Car Wax and other products - What do you use?

BaggedLancer

So I'm a bit OCD when it comes to cleaning my car, and I'm always trying new products on the market. Let me clarify, new products that are available in local stores. Sure, there are a million mail order products, and some costing hundreds of dollars and up, but I don't have the time or patience to research those and buy them. Often times I'll run out of something and have to run to the store, so I want to know store products that work.

Couple products that really got me recently:

Meguiar's NXT 2.0 Paste Wax


With a price tag of around $15 per can at Walmart, this by far is probably one of the best waxes I have ever used. It goes on easy, dries quickly, and buffs out absolutely gorgeous. The finish is like glass, and lasts for quite a long time. It's been 3 weeks since I applied it, I just washed my car, and it's still smooth as can be and the water beads right off. I also use it on my windows as a Rain-X and buff it off the same way I do on the paint. Drastically helps seeing during rain storms. I use a microfiber bonnet on my orbital buffer and wash it after each use.

Mother's Chrome Polish


With a price tag of around $4-$5 from Walmart, this is the easiest chrome polish to use. Wipe it on, let it dry, wipe it off. I use it on my exhaust, the trim around my doors, my door handles, and my grill.

Meguiar's Hot Rims All Wheel Cleaner


Similiar price tag as other products in the $5 range, this wheel cleaners gets the gunk off great. Spray it on, scrub the wheels with a rim brush, and hose it off. Simple.

Those are the three products I really like and will continue to purchase. The rest of the cleaners I use for Bug & Tar Removal, Back to Black, Carpet Cleaners, Leather Conditioners, Armor All, and others I'm still in search of those "great" products.

As for waxes, I've tried so many now....Zymol, Gold Class, Mother's, Meguiar's, Turtle Wax, and more.

Anyone else really enjoy cleaning their car?

audiobliss

I really enjoy washing, waxing, and cleaning out my Jeep. Sure, it's old and has a lot of imperfections in the paint now, but it still looks great when it's been recently washed and waxed, and it's an enjoyable process to just spend some alone time with me, the radio, and the Jeep.

jon s

To me, the best carnauba wax is S100 motorcycle wax. sold at most harley locations. easy to put on, long lasting and leaves no residue on vinyl. i think it's also sold as P21S auto wax (it's the same product, same packaging, except its labeled as auto wax)... the auto wax is harder to find and for some reason is more expensive than the motorcycle version.

the best synthetic polish is Zaino. Super easy to apply, but it requires a longer curing time. this one is a tad expensive but will last for months.

Zaino...

MikeC78

I actually really like the Turtle Wax ICE products... Does not leave any white marks on plastic and goes on easy and comes off even easier. Probably the simpliest wax I've ever used.

BaggedLancer

Nice looking cars Jon S, all yours?

jon s

'fraid not... i drive a six year old beat up VW Passat...

the problem with meguiars and turtle wax is that that they do not last long... meguairs also tends to streak after a couple of days...

BaggedLancer

jon s wrote: »

'fraid not... i drive a six year old beat up VW Passat...

the problem with meguiars and turtle wax is that that they do not last long... meguairs also tends to streak after a couple of days...

Hmm, never had streaking with ANY Meguiar's product I've ever used....


And yes, most don't last as long as they say, but this 2.0 is the same as it was the day I did it, 3 weeks later.

Rivrrat

I use whatever the detail people use at the car wash I go to.

candyliquor35m

wax on wax off. I like the kit wax in the yellow metal container. I use the mothers on chrome, aluminum, etc.

mantis

In my car days I used to Detail. back then Ardex was good stuff and I enjoyed most of there products. 3m also makes a really nice product.

Today I use Mothers. I have tried many different products and found nothing lasts a long time. You have to wax your car like once a month or more to maintain that high gloss look and feel. I have some Zymoil and it's pretty expensive but it doesn't last that long and it's hard to work with.

Mothers California gold.

I tend to spray wax in between waxes. I also keep my truck in the garage but where I part it at work, it gets really dusty. I hate it. Now that I have a dark color car, it shows every effin thing just like black does.

Dan

Sherardp

I use Zaino, best stuff out there, little expensive but just as jon S pics show, the stuff does wonders. Gotta love it. Its craved all on the Cadillac Forum, which is where I learned of it.

bigaudiofanatic

I use Mothers pure carnuba wax and for a quick shine Mothers Syntech spray wax. The is no shine like mothers! For cars I detail like porsches i use zymol.

GaryZ06

Sherardp wrote: »

I use Zaino, best stuff out there, little expensive but just as jon S pics show, the stuff does wonders. Gotta love it. Its craved all on the Cadillac Forum, which is where I learned of it.

I have been using Zaino for about 12 years and it has an amazing shine and without a doubt is the most durable on the market....Actually it is not expensive at all.....rather cheap to use.....I can get about 24-30 coats out of an 8 oz. bottle.Remember with Zaino you do not apply it like any other wax or polish...The thinner the better.

Sherardp

GaryZ06 wrote: »

I have been using Zaino for about 12 years and it has an amazing shine and without a doubt is the most durable on the market....Actually it is not expensive at all.....rather cheap to use.....I can get about 24-30 coats out of an 8 oz. bottle.Remember with Zaino you do not apply it like any other wax or polish...The thinner the better.

Roger that, and it is indeed good stuff for those wanting to try it. Nice Infinity BL

TouchOfEvil

I use the Ultimate detailing machine as my buffer, nattys blue paste wax, poorboy sr1/sr2 exp sealant optiseal sealant, red moose glaze...i use alot of product but if you want to do a real detail that has a truely kickass look/feel it's what it takes.
I use more products that this, this is just a quick list i went over in my head.

McLoki

It is hard to believe, but this stuff is pretty cheap and leaves a shine you have to see to believe. Give it a shot - you can usually get a bottle for $5-$7 or so.

I am sure this will not matter to anyone, but it was also the #1 chosen car wax by consumer reports. (over Meguiar's, Turtle Wax, Zymol, Eagle-1, P21, and a few others) I have seen pics of it side by side against Zaino and I thought this looked better.



(at its asking price - feel free to mock me, but only after you try it. )

Michael

VR3

Hmm -- hard for me to really show off as I am still getting my paint up to speed from the previous owner NEVER waxing it and going to Autohell one to many times. My paint when I got it was like sand paper almost...

Just now a year and 20 coats later I almost have it where I want it, except the tailgate...

For the first 20 coats I did the following to get it back to where I want it...

Wax ---

Maguires 3 Step Process, Cleaner, Polish, Wax

And Mothers Power Ball for the buffer

And if time allowed -

I applied a coat of Eagle One Nano Wax...

I really like the Nano Wax. My Dad uses Turtle Wax Ice and he loves it, I have yet to try it...

For external plastic, like the bed caps - bed cover, the wiper cowl area - I use tire shine gel... there is nothing on the market in a spray bottle Ive seen that can get this kind of plastic to shine like the gels...

For the other plastic areas, Ill use a tire shine spray - same for the wheel wells and so forth... - much denser than standard armor all - last longer and looks better...

I dont armor all my tires anymore since my girl friend lives down a .25 mile dirt road - its pointless...

Wheels are painted, so I dont really pay them much mind...

For my chrome and stainless steel trim - I use Mothers Power Metal Polish -- that with conjunction of the power ball is the easiest way to shine anything. It sucks if you apply it by hand, but speed it up - its awesome...

For my bug deflector, window vents, and the lights - I use Meguires Plast X - works great for keeping new lights looking new and older lights looking closer to new...

BaggedLancer

Sherardp wrote: »

Roger that, and it is indeed good stuff for those wanting to try it. Nice Infinity BL

Thanks, and that's infinitI

Sherardp

BaggedLancer wrote: »

Thanks, and that's infinitI

Oooops, sorry about that.

BaggedLancer

Sherardp wrote: »

Oooops, sorry about that.

Haha, no worries, the people over on the Infiniti forum sometimes do it too. Pretty common actually....even people on craigslist list their cars as Infinity....

Been debating on whether to switch over to all Nissan badging....front grill, trunk, and steering wheel cover.

SDA SRS 1.2

Have had good results with Griot's products, especially their Speed Shine. Excellent for a quick detail.

dh4645

I use rain-x car wash, turtle wax, and lots of different black magic and meguiars polish/cleaners. I use wheel wax (http://www.wheelwax.com/) on the chrome wheels after they're all clean to try and keep the brake dust and gunk off

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2034806

Mike Kozak

In order to do the job properly, you should use a clay bar after washing the car, then polish, and or wax it.

dh4645

Mike Kozak wrote: »

In order to do the job properly, you should use a clay bar after washing the car, then polish, and or wax it.

so post a link or a name of one we should buy

Mike Kozak

http://www.claymagic.net/ this is what I use

dh4645

Mike Kozak wrote: »

http://www.claymagic.net/ this is what I use

cool, thanks.

steveinaz

I don't wash my car. ever.

Libertyc

I never used a clay bar but heard they work awesome. I usually machine wax/polish and finish with a microfiber cloth.

TouchOfEvil

http://www.glimmerglassdetailing.com//clay-bars-and-lubricants.html

Great site has basically anything you could need to do a full detail to your car.
Also the link has several differant clay bars on it each one with differant grades to remove contaminents based off of how bad your paint is.