Ryephile, I'd like to differ from you on your observation of wheel cleaners. The P21S wheel cleaner is 100% acid-free and non-corrosive. BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, VW and Volvo all use and recommend P21S Wheel Cleaner. It's not cheap, but it does a nice job just by spraying and hosing off application. Of course, the cheaper alternative is to use your car detergent, which is OK too.

Regarding wax, I still have a bottle of Blue Coral pure carnauba wax which I purchased years ago. I use it on the wife's minivan and believe me, this slightly pasty stuff beads water for a longer period of time than many other stuff that I've used.

 

I purchased my truck used and when it was cleaned up I saw alot of swirl marks and little scratches. I will say that Maguires scratch X is some really awesome stuff for that. It was a REAL pain to take off though. I threw on a coat of cheap Maguires wax and was really surprised with the results. Just wanna let all know about my experience with that stuff.

 

Some product recommendation updates:

I've taken the path of "easier and almost as good" lately. Consequently, I've been sampling products I never would've considered otherwise.

*Stoner products are excellent. The aeresol cans makes for "point and shoot" ease of use. From Tarminator to Invisible Glass to Trim Shine, the product line is quick, easy, effective, and inexpensive to boot!
The Trim Shine is perfect for wheel arches, black bits, and engine bay, however uses silicone which will wash off quickly, so application after almost every wash is needed for maximum protection.
Tarminator is a product I've just used for the first time recently. It breaks down tar and sap very quickly, and leaves a clean paint surface behind. Again, easy and effective.
Invisible Glass is the best one-step glass cleaner I've used to date. While not as good as Eagle One 20/20 (which is a two-step cleaner, despite their directions you must buff it clean), the Invisible Glass is easy and almost as good.

*Zaino: the underground cult following, and well deserved too. While their Z-2 and Z-5 are a bit labor intensive, their Z-7 car wash and Z-6 detailing spray are still the very best I've used. No other detailing spray gives the gloss and color richness of Z-6. If you have the time, the Z-2 and Z-5 polishes are still top-shelf.

*Meguiar's: The recent talk of the town with their new NXT product line, also well deserved. The NXT Tech Wax is overall a great product, it's very easy to put on and take off, and leaves an almost-Zaino-like gloss and depth, but doesn't give quite the color richness. The NXT shampoo is the sudsiest I've ever used, and is a great value. The NXT booster wax is quite good, though it pales compared to Meguiar's Final Inspection (#34) detailing spray, which is very easy on and off, and gives a flawless finish. It's a quicker, easier finish than Zaino Z-6, and almost as good.

*Simple Green: I've been using this for a wheel cleaner. Very easy on all finishes, and effective enough to make it worth your while. You'll still need some light agitation to fully clean your wheels, however the biodegradible nature is good piece of mind. Not the best wheel cleaner, however very good.
--->zgokart: Thanks for the P21S wheel cleaner tip, I haven't tried it out yet! Generally, P21S products are excellent, so I have no doubt their wheel cleaner is equally good.

Motor-On!
Ryan

 

Can a clay bar be used in place of a polisher for paint prep before waxing?

I want to make sure I have removed all the old wax, but I want something as non-abrasive as possible. I had thought that the clay was essentially non-abrasive, so it couldn't remove the wax. In the original Ryan-Ryan conversation, however, one Ryan said that he liked using clay instead of cleaners. If I can do this, I think I'd be happy (I haven't used clay before).

Another alternative is the HD Cleanse, but Ryan-1 is clearly not a fan. Has anybody else had problems with this?

Thanks.

 

I'm in the Zaino camp. You must thoroughly remove all of the previous waxes from the finish for Zaino to properly adhear (according to the instructions). They recommend washing your car first with Dawn Dishwashing Liquid (before you commence your indoctrination to the cult of Zaino). Apparently the alkaline base of Dawn will cut right through wax. Even if you haven't waxed your car, I'd recommend the Dawn wash at the start because many auto manufacturers ship cars overseas with a sprayed-on parafin coating to prevent oxidization, rust and dings.

 

Just some random thoughts...

Clay Bar: It should be a prep for waxing at all times. Claying sucks/shears embedded debris out of the surface of the paint. It makes no sense to wax over this. You just end up with a shiny, but bumpy surface.

And claying does abrade the previous wax coating somewhat but it is not the way to efficiently remove it. You remove wax with a quick wash of an alkaline Dawn dishwashing detergent wash. And this is just something you do when you want to totally remove wax when you want to start with a new regime. Not just when you want to add a new coat.

Clay is not a polisher or a swirl remover in any way.

Wheel Cleaning: Be careful when using chemical cleaners. Be sure they are 100% acid free, naturally. But there are other solvents that can be quite harsh on paint and clearcoat finishes and the effects happens quite slowly.

P21S is one of the best and safest cleaners on the market. I also like 1Z very much. It's a great value. From personal experience, I would stay away from SimpleGreen. Repeated use dulled a set of 3-piece Speedline clearcoated wheels on my Audi. It took about a year of weekly washes before I realized what had happened.

TIP: If you wax the inside and outside of your wheels it will make it harder for the brake dust to stick and it will be much easier to clean them. You need to use a heat resistant polymer wax such as Klasse, Meguiars #20 or Zaino to name a few. A cheapo like NuFinish will even work. In fact, you will likely find in unecessary to use wheel cleaners at all. I simply use the leftover shampoo in my car wash bucket. This provides the ultimate in safety for my wheels and it makes them look their best, the longest.

TIP: Get a foam ended bottle brush to aid in cleaning the inside of the wheels. You can reach inside the spokes and can easily move it all around the entire backside of the wheel. $2 at any grocery store. Don't use a harsh brush on your wheels. They can scratch.

INVITATION: For a number of years now I have been offering Auto Detailing Tips and Tricks Clinics to the local car clubs. As a member of the local Porsche, Audi, BMW and Jaguar Car Clubs, they are annual calendar events. I also do them for the Mercedes and MG clubs. It's great fun. You couldn't pay me to detail somone elses car but I love teaching people how to detail their own!

I know there aren't a huge number of forum readers in the St. Louis Metro area, but if I can be of help, feel free to contact me. I have literally hundreds and hundreds of detailing products. There is not much made that I do not have. Drop on by. You are welcome to sample it, test it and give it a spin before you shell out your hard earned cash on it. Send me a Private Message and we'll get together.

Brad

 

This post needs a good cliffs note version. IE:

Semi-annual waxing -

Use Dawn to remove all previous wax.

Use [brand]'s claybar with proper lubricant. [insert tips here]

Apply wax/polish [brand] in one direction to minimize swirl patterns. (rub on, buff out, or whatever the product needs). Do tires and wheels last. [insert tips here]

Wash using car care [brand]. Top to bottom. Doing wheels and tires last. [insert tips here]

Rinse.

Dry.

Use glass cleaner [brand] on interior and exterior glass. [insert tips here]

Use [brand]'s plastic protectant on all interior and exterior plastics. [insert tips here]

Use [brand]'s vinyl cleaner on all interior vinyl. [insert tips here]

Weekly wash:

Wash car using [brand]'s car wash. Top to bottom, keeping her wet at all times to prevent water spots. [insert tips here]

Rinse w/ water coming out of the hose at low pressure (right out of the hose, no tips)

Dry using waffleweave microfiber towels.

Universal tips:

Dry with waffleweave microfiber towels.
Apply cleaner with either MF towels, MF mitt or wool mitt.
Use glass MF towels for glass, to prevent streaks.





This is just an example, i want to see how Ryphile or BradB do it! :smile:

In my case [brand] will be Zainos, 303 Aerospace, Eagle 20/20, and Lexol Vinylex.

 

This question results from a bad experience I had with a previous vehicle. Maybe technology has made it safe now, but....

Is it okay to get wax on the bonnet stripes or other decal-type exterior trim ? Will it cause it to crack and/or peel ?

Thanks in advance !

 

I have waxed (and applied polymer sealant) to vinyl decals and stripes for years on several cars with no problems. In fact, I am sure it has helped with water spotting.

 

Okay. Thanks, Brad. That will save me a lot of time and headaches.

 

Wow so much info, could you give me your ideas? I have an '04 Chili Red MCS. The car has been professionally detailed twice, but now I really want to do the job (love the clean Red Chili Mini) . I have seen lots of good info however it just makes me wonder, is there much difference between the brands like Zanno, Zymol, or Prima. Has anyone really compared them side by side or is it just brand preference? I really want to keep a nice deep red finish without having to redo the Mini every month. My Mini is stored during the crappy Wisconsin winters and not driven daily. what product would you detailer gurus suggest?