Another Newbie Question..

K

Kn0x

New member
So the steps I have outlined for next week (Monday afternoon) are..



1) Wash (Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo and Conditioner)

2) Clay Bar (Mothers)

3) Wash

4) Wax (Meguiars NXT Tech Wax)



Now, I have two questions after this is completed:



It is supposed to rain on Tuesday, is that bad considering I will be waxing Monday? Or will I be okay?



What is the rule as far as washing after waxing? How many days should I wait and also will washing wreck the wax I applied? I've read the meguiars detailing spray claims to be for maintaining the look between washing and waxing. If my car is a little dirty and I use the detailing spray, won't I be scratching my paint by wiping it with the spray when the car hasn't been properly cleaned? Or is there enough lubricant in the spray to prevent that?



Hopefully that made sense. Thanks in advance.



- Jason
 
By waxing on the Monday you'll be protecting the paintwork from that damn rain on the Tuesday - so definitely go for it, and just watch the rain bead off on the Tuesday.



Washing WILL break down the wax that you applied, but not immediately - it'll take a few washes (if you see what I mean) so don't go thinking that you'll be wasting your time. Waxing is protection for your car - very important.



The QD's are really only supposed to be used when you take your car to a show and just need to clear off a li'l dust to show it off in it's prime. But you can go ahead and use it between washes, just make sure that you give your car a good look over first. If it's a rainy dust / dirty dust then I would simply wash the car instead of chancing it, as you're right about scratching it - and that you WANT to avoid like the plague.



PS. I'd put a 3b) Polish in there as well bud, just to bring out the color of your car and get rid off any scratches/swirls that may be there. It'll be nice and easy to do anyway after you've clayed it.
 
Any recommendations on polish? I have a Urban Grey Metallic Impreza.



My car is pretty close to brand new (6 months old), is polish still necessary?
 
It depends on the condition of the car at 6 months. If the paint is perfect, no, you dont need to polish. But most likely even a light polish would do wonders.
 
Kn0x said:
Any specific recommendations for the polish? (brand + item wise)
Click to expand...



I'm quite a Meguiar's fan, so personally I'd probably recommend Color-X - it really brings out the gloss of a color.

Either that or Sonus polishes - I've used the one that came with the PC (can't remember what it's called at the moment), but that stuff is amazing as well
 
It's not listed on the Meguiars Site under polishes, is that considered a polish?

Do I just put that on the same as a wax or is there a different technique?



So I would be looking at:



1) Wash (Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo and Conditioner)

2) Clay Bar (Mothers)

3) Wash

4) Color-X

5) Wax (Meguiars NXT Tech Wax)
 
Kn0x said:
It's not listed on the Meguiars Site under polishes, is that considered a polish?

Do I just put that on the same as a wax or is there a different technique?



So I would be looking at:



1) Wash (Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo and Conditioner)

2) Clay Bar (Mothers)

3) Wash

4) Color-X

5) Wax (Meguiars NXT Tech Wax)
Click to expand...



Yeah, Id put it exactly in the list as you have it - it's a very mild abrasive polish (more of a color enhancer). I've used it before and it does seem to do a good job IMO.



When you apply a polish, you're better off applying it one panel at a time, and buffing it off straight away. Waxes can be left for a longer period - some people actually leave it for hours before bothering to buff away a wax so that it gives the paint time to absorb the wax.
 
Yes, I am full of questions...



Do I need to worry about white marks on my trim from any of the products listed?



Also, what do I do with the polish and wax in areas such as badge, headlights, taillights, And should I apply anything to the windows, I read something on here about wax on the windows, but I didn't really understand it.
 
Kn0x said:
Yes, I am full of questions...



Do I need to worry about white marks on my trim from any of the products listed?



Also, what do I do with the polish and wax in areas such as badge, headlights, taillights, And should I apply anything to the windows, I read something on here about wax on the windows, but I didn't really understand it.
Click to expand...



Questions are what the forums are here for bud - ask away



I wouldn't worry too much about white marks on any trim with the products mentioned - I presume there's no machine polishing involved ? As long as you're careful, and polish "around" any trim you shouldn't find any probs. Plus, if you DO by accident polish/wax any trim, you can always buy stuff which cleans the trim to make it nice and black so it stands out.



As for wax on windows ?......definitely a no go area for me. Wax and windows don't really mix in my opinion. I suppose you could get away with using stuff on the side windows and the rear (if you don't have a rear wiper that is). Just not on the front as it'll keep a barrier between the glass and the blade. I just simply use Meg's NXT window cleaner - it's a spray which won't leave any dustiness. Spray it onto the cloth so it doesn't go over any paintwork. If you really wanna keep it simple - just use white vinegar for cleaning windows (and wiper blades)....that'll do the job. ;)
 
Kriminal said:
Questions are what the forums are here for bud - ask away



I wouldn't worry too much about white marks on any trim with the products mentioned - I presume there's no machine polishing involved ? As long as you're careful, and polish "around" any trim you shouldn't find any probs. Plus, if you DO by accident polish/wax any trim, you can always buy stuff which cleans the trim to make it nice and black so it stands out.



As for wax on windows ?......definitely a no go area for me. Wax and windows don't really mix in my opinion. I suppose you could get away with using stuff on the side windows and the rear (if you don't have a rear wiper that is). Just not on the front as it'll keep a barrier between the glass and the blade. I just simply use Meg's NXT window cleaner - it's a spray which won't leave any dustiness. Spray it onto the cloth so it doesn't go over any paintwork. If you really wanna keep it simple - just use white vinegar for cleaning windows (and wiper blades)....that'll do the job. ;)
Click to expand...



Yeah, I usually just use a microfiber cloth and some Stoner's Invisible Glass and it does the job. I was just curious.



So about the taillights and headlights. Should I make it a point to avoid them or should I apply wax to them?



How thorough does the first drying have to be after the initial wash? Since I am using the detailing spray with the clay and washing it again shortly thereafter.
 
Yeah, I usually just use a microfiber cloth and some Stoner's Invisible Glass and it does the job. I was just curious.



So about the taillights and headlights. Should I make it a point to avoid them or should I apply wax to them?



How thorough does the first drying have to be after the initial wash? Since I am using the detailing spray with the clay and washing it again shortly thereafter.
 
Kn0x said:
Yeah, I usually just use a microfiber cloth and some Stoner's Invisible Glass and it does the job. I was just curious.



So about the taillights and headlights. Should I make it a point to avoid them or should I apply wax to them?



How thorough does the first drying have to be after the initial wash? Since I am using the detailing spray with the clay and washing it again shortly thereafter.
Click to expand...



Sorry for the delay in response time - it's just that I'm on my lunch break over here, so I don't get that long.



I'd avoid waxing any lights - it's not really necessary to be honest. As long as you wash and dry 'em with the rest off the car, they should stay in good shape.



The drying after the first wash would be fairly thorough IMO as you'll need to make sure that any debris that might not have been rinsed off is gone completely - you don't wanna go dragging any dirt around the surface of that car
 
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