Durable LSP for applying in sun?

C

cjv998

New member
Hi everyone. I'm looking for a durable LSP for my car, which sits outside 24/7 in the desert - I'd love to get 4-5 months out of an LSP, if that isn't unreasonable given our constantly high UV ratings. (Lately I've felt like keeping the car detailed is a losing battle; I wash it one afternoon, and the next morning it's covered in dust.) I don't have any shade I can detail the car in, so I need a product that can handle being applied to a warm car in the sun. (I have Clearkote Carnauba Moose, and I really like the way it looks, but I only get 1-2 months out of it, at best. Plus it can be a little streaky, which is understandable given my application in the sun.) I'd also like something that can be applied via PC. I'd like to keep it under $30 as well. I've done a bit of reading, and here's what I'm currently considering:



  • FK 1000p or 2180
  • Blackfire Wet Diamond
  • HD Poxy
  • Poorboy's EX or EX-P
  • Duragloss 105 (I could actually get this locally!)
  • CG Micro-seal (may be able to find this locally)
  • Collinite 845 or 476 (not sure if these do well in full sun, since they're carnauba-based)
  • Meg's 21 (may be able to find this locally)
  • Klasse SG

For the record, the car is an '01 Miata SE, British Racing Green. (A traditional, non-metallic dark BRG.) So I'd like a product that looks good on dark paint. Any thoughts?



To summarize, here's what I want:

  • durable LSP (wax or sealant, as long as the sealant looks good)
  • prefer a liquid or thin paste (easier to apply with PC)
  • can be applied in sun
  • looks good on dark paint
  • under $30
 
^^^^ Zaino Zealot alert!!!! :yield:



If I was in your position, I'd just Opti-coat. I haven't found anything I really like in full Sun, and that includes everything in your list except for the CG and Poorboys stuff.
 
Clearkote's Carnauba Moose is easy on and off in the sun and it will darken the paint. Optimum Opti-Seal is sun friendly too. Both have decent durability. HD Poxy is fine on the sun on lighter colored vehicles, haven't tried it on a dark one yet.
 
Thanks for the replies so far! I need to do more reading on here and narrow down my list of options.



Scottwax said:
Clearkote's Carnauba Moose is easy on and off in the sun and it will darken the paint.
Click to expand...



Actually, that's what I have now, and I only get 1-2 months out of it, so I'm looking for something with significantly more durability - I do really like how it looks though. (I think I mentioned that somewhere buried in my original post, but I could be wrong.)
 
cjv998 said:
Thanks for the replies so far! I need to do more reading on here and narrow down my list of options.







Actually, that's what I have now, and I only get 1-2 months out of it, so I'm looking for something with significantly more durability - I do really like how it looks though. (I think I mentioned that somewhere buried in my original post, but I could be wrong.)
Click to expand...



Perhaps look into a different wash solution and/or use a booster. Optimum Car Wax and Meg's Ultimate quick wax are both great.
 
Ardex Miami Shine. They call it Miami Shine because it's supposedly specifically designed to go on in direct Miami sun and heat and it's supposed to be as durable as 845. I bought a gallon and I love it, it's my new favorite wax (for the moment). I did test in the sun and it's awesome. Have not had a chance to test durability yet since I just started using it. If you have an Ardex store in your area, you can get some free samples.
 
ExplicitDetails said:
Ardex Miami Shine. They call it Miami Shine because it's supposedly specifically designed to go on in direct Miami sun and heat and it's supposed to be as durable as 845. I bought a gallon and I love it, it's my new favorite wax (for the moment). I did test in the sun and it's awesome. Have not had a chance to test durability yet since I just started using it. If you have an Ardex store in your area, you can get some free samples.
Click to expand...



Rich



I was at an Ardex distributor a while back (actually looking for 845 which he used to carry) and was told Miami Shine is the new go to wax from Adrex. It might be the perfect choice for the OP since it's actually marketed as a "full sun" type of wax. I used some on my buddies black Lincoln Aviator (not in the sun) and was very impressed with the wet look it left behind. I'll need to check in with him in terms of durability because the car sits outside 24/7.



I still need to get down to your shop and pay you a visit one of these days. FYI - Car show season is starting up soon on the Pike. It might pay to make a visit to a few cruise nights with some business cards...
 
Thanks for the replies!



I'm using Meguiar's GC car wash soap, so I don't think that's impacting my durability of the LSP (I could be wrong though).



At this point, I think I'm just going to pick up a bottle of Megs 21, since I should be able to find it at one of the auto parts stores in town (I was really wanting to take care of the detailing this weekend). Sounds like I should expect 3-4 months from it, which is far better than what I'm getting with the CMW. Seems to be a reliable, easy to use product.



How does the Megs 21 compare to the DG 105? (Couldn't find anything in a search.) I ask, because those are two things I'll be able to find locally.
 
cjv998 said:
How does the Megs 21 compare to the DG 105? (Couldn't find anything in a search.) I ask, because those are two things I'll be able to find locally.
Click to expand...



I can't compare it with Megs 21, but DG 105 is a great reasonably priced sealant. I mix it 4 to 1 with DG 601 and easily get 6 months out of it with just occasional applications of Aquawax, but recently topped it with POXY and am very impressed with the look and how it sheds dirt.
 
cjv998 said:
Thanks for the replies!



I'm using Meguiar's GC car wash soap, so I don't think that's impacting my durability of the LSP (I could be wrong though).
Click to expand...



I've heard others say that GC does affect durability.



One of the great things about using ONR is the slickness and gloss just never go away regardless of what LSP you use. Plus its easier to wash in the sun with ONR than conventional car wash soap since water spots become a thing of the past.
 
dschribs said:
Rich



I was at an Ardex distributor a while back (actually looking for 845 which he used to carry) and was told Miami Shine is the new go to wax from Adrex. It might be the perfect choice for the OP since it's actually marketed as a "full sun" type of wax. I used some on my buddies black Lincoln Aviator (not in the sun) and was very impressed with the wet look it left behind. I'll need to check in with him in terms of durability because the car sits outside 24/7.



I still need to get down to your shop and pay you a visit one of these days. FYI - Car show season is starting up soon on the Pike. It might pay to make a visit to a few cruise nights with some business cards...
Click to expand...





It does have a wet look and very slick. Yeah definitely let me know how your buddy's is holding up.



I'm actually looking into having a rolling advertisement for those car shows and cruise nights.
 
I had Ardex Miami Shine on my car for about 3 months and it was still holding up pretty well the car was never garaged either at that time. Truly Easy on Easy off, one of our more popular waxes
 
To the OP I live in South Africa and while not a desert (where I am) and we get really hot summers. One wax that has really worked for me in durability is Colly 476s. I usually use 845 for it's ease of use and then boost with megs ult quik wax. The colly's have applied fine for me in full sun as long as paint surface not hot.
 
Well, I didn't have any luck finding the M21 in town last night, but I still have 1-2 more places to check. If I can't find it locally, I'm just going to detail the car over the weekend and use my CMW, and then when that starts to wear off I'll buy something online. (FK 1000p, BFWD, M21, 845/476).



Not sure I feel like making the plunge into the Zaino world of products, but thanks for the suggestions - I have entertained the idea of getting some of their stuff, but I dunno.



About the Ardex Miami Shine, I found a couple places to buy it online, and it seems to get decent reviews, but I think I'd like to stick with something that's a little more "tried-and-true". Plenty of other products that get mentioned a lot on here that I haven't tried yet.



I'll have to look into this issue of the GC wash affecting LSP durability - that stinks, because I recently bought a big 64oz container of it from Autogeek, which I've just started to make a dent in. (I don't know if I've had any issues with the GC wash before - most of my problems are related to inducing swirls, which I've been chalking up to less-than-optimal wash technique and not waxing the car regularly enough.)



I hadn't really considered using ONR as my main car wash - I do have a 32oz bottle of it that I use to make QD spray and clay lube. That makes sense about water spots - given our hot temperatures and single-digit humidity, I fight water spots on a regular basis; particularly on glass. I'd just be concerned about not having enough suds/lubrication to avoid marring, given how dusty my car gets.
 
cjv998 said:
I hadn't really considered using ONR as my main car wash - I do have a 32oz bottle of it that I use to make QD spray and clay lube. That makes sense about water spots - given our hot temperatures and single-digit humidity, I fight water spots on a regular basis; particularly on glass. I'd just be concerned about not having enough suds/lubrication to avoid marring, given how dusty my car gets.
Click to expand...



Suds have nothing to do with lubrication, they are more for your visual benefit than anything else. I can clay with ONR at wash strength.



Found this on another board, might ease your mind at how well it cleans:



I decided to see how well ONR works on really trashed paint. My roommate has a truck that hasn't moved since 2009, and has accumulated tree sap, dirt, pollen, and everything else sitting outside for three years. Here's a shot from just two passes with ONR. I put it on, let it dwell for maybe a minute, and hit it again with a MF wash mitt, and very very little elbow grease.
Click to expand...



YTAKY.jpg




Pretty much everyone whose cars I have detailed on my AZ trips has switched to ONR because of the high temperatures, low humidity and hard water. The only drawback for me with ONR is a few customers no longer get their cars waxed because the slickness and gloss after washing makes the cars look freshly waxed. :lol
 
I don't doubt ONR's ability to clean a car and remove grime - I used it myself on my old Accord back in college after half a Midwest winter's worth of salt, slush, and road grime, and was impressed with it - it seemed to add nice depth and gloss to the paint as well. I'm more concerned with marring the paint while doing the cleaning. With my Accord (with admittedly soft Honda paint), I did detect added marring after the single wash I mention above. However, I was following the advice at the time of using a grout sponge to wash the car; maybe there's a better sponge/mitt to use? Any advice? (I did just stock up on Eurow sheepskin mitts since they were on sale...)



(Please don't take this the wrong way, the ONR is actually a great thought, and part of me wishes I would've thought of it sooner. I'm just trying to make sure it won't result in adding more swirls to the paint. I may have to do some experimenting and see how well it works out for me.)



Edit: Just found this thread while doing more searching on ONR. I'll keep reading and see what I can learn to improve my technique with ONR, and give it another shot. The more I think about, the better it sounds - with our heat and humidity (or lack thereof), it's just difficult washing the whole car with the traditional two-bucket method and a hose, because the surface keeps drying out and getting water spots before you have a chance to finish. (And my efforts to keep the surface wet with the hose simply seem to result on more water spotting.) It gives me an excuse to use all the PakShak MF's I just got too. :)



Do you suggest washing the wheels and tires traditionally still, or do you do them with ONR as well?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top