Hi, my car just turned 15 months young. Since i live in Arizona, time for a wax. What wax is recommended? Are there any that don't stain the black plastic trim? Thanks!

 

i use to do body work and detail cars.. i would mask all the moldings off with masking tape,, it will save u time and headache in the end

 

I am a fan of Chemical guys products, I use their blacklight wax and then their jetseal to seal my red CM. Lasts all winter and shine's like it is wet

 

i like blackfire sealants and aerospace 303 for the plastic trim.
15 months since anything was done you'll probably want to start by claying it. check out a few junkman videos he'll get ya headed in the right direction.

 

Stuff I use is from Griot's Garage. They've got everything you can think of including some things you'd never have thought of.
+1 on clay bar before waxing. It's easy to do and doesn't take very long. Blue painter's tape works fine for masking off the black trim. You don't want wax on that stuff. If you have vinyl stripes wax is OK but don't ever polish over them. For absolutely the best finish on the black trim is Black Wow from Richard Lin at showcardetailing.com, only thing I don't get from Griot's. You can get it from a few other places now too. Right after application it will gather a bit of dust but after the next washing they're good to go.

 

I have been using Meguire's Tech Wax 2.0.
The stuff works great, and not all that expensive.
Use it also on my wife's FX35 and it looks great.

 

Clay bar? Never heard of it. Is this required or only for the OCD?

 

well that depends on the level of finish you want or expect. for some people a quick wipe on/off a couple times a year is good enough for them, other people want to see the richness and glow a well treated paint gives. either way, it's entirely up to you.
after you feel and see the difference between a good clay, polish and seal job compared to an over the counter quick wax it'd be hard to take the step back.

 

In my opinion, taping off the black trim is overkill and is the old way of doing things. No need to do that with different products.

Here's my suggestion for waxing and protecting your car's paint without much trouble:

1. Wash it well
2. Apply Prima Hydro Max Super Spray Polymer. It is a paint sealant (like a wax but ) that will last several months at least. Your paint will be protected and will have a great shine. It's just a spray on/wipe off application that will be done in less than 20 minutes. No buffing, no curing. Just spray it on and wipe it off according to the directions.
3. About every month or so, use Prima Banana Gloss. Again, it's just a quick wipe on/wipe off process that can be done in the sun/shade or wherever and only takes a few minutes. It looks fantastic. It also helps to conceal paint swirls.
4. Finally, after each wash when you are drying the car, spritz a few sprays of Prima Hydro onto the car as you dry. It's a "wax as you dry" spray that leaves a great shine and added protection.

 

Why clay bar? Watch this video and you'll never ask that question again.

 

If you JUST want to wax the car and not get into all the other considerations, I really find Optimum Spray Wax to be the easiest thing to apply and it lasts a reasonably long time.

http://www.optimumcarcare.com/owax.php



to amazon!

 

Factory vinyl hood stripes, what products are the best? Meguiar's Quik Detailer, Hydro or something else?

 

Those are good, I'm a Griot's user but most others do quite well. Quick detailers are just that for taking care of those dusty days between washings. They do put on a great shine. Quality of microfiber is important too.

 

im partial to zaino sealants

 

I would recommend you clay bar here in AZ. If you are in the Phx area, let me know, I will show you how to do.. It's easy,, just never drop the clay

 

Nanoskin Autoscrub
http://www.autogeek.net/nanoskin-clay-towel.html

it works same as clay bar but its a lot easier to use. after that put on a wax or sealant

 

That looks interesting. I may try that out the next time I am ready to apply a new sealant or wax.