Waxes, Washes, Polishes... WHAT?

M

michaelkqkq

New member
Hello all!



First, let me say I am SO glad to have found this website.... I can't get any good answers from anywhere, but this place looks perfect!



I own several collector cars, but my favorite is my 40th anniversary ruby red (just bought it about 2 months ago).



I have a Delorean (stainless steel, I use glass plus and orange oil), as well as a 1956 Mercury Monterey... anyhow...



Needless to say, the 40th Anniversary vette is my favorite... it is so beautiful, it looks like a drip of dark red water... well, at least it did.





when I bought it, it was super.... I live in New Mexico... didn't take long for it to get dirty... bought a car cover, and swore it scratched the car... then I bought 100% cotton king size sheets... pain in the ***, and didn't keep the car clean, it would always slide off!



Anyhow, thats not my problem... I spent about $70 in Meguiars products (from walmart).... and was duped into the Gold Class, and their "detailer mist"....



Detailer mist looked great, until I got it in the sun, and it looked like a bunch of new swirl marks were created.



I am paranoid to wash the car at home because of water spots.... I went to an automated touchless car wash, and was not happy....



i've looked high and low for good products, and from what I can tell, Pinnacle seems to be the most expensive, and looks like it might be the best...



I get scared when it comes to waxes that say "removes light swirl marks and enhances colors" because I was told they do that by scratching off a layer of paint to make the color darker.



I need something from start to finish... I would like a shampoo, wax, and something to "quick detail" after quick runs....



I don't mind buying 50 gallons of distilled water to prevent spots... but I want to make sure the soaps and waxes I use will not damage the prettiest paint job I have ever seen....



Is pinnacle the best? If not, what is, and what do you recommend?



Meguiars looks great on paper, but from what I have read, plus the fact it's available at Walmart, it scares me....



Any help appreciated!



thanks!

mike
 
Welcome to the Autopian community! :)



It looks like you have a very nice collection of cars!

What I do suggest is to purchase the online detailing book. Its really worth it! As for the rest of your questions. I'm sure the Pros can help you out!



Enjoy your stay! :)
 
Welcome to Autopia Mike, glad you found us. :wavey



Just because something is sold in a retail chain store and not a detailing boutique is no reason to discount a product - some very fine and useful products can be found in the simplest places.



Probably the best way to prevent water spots when washing is to dry the car right afterwards and go over the car with a detailing spray (abbreviated QD for Quick Detail here). The "Detailer Mist" (Quik Detailer??) isn't meant to replace waxing, but just to clean off and shine up a waxed surface. Don't trust any automated car washes with your babies!



Most car washes made by any of the major companies are roughly the same, and it comes down to personal preference. None of them seem to magically clean better or leave fewer hard water spots than others.



Most of the off the shelf cleaner waxes aren't that harsh on paint and are perfectly safe, but usually an Autopian will perform the polishing step separately from the waxing to get the best results. Very few products (excluding things like towels and applicators) by themselves will actually cause swirls/scratches/damage when used properly.



As Bizzy mentioned, the eBook is recommended reading and the first 8 chapters are free to test drive. It's a good way of getting the basics down and then you can wring the heck out of the search engine afterwards to fill in the blanks and specific product questions (or find other products). If searching gets you nowhere that's what the University forum is for. :up



Remember too, that often there is no one "best" product or line of products, just many good products with different personal tastes and requirements. :)
 
Welcome to Autopia



I would also recommend the book, my other recomendation is to read as much as you can. Almost every area of cleaning cars has been discussed on these forums. Autopia is made up of nice people who are willing to help.



You have a collection of great cars, with the right techniques you will have them looking perfect. To my mind the 2 keys are preperation and technique. Dont worry to much about the products, there is no one perfect product, alot will depend on what problems you have and what your goals are.



Steven
 
Lowejackson said:
Welcome to Autopia



You have a collection of great cars, with the right techniques you will have them looking perfect. To my mind the 2 keys are preperation and technique. Dont worry to much about the products, there is no one perfect product, alot will depend on what problems you have and what your goals are.



Steven
Click to expand...



Very well stated. I could not agree more.



One of the biggest newbie errors is getting wrapped up in what brand of product to buy without actually learning how to use them. An experienced detailer can take almost any product off the shelf and make a car look good. But no amount of $$ will make up for a lack of knowledge and ability.



I too recommend the Autopia Guide To Detailing, found at www.autopia-carcare.com . I suggest spending the $15 or so and downloading the whole thing. Print it out, grab a beverage, park it in your favorite chair, and read. The e-book will give you the foundation of knowledge you will need to make all your cars look great. From there you can decide what products to buy and how to use them.



If you have specific questions feel free to ask. The Archives here at Autopia are a treasure trove of info - feel free to read them.



Welcome to Autopia :wavey
 
As said, don't discount the Meguiar's products. They make some good stuff. Their protectants aren't the best, but not because they'll harm your car. They make very safe products. Their protectants just don't usually last, and don't have the best look (although they are quite good). Also, as said, it sounds like your technique is really the problem. The detailing spray they make (I'm assuming Quik Detailer) is just fine. I use it all the time. It will not cause scratches. However, if you use it with a scratchy towel, or on a dirty surface, you will almost definitely end up with scratches.



Again, like was said, get the Ebook as a start. I suggest you wash your car yourself. Just make sure to use the right technique (read the ebook!). The shampoo that came in your kit will be fine. Gold Class shampoo is my favorite (and I've used Pinnacle's, which was just slightly sudsier and much more expensive). If you are worried about the New Mexico sun, wash your car in the early morning or late afternoon before your driveway is in the sun. I assure you, even in New Mexico, the sun goes down. :)



For swirls, you are right. If you want to remove them, you'll have to remove the paint down to their depth. That said, you could use a swirl remover many many times without removing too much paint. The amount they remove is really really tiny. But, if you don't want to do that, you will find that some glazes do a great job of filling in swirls. They may not make them invisible, but they can greatly diminish them. The one I've found fills swirls very very well is Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze. But if you use a glaze, you'll need to use a protectant that won't strip it off. Any all-in-one (Meguiar's Gold Class will remove the fillers somewhat) will remove those fillers and the swirls will reappear. So you may be limited in what protection you can use. Most carnauba waxes will be ok, but not cleaner/waxes. Also, Blackfire can be used over a glaze (and I believe it's about the only polymer that can be, not counting polymer all-in-ones that will just remove the glaze).



If you don't mind the cost of Pinnacle's products, though, and you are interested, they are certainly good stuff. Souveran is probably the best (perhaps I should say "in the league with the best" because there is no real "best") carnauba wax you can find as far as looks, but it doesn't have the best durability. Most every product has some trade-offs in order to do something else better. But if you want to start off with Pinnacle, go for it. I'd say try out the Meguiar's first, though, and get your technique right. Then get Pinnacle stuff to replace the Meguiar's products that you weren't pleased with.



This is all just opinion, though, but it really sounds like you need to focus on technique before you start worrying about product.
 
Another thing to keep in mind, the wrong wash mitt and towels for drying, the wrong applicators and the wrong towels for wax removal, probably caused most of your swirls. Very seldom is the swirl problem caused by the product.



Charles
 
CharlesW said:
Another thing to keep in mind, the wrong wash mitt and towels for drying, the wrong applicators and the wrong towels for wax removal, probably caused most of your swirls. Very seldom is the swirl problem caused by the product.



Charles
Click to expand...



Ditto on this one ... don't forget to purchase some microfiber towels. They are safe to use and won't scratch the paint. Also, use foam applicator pads to apply the products.
 
send me an e-mail with any questions..always ready to use my 25+ years as a detailer to help..also used to live in Tucson and California and am familiar with the weather you deal with.

steve
 
Hi,

Just to add a quick one to the great advice above,

Putting a car cover on a dirty car will scratch the car. The car must be clean before you put the cover on. Short of a washing, if the the car isn't too dirty you can use a CCD, (California Carduster) and some QD, (quick detailer) after the dusting with the proper towels to rid the surface of dust/light dirt that will scratch when putting the cover on or taking it off.

Do a search for quick detailing and The California Car Duster.

I also must mention the E-Book, it is great and it will be a tremendous resource to you.

Regards, Eric
 
Well, I started typing a long dissertation on washing cars, but then I realized that you probably know all of that. So, let me just run down the products I use. To give a history, I'm 18, have a black 2001 Chrysler Sebring LXi (with stock 17" chrome rims and spoiler), and am incredibly anal about my car. We're one big, happy family here because of that trait. =)



Tires: Simple Green foaming cleaner w/ tire brush. Not too sure on what the crowd here thinks of that, but it works fairly well...



Wheels: Don't usually use an actual cleaner because I keep my wheels so polished and waxed. Someone should be able to suggest a good cleaner.



Wash: Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash / Conditioner w/ a Viking Supersoft mitt.



Dry: The Absorber and terry towels.



Other stuff I use on my paint...

(a) Meg's Scratch X. Good for getting rid of light scratches and/or swirl marks, but it does technically remove a very, VERY small layer of clearcoat / paint to do it. I've used it once so far.

(b) Meg's Professional Show Car Glaze, No. 7. Good stuff... I love this glaze. Works by nourishing the paint w/ oils it may have lost through wear, oxidation, and so on, along w/ hiding (filling) small scratches / swirls. You should have no concerns w/ this stuff... (right guys?)

(c) Meg's High Tech Yellow Wax, No. 26. Also good stuff, I just finished my second coat a few hours ago. It is a pure wax and will only serve to add gloss / depth and protection; you should consider it after whatever you use to polish and/or glaze.

(d) Eagle One 20/20 Glass Cleaner. Readily available and does an excellent job on glass.

(e) Turtle Wax (lol, I know, of all things...) Chrome Polish. If you have any chrome, it's pretty good.

(f) Meg's Gold Class Endurance High Gloss Tire Dressing. Some people like the high gloss, some don't... but in any case, it does fade to a nice satin finish in a couple days.

(g) Rain X. Haven't tried Aquapel yet, but Rain X does work perfectly fine for me... no chatter, smearing, or anything.



And there's loads more... but anyway, hope some of that helped in some way.



(heh... just realized that, after a month here at Autopia, this is my first post. lol)
 
Welcome to Autopia!



Every single member of Autopia has their own specific product recommendations, however, we all agree on a few things:



1. There are no shortcuts to car care

2. Download the e-book

3. Multi-step detailing (shampoo, clay, polish, wax. etc) is the ONLY way to get best results.

4. Buy LOTS of microfiber towels, and use them for EVERYTHING



My advice is to reach out to a member you trust, and ask them for some tips- again, it's subjective, but it's a start.

Cheers,

John
 
One more thing:

Apply and remove products in the direction that the air flows over the car, in a straight line, NOT in a circular motion, like Dad taught.
 
many thanks for all of the info!



I am very anal about the car.... in NM we have a problem that a lot of people don't, there is "sandy-dirt" everywhere.... I had spent about 4 hours washing up the corvette... took it out, and when i came back the tail lights )vettes have indented circles) were filled with dirt.



I tried to vaccuum it off, but no luck, because I would still have to scrape....



I actually just purchased a carcoon - purified air bubble.... i hope it will solve a lot of these problems.



I only drive this car on the weekends... and only if there is no chance of rain.



One thing is for sure... detailing is an art... I am a computer programmer by profession.... and while the love and desire to do my car right is there, I dont know if I will have the ability.



Another question - apparently my rims are clear coated.... (never heard of that before, but thats what my owners manual says).... the former owner told me he used old fashioned soap and water, and none of these "one step" tire cleaners... any recommendations on that?



I am going to get some MG shampoo and wash her up tommorow... and look for some pure carnuba wax... or would I be missing some steps?



thanks!

Mike
 
Actually I will go out on a limb here, and ask one of you fine people to outline exactly how I should care for the car.. I mean like you were explaining to a child...



Wash (what to use)

dry (what to use)

polish (what to use)

wax (what to use)

between washings (what to use)



I was using terry cloth... but found another cloth that seemed softer, and I think it is what did the scratching...



I am a total idiot when it comes to car care.... and i am very particular (i am one of those that notices if a fingerprint is on the car that wasnt there before)... which makes it a bad combo.



I bought a buffer, and found I got better results if I did it by hand...



thank ya!

mike
 
Michael, you opened up quite a can !! Make sure your car is cool and in the shade.The first thing you want to do is get an automobile wash product, i.e. Meguiars, Armor all, Mothers, theres many out there and there all fairly equal in what there trying to accomplish...suds to assist in lifting dirt, and no harsh chemicals, and gentle coditioning, just make sure it says, "Wont harm wax" or something similiar to that....100 % cotton or a cotton covered sponge is a must to assist you in washing your baby. Make sure its USA cotton. Same with drying, 100 cotton, plus shade. A for polishes and waxes or polymers, the choice is yours !! There are many good reviews on here for lots of products. I will swear and highly recommend Blackfire however ! Others prefer Klasse, Sovereign, Platinum, the list goes on. Ya have to start somewhere, you might as well look on some reviews, and whatever strikes your cord, try !! Also, I would stay away from the general consumer use products, although their good, there not the best. You will need a "QD", Quick Detailer between washes, or when the birds are flying north, south, east or west !! Again, check the review section. My fav being either Blackfire, , or Mothers "Showtime". EO, Eagle one also makes a fine QD......Were all here to help you, eventually you will find a product you like, and you will have your reasons for liking it, other will have reasons why they dont, but only yours matters ! I too prefer to work by hand, i think feeling, while you work is important......
 
It's safe to use spray on, hose off wheel cleaners. Stick to something mentioned here, like Eagle One A2Z. It's perfectly safe to use regularly, and I do. Better though, is if you wax your rims (preferably with a synthetic wax) and then just use car soap on them. I'll be doing this once I figure out how get rid of the @$!%$ embedded brake dust!



A "tire cleaner" is another issue all together, and there is more than one way to approach this.
 
michaelkqkq said:
Actually I will go out on a limb here, and ask one of you fine people to outline exactly how I should care for the car.. I mean like you were explaining to a child...



Wash (what to use)

dry (what to use)

polish (what to use)

wax (what to use)

between washings (what to use)
Click to expand...



Mike,



All this is explained in the e-book. Have you at least downloaded the first 8 chapters and read them?



To be blunt, most of us are not gonna hold your hand and walk you thru Detailing Land when you can easily do this yourself. The questions you are asking are very basic and have been answered many, many, many times. We're here to help with very specific problems and issues but the grade-school learning is your responsibility.



I don't mean to flame you or tick you off. Just want to encourage you to learn on your own - the answers are out there.



Looking forward to explaining things to an adult, I remain,
 
Well, I'd have to agree.



Then again, if I were in his same position, I'd really appreciate somebody on the boards laying everything out for me. Even if it is introductory material, shouldn't we be here to help?
 
Polaris, yes we are here to help, but there is a subtle difference between helping and pampering, IMO.





In all honesty, I also encourage some independant learning because it is not really that hard and it is better for you. The basic principles are laid out in the eBook and then you can expand from there. Along the way, you will learn far more than if someone just plainly laid out a set of clear-cut instructions for you.



Besides, asking for someone to condense all their methods and techniques down to one (big) post is a bit of a tall order.



Good luck, and happy reading.
 
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