yeah I used to use a floor wax out one of 'em old round tins . brand ?
nzdoug,
Sep 14, 12:59pm
Mothers MeQuires school here. Canuba, or is Eukaneuba?
socram,
Sep 14, 1:03pm
Clear coat on our last 3 vehicles was as shiny when we sold as when we bought. Although I have never used one, a clay bar might have helped remove some slight surface contamination, noticeable to touch, but not to look at. The actual clear coat itself was perfect.
I'm not so sure about non-clearcoat, but I use Meguiars on older paintwork, clear coat or non-clearcoat.
bryshaw,
Sep 14, 5:00pm
This guy has some expert views on clear coat being an unnecessary rort.
Ps - i keep the alfa under a car cover as just a spare toy, and actually polished her today.
mark.52,
Sep 14, 5:34pm
Re: Polish vs wax, polish is a compound that will very lightly cut the paintwork, and bring it up to a shine.
It isn't needed on a new car, or one with excellent paintwork.
Wax is a protective and shiny layer. The best waxes contain carnuba wax, which is extremely hard, therefore takes a long time to weather. I use Meguires. Mothers is also excellent.
Once the paintwork is older, maybe slightly faded or stained (with poop, road grime, sun-bleaching) it will need polishing. Wash it, dry it, and polish it. Once that's done ideally it should be waxed straight away.
Have watched that before - he is talking about paint protection like Duraseal or similar. And those are a rip off unless you live somewhere like North Dakota.
db.price,
Sep 14, 6:19pm
Nice - thanks for that
gammelvind,
Sep 14, 6:38pm
You would have serious problems with today's paint if you didn't apply clearcoat as the colour layer would lack durability and gloss. Non clearcoat required automotive finishes haven't been used OEM since the late 80's. All cars since then have been what is know as basecoat clearcoat finish.
Now the extra aftermarket clear paint protection coatings that some dealerships offer can make keeping the car clean longer but overall is likely a way of eking a bit of extra cash out of their customers.
fordcrzy,
Sep 14, 7:08pm
STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP! FOR starters you need to know the difference between a "polish" and a "protectant" you have a new car so youi DO NOT need a polish! what you need is a paint protectant. there are two main types which are carnauba wax and then synthetic waxes and coatings. carnauba wax gives a superior finish and protection but only lasts around 3-4 months before you need to reapply, synthetic coating last about 6 months. for your car i would buy Meguiers cleaner wax in a bottle. make sure you wash using a microfiber cloth and meguiers ultimate gold class wash and wax . if you want some synthetic coatings then give united car care a call and they can guide you on the best one. you will probably need to give your car a decontamination once a year with a "clay bar" and then a light going over with a paint glaze to remove light water spotting, meguiers M205 is good for this. BUT AGAIN DO NOT BUY A POLISH!
fordcrzy,
Sep 14, 7:11pm
also go and check out "detailing for dummies" on facebook. lots of excellent advice from professional detailers there
fordcrzy,
Sep 14, 7:14pm
oh and meguiers do a spray wax also which is good for after every wash if you just want to give extra protection to the common weathered areas such as front/bonnet. i made the mistake of throwing my wipe off cloth on the bonnet to do another area and it slid straight off
fordcrzy,
Sep 14, 7:53pm
a car with a decent wax on it stays cleaner for longer and looks better so its a win in my book. having said that the mazda red is a pain to keep looking nice. a local sales rep has one thats a year old and looks about ten
db.price,
Sep 14, 8:28pm
This is the new one again - the Crystal Soul Red. Much deeper colour than the old one.
I too like to give a car a good clean and then a wax/polish - it makes the pain pop just a little more and as you say keeps it looking good
bryshaw,
Sep 22, 4:50pm
A mate paid $200 to have some coating applied to his new car and was told not to wash the car in sunlight. He didn't ask what would happen to the coating.
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