Question about directions, says to apply and buff lightly, then it says for best appearnce buff before it dries and then it says to wet the car a little and buff lightly.

now, when wetting the car, is that the first buff before the wax dries or after a light buff, wet and buff again?

any other tips would be awesome

It sounds like they want you to wipe it off before it's cured, thereby smearing it around aimlessly, then to be wiped off again with a dry towel. Sounds like a tremendous waste of time.

For a quick detail:

1) Give it a good rinse
2) Wash it (make sure your sponges and water are clean, special care on dark colors), then rinse
3) While the car is still wet, clay the car thoroughly then rinse.
4) Dry. If you don't have an air hose, let the car sit and drip dry after chamois to avoid having to fight with water on the paint.
5) Wax it using a good quality PASTE wax (liquid wax is garbage for durability, but excels in "shine"). Do a couple panels at a time, I'll usually do a side, then wipe it off. DON'T APPLY IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT and use a clean microfiber, not a terry cloth.
6) A good spray wax or "flash" liquid wax follow up will remove any paste wax residue and will shine things up a bit.

I really don't recommend buffing your car unless you have scratches that need removing or your clearcoat is severly faded. You can only buff paint so many times in it's life before you've gradually reduced the clearcoat down to nothing.

A good substituion for buffing is a quality handglaze (3M Hand Glaze works awesome), just make sure you know what you're doing.

Modified by AcuraFanatic at 2:18 AM 6/1/2007

Listen to what AcuraFanatic said....imo it's right on.

Rail fallout, brake dust, and road tar are the main offenders. These materials are so abrasive that they stick and get lodged into the clearcoat, unable to be removed by a conventional car wash.

It also does a good job of removing bugs or some stains. It's a good tool to use even if your paint feels smooth, as it removes any old compounds or waxes that were on the clearcoat allowing you to have a fresh surface to work with.

It takes a while to get the hang of it. Couple recommendations:

1) Keep it off dirty surfaces when in storage, as it will pickup those contaminents.
2) You can never "knead" the clay enough, keep stretching and folding it upon itself. The cleaner the surface, the better.
3) If you hear a squeaking noise while going over the surface, the surface either needs to be rinsed again or the clay is dirty.
4) Pay special close attention to the bottom of the doors, fenders and the bumpers, as they will be the dirtiest.

went to a manuel wash, clear rinsed, did the hood with the bar and one quater panel, rinsed again. sun set, cant see results, will look at it tomorrow

There's nothing wrong with them, I just don't like them. It is tempting for enthusiasts to go out and buy these machines thinking that will give them a professional finish... but the oscillating machines don't really do anything you can't do more safely by hand, and will not eliminate any problems you have with your finish.

There's streaking from wax not being taken off completely, then there's swirl marks from being washed improperly (spiderwebbing), then there's swirls left from buffers.

If you're leaving a haze behind, try to follow up your waxing with a second clean microfiber. If your paint is really dry, black will always look like shit, even with a fresh coat of wax.

If it looks anything like below then it's just wear and tear. Black is a horrible color to have if you're OCD because it is insanely time consuming to keep it looking perfect.

Something like that can be lessened with a hand glaze, or in combination with a light polishing compound in conjunction with a buffer.

I did an '03 black RSX that was so bad I ended up spending a weekend wetsanding the entire car, then buffing the entire thing out with 3 different pads and two different compounds.

You can bring most paint back, but learning how to keep it maintained properly aleviates the need to waste time like that.

Modified by AcuraFanatic at 4:18 AM 6/1/2007

SUJA 1 MOTORING BUILT
http://www.suja1.com

WayOutWest

I have to disagree with you. It's actually the other way around. Paste waxes are generally carnauba waxes which suck in terms of durability, but great in terms of shine. Within 30 days of applying carnauba, 50% of it is gone. Liquid waxes are generally synthetic (or polyemer based) and last much longer than carnauba paste waxes. Manufacturers say about 6 months, but realistically speaking, it's more like 3 to 4 months.

Now... if I had to choose one, I would go with the Carnauba paste wax and apply it once a month since it generally gives the better shine. I like to layer my waxes, so I actually use both. For a full detail I usually go: wash, clay, wash, swirl remover, polish, sealant, and top it off with a good carnauba. I like to do that once every 6 months. I maintain the shine by reapplying the Carnauba once a month.

I'm not sure if there's a general rule or not, and I guess it can be dependant on brand, but those are just my observations.

To the user, try both and see what you like.

looks good in the end, finished just 2 hours before a thunderstorm.

the clay couldnt get off some certain smudges and i have a LOT of chips and cracks in my paint...

notices that my left rear quater panel has a lot if micro fractures, but oh well

That's true, alot of it can be dependent on the brand; not to mention, climate and weather conditions, proper application, etc... But in general, that's the way Carnauba paste and synthetic liquid waxes work. Honestly, as much as people love Meguair's, I think their durability suck in both cases. LOL Once I tried brands outside of the typical Meg's and Mothers, I have never looked back. I use brands like Poorboy's, Clearkote, Chemical Guys, and P21S. Plus you can apply those first three brands in the sun. All of them come off smooth like butter too.

Anyways, I'm glad you're trying out stuff to know what you see and like. As I tell all my friends, that's what detailing is all about.

I followed it up with McGuires liquid wax and so far the two panels I've done look amazing considering the cars age.

also, i've been looking for better waxes than the typical store brought ones. since it was mentioned above... which brand would you guys prefer? Poor Boys, Clearkote, Chemical Guys?

oh yea, i would prefer something thats good, but durable also.

thanks

PM Me!!!

A Sealant forms a thin protective layer over the paint. Generally, you would use a polish or a glaze and then seal it up with a sealant. Most sealants are synthetic waxes made of acrylic polymers.

Of the four brands I mentioned, I would choose Poorboy's as my all time favorite. But the reality is, I like different types of products from each. For example, I love Pooyboy's EX for darker cars and EX-P sealants for lighter cars. These sealants have great durability. As for polishes, I like Clearkote Vanilla Moose and Red Machine Glaze. A good combo (especially for Rallye Red... LOL) is Red Machine Glaze sealed with EX-P.