i have a sterling mist maxima, i was wondering what wax should i use?
should i use a synthetic base or a carnabuau base wax?
my problem is that i have a light color car but i want to have that deep wet look that a dark color car give off.
i have been using meaguire #26 i think
and also tried the mother pure carnabuau wax.

 

One of the things I try to stress in the Detailing forum is that the wax is a final step. Several of us who peruse the forum know there is a process in order to get the finish in that sort of shape.

With that said, here's what I would do for your Sterling Mist GXE:

a) Wash car with Dawn to remove previous layers of wax
b) Clay vehicle with a clay bar to get rid of embedded contamination
c) Find a polish to get rid of swirl marks (e.g. Meguiar's #9, 3M Swirl Mark Remover for Light Colored Cars , Einszett Metallic Polish)
d) Apply Klasse All In One
e) Apply Klasse Sealant Glaze (I usually apply 3 coats).
f) Top with S100 wax (or you can use #26)

If you look at any of the following cars in the Showoff thread, you will see that the key thing is not the wax, but the process it took to get the finish to a lustrous state:

Bluesbrekr, maximadave, asu174, Sqard, My '02, housecor, SilverChrome03 (to name a few)

 

<~~~~ owned by prinz thanks dude
for the klasse glaze can i also use the #7 offer by meguiar?
hey prinz how many clean towels do you have on hand to do your whole car using that process?
i been experimenting with the "polish towel" but personally hate them
have you have any experiences with them?

 

Everytime you wash your car, you repeat above steps?

 

I can't speak for what kind of disturbing OCD behaviour Prinz might have but those are only the steps for a total detailing overhaul, performed maybe once or twice a year.

outsider, just to let you know, you can make any colour of car look very wet and shiny looking through good paint prep, but unless the colour you have is very rich and dark (including some deep greens and reds) you're not really going to be able to get the same super reflective, "pool of water" look you do with non-metallic black. A lot of people put tons of emphasis on wax, but it is the prep that's key. Get it perfect at Step C before continuing.

No, unfortunately there isn't a lot of reason to use #7 with the routine Prinz suggested. If you don't mind less durability though, skipping the Klasse and going #7, S100 (or #26 or Mothers) is a good choice too. Those are all good waxes by the way. S100 is easier to use, but if you already have and like the Mothers you can keep using it. Is that the paste or liquid by the way?

Usually I suggest at least a dozen quality MF towels so that you have enough for the job without having to use towels that are too loaded up or that you may have dropped. If you really want to get into detailing get more. A lot more, as they have other uses too.

 

Naaah. I wouldn't say owned.

But in all seriousness, Bman and I deal with the question of what wax to use (or we use) to get the reflective shines on Autopia. But in a nutshell, I wanted to let everyone know that there is a process that has to be followed in order to achieve the desired results.


You could use the #7 instead of the SG but, you are definitely going to sacrifice durability as Bman said.

If I were you, outsider, I'd head to the nearest Wal-Mart and get the 12 pack of microfibers for $8.99

 

As Bman said, I only would do this twice a year. I only recommended the steps I did because of the condition of his paint. If there were other condition in the paint present, I would have outlined other steps.

 

hey prinz i was wondering do you know if all walmart cary the microfibers towel for 8.99?
or only certains one?
i went on walmart website and it wasnt listed
thanks

 

thanks for the info prinz, i found it very helpful!

now that spring's here, it's time for a major cleaning overhaul... not just my usual 2x a week wash

 

outsider: You can go to any Wal-Mart and get the 12 pack.

Maxima99SEbose: No problem.

Think we should have a litte fun with spring details by posting pics?

 

One more pointer. A detailing project can be as extensive as you desire it to be. Some folks go as far as removing the rims/tires off the car to clean the back of the rims and thoroughly clean the wheelwells, some have been known to thoroughly clean the undercarriage, some have been known to remove the seats to thoroughly clean the carpet, and others have been known to do a throrough detail on the trunk or even paint the calipers.

 

I do that few times a year. I remove all my wheels to thoroughly clean my wheels.

 

Hey Prinz, I got a question: I also have a silver car, and follow most of the steps you mentioned above, but there are some steps in there that I'm unsure of. I got the first 3 steps OK, and I use 3M SMR, but after that I'm confused. After the SMR I use (if I remember correctly) some Zaino polish, but I forget the name of it. After that I go straight to the Ibiz wax. It looks like I might be skipping over a step. What's missing here?
Also, when applying SMR and polish, should I apply/remove them by hand? For some reason I think I figured that out when I tried to apply one with my buffer thingy. What should I use to apply/remove them?
For some reason I also bought this Zaino spray that I'm supposed to use after I wax my car, but I haven't gotten around to using it yet. Got any tips/ideas for that stuff?