Any recommendations on wax and clay bars?

[johnsmellsalot]

I'm going to do a full detail on my car this fall. I used Nu-Finish last year and it is still shiney and the water still beads.

I'm looking for a good synthetic paste wax. Right now I'm looking at Turtle Wax F21 Car Polish. What's the difference between cleaner wax, car polish, and wax?

As for clay bars, I'm looking at either Mother's, Turtle Wax Ice, or Meguiars. Which do you guys recommend?

 

[09_GXP]

I've used Meg's and Mother's clay bars and prefer the Meg's. The Mother,s just didn't feel like it cleaned as well and the surface didn't seem to be as smooth.

The polish is to make the car shine while the wax is to protect the finish. My routine is always wash, clay, polish, then wax.

 

[Dusty]

A polish is a liquid with light abrasive properties, which can remove small defects from your paint, but it offers no protection. A cleaner wax is a traditional car wax with light cleaning ability, to remove polishing oils or the remnants of an old wax. A car wax has no cleaning or abrasive properties, it merely enhances the shine/depth of the paint and provides some protection for your paint.

I'd reccomend either the Meguiar's or Mother's brand clay.

 

[cwing6]

I had great results with Megs clay bar on my Z a few weeks ago. I haven't used Mothers.

 

[radtech91]

I just used Turtle Wax Ice clay bar kit and synthetic paste polish on my mothers Rendezvous, it has never looked better. Here are some pics:
[img:left]
IMG_1325 by hondaguy91, on Flickr[/img]
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IMG_1332 by hondaguy91, on Flickr[/img] [img:left]
IMG_1330 by hondaguy91, on Flickr[/img] [img:left]
IMG_1326 by hondaguy91, on Flickr[/img]

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: 09_GXP
I've used Meg's and Mother's clay bars and prefer the Meg's. The Mother,s just didn't feel like it cleaned as well and the surface didn't seem to be as smooth.

The polish is to make the car shine while the wax is to protect the finish. My routine is always wash, clay, polish, then wax.


although i truly admire you routine, its got to be very time consuming ? is this on a show car or your daily driver ?

 

[Gilstein]

clay barring doesn't take a great deal of time. I'm not sure about the polishing, but I'd assume polishing would also make waxing a little quicker. I wouldn't do the above routine for every wash, but wouldn't be bad for a spring and fall detail.

 

[09_GXP]

Originally Posted By: OtisBlkR1
Originally Posted By: 09_GXP
I've used Meg's and Mother's clay bars and prefer the Meg's. The Mother,s just didn't feel like it cleaned as well and the surface didn't seem to be as smooth.

The polish is to make the car shine while the wax is to protect the finish. My routine is always wash, clay, polish, then wax.


although i truly admire you routine, its got to be very time consuming ? is this on a show car or your daily driver ?


The key is to own small cars...lol. It takes around 4 hrs to do a car which is time well spent to me. I will do it once a spring for my daily driver and the Solstice every 2 years, it only sees ~5k miles a year.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

yeah, i can see that.. My R1 is my show and shine baby.. who woulda thought a guy could spend 3 hours detailing out a crotch rocket

With that said i cant even wash my extended cab silverado without sections drying and getting spots.. the automated car wash is the only viable solution for me.. i waxed it once in 08 and again in 09 since then its just to thecar wash and ive learned to accept it.. does not mean i like it, but it is what it is..

 

[bigmike]

Indiana must not get enough humidity. I can spray my truck down with water and it'll be wet the next few weeks here in Florida.

I've only had water dry on panels because they weren't beading up water. Sounds like failed wax?

 

[OtisBlkR1]

In the middle of summer when its hot and dry here, i can spray my truck down in the drive (one side at a time) wash, then rinse, but i can almost never get the drying done before it dries and spots.. we have a very good local wash that has umpteen dozen very high powered blow dryers, if i go through there.. then hop out and hit the back glass, bumpers, and wheels.. i can get a wash with NO spots.. its about the only way..

and yes, some summers our humidity is killer, 98' with a heat index of 115'.. nothing to joke about, ive got friends down south from Alabama and Louisiana.. theve been here when it was bad and were totally blown away.. Idiana has a saying, "if you dont like the weather stick around a day or two, it will change" we get all kinds of extremes here in the heartland !

 

[whitson01]

the key to a good clay routine is to clean the car/paint thoroughly. use a good quality cleaner/shampoo. then i highly recommend iron x to get out "those specs". which are iron deposits. you would be surprised at how much [censored] it gets out of your paint. your clay bars will last longer too. use a clay bar kit, which i like mothers. then on to a good wax or what ever you prefer.

 

[Galo]

Hey 09_GPX, I live on the Northside of Indy. I have never clay barred a car because I fear I'll not get it, the clay bar , properly "folded" and mess-up the paint. Would you be willing to get together and "instruct me" on how to do this properly? I DO have Meg's 50gram clay bars(2) that came with the Paint Cleaning kit.

Otis, where in IN are you located? I agree on the water drying quickly, and I have a relatively small car(MB SLK).

 

[johnsmellsalot]

I like in Texas. I have never clay barred before either but I don't think its too hard. I mean, it's pretty straight forward. If you type "how to clay bar" on google, there's articles and videos about how to clay bar.
Originally Posted By: Galo
Hey 09_GPX, I live on the Northside of Indy. I have never clay barred a car because I fear I'll not get it, the clay bar , properly "folded" and mess-up the paint. Would you be willing to get together and "instruct me" on how to do this properly? I DO have Meg's 50gram clay bars(2) that came with the Paint Cleaning kit.

Otis, where in IN are you located? I agree on the water drying quickly, and I have a relatively small car(MB SLK).

 

[SJohnson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfEfLGL59GI

 

[Galo]

Thanks, but I've seen many vids/how-to's, but I just don't "trust" myself. I'm much better off with hands-on "training". The actual clay-barring, the rubbing of the paint, isn't my concern, it's the "folding" of the bar and making sure there are no remnants of dirt to scratch the paint.