader: (3)

GREAT INFO! Looking at working on my car this saturday, lots of swirl marks and small scratches

stanjohn12

Thanks a lot for the info. I'm gonna start searching for this clay bar thing now.

stanjohn12

Will do. Thanks.