ok for the longest time i have just waxed my cars once a year with some type of paste wax in a can. the stuff that leaves white crap all over the place, is hard to buff off and leaves marks on plastic trim. i am planning on waxing my 05 true blue fx4 this week and im wondering what the best way to do this is and with what products....i read of people polishing then waxing?? never really heard of that...but if thats the best way someone tell me what i need to do and with what products that worked good for them.

thanks..

 

This is a VERY open-ended question... you'll note that everyone has their own favorite 'flavor' of wax and such.

The first thing that you need to do is tell us what type of shape your paint is currently in...

Does it have swirls?
Any major scratches?
Tar/Bugs/other 'stuck on' stuff?
How does your paint feel to the touch? Is it rough or smooth as glass?
Other problem areas?
How much time are you willing to invest in this process so that we may know how much time we want to invest in a response -- because it definitely can be a VERY lengthy one?
What products do you currently have? Maybe we can still utilize some of these.

Let us know.

-RP-

 

paint is in good condition. i dont want to spend 8 hours on it but im planning on spending some time giving my truck a good wax. im just confused over the process of waxing and what is the best products to use.

do iiwax and polish?...just wax?..use a paste?...so on...

 

I understand your confusion. Several mention similar concerns when they're journeying down this path with a different 'ownership mentality'.

First, let's understand the difference between polishing and waxing and then talk about why, when, and where they're needed.

Polish. This is a term that is often used somewhat loosely in that it can mean to add luster and depth to your vehicle or it can mean to remove some surface blemishes like swirls and oxidation. You'll also hear the removal part (swirls/oxidation etc) referred to as 'cleaning the paint' sometimes as well. If you're paint is in very good shape (ie: no swirls, oxidation, etc) a person would want to polish for luster but nothing more. In today's day and age, this step is often left for those who are beyond gung-ho as enthusiasts. Modern clear coat finishes don't need it as much in my opinion -- if you're working on something that's a bit older with single stage, it makes a difference.

Wax. Oodles of types, brands, flavors, etc are available. Synthetics and naturals...This is, obviously, the protection portion of a detail job. Wax will leave behind a very thin 'film' that is meant to sacrifice itself to protect your paint from harmful elements like acid rain, bird poo and a host of other problems. Obviously, being that it's such a thin film, it's limits are not boundless. In short, most bird bombs, serious acid rain, or other elements will spend wax in short order. As a rule, synthetics will last longer than natural waxes (you'll hear the natural referred to as carnuba often times). Paste or liquid -- that's your preference. Pick the one that you feel works best for your application method and time frame. Remember to apply very thin, even coats to your paint. Thin is a huge key... apply it too thick and, no matter the brand, you'll be hating yourself because of the elbow grease involved. The great thing about 'modern' waxes, versus those of yesteryear (ie: rain dance, turtle wax hardshell, etc) is that they're a very easy, wipe on, allow to haze, and wipe off type of system. In short, no more heavy rubbing and taxing work -- it's actually very simple now.

Being that you've mentioned that you're paint is in good shape and that you don't want to spend days on it, I'd recommend probably forgoing the polish step and going with a good cleaner wax which will aid in concealing/removing some of the blemishes that we all have -- albeit not on a huge or vastly noticeable scale. A cleaner wax is kind of two worlds in one. You have the 'cleaning' ability (that I mentioned earlier) and also the protection from a wax. Even more specific, I'd recommend one of the 'off the shelf' synthetics like Eagle One Nanowax or Mother's Synwax or Meguiar's NXT. All have very light cleaners and can help conceal problems, even if they're light.

All three of those are available in liquid with NXT also coming in a paste.

Another step, beyond wax, that you may consider is clay. Do a quick search on this rather than someone typing out a lot of the same information that's been mentioned a bunch of times here and I think you'll see that it's a very quick step that really does a lot for the feel and optical appearance of your paint. Again, it's a simple process and very safe and effective.

That help a little?

-RP-

 

ok thanks...if i want to polish and wax...which do i do first. also i know there are some waxes that last longer and there are waxes that are used in between normal waxes. which one is a good in between waxes wax and which ones are the waxes that are used for the main waxing...if that makes any sense.

the turtle wax ice i assume is just an in between wax wax and not meant to be used as the main product to wax your car....


what i wrote really doesnt make sense does it?

 

Add this to you research... http://xgen.sitestream.com/mcasx.asx...package=986804

And also follow RP's advice here's a photo when I did

 

I think I've got ya...

If you want to polish and wax, then you'd polish first and then wax. Here's the kicker though... if you're going to polish for depth and clarity rather than for cleaning ability, I'd recommend that you go with a wax that has no cleaning (or very very little) as you'll tend to remove the polish step. An example of this would be using Meguiar's #80 followed by #26. The #80 would be the cleaning polish and the #26 is a pure natural yellow wax that doesn't have a cleaning component.

Did that make any sense?

What I'm saying is to not use an abrasive product after you've polished for luster and such.

Again though, if your paint is in great shape, you probably don't need that polish step as much with today's modern clearcoat catalyzed finishes... especially if you're looking for time savings.

In between, there are some good spray waxes (that I'd encourage you to spray on an applicator and wipe on and wipe off). I don't particularly like these products but, there is a niche in the market I suppose. More often, I'll utilize a good Quick Detailer spray of some sort. You can use this type of product when the truck has a very light coat of dust or similar -- don't let this be a substitute for a wash though!

A bit more clear?

RP

 

I know you say that you don't want to devote alot of time to maintenance, however let it be known that the preparation prior to waxing is what makes the difference. As RP said, some go overboard...I being one....Although you think your trucks paint me be in good shape, it depends on if you know what you are looking for....Before I started detailing, I thought the circles in the paint (when the sun hits it) were just a sign that the paint was nice and shiny....I didn't know that those are swirl marks and aren't suppose to be there. I probably should have never found out the difference because now that is all I look for...you can see it on most vehicles on the road....you might be able to live with that but I can't...It drives me crazy.....Those can be removed by hand with the right product (if they haven't gotten bad yet) but it will take a long time....Like RP said, you can give it a nice polish....I do recommend giving it a good clay treatment if you haven't done so...you may think your paint is smooth but you will realize what smooth is after it has been clayed....What type of protection depends on what type of wax or sealant you use...Wax will give the vehilce more depth/wetness look to it, however I have found most carnuba doesn't last long...It's melting point is lower than a sealant...It is not uncommon for a sealant to give you 5-6 months protection...Sealant gives a more shiny reflective look....Some waxes/sealants look better on light colored cars than dark and vice versa...As you can see there is lots you can do and yes it is addiciting..but to me I figure I will try to minimize my depreciating purchase as much as possible by taking care of it...

Some waxes I would recommend woud be Meguiars gold class and Collinite 845 (can be purchased at Advanced Auto in the Marine section..I really like this wax...great to use during winter...lasts a long time) and also meguiars #26...I believe paste wax is better than liquid..personal opinion

NXT is more of a sealant type with some filler abilities. Meguiars also makes another sealant is meguiars #21...

Probably more information than you wanted though...

Check out my gallery...I have a true blue w/gray two tone...You can really see the depth in the pictures in my driveway...