What are you using for wax/finish? I have been using 3M and it's okay, but my car is blue and I want to put a great coat of wax on it for the winter that will give me that deep wet look and also protect for the winter.

 

I just did a coat of Turtle Wax on Sunday. I steered away from some of the other names (Zymol, Meguiar's, etc) because they all insisted on being part of a "system", and to be honest, after doing a hand wax for an hour, I'm glad there was only one step involved - my arms hurt like heck. I may look into an orbital polisher...

- Andrew

 

Most of the "systems" seem to be 3 step: clean (either with a clay bar or a cleaner/swirl remover), polish, and wax. The nice thing about 3 step systems is that you can specifically repeat one of the steps if needed. So if you want the deep, wet look you refer to, you'll probably want to perform the polish step more than once before waxing.

Personally, I use the 3 step and only do the first 2 steps every 4-6 months ... waxing at more frequent intervals.

 

I use the 9 step system

<ol>
<li>Wash with liquid dawn
<li>Clay
<li>Wash with liquid dawn
<li>Zaino base coat
<li>Zaino swirl reducer
<li>Zaino clearcoat wax
<li>repeat step 5
<li>repeat step 6
<li>repeat step 6
</ol>

It's worth it

 

For the winter, try using the Armor All wax. In Consumer Reports test of waxes, it was the longest lasting one. Although Zymol gave one of the best glosses, it was the least durable one.

 

I use the Meguires 3-step process, but like to repeat the polish twice as well as the waxing. I use to use the Simonize Wax but did not like the results at all.

Nathan's
1999 Maxima ES Limited

TORMAX Enthusiasts Website
http://www.geocities.com/natanis_ca/index.html

 

What about the Zaino system for durability and shine? The feedback on thier website is pretty positive. I have a machine to apply, and I take it off by hand. I just want to set aside a Sunday and buff the crap out of the thing.

 

isnt using liquid dawn bad for the paint of the car. It strips off the waxes and soon you will have a faded car right, or since it is being done in a process using wax it wouldnt matter?

 

I was thinking that too. I use Armor All car wash.

 

Dude, you're a sicko! =P Obsessive Compulsive.. HEhe.. You better have thee shiniest car in your area.. =P

ZuM

 

Yeah, dawn strips off the wax, that's why I use it. It gets rid of the old wax, grease, tar, bug guts, etc etc. Trust me, after washing your car with it you can tell it's damn clean, much more clean than any auto wash will get you. Then you have a very clean finish to apply wax to. I don't use it every time I wash the car, just on my big yearly cleaning.

The reason I do this is because I prefer to take 1 weekend a year and do it right than to do it every month. Meguiars and any other carnuba wax does not last more than a month in my area. With the zaino, I do one big cleaning in the spring, and then a single coat of wax before winter comes along (doing it this weekend). This is way better than the once a month reapplication I did with Meguiars gold class.

For more info, visit http://www.math.ohio-state.edu/~ccun...ima/zaino.html (ok, so it's a little long....)

 

And I want to make this the weekend. Can I get ZainoBros at a store or do I have to order it from them. I want it now!!!!!!

 

Dawn contains ammonia. It will actually dull the paint over time. It also contains mild abrasives. You know what that will do>

 

Washing you car once a year with something that contains a small small amount of ammonia will do very little to reduce the life of your paint... Really compared to acid rain and other crap that get's on your paint, a once a year wash with dawn is the least of your worries... As for the abrasives, dawn contains detergents like any other soap. The abrasiveness of original formula dawn is barely more than car wash, and besides, considering that the whole point of this (claying and doing a cleaner wax) is to smooth the paint surface with abrasives, so I don't see how it matters...

 

Hey, you guys tried shampoo--such as herbal essence or aussie? I use either or when I do a car wash--they are softer than dawn--no abrasives for your hair and yet they do clean very well, especially the road tar and the nasty stuff...but they are quite mild for the paint.

hey, if it works on getting all that gunk out of your hair, it should work on the paint, right?

 

I have to admit, after an hour of waxing, my arms were done. I think because it was pretty cold when I was applying the wax, it got hard very quickly and I was working harder to polish it... anyone have any comments about mechanical applicators like an orbial polisher? How does one work with it? Are they expensive?

Oh, and while we're on the topic... how do y'all get at the hard-to-reach places like the Maxima and Nissan logos? Seems to be alot of buildup back there.

- Andrew

[Edited by Alexander on 10-11-2000 at 10:26 AM]

 

Meguiars has a paint clearner. That thing works, I use nothing else, It has even taken off gum that got all over my hood and it took it off with no problem ! I think its safer that dawn.

 

Thanks for all the input. Here is what I did:

I washed the baby with Dawn this morning, dried it all off with no spots, and applied Meguire's cleaning wax with my buffer. It did a decent job and I really like how easy it comes off! It's reasonably priced, and Wal Mart has just about the full line of products.

I waxed the hood with the Meguire's Gold liquid wax for clear coats and I will do the rest this weekend. It looks nice.

 

If you're looking into an orbital polisher, be ready to say HELLO to SWIRLS. I'm serious...ask anyone.

 

If your clear coat is in good shape, try Meguiars #26. It is pure carnuba wax and has NO abrasives in it. If you are really ambitious, precede it with a coat of Meguiars show car glaze (I think the number is 6 or 7).

 

Thats exactly what i do. :> Wash, clay if needed, show car glaze, wax #26, final inspection to make sure i didnt miss wax.

takes a while, but damn, looks SWEET on black.

 

Someone want to elaborate on the clay stage here? I'm lost.

Next thing you know we'll be giving the Max a mineral bath...

- Andrew