Correct Wax Choice?

T

ty webb

New member
I've had my car (2007 WRX) for a little over a month now, and am putting together my shopping list for waxing supplies. My current plan is to purchase some Klasse AIO and Klasse Sealant Glaze. I've already put my order in for some quality MF towels from Pakshack, and I'll be adding a few more today.



I'd like to try some P21S, but my car is kept outside, and from what I've read it's simply just not durable enough for that type of daily abuse unless I want to wax it all the time. Also, the car is a white pearl color, so I don't know if the benefits of carnuba will be all that apparent like they would on a darker paint.



Does this seem like a good choice of products? I'm trying to learn all I can, but I'm still so new at this that I'd like a few opinions.
 
FWIW, when I started buying stuff, I got KAIO and KSG. Kept the KAIO and sold the KSG. If you want a good look + protection that lasts may I instead suggest you purchase Werkstatt Prime Strong and Acrylic Jett Trigger? Prime Strong is like KAIO but stronger, and AJ Trigger is like KSG but much easier to apply and remove. On my little Subaru I use Prime Strong and FK1 1000P, which is an outstanding product! But if you want to order from just one place Prime Strong and AJ Trigger would probably be all you'd need for quite a while.

Good luck!

- Andrew

Edit:

JEFFS Werkstatt

Finish Kare
 
Ty Webb- I used the Klasse twins on my silver WRX and they worked out fine. But as noted, some people find KSG a PIA and have discovered other, similar products that they like better.



Also, don't dismiss Collinite waxes. They're very user-friendly, look good (they hide minor marring and that, combined with your paint color might make for very little polishing), and are quite durable. Some people find that they protect especially well against stuff like bird bombs, which might be good for an outside 24/7 car. FWIW I generally used Collinite wax on my outside car (while using the Klasse twins on some vehicles I kept indoors).
 
Ty, I just noticed your other post. Woohoo! Another White Subaru owner! I've had my Prime Strong, FK 1000P combination on my car for about six months now, and it still looks outstanding. I'd really recommend that combo for white cars.



As Accumulator mentioned, Collinite Waxes are quality products 476s gives a nice thick look to the paint. I used it for a while until I decided to try out the 1000P. In fact, I've tried out many many products trying to find a look I liked on my white car. Megs #16, Duragloss #105 + Aquawax, Collinite 476s, Collinite Insulator Wax, Klasse SG, Megs #21, Poorboys Natty's Blue and probably a few I can't remember right now. They all had their strong points, but for me at least, none held a candle to the Prime Srong + 1000P Combo.



I now use it on every white vehicle I do. 1000P is a little unusual in that the looks get better as it ages. Its looks good when you first apply it, but give it a week or two (When the looks of many waxes would start to fade a bit) and this stuff looks better than the day you applied it! In fact, if were to sell most of my LSP (Last Step Products) I'd be fine just keeping Prime Strong, FK1000P and Duragloss Aquawax.



Anyway, I'm sure you'll find something that works for you, but as a Subaru owner with a similar color I thought I'd share my experiences, and hopefully help save you a little money, so you don't have to buy all the products I did. :) Of course, sometimes thats half the fun....
 
2.5RS, I think I'll try those products, but I'm going to have to be a total noob here and ask where I can find the stuff. I'm kinda looking around here without much luck, I figure I might as well just ask for help.



This is my first Subaru, and I must say that I'm loving it - it is sooo fun to drive. I pretty much look forward all day to driving it, as I don't drive the car to and from work, since we use a company vehicle. So, even though my car is outside 24/7, it is spared from the 20 mile interstate commute and rush hour traffic.
 
Thanks 2.5RS, I initially clicked those links without realizing you put them there for those 2 products, but I didn't go too far because they were a bit overwhelming. There are so many products out there, I'm sure many of them are similar and take a trained eye to see the differences, but I just want to make the right decisions to keep the car looking great for a long time.
 
No problem, I understand the overwhelmed feeling. It won't take long before you pick up the little differences though. This site has a wealth of information, I spent many hours using the search function and it'll answer 9 out of 10 questions you've got. Of course, the more you learn about products.... the more you want to try them.. Then you end up waxing every week during the summer just to use up some of the stuff you've purchased :o

Have you clicked on the "Learn" button at the top of the page? Its a great guide to get you started on properly caring for your new vehicle.

Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask questions!

- Andrew
 
Yeah, the learning area is the first place I went to, then I did some searches on a few things, but it's always nice to see someone replying to your specific question, especially when you've got fellow Subaru owners chiming in.



I've been visiting this site for like a week now, and I think I've already racked up around $150 or so in detailing supplies and I can see it as just the beginning. I just purchased the 1000P and the Prime: Strong so I look forward to getting those on the car.
 
Personally, I'd either go with Werkstatt's Prime and Acrylic Jett or a good carnauba combination on white, like Optimum's Poli-Seal and Poorboy's Natty's Blue, or if you can find it (discontinued in the US), Meguiars #16 Paste. I am not a big fan on topping sealants with carnaubas because then you have to strip off the carnauba to add more sealant. Just easier to go with one or the other.
 
There are many newer and updated combos that effectively work the same as the Klasse Twins



-Jeff Werskatt's Prime/Acrylic Jett (or Acrylic Jett Trigger)

-Zaino's ZAIO/CS

-Optimum Poliseal/your sealant of choice (I like Aquawax) this combo is most cost effective and you certainly aren't sacrificing anything compared to the other combos...since you can aquawax routinely (it's super easy and cheap) Optimum is coming out to a product similiar to CS soon too.



That said, I find Klasse AIO extremely simple to use but don't like their next step.
 
Scottwax said:
I am not a big fan on topping sealants with carnaubas because then you have to strip off the carnauba to add more sealant. Just easier to go with one or the other.
Click to expand...

I'm sure Scott knows this, but for anyone who wasn't aware, FK's 1000P is a sealant in paste form. No carnauba there, it is a sealant, fully synthetic. I don't usually top sealants with carnauba either, it's nice being able to add another layer whenever I feel like it.
 
Why is everyone so down on Klasse Super Glaze? What do these other products do better? Its seems that Klasse SG has been very highly thought of for quite some time, and I'm curious why it has lost it's luster (punn intended).
 
kmayer said:
Why is everyone so down on Klasse Super Glaze? What do these other products do better? Its seems that Klasse SG has been very highly thought of for quite some time, and I'm curious why it has lost it's luster (punn intended).
Click to expand...



Werkstatt's Acrylic Jett is a new, updated nano acrylic sealant. It is easier to use than SG and flat out looks better.
 
Scottwax said:
Werkstatt's Acrylic Jett is a new, updated nano acrylic sealant. It is easier to use than SG and flat out looks better.
Click to expand...



Thanks. Easier to use in what way? What do you see that you feel "looks better"? Is it wetter, warmer, deeper or ????.
 
Since my car is new, do I need to use a polish on it, or would a good washing and a few layers of wax be sufficient. I'm just afraid that using polish 3-4 times a year will diminish the thickness of the paint.





My current plans are probably to clay the car once per year, polish twice per year, and wax every other month or so. Is this a good idea, or should I use the polish each time I wax? Is using clay and a polish redundant, if the idea is to clean the paint of impurities?
 
ty webb- Only polish when you need to remove marring. How often you polish will depend on a) how much you mar the paint and b) how badly said marring bothers you. If you wash correctly (sorry, I hate that way that sounds.. just *so* pedantic, but anyhow...) you might not have to polish much at all. I don't polish once a year except for the occasional RIDS (Random Isolated Deep Scratch), which is usually from somebody brushing against the car (like a mechanic for instance). I hardly *ever* polish my vehicles, certainly not as often as once a year.



What I usually do is use Sonus green Ultra-Fine clay to clean the paint. Even this isn't always necessary before reapplying the LSP. Use a long-lasting LSP, find a shampoo that doesn't strip it, and just reapply the LSP when some characteristic you value (beading, slickness, etc.) drops off. Every few times you do this you *might* have to use the Sonus green, but just wait and see how contaminated your paint gets.



FWIW I spot-clay with the Sonus at every wash. And I'd clay a new vehicle to make sure any ferrous contamination ("rail dust") doesn't turn into rust-blooms as it corrodes. Clay and polish/paint cleaners work in different ways and one is not really a substitute for the other. That's especially true for the intitial claying to remove the ferrous contamination; the only substitute for *that* is a decontamination system which is probably more involved than you want to deal with.



A brand-new car can need more aggressive polishing than a five year-old car! It just depends on how badly its marred, if at all. Most of that marring comes from improper washing and *one* bad wash can really do a lot of damage. You oughta be able to tell if it needs (abrasive) polishing just by looking at it- if it looks scratched, then polish. If it doesn't, then I'd just use some kind of all-in-one product to clean it and then apply the LSP.
 
Thanks Accumulator for all that info, that really helps. I purchased some Prime: Strong to use as a cleaner before waxing, but is this considered an abrasive polish? It appears to be more of an AIW product meant for cleaning than a true polish.



I think what I'll do, since I think the paint looks very good to me, is try the Sonus clay bar and then apply the 1000P sealant that I purchased. Only under the lights at night can I see tiny little swirls, but they are very sparse and not what I would consider a problem at all, nothing like what I've seen of swirl marks from pictures others have posted on this site.
 
ty webb- Since the minor marring doesn't bother you the Prime Strong oughta be a great choice. I haven't used it but *IIRC* it's mildly abrasive and people I respect speak highly of it.
 
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