Tips on waxing a white car?

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ebc

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Kingsport, TN
Greetings,
Any tips on how to get a good wax job on a white vehicle? My middle age eyes have trouble seeing the haze when buffing.
Thanks,
ebc
 
Use one of the new synthetic polishes from Meguires, Turtle wax, or Mothers. You don't let them dry to a haze and they shine fantisic, at least to me they do. They last longer also.
 
Originally Posted By: jcwit
Use one of the new synthetic polishes from Meguires, Turtle wax, or Mothers. You don't let them dry to a haze and they shine fantisic, at least to me they do. They last longer also.


Huh? You remove them will still damp before the haze?
 
ebc,

Two ways to go. I agree with Wasatch's suggestion to polish then use a last step product.

First way is to use a sealant. Some of them can be left on for up to an hour before removing (Wolfgang for example). They will leave you with a "bright" or glossy shine and will last 3 to 6 months

Second way would be to use one of the wowo (wipe on, wipe off) carnauba waxes on the market (Pinnacle SS II or similar). You just wipe them on and wipe off the same panel. No wait time at all. This will leave you a "warmer" shine. The drawback is they will last 1 to 2 months but it only takes 30 minutes to re-wax.

Some idiots like myself use a sealer and then top it with a carnauba wax.

No matter which way you go, the look of the paint starts with the prep work first.
 
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The reason I say use a sealant is because it lasts longer and it really brings out the pop in white. Using a carnauba, first does not last as long, and gives a different look (warmer) to white. I also top a sealant with a carnauba ocassionaly, lol
 
LOL, It sounds like Wasatch is a "Klasse" kind of detailer. Do you also hang out at Autopia or AutoGeek?

Back to ebc, do you have a PC or rotary polisher or know someone that can help you out? If you wash the car, clay the paint, polish it well and then seal, you will be VERY happy with the way the car looks. Wasatch is right about the sealant lasting longer and to be honest about it, I use a sealer with a topcoat of Colinite 845 or 476 if I know it will be a long time between details.

The carnauba topper is a sacrificial layer to the bird bombs that happen to a nice car. The combination will last all winter, survive a lot of car washes and still look good but you will need to wait for the wax to haze before removing. Having bifocals myself, that can be a problem. Good lights and a finger wipe to see if it has hazed might help.
 
You all are very informative. Perhaps I should elaborate a bit.
I just bought a new Tundra SR5/TRD 4x4 truck.(Its white, got a good deal on it). My problem is seeing the haze or lack thereof on the white finish. I am not an obsessive detailer, just like to keep the finish slick. Easier is better with waxing. I would rather use a product that has to be reapplied more often but is easy to use. I have a heart condition and the meds make me feel weak, so less buffing is good. The WOWO stuff sounds interesting. Autogeek and Topoftheline.com have some great concoctions. Your thoughts please.
Regards,
ebc
 
ebc,

AutoGeek is a great bunch to work with. I have bought a lot of wax and polish from them and they never fail to deliver. For a white car the Pinnacle Signature Series II or the Pinnacle Souveran paste wax are both wipe on, wipe off waxes. They will last from 1 to 3 months depending on conditions, look great and are easy to use (my Camry takes 25 minutes).

You should get 20 to 30 waxes per can. Just apply to one panel at a time, wipe off and lightly buff with a nice microfiber polishing cloth to a nice shine and go to the next panel. You don't wait for it to dry (it will not haze at all) as it is designed to wipe off wet.

Another that I will be trying is Dodo Juice (in your case their Light Fantastic and Diamond White) to see how easy they are to apply and check the durability. I have a buddy in England that swears by it. He is a little daft though (he thinks the Brits have great electrical systems in their cars....)

I'm sure that others will chime in with their favorite waxes and you could check with some others at autogeek, detailed image and autopia.
 
Originally Posted By: ebc
You all are very informative. Perhaps I should elaborate a bit.
I just bought a new Tundra SR5/TRD 4x4 truck.(Its white, got a good deal on it). My problem is seeing the haze or lack thereof on the white finish. I am not an obsessive detailer, just like to keep the finish slick. Easier is better with waxing. I would rather use a product that has to be reapplied more often but is easy to use. I have a heart condition and the meds make me feel weak, so less buffing is good. The WOWO stuff sounds interesting. Autogeek and Topoftheline.com have some great concoctions. Your thoughts please.
Regards,
ebc


Typically I prefer polymer sealants as they last longer and offer a brighter shine. But based on your comments above, you are probably best off with a carnauba paste wax. I can't think of a product that is physically easier to use than a quality carnauba paste. The oils in the wax allow the applicator pad to glide across your paint easily, making the waxing almost effortless. Some good ones have been mentioned here and are worth looking into.

One other idea, if a little offbeat, are the new "wipe on/walk away" sealants. You don't apply them like a normal wax. You apply a very light spray of product, lightly spread it with an applicator and leave it alone. There is no residue to buff off. You get great durability and shine and a super easy application method. There are only a few of these products on the market and the best one I've used is Zaino Clear Seal. Check it out here: http://www.zainostore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=Z-CS

These products are not cheap but they do work very well and might be exactly what you're looking for. If it were any easier to use, it would apply itself.
 
Originally Posted By: GeorgiaHybrid
LOL, It sounds like Wasatch is a "Klasse" kind of detailer. Do you also hang out at Autopia or AutoGeek?

Back to ebc, do you have a PC or rotary polisher or know someone that can help you out? If you wash the car, clay the paint, polish it well and then seal, you will be VERY happy with the way the car looks. Wasatch is right about the sealant lasting longer and to be honest about it, I use a sealer with a topcoat of Colinite 845 or 476 if I know it will be a long time between details.

The carnauba topper is a sacrificial layer to the bird bombs that happen to a nice car. The combination will last all winter, survive a lot of car washes and still look good but you will need to wait for the wax to haze before removing. Having bifocals myself, that can be a problem. Good lights and a finger wipe to see if it has hazed might help.


I like Werkstatt products, lol Yup, I'm a member of Autopia since 2003.

Lately I've been using Prime Acrylic, and every 3-4 weeks Acrylic Jett Trigger. This is probably the quickest way to detail my X.
 
Ok, here are a few more suggestions for ya: I think these are the quickest and easyiest ways to detail your vehicle and get a very nice look.

Wash
Clay (1-2 times a year)

Werkstatt Prime Acrylic/Acrylic Jett Trigger (every 3 weeks just the AJT) if you want, you can top the Prime Acrylic with a Carnauba every month

ZAIO/Z-8 (every 3 weeks just the Z-8) if you want, you can top the ZAIO with a Carnauba every month

Dodo Juice Need For Speed/Rain Forest Rub or Diamond White, then apply RFR or DW every month

Also another very nice Liquid Carnauba is ClearKote Carnauba Moose Wax (CMW).
 
Get yourself some Zaino AIO. I still can't believe what it has done for my white Civic. RejeX is also a good product for when your paint is in buff condition.
 
Kids an I waxed two white cars this weekend. Just look carefully, as I had to point out a couple of spots that my son missed buffing. Wax coverage isn't a problem, just use overlapping coverage.

Nufinish paste worked great. One car was new, the other hadn't been 'Nufinished' in a year, it sits outside here in the Pacific NW, and about 2/3 to 3/4 of it still beaded when it was washed.
 
Admittedly I have a tough time eliminating every possible streak when I "wax" my white '95 Civic but Liquid Glass has served me VERY well, much better than NXT or carnauba. LG is great for windshields and other glass, and laminated countertops too!
 
ebc, I use Meguiars NXT 2.0 wax and Ultimate Quik Detailer on my white 08 Malibu and couldn't be happier with the results, Super shine and Super slick finish, I wax my car once a month and use the UQD after every wash, real easy on and off.
 
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