I have a MR TSX and it's beginning to look a lil dullsville in some areas. I bought the clay bar from Meguiars with the cleaner wax. But how long do u guys let the polish sit before wiping off? I'm not too knowledgeable on waxing/polishing my car this way. I always used carnuaba wax with my older vehicles but I always hear of polish that seems very hard to get off by hand. I try to get it off but it just seems to not come off and it never looks right. I would like to start doing this stuff by myself instead of paying someone to upkeep it for me. It can get a little pricey. What should I do? Do I need get an orbital? Again, i'm a beginner to this.

 

My by hand method that works pretty well:
-Scratch X
-Deep Crystal Polish
-NXT tech wax 2.0

Just follow the directions on the bottle or call teh help line

As for me, I usually wipe the polish off farily quick, otherwise it starts to "moisturize" the paint in different amounts and you need to buff out the darker parts, kind of hard to explain but in the end everything works out.

Don't be afraid to use the Scratch X a few times first to give you a really good swirl free surface to work with. I alsmot felt as if the polsih wasn't needed after the cleaner and before the wax.

 

Orbital, really is the way to begin proper car care. You could always graduate up to a rotary down the line, but most folks who wish to maintain their own vehicles are pretty content with the capabilities of a UDM/PC. A nice gentle polish (or paint cleaner for non swirled finishes) will remove light swirls and scratches with a Erasure Orange Polishing pad. You could even use this with your current products with expanded results.
The great thing about cleaner/wax products is they perform two jobs with one task. The problem with cleaner/waxes is they provide minimal results with maximum output. Very often the cleaner/waxes are filled with polishing oils which help brighten up the paint, temporarily. And, they protect the paint, temporarily, very often just for several weeks.
You are always better suited when using dedicated product for each task. A good polish for, well, polishing. And a good protectant for, protecting.
A word on ScratchX. Although a good product, I have always felt ScratchX was overused, and misunderstood. Designed for small blems/scratches/swirls in paint, by hand, I often read of users frustration with the after affects of this product. ScratchX contains diminishing abrasives which must be FULLY broken down to prevent marring. Sometimes not evident in light colors, ScratchX WILL mar paint. Its designed to remove clearcoat, with minimum effort. It will clean/clear if the abrasives are fully abraded while using, which requires small work areas, with sufficient product for lubrication.
Just be careful when using this product, especially on darks.

 

^^^ X 2 ... ScratchX is an "OK" product for its inteneded use. Which is spot issues. Problem is the guy with the silver car uses it on a spot .. then a door then other areas and recommends it as a save all. Next poor bugger with a dark blue or black car tries it the same way and messes things up really well. Sometimes to a point where a pro has to correct it.

Been there .. done the correcting ... don't get me wrong .. I have it in my travel kit just for those times at shows when the fat a$$ woman with the WalMart purse walks by and runs it down the door. But then I go home and fix it right.

 

does anybody use zaino?

 

Yes I do .. Zaino isn't a save all .. it requires a very well prepared paint surface or it looks like crap.

 

ooo ...my car is pretty new and has a pretty well prepared paint surface i suppose so good for me? hehe

 

If you look at the paint in full sun at an angle is there any swirling or spiderwebbing visable?

Also what color is your car?

 

You should still clean the paint no matter "what it "looks like"........

 

You should still clean the paint no matter "what it "looks like"........And Jess is right taking it a step further. If it has swirls in it, those should go or be minimize before using Z.

 

aaah. my car is white .. of course i still clean it. i car wash my car before i apply the Z. kind of like a protectant

 

actually, ive been meaning to apply some now but every week, theres always some kind of precipitation. haha not fun

 

When he says clean it he doesn't mean wash it he means use a cleaner on it to remove the oxidization etc thats on the paint and polish out the swirling.

Zaino is a sealant thus it protects. But like I have said before .. you can apply Zaino to a turd .. all you get is a shiny turd.

 

Thanks guys for the responses. It's such a nightmare. Being an amateur, i'm not sure who I could trust to get it done professionally. I would like to get it done right so I could maintain at least. I will need to invest in a PC orbiter. I really don't want my car to turn pink. I have an Acura TSX car cover so I will be using that a lot this Summer because I live in a apt complex with no garage.