My answer to best wax

[Ray J]

The question was whats the best wax etc. so many answered with some snake oil brand concoctions from many parts of the world that I couldn't help but save the poor guy some frustration. this is what I posted Not the best shine not best in anything BUT really good all around and cheap. good luck


Hey I really think you should just go to your local auto parts or Wal-Mart store and get a good car wash, follow with a clay bar, and Just buy a bottle of NU FINISH and follow instructions and try that FANCY PANCY wax/polish on other side or next to NU FINISH and do a comparison and if you can see a deference you are truly amazing! NU FINISH will last a lot longer...easy to use and long lasting . I've tried many and this seems to be the easiest and longest lasting .. IMOA.2012 black Rspec best looking black car around

 

[radicaltimes]

Nu Finish is what Consumers Report said lasted the longest

 

[kpxnsfcxkp]

Blackfire's wet ice over fire combo has been the best sealant/wax combo that I have ever used so far. Just buy them when they are on sale. They usually cost bit over than $100, but I was able to get them for ~$60 shipped when they were on sale at blackfirewax.com.

 

[homeofstone]

Nu Finish is what I have used for years. Its very good. For my current black car I have discovered that the turtle wax black box and turtle wax black spray wax between major waxing work great and is less prone to water spots.

 

[84FordMan]

Wax is a protectant layer, nothing more, it does not add gloss nor depth.

Cleaner wax, however, will add "gloss" and "depth" by the use of fillers and a meager amount of polishing oils blended in. Fillers don't last the length of the actual wax, which causes you to apply more sooner. Cleaner waxes and glazes are a staple of any "detailer" at a used car lot.

What wax is the best wax? For me, it's just a pure carnauba, if it goes on easy and comes off easy, then it is the best. All waxes will bead water and provide sheeting action and most offer the same amount of durability. I apply wax with my Meguiars G110V2 dual action polisher on a 6.5" finishing pad. Front bumper is a little busy, so I apply it by hand there, but the rest of the car is doable with a single 6.5". Allow wax to cure for 15 minutes or so, check with a finger swipe (Clean finger, swipe, should expose completely clean area, if no streaks or spotting, then it's time to buff). I grab a clean 6.5" finishing pad, one mist of detailing spray on the pad and buff off. One spray to the pad per panel is sufficient for wax removal.

My process:

- Foam cannon as a pre-soak and rinse off

- 2 bucket wash, rinse bucket has Grit Guard fitted to the bottom (Grit Guard should fit snug to the bottom and should not spin, if it does, you have the wrong bucket), 2 different wash mitts (One for above the belt line, one for below the belt line)

- Dry with cordless leaf blower, finish up with soft waffle weave towel

- Inspect paint condition, if no correction needed, apply sealant, allow to cure 24 hours, then apply a 'topper' (wax)

- If correction is needed, Meguiars M105, pad depending on severity of correction needed, follow up with Meguiars M205. Then sealant, allow to cure, then wax. In a pinch if not enough time is allowed for my prefered sealant to cure, then I substitute Chemical Guys Black Light, it only has a cure time of 30 minutes between coats. Not as durable as HT-62, but still good enough for me.

Also, check your microfibers, if you drag it across your palm and it feels like velcro, then you have shit microfibers. I've had great success out of The Rag Company online in getting quality microfiber without paying for someone's name on them.

 

[Cosworth]

Nice write-up, 84!

 

[Mark_888]

What wax is the best wax? For me, it's just a pure carnauba, if it goes on easy and comes off easy, then it is the best.

Perfectionists prefer carnauba wax, but I prefer a polymer wax that goes on easy and is hard to get off (or wear off).

 

[Ambush]

Nu Finish used to be my first go until I met a detailer at Merc Dealership. He swore by Mother's Carnauba Cleaner, WAX and Clay bar. Since all I buy are white cars, I have been using it for years. If I cant find another can of Mother's I will use Meguiars. Oh and I do this all by hand. I never used a polisher.

My $.40 cents

 

[BrazGenesis]

Nu Finish used to be my first go until I met a detailer at Merc Dealership. He swore by Mother's Carnauba Cleaner, WAX and Clay bar. Since all I buy are white cars, I have been using it for years. If I cant find another can of Mother's I will use Meguiars. Oh and I do this all by hand. I never used a polisher.

My $.40 cents

Very interesting source. But we have to remember that a detailer for the sales department aims toward excellent immediate looks, not long lasting wax , which seems to be the case of carnauba Vs synthetics.
BTW: was it sales dept or regular customer service?

 

[84FordMan]

Oh and I do this all by hand. I never used a polisher.

My $.40 cents

Then you have a better back than I!

If it's worries about damaging paint, as long as you are using a DA, it's about impossible to do so. I can take my most aggressive foam pad and put as much pressure down on the paint and the DA will just stop the pad from rotating. Now a rotary is a different animal all together. Honestly if a DA can't correct it, then you need a body shop.

Back to wax, if it is simply length of time between re application, then put down the wax now and look into sealants. A good sealant can provide protection for up to 1 year. We are talking UV protection, water beading and sheeting action for a year In one application. The downside is the cure time and sometimes the environmental requirements during application.

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[xiaphin]

Owned the car for over 2 years and never waxed it, ya'll are making me feel like a bad owner...

What would be best for me since the car has most likely never been waxed. Highly doubt the original owner did.

 

[84FordMan]

Owned the car for over 2 years and never waxed it, ya'll are making me feel like a bad owner...

What would be best for me since the car has most likely never been waxed. Highly doubt the original owner did.

I dare say it's almost as important as changing your oil. Except the only catastrophic damage to be done is to the resale value and/or cost of a paint job.

As far as easy application, easy buffing off, and can be found at any auto parts retailer, Meguiar's Ultimate Wax.

 

[Ray J]

Hey you guys are awesome, You nailed it right on with the suggestions on waxes. This is
the reason for this post so that the normal guy can just go to any auto parts store and get what's working and not that stuff from outer space. $$$ Thanks I to may try some of these.

 

[Mark_888]

Owned the car for over 2 years and never waxed it, ya'll are making me feel like a bad owner...

What would be best for me since the car has most likely never been waxed. Highly doubt the original owner did.

It may have been waxed by the previous owner or the used car lot. A waxed car is easier to keep clean. Any decent synthetic polymer wax applied once a year is OK for most people.

 

[Aquineas]

Gosh and here I was thinking I was violating some sacred rule of advanced auto-detailing by using Nu Finish . I used to use that in combination with an old product called "Rain Dance" which was a @*@*! to remove, but man the car looked awesome when I used it.

 

[kbart09]

Try Collinite 845.

 

[StarPower]

I've experimented with a lot of different products, and the most important thing that I discovered is that surface prep and technique matter a lot more than product choice. The difference between different brands or types of products (i.e. sealant vs. carnauba) on properly prepped paint is minimal.

In general, sealants have a clear, glassy shine, while carnauba waxes have a deeper, wetter look and hide swirls better. There is, however, a huge variation among products (e.g. sealants that hide swirls and clearer white carnaubas). I personally prefer a clear sealant shine on lighter colors (e.g. white, light silver) and a deeper carnauba gloss on darker colors (e.g. deep blues and reds). Black cars look good, but very different, with both.

Although I haven't used them on the Genesis yet, I use Menzerna nano-ceramic polishes because I still have some left over from my Mercedes (which needed them for its ceramic clear coat). I use Zaino sealants, which I've found to be easy to use and reasonably priced when you consider how sparingly they're used and how long they last.

For carnauba, I prefer Meguiars Gold Class paste wax. It's soft, easy to apply, and leaves a deep, wet shine. It's also available at most auto parts and big box stores.

My advice to anyone would be to research paint prep (polishing, clay, paint cleansers, etc), then find a wax and/or sealant that works for you based on your individual criteria for looks, availability, ease of use, longevity and price.

 

[doozer]

I use Zaino sealants, which I've found to be easy to use and reasonably priced when you consider how sparingly they're used and how long they last.

I've been happily using Zaino products for over 10 years. They are extremely easy to apply and remove and you will not get any weird white dust/residue or whitening of trim pieces.

The only annoying part is mixing the ZFX/Z2 which must be done the first time you use it or if you are layering wax coats quickly.

However, they have recently introduced an all-in-one product that avoids this requirement. I haven't tried it yet

I recently purchased Autoglym (British products) and will be trying their Super Resin Polish and High Definition Wax. I will post more feedback once I try them out.

 

[renojim]

To me, the best wax depends on what finish you want-- whether wet look, deep gloss, etc.

 

[Mark_888]

To me, the best wax depends on what finish you want-- whether wet look, deep gloss, etc.

For some of us, the choice is mainly how long the wax will last before it needs to be waxed again. For a long lasting wax job, I use a synthetic polymer.