Alternatives to Meguiar's Three Step

[Oldswagon]

I currently use Meguiar's three step process to wax and polish my car. This consists of a liquid cleaning step, a liquid polish, followed by a liquid Carnuba wax. I have been very happy with the results, as it offers a great shine and pretty decent durability. My biggest complaint is that it is very time consuming to use. My car is quite large and basically waxing it three times is a very tiring and time consuming process.

Now that I am almost out of the three step Meguairs, I was thinking of switching to an alternative that offered the same (or better) shine and durability but less time consuming to apply. I would like a wax that is available OTC, and readily available in Canada. Price is not really an issue (to a point).

I was also thinking that maybe I should use a clay bar on the car since the paint is about 4 years old and I have never done this to the car before. I was considering using Meguiars Gold and a clay bay, instead of the three step. I don't know if this is a good idea or what kind of results I will get.

Any advice appreciated. For reference, the car has a white single stage paint job, that has no oxidation and has held up very well. It does sit outside during the summer months and will be exposed to the elements at times. The car is not used during the winter and is stored inside.

 

[BigV]

Part of the problem is that you don't need to do all three steps every time.

The cleaning step 1 should only be done annually for most people.

I strongly encourage the use of a clay bar. The brand is not really even important. Look around because different brands are packaged in different sizes.

I claybar twice a year followed by a polish and then a sealer. Sealers are pretty much replacing waxes, but don't have quite the wet look until you get high end.

This car has 20 year old paint. I use poorboys polish and sealer with carnuba on it.

This car I used mothers polish followed by mothers sealer.

Just so you know I'm not working with perfect cars, this is what the red car looked like the week before:

 

[W8inDE]

I'm a detail freak, but I'm not into claying. Too much for me. I use a good polish to get rid of swirls once a year (meguiars #81 or 83), then hit it with Klasse All-In-One and Klasse Super Gloss Sealant. I'll try to do 2 additional caots of the SG for added depth and shine. I use the Klasse twins twice a year (spring and fall).

I think you'll be amazed at the Klasse shine and durability compared to Meguiars 3-step. Klasse will keep the water beading for about 6 months.

 

[Russell]

What they said!

A sealant is your best bet after you do the surface prep. You may want to "recoat' the sealant several times a year without repeating all the surface prep. many over the counter products such as Mother's Synwax should work for you.

 

[yugrus]

The thing is that there are not too many synthetic sealants available at Canadian Tire. Klasse is nowhere to be found in my neck of woods... There is limited choice of Meguiar's products, then Mother's, Turtle Wax, Eagle One and that's pretty much it. I can't find a good sealant anywhere.

 

[W8inDE]

Just order the Klasse twins over the internet.

 

[BigV]

Try these guys:
http://www.poorboysworld.com/

I pretty fond of the EX-P sealant.

I like both Megs and Mothers for over the counter. To get good product you are probably going to have to go mail order.

The only turtle wax product I would recommend is the CD2 engine detailer.

 

[Oldswagon]

What's the difference between a sealer and a wax? Does Meguiars or Mother's make a sealer that I can use? I am assuming I'd still have to use a polish before the sealer? What are good polishes other than the Meguiars from the three step that I have been using?

 

[ShortBuSX]

If you wanna ditch most of those steps, you could just try Meguiars ColorX, Ive used it several times on friends cars that I didnt wanna get into all the time involved in layering. Clay bar, although time consuming ensures you get nothing under your new wax. Also you might try giving it(your car) a vinegar bath diluted with water after a washing, and then follow that up with a quick soap wash to remove hardwater spots and other contaminents.

But I gotta say, I really like the "first step" in that 3 part system...its more of light chemical paint cleaner. I substitute or follow up with Meguiars Show Glaze. Then I use Megs Poly Sealant. And I substitute stage 3 with the Meguiar's High Tech Yellow Carnuba wax. Most of these are the tan bottles, they can be hard to find but Ive had good luck finding all of this at Ave Hardware of all places...but I also called around and found a supplier for auto body shops that carries alot of the tan bottles(professional line).

 

[bretfraz]

In Canadianaiana, one of the better detailing suppliers are these guys: http://www.eshine.ca/index.php

They carry Klasse, Poorboys, Pinnacle, most of the well known boutique brands.

Klasse All In One is a chemical cleaner with a light abrasive combined with an acrylic resin component to provide some protection. It takes the place of Meguiars Step 1. It won't remove scratches or serious paint flaws but it does a nice job of cleaning and lightly polishing paint.

You can follow up with either Klasse Sealant Glaze or most any non-abrasive wax. All In One makes for a good base for a lot of products.

 

[bretfraz]

There are very few polymer sealants available in retail stores. They're usually expensive compared to other waxes and some can be fussy to work with. Stores like CDN Tire and WalMart are only going to carry what their consumer research tells them what will sell. That's why they stock similar products; they're not going to stock something that doesn't sell well.

A decent polymer sealant available in some stores is Liquid Glass. Not as good as the boutique sealants like Klasse and Zaino but better than the $4.99 bottle of car wax next to it on the shelf.

Some auto parts stores may stock Meguiars #20 Polymer Sealant or Duragloss. You'll have to search around to find them.

Don't overlook auto body supply stores. Most carry products from Meguiars and 3M and probably sell other brands. Check your phone book for locations. I buy a lot of polishes and buffer pads from my local paint & body supplier.

Your best bet for a wide selection is going to be the internet. A quick Google search for car wax or polish will turn up lots of suppliers.

 

[Oldswagon]

quote:

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Originally posted by bretfraz:
In Canadianaiana, one of the better detailing suppliers are these guys: http://www.eshine.ca/index.php

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Thanks for the link. Although I would prefer not to go mail order, this place is not overly far from where I live so I'd make the exception. The price for the Klasse products seems pretty reasonable when you buy them in a set.

With the Klasse product, all I need is the AIO and the sealer, and it will do the job of the three step Meguairs process I have been using before? Are there any disadvantages to the sealer over the carnuba wax? And is Klasse an easy product to use? I prefer to apply products by hand.

 

[bretfraz]

With the Klasse product, all I need is the AIO and the sealer, and it will do the job of the three step Meguairs process I have been using before? Are there any disadvantages to the sealer over the carnuba wax? And is Klasse an easy product to use? I prefer to apply products by hand.
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The AIO takes the place of Step 1.

Step 2 is a glaze that hides minor paint flaws. There is no equivalent in the Klasse line or sealant products in general.

Step 3 is a carnauba wax compatible with the glaze Step 2. Klasse Sealant Glaze takes the place of Step 3. The Sealant Glaze is far more durable than any wax. About the only negative thing regarding Klasse SG is it can be a bit fussy to use. The trick is to apply it very thin, one small section at a time, and wipe it off right after you apply it.

The Klasse products are going to look different than the Meguiars system but most people are happy with the shine and the durability. If you prefer the wax look, you can top the AIO with your favorite wax. AIO makes for a good base for almost any last step product, wax or sealant.

 

[jmacmaster]

Wash the car VERY well with a soap made for washing cars. Then give it a coat of Meguiars Paint Cleaner (you'll be amazed how dirty the wipe off rags get, telling you that the cleaner really works). Then wax with Meguiars NXT in liquid form. I'm not sold on the so-called sealants. They're relativly new and my research hasn't convinced me that they are clearly the way to go vs. a wax.

 

[Oldswagon]

quote:

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The Klasse products are going to look different than the Meguiars system but most people are happy with the shine and the durability. If you prefer the wax look, you can top the AIO with your favorite wax. AIO makes for a good base for almost any last step product, wax or sealant.

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Sorry if I keep asking questions, but I am just trying to learn a little more about detailing. How will Klasse have a different look then a "wax" look? Basically, I am concerned with the shine and depth of shine after wax. Will the two step Klasse offer a nicer shine with more depth? Or will I have better results with AIO and a good carnuba? Why don't you need the a polish with Klasse? If polish only removes swirl marks, then maybe I don't need it since my paint has virtually none.

quote:

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Wash the car VERY well with a soap made for washing cars. Then give it a coat of Meguiars Paint Cleaner (you'll be amazed how dirty the wipe off rags get, telling you that the cleaner really works). Then wax with Meguiars NXT in liquid form. I'm not sold on the so-called sealants. They're relativly new and my research hasn't convinced me that they are clearly the way to go vs. a wax.

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I have seen Meguairs NXT at stores. How does this product compare to the Meguairs Carnuba wax in terms of durability and shine? Does it need a polish step too?

 

[ShortBuSX]

quote:

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Originally posted by jmacmaster:
I'm not sold on the so-called sealants. They're relativly new and my research hasn't convinced me that they are clearly the way to go vs. a wax.

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They arent very new at all(since the 80s)...and if youve got a black car,(following a good polish) sealant will give you that wet look unlike anything else...but I dont agree with skipping a high quality carnuba because youre using a sealant.

quote:

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Originally posted by Oldswagon:
I have seen Meguairs NXT at stores. How does this product compare to the Meguairs Carnuba wax in terms of durability and shine? Does it need a polish step too?

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Ive tried the NXT, although I love the smell of the product(and almost find its scent addictive)...Im not impressed with it. I find its praises to be a bunch of hype(maybe its the scent) and its doesnt outlast the High Tech Yellow(not by a long shot) like you would expect from a synthetic. Nor do I believe its got the gloss of the HTYellow. I say get it and try it yourself...but its not as great as everybody claims...stick with the carnuba.

BUT it is much better than the Gold Class! A nice improvement over that...but its no HTYellow.

 

[yugrus]

I tend to agree that NXT is more suitable for in-between wax usage. It doesn't last long at all, although immediate results are very good.

 

[penzdude]

bigv, the before and after pictures you posted are amazing..great job man! wow...

 

[Oldswagon]

Well after reading all of the above posts and some archives, I think I am going to try the Klasse two step process. At the very least, this will cut out 1/3 of the work from the Maguiar's three step, and hopefully I will get better long lasting results.

If anyone has any other advice to offer, please comment.

 

[Patman]

You'll love the shine if you use NXT, but you won't like it's durability. I use it on my black Corvette, but find that within 2-3 weeks the fine scratches come back and I need to do it all over again. Although it's so easy to remove that I don't mind waxing my car every few weeks. I can do the entire car in 45min (with a buffer to apply it, then wiping it off by hand)

You might want to go with Meguiar's #26 yellow wax, it's available at Canadian Tire and is pretty durable. It shines almost as good as NXT.

I never bother doing all those extra steps for any wax system. I prefer to just put on one coat and be done with it. I don't want to spend an entire afternoon waxing my car, I want to just get it done and then go out driving!