smr2112

Some advise needed.

I want to wax my car this fall - '04 TL. I'm willing to do it myself,
I don't want to spend 3 full days like some of you other nuts. Just
wash, clay, wash, wax - DONE! Good enough for me.

I want to use NXT Tech Wax which seems to be well liked. However,
my car came with a dealer applied sealer called "First Class Finished".
I didn't pay for this, it was on there.

On Meguiars site (I think I read it there) it says NXT isn't recommended over
a commercial synthetic sealer. NXT doesn't bond well with it, or one
negates the other - something like that. Using a carnuba wax over
the commercial sealer is fine.

I really don't want to strip off this sealer, and I'd like the idea of a very easy to
use wax that shines well - what should I do? Car is Desert Mist Metalic.
It looks great now, I just want to protect it as best I can.

Vicman17

Did the dealer give you some form of "protection package" in a box? Usually a shine renewer and the polish itself. If not, then wait for a few months just washing your car like normal with car wash soap, clay bar it then apply PURE Carnauba wax. Zymol (non cleaner wax), and Meguiar's Gold Class seems to be a good choice. Some say that paste wax lasts longer than the bottled ones. If you use a "cleaner wax", they have polishes as well as mild abrasives that WILL remove the sealant.

I used to use an older product called Liquid Glass. The shine is awesome but it leaves a silly white dust that requires the car to be washed again and it also increases the static charge of the car (attracts more dust). I switched to Klasse, a German product used in BMWs and Mercedes Benz dealerships. It's a water based layerable product and if you use both Klasse AIO then the Sealant Glaze, then you're good for about a year. I have a silver car and silver does not shine very well. After a few coats of Klasse, I get praises especially in the gas pumps where the reflection of the lights amplify the metallic in the silver. The shine is deep especially topped off with a Carnauba wax (I use Meguiar's High tech Yellow Wax #26). I also use Eagle One Wax as Your Dry spray Carnauba to keep the car glossy until the next opportunity to apply more wax. Using a high quality Microfiber cloth does wonders too. It does take a bit more time but once you look at the results, it's well worth it.

Also, invest in an orbital polisher. A 6 or 8 inch (bonnet size) will do fine and it will cut your work time in half. Tons of material in the internet for using this. Just be careful what bonnet/ pad you use.

This a great forum and I learned a lot from the good folks here. Residual Freedom, Groebuck and ExcelDetail are just a few of the good folks who won't hesitate to impart their excellent expertise in detailing your TL.

exceldetail

If your not willing to start from scratch, I would go with Meg's #20. It has slightly more cleaners in it than NXT does, and they should be sufficient to break down what is currently on the TL. Its a fairly decent Polymer for completing your desired task. If you wish to shop online, and want a really good cleaner/sealer, theres nothjing better than Klasse AIO. Another great choice, and available locally, would be Meg's ColorX. EXCELLENT cleaner/polymer sealant, and, you can top it with NXT!
So you have a few choices, if money or time isnt an issue, Klasse AIO.
If time is of the essence, and you want something immediately, go with ColorX or #20.
Actually, any of the above can be used with NXT as a topper......

Vicman, thanks for the vote of confidence, appreciate it!

smr2112

The dealer gave me nothing to maintain it and didn't even acknowledge it.
The car came as a trade from another dealer so the first may have put it on.
Only reason I suspect it's there is a sticker that says "First Class Finish"
on the rear window. I intend to ask the dealer about it this weekend.

Thanks for the advise, I'm just going to use a good Carnuba wax then.

What do people think about this Gold Class for Clear Coat? I like
Meguairs products in general for the average user. They have
so much stuff it makes my head spit.

http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/sh...egui1_pg20.htm

exceldetail

Personally, I'd go with the NXT (They have newer product coming out) Its extremely easy to use, and will more than likely outlast the GC. Lookwise, GC may be "slightly" warmer looking, but NXT kind of favors light colors anyway. I think you'll be happy!

JDM5lugHatch

Either that or try S100 (repackaged P21S) you can get it from your local Harley Davidson shop. The only thing about the S100 is that it will not last as long as the NXT because it's a carnuba and not a polymer.