Need advice for waxing products

[jagtuner28]

So, I have a pretty religious schedule of car detailing, and once a month my wife's car and mine both get a full wash, dry, wax, headlight cleaning, and wheel cleaning treatment. I used to use Nufinish liquid wax but swithched to Mother's Synwax which seems to be doing an excellent job thus far. The cars look great when they are done but I'm almost wondering if I am overkilling it with the synthetic wax instead of the caranuba. Naturally, I love a shiny car so the idea of using caranuba sounds appealing to me as I have heard that it is much shinier than synthetic wax. The only reason I have used synthetic thus far is because I live in Seattle where it rains all the time . When I first got into detailing I used FM1 spray wax and it looked great but was no match for Seattle's weather. Would I be better served by caranuba if I wax once a month? Also, winter is coming up and I was wondering if I should use a paint sealant of some kind?

Lastly, I clay barred my Jag in preparation for the winter a week or so ago and it seemed to work just fine but man what a pain in the @$$... My car is dripping with chrome trim and has lines and seams everywhere so the bar was kind of difficult to use. Could I get the same effect by using some kind of pre-wax liquid polish instead?

 

[ryanschillinger]

There are now clay blocks and clay glove type things. Might be easier for you to use. You can layer protection levels. Sealant on top of paint, then carnauba wax on top of that if desired.

 

[285south]

Avoid any and all tire shine products.

Here is what I do:

Car Maintenance - Wash Duragloss 902
Car Maintenance - Clay Bar
Car Maintenance - Compound Meguiar's Ultimate Once every 4 years
Car Maintenance - Polish Menzerna One week every 6 months
Car Maintenance - Sealant Collonite #845 One week every 6 months

 

[BTW]

To answer your question, I think carnuba would be an excellent choice in your region of the US. Carnuba's biggest enemy is heat so in say TX a synthetic may be a better choice but where you are carnuba would work great. Also, waxing once a month would negate the common longevity argument against Carnuba. If longevity is a concern for you, you might consider a product like Collonite 845 which is a liquid carnuba that has a reputation for being very durable and long lasting.

As far a clay bar vs. pre wax cleanser...very different products that achieve different results. Clay bar treatment may be tedious but only needs to be done once or twice a year at most IMO. Pre wax cleansers can be used as often as you wish. I like and use Chemical guys EZ Creme Glaze as my pre wax cleanser, twice a year. P21S makes a pre wax cleanser and carnuba waxes that work very well also.

Hope this helps, good luck

 

[jagtuner28]

Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
There are now clay blocks and clay glove type things. Might be easier for you to use. You can layer protection levels. Sealant on top of paint, then carnauba wax on top of that if desired.


That sounds cool. Who makes this stuff? I have tried just about everything thus far and seem to prefer Norman Bates's favorite brand thus far (Mother's), but would be interested in trying something else if need be.

 

[jagtuner28]

What's wrong with tire shine? Does it mess up the tires somehow? By the way I run Goodyear F1 Asymetric F1 All-seasons.

 

[jagtuner28]

Originally Posted By: BTW
To answer your question, I think carnuba would be an excellent choice in your region of the US. Carnuba's biggest enemy is heat so in say TX a synthetic may be a better choice but where you are carnuba would work great. Also, waxing once a month would negate the common longevity argument against Carnuba. If longevity is a concern for you, you might consider a product like Collonite 845 which is a liquid carnuba that has a reputation for being very durable and long lasting.

As far a clay bar vs. pre wax cleanser...very different products that achieve different results. Clay bar treatment may be tedious but only needs to be done once or twice a year at most IMO. Pre wax cleansers can be used as often as you wish. I like and use Chemical guys EZ Creme Glaze as my pre wax cleanser, twice a year. P21S makes a pre wax cleanser and carnuba waxes that work very well also.

Hope this helps, good luck



So are you saying that a pre-wax cleaner simply wouldn't work as well? I am still rather undecided as to which route to go simply because the clay bar was so hard to apply and even though I tried to be thorough I'm sure I probably missed a few small spots. If their is something that is half as effective that I have to use four times a year but comes in a liquid, paste, or gel form I think I would be happy.

 

[BTW]

[/quote]So are you saying that a pre-wax cleaner simply wouldn't work as well? I am still rather undecided as to which route to go simply because the clay bar was so hard to apply and even though I tried to be thorough I'm sure I probably missed a few small spots. If their is something that is half as effective that I have to use four times a year but comes in a liquid, paste, or gel form I think I would be happy. [/quote]

Claying removes contaminants embedded in the pores of the paint, it has no polishing effect whatsoever, but is great for "deep cleaning" the paint and preparing it for polish or wax.

Pre cleaners generally are a form of very mild polish but will not remove deeply embedded contaminants. As I mentioned above, 2 very different products designed to give different results. Typical regime would be:

Wash
Clay
Polish (or pre cleaner)
Glaze
Wax

The wash & wax steps are typical and most common exterior vehicle maintenance steps. The clay, polish, glaze steps are done depending on environmental circumstances and OCD level of the owner, lol.

As far as I know, there is no substitute for clay. However, many people are perfectly happy forgoing clay and skipping directly to the polish/pre cleaner step after washing. It's really up to you...

 

[Snoman002]

Nothing works as well as a mechanical action for removing dirt from paint. Clay bar is the most popular, but nanoskin tags and mist are rapidly gaining popularity.

It hasn't been proven that layering actually does anything. Find a product you like and stick with it.

A synthetic wax is a sealant, non-synthetic wax is a wax, so you have already been using a sealant.

Carnauba has it's own look, and typically it's a thick wet look. Sealants typically cannot match the thick wet look, but often times are shinier. Carnauba doesn't last as long. Waxing once a month you could run a glaze and always have protection, so don't pick a wax based on longevity. Although, if you pick something like Finnish Kare 1000p you could probably save yourself a few hours waxing every month, and instead only do it once every 3 to 4 months...

 

[razel]

Lots of good info already covered. Since you plan on waxing often, don't fret too much about the type/brand of wax. It's more important to keep a single product of the same wax/sealant on there.

So if you're happy with NuFinish, then keep using it. I wouldn't use a different product until you use up the bottle. Mainly because in order to judge the new product you'll have to clean the paint of your old wax to best judge the new one.

By the way NuFinish is close enough to a sealant. It's a synthetic but they don't say that it crosslinks. I think it's close enough.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: jagtuner28
As far a clay bar vs. pre wax cleanser...very different products that achieve different results. Clay bar treatment may be tedious but only needs to be done once or twice a year at most IMO. Pre wax cleansers can be used as often as you wish. I like and use Chemical guys EZ Creme Glaze as my pre wax cleanser, twice a year. P21S makes a pre wax cleanser and carnuba waxes that work very well also.


Go with a nanoskin fine grade sponge. Available on Autogeek for $13 plus shipping. Probably avail on Amazon as well. Here:

http://www.amazon.com/Nanoskin-AS-019-Au...ne+grade+sponge

 

[wn1998]

Do you enjoy this monthly ritual? If yes, please by all means continue. If you don't, I have a few suggestions.

1. Start by removing bugs and tar with a....bug and tar removers and bug sponge
2. Wash your car as you normally do.
3. Clay the surface (You only need to clay the car 1-2 times a year).
4. Apply a good synthetic sealant (Blackfire wet diamond, wolfgang deep gloss sealant, Chemical guys Jetseal etc).
5. Purchase a wax as you dry product (lucas slick mist, DG Aquawax) and use it 1-2 times per month directly after a wash while the car is still wet.

A good way to tell if your car needs clay is to put your hand in a grocery store produce bag (nice and thin) and run your hand across the paint. If you feel rough spots, that means you should use the clay

That should allow you to only have to seal your car 2 or maybe 3 times a year.

 

[mjoekingz28]

The problem, I see, with Wax as you dry sprays, is you cannot use a chamois....i use a regular bath towel, usually if using such a product.

 

[wn1998]

In my trunk I have a bottle of Aquawax and two microfibers in a ziplock freezer bag. I go to my favorite no touch car wash and once I drive out, I spray my wax on and dry with the microfiber towel. When I get home I wash the one I used and replace with another. It works great for me.

During the summer I try to wash every two weeks and in the winter, I try to wash when we get a break in the weather after a snow and the streets are dry.

 

[Snoman002]

A regular bath towel is horrible on a paint surface. I would strongly recommend a microfiber (the rag company waffle weave works very well) for any drying or wax as you dry.

 

[Robenstein]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28
The problem, I see, with Wax as you dry sprays, is you cannot use a chamois....i use a regular bath towel, usually if using such a product.


Agree with the other poster, the bath towels are apt to create swirl mark city on your paint.

Use a proper microfiber towel for this...or you can use the choice of car guys before the microfiber revolution, a soft terry cotton towel.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Thanks for the cautions. It is a soft bath towel and I use it specific for 'shop' use, so no laundering with clothes.


I am not sure, but I dont think I have seen a microfiber big enough to dry a car. I dont want to try the sqeegee, im a bit to lazy (or whatever) to get the leaf blower, and the bath towel looks great, at first, but the next day forward it makes it seem like a great idea. I usually just use the bath towel when my clean-ish cars have been rained on.


What microfiber is there that can dry a car? Mi figure you would have to wring it out and that would kill it in short order. I generally use an absorber, but would probably love a USA made drying towel.

 

[FastEddie]

Originally Posted By: mjoekingz28






What microfiber is there that can dry a car? Mi figure you would have to wring it out and that would kill it in short order. I generally use an absorber, but would probably love a USA made drying towel.

Just google microfiber drying towel, tons out there that will dry a whole car without ringing it out (which doesn't kill it BTW), and if you don't want to ring the towel out, buy 2. It's better than the swirl marks that a bath towel can cause.

 

[Turk]

If you have a Leaf Blower, use that to dry the car first.

OR, do like me.......

1) Silicone Squeegee the water off.

2) Leaf Blow the car with my Backpack Leaf Blower.

3) Remove the little bit of water left with a Microfiber towel.

 

[Snoman002]

The Rag Company, Dry me a river microfiber waffle weave. 24"x59" microfiber towel, $18.

I have found a few lithium cordless leaf blowers, much easier to use than a big old corded leaf blower.