I washed my car last weekend. Once done, everything was shiny. I forgot to get myself some car wax and I would like to add a coat of it. I researched on the web and there seem to have liquid wax and a paste wax.
- What are the pros and cons between a liquid one and a paste one?
- Is one better than the other for a specific type of vehicle? Mine's a 2009 Black Corolla.
- Which ones (and brand) do you use or recommend? I read Carnauba and Klasse in the sticky, but how's "Nu Finish" compare to them?
I think you will get a lot of opinions on this, but you'll have to decide what YOU want. The waxes today are much better than when I grew up and I don't think you can go wrong with any of the newer waxes. I recently bought a 2010 Venza. I put Ultima Paint Guard Plus as the initial coat. I chose this product because you put it and let it dry (at least 6 hours... or overnight). There is no rubbing or buffing. It's a paint sealant (basically a polymer wax instead of carnuba wax) that is supposed to last up to 6 months. In fact, I put this on two days in a row for a "base coat" and since then I've used turtle wax ice wax (WAX, not polish). You rub turtle wax ice on, then wipe it off immediately. I have a very deep shine. For black paint, it is often difficult to avoid marks so the Ultima Paint Guard Plus would be an excellent choice for you - no chance of leaving marks. If you decide on another product, I would recommend that you do NOT rub the wax in swirls/circular motion, but instead go in straight lines in order to avoid leaving marks on the black paint. On the top surface of the car, I'd recommend applying (and removing if necessary) front to back. On the sides, I would recommend applying (and removing if necessary) top to bottom. This should help you avoid leaving swirl marks on the paint. Good luck.
I used it twice because I am retired and have lots of free time on my hands. I also thought two coats would give it a better "base". As for the turtle wax ice (wax) I believe it is supposed to last about 3 months or so - like most waxes. We bought our car on April 25th and I am guessing I have put maybe ...hmmmm 8 or 10 coats of wax on it. That's enough for now... I'll give it a break. It just has a very nice deep shine and that's what I wanted. It's garage kept and hasn't seen rain yet, but it does eat bugs when we take it out. I've never used water to wash it yet, but instead I use prolong auto wash (waterless car wash). When we come home I always use the prolong to take the bugs off. But I've always treated my cars like this and to me it's enjoyable - not work or an inconvenience.
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There are reviews that says Turtle Wax ICE is only to shine and does little for protection while Meguiar is superior in protection. What's the difference between "Meguiar's Gold Class Liquid Wax" and "Meguiar's Cleaner Wax"?
There are reviews that says Turtle Wax ICE is only to shine and does little for protection while Meguiar is superior in protection. What's the difference between "Meguiar's Gold Class Liquid Wax" and "Meguiar's Cleaner Wax"?
Removing old waxes/contaminants:
If you're going to bother doing cleaner wax, you might as well go the extra step and clay bar first, before you Carnuba or synthetic. When I have the time, I prefer to apply liquid carnuba via orbital buffer, and maintenance with synthetics.
NXT is still one of my favorite waxes to use b/c you can actually see the wax when it dries (making sure you don't miss spots), unlike ICE. To me, ICE doesn't last as long as other waxes, but its great to use on black plastic parts.
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2007 Magnetic Gray Camry LE V6:
Lit door sills, F/R cathode, trunk cathode, K&N SRI, IS250 chromes, LED tails/ bulb swaps, Katzkin leather
There are reviews that says Turtle Wax ICE is only to shine and does little for protection while Meguiar is superior in protection. What's the difference between "Meguiar's Gold Class Liquid Wax" and "Meguiar's Cleaner Wax"?
There are two turtle wax ice products. The one I refer to is the turtle wax ice WAX. The turtle wax ice polish is that - a polish - it is not a wax, but a polish. Thus it gives a nicer shine, but as with polishes, there is no lasting durability.
After waxing, will I need to apply some kind of product to make my car shine even more?
And how often do you wax your car (3-4 times a year)? I leave my car outside because my garage can't fit my car (common Chinese practice to split the original garage in 2: one for storage and one for sewing).
After waxing, will I need to apply some kind of product to make my car shine even more?
And how often do you wax your car (3-4 times a year)? I leave my car outside because my garage can't fit my car (common Chinese practice to split the original garage in 2: one for storage and one for sewing).
First - if you park outside I would disregard using Ultima Paint Guard Plus as it dries overnight and you would get a lot of debris in it while drying. You will likely get several answers and they will all be good. You could use a clay bar and do other steps, but that could be a lot of work for little return if you don't garage the car. IF it was my car and I wanted it to look nice (in addition to protecting the paint) I would apply a couple coats of a good wax the first time I did it. (With black paint, I would not rub in a circular motion as it will leave swirl marks for you.) Why a couple coats? For a good base. Most of the waxes today are pretty good and for most people would be fine. Meguires or mothers or turtle wax ice (wax, not polish) for the first couple of coats. If you wax it 3 or 4 times per year you should be fine. If you are looking for something to make it shine once you have the wax on it, I would suggest a polish. Lots to choose from, but the turtle wax ice polish does a good job and is easy to use. It provides no protection - only a shine. Or there are some detailer products (spray and wipe type products) that you could use between washings. They'll give you a nice shine and a little added protection between waxes. After you get used to waxing your car you will get a feel for what you like and what works best for you. Buyao pa! Dou haole.
Last edited by Throck; 06-03-2010 at 09:07 AM.
Reason: spelling
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