AS anyone wax there car yet. how long should someone wait to wax there car and what product should they use. i got the New Turtel wax ICE wax and polish. i also have the detailer spray. I only bought it because it was buy one get one free. i used my g/f celica as a ginipig i didnt see to much of a diff but it is a 2002 and body wise not in 2 great of shape. i plan on using it on my Outlander when its nicer outside. i hate taking my car to get wash cuz i feel like there goin to scartch it lol in the spring/summer i plan on washing it myself.

just found this site
http://www.5starshine.com/spo.html?g...FQJLxwodhln8RA
kinda expensive

 

Wow, almost too good to be true. Can it be a scam? I've used Turtle Wax Ice and I'm satisfied with it, but that product sounds amazing. It's a worthy investment if it works as advertised.

 

How is it any different than the dealer spray sealant you bought? Which I think is an overpriced dealer add-on. If you have black, you already know how difficult it is to keep clean, so if you are going to be washing your car every couple weeks, I don't think it is too much difficulty to wax it once every couple months.

As for what to use for waxing, over the counter I would suggest Meguiar's NXT wax, which works pretty good on black cars, and lasts a few months (in ideal weather conditions). If you are looking to spend a little more, I can suggest a wax that you can buy online that looks great on blacks, and is about 30 dollars plus shipping. If you have any questions, let me know here or feel free to PM me. I own a car washing business, so I have some idea of what I am talking about.

Check out my website if you have some time.
http://www.sdwash.com

 

WOW that shine on that skyblue Acura interga Thats what i want where can i get some of that polish you used. I would take any advise you can give me on how 2 make my Black outlander shine like that. how to remove and protect against scratchs. also any advise on how 2 keep the leather clean and not having it crack.

 

How about that 5starshine thing? Any thoughts/comments on that?

 

Well it looks like it might do a good job at protecting your car (although I think never having to wax your car again is kind of a stretch), but it doesn't address any scratches. In reality, a wax or sealant only counts for about 10-20% of the overall look. Properly prepping your vehicle is more important, and this 5starshine doesn't have any abrasive polishes to remove any scratches, and I don't see a step where they tell you to clay a car, which removes all contaminants from the vehicle. Actually, I just checked and the 2nd package includes the clay bar and clay lube for doing this, but they charge you 27 dollars for it! You can buy it at an auto parts store for about 13 dollars.

In my opinion, that 5starshine would probably work for most people, but there are other options including taking your vehicles to the next level in shine and looks. These options do cost more though, and take more time and dedication. If anyone is interested, I'll certainly explain those to you guys/girls.

 

If you've got like 6hrs and $60 to spare try Zaino Bros. I used to buy that stuff when i was a fanatic about my cars and it worked great. It removed the appearance of swirls/scratches and had a quick detailer for occasional cleanings in between waxings. Several steps to the process, but if you like your cars to standout from the crowd it definitely works.

As Abrcrombe said the clay bar is the primary factor for obtaining a smooth, stellar finish. These days i go cheap and justuse astandard clay bar,anydecent wax or polymerproduct, and quik detailer spray.

 

I'd be glad to hear it And please do make suggestions on what brands you like.

 

I put 2 coats of mothers wax on already. I wont use anything else.

 

Ok, let me try to get down everything that I think is important. All this info is from many many hours of web surfing at Autogeek and Autopia. Both pretty good places, and I think Autogeek is a forum sponsor here.

Washing:
One of the most important parts, because this is where you touch the vehicle the most. Most scratches or blemishes are from improper washing techniques. I personally use 2 buckets (one for soap, one for dirty water) and one sponge/mitt. You can use more than one mitt, but since this is my daily driver, I am not that crazy. Using a good soap (I use Duragloss Car Soap - found locally or online for about $4) cleanse the whole car and make sure to clean off your mitt at least after every section ( I break it up into 5 front, left, right, back, top), but I do it maybe 2 to 3 times a section. Use light pressure and don't scrub away, use a more sweeping motion. Drying is very important, and the most dangerous part of cleaning your car when it comes to scratches. A big microfiber waffle weave towel is my favorite (I use Cobra Drying Towel - online for about $20). Don't rub hard, you want to blot the water off. You can use a blower or air compressor too.
Claybar:
Once you have the vehicle clean, most likely there are contaminants that cannot be removed by soap. A clay bar is the solution and it literally is a bar of clay that you rub on the surface of the paint. Sounds scary, but it works! Use lots of lubricant, and go slowly. This will probably take an hour or more for your first time. Go over the section until the clay glides across without any resistance. Your car should now be very very smooth. Some people like to wash after this step, I find it unnecessary on most occasions. (My favorite is Clay Magic - found locally, it includes the bar and lubricant for about $13)
Polishing:
Now that your surface is clean, you need to remove the imperfections. There is a tool that was made that gives good results and is almost 100% safe. (Porter Cable 7424 - Online generally 100-200 if you get a kit that comes with pads) You will need pads, probably a Light Cutting and Finishing pad will be enough, but if your car isn't in good shape, maybe a Cutting pad would be needed. (I like Lake Country Pads - online for about $11 bucks a pad, but buy in a kit for best savings) There are a lot of polishes, and your best bet is one medium to strong polish, and one light finishing polish. (I like XMT #3/#1, Optimum Compound/Polish, Menzerna Intense Polish/Final Polish to name a few ranging from about $10-30) This step is probably the most important in making your car look amazing, so take your time and do your research if you choose to go this step. I can definitely offer some tips for this, but not here, it would be paragraphs long.
Protection:
After you made your car scratch free, you will want to protect it. Most people know waxes, but sealants are good too. I prefer waxes in my climate (sunny Southern California), but if you live where the weather is harsh, a sealant may be better for you. I think waxes are better because they offer a warm and deep feeling to the paint, but they don't last much longer than 3 months or so. Sealants can last much longer, 6 months plus, but in my opinion give off a more plasticy and muted look. It really is personal preference. My favorite waxes for dark colors is Detailer's Pride Max Wax ($30) and Pinnacle Souveran ($85). Metallic paint, I love Max Wax because it really makes the flakes shine. For lighter colors, I like Pinnacle Signature Series II ($40). These last a long time, and you definitely do not need a lot to protect your whole car. You can layer them, but I like to wait 24 hours between coats. For Sealants, I like Jeff Werkstatt's Acrylic Jett Trigger ($15) and Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant ($30). If you are looking to spend less money, Meguiar's NXT Wax and Duragloss AquaWax can be found locally and are under $10.

Most of these products are found at Autogeek.net. They are a forum sponsor, but I am not affiliated with them. I used to use their forums, but not anymore. You can use coupon code "clubmember" good for 10% off there.

I am probably missing something, so if there is something you want to know, ask and I'll post what I can. It definitely costs some money, but I think it is worth it to make your car the best looking it possibly can.