Here's my question,

Has anybody ever used any of the waxes/polishes that are out there that are 'designed' to bring back the color of your car? I eventually want to repaint my Max, but I'd like to help out what's left of my paint job before I do (yes, I'm going to repaint it silver when I do get around to it ).

I know that Turtle Wax has a brand out there, but I know there are others, and I just wanted to hear from anybody that has used these products, and what kinds of results/impressions you got from it. Thanks in advance!

peace2u

 

does your car just need a good buff and wax, or are there scratches into the color that need to be fixed?
(there's nothing you can do about faded color since it's got a clearcoat)..

if all you need is a good buff and wax to bring back the gloss, then I highly recommend 3M's Machine Glaze, or Meguiar's Mirror Polish
(I think those are the correct brands and names. I may have them mixed up)..

but those are onyl a polish.. they'll give your paint a mirror smooth finish.. you still need to WAX it after that..
for that, I recommend Meguiars liquid wax.. it's a yellow wax in a bottle.. works great.. just rub it on with a sponge, let it dry, then buff it off with a few towels, and you'll have a beautiful finish for months.

 

That might be all I need to do. My paint doesn't seem to be fading 9(except on the doorguards, which I'm going to remove anyway). I like the Meguiar's line of products, so I'll take your advice and letcha know how things come out!

peace2u

 

cool stuff..

oh.. the wax is the Gold Class liquid wax.. just remembered the name.

I hope you've got a power buffer for the polish part.. you'll need it!

(my arms were STILL sore even with a power buffer!)

 

go over your car with a clay bar before doing anything, works wonders

 

i use the turtle wax black wax. you can't miss it on the shelf, there'll be like 5 different colors. i was very happy with the results. it takes the swirls out for at least 2 weeks. it hides anything you miss too. i highly recommend this stuff.

 

Thanks flyry,

I'm going to check it out, too. My area of concern is the painted areas of the bumpers because they're losing their gloss, and also the hood because it has what looks like a shadow from a bird dropping or a waterspot that doesn't wash off. I hate it, but I don't want to go and have the car painted if I can find another way of dealing with this problem.

BTW - Somebody mentioned a website somewhere that has some great articles and practical advice on car cleaning (engines, paint, wheels, etc.). It's called http://www.carcareonline.com I must say that the guy who wrote these articles taught me quite a bit about car detailing & cleaning. Check it out!

peace2u - and thanks for the advice - all of you!

 

This is what I would do to resurrect the finish on your Max.

a) Wash the vehicle with Dawn to remove any old waxes. Make sure you use the 2 bucket method (One bucket with soap, the other with just plain water)to reduce swirl marks. Also, make sure you wash with a chenille or Microfiber mitt.

b) Go over the car with a clay bar (Mothers, Pinnacle are 2 very good ones). The clay bar will get rid of any bonded contaminants to your paint.

c) Use a good Swirl Mark Remover (e.g. 3M). Meguiar's #9 is decent but the results fade at the next wash.

d) Use a good Polish to bring the lustre back to the finish. (Meguiars is good, but does not last too long. I use Klasse All in One on my '94)

e) Use a good sealant glaze to protect the finish (In my case, Klasse)
This is critical if you live in the rust belt like I do. The salt will jack up your finish very quickly.

f) Use a good carnuba wax to top it. That will add depth to your shine. I am going to start using One Grand Blitz or Pinnacle Souveran. Right now, I have Meguiar's #26.

 

BTW, I also hang out at www.autopia-carcare.com.

 

If you guys want to really go nuts with a wax / polish, this stuff works REALLY well: www.zainobros.com A lot of the RX-7 guys are using it (myself included) and the RX-7 folks found out about it from the C5 Vette guys... a little pricy, but very good stuff. My RX-7 looks AWESOME and I haven't polished it or anything in over a year. (Admittly it basically just sits in the garage... but still) Make sure follow the directions compeletly and read the FAQ, this stuff is totally different from anything else you have ever used. I used to use Meguiar's on my RX-7, but this stuff lasts 10 times as long. After about 2 weeks my swirl marks always came back.

Just my $0.02,

 

Some of the Org members use it as well. I plan to get some for other cars.