I'm kinda new to waxing cars (I used to help my dad wash or wax his porsche, jag (before they were ford) and SL500 every weekend (no he didn't have all the cars at the same time)- but i was like... 6-12).

Anyhow, I washed and waxed the car last monday and got a really beautiful shine out of it, it was gorgeous. I was able to keep it in the garage from monday-friday before i headed over to my girlfriend's place for the weekend (who doesn't have a garage). So today, its pouring in Southeast Michigan and I will obviously want to wash the car when the rain stops.

2 Questions:
1) How often should I wax the car? Maybe a more appropriate question is: can you wax a car too much to the point that its bad for the paint? I would love to do it every month to keep that shine going, but I'm not sure if that's overkill or not.

2) How long should I wait after waxing to wash the car again? Like I said, I was able to keep the car in the garage for 5 days to let the wax set in, but now its sunday, its raining and i want to wash it tomorrow (monday). Is this plenty of time for the wax to have set in?

Thanks so much guys... and gals.

I lied, two more quick questions... what's the best method for getting bird crap off the car? Just go over it carefully with a shammy (I forget the correct spelling)? And, is it safe to dry the car with a wet shammy after it rains? Or will this just rub the dirt and grime into the car?

Thanks again.

1.) As often as it is needed. Some people wax every 2 weeks. Others wax 2x a year. It is not bad for your paint unless you start to use bad towels that leave swirl marks.

2.) Go to http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/80230-how-properly-wax-your-car.html good tips to read up on Wax/Washing. The only thing you do not really want to do is apply wax on top of more wax that might have dirt buildup.

You would want to remove all wax with a detergent soap like dish soap. This will remove all waxes on your car. Then you would want to clay the car and start with a fresh layer of wax. You can apply more than 1 coat of wax at that point because you are not sealing the dirt in.

Most people will do a prewash to clean then do another wash to be super sure they are not sealing dirt into the wax.

What are some good brands?

Any thoughts on Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0?

I went to wax my hood and noticed it slightly changed the shade of color. Is this bad? Wasn't really shinier just different.
Also I get mixed advice for applying wax. Some say to do it in circular motions and others have told me to do it back and forth. Some said to push down HARD on the car and some said not so hard. Which is really the right way?

The debate on good waxes will be the worst ever cause everyone thinks wat they use is the best and there are 100 different waxes out there. Personally, and many believe this as well, that Zaino is prob 1 out of the top 3 best waxes out there. You can only order it online, but I must say its the greatest stuff I have ever used. Put it on, 2 weeks later water still beads up and looks awesome. I def would recommend that. Meguires gold class is another fav of mine

I just posted a thread with some good details, pics, and videos of my thorough detailing process (http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2709). Also, I recommend you check out some of the products at www.tropi-care.com ...you'll find almost everything you need to get your car looking amazing! :)

Adam

I've used the Meguiars NXT on mine, works great...

Zaino is prob 1 out of the top 3 best waxes out there. You can only order it online, but I must say its the greatest stuff I have ever used. Put it on, 2 weeks later water still beads up and looks awesome. I def would recommend that.

:iagree: Have used Zaino for over 7 years on three different cars and NEVER had a problem, ALWAYS looks head turning great! If you are going to put in the time, and want the best, then do Zainos. By the way, its a polish, not a wax.:thumbsup:

I'm kinda new to waxing cars (I used to help my dad wash or wax his porsche, jag (before they were ford) and SL500 every weekend (no he didn't have all the cars at the same time)- but i was like... 6-12).

Anyhow, I washed and waxed the car last monday and got a really beautiful shine out of it, it was gorgeous. I was able to keep it in the garage from monday-friday before i headed over to my girlfriend's place for the weekend (who doesn't have a garage). So today, its pouring in Southeast Michigan and I will obviously want to wash the car when the rain stops.

2 Questions:
1) How often should I wax the car? Maybe a more appropriate question is: can you wax a car too much to the point that its bad for the paint? I would love to do it every month to keep that shine going, but I'm not sure if that's overkill or not.

2) How long should I wait after waxing to wash the car again? Like I said, I was able to keep the car in the garage for 5 days to let the wax set in, but now its sunday, its raining and i want to wash it tomorrow (monday). Is this plenty of time for the wax to have set in?

Thanks so much guys... and gals.

I lied, two more quick questions... what's the best method for getting bird crap off the car? Just go over it carefully with a shammy (I forget the correct spelling)? And, is it safe to dry the car with a wet shammy after it rains? Or will this just rub the dirt and grime into the car?

Thanks again.

Any question you could possibly think of or any product that is available for detailing is or has been discussed here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=10

The Corvette people are anal about detailing their cars. How do I know?

I didn't mean for this to turn into a discussion about the best brand of wax. The wax I used was hand mixed by a local detailer and recommended by numerous people in my local area. Thanks for all of the feedback.

I clean/wax my car every saturday. blackdevil77...the color thing is normal you just have to use a microfibre cloth and rub it in a bit.

My only recomendation to washing a car is never wash it in direct sunlight, always go in shade or do it in the morning or night. Also dry the car asap so you dont get watermarks soaked in.

Any question you could possibly think of or any product that is available for detailing is or has been discussed here:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=10

The Corvette people are anal about detailing their cars. How do I know?


Good advice. They have posted a ton of tips and tricks on this subject. Thank you very much....I learned alot!

you need to minimise the amount you touch the paint as much as possible. You say you waxed but did you do any paint prep prior??

Prep can take as long as 10-40 hours. I do this for a living and very few people I know of do it as well. The skill with a rotary polisher is essential. See pics.

Zaino is good for a lot of people beacuse it leaves a really shinny surface that protects well. But it doesnt allow for the clear to breath. nor does it give a real depth in refelction. I have been using some of the best Carnaubas for years now and I generally only work on the super cars and exotics. Its all in the prep. I will wet sand a new car if it needs it because of excess OP. To completely correct paint you need a pro. Not something you can just pick up.

Someone else mentioned Tropicare. Talk to Steve and ask him for some of the entry level packages that will get you going. But for our cars, your best bet is to apply a sealer then apply a good carny every 6-8 weeks. As long as you are washing the right way, uising the right materials then you can keep biulding the wax up. But it has to be a purer form of carnauba.

here are the top types of carnauba waxes.

1. White: the brazilian carnauba starts as a sap and has to be refined to a white consistency. It is the purest form and the most protective wax available. It will out perform almost any sealer out there. You can get as high as 70% + of white in a good wax. Swisvax and the almight Zymol have the top White waxes which can cost as much as $2000 (Vintage Glaze) for a great jar or as much as $30,000!!! (Zymol Solaris) All these waxes are made with natural ingredients. You could actually eat em.

2. Ivory: This is a blend of yellow Carnauba synthetically made but still has a lot of natural ingrdients. Not as transparent as White. But still beautiful. (TC Paste wax, Pinnacle Souveran.)

3. Yellows, browns, etc... there are alot of other waxes that claim they have either high content of yellow or white but do not. You really have to pay good money for a good wax. (Meg's Mothers all that crap... im sorry I mean store bought waxes. :))

Souveran is around $90/jar. Good for around 40 cars maybe. and one of the best waxes availabel right now. TC paste is on par and even better priced.

Couple of tricks:
1. Elec blower (reverse vacuum) is great to blow off dust.
2. Use water spot free water then youwont have to wash as hard or hurry to dry as much. Water spots are the worst and can be there without you even knowing.

Here are some pics.
http://www.g8board.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=969&d=1210698422
http://www.g8board.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=970&d=1210698442
This next one is a 2000 BMW 750i. It was so bad I wet sanded the whole car. The scratches were well into the clar but the paint still measured high enough to nock down a few microns. SO one side has been wet sanded with 1500, then 2000, then 3000. The 3 stages of polishing. No glaze or wax yet. You can still see a few smears on the finished side.
http://www.g8board.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=971&d=1210698472
This one had soem horrific Swirl marks and micromar halogens from someone hacking it up with a buffer that hadno clue what he was doing!!
http://www.g8board.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=972&d=1210698508
http://www.g8board.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=973&d=1210698522

I'm kinda new to waxing cars (I used to help my dad wash or wax his porsche, jag (before they were ford) and SL500 every weekend (no he didn't have all the cars at the same time)- but i was like... 6-12).

Anyhow, I washed and waxed the car last monday and got a really beautiful shine out of it, it was gorgeous. I was able to keep it in the garage from monday-friday before i headed over to my girlfriend's place for the weekend (who doesn't have a garage). So today, its pouring in Southeast Michigan and I will obviously want to wash the car when the rain stops.

2 Questions:
1) How often should I wax the car? Maybe a more appropriate question is: can you wax a car too much to the point that its bad for the paint? I would love to do it every month to keep that shine going, but I'm not sure if that's overkill or not.

2) How long should I wait after waxing to wash the car again? Like I said, I was able to keep the car in the garage for 5 days to let the wax set in, but now its sunday, its raining and i want to wash it tomorrow (monday). Is this plenty of time for the wax to have set in?

Thanks so much guys... and gals.

I lied, two more quick questions... what's the best method for getting bird crap off the car? Just go over it carefully with a shammy (I forget the correct spelling)? And, is it safe to dry the car with a wet shammy after it rains? Or will this just rub the dirt and grime into the car?

Thanks again.
Re: chamois (here in Seattle we pronounce that sham-wa)........I have heard that they are a definite NO-NO. I am sure that someone with a BS degree in automobile finish will be willing to answer that in more detail.

No, really. I'm curious..............or just weird. :p

No, really. I'm curious..............or just weird. :p

Pen, you have always been the leader in weird! But there are some of us out here that have taken up the challenge and are ready to take the weird mantel as their own! :gr_jest::gr_jest: I personally NEVER use a SHAMWA, just a 100% white cotton towel, washed, double rinsed, and dried without any fabric softeners. Having a black vehicle, whenever I seen streak/scratch marks I know its time to claybar!:wink2::

Pen, you have always been the leader in weird! But there are some of us out here that have taken up the challenge and are ready to take the weird mantel as their own! :gr_jest::gr_jest: I personally NEVER use a SHAMWA, just a 100% white cotton towel, washed, double rinsed, and dried without any fabric softeners. Having a black vehicle, whenever I seen streak/scratch marks I know its time to claybar!:wink2::

Chamois is the best and softest way to dry a car. But you have to get the right one. A good one will cost you at least $15 and is a synthetic blend Cham. Really soft and will last years. I have 5 and some are nearly 2 years old. The store bought (Autozone etc...) ones are like leather and not great at all.

To correct you BBBB the last thing you should use on your car is a cotten towel. They are way too aggressive and thats why you may be getting spider webbing. (thats not swirls or Micro marring BTW). You should only use Micro fiber towels. they are soft and should not be washed with anything other than some light oxy and maybe some vinager then hung to dry, no dryer!!

Another good way to dry is with an electric blower but you should use soft water.

Also to clarify earlier question. Any movement on paint needs to be in cross hatched lines overlapping each other! NO CIRCLES

There is so much stuff to get right to avoid spiders from bad car washing.

wait till we get into Hydrophobia......

Chamois is the best and softest way to dry a car. But you have to get the right one. A good one will cost you at least $15 and is a synthetic blend Cham. Really soft and will last years. I have 5 and some are nearly 2 years old. The store bought (Autozone etc...) ones are like leather and not great at all.

To correct you BBBB the last thing you should use on your car is a cotten towel. They are way too aggressive and thats why you may be getting spider webbing. (thats not swirls or Micro marring BTW). You should only use Micro fiber towels. they are soft and should not be washed with anything other than some light oxy and maybe some vinager then hung to dry, no dryer!!

Another good way to dry is with an electric blower but you should use soft water.

Also to clarify earlier question. Any movement on paint needs to be in cross hatched lines overlapping each other! NO CIRCLES

There is so much stuff to get right to avoid spiders from bad car washing.

wait till we get into Hydrophobia......

SON OF A.... just washed all my microfiber towels... and then put them in the dryer (package said machine wash okay, so i figured dryer was okay). I assume just run em through the wash again and hang dry them, there is no way one cycle in the dryer ruined my 3 microfiber towels... did it? I already used one to quick detail the car and it didnt scratch the car or anything, whats the harm in using the dryer?

I think the dryer was a bad idea

To correct you BBBB the last thing you should use on your car is a cotten towel. They are way too aggressive and thats why you may be getting spider webbing. (thats not swirls or Micro marring BTW).

Gee, guess those guys at Zaino are full of sh@% then, along with their combined 50 years of experience with paint and finishes, because 100% cotton is what they recommend. And I know what spider webbing is, and I don't have any. But thanks for thinking of me!:wink2:

Gee, guess those guys at Zaino are full of sh@% then, along with their combined 50 years of experience with paint and finishes, because 100% cotton is what they recommend. And I know what spider webbing is, and I don't have any. But thanks for thinking of me!:wink2:

I dont mean any offense by it, but you said in your last post that when you see light scratches you bust out the clay (which does not take care of scratches at all BTW). That lead me to believe that you get scratches after a while of washing. What im saying is that its the cotten towels that are scratching your car. Ill choose to not comment wbout Zaino, but yes they are wrong! If you look close enough at a new age car you will find that your finger print can actually scratch the surface.

Some quick trivia: In 2000 the VOC regulations forced paint manufacturers to use water as the base to all auto paint which makes clear coat really soft. Older clear is harder but modern day clear is so sensitive! Exceptions are Mercedes, RR, Aston Martin and some other high brands that make nano particle clear which is much harder.

Bottom line mate, its not as easy to wash a car the right way as some think. Cotten is the old Micro fiber towels are the new. If you search any other detailing forum you'll see the same response. Its common knowledge.

SON OF A.... just washed all my microfiber towels... and then put them in the dryer (package said machine wash okay, so i figured dryer was okay). I assume just run em through the wash again and hang dry them, there is no way one cycle in the dryer ruined my 3 microfiber towels... did it? I already used one to quick detail the car and it didnt scratch the car or anything, whats the harm in using the dryer?

no you didnt ruin them but what happens is they become more likely to scratch because of pilling. They almost feel harsher... sharper to the touch...!

Just take them and boil them. That should help soften them up.

I just ordered some micro fiber towels today and can't wait to try them out. My G8 will have nothing but MF touching it. I bought some MF dish towels at my local grocery store and was amazed how well they absorbed water.

I bought them online from... Nope not going to post it up as it'll be deleted. I did a search on google for a discount code for the vendor and was able to find a forum that posted one up so I got 10% off the order as well. So proud of myself... lol

Anyway... I read all about them and they are WAY less likely to scratch over cotton which I've used up until now. I also read that you need to be aware that there are CHEAP MF towels out there. The ones I bought were guaranteed to be of higher quality. We'll see I guess.:)

Oreilly has good deals on them. I use them once for paint and then they become shop towels for the house

I bought at Pepboys a pack of 10 microfiber towels.

1 drying car
1 for drying wheels
1 wiping off wax
1 put wax on wheels
1 take wax off wheels
1 for viper speed wax application
1 remove interior dust
1 remove excess interior cleaner

as you can see, i only use a towel for each thing. you dont want to dry your car off, then apply wax with it, then clean your wheels, and finally take wax off lol.

for $15 you cant go wrong with getting a lot of microfiber towels. no cotton towels touch my car. i bought a brand new wash mit for the car, i love it! i use the old one for the wheels.

Ausstar,

Can you recommend a package to get someone started? I have used Zaino in the past with pretty good results but have done some damage over the years with cotton towels, especially in the sun. I have heard similar negatives about Zaino but I don't want to turn this into an anti-zaino thread.
Just curios on where someone could get started for say around $100 ~ $125 on cleaner/wax/MF towels. I just don't have the time to come up to speed on the detailing forums to figure out what wax I should be buying or where to get it from. Please PM me if you have any vendor details.

Thanks

Ausstar,

Can you recommend a package to get someone started? I have used Zaino in the past with pretty good results but have done some damage over the years with cotton towels, especially in the sun. I have heard similar negatives about Zaino but I don't want to turn this into an anti-zaino thread.
Just curios on where someone could get started for say around $100 ~ $125 on cleaner/wax/MF towels. I just don't have the time to come up to speed on the detailing forums to figure out what wax I should be buying or where to get it from. Please PM me if you have any vendor details.

Thanks

FWIW I just spent 91 bucks on a selection of MF stuff. Oh and I forgot the dang wax removal towels so this kit isn't everything...:whine:

Microfiber Towels -- Big (3) 17.95
Blue III Drying Towel

Grip-it Microfiber (1) 7.95
Chenille Wash Mitt

Jumbo Applicator Kit (1) 12.95

One Extra Red Grit Guard (1) 9.95
Subtotal 84.70
Coupon discount -8.47
(catalogs)
Subtotal 76.23
Shipping 14.95
Tax 0.00
Total 91.18

As stated earlier touch your paint less! Less chance to create imperfections.

Ausstar,

Can you recommend a package to get someone started? I have used Zaino in the past with pretty good results but have done some damage over the years with cotton towels, especially in the sun. I have heard similar negatives about Zaino but I don't want to turn this into an anti-zaino thread.
Just curios on where someone could get started for say around $100 ~ $125 on cleaner/wax/MF towels. I just don't have the time to come up to speed on the detailing forums to figure out what wax I should be buying or where to get it from. Please PM me if you have any vendor details.

Thanks

You can go to PepBoys and get medguires foam hand pad. It’s a small circle foam piece that fits in your hand nicely. I use Zaino and always have and its best stuff IMO. Make sure you buy yourself a new car washing mit. Use the mit to wash the paint and that’s all. Don't do the wheels with it or anything else. Put yourself up some microfiber towels (they sell them in packs of 8 I believe). Use 1 or 2 to dry the car and use a separate one for the wheels (if you don’t dry wheels, it will leave water spots). I have this speed wax stuff, I believe Eagle 1 sells it. You spray that on real quick, let it dry, then wipe it off. Then you put on your Zaino or water wax/polish you want to use. It goes on much easier after you applied speed wax. Then wipe it off with a microfiber towel and your all set. You can detail your car nicely for less then $75. More about preparation and taking your time then what products you use. Someone can spend $500 on supplies, but if they put it on with sand paper its useless.

I use a electric leaf blower to dry car and then spray detail. I found drying picks up the most crap that causes imperfections. No do mix chemicals/cleaners on towels. When in doubt, get a new towel! They make Micro Fiber everything. I use MF applicators for interior and exterior waxing etc. They even have a MF wash mit. Rinse from inside out.

Clay bar question. How difficult is it and can you actually cause damage to the clearcoat?

Clay bar question. How difficult is it and can you actually cause damage to the clearcoat?

Keep the paint wet with whatever spray they give you or recommend, and you will have to buff when done. Powerball works great. No burning of the paint!

Clay bar question. How difficult is it and can you actually cause damage to the clear coat?

Done it a ton and LOVE it! It removes the rail dust without harming or removing the clear coat. It also works at removing paint over spray. To see if you need to do it, put your hand in a plastic baggy (ziploc) or like and rub it across a clean hood. Does it grab or does it move smoothly? Grab=needs clayed.

I always wax, polish, dry my vehicles in straight lines. Not sure if it's right but I find that it's harder to see imperfections when you do it that way.

I am all for a leaf blower but mine is gas and it blows the exhaust out the nozzle for noise reasons. Not a good one to use on the paint IMO.

Anyway... :)

I've used Griot's clay bar which I like because it's huge and comes in a nice reusable screw lid container. I just use Meguire's quick detailer as the lubricant because I can buy it locally and it works great.

Good luck!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcZRj509Ir8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfEfLGL59GI

2 Questions:
1) How often should I wax the car? Maybe a more appropriate question is: can you wax a car too much to the point that its bad for the paint? I would love to do it every month to keep that shine going, but I'm not sure if that's overkill or not.

2) How long should I wait after waxing to wash the car again? Like I said, I was able to keep the car in the garage for 5 days to let the wax set in, but now its sunday, its raining and i want to wash it tomorrow (monday). Is this plenty of time for the wax to have set in?

Thanks so much guys... and gals.

I lied, two more quick questions... what's the best method for getting bird crap off the car? Just go over it carefully with a shammy (I forget the correct spelling)? And, is it safe to dry the car with a wet shammy after it rains? Or will this just rub the dirt and grime into the car?

Thanks again.

To your first ? As to how often to wax your car especially from the leading wax makers since they would arguably have a self interest in the answer. I use the basic rule of thumb most ppl use…I watch my water beads like a hawk. Water should bead nicely and have an almost oily (wax) look about them, also on a dry day, I wet a small surface in the morning on the front bumper and with a soft cotton towel (for testing only) I like the water to streak like a brush oil paint as it tells me the wax is very much active. I use the microfiber towels for all drying after washing.

Like oil changes, when in doubt I simply do over every 4-6 weeks with a “Showtime” or similar product in between and it does the trick nicely.
As to my favorite brand?
I always like large established brands that have a lot of research behind them and a large liability stake (market share) going for them. I had used McGuire’s for years until the G8 came along when I went to Mother’s and which I like better since it leaves almost no wax streaks and is easier to apply and leaves a beautiful show room shine.
As for bird crap I get it off as soon as I can with car soap and water, same for bugs I like to get them off first thing in the morning before they have a chance to dry hard and use car soap to gently scrub them off.
Moreover, I do not dry shammy after rain since there may be some contaminants like chemicals from nearby plants or fine dust on the surface of vehicle and would not want to rub them in.

But that’s just me!

Cheers!

for bird crap, use a wet, damp towel and blot the bird crap. Do not wipe it or push it at all cause it will scratch your paint. Just keep dabbing it and eventually it will get picked up.

As for clay bar, cant harm your car unless you dont use a solution under it (spray detailer). I store mine in a zip lock baggy after spraying the whole baggy with detailer to keep the bag from sticking. Keep in cool, dry place.

I dont like the electric leaf blower because it leaves water spots. After washing the entire car, I used a california blade and wipe away major water areas. Then finish drying with a microfiber wash towel. Just make sure the blade is clean on the california water blade.

Everyone has their own technique so whatever works for some may not work for others. Thats what makes it fun!