OK, dumb question time...

Disclaimer - I've never been very serious about maintaining the exterior of my vehicles in the past. Now that I have my MINI though, I'm being much better about washing and waxing, etc. But I've been reading this forum and my head is about to EXPLODE!

What is the rule of thumb on multiple "coats" of wax? I'm not dealing with any of this fancy schmancy stuff like Zaino or anything like that. I have Meguiars NXT, which seems like it's pretty good from what I've read on here (just happened to have it from before for the wife's car). How long can/should you wait to put on a 2nd or multiple coat? Can you do it immediately after buffing out the first one? Wait a day, a week, or what? How many coats is enough or good? If you put on a coat is it OK to put another coat a week later?

Thanks for the help ahead of time.

 

You can add another coat right away, although with NXT you should know the benefits are really just knowing you have complete coverage. The high level of solvents and mechanical abrasives don't allow for a complete "layering". The second coat will remove some of the first coat to a point. But two coats assures good coverage.

Oh, and if you don't get to it and wait a week that's fine, too.

 

I know that with Zaino, each additional coat is layered so that the shine (and protection) gets better and better with each application.
My daughter got NXT for her car and I was helping her with application. I noticed that no where on the container did it address multiple coats. There was a toll free # on the bottle so I called and spoke with a guy in "Tech Support" He was surprised that I wanted to put on more than one coat. He said that NXT does not really layer with multiple coats but, said if I wanted to apply a second coat, I should wait 24 hrs. He also said that more than 2 coats would be a waste of time.
Thats why I use Zaino:smile:

 

3 questions:

Zaino advises Dawn, but really, any dish washing detergent like Polmolive or the supermarket house brand does the same, right?

Does NXT Tech have mild cleaner and abrasive?

Any difference between NXT Tech Paste and NXT Tech Liquid?

hs

 

I think many of us are caught off guard by how obsessive we become about our MINIs. It's crazy how much attention we lavish on these little machines but hey if you're gonna be out there turning heads anyway, might as well give them something to look at, right?!?!?!

Me? I use Klasse products so I do one coat of All-In-One and one coat of High Gloss Sealant Glaze. That's it. That's all I have time for and that's all I do, but the results are both stunning and long lasting.

 

I'm like JDS. Klasse All-in-One and then High Gloss Sealant Glaze...but then I use P21S Carnauba Wax. Have applied two coats now, a week apart. Since my MINI is PS/B, the effect of the extra wax coats is not that noticeable. But, hey...it only takes 30 minutes and it's fun!!

 

Speaking of wax, does anyone have any ideas on how to remove wax that gets on the plastic along the outer wheel well trim and lower door trim? I have used Mother's Back-to-Black and it works until the next time I wash it, then it seems to wash away. A more permenent remedy would be better.

 

There's a sticky at the top of this forum about it, but the gist is to use peanut oil (yeah, I know it sounds strange... to me too). Peanut oil or peanut butter are said to work wonders with the black plastic. Or you can buy something "special"... see that other thread.

 

So very true!
Thanks for the tip. This sounds easier, and cheaper, than Zaino. I might have to give it a try. I'm happy with the way the NXT looks so far, but if there's something better and not much more work - . I don't have a lot of time either... and as much as I love my car, I don't want to spend hours and hours on it every week.

I never realized that certain waxes couldn't be coated, as Brad pointed to. Thanks. I learned something new today. I just assumed all waxes had the ability to be layered.

 

NXT doesn't need to be layered because it makes your paint look dark, glossy, and wet with one coat. You can put two to ensure you have even coverage if you want. I'd rather do it once correctly with a DAPC and know that I'm buffing out swirls and scratches at the same time resulting in a great look and protection at an affordable price.

The last time I detailed my car was a week ago. I claybarred it, used my Porter Cable DA polisher with NXT and put on an extra coat of Meguiars Clear Coat Wax as my 2nd coat.

A week later, even after driving over 500 miles, I just use Speed Detailer daily and it's still absolutely slick.

No need for multiple coats of Zaino, or buying it online, or paying more than you really need to. Actually what amazes me is that everytime you touch your paint, you increase your chances of putting scratches in it. Adding multiple coats only increases that potential and applying Zaino by hand does nothing to prevent that nor remove them.


Richard
(A former Zaino zealot)

 

If you're happy, we're happy. There's more than one way to skin a cat. Do your thing and enjoy your MINI.

eMINI
(current Zaino zealot)

 

what ever happened to good ol' fashioned turtle wax?

 

That's a good question. It has either been dramatically surpassed by technology, marketing, or both. My guess is both, but I couldn't say for sure. Are you using it with good results?

 

Car finishes change (especially MINIs) and new, better (and often easier to use and longer lasting) products emerge. If you're gonna spend the $$$s and do the work anyway, you might as well enjoy the benefits of the better stuff. That's how I look at it anyway. Trust me, I was never into this like I am with my MINI. If done properly, this car can look (and can remain looking for a long time) drop dead gorgious.

 

well, i dont ask because im some hardcore turtle wax fan, just that it didnt seem to be represented and at the same time i was reading this i saw a commercial for a whole line of turtle wax products. I havent used the stuff since it just came in a green metal tin tho.

http://www.turtlewax.com/ i dunno much about keepin a car pretty cept that it costs about 2bux in quarters to wash it my self, ive got a volvo im just driving into the ground at the moment and i couldnt care how it looks so long as it doesnt die on me. but i do anticipate being just as **** as the rest of you about how my car looks once i get my mcs

 

You think you know how much you'll love your MINI. Then you get it, and you love it even more.:smile:

 

Jeez, I must be the only Mini driver stuck in the Dark Ages of McG's Carnauba wax. Just put the second coat on this morning because it was bright and sunny. Then the clouds rolled in and thunder rumbled just as my bride decided we should "Take Nugget out for some exercise." Rain! Rain on my fresh wax job! It sure was hard driving along while craning my neck forward to watch the rain bead up and run off the front fender!


Then back home. Hose off the dirt. Park in the garage and whip out the chamois! Oh, I just showed my age and ignorance again. Seems like everybody else is using microfiber towels these days!

So be honest; are the new formulations and fibers really all that much better than the stuff I'm using? I don't really think liquid yellow can ever get that deep luster that some of the darker, metallic colors develops. Yellow just sort of shines in a mellow sort of way, right? Pete

 

Yes the new stuff is so much better than the old wax & chamois. As a matter of fact, if you used a real chamois, you probably bemoved 1/2 the carnauba wax you just applied. Ever notice that white chalky color when you ring out the chamios... thats the wax that the chamios removed.

 

I washed ,clayed,then put on 2 coats of NXT,almost 2 months ago.Still looks great,even though it has been raining here alot.Water still beads up ,and the dirt and bugs wash off easy

 

How often do you go through this process?

BTW, I went to the store yesterday and I couldn't find anything called Meguiars "Clear Coat" wax. Couldn't find it on their website either. Is it discontinued?

 

I just spent far too much of the weekend experimenting. Washed with Dawn, then used a claybar with lube, then washed with Meguiar's Rich Suds, then waxed with NXT, then topped that with Meguiar's High Tech Yellow #26, which, despite being called "high tech" is mostly carnauba.

I was surprised at just how dull the car looked after Dawn and drying, but it got better and better with every step.

After the #26, I tried an experiment; I used the NXT spray booster wax on one side of the bonnet, and Mother's detail spray on the other. I did not really like either result. Mother's added just a small amount of shine, but not much more than a good buffing, I think.

NXT booster and #26 don't really play nice together. It made the color looker deeper, but it absolutely took away from the shine. So, the next morning, I put another coat of #26 on the bonnet and got the original shiny and fairly deep look back.

Then came the real experiment. Meguiar's #7 Show Car Glaze/Polish over the top of it all. This is not the recommended usage, as #7 by itself is absolutely not a durable finish. On the other hand, I got both a brighter shine and a deeper color from it. I guess you could think of #7 as a sort of slow motion quick detailer. it gives a better result than detail spray, but it also requires more work. Neither product is likely to have any real effect that is still visible a week later, I suspect.

I also tried another 'experiment' quite by mistake. I was doing all of these in bits and pieces throughout the weekend and stopped often to do other things. The #7 was applied in more than one session of polishing. I did the front and roof of the car, did something else, then came back very tired to start on the rest. Fatigue is the only explanation, because I did all of one side and the back with another coat before noticing that I was using a purple bottle of NXT rather than the intended tan bottle of #7.... It was a dumb mistake, but it also added to the depth of the finish, I think. I put the #7 over the top of all of it.

Finally, I used a Meguiar's polishing cloth to finish the whole thing off. #7 is naturally shiny and wet looking, but the plush microfiber cloth really finished the job nicely.

Conclusion: Layering wax works, but ya gotta be aware of what you are layering, and in what order. As BradB taught me in another string, get the paint as clean and wax free as possible, then put the protectant on first. You want maximum adhesion for the protective products. Meguiar's suggests putting #7 under #26 to preserve its glossy shine, but BradB points out that #26 is unlikely to adhere very well as a result. Putting #7 over the top is probably more than a little over the top, but I think it is worth it, at least for a short term experiment.

 

Bueller? Bueller?

 

I don't think there's a specific "clear coat" wax - just waxes that are safe to use on clear coated paint.

NXT tech wax is what you want. It's available in liquid or paste now.

 

I have never heard that suggestion from Meguiar's.
Where can I find Meguiar's suggestion? Could you point me to the link if its on Meguiar's website?

Thanks.

 

From what i've read at autopia.org, the paste is better than the liquid. Seems to be an extra "pop" or something with it. Also many say that it's easier to use and no chance of spilling.