Wax: anyone want to dispute Meguiar's?

Post by **kcodyjr** » 04 Jul 2016, 17:59

I've been favoring Meguiar's Gold Class for years, but the last paint I took it to was sprayed in 1997. Times and materials have changed.

Anyone want to tell me I should be using something else on my 2012 with metallic paint?

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 07 Jul 2016, 08:32

Hi. I wouldn't dispute using any of Meguiar's products. Any application of their products has always yielded very positive results. Case in point, years ago when they introduced the nxt wax, I spent the better part of a day using a clay bar on a 2001 Subaru with metallic paint and rewaxed it with the nxt paste. I thought it looked great, but when I started getting compliments and guys at work coming up to me and asking me what I used, I knew I'd found a great product. However in more recent years with newer vehicles, I've more or less converted to paint sealant products due to their durability and protection. Normally claying the surface first then applying the sealant. The product I use gives plenty of shine and depth for my liking, but some connoisseurs opt to apply a good quality wax over a sealant claiming it enhances the shine and has a warmer tone. Overall though I've been very happy with the sealant. It fends off rock salt and road chips, lasts 3 or 4 times longer than a quality carnauba, and imparts a glossy shine.
This is the product I've been using in recent years:

http://www.chemicalguys.com/JetSeal_16_ ... 118_16.htm

Post by **kcodyjr** » 08 Jul 2016, 18:12

You just set me off on an hour of searching and perusing forums for the skinny about carnauba versus sealants.

I've signed up for an account on Meguiars' forums to ask about a specific care schedule, but it seems to me I should switch to their Ultimate synthetic product. I'll probably stick with the paste version. I'm old fashioned enough to prefer something I have to pick up from a can, wipe on, and buff off, but that JetSeal does look impressive.

First I've got to make the concrete anchors for the carport tent I just bought, because right now there's no point detailing the car because of the damn tree, high above, pissing sap like it's had one beer too many.

I then plan to high pressure hand wash and hand dry, probably try a clay bar for the 1st time, and then do something about its wax coating. I'm not sure what CarMax used but I suspect it was a cleaning wax - actual polishing compound would probably be too much like actual work. They didn't take a detailing brush to it.

The plan at the moment is to do 3 coats of the Ultimate, 3 days in a row, and then just use their Ultimate Quik after washes. I figure doing two real synthetic wax coats per year should do it, if I'm indeed going to park and cover it from first snow to last thaw. Let the 850 that's old enough to vote get the road salt.

I was wondering if I need to do something about stripping that CarMax wax off before applying a nanopolymer synthetic like Meguiar's Ultimate. I've read the nanopolymers want bare clearcoat to bond to. I know denatured alcohol dissolves wax, but that sounds a bit harsh. Any thoughts?

RigsPGT · Post by **RigsPGT** » 08 Jul 2016, 21:21

Ive got a bunch of waxes and sealants that I used on customer's cars when I ran a weekend business and my favorite from Megs is Meguires Professional 16 which you can only buy it in Europe. Natty's paste (smells good) has colored wax (used it on my Nautic Blue base) and I might get some red for my T5. As for sealants, I prefer Klasse although its a bit pain to lay it until you get the hang of it. Chemical guys have a full line of anything you might need and my favorite from them is Wet Mirror Finish final polish which makes the clearcoat feel soft to the touch a tad more than what you get from clay bars. Oh and as for clay bars, I like Chemical Guys clay as it comes in three categories (fine, medium and harsher) for different paints (older and abused or new/clean). As for polishes/ compounds, Menzerna has me hooked. After them, I use Chem guys (34,36,38,40). Megs 105 and 205 are also good but they dust a lot.
Two coats of wax are sufficient to achieve best results, after that you're just wasting it.

Alcohol is mixed 50/50 with distilled water when used on clearcoat. No worries, it only cleans

Best technique I've followed was:
wash, rinse, clay, wash, rinse, dry (use only microfiber towels), compound or polish, wash, rinse, dry, clean surface with alcohol, then either glaze or go straight to sealant. Next day (car sitting in garage) apply two coats of favorite wax and you'll love the outcome.
Sounds a lot and it is but there's nothing better than a clean car where you can't take your eyes off of it. I sound obsessed and I might be but after 2 days of hard work, you feel good when you get head turning results.

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 09 Jul 2016, 07:18

[quote/]I'm not sure what CarMax used but I suspect it was a cleaning wax - actual polishing compound would probably be too much like actual work. [/quote]
You might as well just start off with a clean slate. After reading rigs post now I'm checking out all the products he mentioned haha.

PS78 · Post by **PS78** » 09 Jul 2016, 07:22

RigsPGT wrote:Ive got a bunch of waxes and sealants that I used on customer's cars when I ran a weekend business and my favorite from Megs is Meguires Professional 16 which you can only buy it in Europe. Natty's paste (smells good) has colored wax (used it on my Nautic Blue base) quote] might get some red for my T5. As for sealants, I prefer Klasse although its a bit pain to lay it until you get the hang of it. Chemical guys have a full line of anything you might need and my favorite from them is Wet Mirror Finish final polish which makes the clearcoat feel soft to the touch a tad more than what you get from clay bars. Oh and as for clay bars, I like Chemical Guys clay as it comes in three categories (fine, medium and harsher) for different paints (older and abused or new/clean). As for polishes/ compounds, Menzerna has me hooked. After them, I use Chem guys (34,36,38,40). Megs 105 and 205 are also good but they dust a lot.
Two coats of wax are sufficient to achieve best results, after that you're just wasting it.

Alcohol is mixed 50/50 with distilled water when used on clearcoat. No worries, it only cleans
Best technique I've followed was:
wash, rinse, clay, wash, rinse, dry (use only microfiber towels), compound or polish, wash, rinse, dry, clean surface with alcohol, then either glaze or go straight to sealant. Next day (car sitting in garage) apply two coats of favorite wax and you'll love the outcome.
Sounds a lot and it is but there's nothing better than a clean car where you can't take your eyes off of it. I sound obsessed and I might be but after 2 days of hard work, you feel good when you get head turning results.

That was a really enlightening response. You should do a write up for the forum with all the steps you use when your detailing a vehicle. I think it would help a number of people out.

Post by **mrbrian200** » 03 Apr 2017, 11:10

Gold class car wash is the best. It doesn't make a mess on window glass like most other wax infused car wash concentrates I've come across over the years. I used to use paste wax but about a year ago discovered eagle 1 'superior nanowax' and haven't looked back.