Proper way to wash and wax car

[Gallstaff]

I have a question about the steps after claying. Is the cleaner, polish, and glaze REALLY needed? Especially glaze, I've never really heard of this being done every time you intend to wax. Glaze also not so much. Basically I just want to know how important are these three steps in making the car shine if all the other steps are followed. Also, when people refer to using zaino, are they most often talking about the polish or claybar as the company appears to make both?

[HokieBird]

Nothing is "needed" after claying except wax to protect the paint. The other products will help the paint look nicer, but they aren't needed. Since you have a black car I would suggest using them to help remove and cover up swirls before you wax.

When people are talking about zaino they are usually refering to the polish. Although most people buy a whole kit when they apply zaino.

[Gallstaff]

Do I need to pay all that money for a kit or can I still get good results by just using the products mentioned earlier (claybar, cleaner, polish, wax etc)?

[ July 28, 2005, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: Gallstaff ]

[HokieBird]

If you are looking to use zaino then I would suggest to just go ahead and get a kit. Personally I think the results from other products are just as good, but don't last as long. Which is fine with me because I enjoy detailing my car.

You can still get great results using the products we mentioned earlier. I generally use mequiars stuff and really like the NXT wax. It gives my paint hints of black in the sun where as when I used Gold Class it would give it hints of purple.

[Gallstaff]

I just went and picked up some NXT paste, some meguiars "cleaner wax" (which is just cleaner, right?) and I forgot to pick up a claybar which I will do tomorrow. Is that all I need for some pretty nice results? I also have car soap and mother's car polish already.

Am I missing anything for a good shine?

[HokieBird]

That should have gotten you a pretty good shine. I assume you already detailed it since you posted this yesterday.

Just an FYI NXT is a cleaner wax... pretty much all store bought waxes are. So there won't be any point in you using two different cleaner waxes since a cleaner wax will take off the layer of wax below it.

[Gallstaff]

Again with the cleaning. Today I washed, detailed and clayed (lookin good). Tomorrow I need to polish and wax. The only polish wal*mart had was f21 car polish made by turtle wax. I'm a cheap bastard, I know. Is this stuff alright to use/any good?

[fenderman]

I don't know about the rest of you guys but my fenderwells have been caked with dirt and grime for quite awhile. I decided to tackle them today while doing a tire rotation and I found something that worked wonders on not only the fenderwells but the insides of the rims as well.

I got a bucket full of car washing supplies and included in the supplies was a bottle of Eagle One All Wheel & Tire Cleaner A2Z. It comes in an orange bottle. I sprayed it on and worked it around with a stiff nylon brush. The fenderwells with the exception of little specks of tar were spotless. I never realized that there was paint under all that grime. [img]smile.gif[/img] The wheels look white again in the back.... not perfectly spotless but too close to tell with the wheels on the car.

Rest assured I didn't take all that time to leave the tar on the inside of the fenderwells. I sprayed Goo Gone and scrubbed with lots of elbow grease and got the wells perfectly spotless. You wouldn't think it but it adds a lot to the overall look of the car.

Anyone who wants to try this stuff from Eagle One should be pleased with the results. Anyone who has used it, let me know what you think.

[Gallstaff]

I think I've been waxing wrong all of this time. I'm using NXT paste and I apply it, and let it sit for about 10 minutes and wipe it off but Im thinking this isn't enough time for it to dry. How long does everybody else wait for their gold class or NXT paste to dry before wiping it off with a microfiber towel?

[mwh27]

Don't use windex, it has ammonia in it that can damage tint and usually leaves a foggyness on the glass.

I sugest a "auto" glass cleaner.

[Loochy88]

Originally posted by mwh27:
Don't use windex, it has ammonia in it that can damage tint and usually leaves a foggyness on the glass.

I sugest a "auto" glass cleaner.

you make a good point. with an aftermarket window tint, products containing amonia are a bad idea. windex is fine though on factory windows (even factory tinted windows). also, windex works fairly well as a cleaner on vinyl and chrome.

[Loochy88]

Originally posted by Gallstaff:
I think I've been waxing wrong all of this time. I'm using NXT paste and I apply it, and let it sit for about 10 minutes and wipe it off but Im thinking this isn't enough time for it to dry. How long does everybody else wait for their gold class or NXT paste to dry before wiping it off with a microfiber towel?

10 minutes is plenty long. just dont leave it that long on a hot car in the sun.

[1999V6]

Not sure if this is in this thread (didn't read all of it, my bad)

Applying Tire Shine.

Before I would spray it on then have to clean the rims and that was a waste of time. Take a old sponge(just keep it for tires), spray the front of the sponge with tire shine and move it along your tire. You get ZERO tire shine on the rim and are able to do it right against the lip. Saves lots of time and saves the tire shine as well.

[josh98bird]

IMO the best tire wet i have found is WET JET i believe at auto zone. It sprays on, looks real real wet and stays on for weeks and weeks. No need to set and watch it dry or drip.

I don't know if anyone else has tried this or heard of it, but me and my friend (he details cars) wash our cars at a car wash or at home and do like above, GOOD JOB GUYS, but before the car shows and right after we wipe water off the car, not drying completely... use windex on the paint.... yes windex on the paint. Mix a about 2/3 water with 1/3 windex in the windex bottle. Spray it on the surface and wipe it with the towel you dry with. It will leave the car squeeky dry and will sparkle and shine like you wouldn't believe. Opinions appreciated