So I've had the RDX for just over a year now and I want to know is there a way to get that original shine back?

I feel like the paint looks thinner..I am guessing the clear coat wear off over time?

So Is there something I can do at home?

Is there a way to get factory shine?

I am very careful when washing my car but I still get those swirlys


Also, when we got the RDX, I loved the windshield...I barely had to use my wipers..any water was just move up... like a thick layer of oil on the windshield...what kind of application is it and can I do this at home?

If I want to get the factory shine..is it worth taking it to a professional?
Do they put a clear coat?

I just leased the new infiniti Q50 and got the black color...that black is so much deeper/darker compared to our RDX...

 

You can use a dual action polisher (and polish) to get the factory shine back. They are safe if used properly. It does remove a very thin layer of clear coat, but if you do it once a year, it shouldn't be a major problem. You need to follow that up with other wax to protect. I typically do a multiple-step process in the spring that includes:

• Clay bar (to remove any contaminants before polishing)
• Polish
• Filler wax (to fill any remaining defects)
• Protecting wax

You may want to check out the wash and wax section. Lots of experts there.

Rain-X or something similar is what you want to use on your windshield after a thorough cleaning.

 

+1 on "mikemack's" suggestions. They clear coat could not have been lost in one year. You just need a good "polish" and wax. Stay away from cotton towels, and shammies to do the drying. Use only microfiber towels and applicators to wash, dry, apply wax, and remove wax. They do not mar the finish.

 

If I were the OP then I would take the car to a good local detailer (ask for recommendations in your regional forum) who will remove the swirls and make the car look so much better than new.

Unless you are interested in learning how to do it yourself (and are willing to invest the time and money to learn and buy the appropriate products) then you are much better off taking it to a detailer a few times a year.

Based upon your questions, I'd suggest that you spend some time hanging out in detailing forums and decide if you want to make that investment to do it yourself.

Unless you've done something awfully weird with your car, then the clearcoat hasn't been affected. Most dealers do a lousy job prepping a car for sale and just pour glaze on the (badly washed) car and call it a day. The car will look great for a few weeks until the glaze wears off and then you see all the imperfections that the dealer should have removed - but didn't.

When I get a new car I spend at least two full days undoing what the dealer has done - getting rid of rail dust, glue residue and swirls, giving the car a good polish and sealing it with OptiCoat.

Your windows were clearly treated with a product like Rain-X. You can clean your windshield well and re-apply that yourself.

Your Infiniti has a slightly different paint and I've found that most Infiniti dealers do a better job prepping cars.

Pay somebody to detail it for you. Wash it well before you take it for an evaluation so the detailer can tell what it will take to get it looking good (you'll not I didn't "again" because it never really looked good). Expect a proper detail to cost around $300.

Dealers and bodyshops don't do decent details. Neither do car wash places. ASK for a recommendation in your local forum for a good detailer

 

Incorrect. Everything will mar the finish. It just depends on to what extent. While products are important, technique is more important.

 

Ceb, the very first car I detailed with a DA polisher was a six year old jet black Audi, and when done, there were no scratches or swirls. The microfiber products, if used properly, will not mar the finish (unless you are using a brick on top of it). The detailing products on the market today can be used by the average person with great results. There are many videos with instructions on detailing (Griots Garage, Autogeek.net). Don't be afraid of tackling something new.

 

thank you guys...

it's still a shiny car but the black on my infiniti q50 just stands out so much..i realize it's only 2 days old and my rdx is 1+ year old


I do a fair amount of highway driving and the bugs are just WOW..yuck. the front of the car looks nasty sometimes.


couple questions:

How often can I wash with meguiars gold class car wash or mothers california wash and wax?

I wash once every 2-3 weeks...so is that too much?


usually, I don't apply any wax...but occasionally, I will apply the meguiars spray wax..it barely adds any shine..


I will checkout the wash/wax forum..

 

That is not too much for washing a car. After you wash and dry your car, try using a claybar to remove embedded deposits. It is amazing what will come off on the claybar. Watch some of the videos online to see the technique used by the people that sell these products. The claybar is used with some sort of lubricant (sometimes a spray detailer). Then you can put on a good coat of wax to seal the paint. While a "glaze" will give you a good shine, it can wash off quite easily.

 

A few things to think about:

Darker cars show swirls more even though all colors will get the same amount of swirls

Darker cars require much more care

Often enough isn't often enough when it comes to washing a car

You need to be able to invest lots of time in keeping your cars looking nice. One day a weekend should be fine. Many people find it therapeutic

It is all in the prep work. You can't get a good shine if the paint isn't polished properly.

Remember that shine is really just the reflection of light and an imperfect finish will not benefit much from things like spray waxes.

 

I do not have a problem with the shine, I have a problem with the way the paint was applied, gf has silver metallic and from some angles it looks like the car was painted unevenly, I'd swear the car was repainted, but there is no evidence of that.

 

I'm using Klasse all-in-one, then Zaino Z-2. Both are excellent product and last very long. I used them for many years.

As people mentioned, you need to make sure the paint is completely clean and clay bar is the best way to do it. If you run your finger and it's smooth like silk, then it's good to go. Apply Klasse, then Zaino.

 

can you please describe a little more....

Klasse is a non wax formula...so do you wash the car, dry and apply Klasse?

When do you use Zaino Z-2?

What are your steps?

What brand wash do you use?

Do you dry with microfiber cloths?


We have hard water in my area...so I hate washing and then ending with a bunch of water spots all over...I tried to dry with microfiber but it gets tiring

 

also...what's the best way to remove bugs off the bumper and hood?

I went to sears and the guy told me to buy this brush...it seemed a little harsh but he promised that won't damage

so I have used it here and there but primarily just use the microfiber cloth to wash

 

You don't need to go overboard, your car just needs a little love. Unless you're ready to spend tons of cash and become a fanatic, I suggest just giving her a good coat of any polymer wax that bonds chemically to the paint every 3 months. She'll stay fine forever...

I've been down zaino, hand polish, machine polish, megs and all sorts of different products. I still remember how impressed I was with how much depth and reflection came back to my NBP paint with just 1 application of Meguiar's gold class. The paint went from dry to wet immediately.

I spend some bucks now...I find the easiest to apply and remove is Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0.

I get compliments on my nearly 11 year old paint a LOT.
People can either not believe it's an old car, or that I haven't repainted her. Sure, up close you'll find swirls and imperfections, but overall...doesn't look bad.
DSC_0354 by swimex37, on Flickr

 

rockstar143, all I can say is WOW!! Nothing like a shiny black car.

 

Thanks, man...
very much.
Here if you feel like spending the money...I really love it.
http://www.autogeek.net/wg5500.html

 

Wash, dry, then apply Klasse all-in-one. It will take out minor defect/swirl marks ... etc. Then apply Zaino which is a sealant.
Yes, I always use microfiber and Idon't have a preference for wash soap. I use Meguiar though. The best way to dry is using genuine chamois leather.

 

I'd say that nothing you apply by hand will actually remove swirls. A good protectant will certainly help hide them though. Klasse is good, I've heard, Wolfgang, or Z2 would suffice.

 

rockstar143...wow..wow...wow..that's one shiny vehicle

guytdt...thanks for the info..

I do want something that has ease of use..

rockstar143, you mentioned using Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0 now...so basically you're washing..drying and applying Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0?

you mentioned removing Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0...why do that?

You apply Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0..every 3 months....so you're washing your car once every 3 months or can you still wash once every couple weeks?

What cloth are you using to apply Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0?

Lastly, the picture you posted..is that the result of Wolfgang Deep Paint Sealant 3.0 or Meguiar's gold class?


one more thing...any special thing to remove bugs off hood and bumper?

 

This is what happens when somebody reads up on a topic a little and becomes an overnight expert.

A claybar may remove crud stuck on your paint but it won't "clean" your car.

There is no product that will remove swirls. Surface scratches (which is what swirls are) need to be polished out mechanically - chemicals, waxes and sealants won't do that.

That said, I've been detailing cars for over 40 years and while the products have changed dramatically, the basic principles have not.

You need to start with a clean car - most any car wash product will work well. Find one that works well with the water in your area.

Anything you "rub" over your car will scratch it - it is the degree of scratching that is important. Remove watches, rings, belt buckles and so forth. For major work I'll wear cotton sweatpants and either a t-shirt or a sweatshirt - no buttons, zippers or anything else that could seriously mar paint in sight.

Once "clean" and dry (blot, don't rub) get a thin baggie (like those sandwich bags), stick your hand inside and swipe over your paint. If it feels smooth then there is little debris stuck to your paint. This is kind of what guytdt was trying to say but since he really doesn't understand it...

Use Iron-X (to remove metallic particles like rail dust) and a clay bar to remove imperfections. Wash the car.

Take a bright light and carefully examine the paint. All those swirls and holograms need to be mechanically removed. You can cover them up with stuff like Klasse but they are still there, waiting to re-emerge as soon as the Klasse (or whatever glaze you used) wears off. This is what the dealers do with new cars.

Once the swirls are gone, wash the car again and re-inspect for issues.

Apply your favorite sealant and wax and stand back and enjoy.

If you've prepped your car properly, then you'll just need to do the whole shebang about once a season. Other than that, wash your car every week or so and you'll have the cleanest car on the block.

The products you use are really immaterial and everyone has their favorite. You'll get the guys who swear by Zaino, Wolfgang, Blackfire, Klasse, Meguiar and whatnot. Find a product that works well for your circumstances, weather conditions and so forth. I've gotten good results using the cheapest department store TurtleWax and I've seen mediocre results with expensive products because it is really all in the prep.

I can duplicate Rockstar's look in a couple of hours using glaze and it'll look fantastic for a few weeks, or I can do what Rockstar did and keep the car looking that way for several months with just periodic washing.

Think about what you are doing and ditch that brush - of course it'll scratch the paint. If the brush doesn't then the bugs dragged across the paint will.

Remove the bugs chemically, wash the car, prep it properly, polish it, protect it and the bugs will slide off with a bit of bug and tar remover followed by a bit of wax.

 

Not much to add to this but I'll try.

I always use two buckets to wash my car. One with soap and one to rinse off the microfiber mitt.

I would not use a brush on any part of my car except for the wheels/tires and even then you need to be careful.

My twice yearly (spring and fall) routine is to use dawn dish soap to wash the car. It will strip off any wax or sealant (except for the new ceramic sealants like opticoat) but that's the goal.

I wash by first rinsing the entire car with a strong spray of plain water. Then I use a sponge to transfer alot of soapy water to the area of the car I want to clean and then I let it sit for a bit so it can begin to dissolve some of the stuff stuck to the paint.

Next with the microfiber mitt that is also loaded up with soapy water I clean the car - don't scrub and don't go in circles. Straight lines only front to back.

Rinse and repeat until the car is cleaned.

Next using the same soapy water (fresh batch with dawn dish soap again) I load up an area of the car with soap and water and clay bar - again going in one direction front to back. Frequently "washing" the clay in the soapy water in the bucket (don't let it drop - if it falls on the ground or sinks to the bottom of your bucket it will turn into sandpaper - throw it out) and kneading the clay to expose fresh clay. You will be amazed at how much crap the clay pulls off of your paint. You will feel the clay "grabbing" or dragging if there is either not enough lube (soapy water or spray detailer your choice) or there are alot of contaminants in the paint. Rinse immediately as you finish a section.

Once the whole car is cleaned in this way you can look to perform a paint correction as ceb described. That's outside of my comfort zone so I limit my approach to using a chemical paint cleaner which can do very minor paint correction - in my case I use Klasse All in One. Again go in one direction when you apply it and go in the same direction when you remove it.

Once that's done now your need to protect the paint. I just started using Klasse High Gloss Sealant and previously used Collinite 845. The key with either is to use very, very, very thin coats. A nickel sized blob of Collinite 845 will cover a door if applied correctly. Apply too much or apply it when the car is in the sun and you will have a hard time getting it to set and that makes it hard to remove. Either way you go Klasse or Collinite - do the whole car - let it set (I wait up to an hour sometimes if I get busy with something else) and then remove it - again try and go in one direction to minimize swirling if possible.

This is the first black car I owned and it looks magnificent - when it's clean. If I can figure out how to post a picture I will.

 

amazing advice here. thanks guys, I really appreciate it.

now I gotta look for that $40 off $100 coupon that advance auto parts has every few weeks.

 

I'd be very surprised if advanced auto has either Klasse or Collinite if that's the way you decide to go.

I get that stuff online usually.

Honestly knowing what I know now - I almost regret not taking it to a detailer straight from the dealership to have them clean, correct and apply a ceramic sealer like Opticoat. While I enjoy washing the car - the process I outlined above is a multi hour project - never mind if you want to get 2 coats of sealant on - you need to wait at least 12 hours between coats so unless you have a garage you are washing it again before putting on that second coat.

The best case scenario is you get up to 6 months protection from a sealant like Klasse Sealant - that's with weekly or bi-weekly washes with an appropriate car wash soap NOT Dawn but something like Meguiars Gold Class wash. From what I understand the new ceramic sealants are lifetime and are very, very, very durable and offer a good bit of scratch resistance. I'm going to see what my car looks like in the fall and if I'm not happy with the condition of the paint I'll bit the bullet and take it to a detailer for cleaning, correction and sealing with opticoat.

 

Thank you! I will say that I've been down the path of being overly OCD and I bought all the products and porter cable and also makita rotary and at the end of the day, my recommendation, after all that...for a daily driven car where you don't want to lose sleep over swirls and washing the car, is to just wax it regularly.

I wash the car every 2 to 3 weeks...2 bucket method...then every 3 months or when the surface doesn't feel slick anymore, I wash it, dry it and throw on a coat of the wolfgang. That's it...plain and simple.

Clay, polish and compound is great...but the day to day layperson doesn't need that level of perfection on a car they drive all the time.

That's just my opinion, having experience in all the ranges of detailing.

 

since i have never applied professional level wax before, would you recommend using clay or something like that to remove contaminants?


or just wash, dry and apply wolfgang?

btw, can you buy wolfgang in retail stores?

 

apply with hand applicator, wipe off with a microfiber. Sure, you can remove contaminants, but for the every day person, that's a step you don't need to add.

Easy peasy...wash it, dry it, wax it. If you're THEN not happy with the results...complicate your life and go down the road of claying and buying machines and pads.

 

and no, the link provided is where you'd have to order it from.

 

found Collinite at advance auto parts online for $21....It's called Insulator Wax..not sure if you're talking about that one

 

I've done OptiCoat on my last two cars and I'm asking myself why I even bought a Porter Cable. Once OC is on all you do is wash the car - period. I've had it on since I got the car in October and it looks better than when it rolled off the dealer lot.

It was looking a bit grimy yesterday and we had a rainstorm last night - it is looking great again.

 

^^^We're basically saying the same thing, just different product.

 

man..you guys know so much about these products.. these local retailers don't carry shit

 

get an orbital polisher and Maguires clay bar and 3 step wax process

1. wash car
2. clay bar car
3. apply step 1 wax
4. apply step 2 wax
5. apply step 3 wax
6. apply quick detailer

 

this is the result of the above on 12 year old paint that was NOT maintained by previous owners...

 

LOL...his car is only a year old, that's overkill. He's lucky in the sense that he can just wax it from here on out and be fine.

 

Not really. The dealer never prepped it right in the first place. I'd bet he can find bits of glue around the trim pieces even now.

If I were the OP, then I'd find a decent local detailer and get my car done right. It'll look good for the summer and in the meantime he can decide how much effort he wants to put into maintaining his ride. If he washes it frequently and periodically applies some sort of wax then it'll be protected over the winter as well.

The initial prep is what takes time, patience and skill. Thereafter it is easy.

 

Oh - and with the new Infiniti? I'd find somebody to do OptiCoat and it'll look new for years with just a careful wash.

 

It depends on how anal he is...
most people would be happy with a good wax job and don't need correction and clay.

 

awesome advise guys...

when you say the "dealer never prepped it right"...what does that mean? Don't the cars get painted and coated at the factory and dealer is just washing it before delivery?


btw, I was SO EXCITED to just wash and wax and it's been RAINING like crazy here...so yesterday was a perfect day to wash..

got off work..went to target to see what they have out there...I found NU finish...I have no idea what you think of that....labels says "once a year polish"

so i was like what the heck, I will try it out...Washed car..dried...couldn't get some of these bugs out from the front bumper...what to do????

with a slightly moist/damp cloth, applied Nu Finish...one section at a time...buffed with a clean microfiber cloth

to my surprise, I got an AMAZING shine...will it last? I dont' know. Reviews state that Nufinish form water beads very well and does work for a long time....so we will see

I am going to order one of the wax/polishes you guys talked about..I didn't want to wait so just did this yesterday...can I apply Klasse or Wolfgang or one of the other ones mentioned here on TOP of Nufinish????


so noticed a couple small pain chips on the front hood...what can I do about that?

 

Honestly, NUFINISH works just fine, man...that was the first polymer based wax I used. Don't bother going any further.

About the bugs, you can usually soak em by wetting the front of the car then use one of those bug sponges that have that mesh netting that is abrasive but doesn't hurt the paint. I've never needed more than that or some chemical bs.

Stop there...it's fine...just apply the NUFINISH every few months when the paint doesn't feel slick anymore and you're golden.

I'm trying to give you advice that would apply most to you. If you were trying to win "best paint" in a show...I'd tell you you better buy all these other products and machines and spend hundreds and dedicate many hours to it...but since you just want that new car lustre back and never want to lose your clear coat...a simple wax done often will be more than enough for an every day person for a daily driven car.

 

You don't have to go overboard. Many layers will wear you down. Try it and you see. RDX is not big, but not small either. Plus you cannot do it under directly sunlight. So you don't have many hours there. If you have garage, you can pull them in after a wash. But you will get tired quickly with many layers.

Check out this forum since it is the biggest forum about car detailing:
http://www.autopia.org/forum/