Is NuFinish bad for the paint?

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Hey I got a black Saturn about a year ago and while the paint and body are in great shape, it most likely was rarely washed and never waxed. The first few waxes were with Meguiar's Gold, I waxed it probably twice with it from Dec-March. Then around May I put on a coat of Nufinish and another around June or July then applied Mother's spray detailer after a wash since then.

Well, lately I've had some paint start flaking on the hood by the firewall and the spoiler looks full of oxidation (kind of looks like big dried on water spots).

The car was fine for 10 years with not washing/waxing and I get it for a year and the paint is having problems in these two areas but the rest of the car still looks good.

Just wondering is it possible NuFinish attacks instead of protects or maybe I shouldn't use spray detailer after a wash to rejuvinate the wax barrier.


Its really not a big deal since it doesn't affect the way the car functions, but I hate to think I did something wrong by 'messing' with it needlessly, because all paint was fine beforehand.
 
NuFinish claims to remove oxyidation(dead paint). If the paint was never cared for, the NuFinish may have exfoliated(removed the dead skin) so-to-speak! I think that you could argue this point all day. Under normal conditions, NuFinish is a fine product. I've seen many Saturn paint jobs here in the North look the way you are describing yours. The Southern sun will do even more harm. Also, Meguiar's is known for being a pretty good cleaner wax too! I think it't the combonation of time, neglect, sun and wax products that may have caused your peeling issue.
 
NuFinish is simply a paint cleaner with a sealant. The miracles you see on TV are done with single stage paint. It can remove oxidation, embedded grime, water spots (some), and other paint environmental related stuff. You should really clay first and then use the paint cleaner.

The only downside like all cleaner wax products is you need to keep it off plastic trim since it will stain.

The use of a paint cleaner every year (for cars parked outside) is one of the best ways to maintain the paint shine assuming the paint is not marred from poor washing and drying. If you just slap some wax on it, you will not get the maximum shine.
 
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Exactly right in my personal experience.
Back in the mid to late 'seventies, I used to get $25.00/car for a wax/polish, and I used NuFinish, applied entirely by hand. On the single stage paints then in use, the product would give remarkable results, and the paying customers were always pleased with how their cars turned out.
The product of that era was considerably more abrasive than the current one, if I am not mistaken.
In the case of the OP's Saturn, it sounds like the clear has worn away in some spots. This process probably began long before the OP had the car, and a lack of washing by the previous owner more than likely accelerated the rate of deterioration of the finish.
I don't think the OP did anything to hurt the finish.
 
Originally Posted By: MKZman
NuFinish is simply a paint cleaner with a sealant. The miracles you see on TV are done with single stage paint. It can remove oxidation, embedded grime, water spots (some), and other paint environmental related stuff. You should really clay first and then use the paint cleaner.

The only downside like all cleaner wax products is you need to keep it off plastic trim since it will stain.

The use of a paint cleaner every year (for cars parked outside) is one of the best ways to maintain the paint shine assuming the paint is not marred from poor washing and drying. If you just slap some wax on it, you will not get the maximum shine.

Actually, paint should be protected with every season. Ive used a ton of different waxes/sealants, and tested their claims, not one has proved accurate, with the exception of it being promoted in a garage. But as for daily drivers, sealants normally last 10-12 weeks, nubas about 4-6 weeks. Swap between using a paint cleaner (non abrasive) and a polish (abrasive).
Use quick detailers between washes, and spray waxes once monthly to help minimize base coats deterioration.
Keep in mind, paint sealers/waxes are not polishes, and vice versa.
 
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Originally Posted By: Samilcar
The 10 years of neglect did much more damage to the paint than the Nu Finish did.



Agreed. A good way to kill the clearcoat....
 
Originally Posted By: exceldetail

Actually, paint should be protected with every season.


I did not mean to say NuFinish lasts a year. I meant the paint cleaning should be once a year minimum to remove crud on the paint. I recommend waxing every 3 months or so with a good easy to use sealant or wax. Now, some are in search of a once or twice a year product.
 
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10 years or a little longer, is about how long it takes for signs of clearcoat damage to show, for a car that has been stored out doors or is not parked in a garage.

I'm pretty sure the nu-finish formula has changed over the years, but the mention of zinc salts, clues you in that this is based on an acrylic resin type system.

I'm now pretty much convinced that for regular paint protection there is no need to use abrasive products. Which is why I use TW Ice products which are entirely free from abrasives, and exploit advanced silicone chemistry to provide the ultimate wax experience. E.g easy to buff out, and never stains trim.

http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?WO=2007126773&IA=US2007007502&DISPLAY=DESC

Having gotten into fine wood finishing this year, it's quite fascinating to work with real carnauba paste wax (e.g Trewax, clear paste wax) which is quite different from the various solid emulsion carnauba waxes (E.g meguires or mothers), and "pre-softened" creamy carnauba waxes (e.g Turtle wax carnabua cleaner wax or KIT wax).

I can only imagine what a pain it must have been to try and wax cars prior to the development of waxes which included lubricating silicone in the formulation

One thing I have found, is that car wax applicators (you can get a bag of four of them from meguires) are very useful for applying paste wax to furniture.
 
When I worked at the gas station while going to high school (1959-1962) we used "Blue Coral" paste wax exclusively to do wax jobs. We bought it from the G.M. dealer and it was BEAR to apply and hand buff.
No power tools, just elbow grease but the cars looked great when they were done.

I love Nufinish !!
 
Originally Posted By: Papa Bear
When I worked at the gas station while going to high school (1959-1962) we used "Blue Coral" paste wax exclusively to do wax jobs. We bought it from the G.M. dealer and it was BEAR to apply and hand buff.
No power tools, just elbow grease but the cars looked great when they were done.

I love Nufinish !!


Yeah Pop's :)
Years ago(early 60's) my brother used Blue Coral and SIMONIZE(they may have been the same product) and it was machine removal only he states! Late 60's we used alot of KIT and Turtle Wax. I was a RAIN DANCE user in the 70's and went on the NuFinish in the 80's/90's. Today I use alot of quick detail and wax-it-dry type products each time I wash a vehicle and they always look just polished. I don't want to take all day anymore, I just wana getter doneeee!
 
I used a two step Blue Coral product on my MGB once, applied by hand, and the final result was awesome.
Sometimes, the result is determined by the effort required to achieve it.
 
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
I used a two step Blue Coral product on my MGB once, applied by hand, and the final result was awesome.
Sometimes, the result is determined by the effort required to achieve it.


I agree and I'll spend a little more time on a vehicle that needs the extra time. Not letting them get bad in the first place is my goal. I detailed cars for over 30 years and now Im tired. All I want to work on these days is my own vehicles. I've also come to the conclusion that if I spend a few extra minutes(15-30 min) after each washing, and using some of the products that I've mentioned, I have achieved my goal and my vehicles always look great. An older car like your MGB is worth spending the time on. I too have an older car with an older laquer paint job on it(original paint) and I'll spend more time on it so that when I take off the T-tops, it was all worth it! But, for my everyday rides, they only get the spritz and wipe! And I paid alot more money for them[newer cars] than the ole girl sittin' in the garage.
 
I remember a blue coral kit and I think it was a three step process. It took a lot of time but it was the best stuff on the market back in the 60s and early 70s....
 
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
I remember a blue coral kit and I think it was a three step process. It took a lot of time but it was the best stuff on the market back in the 60s and early 70s....


I think that the paints today are just more easy to take care of. They'll shine longer with out any maintenance. My SIL is a perfect example. She'll buy a used 2-3 year old car, drive it for 10 years, and it will see little else besides a drive through car wash and I have to admit that her cars don't really look too bad. Paints of yesterday just require more fuss. Some people call it theropy other call it work.

I used to love to work on others vehicles for 8-10 hours. Today, my body just can't take that kind of work any longer. Once in a while I'll work on our vehicles all day in the spring(after a long winter) but, I don't want to do it every weekend let alone every day as I use to do as side work. 2 & 3 step processes are for vehicles that have been neglected and the youthful who want to take the time to do it.
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Originally Posted By: rszappa1
I remember a blue coral kit and I think it was a three step process. It took a lot of time but it was the best stuff on the market back in the 60s and early 70s....


I think that the paints today are just more easy to take care of. They'll shine longer with out any maintenance. My SIL is a perfect example. She'll buy a used 2-3 year old car, drive it for 10 years, and it will see little else besides a drive through car wash and I have to admit that her cars don't really look too bad. Paints of yesterday just require more fuss. Some people call it theropy other call it work.

I used to love to work on others vehicles for 8-10 hours. Today, my body just can't take that kind of work any longer. Once in a while I'll work on our vehicles all day in the spring(after a long winter) but, I don't want to do it every weekend let alone every day as I use to do as side work. 2 & 3 step processes are for vehicles that have been neglected and the youthful who want to take the time to do it.


Very true... Paints these days are more durable... at least compared to some of the older vehicles I have owned... I don't know if my 89 S-10 Blazer had clear coat, but if it did, the paint never had a shine to it when I bought it, and my old 95 Neon had clear coat coming off... my wifes 06 Corolla is easy to take care of... hopefully no problems with that paint in the future.
 
Some MFG's had colors that just didn't POP! Even when new! I remember the '81 line of Firebird's and TransAm's. Only the black had a nice gloss to it. All of the other colors in the line up were dull and they had some poor color choices too.
 
I have never had a problem with NuFinish. Applying it in direct sun isn't as easy as they say, and it definitely does not last a year, but I have never seen it damage paint.
 
Good info everyone, thanks. I've been using NuFinish on my Camry for a few years in the Arizona sun, and I've honestly been a bit concerned about using it -- and only it -- when I "wax" my car.

Good to know that it doesn't damage paint. Hopefully it provides ample protection from the sun. Fortunately, there's not much else around here that's harmful to paint like road salt, so all I've got to worry about is the sun.
 
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