tb's type-s said:
Yesterday I waxed my car with nxt and although it came out with a very crisp finish I was not entirely pleased because it also made the color lighter (almost a white).
I was not entirely pleased because it also made the color lighter (almost a white).
How can you tell? Did you do a side-by-side comparison?
Or did you apply the Tech Wax to the entire car and then inspect?
Start over by washing the car and then apply any other wax in one section and NXT Tech Wax to a section next to it. After removing both waxes, look at the panel in the same lighting condition that you did when you thought the finish looked lighter, and in your words,
almost a white...
Is the other wax side less white than the NXT side?
Here's a 04 Mach 1 that I polished with #82 and two coats of NXT Tech Wax, it didn't
lighten or whiten this clear coated metallic, but instead, restored a crystal clear finish that completely
revealed the metallic in the basecoat.
NXT does not lighten, or whiten paint, it turns the clear coat as clear as it can be to reveal the color underneath. If it's a single stage, it reveals the true color of the paint.
How's the gloss?
How's the reflectivity?
How is the clarity?
I am in no way saying the NXT is a bad product because it certainly is not but it did not really give me the results I was looking for. I wash my car several times a week (about 4, with Gold Class) and always finish with EO wax as you dry and those results are actually about equally pleasing to me due to the increased luster and reflective characteristic in the paint.
Next time you want to test the appearance characteristics of a wax, after washing, apply one wax to one side of the hood and the other wax to the other side of the hood. Remember to test with integrity, if you apply two coats of brand A, then apply two coats of brand b. Then inspect under different lighting conditions for gloss, clarity, and darkness, (unless it's a white car). Look at the finish from different angles and different distances. Wait the next day and then inspect again. Have a fresh set of eyes also look and before you tell them what you did, or
what you think, ask them what they see?
Don't apply to the entire car and then
try to remember what the previous product looked like.
Do you guys think that that #7 and then #16 will give me different results then with just the NXT?
Wash you car's hood, then apply #16 to one half of the hood, or better yet, divide you hood into halves and then test in quarter, by that I mean do on half of each half. By doing this your eyes don't have to travel as far when going back and forth while inspecting.
Use some thin painters tape to divide the hood. Then apply Tech Wax to the other side. Whatever you do, make sure your applications are equal. If you apply only one coat of NXT, then only apply one coat of #16.
Then remove, and inspect under different lighting conditions. This type of test is best done on dark colors because dark colors will reveal differences better than lighter colors. It has nothing to do with the color, it has to do with what you eyes can perceive.
If you take two cars with the same paint system, let's use Sikkens for example. Use one car that is silver with a clear coat and one car that is black with a clear coat and apply the same product to both cars.
Now follow me on this, the clear coat is the same on both cars, in other words, it's chemically the same and it's physically the same in that the paint is
clear.
(A good wax doesn't care what you apply it to, it will function as it was formulated to on any paint system)
The differences will be in the results
your eyes can see, not what actually happened to the clear paint.
Compared to most waxes including #16, (and/or paint protectants), NXT will darken the paint the most and increase depth, clarity and gloss. As an extra bonus, NXT will eliminate fine swirls and cobweb scratches.
Now for my serious question.
Do you guys think that I will be able to apply the #7 or #81 (have yet to decide which one) right on top of the week old nxt prior to the #16 which will top everything and get good results? Will they bond ok or do I need to do something in between the two steps.
You can apply either of the above polishes over the NXT and then top with #16 PPW.
The coating of NXT, (or any wax or paint protectant) may make removal of a pure polish a little more difficult, but it may not, you will not know until you try.
Using the Autopian microfibers, or a clean high quality 100% cotton towel with a plush nap, should make removal easy.
Remember this little tip, don’t try to remove the pure polish all at once, remove most of the polish in one area and then move on. This will allow the remaining polish to
skin. Then come back with a fresh polishing cloth and make a second pass, this will make removing the polish easy.
Basically by applying a wax over a polish, you are sandwiching the polish between the coating of wax and the finish. This provides both protection and beauty. After that, stand back and admire the results. Only you and your eyes can judge if it provides the look you’re after.
Just remember, if you want to be accurate in your assessment of difference between product combinations, you need to do side-by-side comparisons with everything being equal.
Hope this helps…
Mike
