Acura Diver

Hey all,

Turtle Wax does a self drying wash n' wax that uses a Carnauba wax. Do you feel this is a good safe product to use?

I am guessing that before you would want to use a carnuba wax, you would want to use a polish first to give the actual paint some protection?

Please let me know your thoughts! Thanks!

Hawhyen51

People use it as a quick way to provide protection and is probably a safe product to use. I feel it doesn't provide the longevity and durability your paint needs compared to a sealant. Most of the members here use the process listed below to get the best results.
Polishing does not provide the protection as would a wax (sealant or carnuba). The purpose of a polish is to clean and rejuvenate the paint surface and/or remove/correct surface defects. Polishing should be done before applying the protective coat. That said, the process would be 1) Wash 2) Clay 3) Polish & 4) Seal.

Vicman17

Think of it this way:

Carnauba based wax- contains natural carnauba wax but does not last long. Washing, sun exposure as well as salt during winter pretty much removes carnauba.

Polymer / Acrylic Sealants as modern "waxes" but contan little or no natural products. They are engineered to last longer and bond molecularly to your finish. Sealants like Klasse or Poorboy's EXP provide protection (and shine) that can last for months and not impervious to the weaknesses that Carnauba based waxes have.

As Hawhyen stated:

Wash- Properly clean the finish to remove surface dirt. Never work on a dirty finish. it will only introduce more swirls, scratches and problems.

Clay- Deep clean the surface to remove contaminants and prepare the finish properly

Polish- Apply essential oils and bring out the shine of the finish. Polishing (depending on product) can also remove or mnimize swirls and scratches.

Seal- Think of this as applying a clear jacket of protection over top of the properly polished finish.

Natural Carnauba wax (not the cleaner wax kind) can also be used to 'top' a properly bonded sealant. A good example is Klasse AIO + SG then topped off with S100 wax. This adds even more gloss, depth and perhaps 'extends' the protection that the sealant provides. The S100 will still wear off like any Carnauba would.

Welcome to the forum and watch the OCD develop!

If you're planning to do the work by hand, there are a lot of "All-in-One" products like Cleaner Waxes or NXT (synthetic) that can do a decent job. If you do get serious, get a DA Polisher and your results will be stunning.

Meguiar's (and Mother's) have good OTC stuff like their 3-step which is mostly applied by hand. 1-Paint Cleaner, 2- Polish 3- Wax, or something like that. By the time you're done with Step 3, your arms will have fallen off. DA Polisher will give better results for the same or even less time with your arms and shoulders still intact.

Exceldetail shows off most of his work on attached photos on this forum. He also tells (and sells) the products that he uses and provides great feedback.

paradigm

good info above. i would like to add that you should NEVER wash and let "self dry". especially in the sun. you're asking for nasty waterspots and/or etching if you do that...

i was at the dealership a few days ago and the service writer asked the standard "may we wash and vacuum your TL today?"...i emphatically said "please no!".

i then saw a dark blue TL get pulled around from the wash bay dripping wet (at least they didn't towel dry it with the gravel rags they normally use)...but it then sat in the 85F bright sun to dry off.

Acura Diver

Hey guys thanks for all the information! This site is a big help! BTW, I know there are a lot of good polishees out there and sealants out there, but what do you use on your TL?

Thanks!

Hawhyen51

This thread should provide you the information you're seeking. Optimum, FS Body Shop, PB SSR, Einszett, Zaino and Megs are mentioned and discussed often.

Acura Diver

It sure does! Thank you again!

Acura Diver

Ok, I decided to go with he 4 Star Ultimate Paint Protection kit (It has a spray so I can help keep the protection and maintain the gloss) along with their Ultima Elastrofoam Paint Cleaning System.

The Elastrafoam is great at removing tough stains and I was happy I bought it. One thing, if the surface is warm/hot, this product will not work at all. It must be shaded and cool!

It works good and my car looks great! Overall, I am pretty happy.

Hawhyen51

No Pics? Wassup wit dat? Seriously, some pics would be great! BTW, there's a thread about the Elastrafoam with varied opinions. Seeing how it's such a recent product, really can't make heads or tails of it. I think you'll be very happy with UPP, I know I am.

Acura Diver

Sorry, no pics! I'll have to get some uploaded when I get a chance!

Elastrafoam really took out some tough bug stains for me and I decided to try it instead of claybar. I am taking a long road trip with the car next week so I will have plenty of stains to remove when I get back.

This is getting insane. All I think about is keeping my car clean!