So I have been reading lots of conflicting opinions on this topic.

I have had my car (Black) for 4 months and I think it is about time to WAX it for the first time (usually wash it with Mr. Clean weekly).

I do not want to spend a lot of money so I have settled for Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax.

First question is should I wash the car with DAWN (to remove the original wax) or should I just go ahead and wash with Mr. Clean autodry as normal before applying the wax?

Second, should I get a claybar?

Third, do I need to apply a polish before the wax?

I was planning on using my new orbital buffer.

Thanks...

 

ok, to start you are really scaring me. Why, because you say you have yet to wax the car (after having it 4 months) and that you have a new orbital buffer? Who is the buffer made by? Have you ever used one before? If it is a cheap buffer, return it and never use one like that on your car. If you have never used a buffer, return it....well, that is just my advice. Why, because you have a black car. If you do not know how to properly use a buffer you could burn the paint or at least leave tons of swirl marks in the finish.

That being said, I doubt there is any wax left on the car from the factory. Using dawn will help remove any grease and wax from the vehicles surface. A clay bar is recommended for removing fall-out, rail dust, etc, so yes, I suggest you use one before you wax the car. Skip the Mr Clean autodry. No point in using that if you are waxing the car. Just wash it normally and dry it off with a chamois.

You might want to read more posts on how to properly wax your car. You do not want to polish your car unless you have swirl marks/scratches that you are trying to get rid of. However, again, if you have never done this before you might want someone with experience to show you how.

 

I would have wax'd it as soon as I got it home, but... Anyhow.

I agree with Adrenalin completely.

 

Hey adrenalin, thanks for the quick reply.

I got a Craftsman buffer for christmas (http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...+%26+Polishers)

I have waxed other vehicles before but have never used a buffer before so I am not quite sure what I am getting my self into.

I figure I will take your advice and apply the wax (Meguiars Gold Glass Liquid) by hand and test my new buffer one one of the other cars before I use it on mine .

There is a LOT of information about how to properly wax a car, I think what I will do is use a clay bar and then just go ahead and apply the wax (I washed it a few days ago so it is still fairly clean).

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

 

Ok... first off make sure you wash the car immediately before you wax it. Just because it doesn't "look" dirty doesn't mean it isn't.

One day is enough for dust to collect on your car and when you start rubbing that into your paint you're going to have A LOT of scratches.

Washing is, in fact, probably the most important part of a "detail." When you wax the car you're enhancing the paint that's underneath, if that paint is dirty then it's not going to look very good.

So here are your steps:

1. Wash thoroughly
2. Dry thoroughly
3. Wax with your NXT or whatever decent wax product you have
4. Detail spray if you have it (NXT makes a nice one I believe)

Done!

And no I wouldn't use your orbital polisher on a brand-new car until you are a little more familiar with how to use it.

 

Thanks for all the advice guys...

Here is what I did, sort of the lazy-mans car wax...

1) Wash the car with Mr. Clean auto wash

2) Use Mothers clay-bar and detailer spray on entire car

3) Apply Meguiars Gold Class Clear Coat Car Wax (could not find NXT locally) and then buff with micro-fiber towl

I could not find any swirls and the car looks MUCH better now. After the claybar the car feels like glass!!!
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Definately take that buffer back to Canadian Tire. It is the worst thing you could ever use on a car. If you do want a buffer get a professional one like a Porter-cable variable speed polisher. They work great.

 

oh i can't wait to wax my car..

 

It is amazing, the differance a good coat of wax makes.

I usually have a layer of dust from the building site near work that makes the car look dull. It was not nearly as bad the last few days.

Definately recommend Gold Glass for anyone who wants a nice and shiny car without too much work.

Also, mothers quick detailer spray brings keeps it looking nice and shiny.

Is it just me or do black cars attract dust just by thinking about it?

 

Waxed my car today.. Man does it look better.. I"ll post pics whena ble..

 

I had a 99 Laser Red GT convert which collected fine scratches from washing. About every six months I did a thorough cleaning/waxing procedure which gave amazing results. It would make a black paint job look even better. Here's the drill:
1. Wash car thoroughly.
2. Put vinyl treatment on black trim (prevents wax from collecting in the trim).
3. Use a good clear coat cleaner/swirl remover. I used Meguiars. It works very well.
4. Then I used Meguiar's car polish. It really made the Laser Red pop.
5. Finish up with a good quality wax. I used Meguiars Gold Class wax.
6. Step back and be amazed at the difference!

 

I will have to try the car polish next time.

How often do you think I should rewax the car?

I was thinking maybe once a month or so.

 

The last thing you should use on a new car is dish soap. Dish soap is to abrasive for the paint. If you go to Walmart you should be able to find Mequair's Car Wash.

1. Rince off the car with a garen house, do not use the attached sprayer nozzle just let the water run out of the hose.

2. Wash the car with Mequair's car wash with a soft towel.

3. Dry the car with a few soft absorbent towels.

4. Apply Polymer Sealant to the new car body. Allow the polymer sealant to dry to a haze and then wipe if off just like you would an ordinary wax. Next use a polishing cloth for a wet shne.

Mequair's sells a polymer sealant product but you would probably be better off buying the sealant from your local boby shop. Type Mequair's on your web brower and you should see a whole list of products along with cleaning and polishing tips.

 

lots of people use dish soap to remove the old wax before detailing the car. I use Dawn dish soap all the time and have used it for close to 15 years now with no problems done to the paint. There are no abrasives in the soap. The only reason I know of for not using dish soap is that it will remove the wax from the car, which is why I use it before detailing.

 

laundry detergent is one that isn't reccomended.

Dish soap is perfectly fine for a car when you want to strip off the old wax.