Is Car Wax required? - Page 2

What leviathann wrote gives people a better understanding. And dish washing soap (Dawn) will strip a lot of the contaminents off the paint and old wax which will give you a better starting point. (but dont use dawn after you detail to wash your car again until your next detail) I`ve been datailing for years (im 38) I personally use Meguires Professional line(bottles are marked by numbers), Poorboys World (there product can be used in direct sunlight) there product is by far the easiest to apply and remove. Wolfgang is also a good product, Menzera has good polishes. A good detail is in the prep work and the amount of time your willing to put into your car. I use a DA (dual action) polisher made by Porter Cable. I can go on for hours talking but wont. Find something that works for you and stick with it. For me its more of a hobby. www.Autogeek.net has a lot of detailing supplys if anyone is interested. And when it comes to detailing you should use Microfiber towels all the time.

wow...now i feel like im such a noob..LOL..

i do hand wash my car..i dont go through those automatic machine ones cuz IMO i do a better job than those car wash machines...

but wow..i just learned alot bout car cleaning...cuz what i do is just use Meguire''''s Deep Crystal Car Wash to wash my car and then use Meguires Cleaner Wax(paste)..and thats it...

lol could you guys also give me suggestions on cleaning..is it possible to just build up to what i have...i mean..would i need clay bars and stuff..i want mine to last long..cuz i think mine doesnt take long to get dirty..so i want my shine to stay..when it rains, i think my wax washes off..LOL...and then my car gets water spots and dirt and stuff...

putting on wet paint made my car kinda resist getting dirty.

it actualy did sit under this tree that had yellow pollen fall off all over the car, it seemed to stick to it, but wiping my finger over took it right off, but driving 80+ didn''t clear it much at all...
then it rained for a few minutes, i came out after work and my car was all shiny and sparkly... at first i thought i was being punked or something cuz the car looked freshly washed. (obvoiusly a closer look told me it wasn''t perfectly clean, but damn if it still didn''t look good)

anyway, i''m sure with agood wax/glaze/polish/etc it tends to repel stuff

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ORIGINAL: ford

wow...now i feel like im such a noob..LOL..

i do hand wash my car..i dont go through those automatic machine ones cuz IMO i do a better job than those car wash machines...

but wow..i just learned alot bout car cleaning...cuz what i do is just use Meguire''''''''s Deep Crystal Car Wash to wash my car and then use Meguires Cleaner Wax(paste)..and thats it...

lol could you guys also give me suggestions on cleaning..is it possible to just build up to what i have...i mean..would i need clay bars and stuff..i want mine to last long..cuz i think mine doesnt take long to get dirty..so i want my shine to stay..when it rains, i think my wax washes off..LOL...and then my car gets water spots and dirt and stuff...

 
Check out this thread for a product that really makes things easy. It is not a substitute for proper techniques but it is a time saver that produces specatuclar results.
 
http://www.hondaaccordforum.com/Wet_Paint/m_17070/tm.htm

yeah im thinking im gonna try this product too bro...what would happen if the car doesnt have clear coat im just wondering..=))

Clay is a great starting point because it will take a lot of the inbedded dirt out and will leave you with a very smooth finish. Meguires has a forum (as well as the other wax companys) for detailing where you guys that want to learn more should lurk around just to get ideas. This hobby gets very addicting. This is my truck that is 3-1/2 years old and did a quick detail after 4 wheeling it on the beach and dunes.


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ORIGINAL: ford

yeah im thinking im gonna try this product too bro...what would happen if the car doesnt have clear coat im just wondering..=))

 
Clay first then use WP. It works on single stage or clearcoated paint equally well.
 
 

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Clay is a great starting point because it will take a lot of the inbedded dirt out and will leave you with a very smooth finish. Meguires has a forum (as well as the other wax companys) for detailing where you guys that want to learn more should lurk around just to get ideas. This hobby gets very addicting. This is my truck that is 3-1/2 years old and did a quick detail after 4 wheeling it on the beach and dunes. 

 
VERY sharp!

wow..looking sharp indeed 08coupeEX..

yeah i just bought Meguiar''''''''''''''''s Smooth Surface Clay Kit this morning and washed my car..

here''''''''''''''''s some after pics..

Pic1">Pic1
Pic2">Pic2
Pic3">Pic3

i wonder if i can still make it shinier using WP.. what do u think??

quote:

ORIGINAL: ford

wow..looking sharp indeed 08coupeEX..

yeah i just bought Meguiar''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s Smooth Surface Clay Kit this morning and washed my car..

here''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s some after pics..

Pic1">Pic1
Pic2">Pic2
Pic3">Pic3

i wonder if i can still make it shinier using WP.. what do u think??

Clay is just the first step before you detail. After clay use a polish to bring the shine out. Then your wax of choice. If you lived by me Id help you just to show you what a DA could do and you would be hooked. I never used WP but if that is your weapon of choice go for it. But remember the smoother and more reflective the paint the better it will look. Good luck post pics when your done. Heres another shot of the truck. Unfortunitly I dont have the siver floor boards any more I got into an accident so now the floor boards will be all black. This picture was after about 7 hrs of detailing. Black trucks take forever to detail.


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ok..so next time what ill do is, wash, clay, polish, and wax...does that sound right??

So black is SOOOO worth it though. I hate my silver paint because no matter what kind of polish/wax/clay you use....it''ll never WOW like black...its too light colored. BUT on partly cloudy/sunny days and near dusk...my silver paint turns a curious hue of bluish gray that looks freakin sweet.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ford

ok..so next time what ill do is, wash, clay, polish, and wax...does that sound right??

Yes

The best thing to use is ICE. I love that stuff, and it leaves no white residue behind. Easy to put on and easy to take off. Not only that you can do it in the middle of the day with the hot sun on your car.

Amen. ICE followers UNITE!

Just my opinion Ice is just a little better then a spray on detail. For a polish it has zero corrective propertys. And it dulls out all your rubber and plastic edges. Also after it rains it runs down the side of your car.(This is more noticable on darker colors. At very best it will only protect your paint for a month if that. When I first used it I thought it was great product but there isnt a product out that does everything. Again JMO.

quote:

ORIGINAL: 08coupex

Just my opinion Ice is just a little better then a spray on detail. For a polish it has zero corrective propertys. And it dulls out all your rubber and plastic edges. Also after it rains it runs down the side of your car.(This is more noticable on darker colors. At very best it will only protect your paint for a month if that. When I first used it I thought it was great product but there isnt a product out that does everything. Again JMO.

I agree. Folks this is a bottom of the barrel product for the mass consumer that has no background involving automotive paint care. There are so many better products available that it''''''''s just not funny. If offers TEMPORARY looks for a very short term. With just a little investigation on your part you can do so much better. Want long lasting results that don''''''''t rob the bank? Look into Duragloss products, one of the best values on the market for results and durability........and there are many others.

1 coat of Wet Paint + 1 coat of Mojo Quick Detailer









My latest mod ..... gotta love black chrome!!!!

I use Adams Polishes.  I started using that stuff when I had the Mustangs and I really like it.  You can only buy direct or through dealer, but I love that stuff.  I just did my car yesterday - Clay, 3M swirl/scratch remover and their buttery wax.  Will post pics later with my new member post. 

You should clay the car with care once a year depending on the conditions of where the car is.  Much chemicals in the air, the more you will need to clay.  Machine polishing FTW, but very carefully, you don''''''''''''''''t want to cut too much or you might end up with thining clear coat - specially with our single stage paint. 

Here are some of my Stangs and the detail of using the products I mentioned.
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc236/04GTampa/000_0697.jpg
http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc236/04GTampa/?action=view&current=100_1241.jpg

http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc236/04GTampa/?action=view&current=100_0978.jpg
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc236/04GTampa/000_1072.jpg

No questions, the Termi is my Fav, but the blue and Yellow looked so good after that wax came off.  My wife''''''''''''''''s RX300 is a 99 and look at how the paint stil looks. 

yeah those cars are shiny...great job on those...=P

btw welcome to HAF!!!

i see u also live in FL...me too..exept i live in palm coast...do u go to busch gardens ofthen??JK..

I''ve been there......  twice in three years!  I have a two year old now that has me going to places like the zoo for now...
 
Thanks on the cars - I like the Accord so much right now. 
 
Detailing is as important as maintenance on a car.  It actually helps sell the car better since it shows people that you "care" for the car.  Kinda like a nice looking lady, you assume she''s clean all around...  Anyone up for surprises?......  LOL

lol..yeah..=))haha..i feel you..=))

but yeah i love cars so much..(can you tell that im a gear head person=))LOL..) and taking care of cars makes me feel good...specially when you see it pays off...like u work on ur car to put more hp and u when u test drive it u feel the increase in hp..and for looks...taking good care of the exterior, spending hours detailing it...and then you get thumbs up from people..its all worth it..

quote:

ORIGINAL: falkore24

1 coat of Wet Paint + 1 coat of Mojo Quick Detailer









My latest mod ..... gotta love black chrome!!!!

wow folk..i love the shine on your tC...specially that TRD logo=)) LOL

Thanks!!!  That was actually the quick Labor-Day weekend clean-up.  I didn''t even do the trim-shine or final inspection detailer.  Mojo leaves a nice finish and I kinda just want to finish that can to get rid of it.  I like it''s results, but the sprayer only works right for the first 2 applications.  I spray it on the rag now since it doesn''t spread like it''s supposed to.

The TRD is on my strut tower bar.  I''m going to have to take a look at it when I get home.  I never noticed the scratches on the left side of the TRD before ..... I think I might have left the packaging tape on there.

The Tc looks good.



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Thanks!  So does the coupe!  They could be brothers ..... ya think?!