Do you go beyond waxing your genesis?

[tonygxp]

How often do you apply a coat of wax, or sealant to your car? What exactly do you do? my routine consists of
1. Wash with meguiars car soap
2. leaf blow dry (black, it's the only way to go, any other color microfiber is fine)
3. if the paint has been neglected for a month or two (winter months) i will claybar the flat surfaces only
4. if there a alot of swirls or scratches i will use the Meguiars Ultimate compound or Meg's Swirl X to remove them
5. getting to just a regular "wash & wax" at this point if all the crap in "3 or 4" hasn't happened lol i will then apply a coat of Meg's polish via PC7424 DA buffer and lake Country CCS white or green pad. key is to work the polish in for a while i usually go over a 2 x 2 area 7 or 8 times with the buffer alternating back and forth to up and down. wipe it off with a microfiber and be amazed how deep and wet the paint looks
6. apply meg's #26 wax with the Gold CCS pad and then switch to the Griot's 3" for the front and rear bumpers, same process, the 3" works great for the bumpers due to all the small surface areas and plastics to avoid.



one thing i used to do was just "wax" my vehicles with some meg's cleaner wax after a wash, maybe clay here or there and a compound now and then, but if you like the "wet" look, i suggest investing in the polish before the final wax. i just did this again yesterday (car just got back from the body shop having painted the two passenger doors) and i was amazed again how the polish really woke the car's paint up... the driver's rear door for example i applied the polish to the door and while working it i went over onto the 1/4 panel a bit. you could see the line on the 1/4 panel from not polished to polished like night and day it was drastic. it's worth the effort. they put a sealer on the car at the shop and it kind of dulled the shine a bit, was not as glossy as when i dropped it off, after i was done i was amazed what theat polish does..

so if you've ever wondered why your car doesn't have that extreme "wet" look, it's the polish.. you have to do the polish..

 

[Gurkha]

Congrats, looks great!
I'm not ocd about it so for me after the honeymoon is over (1-3 years?), the twice a year Meguiars cleaner/wax one step thing and microfiber is all I do. lol.
We'll see how I get with the Genny once I have a day off! It's only been my daily driver for 3 months now.
However since I didn't buy new, I didn't have that new car feeling - well maybe just a bit.
But that's just me. I know it does not matter to you.
+1 on the polish thing, it really does make all the difference. Wish I'd known that 25 years ago!

 

[drvinhle]

beautiful car.
I have the same car (black) and I am going to print out your instructions and do the same.
I have a couple of chips on the hood (about the size of a sharp pencil tip), any hints on how to fix them other than a touch up pen?
thanks.

 

[Vince2]

Well I've got to try your suggestion. Your cars finish is absolutely phenomenal. Does polish have an abrasive effect? Will there be a long term issue with destruction of the finish with frequent use of the polish?

Nice detail job Tony

 

[tonygxp]

Congrats, looks great!
I'm not ocd about it so for me after the honeymoon is over (1-3 years?), the twice a year Meguiars cleaner/wax one step thing and microfiber is all I do. lol.
We'll see how I get with the Genny once I have a day off! It's only been my daily driver for 3 months now.
However since I didn't buy new, I didn't have that new car feeling - well maybe just a bit.
But that's just me. I know it does not matter to you.
+1 on the polish thing, it really does make all the difference. Wish I'd known that 25 years ago!

Thanks, yep.. i always knew it, i just hated doing it lol.. i started with a polish called Liquid Glass, that stuff was great (20 years ago). made my Cadillacs look amazing... but it was alot of work..

beautiful car.
I have the same car (black) and I am going to print out your instructions and do the same.
I have a couple of chips on the hood (about the size of a sharp pencil tip), any hints on how to fix them other than a touch up pen?
thanks.

dr color chip seems to work the best so far, it's pricey but effective, youtube it and se if it suits your needs. you may even be better off going to a pro detailer and have them over fill it then wet sand it down flush, they can then rotary polish it to blend but beware only a GOOD detailr knows how to pull this off. i can do it, but i have fooled around with this stuff for 20+ years.

Well I've got to try your suggestion. Your cars finish is absolutely phenomenal. Does polish have an abrasive effect? Will there be a long term issue with destruction of the finish with frequent use of the polish?

Nice detail job Tony

two different types of polishes. correcting polish and non correcting. believe it or not meg's cleaner wax claims it is a polish and wax in one. for me i like them seperated, the results are far better when you use a non correcting polish and work the polish in over and over. it fills the paint with nutrients and gives it the wet look we all love. then the wax is just a "protectant" that's all it is.. the shine comes from the polish.. if your paint has the blemishes i described, or oxidization of some type check autopia or autogeek.net for help deciding what product to use. just remember "EVERYBODY" has the best product. it's personal preference, i like meg's but there are many who will swear by a company you've never heard of, etc. my theory is meg's, mother's, Zaino, Griot's are all great companies that have great products you can't go wrong with any of them. i will however boast about the Meg's ultimate compound it is truly amazing without damagin the paint.. youtube that as well and believe it because i did it and it works lol.. i am ANAL about this stuff..

so correct the paint with the meg's UC, then apply whatever polish you like, that is the most time consuming step because the better you work the polish in the better it will look. the wax (one coat as it doesn't truly build up with extra coats, that's an ol' wive's tale) is simple, apply it light and remove
instantly. don't waste the wax, if you're piling it on you're doing it for nothing.

'im tired so whatever mispelling you will have to forgive i blew through this lol!!

couple more. should take some more of different angles, i have to shoot the trunk lid from above you won't believe it.

 

[jdposhkus]

That looks nice. It has been raining non stop since I got my Genny, I havent had a chance to wash the car, so I took it to my detailer to have him go thru it. the car was very gritty as the dealer only washed it and dressed the tires and dash for delivery...shock and awe, I know...
My guy claybared it and hand polished it with a 2 step process...it looks fab! To my dismay he found a paint defect in the hood, a 3-4 inch circle UNDER the clear...I asked the dealer about a hood swap, as I dont want them to paint ther hood of a 12 day old car...They claim thay cant do a hood swap cause all the body panels have the VIN on them, can anybody verify this?
I have to bring it in so the service mgr can look at it and suggest a settlement.
I can live with it, but I think Ill try for a set of snow tires as a settlement, after I refuse the 2 free oil changes they try to placate me with...
Wish me luck.

 

[tonygxp]

That looks nice. It has been raining non stop since I got my Genny, I havent had a chance to wash the car, so I took it to my detailer to have him go thru it. the car was very gritty as the dealer only washed it and dressed the tires and dash for delivery...shock and awe, I know...
My guy claybared it and hand polished it with a 2 step process...it looks fab! To my dismay he found a paint defect in the hood, a 3-4 inch circle UNDER the clear...I asked the dealer about a hood swap, as I dont want them to paint ther hood of a 12 day old car...They claim thay cant do a hood swap cause all the body panels have the VIN on them, can anybody verify this?
I have to bring it in so the service mgr can look at it and suggest a settlement.
I can live with it, but I think Ill try for a set of snow tires as a settlement, after I refuse the 2 free oil changes they try to placate me with...
Wish me luck.

having just gone through something similar i can tell you from experience, get the hood painted. that circle will just get bigger and bigger in your mind whenever you look at it. it's new, should be dfect free. the hood will come out better than the whole car lol.. don't fear it man. i was scraed to death i would hate this car after the paint but i am as happy as can be..

 

[TJPark01]

Looks good, a man after my own heart. Once every 6 months or so. I go in the garage and do this...
http://www.detailedimage.com/Ask-a-...nd-new-car-featuring-a-mercedes-benz-sls-amg/

Takes a whole weekend. I take the rims off the car.

 

[kev4]

Crystal Clear and Maquires Gold. O yeh and and afternoon...

 

[dlambermont]

Wow, all of that work, I'd be hesitant to take it out of the garage afterwards... What do you do AFTER a detailing like that, for example, after driving in the rain?

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[TJPark01]

Wow, all of that work, I'd be hesitant to take it out of the garage afterwards... What do you do AFTER a detailing like that, for example, after driving in the rain?

I have the luxury of living in the desert. But even so, once the car is protected, it makes it easier to clean because dirt has a harder time sticking to the surface. However, a waterless wash is the maintenance product that I can't live without. 1 or 2 a week I will wipe the car down and it keeps me from having to wash the car in the traditional method. I use Ultima.
[YOUTUBE]9TwvbtEMmT8[/YOUTUBE]

 

[STREETS]

You mean like waxing your chest, arms, back & legs?

 

[tonygxp]

Wow, all of that work, I'd be hesitant to take it out of the garage afterwards... What do you do AFTER a detailing like that, for example, after driving in the rain?

i use the meguiars quick detailer in between. if it's bad, i will go right to the regular grit guard washing method and it'll take 10 minutes. never tried the waterless wash stuff, may pick some up for winter time. before this car i haven't owned black since '08, that was a new pickup so i wasn't anal like i am with this car. it looks so nice when it's clean it ill's me when it's not lol.

 

[reggieburris]

I polished my Genesis for the first time this year. Afterwards I noticed it was still a bit rough. I clayed it it Mother's clay but then used Meguiars Aggressive clay. I used Megs Ultimate Compound, the Ultimate Polish and finally Ultimate Wax. Just purchased a Shurhokd DA polisher kit from Amazon. It looks just like Griots DA polisher (actually exactly like

Never used the polisher yet but look forward to it to help the 5 step process. When I finished it I will post pics. BTW, your black Genesis is beautiful.

 

[upsbroke]

FWIW- Zaino recommends using Dawn dishwashing detergent before the wax ritual because it removes the old wax.

 

[reggieburris]

I polished my Genesis for the first time this year. Afterwards I noticed it was still a bit rough. I clayed it it Mother's clay but then used Meguiars Aggressive clay. I used Megs Ultimate Compound, the Ultimate Polish and finally Ultimate Wax. Just purchased a Shurhokd DA polisher kit from Amazon. It looks just like Griots DA polisher (actually exactly like

Never used the polisher yet but look forward to it to help the 5 step process. When I finished it I will post pics. BTW, your black Genesis is beautiful.

 

[Mark_888]

FWIW- Zaino recommends using Dawn dishwashing detergent before the wax ritual because it removes the old wax.

Except that it usually will not completely remove synthetic polymer waxes.

 

[Gurkha]

Thanks to the OP, I went the distance and did the Meguiar's routine of wash, clay bar, polish and wax. A first for me. It took a while though, about 6.5 hours.
I'm now sore in places I didn't know I had
The result is really good however, but I can't see myself doing this more than once or twice a year. The polish is the key for me, more so than the clay bar.

 

[StarkyLuv]

I have neither the time nor patience for all of that work. I just bought my Genny Sedan (traded in the GC), but what I've done with all my cars was get it professionally detailed twice a year. Once right before winter and again after in the spring.

Outside of that, I wash it normally and apply Macguire's Quick Detailer for a pretty decent shine. If you never let you car accumulate a layer of filth in the spring summer, and detail it at least twice a year, your car should look good for as long as you own it. Of course taking care of you interior as well.

Props to those who put all that sweat into it though!

 

[reggieburris]

I can't see claying my car often but I will do it when needed. Once it is clayed, it doesn't require it unless you find a rough spot. I did notice that Meguiars Gold Class and Ultimate wax is really easy to remove but Meguairs NXT, although harder to remove, feels more robust and leaves a harder coat.

I guess it is good to come here and learn from others which I have. I can say, I'll never pay hundreds anymore to a shop after learning just how little it takes to maintain my vehicle. Detailer or Quick Wax is all that's needed to keep it up, plus an occasional waxing. The detailers I use are Meguair's Final Inspection and Mother's Showtime - mostly Final Inspection.

Sorry for the ramblings but been on a car cleaning kick as of late.