Car polish and wax

[StarPD]

My new to me 2005 Q45 in pearl white has the usual fine scratches on the surface of the clearcoat from car washes.

I have a number of disabilities that make polishing and waxing a car difficult.

Does anyone have experience with GOOD car polishes that will remove at least most of these scratches without wearing me out or removing too much of the clearcoat?

Ditto for a good wax that will last for a while.

I understand that Mequiars has good products, but their product list is so extensive it's difficult to determine which would be best.

Appreciate any tips or help.

Thanks.

[MattB]

My previous car was black and obviously tended to show EVERY scratch. I used Meguiar's Tech Wax. Very easy to apply and really makes the car look great. I'm looking forward to spring so I can try it on my new car.

[StarPD]

My previous car was black and obviously tended to show EVERY scratch. I used Meguiar's Tech Wax. Very easy to apply and really makes the car look great. I'm looking forward to spring so I can try it on my new car.

Thanks Matt.

Anyone have anything to say about "Zaino" products?

[Q45man1]

I've used both Black Magic liquid car wax and Meguiar's Class Gold car wax.Both works fine and also for plastic lens Meguiar's plastic lens polish is good.

[StarPD]

I've used both Black Magic liquid car wax and Meguiar's Class Gold car wax.Both works fine and also for plastic lens Meguiar's plastic lens polish is good.

I'm trying to locate a detailer a local Q45 member here in Phoenix used, and am waiting for a reply from him.

If I'm unsuccessful, which of the products you mentioned would fit my needs better, in case I end up having to do it myself? Does the Mequiars Class Gold have enough mild abrasive to help remove the fine sratches from a car wash?

Thanks.

[Q45man1]

I have been using Zymoil car polish to remove fine scratches on my Q. It also works wonderful with my previous white Honda Accord and current dark green Ford Expedition. You should try it.

Percy

[maxnix]

Zaino is the gold standard, but it is neither easy to buff, nor is it to be undertaken lightly as it will be an all day affair the first time.

Some previous posts by AZHitman among others. Try a search.

[MattB]

Thanks Matt.

Anyone have anything to say about "Zaino" products?

I've got some of their products too but I only use them when I have all day to devote to a cleaning job on my car. Great results but very time consuming.

[Mark86T]

I detail for a living. I use Meguiar's Tech synthetic tech wax. Easy to use & great, long lasting results. Sythetic wax last longer than carnuba & doesn't wash off as quickly. As for scratches or swirl marks I use Meguiar's medium compound and the Porter Cable polisher.

[90SRpwrd240]

I also use Meguiars Tech wax.....it seems give one of the best/longest lasting shines and it is clearly the easiest to remove after application. I used to work at a local automotive store and alot of customers would rant and rave about Zymol products too, but they are hard to come by around here.

[heywier427]

heres the product i stand by.

http://www.dri-wash.us/

its so easy to use and the results are like no other.

has anyone else ever tried it?

my fathers shop used to be a distributor but his sales rep moved and he never followed up:( no more "damaged" products!

the driwash wax detailer is the best of all their products i used. the other products are good but inferior to others.

[MattB]

heres the product i stand by.

http://www.dri-wash.us/

its so easy to use and the results are like no other.

has anyone else ever tried it?

my fathers shop used to be a distributor but his sales rep moved and he never followed up:( no more "damaged" products!

the driwash wax detailer is the best of all their products i used. the other products are good but inferior to others.

Do those waterless washes really work? I've always been wary of them and concerned about them scratching the paint while removing the dirt.

[heywier427]

i would not stand by what they claim.

i would always wash my car before i put a cloth to it.

but it works really well. after you wax you cant leave anything on the car or else it slides right off!

[Mark86T]

For a dusty car that would work well. But for a car run through rain it needs to be washed. You can't get the dirt out of the cracks & seams without washing. Not to mention in the wheel wells.

My two cars are garage kept. My Z never sees rain & my Q is rarely out in it. I use Meguiar's Mist & Wipe to clean my cars. Spray it on & wipe it off. Great for removing dust & even light rain. But my cars always have wax on them. I would not use the mist & wipe on a car that doesn't have wax on it.

[ceningolmo]

Try these two NICO articles on for size.

The first one is by Chopp, and is probably the most applicable to what you are trying to do.

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=183170

The second one is by me, from a while back. It's much more intensive and is probably more work than you want.

zerothread/225181

[StarPD]

Try these two NICO articles on for size.

The first one is by Chopp, and is probably the most applicable to what you are trying to do.

http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=183170

The second one is by me, from a while back. It's much more intensive and is probably more work than you want.

zerothread/225181

Excellent write-ups.

When I was younger and drove new Corvettes, I was anal about caring for them. Since the paint on a fiberglass car cannot be baked, it is heat-dried and air cured. That paint is nowhere near as hard and durable as a good baked OEM finish (and neither is a custome repaint, no matter how expensive).

I spent all day every two or three months, and reguarly put on 6 to 8 coats of good carnuaba wax. The (silver, all of them) paint eventually oxidized no matter how I tried to protect it, but my work did prolong the time before the Phoenix sun beat it up. Unfortunately, I'm physically unable to do it all any more.

Here are three tips I learned during this odyssey of car mania:

1. To keep the car from attracting and holding dust when finished, do a final quick rinse and buff dry with a fresh, clean, dry terrycloth towel after finishing the last step of waxing. That removes any remaining petroleum by-products left over from the waxing/polishing products.

2. Use an old, preferalby medium bristle toothbrush to get the dried wax/polish from cracks, nooks and crannies, especially around windshield and backlight trim and around emblems.

3. Clean all glass from inside with glass cleaner, using paper towels. Here's the secret to making the glass truly clean and clear: immediately after drying, while there is still some residual moisture on the glass, make a large pad of Kleenex and use it to buff the glass competely dry, especially in the corners. Keep one sheet for positioning against your hand so you don't introduce oil from your skin into the Kleenex and onto the glass. Turn the sheets on the pad frequently (I use 8 to 10 sheets and rotate them using the face of each sheet in turn) to keep presenting a clean dry surface to the glass. Use a separate pad for each window. This completely removes that oily film that leaves a blue haze on the inside of the glass which is caused by the evaporation of the volatiles/aromatics in the plastics used in the interior of the car. It's critical to keep presenting a fresh surface of Kleenex to the glass to actually remove the film, rather than just spreading it around. Usually, two complete repeats of the entire process is necessary if not done regularly. That oily haze is stubborn.Use the same finishing up process with the Kleenex on the exterior glass too. Since the exterior doesn't condense the aromatics from the interior, it only takes one cleaning and Kleenex buffing process. You'll be surprised how clear your glass becomes.

One final note. I can't stress strongly enough the advice given in both of the articles posted by ceningolmo: Do NOT, EVER, lay a cleaning, drying, or buffing towel/cloth down for any reason while working. Keep it in your hand until finished with it. Once put down, do not use it again until carefully laundered, and after drying, place them in a sealed plastic bag that will not allow any dust to get in and/or on the towels/cloths. Always keep your washing and polishing towels/cloths seperate from all others. Wash them carefully and after rinsing, run them through another complete wash cycle with no soap to get ALL of the detergent out of the fabric. Do NOT use dryer sheets on your car care towels/cloths. Immeditately upon removal from the dryer, place them in sealed plastic bags to prevent them from picking up dust, which is abrasive and WILL scratch the paint. Also be VERY careful to segregate towels/cloths used for the bumpers, rocker panels, and other areas that may have gritty dirt on them, and when cleaning these areas, replace the towels/cloths frequently to prevent dragging grit onto painted or plated areas and scratching them. Wash and dry them separately from the other cleaning towels/cloths.

[szh]

Anyone have anything to say about "Zaino" products?

Zaino is the BEST ... please do a search for my posts on this product!

Z

[StarPD]

Zaino is the BEST ... please do a search for my posts on this product!

Z

I've never had any success using the "Search" function. No matter what I try, I always get a "No results found" message.Maybe I'm just stupid.

[96Qowner]

Oh, c'mon, searching isn't that hard.

Enter zaino in Search For, enter szhosain as Creator, and check Archived content.

You'll get a whole page of threads.

It's every bit as easy as typing a post - heck, it's even fewer keystrokes than posting.

[superuber]

My new to me 2005 Q45 in pearl white has the usual fine scratches on the surface of the clearcoat from car washes.

The advice given on wax etc. is all good but I think the big problem is right above. The car washes with brushes will scratch you clearcoat. Even after you get them out if you hit the wash again they will be right back.Your problem is not the right wax or polish it is your wash. Hand wash or brushless.

[StarPD]

Oh, c'mon, searching isn't that hard.

Enter zaino in Search For, enter szhosain as Creator, and check Archived content.

You'll get a whole page of threads.

It's every bit as easy as typing a post - heck, it's even fewer keystrokes than posting.

You're right. I tried it again, and it works.Not sure what I was doing wrong, but it looks like I can do it now.

Thanks

[StarPD]

The advice given on wax etc. is all good but I think the big problem is right above. The car washes with brushes will scratch you clearcoat. Even after you get them out if you hit the wash again they will be right back.Your problem is not the right wax or polish it is your wash. Hand wash or brushless.

I'm afraid you're right.I intend on having European Detailing Specialists here in Phoenix bring it up to snuff. I'll have to wash it myself after that.

Thanks

[audtatious]

After my last round of detailing my car, I think I'd prefer letting someone else do it next time...

[MattB]

The advice given on wax etc. is all good but I think the big problem is right above. The car washes with brushes will scratch you clearcoat. Even after you get them out if you hit the wash again they will be right back.Your problem is not the right wax or polish it is your wash. Hand wash or brushless.

Soft cloth washes are generally okay too.

[ceningolmo]

The pro's at meguiars.com, who have a decidedly biased opinion, say soft cloth washes are not ok. The only thing considered acceptable, other than hand washing, is a true touchless wash.

Any wash that touches your vehicle has the capacity to absorb dirt and therefore transfer the "cobweb" style scratches to your paint.

[superuber]

You are so right. I have sratched mine with the soft cloth wash.It is not worth the risk! Those soft cloths hit your paint fast and hardesp. the edges of the material.

[Dabizzo1]

When washing your vehicle, truly touchless would be ideal but of course there is the issue of the force of water needed, the time it takes to get thicker stuff off, and the very impact force of the jets onto the paint that could fatigue the surface with time. In real world terms, a thoroughly saturated and wet wash with a soft wash mitten being double triple sure that there are no dirt speck contaminants in the bucket and water that could etch your paint is the most realistic way to wash your own car. I have specific cotton terry cloth towels and buckets I use for car washes only to ensure against damaging my paint. As far as detailing, I use a 3 speed rotational buffer (terry cloth bonnets only) first with Meguair's haze and swirl remover 2.0 (this stuff is magical) to remove swirls and faint surface hazing. I then use Meguair's polish with a slower but random motion orbital buffer (terry cloth bonnets only) to prevent overshined swirl areas on the car, and I finally seal the whole job up with Meguair's carnauba wax with the orbital buffer once again. I finally got to detail the 94 Q I'v been restoring to mechanical happiness and G50 paint jobs are truly magnificent when given proper treatment. The end result is a showroom wet look. For semi deep scratches that are still within the thickness of the clear coat, a 1500 grit wetsand (very uniformly circular motion without too much pressure) to flatten the area, and then restore a shine with haze and swirl remover. Doing this to all of our cars has transformed them. Also, never just wipe down the car with a damp cloth ever. Wash the car with maximum soap and water to reduce viscosity. I've seen friends simply wipe their car down and suddenly their hoods have circular haze marks all over. Hope this helps. Detailing my ride is a relaxing therapy to me, especially given the fact that I get to ignore everyone . Good luck.

[szh]

Enter zaino in Search For, enter szhosain as Creator, and check Archived content.

You'll get a whole page of threads.

Yup!

Including my post with pictures showing the awesome Zaino results on my old Q!

Z

[MattB]

Here's a pic of my old G20 after two coats of Meguiar's Tech Wax:

[StarPD]

Matt, that looks great. What kind of prep work did you do before waxing?