Wash & Wax Hybrid Products

[bennijai]

Hello guys,
Quick question, how effective are these 2 in 1 wash & wax products? Do they really clean and wax your car at the same time? It's hard for me to believe and if it works heck I will definitely give it a try. Or should I just stick to the traditional methods?

I also saw a product called no went waterless car wash...anyone tried that? As well as another one that received rave reviews called Eco Touch waterless car wash...

If it's suggested that I take the traditional method, what type of wax should I use? The paste or the spray?

Thanks again.

[mickeyp]

I've used Optimum No Rinse for about a year, and I'm impressed. Very handy to use in winter conditions. You can use a concentrated solution as a quick detailer.

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by bennijai

If it's suggested that I take the traditional method, what type of wax should I use? The paste or the spray?

Thanks again.

The opinions you'll get about that are endless. I'd suggest trying both from several different manufacturers and come to your own conclusion. Same thing about whether to use a motorized buffer or do it by hand. Trial and error, man, that's how you'll find what suits you best....

TrailDust

[eddie926]

Wash N Wax products are generally a "lazy man's solution" to car care. They don't provide the protection or the aesthetic benefits of a real wax or sealant. Ditto for spray waxes. They make a good refresher in between waxes, but they don't provide the protection or aesthetics of the real thing.

What to use? If you just want your car to look pretty good and you don't want to spend a ton of money and time on it, you can pick up some good products at Wal Mart that will do the job.

Here's a good Wal Mart list...
Car Wash - Meguiars Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo.

Wax - Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 (make sure you get 2.0 it's better than the original formula). Or, Meguiars Gold Class liquid or paste wax. Or, Mothers California Gold Carnauba. These are all decent OTC products.

Detailing your car is worthless IMO if you don't clean your wheels and dress your tires.

Wheel/Tire cleaner - Eagle One A to Z wheel/tire cleaner is a great product for cleaning both tires and wheels and is safe on all types of wheels.

Tire dressing - Meguiars Hot Shine tire spray (Get the trigger spray, not the aerosol. Aerosol mist is too fine and floats onto the wheels and paint). Or, I've seen a number of people recommend the Armor All Extreme Tire Shine gel too. It comes with it's own foam applicator. My personal fave right now is Meguiars Gold Class Endurance Gel, but you have to go to AutoZone to get that. Now, AutoZone has most of the other products I've mentioned too, but not at Wal Mart prices If you go with the Meguiars Gel, pick up some Eagle One foam tire swipes to apply it. They're the best applicator I've found.

If you want to go to a higher level of detailing and you're willing to spend more and mail order then as TrailDust suggested, there is a mind numbing array of products you can get online. I'll leave it at the Wal Mart list for now.

One more thing. READ the how to detail posts at the top of the forum. Read about using the proper techniques, wash media, and good quality drying towels, etc. Using the right methods and equipment will reduce the amount of scratches/swirls that you put on the car while you're washing it.

[eddie926]

Originally Posted by mickeyp

I've used Optimum No Rinse for about a year, and I'm impressed. Very handy to use in winter conditions. You can use a concentrated solution as a quick detailer.

Forgot to say in my previous post. I totally agree with you about the ONR. I've been using it for about a year also on my Camry and I love it!!! Great stuff.

[bennijai]

thank you for the informative reply! so the weather has been chilly lately so i have my hands tied with hand washing it and waxing it...whats the opinion of car enthusiasts when it comes to touchless car washes? i want to get it washed and waxed before snow hits again and my original plan was to do all that when i head home for thanksgiving...would a touchless car wash be a good solution right now?

[eddie926]

The only way to get your car clean enough to wax it is to wash it by hand. Any drive thru car wash will leave a film of dirt behind that will scratch your finish if you try to wax.

If it's too chilly to break out the bucket and hose I'd go for some Optimum No Rinse and wash by hand in the garage (assuming you have a garage, or have access to one). Mix the ONR in warm water. That helps keep your hands from getting too cold.

Here's a link to autogeek.com. There are other places that sell it as well...

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html

If you search on YouTube you can find several demo videos on how to use it.

[bennijai]

well i needed a quick wash and rinse since i had alot of dirt on my car, (maybe not that much im a bit anal) and all i needed was a hose to rinse the loose dirt off but my house doesn't have a working water valve. anyway i took it to the touchless car wash where they use high pressure water and it got the dirt off so i'm glad.

i had to give it a few wipes for the sap and some of the water left over in the side molding but it came out nice. imma just wait until thanksgiving to give my car a hand wash, clay, and wax. thanks for all advice. imma go find that ONR.

[Pb]

The waterless car wash scares me. Keep your paint plenty wet while you're washing it, otherwise you're wiping dirt across your paint.

Don't expect a wash & wax to actually provide any real protection. It won't shine or protect like a real dedicated wax job.