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airhog

New member
Hello all just finished signing up for the forum. Just wanted to ak my first question. I just bought a brand new van and wanted to keep it looking showroom new for years to come any great products or techniques to do to it? Also is there anything else I should do to the paint? I live in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada which has a harsh climate and it drops down to -40 degrees celsius. I just wanted to know if it is a good idea to put on a wax on the paint before winter to seal it up?

Thanks.
 
Well...this would be an unpopular site if you couldn't learn about any great products or techniques here. Welcome! Try clicking the "How To" link at the top of the page to get started.
 
Welcome.



Follow Setec's advice and start with the How To's. Find a good wash routine with a long lasting wax or sealant. Some good ones are Collinite, Zaino or Dura Gloss.
 
Welcome to the forums. You've come to the right place for ideas and advice, and you can learn a tremendous amount by just "lurking" here on the forums.



Since your car is new, you can get away without polishing. I would suggest a thorough washing and then go over it with detailing clay to remove contaminants. As the other guys suggested, follow the Autopia 'How To' articles for pointers. You'll want to adopt a wash method that does not add swirls and scratches to your fresh paint.



To answer your last question, yes, you should apply a wax or sealant to protect your paint. Many of us here like to use both; usually applying the sealant first and topping it with a wax to improve both looks and durability. Opinions vary widely here at Autopia, but I will list some of the favorites:



DuraGloss 105 - durable sealant

Klasse All-in-One - sealant, not very durable, good base for wax

Meguiar's #21 - synthetic sealant

Optimum Poli-Seal - combination sealant and wax, also removes light swirls

Poorboy's World EX-P - sealant

Collinite 476 or 845 - very durable wax

Optimum Car Wax - easy spray on/wipe off wax

DuraGloss Aqua Wax - easy spray on/wipe off wax



Personally I like to use Klasse AIO topped with Collinite 845. They are both easy to apply with either a buffer or by hand, and with the Collinite on top the shine and protection lasts for months.



Good luck with your detailing.
 
Thanks guys for all the helpful advice it is really useful to a newbie. I just wanted to ask one more question. Do you have to clay bar the car before you wax it? Is it a must or is it an option?

Thanks
 
No you do not have to clay before waxing and/or using a sealant. Claying get's rid of alot of crap on the paint. Take a bagging and put your hand into it and run it across your paint, if it is rough, grabbing, you should clay. Really you should be able to feel it without the bagging. Applying products onto the paint will also be alot easier after you clay as well.
 
airhog said:
Do you think a brand new van needs to be clayed even without testing it?
Click to expand...



Yes. Vehicles that sit outside without any wax or sealant on them get stuff stuck on the paint. Plus they are commonly contaminated during transport from the factory.



Just be careful, be very gentle with the clay, it should be gliding over the surface, not forced into the paint.
 
applying a wax or sealant serve the same purpose. a wax can also be applied over a sealant.

Carnauba wax is a vegetable wax (fat) obtained from the leaves of the Carnauba Palm, that has an affinity to water, the ability to retain oil and has excellent gloss properties making it applicable in a vast variety of industries.



sealant - non-organic (synthetic) based wax formulated from polymers used to seal paint with a thin hard barrier. They are very durable and provide a very bright, but sometimes plasticky finish. This type of product is a compromise as it does provide durability but lacks the properties of a Carnauba wax lacking both color and depth (several companies have very close to over coming this), and because of a polymer's inherent covalent (molecular) structure it cannot mimic the properties of a carnauba wax (several companies have very close to over coming this).
 
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