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Old Mar 8, 2013 | 10:09 AM
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Default Wax

I am a first time Lexus owner. Just got the 2013 GS 350 and I love it. I was just wondering how often and how early should I have my car fully waxed. Any advice?
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Old Mar 8, 2013 | 10:30 AM
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I like to seal the paint every 3-4 months and I clay bar every 6 months.
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Old Mar 8, 2013 | 11:04 AM
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Getting it fully sealed would but the best option. Wax doesnt last long at all and it really depends on what type of wax you are using. The higher the quality the longer they will last, but it also depends on where you live as well because if you are prone to a lot of snow and rain then that also reduces the life of wax coating
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 01:54 AM
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Soft wax (such as pure Caruba) will wear away quickly...but looks wet and deep

Clay barring will more than likely remove everything, including a glaze.

Start with a good polish (A brand new car will be polished out of the showroom, so you can skip this).

Then I apply a good glaze, buff off and leave 24 hours in the garage. This lets it harden. Then one coat of carnuba wax, buffed off - left for 24 hours. Repeat the carnuba application 2 more times with 24 hours in between. Having a garage to park overnight really helps. It means you might not drive much for a few days....

Then you are probably good for 2-3 months, then one coat of wax again every 6-8 weeks.

This will protect the glaze, and it won't need polishing and re-glazing for 2-3 years at least.

The effort is worth it!
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 07:16 AM
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Originally Posted by SilverArro
Start with a good polish (A brand new car will be polished out of the showroom, so you can skip this).
Odds are the dealer screwed the paint up when they polished it, so because its new is not necessarily reason it doesn't need to be polished.

Repeat the carnuba application 2 more times with 24 hours in between. Having a garage to park overnight really helps. It means you might not drive much for a few days....
You can't layer a carnuaba. The next layer of wax simply removes the previous layer. 1-2 coats, 2 only to ensure uniform application is plenty.

This will protect the glaze, and it won't need polishing and re-glazing for 2-3 years at least.
Provided nothing is done to mar the paint in that time, and depending on how you wash. For instance, if you go through a carwash all the wax is probably gone after one wash. If you have a dark car in the summer, the wax coating can vaporize and evaporate pretty quickly.

The glaze is also not really "sealed in". When you apply the wax to the paint surface it mixes with and combines with the glaze. Unlike sealing with polymers that crosslink and bond which you can layer, its kind of like adding layers of peanut butter to bread. Are there layers? Or does the peanut butter all just mix together?

Last edited by SW17LS; Mar 9, 2013 at 07:19 AM.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 07:20 AM
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Wolfs Hard Body Im a Believer!

Stuff is amazing and easy to apply!
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 07:24 AM
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Been using Zaino for 12 years, always been great for me. Very durable as well.

Last edited by CincyBrad; Mar 9, 2013 at 07:55 AM.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 07:26 AM
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Originally Posted by CincyBrad
Been using Zanio for 12 years, always been great for me. Very durable as well.
Zaino.
Same here for 15 years.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 09:48 AM
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2 Buckets to wash - one with soap and one with clean water to rinse the sponge out. NEVER a car wash or auto wash.

Carnuba can be layered...but you have to let it harden for 24 hours. The next coat shouldn't be rubbed in at all - just applied thinly and removed.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 10:47 AM
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IMO, carnauba is a waste of time. It's melting point is so low, if you leave the car outside in the sun and the body panels heat, it begins to degrade instantly. Much better off with a polymer based synthetic.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 11:42 AM
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Yeah nowadays the only benefit is look, and the new polymers are even closing the gap on that.

You can always apply a true carnuaba paste wax over top of a cured sealant if you want the look.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 05:26 PM
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Yeah def clay bar it and fully seal the paint with wolf's hard body since it lasts a while.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 06:28 PM
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I wax my cars every 3 to four weeks using One Grand Blitz Carnauba Wax. Nice stuff. If you don't have the time or energy, then I agree that having a polymer seal put on it would be best.

www.carcareonline.com has some great products and also great advise. The below link addresses how to protect your finish.

http://store.carcareonline.com/prote...intfinish.aspx
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 06:45 PM
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Trying autogeek and getting the Wolfgang products with a Flex DA 3401 polisher. Should be a good product setup.
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Old Mar 9, 2013 | 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by LexusVet
Wolfs Hard Body Im a Believer!

Stuff is amazing and easy to apply!
Completely agree. Easy to apply and the water beads like nothing I've ever seen.
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