2014 WRX - School me!

[Pablo]

The beast is more than ready for the first wash and then I need to get some wax ON.

I'm open minded, so pour it on. Cold and dark and I have to start back to work, so Saturday will be the soonest.

 

[double vanos]

Just wash it with a high quality car washing soap and then clay it before giving it that first wax job. As you should well know, people here are as passionate about car wax as they are beer, but I use Collinite Insulator Wax because it lasts pretty good and is a breeze to put on / take off.

Let the cow pie hit the fan.....

 

[qwertydude]

Get the basics. You need an automotive clay bar, a polish, and a wax.

Clay bars, you can get any off the shelf or get a generic mild bar from ebay.

A polish really should be applied by machine. If you can't swing enough for a real dual action polisher, a cheap 6" Random Orbital polisher can work quite well with the caveat that it takes longer to polish your car with one and you're pretty much limited to SMAT abrasives to truly get a good surface finish.

The best and most fool proof polishes I've used so far is Meguiar's Ultimate Polish. As far as a wax probably the most durable and yet still easy to use wax would be Collinite 845.

 

[HyundaiGuy]

A real dual action polisher can be had for sixty bucks. Harbor Freight is your friend. Their pads pretty much suck though, check Auto Geek, Griots, or Adams for pads.

 

[Pablo]

Affording a decent polisher is not a huge issue, but at this point I'm more concerned with getting the car clean and getting some protective wax ON.

Where do you guys buy Collinite Insulator Wax/845?

 

[Eddie]

Just wash and wax and read the owners manual for the mechanics. You sure don't need a clay bar and polisher for a new vehicle.

 

[qwertydude]

You may not need the polish but the clay bar is important. Even a new vehicle will have fallout and contaminants baked onto the finish. And clay is the easiest and most economical way to decontaminate the paint surface.

So if polishing isn't in the picture at the minimum a claying should be.

 

[JHZR2]

Go to zaino and get everything you need from one vendor. Wash, clay, border less towels, etc. I'd go with Z2 or z5 depending upon the color. Keep after it with zpc after washing in the future and the protection and looks will last for years!

 

[Pablo]

A couple things:

It's not exactly warm! How should I wax in the cold?

I do have clay from Griot's (they are local), so I have that covered.

I just ordered the Collinite Insulator Wax from Amazon Prime.

 

[The Critic]

Be careful of clay in the cold. If it's very hard, it can sometimes marr the heck out of paint. I've found that clay in general leaves some amount of marring, and I've had better results with Nanoskin mitts.

I am not a fan of Collinite, as I feel that there are far more advanced products out there. Think of Collinite as the 20w-50 from the 70's. However, qwertydude has coached me into giving 915 another try soon…will report back.

I still think Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0 is your best bet for long-term protection. Cost is about $25 or so per car and you should be set for at least a couple years. Most of the traditional sealants are big dirt magnets -- the newer nano tech coatings and sealants do a far better job at dust/dirt repellency. If you like a wipe on/off deal, CarPro Reload should get you 3 months and will take 10 min to apply.

If you're really insistent on waxing, and in the cold, I suppose you can go over the panel with a hair dryer and hope it cures faster.

And if you really prefer a traditional sealant, Menzerna PowerLock or Blackfire Wet Diamond would be my two picks…

 

[FastEddie]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
A couple things:

It's not exactly warm! How should I wax in the cold?

I just ordered the Collinite Insulator Wax from Amazon Prime.

Colliite 845 is a good wax (sealant) but can be a real PITA in cold weather. Your going to have to warm it up somehow, I use warm water. It needs to be shaken up big time, so shake it until you feel like your arm is going to fall off, then shake it some more.

And remember to apply it super thin. I've use my fair share of Coll. 845 but have since switched to 476S. No doubt Insulator wax will look great on your WRX and protect it for quite a while. Nice choice.

 

[dparm]

Most waxes and sealants will be a major hassle if it's cold. They either won't spread properly, or they'll be impossible to buff off. Not sure what the weather is like by you now, but I'd hate for you to start on one panel and waste an hour just trying to finish it.

Ideally you want to do this stuff in the fall so that it lasts through winter.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Most waxes and sealants will be a major hassle if it's cold. They either won't spread properly, or they'll be impossible to buff off. Not sure what the weather is like by you now, but I'd hate for you to start on one panel and waste an hour just trying to finish it.

Ideally you want to do this stuff in the fall so that it lasts through winter.


Yep -- which is why he may want to consider CarPro Reload or even Hydr02 to get him through the winter.

Polymer Net Shield should not have this problem, but I have not used my new can so I can't confirm. But since it's aerosol, it should be okay.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
I've found that clay in general leaves some amount of marring, and I've had better results with Nanoskin mitts.

Tell us more about this, the nanoskin mitts, that is?

 

[bigjl]

I have used AutoGlym , super resin polish, in relatively cool weather with no issues.

I did find the paint on my Subarus to be really thin. And very easy to scratch.

Noticed the same thing with a mates 07 WRX

Mine were both UK models his was a parallel import from Cyprus

Might be different as Subarus for the NA market are made in NA aren't they?

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: The Critic


Yep -- which is why he may want to consider CarPro Reload or even Hydr02 to get him through the winter.

Polymer Net Shield should not have this problem, but I have not used my new can so I can't confirm. But since it's aerosol, it should be okay.


I'm all ears. What are these things? Optimum Opti-Coat 2.0??

Can I wax over them later?

 

[gofast182]

Honestly, unless you have a day where the temp of your finish is above 50 degrees (ideally higher) I would not bother waxing it until you have the proper conditions and can take your time, not hurrying to get warm again. For the rest of winter I'd just keep it washed [frequently] with a good car wash.

If you want to split the difference between a product like Collinite 845 and Opti-Coat 2.0, try Menzerna Power Lock. It's excellent.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: The Critic


I am not a fan of Collinite, as I feel that there are far more advanced products out there. Think of Collinite as the 20w-50 from the 70's. However, qwertydude has coached me into giving 915 another try soon…will report back.


+1

The longevity on a well prepped surface has never been up to par for me, compared to other options. I was an early adopter of collinite, but it just doesnt do it for me.

 

[RTexasF]

Quote:
Honestly, unless you have a day where the temp of your finish is above 50 degrees (ideally higher) I would not bother waxing it until you have the proper conditions and can take your time, not hurrying to get warm again. For the rest of winter I'd just keep it washed [frequently] with a good car wash.


This is absolutely the best and most informative post here.

 

[Picky1]

Originally Posted By: double vanos
Just wash it with a high quality car washing soap and then clay it before giving it that first wax job. As you should well know, people here are as passionate about car wax as they are beer, but I use Collinite Insulator Wax because it lasts pretty good and is a breeze to put on / take off.

Let the cow pie hit the fan.....


I have a 2012 Subaru Legacy and when I got it I washed it, clayed it, and hit it with Collinite. The type of wax/sealant is perfersonal preference and what you have access too and feel comfortable using. I would have loved to use Opticoat but I wasn't comfortable using that product and hate the idea of paying someone to do it for me.

The problem with Subaru's is that they have really soft paint, so the real important thing is to stay on top of things so they do not get out of hand.

Also, you may want to consider some kind of paint protection on the front-end of your car.