Haze on trooper car...

H

hwypatrolman

New member
I bought Meguairs NXT tech wax today from autozone. I washed my trooper car with meguairs gold class carwash, dried it, then proceeded to use the meguairs wax. I had previously clayed the car and used megauirs gold class wax.

Anyhow, when I went to remove the nxt wax, it left a TERRIBLE haze on the blue hood and trunk of the trooper car. I don't own a buffer, so I was doing this by hand. I was also working inside my garage. The car surface was cool to the touch as the car had not been running for several days as I have been on off days.

So the question(s) I have are, how do I get the haze off my trooper car? What should I have used for the car? ( it is blue and gray in color).

Does anyone think it would be just a waste of time to call meguairs and complain? or is it my fault for what's happened?
 
perhaps the haze you are seeing is swirls? honestly, your best bet is getting a digital camera and uploading the pic to photobucket or something, then link to this thread using the URl. we can see what you are talking about better than you can describe it.



maybe what you're finding is that you took off all the fillers from the megs gold and you're seeing the damaged paint beneath.



you may have to do a dawn wash to get all the wax off, then use a polish like scratchX or perhaps something stronger. then put your wax on once you've polished.
 
AWESOME A HIGHWAY PATROLMAN! :woot2: :2thumbs:



Sir your best bet is to upload pics. I am really confused as to how they could have just appeared, unless you used a dirty towel to buff or the applicator was dirty. Is it really bad? Hopefully we can get this worked out, I would like to see police cruisers better taken care of, I realize you don't live near me, I wish you did though cuz the ones around here look like the've been through WW3.



Mikey
 
Could be that it wasn't quite dry. (Even if it seemed to wipe off easily.) You could follow it up with a QD and it should fix it, or you could even try to re-wipe it when dry. I would go with the QD if there has been any dust settling on the car in the meantime, though.
 
I agree, QD and work with whatever other suggestions you get here. If all else fails, wash with Dawn dish deteregent to just strip it all off and go from there.
 
In your post you said you clayed and waxed prior to applying NXT..I do not know what the time frame was between the 2 ..but the wax may have been the problem with the NXT bonding...although NXT has some cleaners..very mild at that..NXT will not set up on a carnuba topper..clean the old wax off and try again on clean paint





I would use the Meg's paint cleaner(Deep Crystal paint cleaner) and then apply the NXT..also put it on very thin...to much and it will streak and smear...



Nxt needs a clean surface to bond properly...also give it time to flash(dry)...let it hazeover before wiping down...
 
It sounds like the haze is due to NXT over wax. You could use Klasse All-in-One or strip it all down and start over.
 
hwypatrolman- Welcome to Autopia! Nice to hear a LEO is taking good care of his take-home unit :xyxthumbs



Two possibilities regarding the problem- a) it could be product related or b) it could be finish related.



Taking the latter first, if you somehow hazed the paint when applying the product (too-coarse application/removal media) then you'll need to use something with abrasives in it to polish the surface a bit. Hopefully this isn't the problem, if it is we can deal with it though, so post back.



Product related issues are a lot easier. As suggested, you clean off the NXT and start over with something else. I agree that it's probably some bad interaction between the Gold Class and the NXT though it's hard to say.



I'd just use rubbing alcohol to clean the panels off. Works *infinitely* better than Dawn and it doesn't involve washing the whole car (just in case it's been garaged all this time and doesn't need washed). The rubbing alcohol will work as a solvent to dissolve/strip the products on the paint, leaving you with a clean slate. Be sure to use a soft media like microfiber so you don't cause marring, many cotton towels just aren't soft enough.



If you want a cleaner slate, try something like Meguiar's Deep Crystal Step #1 after the rubbing alcohol and before proceeding to the next step.



Once you get to that point (clean paint), you should be able to choose between the Gold Class you used previously and the NXT. There shouldn't be any problems using the NXT on your paint.



IMO contacting Meguiar's (either by phone or at Meguiar's Online ) is *not* a waste of time. They can be very helpful as they really put a lot into helping out their customers. But, uhm, I wouldn't approach it as lodging a complaint, but rather as soliciting advice ;)
 
I appreciate all the advice. I am from Anniston Alabama (half way between Birmingham, Al and Atlanta, Ga) along Interstate 20.

As far as taking care of my car. I have been in law enforcement since 1988 and have been a state trooper for 11 years. I have always been a FREAK about my patrol car. I figure the vast majority of the public will only see the car passing by and never see the person inside. I want to portray a positive image for the state and my department.

I am unfamiliar with many terms I have read since browsing this site. The first is QD. What does that stand for? I noticed where someone said I should try that.

As far as the cloudiness/haze on the hood and trunk. It's just as bad today as it was yesterday. The time between the gold class and the NXT was about 10 days. My plan was to add carnuba (turtle wax brand) on top of the NXT until the haze developed.

Today I did use a microfiber towel and tried to scrub the haze. If I wear myself out, it will clear up then if you look back at it a few minutes later it seems to cloud up again.

I did call meguairs today and they said to reapply and it would clear off the haze. I expressed my concern about adding fuel to the fire in my opinion. The guy I was talking to said to try it anyway and call back if it doesn't work.

I am leaning more towards stripping it then reapplying the NXT.

I will try to shoot some pics with our digital camera and try to figure out how to post them. I AM NOT TECH SAVY! I will be out of town from this saturday the 3rd through the 10th.

Again, thanks for all the replies.
 
hwypatrolman said:
As far as taking care of my car. I have been in law enforcement since 1988 and have been a state trooper for 11 years. I have always been a FREAK about my patrol car. I figure the vast majority of the public will only see the car passing by and never see the person inside. I want to portray a positive image for the state and my department.
Click to expand...



I hear ya. I keep my ambulances and firetrucks nice and shiney.
 
Something else. Klasse (sp?) AIO? what is that? Is that just another type of wax? I have heard of Zaino and I thought I might try it on my next patrol car, which will probably come sometime next year. My current car is a 2004 crown vic with about 70,000 miles on it.

Something somewhat unrelated is the interior which is a very light color and easily stains. I use simple green to clean it and then armor all to lube it back up. Seems to work okay, but it still shows dirt really bad - mainly from carbon paper that seems to get everywhere and general dirt and filth that blows in the car.
 
I'll try my best here.



QD stands for "quick detailer." It is a product that is used to "freshen-up" a vehicle's finish in-between washings, if the dirt is minor (pollen, a little dust). You spray it on, and wipe with a good microfiber towel.



Many companies make it, from Finish-Kare's #425, to Griot's Garage Speed Shine, to Meguiar's handful of products.



Some people QD frequently, perhaps daily. Some, like Accumulator, shy away from anything that might rub dirt along the surface, and might mar the finish; those people will wash more often.



The choice is yours--in my mind it depends on how often you are able to wash veersus the ease of using a QD. For a patrol car, I would think that a QD would be your friend. It would be very tough to keep the Crown Vic free of marring, so I would QD away in your shoes.



Klasse AIO is part of the "Klasse Twins." AIO is "All-In-One." It is a chemical paint cleaner. If you have a surface that is mar-free to your liking, AIO will clean up the paint nicely, leave a very clean surface, and is easy to use.



It is meant to be the base for the other "twin," Klasse Sealant Glaze (SG). It is a sealant that looks very nice. It can be a bit tricky to use, and it will only bond to AIO underneath it.



However, many people will use AIO, then go with a carnauba-based wax over it, instead. AIO doesn't mind what you top it with.



People who top AIO with SG usually have a vehicle that is virtually free of marring. SG will show up marring that is present.



In your case, it might be good to either just use a carnauba wax, once you are comfortable with the finish, or maybe even use a "glaze" before the wax, to hide the marring.



There are tons of glazes out there. I use Clearkote's Red Moose Glaze (RMG), but there are plenty of others.



In the long run, there are a lot of ways to make the patrol car look good. The trick is to pick a method that fits within your time available to work on the vehicle.



It is good to keep it looking good (up here in PA, the troopers are frequent car-wash customers), but remember, your own ride is job #1.



If I may add one more thought. When I joined the forum last summer, the amount of advice made my head swim. Finally, I am sorting it all out. Don't be afraid to try products, but don't make everything you read here drive you nuts. Take it in small doses, and it will make sense.



Good luck!
 
Klasse AIO or All in One is a chemical, meaning non abrasive paint cleaner. Works very well and its very durable. If you decide to get some Klasse make sure to get the Klasse Sealant Glaze to go over the AOI.
 
Hey hwypatrolman:



I live in Oxford. If you feel like getting together sometime to talk detailing, shoot me an Email. I have tons of products, as well as a Cyclo & PC. I wouldn't mind taking a look at your car for you and possibly helping you out if you want. I sent you a PM as well.
 
hwypatrolman- Sorry to hear the Meguiar's customer service rep wasn't more helpful. Some of them are great but others need some real-world schooling.



Something that occurred to me later: the rubbing alcohol might not be good to use around your unit's decals (might effect a solvent-action on their adhesives). If those areas need cleaning I think you oughta get the Deep Crystal Step #1 after all. In fact, that's what I'd recommend. Use it to clean the paint and then reapply the NXT (or the Gold Class). AIO is good but it's not an over-the-counter product. The DC#1 oughta work fine.



Just a thought: if your autoparts store sells a wax from Collinite, I'd use that instead of NXT. Collinite looks OK, but the big things about it are a) its incredible durability, b) how it beads so well, and c) the way it "self-cleans" in the rain. If you can't get it locally, order from COLLINITE (call on the phone, they're friendly and helpful). Collinite is the way I'd go in your situation. Heh heh, if you put *that* stuff on your car, the next time it rains everyone'll be asking what kind of wax you use ;)



Interior: I'm not a fan of Simple Green, but you're in a unique situation- lots of tough dirt and a limited service life of the vehicle (sounds like you get a new unit at around 100K and the interior materials in a P71 are pretty durable) mean that anything that works OK oughta *be* OK. I'm not sure what would clean more effectively than the Simple Green and Armor All is OK stuff for a dressing.
 
That's definitely a good idea--You have a good chance of picking up Collinite (I use #845--others here have tried the rest) over the counter.



And, yeah, I never thought about the alcohol and the decal issue. Most of us here are too busy removing dealer-installed decals to worry about keeping them on the car.
 
I just went to the Colllinite web site and there are many different products from which to choose. Which would be the best for my patrol car? Of course, keeping in mind the colors are blue and gray. I also noticed there were no prices on the website..? What kind of money am I looking at? I was going to rry the Klasse AIO and SG, but someone else mentioned that it would just enhance the marring and blemishes on the car and I don't want that. I may order and try it on my personal vehicles, based on the durability and shine mentioned by other members.

And also, I hope not to ask to many more foolish questions. Another member PM'd me and pointed out the decoder on the home page so I could decipher the abbreveations.

The person that mentioned the outpouring of info was right. I could easily spend a fortune on car care products in a manner of minutes. Between all the waxes, cleaners, polishes, the porter cable buffer, interior products etc.. I wish I would have found this site before buying the NXT though.

Thanks again for all the truly great suggestions and info.
 
I recently used Collinite on both my car and my sisters car. I put the 476s paste wax on my car and the 845 Insulator Wax on her car. I'd give the edge to the 845 IW if you are applying by hand, though neither were horrible if you put them on thin enough. I believe I got my 845 from from excel detail, either wax is about $15 so it won't break the bank.



- Andrew
 
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