Super Awesome! waxing question!

Hey guys, I want a really good wax on my Jaguar, especially because I live in the Rockies. I believe the correct process is to wash, apply a cleaner, polish, and wax. I have 3M Cleaner/Wax, Turtle Wax, Turtle Wax Polish (2001). Should I use the Cleaner/Wax first, polish, then Wax?

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

Are you looking for a long lasting wax with durability or a beauty wax
If you're gonna polish the car, I would forget the cleaner wax.

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Also, are you gonna be doing this by hand or with a polisher??

 

Some of those products you have are just going to be duplicating work. Usually the Cleaner/Wax combos are designed to be a one step process, in that they clean/polish and apply a wax coat at the same time. Given the products you have, you could do the following:

1. Wash > Turtle wax polish > Turtle wax
2. Wash > 3M Cleaner/wax

You may want to consider using a clay bar on the car first. This will help you remove all the contaminates on the paint and give you a cleaner surface to apply wax. If you prefer commercial products, you could probably get a Mothers Clay Bar/Detailer spray combo at your local autoparts store. Another simple step you can do after claying is wiping the car down with 50/50 mix of distilled water and Isopropyl alcohol. This assures that any old wax and contaminates are removed.

 

I am panning to do it by hand, unless you would recommend other wise.

Also I have found some 3M Hand Glaze, would you recommend using this?

 

Since you're doing it by hand, why not use the glaze. It'll hide the imperfections for a bit, then eventually wear off. Use the glaze before the wax. Also, try wiping the car down 50/50 Rubbing Alcohol (aka Isopropyl Alcohol/IPA) mixed with water. It should help the wax get a better bond with the paint.

 

Ok, so what I should do after washing and drying is to wipe it down with water/ alcohol, then hand glaze. After that polish and finally wax. Correct?

 

Wash, claybar, polish, glaze, wax

 

Hi. My son asked me to propose to him a workable detailing wash and wax regimen for his daily driver. Here is what I came up with for him. Perhaps you will find it useful:

Microfiber towels (more the merrier)
Waffle-weave microfiber drying towel
Tire/wheel brush
2 foam or microfiber applicators
Meguiar's or Mother's clay bar kit
Cleaner Wax or ColorX
NXT Generation Tech Wax or HiTech Yellow Wax (M26)

Every one or two weeks:

1) Wash your car using the two bucket method:

How to Wash Your Car Show Car Style

Dry with your waffle-weave towel.

Every two to three months:

2) Inspect paint surface. Gently run your hand over the surface. Is it smooth as glass? Do you feel bumps and rough spots? If you do, you need to clay your car:

How to Claybar Your Car

Typically, you will only need to clay your car twice a year.

3) Apply a coat of Cleaner Wax or ColorX. Massage it into the paint. You are working it into the paint in order to clean the paint and remove oxidization and previous layers of wax. Allow to haze and wipe off.

Wait 15-30 minutes.

4) Apply a thin coat of NXT or M26. Allow to haze and wipe off. If you wish (this is purely optional), you may apply a second coat of your LSP (last step product), optimally waiting 12 hours between coats.

The products I have listed above are readily available from local auto stores. Substitute your preferred products for the ones I have cited. The important thing is to adopt a regular regimen and stick to it. Hope this helps.

Keep it simple and keep it fun!

Cheers,
Al

 

Thanks! but why would you not glaze first? (just curious)

 

If you put the glaze on first, you would just remove it when you used the polish.

 

Technically if you polish, you really don't need a glaze. The glaze pretty much just acts as a filler to hide imperfections. So if you polish correctly, no need for glaze. But since you're polishing by hand, most likely you won't be able to get all of the imperfections out. Therefore polish then glaze. You should wipe the car down after the polishing step. That way it gets rid of the oils from the polish and gives the glaze/wax a better surface to bond.

 

Cool, Thanks! So is that turtle wax and polish a pretty good product, because I already have some.

 

For the answer to your question, check out these webpages:

How to Safely Polish Your Paint

Meguiar's 5-Step Cycle

 

IME, the only decent TW product has been their tire shine.

 

Deservedly or undeservedly, Turtle Wax products do not, as a whole, enjoy a lot of respect on most internet detailing sites I have visited, though no doubt it is better to use TW products than to neglect one's car altogether. I have used Turtle Ice car wash and found it to be a decent product.

But even if you are limiting yourself to over-the-counter products, I think you can do better. For example: given that you are working by hand, I would suggest that you look into Meguiar's new consumer line of polishes: SwirlX, ScratchX 2.0, and Ultimate Compound. They will be more effective than your TW polish and will finish down nicely. For waxes, consider Meguiar's NXT, Meguiar's HiTech Yellow Wax (M26), Mother's Reflections, or Collinite 845. The Collinite wax is harder to find: Harbor Freight has been carrying it. If you are willing to order a wax or sealant online, then the world is your oyster, and the TB brethren will be happy to make suggestions within the price range you specify.

 

Thanks for those links, very informative! I have been thinking though, should I invest in a buffer? With polishing, glazing, and waxing thats a lot to do by hand.

 

Yes! Machine polishing is both more effective and more time-efficient. But now are you talking about a sizable investment of monies. Watch out! If you get bitten by the detailing bug, your life will be changed forever.

 

ok, if i do get a Machine polisher do I still use hand glaze. (looking at the word hand in there) and any good links on how to safely use a Machine polisher?

I got to tell you guys, i have been on a lot of forums in my day, and never have i seen one with people who respond so quickly and willing to help. Thanks!

 

Sorry to get in on this late, but what is your reason for polishing? Are you removing defects or just trying to brighten the paintwork? If you are trying to remove defects, invest in a machine like a PC 7424. Dead easy to use and almost impossible to damage paint with. You would wash, clay, polish, IPA wipedown or paintwork cleanser, wax. If you don't NEED to polish, wash, clay, glaze ( to hide fine lines in paint ) and wax.

 

The machine polisher, granted you buy a random orbital one is pretty much idiot proof. Not implying you are, but it will not burn through paint like a rotary is able to. Depending on what you are looking to spend, I would suggest the Flex 3401 for a rotary. A lot better than the PC as it has less vibrations and corrects better. You wont need a glaze if you use a machine polisher. Just make sure that you correct all you can and you should be fine without one. Like I mentioned the glaze acts as a filler to hid imperfections.

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Flex, is pricey though. Another route is, go PC first. Then, once you're comfortable with it, you can move up to a rotary which is a different ball game.