[bimper]

Any suggestions as to brand of wax, frequency, interior care, other cleaning products and methods??

 

[rsm]

Rule #1: if you wash your car yourself, leave your key a good distance away, otherwise the windows drop down when you near the handles and let water seep in and break the seal, messy.

 

[Luciano]

Well as a swiss I MUST say use Swissvax. Certainly one of the best products not only for oldtimers but for exclusive cars in general.

 

[pitchfork]

Great advice rsm.

That is something I've learnt the hard way with some of my previous cars.

Wax is personal preference but logic would suggest go for the most durable wax you can get.

I like collinite 845 as a layer or two of sealant followed by my choice of carnauba wax.

Frequency? If I do two layers of 845 I can usually get 4-5 months of durability if I wash once a week.

Interior care is just regular cleaning of the leather. Autoglym leather cleaner. Chemical guys leather cleaner.. Any leather cleaner really... You can even use a light mix of woolite laundry detergent to water.


For wiping down the plastic parts I like to use 1z einszett cockpit premiun. leaves a nice mat finish and is a good light cleaner for the non leather bits.

 

[anderson_b76]

I've always used zymol or pinnacle products and have been quite happy. Don't forget to clay the car after washing though…makes a big difference. However, make sure you know what you are doing.

 

[Etodd31856]

How ofter do you clay? claying is different than compounding?

 

[JamesMay]

There are forums that discuss in great detail how to wash, wax, clay, etc. I would suggest looking for these.

 

[anderson_b76]

Sorry, I should have clarified. You only clay before you are going to use a sealant or wax, but should be done before you use a sealant or wax. Claying removes surface contaminants and therefore insures you wax or apply a sealant you don't polish or burn contaminants into the clear-coat. It will also also the wax or sealant to bond better to the paint and create a smoother finish. A lot of car wash places that also wax cars don't clay and use subpar products….either do it yourself or go to a professional detailer. Your paint will show a big difference over time.

I generally wash, clay and wax the car in the spring and summer, and then wash, clay and use a sealant in the fall before winter season due to the salt and grime on the road in the winter. I of course wash the car almost weekly and either do it myself or pay for a hand wash in colder weather.

 

[blueghibli]

There are forums that discuss in great detail how to wash, wax, clay, etc. I would suggest looking for these.

what's your favorite detailing forum?

 

[pitchfork]

there are lots

autogeekonline and autopia are popular.

you clay before waxing usually. claybar once to twice a year.

i try to go for waxes that last long because I hate spending the effort to wax only to have it dissapear 2 months later.

 

[ratti]

there are lots

autogeekonline and autopia are popular.

you clay before waxing usually. claybar once to twice a year.

i try to go for waxes that last long because I hate spending the effort to wax only to have it dissapear 2 months later.

I heard some car washes have soaps that are bad for wax and will strip it off, how true is that?

 

[anderson_b76]

I heard some car washes have soaps that are bad for wax and will strip it off, how true is that?

Yes, cheap soaps will break down the wax or sealant rather then preserve it. Remember, the average car wash deals with all kinds of cars, from cheap crap to nice Maserati's, so they often will use a more abrasive chemical soup to help breakdown the dirt and grime on the guy who never waxes/seals and washes his car once a month. In the end, the car always comes out clean…but for the guy who waxs/seals his car regularly, only mild soap should be used as the stronger soaps literally break down the properties of the wax/sealant. Also, keep in mind a sealant is stronger then a wax (although don't shine as good generally speaking) and some sealants are stronger then others.

The BIGGEST issue with car washes or at least the automatic car washes are the giant brush rollers they use rarely cleaned and pic up gunk from all the cars and end up creating fine micro scratches in the clear coat of the car which you can see if you look closely…same thing as swirl marks. Then you have to burn off a layer of the clear coat using a more abrasive polish compound prior to the next time you wax it to remove the fine scratches and swirl marks. Eventually this strips down the clear coat and the paint of the car underneath will start looking tired requiring more waxing.

It is best to hand wash the car and insure you or they (if you have it done) uses a clean wash mit/glove made of soft wool. Fine scratches and swirl marks are bound to happen, but the auto car washes or "tunnel washes" often contribute quite a bit to that.

Now, the BEST solution for the guy who doesn't have time to hand wash or wax his car 4 times a year, or use a sealant 2 times a year is to use something like Opticoat Pro. It is a permanent sealant that basically adds another layer on top of the clear coat that is highly scratch resistant and very durable protection. It is best to have a professional do this and it will cost $400 to $1000 to apply it. The range is dependent on the condition of the car. You HAVE TO polish the car before applying it and if the car already has scratches then the detailer will have to apply a couple levels of polish and rubbing compound potentially, then Opticoat and wax so your cost will be closer to $1,000. With Opticoat applied, you can still wax the car for a good shine, but just know you will not be able to achieve quite the depth and "liquid" look of a high quality low durability wax job, BUT your car will look much cleaner at all times (Opticoat repels dirt including break dust so use on your wheels too) and your paint is as bulletproof as possible without stepping up to a 3M clear bra wrap. Opticoat is a functional solution for a daily driver. Would I use it for a weekend toy i.e. Ferrari….no, but for a high-end daily I view it as a must. It will not stop the tiny micro chips from pebbles and rocks on the road from happening to the front and hood of the car, but it will take a harder impact to create the chips. Also, if someone tries to the key the car, they'll have to use twice the force and really dig in to do damage to the actual paint.

If you want to use auto car washes regularly because you don't have time to hand wash and or don't have time to detail regularly or drop it off for to a detailer a few times a year, then without question get the Opticoat done to it and just run it through normal car washes and wax once or twice a year and you are good. Even consider the clear-bra for chips.

 

[blueghibli]

Anderson, we are so lucky to have you in this forum.

 

[Poulsbo]

I remember sometime ago reading about not waxing or polishing new paint that come with new car right away until the paint is cured or "dried". Is there any truth to it? Can any one shed some light on this. My car is in production and I am expecting it to arrive in a month or so.
Thanks

 

[anderson_b76]

Anderson, we are so lucky to have you in this forum.

Thanks for the compliment and glad you find some of my posts informative.

 

[anderson_b76]

I remember sometime ago reading about not waxing or polishing new paint that come with new car right away until the paint is cured or "dried". Is there any truth to it? Can any one shed some light on this. My car is in production and I am expecting it to arrive in a month or so.
Thanks

You are not getting the car fresh off of the production line. By the time it gets to you, it will be at least several weeks. You do not need to be concerned by "curing" time. Today's paint is cured very quickly. In fact, I would encourage a good polish and wax when you get the car if the dealer doesn't do it as part of their prep work.

 

[Poulsbo]

Thanks b76 for that reassurance. So do I need claying on the new car before waxing or is there also need for polishing? Appreciate your knowlegible advise.

 

[anderson_b76]

Thanks b76 for that reassurance. So do I need claying on the new car before waxing or is there also need for polishing? Appreciate your knowlegible advise.

No need to clay the new car. A light polish (they come in different strengths) perhaps depending on the condition of the car…some new cars need it some don't. Wax yes. I would look into Opticoat Pro if this is a daily driver for you.

 

[blueghibli]

Anderson, i will pick up my nero ribelle S Q4 tomorrow. I've never heard of Opticoat before. But it sounds a right choice for my car. Would you do opticoat first and then wax? And what else would you consider doing for a new, daily driver?

 

[anderson_b76]

Anderson, i will pick up my nero ribelle S Q4 tomorrow. I've never heard of Opticoat before. But it sounds a right choice for my car. Would you do opticoat first and then wax? And what else would you consider doing for a new, daily driver?

Yes, in order for Opticoat to work you have to polish first, apply it and then wax it. Opticoat is a ceramic sealant and as such it need to bond to the clear coat of the car, it will not bond to the wax. There are two versions of Opticoat, there is 2.0 and the Pro version. Have a professional do the Pro version as it has a lifetime guarantee whereas the 2.0 is for consumer use and I believe only has a 2 year guarantee and I've read mixed results with it. Google Opticoat Pro and the city you live in to find a detailer that is certified by Opticoat, or you can visit the Opticoat manufacturer website; Optimum Polymer Technologies : Select State I would STRONGLY suggest getting this done on a black car. This will dramatically discourage the dreaded swirls that are inevitable on a black car and maintain the overly cleanliness of the paint. My Ghibli is dark blue (Blue Passione) and is almost as bad as black is in keeping it clean. Get it done as soon as possible because the cleaner it is from the manufacturer, the less polishing that needs to be done before applying Opticoat and as such the cost is cheaper…cost is heavily dependent on how much polishing the detailer needs to do. Mine is $595 for the application of it, but the detailer said he had a week old Tesla that came in right before me and the paint was already swirled (likely from the shipping process to the customer) and they had to spend extra time doing two levels of polish which ran up that customer's cost to $895. The car's paint and clear coat have to be perfect before applying Opticoat to it.

The only other suggestion is if you want a clear bra like a llumar or 3M, have the detailer install is right after the Opticoat and then wax after that. I not doing a clear bra for mine, but if it starts getting chipped up, I'll have him throw one on and wax again. I would save cost to do it all now, but i have mixed emotions on clear bras…completely subjective opinion.