best off the shelf wax system?
best off the shelf wax system? so i waxed the cobra today probably for the last time since i will be going tomorrow to pick up a camaro ss and was using the meguiares 3 step wax system. I went to start and the step one i had was low so i went to the autozone to pick it up and apparently no one sells it any more. So ive seen a lot of people have been using the new NXT tech wax, however ive seen a few people using multiple waxes and even switching between different companies?
I have always used dish soap, clay bar, and then 3 step. since thats out whats the best wax now that i can buy off the shelf and what steps are you guys using?
Ill be picking up a 00 camaro ss and will use whatever advice i get to wax her and post pics.
I have always used dish soap, clay bar, and then 3 step. since thats out whats the best wax now that i can buy off the shelf and what steps are you guys using?
Ill be picking up a 00 camaro ss and will use whatever advice i get to wax her and post pics.
First off, I never use dish soap. Unless you're looking to strip the wax off your car, then go ahead.
Normally, here's my picky wax/detail procedure:
-Wash
-Clay
-Polish (mothers)
-Wax (been using FX SynWax, and Have used NXT TechWax)
-Detail Spray (works GREAT on windows!)
We've been talking about this a lot recently on the CZ28.com podcast. Check it out. It about a 20 min episode on detail tips and tricks. Been talking wax in this episode.
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/show...92#post6370992
Normally, here's my picky wax/detail procedure:
-Wash
-Clay
-Polish (mothers)
-Wax (been using FX SynWax, and Have used NXT TechWax)
-Detail Spray (works GREAT on windows!)
We've been talking about this a lot recently on the CZ28.com podcast. Check it out. It about a 20 min episode on detail tips and tricks. Been talking wax in this episode.
http://www.camaroz28.com/forums/show...92#post6370992
I use most a meguiars system and I love it. Once you clay and do some correction you do not need to use dish soap. Gold class wash is fine. Then I glaze with show car #7 then nxt and topped with #26 hi tech yellow and Finally ultimate quick wax. I did a recent car for chef and came out spectacular
If it is a light colored car I like Turtle Wax Ice (hate it on my black formula though).
On the black car if I use an over the counter product I like NXT 2.0
For non-over the counter products I like Tropicare/Showroom FX...their color specific carnubas are great (Crystal Black for dark and Crystal White for light)
For a full process I do:
2 Bucket Wash using TW Ice soap or Showroom RX soap
Claybar (If needed)
Polish with Meguiars 105 followed by 205 (Applied with orange pad and white pad)
Wax with choice of wax
Spray detail with Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer or TW Ice Spray Detailer
Typically it's just the 2 bucket wash followed by a quick detailer.
On the black car if I use an over the counter product I like NXT 2.0
For non-over the counter products I like Tropicare/Showroom FX...their color specific carnubas are great (Crystal Black for dark and Crystal White for light)
For a full process I do:
2 Bucket Wash using TW Ice soap or Showroom RX soap
Claybar (If needed)
Polish with Meguiars 105 followed by 205 (Applied with orange pad and white pad)
Wax with choice of wax
Spray detail with Meguiars Ultimate Quick Detailer or TW Ice Spray Detailer
Typically it's just the 2 bucket wash followed by a quick detailer.
The only downside about it is that it has low durability (about 6 weeks) but it only takes around 20 minutes to apply it and remove it from the entire car, so it isn't a problem to re-apply. It also is VERY oily if you overapply which makes it hard to remove. You have to use it very sparingly.
I have plenty of experience with boutique products as well from Optimum, Tropicare, Wolfgangs, etc... so I have a decent idea with what a product is capable of.
90% of your results come from the claybar and polishing (the polish is where you can't half-***...especially on these clearcoats). Almost any LSP will result in an amazing shine and the largest difference will be the durability.
Edit - Even if you absolutely can't bring yourself to buy a TW product you should at least try the TW ICE soap. It is on par or better than any soap I have ever purchased from Autogeek and smells great
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Say what you want, but ICE puts an AMAZING shine on my silver vette after a proper foundation is set and it is the easiest wax/sealant to apply/remove.
The only downside about it is that it has low durability (about 6 weeks) but it only takes around 20 minutes to apply it and remove it from the entire car, so it isn't a problem to re-apply. It also is VERY oily if you overapply which makes it hard to remove. You have to use it very sparingly.
I have plenty of experience with boutique products as well from Optimum, Tropicare, Wolfgangs, etc... so I have a decent idea with what a product is capable of.
90% of your results come from the claybar and polishing (the polish is where you can't half-***...especially on these clearcoats). Almost any LSP will result in an amazing shine and the largest difference will be the durability.
Edit - Even if you absolutely can't bring yourself to buy a TW product you should at least try the TW ICE soap. It is on par or better than any soap I have ever purchased from Autogeek and smells great
The only downside about it is that it has low durability (about 6 weeks) but it only takes around 20 minutes to apply it and remove it from the entire car, so it isn't a problem to re-apply. It also is VERY oily if you overapply which makes it hard to remove. You have to use it very sparingly.
I have plenty of experience with boutique products as well from Optimum, Tropicare, Wolfgangs, etc... so I have a decent idea with what a product is capable of.
90% of your results come from the claybar and polishing (the polish is where you can't half-***...especially on these clearcoats). Almost any LSP will result in an amazing shine and the largest difference will be the durability.
Edit - Even if you absolutely can't bring yourself to buy a TW product you should at least try the TW ICE soap. It is on par or better than any soap I have ever purchased from Autogeek and smells great
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I tried ICE yesterday and ended up going over it with something else. It doesn't do much for water spots, or maybe I waited to long to buff it off. Next time I'm going with Zaino.
A LSP isn't going to really do much for water spots other than seal them in.
can someone give me a simple stupid set up? 
i really wanna learn to buff but i would rather not screw up my car so im gonna stick to hand waxing, as for the dish soap i use it for stripping wax, that way when i clay bar it its the bare clear coat, no wax on it.
i really wanna learn to buff but i would rather not screw up my car so im gonna stick to hand waxing, as for the dish soap i use it for stripping wax, that way when i clay bar it its the bare clear coat, no wax on it. 
Hey dude,
I really suggest you start buffing. I started when I was 15, (18 now) it's really simple if you got the right stuff. And you catch on quickly, especially if you read up on here and Autopia.
If you'd like to do that, you'll need this stuff.
www.showroomfx.com
You'd want a Porter Cable 7424 kit that comes with the pads. Orange pad is to use POLISH to remove swirls and imperfections and stuff, then follow that up with a less abrasive polish and the white pad. Blue pad is for wax.
Using a buffer for wax makes it a ton easier. And the only way to really mess up your car with a Porter Cable is if you drop the damn thing on your car LOL. Orbital buffer's don't burn paint.
So, if you wanna start that.. I'd suggest:
Porter Cable 7424
Orange Pad, White Pad, Blue Pad (to start)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
Meguiars 105 & 205
If you're buying stuff from Showroom FX (Tropi Care) you should grab some wax from them too.
But anyway, if you just wanna run into Auto Zone or something, try the NXT wax, I've heard it's pretty good. I've heard BIG mixed reviews about ICE.
Truth is, if you really want the best stuff, you're gonna have to buy it online. (Zaino, Swisswax Concorso, for example). Let me know if you need any help with anything.
I really suggest you start buffing. I started when I was 15, (18 now) it's really simple if you got the right stuff. And you catch on quickly, especially if you read up on here and Autopia.
If you'd like to do that, you'll need this stuff.
www.showroomfx.com
You'd want a Porter Cable 7424 kit that comes with the pads. Orange pad is to use POLISH to remove swirls and imperfections and stuff, then follow that up with a less abrasive polish and the white pad. Blue pad is for wax.
Using a buffer for wax makes it a ton easier. And the only way to really mess up your car with a Porter Cable is if you drop the damn thing on your car LOL. Orbital buffer's don't burn paint.
So, if you wanna start that.. I'd suggest:
Porter Cable 7424
Orange Pad, White Pad, Blue Pad (to start)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
Meguiars 105 & 205
If you're buying stuff from Showroom FX (Tropi Care) you should grab some wax from them too.
But anyway, if you just wanna run into Auto Zone or something, try the NXT wax, I've heard it's pretty good. I've heard BIG mixed reviews about ICE.
Truth is, if you really want the best stuff, you're gonna have to buy it online. (Zaino, Swisswax Concorso, for example). Let me know if you need any help with anything.
can someone give me a simple stupid set up? i really wanna learn to buff but i would rather not screw up my car so im gonna stick to hand waxing, as for the dish soap i use it for stripping wax, that way when i clay bar it its the bare clear coat, no wax on it.
i really wanna learn to buff but i would rather not screw up my car so im gonna stick to hand waxing, as for the dish soap i use it for stripping wax, that way when i clay bar it its the bare clear coat, no wax on it.
There is SO much info on that site about detailing it is ridiculous.To get some pretty good products and a decent orbital buffer you are looking at about 300$ or so.. But look at it this way, you learn to detail your own car with your own stuff for cheaper than anybody else would charge you to do a less than satisfactory job.
Hey dude,
I really suggest you start buffing. I started when I was 15, (18 now) it's really simple if you got the right stuff. And you catch on quickly, especially if you read up on here and Autopia.
If you'd like to do that, you'll need this stuff.
www.showroomfx.com
You'd want a Porter Cable 7424 kit that comes with the pads. Orange pad is to use POLISH to remove swirls and imperfections and stuff, then follow that up with a less abrasive polish and the white pad. Blue pad is for wax.
Using a buffer for wax makes it a ton easier. And the only way to really mess up your car with a Porter Cable is if you drop the damn thing on your car LOL. Orbital buffer's don't burn paint.
So, if you wanna start that.. I'd suggest:
Porter Cable 7424
Orange Pad, White Pad, Blue Pad (to start)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
Meguiars 105 & 205
If you're buying stuff from Showroom FX (Tropi Care) you should grab some wax from them too.
But anyway, if you just wanna run into Auto Zone or something, try the NXT wax, I've heard it's pretty good. I've heard BIG mixed reviews about ICE.
Truth is, if you really want the best stuff, you're gonna have to buy it online. (Zaino, Swisswax Concorso, for example). Let me know if you need any help with anything.
I really suggest you start buffing. I started when I was 15, (18 now) it's really simple if you got the right stuff. And you catch on quickly, especially if you read up on here and Autopia.
If you'd like to do that, you'll need this stuff.
www.showroomfx.com
You'd want a Porter Cable 7424 kit that comes with the pads. Orange pad is to use POLISH to remove swirls and imperfections and stuff, then follow that up with a less abrasive polish and the white pad. Blue pad is for wax.
Using a buffer for wax makes it a ton easier. And the only way to really mess up your car with a Porter Cable is if you drop the damn thing on your car LOL. Orbital buffer's don't burn paint.
So, if you wanna start that.. I'd suggest:
Porter Cable 7424
Orange Pad, White Pad, Blue Pad (to start)
Menzerna Super Intensive Polish
Meguiars 105 & 205
If you're buying stuff from Showroom FX (Tropi Care) you should grab some wax from them too.
But anyway, if you just wanna run into Auto Zone or something, try the NXT wax, I've heard it's pretty good. I've heard BIG mixed reviews about ICE.
Truth is, if you really want the best stuff, you're gonna have to buy it online. (Zaino, Swisswax Concorso, for example). Let me know if you need any help with anything.
http://www.properautocare.com/kbmkbrmekitw2.html
Followed by..
http://www.properautocare.com/blacallfinpa.html
and then in between waxes.. Hydro shine, orangeish bottle half way down page.
http://www.automagic.biz/waxes.htm
I'm thinking that should get me started pretty good. Not sure what kind of wax I want to use on regular though. Also going to grab "clay magics" clay kit.
Will be a nice decent little kit for starting out and will give me an idea on how I want to modify my products later on.
Don't usually have a problem with water spots, I had just washed it and let it air dry. I clayed it a couple weeks ago and it hadn't left the garage so this time I just went for the wash and wax. I went over the ICE with Meguiars polish and it looks really good. I'll probably just use the ICE on the wife's cv 300.
I wouldn't recommend going crazy with the dish soap but think it's beneficial every now and then. Especially if you hand detail as its a lot harder to cut through previous layers of wax. As long as you follow up with a quality wax it won't harm anything.
I will say the ICE left a nice shine, where there were no water spots, and I haven't even pulled the car out of the garage yet. I'll give it another shot and make sure I dry it off to prevent the spots, and I figure for as much as I clean my car I'm not too worried about it not lasting.
I will say the ICE left a nice shine, where there were no water spots, and I haven't even pulled the car out of the garage yet. I'll give it another shot and make sure I dry it off to prevent the spots, and I figure for as much as I clean my car I'm not too worried about it not lasting.
