noob and confused...which products to use on a brand new car?

maximus96 · 03-07-06, 12:45

Hello

I’m a noob to the forums. My wife and I took delivery of a 06 Murano this past Saturday. We’re getting clear bra installed this week or next. Then I’d like to protect the rest of the paint. There are so many different products out there that it’s confusing and overwhelming. I have NXT wax, zymol cleaner wax, goldclass wax, and meguire polish amongst a few other things. I find the NXT to be the easiest to use among the things I have, but it doesn’t last very long. I read about klasse and poor boys and Zaino…what do you think is the best? Everybody claims theirs lasts and protects the longest…I want to spend the cash and get the good stuff…but which should I get? I’ll be doing job by hand by the way, I may invest in a porter cable later, after I get the basics down and learn more about it.

thank you

adept · 03-07-06, 12:52

Welcome to Autopia!

First off, even though it is brand new paint, I would definitely clay it. I would use the Sonus SFX ultra-fine detailing clay found here: http://autopia-carcare.com/son-3200-300.html . Because you are doing everything by hand, and you want some durability. I would go for Klasse. Klasse AIO for it's good polishing abilities and the fact that it is non-abrasive. Then, I would top it with Klasse SG. SG is not a wax, but a synthetic sealant. It will last you a good 6 months worth of protection, with good maintenance and care, of course.

maximus96 · 03-07-06, 01:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by adept

Welcome to Autopia!

First off, even though it is brand new paint, I would definitely clay it. I would use the Sonus SFX ultra-fine detailing clay found here: http://autopia-carcare.com/son-3200-300.html . Because you are doing everything by hand, and you want some durability. I would go for Klasse. Klasse AIO for it's good polishing abilities and the fact that it is non-abrasive. Then, I would top it with Klasse SG. SG is not a wax, but a synthetic sealant. It will last you a good 6 months worth of protection, with good maintenance and care, of course.

so you think klasse is better than the zaino line of product huh? i see the gallery in the zaino site and the pictures look amazing. i was tempted to buy the zaino but was holding off because its rather expensive...is klasse better than zaino? it may sound like a dumb question to the experienced detailers, but i really don't know...
thanks

adept · 03-07-06, 01:38

You will get lots of opinions and you will learn lots of things on this forum. Autopia gives more info than any other forum out there from my experience, and there seems to be less opinionated people, and more facts. From what I've heard, Zaino is a very good product... but it's overpriced. I dont have that much experience with many Zaino products, but from what I have seen is that many other products have a better outcome than Zaino. Klasse is a very good product, it has a lot of durability. However it is a synthetic sealant, and many people feel like sealants lack the depth and shine of a carnauba wax. If you want to stick with a carnauba wax, I just love my P21S! I'm a carnauba wax man

.

"Quality synthetic waxes have been known to last 6 to 9 months or longer... On the down side, many enthusiasts feel synthetic waxes lack depth and slickness."

Neothin · 03-07-06, 01:45

Hello ex-tC owner

As adept said, clay the murano. You never know what kinda conditions the car was put thru during transit or how long it has been sitting on the lot.
I would really recommend buying a porter cable DA polisher and some pads. I know your car doesn't look bad now, but eventually every car (except maybe accumulator's

) gets some defects that require polishing. Polishing by hand is a royal PITA and the PC makes it that much faster and easier.
After claying ou come to a cross road. If you denied dealer prep of the car, you can go straight to protection items. If you didnt, you more than likely have some swirling present in the paint. Thankfully one bad wash by the dealer is going to hurt THAT much. Look up some light polishes (menzerna, poorboy's, optimum, etc etc) to remove them. afterwards you can move onto protection items.

I have a couple of brands that I dont think I could detail without. Poorboy's is one of them. they make my go to carnauba wax, trim item, wash soap, etc etc. optimum is another. their spray wax and their polishes are awesome. clearkote. waxes, glazes, light polishes. a great overall brand.
I'd say something like a lineup of poorboy's polishes, propel pads, some klasse all-in-one, four star ultimate paint protection sealant, and poorboy's natty's blue paste wax will have your murano's paint looking great for a long time to come.

the other pc · 03-07-06, 02:07

to Autopia maximus96!

The NXT is probably lasting a lot longer than you think. Just because it stops beading or loses a bit of gloss doesn't mean it's not still there protecting the finish. Still, there are plenty of other great products worth trying. Just read around here a little and you'll catch on to what's what.

Don't expect to find consensus (well, maybe on a few things to avoid entirely), everybody has their favorites. At some point you'll have to just try some stuff and see what you like best.

Since you're getting a clear bra installed the immediate concern is getting the surface ready. Don't expect the installer to do anything to the paint except maybe a quick wipe-down with a spray detailer (if you're lucky). Once it's on whatever was on the paint is sealed in permanently so it will be worthwhile to prep the surface yourself beforehand.

I'd also highly recommend claying. Going over it with a chemical cleaner is a good idea too and if there are any swirls or scratches in the finish you'll need to get them out before the film goes on. ScratchX is a product that can address both.

PC.

themightytimmah · 03-07-06, 02:28

What color? I personally prefer different products for different colors, but overall, it's impossible to beat a sealant topped with a carnuba. Finish Kare's #2180 sealant and Pink Wax, are a great 1-2 punch for maximum longetivity and reflectiveness. If you want to go the Poorboy's Route, EX sealant and Blue Natty's is a great combo, it gives a wetter look than the FK1 pair.