psyhunter2001

First of all I want to thank all the people who have posted instructions on how to detail your car. I have read as many as I could find and have learned a lot. But because I am new at this whole owning a car I really want to keep the car looking spotless so I wanted to run this by anyone willing to help. From what I have learned from reading the articles I need to do the following things.
1.wash car with Meguiar’s NXT
2.Clay using Clay Magic
3.Polish
4.Wax
On the polish and wax part I am a bit lost. On some threads I read that people are using the Meguiar’s 3 step process. But I have also read that some people think that using the Optimum spray wax is better than the Meguiars. Which leaves which polish brand I should use. or can i just replace the meguiars 3 step with the optimum spray wax. Or should I go for the Zaino process?

Thanks in advance for any help.

VB87

You'll hear lots of opinions on which products to use. Try a product that you can get, if buying from a store.

The Optimum spray wax is something you use after going through the whole detailing processs. It's similar to a quick detailer that Meguairs has. It is used for when the car is slighty dust, neither of them are durable.

micvog

I would stay away from Meguiar's NXT wash. If you like Meguiar's, use their Gold Class. I found NXT car wash made my paint markedly less "slippery" and I have been using Mother's Carnauba Gold since with much better results. There are probably even better car washes through mail order, but for retail I would stick with Gold Class or Carnauba Gold.

Hawhyen51

The process looks good. As far as products go, IMO, you can get better products online than OTC and pretty much comes down to as a personal choice. The type of polish you use will depend on the condition of your paint. Polish is used as 1) a pre-wax cleaner or 2) to remove a surface defect.

You mentioned the Meg's DC 3 step system which consists of 1) System Paint Cleaner 2) System Polish and 3) Carnuba Wax. I think the cleaner and the Polish are non-abraisive so if you have swirls and want to get tem out, you may have to use Scrtch X or one of their more aggressive polishes. Lot of folks are satisfied with the results they get and that's all good. Optimum Spray Wax can be used as either a standalone product or a detailer (after washing) to enhance and prolong the layer of sealant. I've had good results doing it both ways. More info on OSW can be found here.

Zaino - the folks who use it, love it and say nothing can compare to it. On the other side of the coin, there are those who say the same can be achieved using brand X. Regardless of the product you use, it all comes down to surface prep - the result is determined as to who has a cleaner and more sterile surface.

Here are a list of sites that have an array of carcare products for every need. Autopia, PAC, Autogeek, Superior Car Care, Exceldetail, and Top of the LIne.

exceldetail

Optimum Spray Wax is light years ahead of any Quick Detailer. It has substantially better durability, then any Megs QD, not to mention U.V. protection as well.

Hawhyen51 pretty much hit the nail on the head......Selecting products is like choosing motor oil. They all have there benefits, and aim for the same targets. Its just a matter of choice, ease of use, and durability.

SuperCoupe93

Often times I notice that when people start washing or detailing their cars, they often forget the basics. For instance, before you begin washing your car, spray it down with water to get the small particles of dirt off of it, and to wet the surface before scrubbing. This will prevent hairline scratches in your clearcoat. Second, if you're like me, and you start with the wheels first, be sure to use a separate wheel brush, or at least clean the brush out before starting on the car. Also, change your water before starting on the car. You don't know how many friends I have that skip the basics like this and end up scratching their cars.

ajeetm

I agree with this, I notice the same thing when I use NXT. Micvog, is the surface still slippery after washing with Gold Class?

Hawhyen51

After washing & drying, I use a QD/ID or even a spray wax (OCW) to revitalize the gloss and prolong the longevity of the sealant. Takes an additional 15-20 minutes to do the entire car.

micvog

I have had great results with both the Meguiars Gold Class and the Mothers Carnauba Gold. I switch between the two based on price. Currently I am using Mothers, but Costco had a 64oz. container of Meguiars Gold Class for ~$7.75 so I picked some up over the weekend and will start using that after I run out of Mothers.

I almost always use a QD after drying my car (it is so little work when part of the final drying process) and found that the NXT QD didn't help the slipperiness. The Mothers QD is working great for me as well (as is their Reflections line).

I might be buying a Suzuki Grand Vitara and the only thing I am tempted to do is try the PoorBoys (SP?) recommended by ExcelDetail on it.