Confused about Polishing/Waxing/Products

[Goatkey]

Hey guys...I'm really confused on the correct procedures and products to use now that it is time to polish/wax my truck. My tacoma is an 06 and I've only had it since december. It's spring time now and I want to do this right. I've read a few posts and still have some questions.

1. I have a few scratches and minor swirls....do I need to polish the whole truck? or just the areas that need it?
2. What is the proper order......1) wash 2) polish 3) clay 4) wash 5) wax ?????? or did I get it wrong or miss a step?
3. Products I have:
Mothers clay bar
Mothers 3 step: Pre-Wax cleaner, Sealer and Glaze, Pure Carnauba Wax
Meguiar's NXT TECH WAX

my truck is black...and I'm not sure what order I should do this stuff in.....or what products....

please help me....thanx guys...

[Pb]

Originally Posted by Goatkey

Hey guys...I'm really confused on the correct procedures and products to use now that it is time to polish/wax my truck. My tacoma is an 06 and I've only had it since december. It's spring time now and I want to do this right. I've read a few posts and still have some questions.

1. I have a few scratches and minor swirls....do I need to polish the whole truck? or just the areas that need it?
2. What is the proper order......1) wash 2) polish 3) clay 4) wash 5) wax ?????? or did I get it wrong or miss a step?
3. Products I have:
Mothers clay bar
Mothers 3 step: Pre-Wax cleaner, Sealer and Glaze, Pure Carnauba Wax
Meguiar's NXT TECH WAX

my truck is black...and I'm not sure what order I should do this stuff in.....or what products....

please help me....thanx guys...

You should wash, clay, and then polish where you need it, then wax, and glaze. You could polish the whole truck if you wanted to, but it might get a little discouraging, if you haven't done this much before. Polishing can really wear you out. It might be a better idea for you to just try polishing the body panels that really need it. To fix swirls and scratches you'll need something more aggresive than Pre-Wax Cleaner. A medium cut polish would probably work good for ya.

Read through this for info on Washing, Claying, and Polishing. http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t126755.html

[Goatkey]

So you think the product choice is good too PB...thank you

[Pb]

If you polish, theres no need to use the pre-wax cleaner.

Use the carnauba OR the NXT. I wouldn't use both. The NXT is nice and shiny on light colors, and is easy to remove and apply. The carnauba would be a better choice if you have dark colored paint, plus the protection will probably last longer than the NXT.

[camrycoupe95]

For over the counter, NXT is great stuff. I prefer the paste over the liquid.

Also check into the Zaino system www.zainobros.com ...probably the best overall total car care system available today. Expensive but worth it, especially if you have a dark color.