donkeykang

OK so this is my first time washing and waxing my 04 TL. I was wondering if you pros out there could provide me with specific tips on how i should do it. I have all the products and this is actually my first time using a wax where you actually apply on yourself instead of simply adding water and spreading on the car. the NXT meguiar's wax i got came with an applicator pad but yeah whatever recommendations you have are welcome. like how much to use etc.

Thanks so much any help would be greatly appreciated

Products I have:

- NXT Wash
- NXT Wax
- Meguiar's Tire Shine

I think that is all I would need to use...I have some other products but I don't think they are needed.

wallaceoh

I'm sure there are a number of links out there that will provide you with all sorts of tips, but regardless of the product you use, here is a link with some basic tips for getting started:

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-wax.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_1327_wax-car.html

This will help you get started for the first time. Other long time members may have more to add that will help. Good luck!

donkeykang

hmm so basically...i washed my car twice, just applied a coat of wax...is it normal for it to look nasty? im giving it time to dry and then im gonna go back down to buff with microfiber towels and add tire shine...wow this was a long job...took me a good 3 hours or more...whew

exceldetail

Donkey....Here it is again...:
I wrote this on another forum......Hope some find interest in it...If not, disregard ! If your only interested in Drying Techniques, scroll down to the ***asteriks...

I thought i would start a thread entitled Proper Washing Methods. I ve been reading some threads on other forums, its amazing what and how people wash there cars! So lets get started: The first thing you would like to do is pick a shaded area, this will help in permitting water spotting later. Items you will need for this venture are : 2 buckets, car wash, sheepskin mitt or microfiber mitt/towels, waffle weave drying towel, wheel brush, hose nozzle, a safe wheel cleaner, maybe some tire cleaner. Some folks like to clean wheels first, so I wont get into the particulars of that, its fairly easy, and basic. Apply a safe wheel cleaner, to one wheel at a time, clean with brush or suitable cleaning tool, rinse, continue to the next. lol
While your car is cool, and hopefully in the shade, start hosing the surface off with a high stream of water, start at the top so dirt and contaminants fall over non rinsed areas. Make sure to use a good stream to any side moldings and emblems, you will be amazed at the quantity of dirt hiding in there.
Continue to do this until the entire surface has been rinsed. Remember, top to bottom.....Next add a couple oz of car wash soap to bucket #1, and fill with water, add water to bucket #2. With the sheepskin in hand, or whatever youve selected to wash with, gently wipe the surface with suds from a front to back motion, again, your starting at the roof area, then trunk, then hood, then sides. Depending on your speed, and if it is warm and dry out, you may need to rinse each panel after washing, until you have completed the car. Keep your cars surface wet until your completely finished. When you find the need to redip your sheepskin in the suds, rinse it out in bucket #2, this will remove dirt and contaminants from possibly further scratching the surface. (Your going to want to make sure you have plenty of soap (lubricant) on your sheepskin all the while washing, this will help to suspend the dirt, and let it be carried off during the rinse.)Use that method throughout your washing.
*****After the vehicle is completely finished, remove the nozzle from the hose end, and let the water exit the hose without any added pressure. Hold the hose a couple inches from the roof surface, and start at the high end of the vehicle. Chase the water across the surface with the flow exiting the hose. Run/sheet the water across the surface, and continue with the hood, and rear deck, and sides.
When all is said and done, open the hood and trunk, and let the remaining water sheet itself off while you dry the sides with a Waffle Weave drying towel. (At this point, some like to use quick detailers or Eagle One’s “Wax as u Dry”.) Start at the top, and work your way down to lower panels, refold the waffle weave as it absorbs water, a 24x30 towel is generally all that is needed. You may want to follow in your other hand with a clean and dry microfiber 16x16 towel.
You may find this technique of benefit to you, and if so, you may be able to tweak it a little to meet your specific needs. Good luck, and I hope to have helped at least a few of you !
If anyone needs any additional questions answered, or some help in product selection, just PM me !

If this thread should get enough views, I will post a "Proper Claying" method also...
__________________
Somewhere between the clear and Blackfire....

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Last edited by exceldetail : 05-20-2004 at 04:53 PM.

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Kindred97

Great info exceldetail, thanks. I'm also a car wash/wax noob and just got me new TL a few days ago! =). I'm very interested in a "Proper Claying" tutorial.

For what I understand about car paint care in general it should be
1) Wash
2) Clay
3) Wash again
4) Polish
5) Wax

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Also when should I FIRST perform the above 5 mentioned steps because I just got my car a few days ago, should I wait a week, month, etc?

And after all that has been done how ofter should I repeat; every month, 2 months, etc?

Thanks!

Xpditor

You won't need a "polish" on a new car. That usually indicates an abrassive quality to get rid of imperfections. You are just looking to seal the surface so that the pores in the clear coat will not be so vulnerable to contaminants like water spots, bird droppings, poluted rain, bugs, etc.

If you choose a wax product (carnauba based), that will do a good job of sealing and giving a high gloss finish. It also does a good job of filling the fine scratches and swirl marks.

If you choose a polymer sealant like Zaino or Meguire's NXT, that will offer longer-lasting protection and, some think, an even better shine. In either case, that would be the next step after the post-clay wash and dry.

As in washing, I recommend using directional strokes, front to back on the horizontal surfaces (roof, hood, trunk) and up and down strokes on the sides. This is to minimize the swirl marks. If you use a circular motion in any of these steps, the unavoidable swirl marks will be visible from any angle (360 degrees). If you confine your strokes to back and forth, up and down. you have to be at just the right angle to see any swirl marks.

If you are using a polymer sealant, you can top it off with a QD or quick detailer in between "waxings". The polymer should last about 6 months. The wax will be mostly gone in one month. The choice of which to use is up to you. A lot also depends on the color of your car. Some products work better with certain colors.

XP

Kindred97

Thanks Xpditor,

I have a few more questions if anyone can answer. Sorry for being a noob but this is my first car ever so please bare with me.

1) Please explain "swirl marks" and how/why they are unavoidable. Do you get these after multiple car washes?

2) I just got my car last saturday. When should I do my first waxing?

3) For my first waxing I don't need to "Polish", but subsequent waxings I should "Polish" before the waxing?

4) Depending on what type of wax I go with determines how often I need to wax again? Like carnauba based about once a month and polymer sealant about once every 6 months?

BTW I have an Anthracite TL. Thanks!

Xpditor

Swirl marks are very fine scratches in the clear coat that can be seen in bright sun light. They look like swirls or circular scratches. In dim light or shade, they aren't usually visible. They are caused by microscopic hard particles that get trapped in the sponge, brush, cloth, etc. that you use to wash or dry the car. Using a lamb's wool wash mitt, clean and new, minimizes them. Drying with a microfiber towel or 100% cotton, white, American made terrycloth towel minimizes them. But, eventually they will show up.

It is then that a polish per se might be in order. A polish contains a fine abrasive that "cuts" into the clear coat and levels it out while only removing a very small amount. Polishes vary in their abrasive level. Meguires numbers all their professional detail products and prints a relative scale of abrasiveness on the label.

At the retail level, Scratch X from Meguires will get out serious swirl marks either by hand or with an random orbital buffer. Please visit www.autopia.com for extensive commentary on buffer and polish use. These are for older or damaged surfaces.

Abrasive polish is not called for on a new car finish.

You should seal your car immediately to protect the clear coat. Use either a good wax or a good polymer sealant. Your paint is well cured by the time you get the car. You don't have to wait. I have confirmed this with Sal Zaino who is a professional painter before he got into the Show Car finish business.

You won't need a pure polish unless you have damage to repair like heavy swirl marks or faded clear coat. That shouldn't happen for a long time if you take regular and appropriate care of your new car.

Yes. Carnauba wax will be more than half gone in 30 days. Polymer sealant will last about 6 months. If you garage your car all the time, the time could be longer.

Hope this helps!

XP

Kindred97

Thank you very much Xpditor! Great info. I'll look around and see what different type of waxes and stuff are out there. I'm thinking the Meguiars products because they seem to be simple to get and apply. I'll probably post a few more questions about what I find. This is a great forum! Must be cause its a great car. Thanks again.