For really dirty paint I have had good luck with meguiars ultimate compound. Have not had to use it a long time because I don't let the paint get that dirty anymore. Many times after wash I go over the paint with a detail/wax spray and micro towels. I really like Jax Wax Hawaiian shine, I buy it by the gallon on Jegs, no tax and free ship. I basically don't use any paste wax anymore. The good detail wax is all that I need. I have a black Honda Ridgeline and it really pops with the Hawaiian shine.
Wax vs. Polish
- Thread starter pbm
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Originally Posted By: pbm
Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference?
I like to wax/polish my car before the winter and again before the summer. I really can't see spending much more time than that on a vehicle.
What (over the counter) product do you guys recommend for this?
My new Focus is white and I'd like to protect it before the winter.
A true polish is lightly abrasive. Its purpose is to remove contaminants/marring and refine the finish. Wax is meant to both protect and enhance the finish. Most true waxes are very short lived with a few exceptions.
Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference?
I like to wax/polish my car before the winter and again before the summer. I really can't see spending much more time than that on a vehicle.
What (over the counter) product do you guys recommend for this?
My new Focus is white and I'd like to protect it before the winter.
A true polish is lightly abrasive. Its purpose is to remove contaminants/marring and refine the finish. Wax is meant to both protect and enhance the finish. Most true waxes are very short lived with a few exceptions.
Originally Posted By: pbm
Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference?
I like to wax/polish my car before the winter and again before the summer. I really can't see spending much more time than that on a vehicle.
What (over the counter) product do you guys recommend for this?
My new Focus is white and I'd like to protect it before the winter.
Easy. Think of it this way. After cutting a diamond...it isn't waxed to make it shine, it's polished! It's the polish that makes the diamond, or your cars' paint, shine! Polishing makes the surface flat so the light reflects off the surface of your car (just as the sun reflects off a body of water like a "glass-smooth" lake, for example) and not refracts (scatters the light into various directions). You then wax it (or seal it first and then wax it) to protect the smooth finish (i.e., all of your hard work).
Ed
Excuse my ignorance but what's the difference?
I like to wax/polish my car before the winter and again before the summer. I really can't see spending much more time than that on a vehicle.
What (over the counter) product do you guys recommend for this?
My new Focus is white and I'd like to protect it before the winter.
Easy. Think of it this way. After cutting a diamond...it isn't waxed to make it shine, it's polished! It's the polish that makes the diamond, or your cars' paint, shine! Polishing makes the surface flat so the light reflects off the surface of your car (just as the sun reflects off a body of water like a "glass-smooth" lake, for example) and not refracts (scatters the light into various directions). You then wax it (or seal it first and then wax it) to protect the smooth finish (i.e., all of your hard work).
Ed
I like Nu Finish because it really does both tasks: it provides a protective polymer coat (like a wax) and it polishes the exterior surface to a nice mirror-like shine.
I have used Nu Finish for over 30 years on cars, boats, riding mowers, etc. My wife even uses it around the house (shower enclosures,etc).
I have recently tried the highly rated Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax products. They are fine, but invariably, I come back to Nu Finish because it is so easy to apply and it does a great job protecting the paint. You can use it in the sun or shade. The trick is to not gob it on; work in smaller areas at a time and do NOT get it on black door handles, weatherstripping, etc. It works well on light and dark colored cars.
The liquid and the paste versions seem to work equally well, although I prefer the liquid. The unit price is inexpensive and the stuff stays viable forever in all temperatures in my garage. YMMV
I have used Nu Finish for over 30 years on cars, boats, riding mowers, etc. My wife even uses it around the house (shower enclosures,etc).
I have recently tried the highly rated Meguiar's NXT Tech Wax products. They are fine, but invariably, I come back to Nu Finish because it is so easy to apply and it does a great job protecting the paint. You can use it in the sun or shade. The trick is to not gob it on; work in smaller areas at a time and do NOT get it on black door handles, weatherstripping, etc. It works well on light and dark colored cars.
The liquid and the paste versions seem to work equally well, although I prefer the liquid. The unit price is inexpensive and the stuff stays viable forever in all temperatures in my garage. YMMV
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