Detailers: pick one!

Daniel,

Congrats on making a final choice. I've been trying to decide which route I'm going to take also. I was strongly considering NXT also. If you use this product, is it difficult to remove if you want to go back to the traditional 3 step Mothers' products or similar?

 

thanks for the comment on the NXT wax. I have been wanting to try it also. anyone have any comments on colors other than red for this product?

 

Sunny,

I have read this thread and the other thread you linked to. You seem to be the authority here. So can you simplify for me? I cannot e-mail you according to your profile settings.

Scenario:
I own 97 355 Spider - Carbon Black Metallic.
17K Miles - Garaged - Covered - Driven in Sunny 80 - 90 degree weather
High speed buff with glaze approximately 4 months ago.
Washed every week/ every other week with

Finish now dull looking - Fine line scrathces from micro fibre towel

Please give me you recipe with $ not an issue for the product that I can apply myself.

I have high speed buffer and orbital at disposal...

I'm confused so put me in the right direction Please

 

this "show & shine" deal on saturday has got everyone rubbing...........i did mine monday night, but i,ve seen that jack russell 348 and i don't think i've got a chance.

 

I have used Zaino, Mothers, Zymol, 3M, NXT, etc on my black NSX-T...

This is the best combo I have used so far.. Meguiars Paint Cleaner (Step 2) and NanoWax with Microfiber towels to remove.. The results are amazing.. Reduces the micro scratches and swirls by at least 90%...

Looks awesome but doesn't hold up well after rain, etc..

Good luck.

 

This is why.... you schedule your car with the 'detailer' to rejouvinate the shine.

 

Hope your weekend went well. Sorry I didn’t catch this thread earlier. 3M makes a product called show wax that is available at auto body supply companies. It is simply fantastic. Makes the car look like wet glass. The only problem is it stays ‘wet’. If you leave the car sit outside dirt and pollen in the air will stick to it. NOTHING makes a car look better than this stuff.

 

They sell the stuff at PepBoy's.. FYI

 

Thanks. The last time I bought the stuff (10 years?) you could only get it at auto body supply places. These days I use Pinnacle Souveran wax. Costly but worth it.

 

Frankly, i think the differences in a high quality carnuba wax are less than the particular skill and effort you spend on preparing the car, and applying the wax. As to the best "cheap fix" once the car is done, i like the Wurtz Zebra Spray- i used it to prepare the black barchetta for the R & T shoot (after the Pateraks hand polished and waxed the car). It does not leave any film- in fact, its great for cleaning glass, as well. You order it from the manufacturer's distributor (the one i know of is located in New Jersey, but there may be others). I've never seen the product on a retail store shelf.

 

Mario,

I just came across your post since I don't browse often enough to keep tabs on the threads I post in (subscription option would work, eh?).

If you have fine line scratches, without seeing the paint up close or with several close up pictures in direct sun and/or fluorescent light, I'll assume half your swirls are in the wax/protectant and the other half are in the clear.

A through wash followed by a non-aggressive quick clay job and then use a a dual action polisher on moderate speed with a light swirl remover paste or a moderate swirl remover paste to take those swirls out and remove the product you have on there already.

If you want to add pop to the metallic, take your time and apply and remove a coat of glaze, something along the lines of a Meguiar's #7, Omega Glaze, or Mother's Finishing Glaze (the three that immediately came to mind). Finish with your favorite wax/polish product or pure wax/protectant product.

I take the short way out and combine the swirl remover and glaze/polish steps using Meguiar's #9 applied by buffer at low speed and removed by hand. I used to do it all by hand. The buffer has allowed me to neglect my finish a little more in exchange for its ability to remove swirls in the wax layer or from the clear itself. I would estimate the swirls my car accumulates are 85-90% in the top protectant layer, otherwise, I would remove the swirls as one step, glaze, and then protect.

The more metallic in your finish, the more zing a glaze will give. Mine is bursting with metallic flake already, next to a solid black finish, mine appears grey. If I'm in paint purist mode, I'll glaze it and then layer wax on top for the desired effect for better reflection.

Wash, clay (or skip if its better than glass smooth), remove swirls, polish, then protect. I'm working on a couple cars this weekend, its a shame your up north

Sunny

e-mail: [email protected]

 

I thought I should "man up" and post some pics. I spent my first 3hrs with my dual action polisher on my own car on Sat for the first time and looking forward to making it perfect. There are a few super fine swirls that a little more time with the DAP will make short work of. I enjoy working on other people's cars more than my own, what can I say.

Sunny

P.S. Pixel/Bandwidth gestapo held me back to 640x480.

P.S.S. Posting pictures in a garage and/or in shade is for wusses. It produces great reflections but doesn't tell the whole story.